The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-03-12
Piqua, Steele And Cambridge
Are Southern Division
81 Survivors
MT. VERNON TO MEET
ONE, IF AKRON BEATEN
Stivers Bewildered By Ag-
gressiveness Of Piqua;
Dope All Upset

Mt Vernon high school will en-
counter the scrappiest basketball ag.
gregation she has been up against
this year, in case she Is able TO de-
feat Akron Central next Saturday
morning at Delaware and goes into
the finals of the state tourney.
No matter which southern division
team qualities for the ilnals-Piqua,
Steele or Cambridge some tremen.
dous opposition is assured and Coach
Jerpe's men must be prepared to run
up against quintet which works
like whirlwind and which fights ev-
cry instant of the game with not
man ever idle.
The elimination of Stivers by
Piqua and Cumberland by Steele
high at Della ware last Saturday after
noon by the respective scores OF %
to % and 2 to 20 entirely upset all
the dope. Stivers, reputed TO have
the strongest team In the southern
division OF the tournament, was
completely bewildered by tho way in
which Piqua plunged into the game
and played in semi-panicky condi.
tlon throughout the struggle. In the
Steele-Cumberland game, it was only
u question OF which team happened
TO be ahead when the whistle blew
and that team was Steele Cambridge
succeeded in defeating Middletown
and Will play Steel next Friday at
ternoon at Delaware TO determine
which quintet shall meet Piqua the
following morning for the champion.
ship OF the southern division.
Observers OF past tournaments
have remarked that the kind of bas.
ketball played by the northern diyis.
ion and that of the southern division
is very different In the former case,
the game Is of smoother, more pol.
ished type, while in the latter there
Is much more fight" MI Vernon
will have Its hands full In case Akron
Central is trounced.
With the exception of one man Il
running guard-the Piqua team il
not large. It's effectiveness lies In
two good forwards two bulldog
guards and a center who, while not
particularly good basket shot, Is
the man about whom all plays start.
PiQua's left forward IL the best shot
on the team. Next to him is their
running guard who, tall. and power
full, Is everywhere at once.
Steele high has two splendid for
wards, one the height OF Don" Cole
of Mt. Vernon and the other sturdy
lad about the size OF Blair. This
team aims constantly to keep the ball
in It's territory and the forwards are
coached to shoot whether there Is n
chance OF making basket or not,
Their forte Is under-basket shooting,
Cambridge players are large and
husky. Captain Behen bulls" his
way through an opposing team for
shot al the basket, but Is susceptible
10 good guarding as was the case In
the game with Westerville when he
was unable to do much. Forsythe.
center, is very clever shot, The
Cambridge team labored under u
great disadvantage IN that one OF It's
men had blistered feet and another
an injured eye. This team, iacks the
dash OF Piqua and Steele.
Mt. Vernon high, II Il Is able TO
eliminate Akron Central. must be.
prepared against the surprise attack
Of either Plqua or Steele, inasmuch
as Cambridge is not expected to sur,
yiye. There is nothing uncanny. or
even spectacular about this attack,
but II Is the most furious type OF has,
ketball which the writer has witness.
ed this season