Out of The Past
1940: The year Point Marion dominated Class B Maybe you could say that coach Willard Conn was “quietly emphatic.”
Some people can make an emphatic statement and seem to be tearing down the walls around them in the process, while others can be so definite and yet so tranquil, sometimes to the point where you wonder to yourself if they actually opened their mouths.
As an example, go back to the 1940 scholastic basketball season heading into its windup with Point Marion running away in the Section 23 race.
Just the previous year, the Pointers made another run for the top, only to come up short at the end. Some coaches might have bewailed their fate and alibied their team’s misfortune. But coach Conn took a look at the players he had coming back, mixed in the experience they learned in the race now ending, and said to the Morning Herald sports writers “we will be a better team next year.”
Talk about being quietly emphatic. The Pointers came back as not only a better team, they ran off an 18-game winning streak, and wound up the season as WPIAL Class “B” champions, the first time Point Marion had clinched a title. They had made a good run in 1937, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to eventual WPIAL champion Burgettstown.
Newspaper sports departments of that period had one major shortcoming in that they seldom listed full names of players. Even game high scorers were often reported only as Smith or Jones, no first names, sometimes an initial, but on a few occasions the full name would be there. Unfortunately, when the team picture of the champion Pointers was printed, the only one with a full name was coach Conn, while the players were listed as H. Lewis, J. Wittebort, W. Cyrus, T. Torti, A. Cupelli, L. Rudolph, N. Tedesco, W. Devlin, C. Kelly, R. Stewart, and manager Amos. Some first names were found in later game reports.
Point Marion opened the schedule that year by downing Georges, 34-17, as Wittebort scored 10, Lewis 9, Cyrus 8, Capelli 6 and Tony Torti one. For Georges, Wilson had eight, and Kozosky, S. Polink, P. Polink and Verbus all had two.
As the second half of that season started, it was reported, “Point Marion seems to have the Section 23 race pretty well under control.”
By way of emphasizing that observance, the Pointers opened the second half stopping Cumberland, 50-45, wrapping up the win with a 16-10 fourth-quarter edge, while Mapletown nipped Waynesburg, 34-31. Warren Cyrus (16), and Junior Wittebort and Alfred Capelli (11) led PM. Joe Tekavec had 20 for Cumberland.
The Pointers then moved to within one game of the championship by blasting Waynesburg, 40-18. After 24-3 and 27-3 leads to the half, the PM reserves took over and played the second half. Cyrus (13) and Harry Lewis (12) led PM, while DeBolt had five for Waynesburg.
The next outing was a 53-47 win over Mapletown to clinch the section championship and advance to the WPIAL playoffs.
Point Marion led all the way, 14-10, 26-15 and 41-36 on the way to the victory, sparked by Lewis with 22 on 11 baskets, Wittebort 15 and Cyrus 11. Kubick had 19 and W. Glaspie 12 for Mapletown.
This was followed by an exhibition win over Centerville, 47-33, led by Lewis with 13, and a clinching 19-6 lead in the third period. George had 15 for CHS.
PM then closed out an unbeaten section schedule downing German, 52-31. The champions led 14-9 at the half, and hen moved out with 22-12 and 16-10 leads in the second half. Cyrus had 14, Cupelli and Lewis 10, Wittebort 6, Stewart 5, and Devlin 3. For the Uhlans, Sichko had 10, Dulik and Klinger 6, Oravetz 4, Smidtke 3 and Tippen two.
The WPIAL set up “B” pairings, and Point Marion drew the winner of the game between North Union and Dunbar Twp. The two finished tied for the Section 22 lead, and had to playoff for the title, and the match with PM. Dunbar Twp. won, 39-29, breaking up a close game with three quick baskets to open the second half and start a 17-7 third period run. John Romanko had 15 and Leslie Sepesi 12 for Dunbar Twp. Harry Livingston led NU with 12.
That brought a quarterfinal match with DT, played at the Lafayette Junior High gym, with the game story noting, “The sale of tickets was stopped one-half hour before the game was to start, and spectators were standing three and four deep in the aisles at the back of the gym.”
PM won, 39-22, paced by Lewis with 12 and Cyrus nine, and moved into the next round. Sepesi led DT with nine.
Next in line was Etna, to be played at the Pitt Stadium court, where many WPIAL games were played many years ago. Since Etna had already played one game at Pitt, the WPIAL granted PM one practice session there.
It was noted in the pre-game advance, “With its high rafters permitting arching shots, the Pointers should be dangerous.”
Were they ever! No contest, as PM raced out to an 11-4 quarter lead and closed with a 13-1 fourth quarter, in a 33-16 victory. Defensively, PM ceded only seven baskets. Lewis had a high of 15 and Wittebort 10.
Then it was on to the semifinals, against unbeaten New Wilmington. That winning streak lasted just long enough for Point Marion to lace up their sneakers. A 10-2 quarter lead and a smothering PM defense that ceded just eight baskets, sparked a 38-18 rout. Wittebort (12) and Lewis (10) led the scoring. That moved Point Marion to the finals against Monaca, which beat North Belle Vernon, 38-32, in the other semi.
The championship game was played at Washington High School’s gym, and Point Marion wrapped it all up with a 41-35 win. Monaca got out to a 4-0 lead, and that would be the only time they were on top. PM roared back with 9-4, 21-12, and 34-23 leads to seal their 18th win in a row, and close a 21-1 season. For the champions, Wittebort and Cupelli scored 10, Cyrus nine, Lewis eight, Torti four and Stewart zero.
Unfortunately for Point Marion, the season ended there. Back then, only the “A” teams played for state championships. Not until 1945 would a second state final be added. In 1951 it became three, and the current four finals began in 1984.
But Point Marion can always say, “We were the first Non-A champions from Fayette County.”
Remember?
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard correspondent.