Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-10
HIGH SCHOOLS LINE
UP FLOOR QUINTETS
Several Teams Have Appear.
ance of Championship Fives
Even This Early i'm Game.
TRIPLE ALLIANCES FORMED
STATE CHAMPIONS.
1911-Beatrice. 19i4-lincoin.
9l2-Geneya. l9l5-I.lncoln.
1S13-OmahaA 1916-Beatrice.
Nl9l7-?
BY KARL LEE.

BY kAkL LEE.
The most uncertain of all high
school sports is again upon us. The
merry bounce of the round leather
ball is again pattering Joy to hun
dreds of players. coaches, and stu
dents throughout the state. As the
teams gather speed nj initial tourn-
outs the irresistible question again
presents itself "who will be the state
champions OF 1912"
Since the first popular organiza-
ton of basket ball teams in a state
tournament seven years ago, interest
in the game has increased four fold.
Where. but mere handful of
teams showed up for the initial tour
neys of 1911, eighty-nine quintet
registered with Guy Reed at the
state university last year. Officials
of the tourney found it necessary to
divide the competing teams into
three divisions, their excellence be-
ing gauged by their records Of the
season. This year there is every
expectation that. the wonderful rec
ord turnout Of last March will be
eclipsed.
Lining up the possible leaders in
pre-Xmas stride, there are probably
dozen teams that will come into
the open as winners, The fast Bea-
tricc team, which, after frye defeats
during the season, two by Crete and
one each by Lincoln, Columbus and
Central High, swept through the
tournament for the state champion
ship, is included among these. Cen
tral and South High schools, Lin
coin, Crete. Columbus, University
Place and Fremont are probably the
only others that will show up we'll
Fremont sent whirlwind of team
to the tourney, but drew Crete for
the first round. This team, which
later lost the championship to the
Queen City by bare margin of four
points, defeated the Fremont FIVE by
score of 18 to IS. And the Dodge
lade have practically their entire
team back again. Revenge will be
sweet.
Come to Front.
Norfolk and Kearney, schools that
failed to muster winning team last
year, and ducked the tournament, are
said to be coming strong again.
Light, fast men have been recruited
at these towns, so they should be-
come sectional champions. West
Point and Nebraska City, teams that
played high in the second division
last year, are already coming to the
fore with claims for entrance to the
first division, and the prospective
material already produced at these
schools indicates their bid will be a
strong one.
State teams have shown a tend
ency in nearly every section of the
state to form "triumverate," the
usual object being battle for dis
trict supremacy. In the far west Al
lance, Sidney and Kimball annually
lock horns in three-cornered scrap.
The same thing is true in the north
west where Norfolk, Pierce and
Sioux City usually try for highest
honors. In Douglas and Lancaster
counties, Lincoln High, University
Place and tie Nebraska Aggies gen
orally hold the central interest in
Lincoln, and Central and South High
schools and Council Bluffs in Omaha
I Other such triumvirates are here
with listed. s..
Crete Wilber- Beatrice.
Nebraska CITY, -Plattsmouth- Auburn
Osceola- Hampton, Stromsburg.
Central city Columbus Newman Grove.
Minden- Kearney Hastings.
Fremont-North Bend-Arlington.
York Seward David City.
Fairmont Geneva Sutton.