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Recreated from the Sherwood Chronicle March 26, 1946

Sherwood Chronicle

NOTICE

This is a Special Edition of the Chronicle. published in honor of a great group of American youngstersthe Farmer High School Basketball team. Sherwood citizens are delighted that the Tigers have fought their way to the top of the heap and this is the peoples way of saying "Hurrah for Farmer!" In order the the community's plaudits may be carried throughout Farmer Township, additional copies are being mailed above our regular subscription list. We feel safe in saying that this edition constitutes some of the most complete coverage ever accorded any event by a county weekly. And we are the first on the street with the news!!

FARMER WINS STATE BASKETBALL TITLE

Sensational Tiger Five Hailed Throughout Ohio Worthington Cardinals Repulsed 36-32 In Championship Game

The

1946 Farmer, Ohio Tigers basketball team won the Class B State Championship. Their 4 year record was 100 wins and 4 losses. The high school bad a total of 33 boys. Team members are: Front row, from left: Milo Renz, Ed Lord, Leighton Fritz, Robert Beerbower, and Henry Ford. Back row from left: Willard Kammeyer, Kenneth Culler, Deloy Appel, Coach Ollie Zedaker, Supt E.H. Kammeyer, Willis Kammeyer, Marvin Maugel, and manager Robert Burns

forged into a 30-26 advantage, then hung on through the bruising last minutes and kept control of the ball despite the desperate last efforts of the Cardinals. Whereas the Tigers were red hot on Friday night, when they snowed under Bradford of the southwest regional, 57-39, they were only lukewarm against Worthington, and had to win the hard way. They missed easy scoring chances, so the final tally does not accurately indicate the margin of superiority. They were the best team in Springfield by a country mile, and some reporters were saying after the final contest that they are one of the finest quintets in the history of Ohio "B" competition. Certainly they had the poise, and the finesse, the balance that goes to make up a real champion. When they were hitting, as was the case against Bradford, they dropped the ban into the basket at every angle, not by the dent of crazy one hand shots, but as great basketball teams score, by zinging the ball around until someone was in position, then having that player take dead aim and

The Tigers are the Toasts of Ohio today.... They are the "Cinderella boys" from the country who out passed, out shot, and out thought all comers, big and little alike, to win the state basketball championship. They are the most spectacular quintet-the best "copy" for big city reporters-to come out of Ohio class B since the days of 1934, when the Waterloo Wonders ventured down from the hills of the south central region of the state to confound the gentlemen of the press. Farmer won the state title at Springfield Saturday night by defeating a very good Worthington team out of the Columbus area, 36-32. It was a spine tingling encounter all of the way, with the lead changing hands eleven times up to late third quarter when Coach Ollie Zedaker's club

fire away. and when they couldn't hit in front, as was the case against Worthington, they passed and maneuvered until they shook someone open, then fed him the ball. Farmer went to Springfield with a complete basketball team, capable of facing any eventuality, and when the last gun had been sounded there wasnt a fan among the 4000 who wasn't convinced, deep in his heart, but what this was the team of the year among the smaller schools of this commonwealth. The Tigers got "over the hump" against Worthington in the last 45 seconds of the first half. They had been having trouble galore throughout the first two periods, not being able to score consistently whereas the Cardinals were dropping in long shots from in front of the Farmer zone. Then, trailing 17-14 and with the timer ready to sound the intermission gun, the Tigers suddenly came to life. Bob Beerbower raced down the court and scored on a pass from Leighton Fritz, and seconds later Fritz went under on another fast break and popped the ball through the netting. That gave the Tigers an 18-17 lead as they left the court for the rest period, and transferred

the load from their shoulders to Worthington's. Worthington, a big and smooth team, gave indication right off the bat that it wasn't going to fold under pressure. The game was only seconds old when Ed Lord got set far in front of the Cardinal defense and sent the ball zipping through the hoop, but Kenny Kavner, who was to prove himself a pesky shooter in his own right, immediately retaliated for Worthington. Then, on a rebound pass after Milo Renz missed a foul by Nash, Lord scored again, and shortly thereafter Bob Beerbower galloped into the pivot, turned and scored. That made in 6-2, and the Cardinals took time out.

Whittled Tiger Lead

They came back fighting. Joe Neds after capturing a lucky rebound, and Bill Hamilton coined a foul by Renz. Then Tom Hartman a swell center put Worthington in the lead with a pivot shot, but Farmer tied it at 8 all as Fritz scored, and had a 10-8 lead at the end of the quarter on the strength of a side shot by Beerbower.

Sherwood

Chronicle

Farmer's lead went to 12-8 early in the second period as Fritz made fouls by Earl Nash, and Neds, but soon after Neds an Hartman tied the score as they hit from the field. Beerbower put the Tigers back in the lead with one of his sidecourt specialties, but the Cardinals came on again, with Hartman scoring from underneath, and Neds popping in a rebound. Hartman ran the count to 17-14 when pushed by Beerbower, and Coach Zedaker sent Ken Culler into the game in an effort to settle the Tiger passing attack, which was a little ragged at the juncture. The teams whacked away at each other without avail until the last 45 seconds when the Tigers snapped out of their slump as indicated above and grabbed an 18-17 lead.

on the prowl now having switched to a man-to- man defense). Farmer fans nearly died from heart failure as Ed received a nasty crack on the nose as the resut of a scramble with Neds for possession of the ball. Lord was also charged with a foul on this play and time was called while coach Zedaker and the Wittenburg college trainer on the Tiger luminary. they finally got the blood stopped and Lord went prancing back into the fray. Neds missed the foul shot and the quarter closed out with Beerbower running the score to 30-25 when he was shoved by Arthur.

until the final 30 seconds when Worthington intercepted and Kayner came charging in with a sensational one hand shot to close out the scoring at 36-32. The final seconds were desperate ones as the Cardinals threw caution to the winds and raced madly around trying to get the ball, but Farmer retained it through thick and thin.

A Sweet Sound
The State Championship. The long hours of practice, the anxious moments in the district and regional tournaments, the sweating and aching muscles, the screams and the moans of the fans, Ollie Zedaker's jumpy nervesThese things and a hundred other emotions were wrapped up in the explosion of the timer's gun. It was a sweet sound.

Action Was
Teriffic
Action in the third quarter was exciting enough to chill the marrow of the bones of a dinosaur. Culler remained in the contest, while Kayner a slender lad addicted to glasses came back in for the Cardinals. The Tigers suddenly resorted to the fast break, with Fritz scoring on a pass from Lord, but Kayner cranked up and hit from way out and Nash rebounded shortly thereafter to put the Columbus lads back in front 21-20. That aroused Ed Lord who was superb all the way, to action, and he drove through the Cardinal defense to score. Then the fur flew, with Hamilton hitting a Big Bertha shot, Lord pumping home one even longer to grab back the lead, only to see Kayner set a score from far out. Both teams were doing some sensational long distance shooting and it was a question of which side would wilt under the terrific pace.

Brilliant Pass Work

Nash returned to the game as the final quarter opened, and afer Renz had missed a foul by Hartman, Neds upped the count to 30-27 when charged by Beerbower. That was Bob's fourth foul, and the Farmer partisans were mighty uneasy about the situation in general. Hartman committed two fouls in succession on Culler, with Ken making one of three shots, and then things got tense as Nash rebounded to make the tally 31-29, For the first time in a coons age, Fritz missed two fouls in succession when hooked by Nash, but Lord grabbed the rebound, took careful aim and fired - 33-29. There were five and three quarter minutes to go as the Cardinals too time out. Returning to action, Farmer got the ball, came down the court and commenced what looked like a stalling series. Fritz, Renz and Beerbower were out front, keeping the ball away from the charging Cardinal team. Then Fritz dribbled down the middle, leaped in the air and faked a shot, then slammed the ball to Lord who was all set on the right side of the basket. in was a cinch- 35-29. With about four minutes to go, Leighton fouled Neds, who made it 35-30, but Lord got the point back after Farmer continued stalling in earnest when charged by Hamilton.

BOX SCORE
FARMER Fritz Lord ; Renz Beerbower Ford Culler TOTALS 36 B .4 7
O

F 3 1 0 1 0 1

4
O O

15

T 11 15 0 9 0 1 6

WORTHINGTON Neds 3 Nash 2 Hartman .3 Kayner 4 Hamilton l Weaver O Arthur O Sheaf.. O TOTALS 13

2 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 6

8 4 9 8 3 0 0 0 32

AttheHalf Farmer 18Worthington 17 Officials Palermo and Bishop

Cardinals Got Careless

The Worthington lead went to 26-24 as Lord fouled Hartman, but Fritz got the point back when pushed by Nash. On the return up the court, Worthington got just a little bit careless, and before the Cardinals knew what hit them, Bob Beerbower had swiped the ball and ftipped it to Lord, who raced under and scored. That made it 27-26, and to this point the lead had changed eleven times. After Lord had scored again on an interception (the Tigers were really

Refused Two Fouls

The Tigers regained possession with two and one half minutes to go, and kept the ball by refusing two fouls

Sherwood Chronicle

Farmer High School Gym