Mark Eagles Edge Out Farmer Tigers - Tournament 1948

 "MARK BEATS FARMER, 51-50, IN CLIMAX OF EXCITING COUNTY TOURNEY

The Mark Eagles lived up to their pre-season notices last Friday night then they defeated the Farmer Tigers, 51-50, in a double overtime to win the consolation bracket of the county tournament.

The Blue and White, brought to the peak for this one, after a stunning first round defeat at the hands of Jewell, won the hard way - by withstanding the loss of their star, Junior Kline, early in the fourth quarter on fouls; by closing a five point gap in the final minutes when it seemed that all was lost; and then by slugging it out with the desperate Tigers in a point crazy regulation overtime that saw 22 tallies - 11 by each side - swished through the nets in three minutes.

It was a thrilling, highly satisfying victory for the Mark rooters and Coach Claron Walters, capping a session that saw the Eagles hot and cold by turns, and rarely really finding themselves.  They played their best game when it counted most, however, and now all hands are happy.

For the Farmer contingent and Coach Ollie Zedaker, this loss was a heartbreaker, coming as it did on top of the overtime defeat in the championship bracket at the hands of Ayersville  They had few excuses, however, for in both contests, they enjoyed comfortable leads in the late minutes, only to get nipped at the wire.

This was one of the best of recent tournaments - an affair of surprises and thrills galore  However, patronage fell off somewhat, being considerably less than last year, and there was plenty of room the final round for what turned out to be the best-played game of the entire event.

Individually, Mark's Junior Kline looked the best of the lot throughout the tournament, while Curly Lilly and Willard Kammeyer, of Farmer, Ted Shreves of Ayersville, Hellemn and Bergman of Ney, Keith Kinzer of Mark and one or two others performed consistently well...

Mark held a three point margin over Farmer throughout most of the first half, with the Tigers pulling up to 19-17 at intermission.  The county league champs took the lead, 30 - 27, in the third quarter, and when Kline left the game in the early minutes of the last canto, the Farmer advantage was 6 points.  The jig seemed up for Mark, but the Walters boys, paced by Kinzer, kept pecking away, and it was tied at 38 all when the game ended.

The overtime was a frantic nightmare with both clubs playing almost perfect under terrific tension. Kinzer popped home the first 5 of Mark's 11 points, but Bob Gotschall answered with three beautiful long shots to keep Farmer moving, and the count was tied at 49 when the extra period ended.

Leland Anderson, who had replaced Kline, was the hero of the 'sudden death' overtime, breaking free from the pivot position to score after Curly Lilly had given Farmer the lead with a charity toss.  Big Andy really drove for his bucket, moving past two Tiger defenders - and that was it.

The Geer brothers, Lloyd and Ralph, worked the tournament and did (in the eyes of the observer) a bang-up job  There were some debatable calls, of course, but all in all, it as high class officiating

Mark and Ayersville will represent the county at the Leipsic district, and both should do reasonably well."

The Sherwood Chronicle, 26 February, 1948