1946-47 Rangers Varsity Boys Basketball

1946-47 Rangers Varsity Basketball Team, Cheerleaders and Coach

1947 Class B State Runners-up

Front Row: Evangeline Holtkamp Kohler, Carol Meckstroth Kuck, Joann Lammers Feldwisch, Roberta Fledderjohann Tanzini, Ruth Schroer Henschen, Edna Kuck Vornholt, Arlene Philips Warner, Kathryn Thees McDermitt.

Back Row: Reuben Holtkamp, Robert Rain, William Arnett, Kermit Warner, John Hoge, Jack Kuck, Roger Settlage, Richard Dubois, Don Stienecker, Lee Kattman, Coach Roger J. Stauffer.

For more than sixty years two particular New Knoxville Rangers boys’ basketball games were frequent topics of conversation.  The first of these was the game of December 23, 1939, when Don Schrolucke scored the only two points of the entire game in the second quarter of the game.  New Knoxville won the game against Buckland 2-0 in the lowest scoring game on record with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).

The game that was much more frequently discussed was the 1947 Ohio Class B high school boys’ basketball championship game, when the New Knoxville Rangers finished as runners-up under the leadership of Coach Roger J. Stauffer.  At that time there were only two classifications for high school basketball teams, Class A and Class B, depending on the size of the school.  This meant that at that time only two schools in the state could be state champions.  This was the first time any team from Auglaize County had played in a final state championship game.  Following are several articles about the team and the game.

Stauffer Recalls State Tourney

Article by Jeff Henschen reprinted from the 1986 New Knoxville High School Memoir

When New Knoxville made their only state basketball tournament appearance 39 years ago, the man who led the dynasty was Roger Stauffer. Stauffer graduated from Ball State University in Indiana and then headed to Ohio.

In Ohio he coached at a small school in Mercer County. The school had no gym so they only played ten games, all away. The team was winless during the regular season but won its first tournament game. The following year the school shut down. Stauffer found his way to New Knoxville and began his coaching and teaching job in the fall of ’38.

In his first year of coaching at N.K., he won his first four games but never won another game the rest of the season. The bright spot of the season came when the reserve team won the JV tournament. “The town was as excited as when they went to state,” said Stauffer. The JV tournament was cancelled because of a controversy. Minster claimed that New Knoxville played illegal players, but new Knoxville didn’t, noted Stauffer.

The following year, New Knoxville set a record for the lowest scoring ball game. It was against Buckland, 2-0. Buckland won the tip and held it for most of the first quarter while the Rangers played their zone. Buckland finally took a shot at the end of the first quarter and missed.

New Knoxville had the ball for the beginning of the second quarter. The Rangers went down the court and Don Schrolucke hit a shot from the foul line for the first and last two points of the game. Buckland again held the ball and took a shot at the end of the second period but missed.

At the beginning of the second half, New Knoxville won the tip and took several shots at the bucket but failed to bottom it out. Buckland held the ball for the rest of the third quarter and never took a shot. In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Buckland had the ball and stalled until New Knoxville stole the ball and held it for the rest of the game.

In the game, Buckland took two shots and New Knoxville eight. There were no fouls called. Stauffer wasn’t worried about the score because the two times New Knoxville had the ball they scored once and got several shot attempts the second time. The only time New Knoxville held the ball was the last minute and half of the game.

Stauffer held practices twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday. The problem was that church choir held practices on Monday nights also. Stauffer said, “Half the guys would be here one night and the other half the next night.” He told them to make a choice, but instead church choir was changed to Thursday night.

Stauffer required three things from his players. The first was that the players had to get their work at home and church done. The second was that they must keep up their grades in school and the third was to play basketball. If they did these things, they would have no time for girls. Parents were pleased. “The parents of the girls would tell me that they always knew where their daughters were,” said Stauffer.

When he came to Ohio, Stauffer said he had never seen a zone defense. After one game a referee named Jim Musser asked Stauffer if he would like some help. The ref explained how the zone worked, and Stauffer put the lesson to use.

The highlight of his coaching career came when New Knoxville made its only state tournament appearance in 1947. Stauffer felt that if they hadn’t had sickness, they would have won. He added, “Minster was better than either team New Knoxville played at state. “All the problems,” said Stauffer, referring to the team’s unfortunate illnesses and injuries, is one memory of the state tournament. One positive thing that happened at state was all the attention the eight cheerleaders received from photographers that came to take pictures of the game.

The attitude of the community was enthusiastic. “The town could have burned down because no one was home,” Stauffer said of the following the team received from the townspeople. He added that around tournament time they would decorate Adolph’s front windows. They would put pictures of the ball players made into statues and place them in the windows.

Stienecker Remembers State Tournament

Article by Jeff Henschen reprinted from the 1986 New Knoxville High School Memoir

“New Knoxville had the best team that day, but Lady Luck wasn’t with us. We had sickness and the officials weren’t with us,” said 1947 graduate Don Stienecker of New Knoxville’s only appearance in the state basketball tournament.

Stienecker didn’t play in the finals, however, due to an injury he suffered in the semi-finals. He was sent home and listened to the game on the radio.

The road to Columbus started with a double elimination tournament in St. Marys. New Knoxville defeated New Bremen in the first game, 34-28, and Waynesfield in the second game, 42-25. The third game saw New Knoxville defeat Minster, 45-42. Minster won the loser’s bracket and again New Knoxville beat Minster, 57-50, to advance.

The next stop was at Celina for the sectionals. New Knoxville defeated Harrod, 44-31, and St. Rose, 42-35. In the championship game the Rangers beat Middlepoint, 42-32.

Bowling Green was the site for the regionals. In the first game New Knoxville defeated Holgate, 45-28. In that game Holgate’s Leopold Like was All-State and averaging around 23 points. Knoxville used a special defense in stopping him. One man for the Rangers would chase the ball and the other four played a diamond around Like. This forced Holgate to shoot from the outside. Like scored but not his average. In the regional championship game New Knoxville defeated Gibsonburg, 49-28.

Unfortunately, the team was plagued with the flu the next week. Two days before the team was to play, five guys were home in bed. The team reached the end of the road at Columbus. The finals were played at the Coliseum on the State Fairgrounds. The semi-finals had New Knoxville playing against Philipsburg. The Rangers won, 51-49. New Knoxville was ahead by 17 at half but held off Philipsburg to win. This was the game in which Don Stienecker cracked his tailbone. He went to block a shot and caught his foot on the opposing player and landed on his tailbone. Jack Kuck scored 31 points in that game. The Class “B” record was 33 points.

The championship game was against Columbiana. In the game Kuck scored only two points and fouled out at the end of the third quarter. Throughout the season New Knoxville shot free throws very well but managed to hit only six of 23 against Columbiana. The local boys lost, 43-34. The ironic thing was that New Knoxville brought home the State Championship trophy by accident and made Columbiana drive down to New Knoxville and exchange trophies. Besides being state runners-up, other honors were received. Roger Settlage, who didn’t play in the semi-finals due to the flu, and Jack Kuck, were named to the Class “B” State Tournament first team. Lee Kattman was named to the second team.

New Knoxville ended the regular season 15-2. They lost both games by the same score, 38-34, to Minster and Elida. In all three losses New Knoxville scored 34 points.

The team was coached by Roger Stauffer who had the philosophy that if we had the ball, the other team couldn’t score. The team had set plays that were run every time down the floor. For instance, if the coach called, “Play 2,” everyone knew that a specific player was going to shoot. No matter who was open only that specific player was to shoot.

Stienecker stated that one of the biggest reasons for the team’s success was the city team. The city team would come to practice and work against the team.

Many rules have changed since the 1947 season. A player was allowed only four personal fouls, and if a player was called for a technical, it counted as one of his four. If a coach was charged with a technical, it was given to the captain of the team as a personal foul. A team was allowed one time out a quarter. When a player touched the net or backboard, it counted for two points for the other team.

1946-47 Graduating Senior Basketball Players

Left to Right:Lee Kattman, Roger Settlage, Coach R.J. Stauffer, Principal Verlin E. Katterheinrich, Richard Dubois, Don Stienecker

We located the following three articles in the online archives of the Evening Leader found at:

https://stmarys.historyarchives.online/home

New Knoxville Rangers Defeat Phillipsburg 51 to 49 In State Tourney; Kuck Outstanding Star

WILL PLAY WINNER OF COLUMBIANA VS. CORNING GAME SAT. AFTERNOON

The New Knoxville Rangers returned home jubilant yesterday from Columbus after defeating Phillipsburg 51-49 in the first game of the Class B State Tournament.

New Knoxville had the upper hand during the entire contest and led at the half by 28 to 16.  In the final quarter, however the Phillipsburg quintet made a spurt and nearly tied the score at one time, but the Rangers kept their heads and came out the winner by a two point margin.

The contest tomorrow is expected to be a spirited one and it is hoped the Rangers will come home the State Class B champs.  Stienecker, who played an excellent game yesterday, will be out of the game, but Settlage, the star forward for the New Knoxville squad, will be back in the game.  He has been ill with the flu and was unable to play against Phillipsburg.

Yesterday was the third time Phillipsburg played in the State tourney, and it was also the third time they have been defeated in the first game.  They can’t seem to shake off the jinx that hinders them from taking home the final honors.  New Knoxville has advanced to the State tourney for the first time and are making an honorable showing for their little village.  They are the smallest school ever represented in a State Tournament.

Jack Kuck, the Rangers’ 6 foot 4 inch center, and only a sophomore, seemed on fire yesterday as he netted 31 points and also put in the winning ball near the end of the game as the score was tied. 

The Rangers once held a 17 point lead over the Thunderbolts but toward the end of the game they slowed down a bit and Phillipsburg took advantage of this and evened up the score.

Bohlender, with 21 points, Phillipsburg’s sparkplug, was not up to par until the fourth quarter and then he had to leave the game because of fouls.

Kuck, with his 31 points, was just two points under the all-time record set in the early 1940s by Roger Phillips of Cridersville.  Settlage, a star forward did not get in the game because of flu, but may get in Saturday’s game.  Other players stricken with the flu did not play the entire game and were slowed down some.

Stienecker received injury to his spine in yesterday’s game and was taken the University hospital in Columbus for examination.  He will probably be brought to his home in New Knoxville today and will be unable to play tomorrow in the finals.

The entire team stayed in Columbus yesterday and will be in readiness for the finals Saturday.  Settlage, who was not able to go to Columbus yesterday because of the flu, has recovered and will leave for Columbus today, ready to play tomorrow with the rest of the team.

Saturday the Rangers will play the winner of the Columbiana-Corning game for the State title.

New Knoxville Rangers Lose Tough Battle Saturday In Final

Game Of Class-B Tourney By 43 to 34 Score

After winning ten consecutive games in county, district, regional and state tournament play, and compiling an outstanding total of 27 wins while losing only to Minster and Elida during the season, the New Knoxville Rangers were defeated by Columbiana, 43 to 34, in the finals of the State Class B high school tournament staged Saturday afternoon at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Columbus.

Before a capacity crowd of 7400, the Rangers controlled both backboards with superior height, but failed to get the high scoring machine into gear which had swept them to victory over the highly seeded Phillipsburg Thunderbolts two days before.  Jack Kuck, ace sophomore center, who had barely missed setting an all-time record in the semi-finals, could not get the lid off the bucket with his pivot shot and after committing four personal fouls was removed by Coach Stauffer to be saved for the play later in the game.  Dick Berryman, captain of the Columbiana quintet suffered the same fate, while Dick Dubois, reliable New Knoxville senior guard, played much of the last half under pressure of four fouls.

The Rangers held a slim 9 to 8 margin at the first quarter mark, but slipped to a 20 to 18 deficit at half-time, mainly on their inability to connect on free throws.     

The third quarter was another scoring stalemate and ended with the Clippers hanging onto a 28 to 25 edge.  Jack Kuck re-entered the game at this point and brought the Rangers within one point of a tie with a field goal, but this rejuvenation was short lived as he suffered his final foul.

Clipper substitute center Kick Reinehr assumed command of the game at this point, racking up four field goals for a comfortable margin as the contest ended.

Roger Settlage, confined to bed with the flu during the semi-finals, paced the Rangers with 18 points, being the only New Knoxville player who showed signs of the usual Ranger offensive.  Don Stienecker who played such a brilliant floor game against Phillipsburg before suffering a back injury was sorely missed.

New Knoxville can rightly be proud of Coach Stauffer and his Rangers who evidenced such basketball superiority by landing at the top of the heap in competition with Ohio’s 800 Class B high schools.  This superiority was recognized in that Jack Kuck and Roger Settlage were selected on the tourney all-star team, while Lee Kattman was chosen for the second team, and Dick Dubois and Don Stienecker easily rated honorable mention.

Knoxville High School Packed For Party Honoring Rangers And Their Coach

New Knoxville High School was packed last night when 700 men, women and children – all of them basketball fans – gathered at the school to honor the New Knoxville Rangers and their coach, R. J. Stauffer, who finished a highly successful basketball season.  The Rangers were runners-up in the state tournament at Columbus, the first time an Auglaize County team ever achieved this honor.

The party began with a covered dish dinner, and two long tables were packed with food to which attendees helped themselves.  The table for the honored guests was decorated four huge baskets of flowers, and at each place was a picture of the Rangers and Coach Stauffer.  On a nearby table were the five trophies the team won this year – the county league, the county tournament, the district and regional tournament championships and the state runner-up trophy  The honored guests were served “basketball” ice cream and specially decorated cakes.

Toastmaster E. R. Kuck presided at the program which followed the dinner.  Speakers included Coach Harold Anderson of Bowling Green, Supt. L. C. Schumaker, Jim Vogelsang, tournament official, and Joe Halberstein, news writer for the Lima Daily News.  All paid tribute to Coach Stauffer and his boys.

As a surprise Constantin Callinicos, concert pianist from Greece, played a group of selections and expressed his thanks for the 16 heifers which have been sent to Greece from the New Knoxville community.

Coach Stauffer presented awards and medals to the ten members of Rangers team – Capt. Dick Dubois, Jack Kuck, Roger Settlage, Don Stienecker, Lee Kattman, Kermit Warner, William Arnett, John Hoge, Robert Rain and Reuben Holtkamp.

Mr. Kuck presented Coach Stauffer with a huge key to the village and Mrs. Stauffer with a bouquet of two dozen roses.  The other bouquets were given to Coach Anderson, Mr. Schumaker, and Mr. Vogelsang.

It was a happy occasion in New Knoxville, and the committees all worked hard to make the party a successful one.  Here, there and everywhere that groups met to eat there was conversation enlivened with reminiscences of this game or that in which their favorites played.  There were plenty of incidents to recall, and there was no dearth of conversation.