River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-03-25
1000 Per Cent Team
River Falls Normal Quint Wins
State Championship With Clear Rec
ord.--A Review of the Season.


the championship of the state by
winning ten straight games, defeat
ing all the teams in the northern sec
ton and trouncing Oshkosh Normal
school in two championship games.
Outside of the conference games Riv-
er Falls played some of the strong
est teams in this section of the
country.
The first game of the season was
played at Madison, against the state
university, where River Falls took
the short end of 1876 score. The
Normalites were not in shape for this
game, having practiced just one week
before hitting the varsity team, which
was then in mid-season form. How
ever, River Falls put up good game
and showed promise of good team.
The following day the Normal team
travelled to Ripon where the State
College championship team was play
ed, and it was only after hard bat
tie that Ripon finally won out.
The surprise of the season came
when River Falls played the Univer-
sity of Minnesota at Minneapolis,
where Minnesota was held to a 26 to
% score. The prospects of holding
a University team to a low score we're
not exceptionally bright, due to the
fact that Minnesota had already won
three games by overwhelming scores;
but Immediately after the game be-
gan Minnesota realized that she was
up against a tough proposition. Time
and time again the Normal players
dribbled and passed the ball all
around the varsity men, which made
them look more like a high school
team than a university five. The
first half ended IL to 8 in favor OF
Minnesota; the second half found the
game see-saw affair with the Goph-
ers extending themselves to the limit
in an attempt to cinch the game, but
not until the final minute that Arms
ten Gagged basket from the center
of the floor, putting Minnesota in the
lead, and free throw by him just as
the final whistle blew, was Minnesota
the victor. The game clearly demon
strated the advantage of the short
pass game which Coach Chandler has
been very successful.
The Normal conference season OPP
ened with River Falls playing on
Superior's small floor, which was
great handicap to the Falls team.
Nevertheless, they brought home
Is to 10 victory. One week later
Superior appeared at River Falls but
was forced to return home with the
short end of II to 5 score, having
scored only one field basket and three
field throws. Stout Institute was the
next victim, losing to the Falls % to
10. Eau Claire Normal could not
stand the pace and lost to the Red &
White so to 16.
The second surprise of the season
came when River Falls travelled to
Stevens Point. It was the general
opinion that Stevens Point would win
on her own floor and the most ardent
rooters at River Falls did not look for
a victory. The whole town went
wild when it received the news that
River Falls had had an easy time de-
feating the Pointers 26 to Is.
The following week Stout came to
River Falls for return game, only
to be bewildered by the fast, clever
passing and pivoting of Chambers
men and losing AT to IA. Reed and
Carolan showed their ability by scor-
ing seven baskets each in this game.
At Eau Claire River Falls won out
after hard battle, 80 to 20. Stew
ems Point came to River Falls but
had to satisfied with holding the
home team to a 17-14 count in the
last sectional game of the season,
leaving River Falls in the lead with a
perfect record.
During this time, Oshkosh was
cleaning up in the southern section,
and fortunately won the champion
ship of the south. A series of champ
ionship games was arranged, one
game to be played at River Falls, one
at Oshkosh and in case of third
game both teams would travel to
Madison to decide the championship
of the state. The first game at Riv-
er Falls was a hair-raising affair,
Oshkosh playing strong defensive
game while the Red G. White team
depended upon their short passes and
offensive work. After nip and tuck
battle the home team went to the
showers with the victory, II to IA.
The second game of the series was
played at Oshkosh and again, to the
surprise of basketball followers, Riv-
Ell Falls played its best game OF the
season and easily won the State