Watseka High School - Watchekee Yearbook (Watseka, IL)

Page 64 text:

Koester dumped in 20 points as did Iohn Martin 18. The Warriors bounced back to defeat Hoopes- ton 71-62. John Martin had one of the best nights of his career, as he racked up 26 points. He also played a fine defensive ball game. The Warriors seemed to get back in the groove in this game. Watseka off-set a brilliant one man effort to down Westville 71-59. Duensing, forward for Westville, was a one man gang in scoring points, grabbing rebounds, and defending nicely. The Warriors' scoring was balanced, the first five all hitting double figures. It was by far, one of Watseka's best games. The Rantoul Eagles won their second straight Wauseca Conference crown by stopping Wat- seka 70-58. Rantoul led most of the way. Warnie Wood turned in a fine game, scoring 20 points. A torrid third quarter turned the tide in favor of Watseka. Their opponent, Gibson City, led at the half by eight points. The rest of the game it was tied up most of the way. Warnie Wood hit for 20 points again to lead the way to victory for the Warriors. He'also dumped in six free throws in the last few seconds, to win the game. The County Tournament opened up with Wat- seka beating Wellington 72-58. It was an easy game for the Warriors, the reserves getting in most of the last part of the game. Watseka downed its obstacle, Crescent City, by the score of 60-42. The Warriors, despite the score, looked ragged throughout the game. The scoring was balanced. Buckley-Loda defeated Watseka in the quarter-finals, nosing us out, too. It was a contest where Watseka just couldn't get going. They definitely had a bad night. Cissna Park won the Tournament, with Watseka taking 3rd place, beating Central 65-45. The county champs, Cissna Park, fell to the Watseka Warriors by a score of 52-50. The game was highlighted by the brilliant defensive work of Denny Harmon and Warnie Wood in holding down Dean Yergler, Cissnals scoring ace. John Martin matched his previous high by scoring 26 points. It was a tremendous victory for the War- riors and brought the horseshoe,' back to Wat- seka. The Milford Bearcats put up a surprising game before they fell to VVatseka 51-39. Milford em- ployed the ball control tactics and it was a rather dull game. The scoring was distributed evenly over the Warriors. Watseka lost a heartbreaker to Rantoul on February 15. The Warriors led throughout the whole game, and it seemed as if we would win. However, John Martin and Denny Harmon fouled out at the close of the third quarter. At that time Watseka had a nine point lead. Rantoul poured on the fire and as a result we lost the game, 76- 64. John Martin led the Warriors with 18 points. It was one of the hardest fought games Watseka has ever played. The Warriors came up against another of its cold nights as Watseka lost to Pontiac 57-46. It was a bitter defeat as Pontiac didnlt have but one regular playing. Denny Fox paced the War- riors with 16 points. Hoopeston bowed to Watseka as the Warriors whipped the Cornjerkers 67-37. The Warriors played flawless ball and had Hoopeston at its mercy. The reserves entered the game in the closing minutes of the game. Roy Koester piled in 21 points and Iohn Martin hit for 20. The Watseka Warriors humiliated Oakwood as they blasted out a 96-67 victory. It was a new school scoring record and was a fine tribute to a great team effort. The reserves played the last part of the third quarter and all of the fourth. Oakwood had absolutely no defense. Roy Koester sank 22 points, Denny Fox and Denny Harmon both contributed 18. john Martin hit for 15. Curly Sanson, inserted only in the fourth quarter, netted 11 points. FRESHMAN-SOPHQMORES The Watseka F reshman-Sophomore basketball season ended with the Papooses compiling a 8 won and 10 lost record. Some promising sopho- mores are Curt Sorenson, Ennis Sullivan, Larry Harshbargen, and Rich Morecraft. The freshman crop turned up Dick Rhoades, Pete Wood, Kim and Karl Winkler, Jim McCullough, Tom Ross, and other fine prospects. We They Gilman .............. . 30 32 Paxton . . . . 47 40 St. Anne . . . . . 35 49 Central ...... . 51 49 Gibson City .... . . . . 33 49 Oakwood .... ....... . 57 35 62

Page 63 text:

On the Hardwood VARSITY BASKETBALL SCHEDULE We They We They Gilman .. .. 73 46 Central ...... .. 55 51 Paxton . . . 70 58 Gibson City .... . . 47 68 St. Anne .... .... 7 2 55 Oakwood ....... . . 72 54 PAXTON HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT Sheldon .... .... 5 6 60 Rantoul ........ . 58 70 Hoopeston .... .. 71 62 Gibson City ..,. .. 63 58 Westville .. . .... 71 59 IROQUOIS COUNTY TOURNAMENT Cissna Park .... . . 52 50 Pontiac ........ . . 46 57 Paxton ....... . . 61 64 Hoopeston ..-- - - 67 37 Milford .... .. 51 39 Oakwood -- 96 67 Rantoul .... .. 64 70 Bradley REGIONAL TOURNAMENT Sheldon .... . . 35 53 Paxton ..... . - 41 45 Hoopeston .... .. 41 54 Milford . .. .. 68 59 Milford .... .. 68 34 Rantoul -- 88 57 Westville . . . . . 33 43 Pontiac .... . . 57 44 Rantoul ...... . . 32 65 Hoopeston . . . . . 54 34 Gibson City .. 40 58 Oakwood .. .. 66 52 Cissna Park .... . . 42 45 The Warriors inaugurated the 1956-1957 sea- on shooting percentage. The final Score WaS son by beating Gilman 73-46. The first five 68-47. evenly distributed the balance of the scoring. In their first appearance the Warriors moved the ball Well and shot accurately. Watseka played Paxton in their opening Wau- seca League game. They trounced the Mustangs 70-58. Ierry Berkland scored more than half of Paxton's points against Watseka. His swing effort of 32 was tops for the game. Watseka's scoring was again balanced evenly. St. Anne gave Watseka a bad scare for three quarters but finally the Warriors pulled away in the last period. john Martin and Roy Koester both contributed 18 points. On December 14, the Central Comets flashed to Watseka for a game. Watseka squeaked by 55- 51 in a game that had Central leading most of the way. The game was featured by bad passes, fumbling the ball, and various other mistakes. Roy Koester was high man for Watseka with 18 points. The Warriors dropped their first Wauseca Conference game to the Gibson City Greyhounds. The Warriors had one of their infrequent cold nights, with the Greyhounds hitting over 6017 Playing their 3rd Wauseca game, Watseka snowed Oakwood, 72-54. Denny Fox turned in a high individual effort by scoring 21 points. john Martin and Roy Koester both scored 16. Watseka drew Melvin-Sibly as its first opponent in the Paxton Holiday Toumament. The Warriors clicked along at a tremendous pace, and beat a below average Melvin-Sibly team, 92-60. The scoring was balanced evenly among the first five, with the reserves seeing a lot of action. Fox and Martin hit for 27 points respectively to crack Paxton's chance to win their own tournament. .Paxton, however, was in the game all the way. The final score stood at 64-57. Watseka entered the finals of the toumament, matched against a good Rankin team. Watseka had one of its bad nights and played its worst game of the year. The Warriors failed to win the Holiday Tournament a 2nd time, being run over, out-played, and out- shot, 66-45. Again one player scored half of its team's points in beating the Warriors. Kenny Shepard, Sheldon guard, hit for 30 points in edging Wat- seka 60-56. The boys were not playing a good game, Sheldon leading most of the way. Roy

Page 65 text:

FRESH-SOPH BASKETBALL First row-left to right: Richard Morecraft, Paul Martin, Richard Rhoades, Curt Sorenson Ennis Sullivan, jerry Flesher. Second row-left to right: Kim Winkler, Le Roy Wood, Larry Hasbargen, Dave Sobkoviak Dave Keetley, Karl Winkler. Third row-left toiright: Iim McCullough, Tom Moloney, Tom Ross.