by Gerald Rexing
Dale’s Golden Aces blew a nineteen point half-time lead after playing one of their finest first half and needed three extra minutes of basketball to prove that they were the Boonville sectional champs. The Aces downed host Boonville Poineers, Thursday nigh 68-50 and demoralized Tecumseh in an overtime to win their first sectional in many years.
Dale’s Golden Aces blew a nineteen point half-time lead after playing one of their finest first half and needed three extra minutes of basketball to prove that they were the Boonville sectional champs. The Aces downed host Boonville Poineers, Thursday nigh 68-50 and demoralized Tecumseh in an overtime to win their first sectional in many years.
Firing started Wednesday nigh with Tecumseh slipping past Haubstadt in an overtime, 59-57. Haubstadt led most of the game but Steve Board hit with 1:42 left in the third period to give Tecumseh their third. The teams then traded baskets with Denny Augner hitting the tying free throws with 31 seconds left. In the overtime, Mike Schmitt connected to give Haubstadt 55-53 and Richard Burkhart hit with 1:15 left to tie it up. After Hubert Kruse and Mike Schmitt each hit two free throws Kruse got a field goal to ice the game for Tecumseh. Bill Robertson led the Braves with 18 points. Aigner 14 and Kruse 14. Mike Schmitt of Haubstadt led all scorers with 24, followed by Steve Tenbarge with 13, and Dave Minnette with 10.
In the second game Wednesday night, South Spencer Rebels, used a 23 point second quarter to gain a ten point halftime lead on Chrisney and held off their early fourth quarter rally to gain a semi-final berth. The Rebels build up a 13 point third quarter lead, had it cut to 3 at 45-42 with 6:50 remaining, and built up this lead to 60-48 at the end. Stanley Hoss led the Rebels with 19, Perry Huff and 14, and Mike Patridge 11. Darryl Woolems was the only Wildcat in the double figures with 20 points.
Thursday night in the first game Winslow’s Eskimos upset the Castle Knights 59-54. Winslow exploded early and held a 12 point lead 46-34 at the third quarter stop. Castle started to move and tied it up 52-52. With 1:47 left on Earl Phelps hit two three throws. Castle failed to “cut the mustard” as Warren Tooley and Larry Julian connected to give Winslow a four point lead and the game. Joe Blantic led Winslow with 16. He was backed by Barry Burnett with 14 and Dayne Hartke with 11. Roger Cabbage led the losing Knights with 19 and Dave Ransom got 10.
In the final game Thursday, Dale’s Golden Aces opened up in winning fashion by downing the Boonville Pioneers 68-50. Wayne Stroud led the Aces to victory which also avenged an earlier loss to the Pioneers during regular season play.
After getting to a slow start the Aces opened up a lead and kept padding it throughout the entire game to mark up the victory. The win not only kept the Aces alive in the sectional but it was the first time in this season that they got above the .500 mark. The win gave the Aces an 11-10 mark. Dale was led by sharp-shooting guard Wayne Stroud who poured in 24 points, Ron Estes helped out with 15 and senior reserve Dave Kress playing one of the his best games notched 9 points. Danny Labhart and Stan Medical led Boonville with 14 points apiece.
In Saturday’s first semi-final game, Tecumseh ripped South Spencer 82-57. The Braves took a quick lead and never looked back as they headed for the final game of the sectional. They placed five men in double figures: Hubert Kruse with 20, Bill Robertson was close behind with 15, Steve Feagly, Denny Aigner and Lynn Bysing had 12, 11 and 10 points respectively. The defeated Rebs were paced by reserve Mike Wilson with 16 points. Dwight Henning added 12.
In the second Saturday afternoon game Dale squeezed past the Winslow Eskimos on Ron Estes shot with 4 seconds remaining. Winslow took the early lead and held a 3 to 5 point advantage throughout the entire game until a bucket by Bill Weber tied it up at 43-all, early in the fourth quarter. With 2:56 remaining Wayne Stroud gave Dale a four point lead on a three-point play. Dave Kress and Weber hit a basket each to offset a couple of Eskimos buckets and with 1:19, Kress gave Dale a six point bulge with two free throws on a 1-plus-1 situation. The Aces began to breath easier but the Eskimos came right back and within 40 seconds tied it up 58-58 on consecutive baskets by Joe Blantnic, Larry Julian and Dayne Hartke. Dale took two time ousting the remaining time to set up Estes for the final shot. Wayne Stroud led the Aces again with 17 points, 12 coming from the first half. Bill Weber chipped in with 15 and Estes followed with 11. Fantastic Joe Blantic finished with 25 to end his high school total at 1016 points. Barry Burnett got 12 and Dayne Hartke 11.
The Championship game Saturday night looked like a runaway in the first half as Dale led by 19 at the first half. But the Braves of Tecumseh refused to die and pulled back steadily to take the lead 58-57. on Bill Robertson’s field goal. The teams traded baskets until Lymn Busing hit a free throw to tie it up 67-67. Ron Estes picked up his fifth foul on this play. No one could connect after this and the title had to be taken in an overtime! Steven Byard hit the first basket in the overtime for Tecumseh, but then it was all over as the Aces regained their cool and ran off then straight points to take the sectional in their first returning year at Boonville!
Ron Estes pace the Aces with 23 points. Steady Wayne Stroud was right behind him with 16, Larry Wetzel added 14 and Bill Weber 13. Dave Kress turned in another outstanding reserve roll contributing 9 points (4 coming in the overtime). Warrick County’s leading scorer Hubert Kruse finished his high school career with 23 points, junior Robertson added 16.
See you at the Evansville Regional!
BOX SCORES
Boonville fg ft pf tp
Neff ……………………………………………. 3 1 3 7
Medcalf ……………………………………… 5 4 2 14
Labhart …………………………………….. 6 2 2 14
McClure …………………………………….. 2 0 3 4
Mockobee…………………………………… 3 2 3 8
Stevens……………………………………….. 0 1 1 1
Blevens ………………………………………. 1 0 2 2
Gill ……………………………………………… 0 0 0 0
Collins ……………………………………….. 0 0 2 0
Totals…………………………………….. 20 10 18 50
Dale fg ft pf tp
Estes ………………………………………….. 4 1 3 7
Stroud ……………………………………….. 9 6 2 24
Wetzel ……………………………………….. 2 3 3 14
Weber ……………………………………….. 3 1 3 4
Graman …………………………………….. 1 2 4 4
Kress …………………………………………. 2 5 2 9
Dauby ……………………………………….. 0 2 0 2
Totals……………………………………. 21 26 15 68
Score by Quarters—
Dale………………………… 13 17 20 18 —68
Boonville……………….. 12 12 13 13 —50
Officials: Richard Sweet, Ben Olson.
Dale v Winslow Box Scores:
Dale fg ft pf tp
Estes ………………………………………….. 5 1 3 11
Stroud ……………………………………….. 8 1 3 17
Weber ……………………………………….. 7 1 3 15
Wetzel ……………………………………….. 2 1 3 5
Graman …………………………………….. 1 0 2 2
Kress, Dave ………………………………. 1 4 1 6
Emmons …………………………………… 1 0 0 2
Ruxer ……………………………………….. 0 2 0 2
Totals……………………………………. 26 8 14 60
Winslow fg ft pf tp
Blatinic …………………………………….. 10 5 3 25
Wood ……………………………………….. 0 0 0 0
Julian ……………………………………….. 2 2 2 6
Hartke ……………………………………… 3 5 4 11
Burnett …………………………………….. 3 6 1 12
Defendoll …………………………………. 0 2 1 2
Tooley ………………………………………. 0 0 0 0
Luff……………………………………………. 1 0 0 2
Totals………………………………….. 19 20 11 58
Score by Quarters—
Dale………………………… 11 16 14 19 —60
Winslow…………………. 15 17 11 15 —58
Dale fg ft pf tp
Estes ………………………………………….. 10 3 5 23
Stroud ……………………………………….. 6 4 4 16
Weber ……………………………………….. 3 7 2 13
Wetzel ……………………………………….. 5 4 3 14
Graman …………………………………….. 1 1 2 3
Kress………………………………………….. 2 4 1 8
Totals……………………………………. 27 23 17 77
Tecumseh fg ft pf tp
Robertson ………………………………… 7 2 3 16
Kruse ……………………………………….. 7 0 5 23
Busing ……………………………………… 3 1 2 7
Aigner ……………………………………… 1 1 5 3
Burkhart ………………………………….. 1 0 4 2
Feagly ………………………………………. 2 4 4 2
Byard ……………………………………….. 4 0 0 8
Harris……………………………………….. 0 2 0 2
Duncan ……………………………………. 0 0 1 0
Totals………………………………….. 25 19 22 69
Score by Quarters—
Dale………………………… 17 29 11 10 10 —77
Techumseh…………….. 11 16 23 17 2 — 69
Officials: Richard Sweet, Ben Olson.
