Leavenworth High School - Tech Liber Yearbook (Waterbury, CT)

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VARSITY BASKETBALL Basketball hit an all time high in Leavenworth this year with the team reaching the finals in the C.l.A.C. tournament and then bringing Waterbury its first New England Championship by winning three games in as many nights in the Boston Garden. The team also brought the Brass City its first Valley League title in seventeen years. At the start of the season the Tracymen won twelve games before being defeated in the second overtime game with Naugatuck, However, the team gained its revenge for this defeat by beating the borough combine KNO OVERTIMEI in the semi-finals of the C.l.A.C. tournament. Entering the Connecticut lnterscholastic Athletic Conference tourna- ment with a record of sixteen wins and two defeats, the Tech quintet was victorious over Windham High 57 to 34, Hartford Public 48 to 45, Naugatuck 47 to 43, but lost to Hillhouse of New Haven in the final contest 43 to 30. Leavenworth entered the New England tournament as the dark-horse and promptly downed the Rhode Island State champs from Westerly 40 to 39, while the Connecticut State champs, Hillhouse, were defeated in their opening game by Portsmouth of New Hampshire, 32 to 28. The next night, again in the Boston Garden, ortsmouth was the victim of Leavenworth by a 32 to 29 score. Saturday night, March 28th, was a History making night as far as Waterbury is concerned because on this night Leavenworth defeated the Massachusetts State Champion, Durfee, from Fall River, 5l to 44. Before this game Durfee had a victory streak of 22 games. It was the first time in the twenty-two year history of the New England tournament that a Waterbury team had won. lt also marked the fourteenth time out of a possible twenty-two times that the Nutmeg state has won this title. Leovenworth's Line-up JIM PIERSALL - L.F.-Jimmy was the outstanding scorer on the squad. In ten Valley League games he scored 99 points and in the other games on the regular schedule he cut the meshes for l3O more points. In the C.l.A.C. tournament he came through with 64 points in four contests and in the New England's he threw in 56 in three, including- his record breaking 29 against Durfee in the final game. He was named to the All-City, All-Valley, All-State and All-New England teams. ln conclusion I would like to quote ci line from a Durfee paper, Pierce all, with Piersall . JOHN MESSUP - R.F.-Though Johnny wasn't the team's high scorer, he was the third ranking Valley League scorer with II6 points. He finished the season with a 9.6 average per game and his work under the boards was invaluable. ln the New England tournament it was Johnny's last minute hoop that won the Westerly game and his fouls that put the Portsmouth game on ice . He also played brilliantly in the Durfee game. AL DOSTALER - C-Al felt a little out of place on the team at the beginning of the season, as he was the only one of the first five that didn't 'start' in l946. He ranked third in the scoring department of the team and was ninth in the Valley League with 77 points. He played his best games with Tech's arch-rival, Naugatuck, and in the New England tourna- ment. His highest scoring efforts were against Hamden's zone defense. BERNIE SHERWILL- RC.-Bernie was a great little play-maker for the team, but didn't receive the credit he deserves. He was outstanding in the two post season tournaments with his work off the backboards and in setting-up plays for his team-mates. Though small in stature, Bernie did a man-sized job all through the season and richly deserved the All-City selection. He also did his share of the scoring, making more than lOO points this season.

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BASKETBALL

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RAY KORBUSIESKI - L.G.-From the first team, Ray will be the only one back to help Coach Tracy out next year. Ray's work off the back- boards was an outstanding feature this season and his defensive work reached its climax in the second half of the Durfee game when he limited Noga, the opposition's high scorer, to a pair of foul goals after he had scored l6 points in the first half. Along with Piersoll, Ray was selected on the All-City, All-Valley, and All-New England teams. Good luck to you next year, Ray. BUTCH DAMELlO -G. and F.-When some of the boys were out on fouls, Butch was the solution. He would come into the game and promptly take up where his predecessor had left off. The number six man on the team played in every game and did his share of the scoring. Butch is a very smart ball-handler, and it was hard for Coach Tracy to keep him in reserve. ED ROSA - G. and F.-Ed, like Damelio, was a solution to the problem of too many personal fouls. He, too, handled the ball well and was a good man to have around because of his work in the backboard department. As all the other members of the squad Eddy is well-liked and enjoys telling everyone how good the Brass City Coppers are. BUCK TITOR-C-Bob Mitchum, as the girls call him, is a rough customer under the boards. Though seeing limited action, in his first year on the team, he was very effective. Buck's outstanding feat this year was in the Westerly game when he out-jumped the rest of the players and tapped in a hoop in the closing minutes of the game. Buck will be a great help to Korbusieski next season while working from the pivot post. BOB ZINNO- F.--Though Bobby was used sparingly this season, he thrilled the crowd with his left-handed hook-shots. Bob is a great com- petitor, and we wish him luck for next season. AMAND DE ANGELIS - G. and F.- Arm is the likable artist of the team. His work will be observed on other pages of this book. He is one of the boys who put on the shooting exhibitions at half time, from half floor and beyond that line. JOE PERAZELLA- F. and C.--Joe is the long lanky fellow with the big hands. He wasn't used much this season but his height and ability to palm a basketball will serve him well next year. ERNIE HALLENBORG-G. and F.--AI Jolson's threat on the team, will be back next season. He wasn't used much this year, but he will be one of the team's high scorers during the i947-48 basketball season. Special Note-Nothing has been said of the most important man with the squad thus far, Coach Bill Tracy. He is the likable and genial man from Room l l l. All season long he sweated it out from the bench while the team told him to worry about nothin', Doctor. No one ever so richly deserved as much credit as Mr. Tracy does. For three years he worked untiringly with the boys on this team and developed a New England Champion. We, the class of '47 take our hats off to a fine coach, gentleman, and teacher, and wish him the best of luck with his teams to come.