The Tradition Started A Long Time Ago
Germantown, OH (July 16, 2004) It was the big year of 1955-56 when the Germantown Cardinals went all the way in basketball. The team was the 1955 Montgomery County basketball tournament champions for the second time (the first time was in 1939).
In addition, the team also took home the second place league trophy. Things didn't stop there. The following year the Cardinals landed in the district runner-up spot again with an almost identical record as the year before. In 1954-55 the cardinals went 14-5 and in 1955-56 they finished their season off 13-7.
This era of Valley View's basketball (on the Germantown side) is often looked highly upon, but sometimes history needs to be dug up in order to appreciate the accomplishments like that of the 1955-56 basketball team.
And that's exactly what I plan to do. Bring back memories. Refresh the minds of who were there and enlighten those who weren't.
It was the basketball season of 1955-56. The football players had a total of 10 days to prepare for the basketball season, because in those days the athletes who played football also played almost every other sport (basketball, track and baseball).
The season started at West Carrollton and the teams' transition from football to basketball definitely had an effect on the team as they fell 59-62. The next game was against Randolph and the Cardinals were still feeling the strain of adjusting and fell 60-78. But things began to change after that, as the team took down perennial power Dixie 54-53.
"Then most of the players that played basketball also played football, so we only had ten days to get ready for basketball. I was injured my senior year, so couldn't play several games but came back to in to play against Dixie, and we won,"1956 graduate Ernie Riley said.
"Back then Dixie was coached by Columbus Hines, he was a legend. He won two state championships (and, as of 1956, had eight titles in 10 years of coaching), he was as big as Jay Niswonger is today. He came to New Lebanon in 1954 and was a legend," Riley added.
Vandalia Butler was the next stop on the schedule and the adrenaline definitely remained after the Dixie game helping the Cardinals to a 61-56 victory home. Riley was one of 12 players that got to experience the year of triumph that continued on after the Butler game, when the Cardinals sent Carlisle home with a 61-57 upset.
Now, for a game recap. If this won't send the memories flying back I'm not sure what will.
The game started off easy for the Cardinals as they pulled in the lead 19-4 over the Indians. But, the Indians weren't done and gave the Cardinals a run for their money throughout the remainder of the game. The second quarter ended 35-23, but after the break the Indians put a scare in the Cardinal fans as they closed the deficit to seven, 49-42. Luckily the Red Birds kept the pressure on and pulled out with the win.
Centerville was the next on the list of wins, as Germantown pulled out with an easy 51-42 win. The win may have looked easy when examining the final score, but what is hidden by the historical score is what happened in the opening of the game.
The Cardinals started off slow and were down by three points after the first quarter, but started hitting the basket like they were used to during the final three quarters. By the half the Cardinals had pulled into the lead, 28-21. They continued finding the net until they left the gymnasium.
The Holiday tournament in Dayton consisted of three games, with a loss to Dixie. The tournament started out good for the Birds as they took out their friendly rival Farmersville.
The recap will be a little lengthier for this game, because, as you all know, Farmersville and Germantown now play as one.
Farmersville came out strong that night and pulled way out in front of the Red Birds, 16-8. But then it happened, Germantown stepped it up and scored 21 points in the second quarter trimming the score to 33-29.
The second half was a tight ball game as Dick Short and Riley helped tie the score at 33 before moving in the lead where they stayed the remainder of the game. Short ended the night with 28 points, Brad Stiver had 18 and Riley finished with an 16 assists. On the Wildcats side, Mike Howard recorded 21 points.
The Dixie game brought a yearning for revenge as the Cardinals took their third loss of the season, 50-57. The pain of the loss was felt in their next game as well, when the Red Birds fell again, 51-54, to Waynesville.
But the team wasn't ready to give up and bounced back to win their first ever game in the new gym against the Blue Devils of Brookville. There were no errors to see in this game as the Cardinals took a 65-49 triumph.
The Cardinals remained undefeated in league play and were set to play Shawnee Acres, a non-league team. The game was victorious for the Red Birds with Paul Smith leading the team with 22 points.
The regular season was coming to a close with only five games remaining, when the Cardinals traveled just a few miles to play Farmersville once again. This time the Wildcats refused to give up their lead and won 38-42.
Lanier gave the Cardinals a 77-59 easy win when the Red Birds went up against a strong Wayne team, who were 11-4 at the time of the game. The Cardinals were only up by one (49-48) when Short scored a field goal, Larry Staats hit one and Short finished the game with a shot to make the final score 55-48.
The Cardinals final home game was against Philipsburg and the Red Birds finished that game off right with a 62-54 win. This game was a tight one with each team matching back-to-back baskets. After the first quarter the score was 14-11, but by the end of the half it was tied at 30 on a long shot by Short with just seconds remaining.
By the end of the third quarter Germantown had managed to take a three point lead. The fourth quarter was just as tight and was tied at 52 until the Cards made 10 points in less than a minute.
Jefferson was the Cardinals last game of their regular season, but they sadly fell in a close 63-67 game. The loss knocked the Cardinals down to second place in the league, behind Dixie. But, the Cardinals would find their revenge against both Jefferson and Dixie.
The next game in the County tournament, Germantown stepped up and flipped the score to 67-65 for big victory.
In 1956 Dayton Daily News reporter Jim Ferguson wrote a game recap, sayin, "The Cardinals jumped off to a 6-1 lead in the first two minutes but then Tom Preston hit two long set shots and two free throws."
This basically set the tone for the whole game, as each team jumped in the lead and then fell again, but things really changed when with five minutes left Germantown pulled just far enough in the lead (58-49) to hold Jefferson's rally.
In the next game of the County Tournament, Germantown took an easy push into the next round when they easily beat Phillipsburg, once again, by 58-47.
Then it all happened, Germantown sought out their long awaited revenge on Dixie.
"We beat Dixie again to move into the District Tournament marking the end of the Cards season as they fell to Xenia Woodrow Wilson 59-44."
Wow, what a season!
Congratulations to the Cardinal basketball players of 1955-56 and may the memories come flying back.
