Dickinson State University - Prairie Smoke Yearbook (Dickinson, ND)

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1944-1945 With a small but speedy team behind him, Gerlach again won the inter-collegiate basketball crown of North Dakota. Led by co-captains Ernest Johnson and Joe Hicks, the Savages had a remarkable season in which they compiled an average of 51 points a game as compared to the oppositions’ 34. Their only loss was to the Valley City quintet by a margin of 4 points. The Savages capitalized on their fast break and steady ball handling on the offensive side and always played a cool, aggressive defensive game. In one of the most outstanding games the Savages tangled with the powerful N. D. A. C. Bison in a game which should have been closely contested. Grabbing an early lead, the Savages came through to a decisive 58-31 victory. The Bison had previously shellacked the Valley City squad, which was the only team to drop the Savages. ’44-’45 Squad

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’43-’44 Squad 1943-1944 Boasting probably the best all-around de- fensive and floorplay team in Savage history, this quintet also maintained a 44.9 point average per game. Led by Captain Strank- man, guard, who in Coach Gerlach’s words, “Ran the boys on the floor”, they won six of their seven games thus ranking as top collegiate cage squad in the state. The three boys who did most of the scoring were Strankman, O’Keefe, and Sperline. Round- ing out the “first seven”, who did most of the playing, were “Bambi” Harms, Ferger, Vince Bonora, and D. Young, defensive ace. Of these, three were named on the all- state team. They were Strankman, O’Keefe, and Harms; Strankman for his all-around floor play, O’Keefe for his work under the baskets, and Harms for his deadliness in shooting when “ON”. Helping Coach Gerlach with the squad was Warren Ajax Sp(A)lc, one-time Gopher great.

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'Tootba.U 943 The 1943 pigskin season saw an almost completely Navy squad representing DSTC on the gridiron. The lone exception was civilian Ottmar, rugged wingman. Using the single wing with no shift, the Savages made very good use of “Pile Driving’’ Sam Zahnle’s ability to hit the center and the swift- ness of tailback Ferris on off-tackle plays. They lost two games, one a 7-0 loss to Minot, while Concordia tallied on long passes for a 26-14 win. The Savages, however, trimmed Minot 12-7 in a return game. Standouts in the forward wall were previously mentioned Ottmar, Sturgeon at tackle, and center Bob Young, who was also heavy weight boxing champion. This squad averaged about 190 pounds per man, the heaviest being Sockoloff, 221 pound tackle. Also in the forward wall making openings for ball packers were Smith, Heddin, and Gaylen at guards and “Big Boy” Loete and Regensburger at ends. Completing the back field were Brase at quarterback and Sperline at wing back.