Western High School - Concept Yearbook (Auburn, MI)

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Conch Morris Phillips, Neal, Nelson, Royal, Thomas, Anderson.

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Girls' Basket Ball Girls' basket ball this season was very successful. A large number of the girls took great interest in it, and the result was a strong team. Our first trouble was in securing a gym in which to practice, but the Y loaned us the use of theirs in return for a sum of money which was raised by candy sales and a musical. Members of the faculty also lent their assistance to the girls, Miss Keating as coach, and Miss Lowrie as business manager, and Mr. Hassett refereeing at almost all of the games. The girls were very glad to get their help, and appreciated having some of the faculty take an interest in their athletics. . Eastern and Western agreed at the beginning of the year to play a practice game once a week. This agreement was lived up to, and Western may well be proud that their team was victorious in practically all the games. Two out-of-town games were played, one at Owosso, and one at Arthur Hill fSaginaw.J At Owosso, the girls lost their first and only game of the sea- son, but succeeded in keeping Owoss0's score down from their usual forty or fifty to the small number of thirteen. As a result of the good work done in all of the games, VVestern claims the championship of Saginaw Valley, basing their claims on the fact that they de- feated Bay City Eastern three times, Arthur Hill fSaginawJ, twice, and that Arthur Hill had been previously defeated by Midland. The only game lost during the entire season was to Owosso, a strong contender for the state cham4 pionship. May Petit was captain elect and forward, and by her well directed free throws, she especially starred in the Arthur Hill CSaginawJ game on the local floor. Marie Kolb, as center, was the strength of the teamg she was very quick, and her enthusiasm helped to win many of the hardest games. ' Eva Sherwood played forward, and it was through her ability to make baskets from the field that the scores were so high at 0wosso and Saginaw. Ellen Law was an all-around good playerg she was,guard the first part of the season, but was changed to side center, where she and Marie Kolb worked together so well. Abbie Ralston played guard and did excellent work: she was always by her opponent's elbow, and she did not allow her to make many baskets. She graduates in 1913, and the team will certainly feel a loss. Annetta Neal also played guard, and her chief quality was in her ability to stick to her man. : The other girls who played basket ball during the season are Ethel Nichols, centerg Lillian Reynolds, side center: Ethel Sherwood and Effie Horne, for- wards. These girls were very faithful in going to practices. The schedule games of the season were as follows: January 17-Eastern, 43 Western, 5. ' January 24-Eastern, 4, Western, 8. ' February 14-Arthur Hill, 43 Western. 7. February 26,-Eastern, 65 Western, 8. February 28-Owosso, 133 Western, 11. March 14-Arthur Hill, 145 Western, 16.

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.11 Boys' Basket Ball This year has seen Western high advanced into the front ranks of basket ball, for although not victorious in every game, the majority were won. The school can look back at the best record ever made by a team representing the cowboys. Practice began as soon as the football season was over, 21 men turning out at the first call. After six weeks of steady grinding, Coach Morris picked the iive to represent Western. The team worked hard at every practice, being forced to extend themselves by the second team and worked harder in every game, as some of the teams played were the best in the state. Although out- classed on two occasions, due chiefiy to strange floors and playing outside of High school circles, yet the team put up a game fight and never lacked the spirit necessary to win. ' We had no stars on the team, but we can boast of having five players who worked together every minute. By each one losing sight of individual glory and all playing for the good of the whole, we developed a set of team plays that seldom failed to baffle our opponents, Anderson at center usually out-jumped his man, thus starting the team plays, and this aided greatly by intercepting passes and breaking up the combination plays of our opponents. Thomas had that basket ball instinct which enables him to make up by head work what he lacked in speed. He had a clever way of streaking along the sides of the court to our basket, where he would receive the ball and drop it through. Phillips, though short, seldom allowed his man a basket. His accurate passing and bull dog tenacity makes him a valuable player at forward. Neil was aggressive, good on defense and had a peculiar way of throwingthe ball backward into the basket while at top speed, which could not be blocked by any one of his guards. , Nelson, the speed boy, was all over the fioor like a flash. He could shoot from any position and could always be counted on for several field plays. Royal was a wonder worker, always tending to business and seldom missed the basket when he got an open shot. Coach Morris was always on the job, never missing a practice, and continually urging the players on, never giving up a game until the last whistle blew. Then he would say: Never mind, we'll get them next time. Following the final practice, the team showed their appreciation for the services of Coach Morris, in a very material way, by presenting him with a handsomely engraved gold watch fob. Western's enthusiasm reached its height this season, and the team always played to crowded houses. The deafening yells and continual rooting showed the team that the school was back of it. , Team-Forwards, Neil, Nelson, Royalg center, and Phillips. Anderson: guards, Thomas Western 22 West Branch. . . . . .13 Western 31-Ypsilanti Normal. . .65 Western 33-Midland .... . . .11 Western 28+Midland ......... .17 Western 24-Eastern ...... .. .33 Western 49-Alma . . . . . . . . .23 Western 12 Mt. Pleasant 40 Western 18-Arthur Hill . . .... 30 Western 29-Alma .... . .... . . .14 VVestern 36-Mt. Pleasant .... . .34 Western 37-Arthur Hill ...,... 27 Western 23-Eastern . . . . . .30 Total for Western, 342.3 total for Opponents, 337. Average per game, 285 per cent.