Prattsburgh Central High School - Franklinite Yearbook (Prattsburgh, NY)

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26 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL The substitutes, Clark, Keyes, Angus, and Putnam, practiced faith- fully and served well when called upon. In them rests the hope for the coming season's team, and we know from experience that they will make us proud of them. 0f the nineteen games played, ten were victories. Of these nineteen games fifteen were County League games, and of these fifteen games six were victories. This record is not really startling, but it is good, decid- edly, when we realize that this was Prattsburgh's first appearance in the League. On November 24, 1922, Prattsburgh defeated Rushville at Rushville by a 23 to 16 score. The game was Prattsburgh's all the way through, with a score of I2 to 8 for Prattsburgh at half time. The second game, also with Rushville, was played at Prattsburgh, and Prattsburgh was the victor again, 25 to 6. The game was a little too one-sided to be really interesting, as there was never any doubt as to the outcome. The first League game was a dashing affair with Hammondsport. The game should have been a local victory, but the idea that it was the first game of importance seemed to shake Prattsburgh's confidence. Ham- mondsport won by a 23 to I7 score. Frank Connable refereed in a very able manner. On December 15th, Prattsburgh suffered the first real slaughter of the season, when Addison High won a 66 to I7 game at Addison. Thomas and Olney were the only scorers for Prattsburgh, as Donley was handi- capped by a sprained finger. Otherwise Prattsburgh might have gotten a few points more, although the outcome would have been almost the same, as our boys were played around quite obviously. The fifth game, which was at Prattsburgh, featured a real surprise party, with Corning Free Academy as the victim. The Academy had made a splendid showing up to this time, but apparently over-confidence weakened them as it did Hornell later, and Prattsburgh was easily victor, at a 36 to 18 score. A Prattsburgh High School Alumni team was next taken on and taken down, 44 to 16. The Alumni played a good game, but lack of prac- tice, and consequent lack of team-work worked for their undoing. Reg Thomas was used at center for the Alumni, Alt Thomas jumping against him, with disastrous results to the Alumni. - In the meantime, Corning Free Academy had vowed vengence on our small town team, and confidently expected to annihilate us when we played in Corning in january. As it turned out, however, Prattsburgh once more upset their plans and succeeded in getting a I9 to 20 victory. These two victories for Prattsburgh put Free Academy out of the cham- pionship race. However, in spite of their disappointment, the Academy players were extremely good losers. Prattsburgh then fell into a streak of losing. I Regents exams worked havoc with the team's practice, and in addition to that, for a month fol- lowing the Regents, nearly every member of the team was half sick with

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FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL n 25 First of all, Prattsburgh High experienced the sensation of winning from first-class teams. Also, the team acquired the knack of being a good looser as well as a good winner, and throughout the season enjoyed a reputation for this in league circles. Then, too, the team was inspired steadily by the unlimited support and encouragement of the entire town and school. Another advantage that came to our team from its member- ship was its contact with other teams which increased the list of acquain- tances of our team, and strengthened the bonds of good feeling with other schools. Finally, our school was put on the map in county athlet- ics, and our center was made the Second Team All-County center. All of these things surely prove that tl1e participation of Prattsburgh High School in county athletics was beneficial to a considerable degree. The team was very fortunate in securing Bob 'l Brown to act as its coach, a man who is a player himself, and who knows the game thor- oughly. He proved his worth by taking in hand a group of boys who knew very little about team-work, and turning out a well-drilled unified squad. A very large part of the success achieved by the team is due to Brown's excellent coaching. Although the first team used several men throughout the season, a few won permanent places. Donley, forward. was a steady contributor to the scores, and was recommended for a place on the third All-County team. McConnell played the first part of the season as Donley's running mate, and performed well on nearly every occasion. In the latter part of the winter, the team made a lucky step in having Ringrose act as forward. Ringrose always came through with flying colors, and was a decided fac- tor in the first Hornell game. As for the center, we really need to say very little of the player who occupied that position. The one and only Thomas won a place o11 the second All-County five, and was well-known throughout the county for his excellent work. He held many of the county's best men, and his name was on every list of possible candidates for the All-County team. Everyone in school is exceedingly proud of the record that Tommy made, for playing, for captaincy of the team, and for all-round clean sportsmanship. Hil Olney occupied one guard po- sition, and played consistently and well in all the games, being recom- mended for third team All-County guard. He played with a good deal of skill and dash against the county's best men, and has earned a reputation for clean, fast playing. The team will suffer from the loss of both Hil and Tonnny next year as both will be graduated in June. Xhle shall miss them as two players that any team would be proud to use in its line llp. Conine was Olney's partner at guard, and helped on more than one occasion to upset the best laid plans of the enemy. Sheenie will appear on the 1923--24 team, and a great deal is expected of him. Those who saw him work in the last Free Academy game will know that he will fulfill our expectations, for he is a steady player with the keenest appreciation of the value of team-work, and entirely lacking in any desire for grandstand play.

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FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 27 a cold. This naturally lesse11ed the team's efficiency very greatly, and Painted Post found us easy to defeat o11 january 26th. They simply fall away with a 48 to 26 victory, and wrecked all Prattsburgh's CllaIlC6S for league leadership. Haverling then defeated Prattsburgh twice, once by a11 18 to 38 score and again 24 to 33. Ill the last game Prattsburgh led nearly all the way through, but our failure to put the final and very necessary s11ap into the game, a11d Bath's good playing cost us the game. Painted Post came to Prattsburgh on March 2llCl expecting a11 easy 811313, but instead they received a rather warm reception. In spite of the fact that we did llOt win, we made them Work for their victory, which came i11 the form of a score of 30 to 22. Hammondsport was more or less of an easy mark during most of the second game with us, although a spurt at the last minute nearly gave them the game. As it was, Prattsburgh won, 34 to 33. Corning Northside was rather easy for Prattsburgh, and we wo11 21 to 18 from them. Now came the big surprise of the season! Hornell High School had only to win one more game in order to have the championship secure. Having led the league list for some time, their team confidently invaded Ollf small camp with the fixed idea of playing a forty-minute ru11 away. Something seemed to go wrong, though, for instead they experienced forty minutes of hard-fought battle, without a 11lllllltC,S slump. Thomas outscored the veteran Buck four to two, and Prattsburgh won the game I7 to 18. Of course, this was a terrible and unexpected blow to Hornell. Two days later Addison High School came up and wo11 from our team 20 to I7 in a very exciting a11d well-played game. Thomas was i11- jured in the last half and consequently slowed up a bit. It was then that his opponent got three baskets, which were his only o11es during the game. I11 the next game, Corning Northside, triumphed over Old Franklin by the close score of 16 to 17. Weakness in shooting baskets featured tl1e game for Prattsburgh. Ill all abbreviated game a few days later, our team defeated, Cwith a score of 40 to 27,3 a pick-up town team composed of Hatch, Cook, R. Thomas, Brown, Kennedy and Palmer. While Reg Thomas played well, he was still no match for his brother Alto11. On March 3oth, Hornell High defeated Prattsburgh SI to 14, thus gaining sweet revenge. The game was nevertheless a fine affair, and fast throughout i11 spite of its being one-sided. Thomas held Buck even, which was considered rather a remarkable feat on Buck's ow11 court. The last two games were never played, but Canisteo forfeited one game 2 to nothing to Prattsburgh. Tl1e other was canceled by mutual COIISCUI of the interested parties. Thus closed tl1e most interesting basket- ball seaso11 with which Prattsburgh High School was ever COIIIICCtCd. Last, but very far fro111 least, the team wishes to thank every person who has contributed to 111aking the past SCHSOII the success that it was. Especially we extend our hearty thanks to those who voluntarily carried the team around in the worst possible winter weather. VVe realize how greatly we are indebted to them, ll0t only for this but also for the unlim- ited encouragement and support that we received through the entire sea- so11. We liked the feeling of having friends behind us, 11ot only whe11 we won, but when we lost, and we tha11k them now for their l1elp in 111any a11d various ways. -- Vrooman Higfby, 'ay