The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-02-13
CUNNINGHAM'S GREAT
GUARDING DAZZLES
Locals Never Start Until
Second Half And Then
Go Some

oONANSuAy lOA Ia IhO
greater part of the game, but spurred
on by the lusty shouts of nearly 200
rooters, Mt. Vernon high school, in its
first out-of-town game of the season,
swept into Newark Friday night and
utterly squelched the quintet of bas-
ket-tossers representing Newark high
school, by the score of Al to 10.
Mt. Vernons play was bewildering.
Newark could not fathom the forma-
tions executed with lightning-like
speed by the local boys, while the
password of Captain Blair's crew
was battling and dazzling.
And all this in the face of proba-
bly, not more than IS per cent of usual
basketball efficiency! Local rooters
freely stated that, had Mt. Vernon dis
played its usual game, it's total would
have run into the sixties.
Time and time again, Sapp or Blair
was put on the receiving end of a
spectacular series of passes which
had the Newark players running
around in circles, only to have the
ball topple ON the edge of the basket
and fall back.
At various periods during the game,
the wonderful passwords of Mt. Ver-
non brought the ball to the basket
with beth player and Sapp unguard,
ed and left the Newark players gasp
ing over how it was done.
Mt Vernon's off-color which, fortu-
nately, was not so prominent the sec
ond half of the game, was due large
ly to the strangeness of the floor and
the first game away from the local
Y. NJ. C. A. At no time, however,
did Newark cause the local five the
slightest concern. A lead was taken
from the start and maintained
through the entire struggle.
Mt. Vernon scored first. Newark
had fouled and Blair missed the free
| throw, but followed in his shot and
landed fielder. Newark scored by
the foul method and then high school
got busy. The half ended with Mt.
Vernon leading 16 to IL. Newark shot
four baskets in the first half and Mt
Vernon eight.
With the opening of the second half,
the slaughter started. Newark, try
as it would, could do nothing to break
up Mt. Vernon's plays. Sapp invar.
iably got the bat-off on his opponent
and, with this decided advantage, all
of Mt. Vernon's openers" were ex.
ecuted. many times to the astonish.
ment of the Newark contingent OF
rooters.
Some of the finest guarding exhibit
ed by a local high school team in
years was shown at Newark. Gun
ningham, master-guarder, was never
in better shape. Hawk-eyed, speedy
and possessed of scores of tricks de
signed to stop onslaughts of oppo
nents, he played beautiful and eff
fective game and had foul called Oh
him but once. The Mt. Vernon fol
lowers went wild on one occasion
when, single-handed, Cunningham
handled two Newark players who, by
short passes, were trying to draw hin
away from the basket.
Kelser, new man this year at the
guard position, proved nearly as eff
fective, although his work has not yet
developed into the, finished product
which Cunningham displays. He
proved most useful, however, II
blocking plays and went into oppos
ing players with a fury which a
times frightened them. In his capac
ity of running guard, he proved sue
cessful in carrying the ball down the
field.
A high tribute to the work Of
these guards Is found In the fact
tkat Newark shot but two field
goals the second half.
Yauger was one of the surprises
of the evening. that is, to those VIII,
did not realize the calibre of his worl
before. His name was on many lip
when the contest was over. Fighting
like a demon, steady and reliable, h
did much to advance the Mt. Vernol
cause. netting three nice fAelders dur