Out of the Past: Uhlans won opener in 1954
Unless you are a sports writer, this time of the year can be a bit of a drag. As a writer, you don’t have to ponder what to do with your evenings. In the fall, it’s game night at the football stadium, and in winter it’s basketball or wrestling night at the gym.
But if you are strictly a football partisan, this time of the year can bring on ‘withdrawal’ pains. On the other hand, basketball faithful are starting their seasons.
And so it was for this week, back in 1954. Football was reluctantly dragging its foot out the door, but basketball patrons were in their glory. It was their time of the year. Their season was underway. As that announcer heralding the arrival of The Lone Ranger used to say, “Return now to those days …”
German Twp. had a winning start, using an 11-7 edge in the fourth to nip visiting Charleroi, 37-35. Otto Cavalcante, Ray Trincia and Paul Blasinsky scored eight points each to pace the Uhlans, with the game report also noting, “Jim Carter grabbed some important rebounds.”
Brownsville took a 20-8 opening lead and rolled from there to beat Carmichaels, 52-31. Buck Grover had a high of 13 and Fenwick 12 for BHS. Krewasky led the Mikes with 10.
California led all the way to down South Union, 68-48. Tom Saxe paced the winners with 21 points, Sergi Tuday had 18 and Joe Slusarczyk 13. Charley Davis had a game high 23 for SU.
Waynesburg led wire to wire, with 10 players in the scoring column in a 58-38 win over Masontown All Saints. Dick Bennett had 14 points and Chastain and Hall 10 each. Donnelly and Bartoroni had eight for All Saints.
Centerville moved in the second half to beat Redstone, 56-49. Joe Clark (14) and Ron Litchney (10) led Redstone, while Hegedus (16) and Halligan (15) paced the winners.
Perryopolis defeated Rostraver, 59-41, pulling away with 24 in the third. Bob Jenkins led with 17, and Bill Oldham, Tom Novak and Al Lafko had 10 each. Joe Trembush led Rostraver with 19.
n n n
In other sports news that week:
-Donald Lee Bennett, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lida Bennett, of Lambert, bagged his first deer, a 7-point, 125-pound buck, while hunting with his father near Dulany Cave.
-Harry (Junk) Murray, of Connellsville, shot a 145-pound black bear while hunting in Cameron County. He was accompanied by Jerry Galiardi and Steve Chernko of Connellsville.
-St. Mary’s defeated Calvary, 59-28, in Senior Church Basketball League play, led by Fudala (20). St. George (Don Howard 10), stopped Central Christian, 36-29, the latter led by Don Hellein (11).
-The Fayette County Coaches Association named Dunbar Twp. and German Twp. the county’s Class A football co-champions. They were tied in Gardner Points. Brownsville was the Class AA winner and Masontown the “B” champ. The co-championship by Coach Lou Rozzi’s Uhlans gave them possession of the trophy until the following March, then it would go to Dunbar Twp. until next year’s winner was declared.
-Richard Dascenzo, 15, of Uniontown, R.D. 4, was admitted to Uniontown Hospital after breaking his right leg playing football.
-End Buck Grover, Brownsville, was named to the third team All-State United Press football team. Honorable mentions included HB Don Soberdash and E Steve Huesdash, Dunbar Twp.; E Ed Kostelnik, Connellsville; T Hillen, Uniontown, T Githens, Bellmar; and C Garban, Brownsville.
-Dunbar Twp. RB Don Soberdash was second high scorer in the WPIAL with 126 points (19 TD, 14 PAT). Top scorer was Jim Slaughter, Monaca, with 146 (24-2).
-County Commissioner J. Louis Williams has been notified that he is the winner of the 1954 Deluxe Holiday Coupe, given away at Penn State.
-The Steelers rebounded from a previous week’s loss to edge the Chicago Cardinals, 20-17, on Nick Bolkovac’s 26-yard field goal midway in the fourth. Ray Matthews scored TD’s on a 3-yard run and a 10-yard pass from Jim Finks, and Bolkovac kicked the other eight points.