Bryan High School - Bryannual Yearbook (Yellow Springs, OH)

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DoN AMON - TIM BIRTLE - TIM ARK with lieavercreek we were keyed up to the point where we were almost unbeatable. We defeated them to take second place in the league behind Cedarville. Rounding out the regular season we played Bellbrook. This game was mere practice in preparation for tournament play. s'Take the Tournament! was Iohn Funderburg's cry all through the practice sessions preceding the tournament. The players, determined as Iohn was, knew it would take a very strong team to beat this reiuvenated Bryan live. In the first game we were lucky enough to draw Bellbrook, the team we had played and beat the preceding week. As before, Bell- brook offered little more than practice in our opening game. Two nights later we were on the floor in Xenia again to play the also rejuvenated Ross five. It was nip and tuck all the way, but Bryan's superiority in every phase of the game was the deciding factor. We changed our victory cry from Take the Tournamenti' to L'Beat Cedarville! This was to be our last chance to get even with Cedarville which held two decisions over us during the regular season. Of all the games that we had won and wanted to win, this game was the one that we wanted to win most of all. In past years Cedarville has always been our stumbling block as far as winning the tournament was concerned. But this year we had that do-or-die spirit which was DONALD Doc AMON A Iunior and reserve man on the team. Doc special- ized in one- or two-handed shots from the corner. Although he didn't see much action, he was always there. IAMES L'BEETLE BIRTLE A Senior and forward, rounded out the year with an excellent record. Beetle uses two-handed or one- handed shots with keen accuracy. He is also co- captain of our team. IAMES DIR'rY', ARK A Iunior and guard played exceptionally good ball. He is one of the best foul shots in the county. During the year he made quite a few spectacular shots. He'll be back unless called for mili- tary duty. hard to beat. ln this game the betting was heavy and many people thought that this would hinder us some, but we took the attitude that this was just another game that we were going to win. As the game began everybody was tense and sit- ting on the edge of their seats expecting none the worse for the Bryan five, for they knew we were out for revenge. At the end of the first quarter the Bryan lfoys were 'way out in front. By this time everybody had relaxed and sat back in their seats wondering how bad Bryan would beat Cedarville. Yes, we beat Cedar- villeg not only did we beat them but we almost doubled the score on them! Most people thought this was an upset but in Bryan's estimation it was a mere turn- over. This is a time when the student body of Bryan and the citizens of Yellow Springs should be con- gratulated on the way they have followed their team to victory. After winning the County Tournament we had a big chance of going a long way in the District. The following four days we had one of the most gruelling practices of the year, and then our coach knew that we were ready for anything that was put up against us. In our first game we were up against a scrappy Lakeview five which was known for their aggressive- ness. The game was fairly close through the first half

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We knew that our next game would undouhtedly he our toughest up to date hecause we were going to meet our most hitter enemy, Cedarville. VVe lost our lirst game to a strong Cedarville live. Now we knew the team that would give tis the most trouhle the remainder ol' the year. Our next lioe was to he linon and we showed everyhody that we had completely recovered from the shock that we got the week helore, lor we heliutldled the much smaller team. The lollovving week we iourneyed to neighhoring Oshorn to attempt to end their winning streak. It was a tough hattle all the way, hut we linally plowed them under. Um' next game was iust heliore Christmas vaca- tion and the coach got us a game with perhaps the strongest team in Dayton and surrounding areas. This liairview team came to our court expecting an easy time, and we really lought the lirst hall, hut we just couldn't hold out. They went hack with our second deleat under their helts. Our next game was the one with our arch enemy, Cedarville. Again it was a very hitted hattle, in lact it was our toughest game ol the year. This game went into two overtime periods helore Cedarville heat us for the second time. Next was a return game with the improving linon live. Though improved they didnlt put up much more ol' a hattle hut superior height, speed, and accuracy told the tale. The following week we iourneyed to lellierson to meet a supposedly strong team. We were very much surf prised hecause ol' their weakness. We rolled up our highest score against the lellerson live. Next the llu hug got some ol' our players, and we were still a little over-conlident as we went into the game with Beaver. We were trounced soundly and l think that is when the coach and the entire team came to the liront. Our next game was with the underdog ol' the league, the Ross live. They were known lor their scrappy team play. With all their light they were easy prey for the sharp-shooting liryanites. Next was the Silvercreek aggregation. Again they were no match lor the liryan's artistic ways. The lollowing week we met a mediocre Spring Valley team. VVe overwhelmed them in easy fashion. Next we came to the D.S.S.D. live. They provided us with a little more competition, hut they were soundly trounced. ln the return game THE BULLDOGS lim DIRTLE . Co-Captain First Row: Dick Anderson, Dick Cordell, Buster Hamilton, Co-Captain: Douglas lansen. Mascot: lohn liiunderhurg, Coach: lim Ark. lim Birtle, Co-Captain: Don Amon. Second Row: llarold llenrichsen, Managerg Karl Knoedel, Bernard Hamilton, Ken Lawson, Harry Morgan.

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although we were leading by several points. ln the third quarter Bryan really turned on the heat to coast to an easy victory in their first district game. In our second district game things got a little tougher as we played a fast Quincy team. Up to the third quarter it was anybody's ball game, but again the surprising Bryan five turned on the heat and coasted the rest of the game for their second win. This put us in the semifinals. Our next game was with an untiring Staunton five who were really good basketball players. ln this game Bryan was off on their shots and it almost cost them the ball game. At the beginning of the second half Bryan had a five-point lead and was leading up until the last few minutes. thanks to their right defense. Then the game was tied up as the final gun was fired. In the three-minute overtime we scored two baskets to their one to take the game and advance to the finals. ln the finals we expected to have our toughest game so tar with a rangy Urbana five. Again in the first half Bryan was leading by a very narrow margin. But as the second half progressed Bryan's relentless drive was too much for the bewildered Urbana five. In winning this game we became the first team in the BERNARD USLIMN l'lAMlLTON A Iunior and the tallest man on the team. Played center. His foul shooting was quite a treat to all who saw him in action. Using a peculiar one-handed shot, he seldom missed. KENNETH BtfsTER HAMtLToN A Senior and forward. is one of the best in the county. Small and exceptionally fast, Buster specializes in a peculiar one-handed shot. He is co-captain of our team. .. ., KENNETH HSHULTZH LAVVSUN A Senior and guard, is perhaps the coolest man on the team. Tall and fast, he made many points on the follow-up shots. He was given credit for some beautiful guarding during the year. history of Bryan to take the District Championship. This put us in the regional or the state quarter-Finals where we were expected to get beaten by an unde- feated Lockland Wayne five. As the game progressed it became evident that Bryan was going to put up a tough fight to stem this great force that was lying in their path of conquest. Again at the half the game was really nip and tuck, but as the third quarter progressed Bryan let loose with a barrage of lethal shooting that did all but gas the Lockland five into submission. Yes, we won this game, but it took a great deal out of our boys, as they had faced one of the strongest teams in the state in the afternoon game. They played valiantly and were in the ball gatne until the last quarter, when the North- ridge steamroller really let loose with everything they had to plow the courageous Bryan five under. Like everything else there has to be an end some- time, so we shouldn't feel badly at all for our showing. We should be proud, very proud, of the way our boys fought their way to the heights of basketball, and treasure the three trophies that are mute evidence of victory. -Bt's'rER H.x1uiL'roN BERNARD HAMILTON - BUSTER HAMILTON - KEN LAwsoN