Did+You+Know+Panther+Tidbits


 * Individual Scoring Notes**

**What a Month**


 * February 1958**


 * Don Stewart** was part of a tremendously powerful scoring Panther team**.** He would finish 3rd in Crawford County League scoring race, behind teammate Bill Canon, who would finish 2nd, and . **A senior, Stewart** made a serious bid at overtaking the top two scorers with some magnificent efforts in his final month of scholastic competition. Don began the month scoring **23** against **Valley** on the 4th, and followed this with a **30 point spurt** against **Sparta** on Feb 7th. On **Feb11**, Don connected for **29** against **Lake** and on **Feb 14**, the night that Saegertown clinched the CCL title against Cambridge Springs, Don scored **21**. On **Feb 18**, Don netted **21** against Randolph. When the Panthers played a powerful **Cochranton** team, in a much anticipated non-league contest between the two schools, Steward connected for **14,** and in the CCL and season Finale against **Linesville** Stewart scored **22.**


 * Don Stewart averaged 22.8 ppg in the month of February.**

It is an interesting "bookend" to note that Don **scored 25** points on January 31 against Townville in the game before the month average began, and he **scored 26** in his final game of his career against Girard in a play-off game on March 5, 1958. Don scored **211points**, averaging **23.4ppg** in the last nine games of his career.

Teammate **Bill Canon** in that same nine game stretch scored **185 points** and averaged **20.5 ppg**

Both Don Stewart and Bill Canon would achieve 1st Team CCL recognition at the end of the season by the coaches of the league. Canon would receive unanimous selection for first team. The question begs, which coach in the CCL did not vote for Stewart to be a member of the first team?


 * February 1974**


 * Steve Scott** played his his best in his final seven Varsity games. He scored "17" against Cochranton on February 1, "32" against Kennedy Christian on February 5, "32" against Maplewood on February 8, "29" against Conneaut Lake on February 12, "23" against Cambridge Springs on February 15, "49" against Conneaut Valley on February 19, and closed his stellar career on February 22, 1974 scoring "19" points.

Steve scored **201 points** in the final month of his Varsity **averaging 28.7 points per game during the month of February.** Steve scored 3 more points throughout the CCL Season than Cambridge Springs Jim Mook to win the CCL Scoring Title.


 * December 1987**

Senior **Joe Johnson** opens the 1987-88 campaign scoring 27 points against Fort LeBouef on December 11 and 20 points against Venango Christian the following day. Joe scored 32 points against the next opponent, Northwestern, and followed this performance with 27 against Lakeview on December 18. Commodore Perry slowed Joe, holding him to 13 points on the 20th, but Joe exploded for 24 against Rocky Grove on the 28th. The last December game against Titusville on the 29th saw Joe score 24 points. This month saw the 6'5" senior Panther score **167 points** for a per game average of **23.9 points per game**. The Panthers would finish the month at 6-1.


 * December 1997**

Panther senior,**Jason Shea**, makes a strong run to finish his career with over 1,000 points through a significant run of double digit scoring. Starting with a 29 point effort against Jamestown was followed by a 24 point effort against Union City. Conneaut Valley then surrendered 19 points to Jason, who followed this effort by scoring 31 against Lakeview on the 23rd of December. Over the Christmas break Jason was held by Northwestern to 13 points and then exploded for 28 versus Corry. Jason concluded the month of December scoring **144 points**, an average of **24 points per game** during this span.

**Noteworthy Finish**

**So, What is the story Ref?**

**March 6, 2004** Panther **Matt Schlosser** hit a long range 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds remaining in the game to tie the first round P.I.A.A. playoff game against District IX Champion, Keystone High School, 52-52. It was surprising that the upstart Panthers, who were entering the contest at 12-15, were even in this game against the powerhouse Keystone.Very few "experts" thought this game had the possibility of being close. Keystone was supposed to walk into Clarion University Tippen Gymnasium and dispose of the Panthers. But with that emotional, two feet behind the arch 3-point shot by Schlosser with 8.2 seconds remaining in the game, the seemingly improbable seemed very possible, a Panther upset.

And then it happened.

According to Chris Rosetti, who wrote for the online PIAA recap at the time stated that "The official explanation as handed down following the game by District 9 Basketball Chairman Jim Manners after he talked to the officials was that the technical foul was called because Saegertown head coach **Ryan McKissock** "stood up and one of the players, from the bench called for a time-out. The technical was accessed because of excessive time-outs called by Saegertown." In other words, Saegertown called time-out when it didn’t have one. But McKissock’s version of the events were that he didn’t call time-out and that he was told the technical foul was accessed because of excessive celebration."

Garret Heath of Keystone sank both free throws and then he was fouled on the in bound pass and sank one more free throw to set the final at Keystone 55 Saegertown 52.

This was the second consecutive game that Keystone was involved in a situation that involved strange technicals. Keystone's starting center, was absent from the game serving a one game suspension for leaving the bench during the District IX Championship game. District IX all-time leading scorer at the time Garret Heath was hobbled with a sprained ankle, and another starter Buck Neely sprained an ankle in the first quarter. The stage was set for the upstart Panthers to upset this Keystone squad. But in the last minute of the game the officials seemingly took over. Derek Wilcox, the prolific Saegertown guard was called for carrying the ball as Saegertown attempted to tie the game, and when Schlosser shot the shot that did tie the game in the Panther's next possession, the controversial call was made against the Panther bench, allowing depleted Keystone to seal the win in this PIAA First Round AA playoff game.

**Panthers lose to Townville?.....You have got to be kidding me!**

**February 15,1963**

With 5:26 to play in the game, Saegertown is leading 51-41 with the game seemingly in hand. But it is at this moment that Panther starters begin to foul out of the game and Townville begins to climb back into contention. With :56 seconds to play in the game, Panther **Scott Melville** hits a foul shot to put the Panthers ahead 55-52. With :27 to play Melville commits his 5th foul upon **Townville's Dave Mallory.** Now the Panthers have no starters left as all have fouled out of the game. To compound matters, the Panthers only have four reserves; they do not have five Varsity __p__layers to put on the floor.

Panther coach **Vic Fuller** opts to call his 6th time-out to give a JV player, **Marshall Grinnell**, an opportunity to dress and report into the game. This 6th time out was an automatic technical foul. When the JV player reported into the game, another technical foul was issues because this players name was not in the book when the game began. Townville promptly made 3 of the 4 issued foul shots and tie the game at 55-55 and send the contest into overtime.

Townville wins the game 64-59, and with the victory surge to a one game lead in the Crawford County League standings with one game to play. Townville loses their next game and Saegertown beat Randolph to force a three way tie for first place. Saegertown would beat Valley, the other 1st place finisher 55-48, for the right to play Townville for the County Championship at Meadville High School and a earn a bid for the District 10 playoffs. Townville would win the play off game 72-50.

That crazy February night in 1963 cost the Panthers the outright Crawford County Championship and chance to play for a District 10 crown.

**Panthers lose to Townville, again????.......You have got to be kidding me!**

**February 1967**

Townville comes from behind to beat Saegertown **after** the horn had sounded signaling the end of the game. How can that be? Read the following as taken from the Meadville Tribune.__

"With Saegertown leading 58-57, **Townville's Craig Proper** tried to break the Panthers' freeze tactics and went after the ball, fouling **Saegertown's Chuck Lawrence** with one second showing on the clock to all but ice the game.

Lawrence stepped to the line on a one-and-one situation and missed the first shot. **Saegertown's Dennis McCartney** tipped the ball in, but on the follow through he hit **Townville's Don Obert**, knocking Obert to the floor.

A flagrant foul was called on McCartney, the tap-in was ruled no good, and McCartney was out of the game. This gave Townville two shots with the game officially over.

Obert stepped up to the line deposited two free throws to give Townville the victory." Townville 59 Saegertown 58

**January 1968. . .Fight Night in Saegertown**

Saegertown hosts the Randolph Rockets in a league contest. The first place Panthers are feeling very confident of their chances in this contest as Randolph has had issues getting all of their Varsity starters in the rotation in the previous few games. As Randolph comes into the Panther Den, no one sees the Randolph regulars, but they appear in time for the opening tip. Rumor had it that the players arrived by car in time for the game. A possible psychological ploy from the team from Guys Mills? But what cannot be counted as rumor is with the game decided in the Rockets favor a Rocket goes in for a lay-up and is fouled hard by a Panther, **Larry Woloshen**. The game ends almost immediately after the foul.The Randolph player came from behind Woloshen and punched him in the back of the head. The adults of the packed house rushed the floor and, as the Meadville Tribune would report, "an adult riot" broke out. The players are hustled off to the locker room, except for a couple of Panthers who rush to the top of the now vacated bleachers to watch the melee taking place on the floor. Through rumor, it was said that the local police came to break up the fight, and possibly brandishing a weapon to get the people under control.

Lost in the excitement was the final score Randolph 66 Saegertown 62.

**Panthers win the Crawford County League Title....But Under Protest.**

In route to their 1964 Crawford County League title, the Panthers defeat a tough Conneaut Lake squad in a showdown of the top teams in the loop at Saegertown High School (currently French Creek Valley Christian School). With an overflow crowd looking on the game goes into a second overtime. With the Panthers clinging to a two point lead, Lake has possession of the ball in the near court with six seconds to play. As play begins, Lake works toward a shot trying to send the game into a third overtime. However, the horn sounded with two seconds left to play. Lake contends that the inadvertent horn cost them a chance for a better shot. The game officials concur with Lake's view; however, they award Saegertown the victory. Conneaut Lake files a protest with District 10, but to no avail. The Panthers needed this win against Lake to maintain their first place standing with Linesville. The Panthers would defeat Linesville in a playoff game and advance to the District 10 playoffs. Conneaut Lake would fall out of contention for the league title after this loss.

**These Panthers could score!**

The **1964-65 season** was remarkable, if not strange. **Coach Merle Darcangelo,** football coach and former basketball coach for Saegertown**,** takes over for **Vic Fuller** only because a coach could not be found for the season. Coach Darcangelo and the Panthers record a 14-7 mark for the season, but when one considers the opposition they faced, history would state that these Panthers were better than their record would indicate.

Cambridge Springs would win the Crawford County League this season, Saegertown would tie Conneaut Valley for second. It is worth noting that Cambridge Springs would lose a tight contest at Westminister College against the Colts of Northern Cambria for the right to play for the P.I.A.A Class "B" State Championship.

Conneaut Lake, who finished the CCL with a 7-5 record, would win the P.I.A.A. Class "C" State Championship becoming the only boys' team in Crawford County history to accomplish this feat. The Panthers would split with Lake this year, showing that they could compete with the elite of their Class "C" counterparts on any given night.

Panther **Scott Melville** would lead the CCL with a scoring average of **20.4 points per game**. His teammate **Clark Hornstein** would finish second in the league with a **20.2** points per game average. **Melvin Jones** scored **10.6 points per game** to finish the season 18th in scoring and rounding out the top 20 scorers in the Crawford County League for the 1964-65 season was **Ron McCartney at 9.9 points per game**. In other words the Panther squad had four of the top twenty scorers in the loop. In almost any other year, this Panther team could have been a serious contender, but the league was loaded with talent.

Upon completion of their careers in 1965, **Scott Melville, 827 Points,** and **Clark Hornstein**, **758 Points**, would be the #3 and #4 all-time scorers, at that time, in the history of Saegertown Panther Basketball. They finished behind **Bill Canon (1956-1959) 916 points** and **George Schmitt (1952-1955) 843 points**. Canon's record would stand until broken by **Mike Hogan, 1047 Points,** who completed his career in 1984. Mike was also the first Panther to break 1000 career points.

**BUT, So Could these Panthers!**

The 1957-58 edition of Panther Basketball would go through the CCL League undefeated. No doubt they were the best team in the league. **Bill Canon** would finish the year as the runner-up to the CCL scoring title at **21 ppg**, **Don Stewart** would finish 3rd in scoring **19 ppg**, **Herk Schmitt** 10th at **15.6 ppg**, and **Wayne Jobe** 18th averaging **10.5 per game**. Each one of these listed Panthers would score over twenty points in at least one CCL game. Bill Canon would score 20 points or more in 10 of the CCL contests, and in the other 4 games would score in double digits.The **Panthers avereaged 78 points per game in the CCL loop while their opponents averaged 58 points per game**. The Panthers scored 103 points against Townville, 91 points against Sparta, and they broke 80 points four other times throughout the county loop.

**Who was the Best in Crawford County?????**

As mentioned above the 1957-58 Panthers were the Crawford County League Champions running the table at 14-0. The Panthers would finisjh the year at 17-4, losing to GIrard, 74-65 in the first round of the District 10 Class B play-offs. The Panthers lost another non-league game to the Edinboro Turtles, 67-66. In that game the Panthers had two foul shots, down one with eleven seconds to play. Both shots were missed, and the Panthers dropped this game to the District 10 Class C play-off bound Edinboro squad.

However, another Crawford County contingent, The Cochranton Cardinals, led by "Tri-County League leading scorer Ralph Porter, was doing very well this season as well. A member of the "Tri-County League" The Cardinals would compete against Rocky Grove, Cranberry, Mercer, and Lakeview in this league. Cochranton and Saegertown would play two independent games that season, the opening game of the season a 65-55 Cardinal victory, and they would play in the next to last game of the season a 73-58 drubbing of the Panthers by the Cardinals.Ralph Porter would score 32 in this contest drawing compliments from Panther coach Merle Darcagelo. When asked to sum up the difference between both squads Darcangelo summed up the difference with one word: "Porter."

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their very next game, the last game of the season at Lakeview would see their season end as over 1,000 fans crowded into Lakeview's gym, with reportedly over another 500 fans being turned away at the gate to watch the once beaten Cardinals lose to a once beaten Sailor squad. Lakeview would represent the Tri-County League in the play-offs, Saegertown would represent the CCL and the possibly the best team in Crawford County sat at home.

January 4 2012, Saegertown Panthers, who would win the Region 4 Championship, met the Cochranton Cardinals for their only meeting of the season. Cochranton would win the Region 3 Championship in this season. Since District X Regions 3 & 4 included all Crawford County Schools, this game on January 4 at the "Bird's Nest" could be considered a county championship game.
 * 54 Years later.......the debate could continue.....2011-2012 **

The Panthers found themselves down 30-23 at halftime, but a 16-8 comeback in the 3rd quarter helped the Panthers take a 39-38 lead heading into the crucial fourth quarter. Cardinal Josh Oertly was a force that could not be contained in the 3rd quarter as her scored all eight of the Cardinal points. Oertly would go onto score 9 more in the deciding 4th quarter, scoring 17 of his 21 points in the second half.

Finding themselves down by three points, 55-52, with 15 seconds to play, the Panthers called a time-out to set up a three point shot. Panther Jeff Mattocks was to receive the ball in the low post and look to Luke Carter at the opposite three point area, foul line extended. Due to the Cardinal defensive rotation, the Panther coaches believed this to be open. Once Luke had the ball, he was to take the shot or pass to Matt Mondi at block extended, Luke had to decide who had the better shot. Luke passed the ball to Matt, and Mondi sank the 3-Point shot knotting the game at 55 with 7 seconds to play.

The Cardinals called a time-out. When they inbounded the ball, Sophomore Logan Herzberger drove the length of the court, and much to the chagrin of Panther fans was credited with being fouled by the official in the act of shooting with 1.7 seconds left in the contest. Herzberger calmly sank both free throws and the Cardinals won the game.

Unlike the 1957-58 Panther squad, these Panthers never got a second chance to redeem themselves after this tightly fought game. For the second time over the span of decades, it could be said that Cochranton was the best team in Crawford County.

**P.I.A.A Makes Rules Changes that Affect the way the game is played for the 1961-62 Season**

1. Sudden Death Overtimes are eliminated. An overtime period of three minutes will be utilized. 2. The PIAA is polling members to see opinion of tournament games may be included within the structure of the 22 game season limit. (Private and Religious schools are not polled due to the fact that they are not members of the P.I.A.A. at this time) 3. Signals from the coach to his team on the floor will now be allowed. The prohibition of sideline coaching has been found to be nearly impossible to enforce. The PIAA committee is said to have been watching the implementation of this rule very closely throughout this season.

**1954-55 Season: One for the History Books**

The 1954-55 basketball season can be remembered for two things: first, it is the last year that the Panther Basketball team has finished a regular season undefeated (56 seasons as of this writing and counting); secondly, it is the last year that the Panthers would be referred as hailing from "Saegerstown." After this season the Meadville Tribune would drop the second "s" and simply refer to the community as "Saegertown."

Merle Darcangelo, the second year Panther coach, had an inkling that this edition of the Saegertown squad might be something special. Returning four of the previous years starting five, a squad that finished the 1953-54 campaign at 16-7, Darcangelo would remark that "we hope to be an improved ball club over last season."

The "Saegerstown" Panthers rolled through the regular season at 18-0, the closest they came to losing was a game to rival Cambridge Springs. The Panthers would find themselves losing 57-56 with less than :20 to play. Lee Hunter would receive a pass underneath the Devil's hoop and would lay the ball in for the winning hoop. Another interesting note from the game is that Merle's brother, Terry, was the head coach at Cambridge Springs. There was probably some interesting banter among the brothers while reminiscing about this game.

As champions of the Crawford County League, the Panthers were scheduled to play Mercer, the Tri County Champion, in the first round of the District 10 Class B playoffs. A standing room only crowd saw the game played at the David Mead Field House on the campus of Allegheny College. According to the Meadville Tribune, 2000 fans, mostly Saegerstown, payed a general admission fee of .75 cents to see the game. Unfortunately for the fans and the undefeated Panthers, the season ended abruptly as Mercer proved themselves the better team by a score of 68-49.

Not since that night in early March 1955 has a Panther basketball team entered a play-off game undefeated or been referred to as "Sagerstown.'

**January 12, 1962....."The Cowbell Game"**

The Meadville Tribune reported that the "automatic clock" at Saegertown High School (now the French Creek Valley Christian School) did not work, and could not made to work prior to the start of the varsity game between Conneaut Lake and Saegertown. After a delay, it was decided by game officials that a portable chalkboard would be brought onto the stage so that the score could be manually kept to keep the spectators aware of how the game was progressing. As far as the buzzer was concerned, the Tribune reprted that "the famous Cowbell of Saegertown" was used to notify the players and referees of the end of periods. Conneaut Lake was victorious 60-58. .....But the question remains, why was the cowbell considered famous?????


 * January 28, 1961 **...** .Custer stood a better chance against his Indians **

Saegertown entered this contest against the Conneaut Valley Indians with hopes of proving themselves a worthy contender for a share of the Crawford County League lead. Losing to Linesville a week earlier had placed the Panthers, 4-1 in CCL play, one game behind the undefeated Valley squad, who were 5-0. So, If the Saegertown squad could pull this "upset" they would be tied for first in the league. Saegertown had balanced scoring as **Bob Canon, Joel Melville** and **Chuck Rowland** were all averaging over 10 points per game in the league, and on this night they would again all break ten points. **Chuck Rowland would score 20, Joel Melville would net 15 and Bob Canon would finish the night with 13 points,** but it would not be enough to offset **Valley's Dave Dunlap who would lead all scorers with 29, Paul Hester and Bob Russell would both score 22** as the Indians would dismantle the stunned Panthers 101-66. There was little doubt after this game that the Indians were the better team, and they would go onto prove this to all doubters by running the table in the CCL in the 1960-61 season. Saegertown would never quite recover from this beating. They would finish the CCL at 6-6. This game stands in Saegertown history as the worst defeat suffered by a Saegertown team playing for first place in their league against another team vying for the top spot.

Harold Gehring was a first year coach for Saegerstown facing an uphill battle with probably the youngest line-up in the area and quite possibly the history of Saegertown basketball. George Schmitt (278 points this season), Robert Sheakley (195 points this season), and Lee Hunter, who would become one of the top scorers of the decade) were part of an outstanding sophomore class. These three players would play pivotal roles for the squad, being relied upon as scoring threats.....again, as sophomores. Wayne Smith, Glenn Stewart and William Peiffley, the other sophomores, would also see varsity time and score for the Panthers this season.
 * 1952-53 Season **

As these players matured as juniors the following year they would finish 16-7, and as seniors would record the last undefeated regular season, at18-0, that any Saegertown team would enjoy. But as Sophomores they struggled to an 8-13 season. But, it could have easily been a winning season. For your consideration:

The team entered the Randolph contest at 8-6 on the season. Jim Oakes of Randolph lit up the team for 26 points and the first place Randolph squad walked away with a 63-52 victory
 * The team was 8-7 entering the next game with hapless Sparta, a team that Saegerstown had easily handled in the first meeting, but lost in overtime a game lamented by many of the players as easy shots were missed throughout the evening. But this happens to all teams from time to time.
 * The very next game the 8-8 Saegerstown squad held a 55-54 lead in the final minute of the game. the boys went into an all out stall to win the game. But, Cambridge defender Tom Hobson broke their hearts, by stealing the ball with 12 seconds remaining on the clock and drove the length of the floor to score a "driving lay-up" according to the Meadiville Tribune-Republican. Cambridge Springs escaped with a 55-54 win and the boys fell to 8-9
 * In the next game against an Edinboro squad that Saegerstown had defeated earlier in the season 47-40, the boys lost another last second heart breaker. Saegerstown had taken a 54-53 lead. Edinboro had the ball for the last shot of the game. A ten foot set shot was made by the Turtles at the buzzer to win the game. To add insult to injury, A Saegerstown player was called for intentionally fouling an Edinboro player at the buzzer. This Edinboro player made two foul shots to set the final score at 57-54. Their record now stood at 8-10
 * The boys would meet first place Randolph and lose 57-48 to fall to 8-11
 * Class A Meadville would travel to Class B Saegerstown and rout the boys 82-56 and the record fell to 8-12
 * Tidioute finished off the season with an 81-67 drubbing to set the final record at 8-13

If the Panthers could have been able to make one of the many short shots against Sparta, had Tom Hobson not stolen the ball, if the boys could have had one more good possession against Edinboro at the end of the game, they finish that year at 11-10, a winning season for a team that would letter 4 sophomores and see two others play significantly in an era when sophomores played Junior Varsity.

Coach Gehring left Saegerstown after one year accepting a job at Millcreek Township High School. He would be replaced by Merle Darcangelo, who would usher in one of the most successful eras of Saegertown Basketball. (He is currently the "winningest" coach in Saegertown Basketball history. That would include his record runs as head coach in Football and Baseball.) But, Coach Gehring's brief tenure as coach should not be seen as a failure, but as the man who served during the transition between Crawford County League Champions, helping to set the table for Coach Darcangelo.

**The "Protest Game". . .Wednesday, February 27, 1952**

The "Blue Jackets" (now known as Panthers) lost a close game to Conneaut Valley in their second league meeting 44-43. This Valley victory lifted the squad to undisputed 1st place position in the league race, and Saegerstown found themselves a game behind in the standings. However, there was a controversial call that prompted an official protest of the outcome of the game.

On Monday February 4, 1952, it was reported in the Meadville Tribune-Republican that Saegerstown Supervising Principal, John A. Harvey explained the controversy in the following interview:

" 'During the closing minutes of the last quarter a Conneaut Valley player Nobel Gray took the ball out of bounds at their end of the court. In throwing (the ball) it hit the edge of the basket and deflected to the floor. Nobel Gray then stepped in bounds and retrieved the ball and accounted (scored) for the basket.' "

"The Saegerstown spokesman went onto say the matter was a technical error on the part of the officials who misinterpreted the rule when it was called to their attention by coach Vic Fuller."

H.D. Leberman ,District Ten Chair, stated that a protest should be filed in a reasonable time. Saegerstown officials then placed a "long distance" call to F.A. McGuire of East Stroudsburg, Commissioner of P.I.A.A. officials. He recommended that the game officials sign a document involving the play and send that "official" document to Leberman.

Conneaut Valley coach Paul Gibson stated "We won the game and naturally we are going to go right down the line to prove that point."

Both parties would be heard in a closed door meeting with District Ten and it was resolved that the game would be replayed on Wednesday, February 27, 1952 at Edinboro State Teachers College.

The implications of the game were the following: if Saegerstown would beat Valley, then there would be a three way tie for first place between Valley, Saegerstown and Cambridge Springs. If Valley won, they would be the Crawford County Class B Champions and earn the right to participate in the District Ten playoffs.

Final Score of the Protest Game.....Conneaut Valley 49 Saegerstown 47.

**The Deal on Foul Shots**

Much can be said of the foul shots. They can be an interesting side note such as **Ben Wetzell** and his foul shooting record. Ben closed the **2006-07 season**, and then opened the **2007-08** campaign by draining **27 consecutive foul shots.**


 * Derek Wilcox** on January 28, 2004 converted **20 free throws** in a single game against Conneaut Lake. This stands as the singe game record. Derek's **123 converted free throws** in the 2003-04 season is also a Panther Record.


 * Bob Canon** converted **18 consecutive free throws** (Titusville and the undefeated Mercer Mustangs) in the Mercer Invitational Christmas Tournament in 1961 that propelled him to the MVP of that particular tournament.

The individual achievements by these players are nice to reflect upon, but coaches harp on foul shooting at practice because of the immediate impact they may have on games. For instance:


 * Saegertown** and **Linesville** have played in seven overtime games throughout the years. The seven overtime contests against Linesville represents the most overtime games that Panther teams have had against a single opponent. In 1979, **Jeff Carter** converted two foul shots with one second remaining in the game to tie the contest with Linesville sending the Panthers into an overtime contest with the Lions. An example to current Panthers as the importance of foul shots. (But, the effort went for naught as this contingent of Panthers lost to the Lions in OT)

But foul shooting has effects not only on individual games but seasons as well.

In 2009, **Kyle Beatty**, went 11/11 from the charity stripe during a pivotal game at Cambridge Springs, 8/8 in the 4th quarter. His performance from the stripe helped to fend off a Cambridge Springs fourth quarter rally. With the 65-55 win, the Panthers took control of the second place play-off position in the Region 3 race and would eventually qualify for the District 10 AA play-offs.

In 1981, **Todd Siple** converted 13 of 14 foul shots in the fourth quarter in a crucial league game against Cochranton. His foul shooting helped to propel the Panthers to 22-6 advantage over the Cardinals in that quarter. Remember, at that time, there was no super bonus of shooting two shots after the tenth team foul. Siple's shots were all one-and-one attempts. Saegertown would win the game 64-58, but more importantly it would help Saegertown achieve a play-off birth at the of the season. Without those foul shots, perhaps Cochranton wins the game, and the Panthers do not make the play-offs. Todd Siple's foul shots in the fourth quarter of that game were monumental.

But perhaps the most exciting and important foul shots in Saegertown basketball history occurred over two different seasons by the same player. The first occurred on **January 30, 1948.** In a crucial league contest against Spartansburg, the Saegertown five found themselves tied at 24 with possession of the ball in the waning moments of the game. According to the Meadville paper, "A wild shrieking crowd drowned out the final gun, and it was left to referree Cole of Titusville to decide of the foul committed by Spartansburg was made before or after the final gun. Cole decided the foul was made before the gun and guard **Jerry Bloom** tipped one in from the charity mark for the winning point."

The following year, **Jerry Bloom** would have a chance again to feel the exhilaration of a made foul shot in an important moment. In **February 1949,** Saegertown found themselves in a Crawford County Class C play-off game against Conneaut Lake, played at Edinboro State Teachers College. The following are excerpts from the Meadville paper recalling probably the most important foul shots in Saegertown history.

"Jerry Bloom is a hero in Saegertown and if he isn't careful, they'll try and make him mayor. For it was Bloom who dropped through a foul shot with one second remaining in regulation earning Saegertown a 24-24 tie and a crack at a three minute overtime and an eventual win. The win climaxed a game that over 1,000 fans, who jammed the entrances and ringed the floor, turned into a madhouse."

"The gun had actually sounded, supposedly ending the game, 24-23, in Lake's favor before referee Eddie Leonard stopped the milling crowd, recalled the players to the floor and ruled that Lake center George Loblas had fouled Bloom and that one second remained in the game."

After the Saegertown players had been recalled, stopping the Lake players and coach from celebrating the apparent victory, and the fans cleared from the floor the paper goes onto report that "Jerry bounced the ball, head down, for all of the ten seconds allotted to take his try. He appeared afraid to throw it up there---and afraid not to try it." He made the shot and the Panthers would advance to the 1949 Crawford County League Championship game.

So young Jerry Bloom was involved in not one, but two contests that were controversial in their last second endings. His foul shooting prowess came through for the Panthers twice...almost seven decades ago.

**Late Start? That could be an Understatement.......Friday, February 22,1945** In the current era, Junior Varsity games start at 6:00 PM with Varsity games immediately following. Most people can remember when Varsity games started at 8:00 PM. When the Crawford County League Playoffs were held at one site, it was not uncommon for the second game of the night to be slated to start at 9:30 PM....even on school nights. But, on February 22, 1945, quite possibly could have been the latest start time for any varsity event in the history of SHS.

Saegertown was scheduled to play at Bloomfield High School, located in Lincolnville. On the way to the game, the Saegertown bus slid off of the road when the driver was temporarily blinded by lights from an oncoming car. It was later determined that the gas line was cut as a result of the accident. Another bus was dispatched to the scene to continue to take the team to Lincolnville.

Now let's remember that there are no cell phones, so it would take time to dispatch a new bus, and for the bus to arrive unload one bus and get into another bus. Saegertown arrived at Bloomfield High School at 10:00 PM. Playing the preliminary girls game, the Varsity would take the floor sometime after 11:15 PM.

After the game was completed, the team bus got lost after a wrong turn in Meadville. The team, having been gone most of the night anyway, decided to stop at a Meadville diner to eat before returning to Saegertown. The team arrived back at Saegertown at 3:30 AM.

Do you think there might have been some anxious parents wondering where their kid was that evening back in 1945?

**Late Return: Ranched in Youngsville. . . .Rocked in Corry. . . .Iced in Union City.....Friday January 20, 2012** A 77 - 45 victory for the Panthers at Youngsville was just the beginning of an interesting evening for the players, cheerleaders, coaches and bus driver. Leaving the school, the team found that the bus had been hit with a lot of what appeared to be Ranch dressing causing stains and a necessitated call to the borough police causing a twenty-five minute departure. A scheduled stop at the Corry McDonald's was next. After standing in line for a while, the team ate and boarded the bus for the hour ride home. As the bus began its ride back on 6N a rock was thrown through the back window causing glass shards to fly. The police were called and the team bus went back to McDonald's to await the police to give the second incident report of the evening. Over an hour later, nearing midnight, the team bus began its trip back to Saegertown. A snow storm hit the region as the team was in McDonalds and was falling steadily. By the time the bus had made its way to Union City,ice was building on the windshield wipers. The bus stopped in Union City and Coach Tom Reynolds had to ho outside the bus, and bang the wipers of the window to clear the blades of ice. The procedure would have to be repeated four times in total before the bus would return to Saegertown High School.The longest road trip in distance already, turned into a long adventure as the team returned to the high school at 12:45 AM.

**Let's Hear It for the Girls....**

During the researching of the **1946-47 season,** the boy's preseason preview also listed the **Girls' Basketball Team at Saegertown High School.** The Girl's team would play a schedule exactly as the boys. Members of that 1945-46 Girls' Basketball Team were: seniors Joan Ross, Betty Lamb: juniors Nyla Schlosser, Norma Owen, Lorraine Bradway, Joan Perrine, Rachel Eaton, Barbara Baker, and Evelyn Thuret: sophomores, Mae Wetsell and Lois Shorts: freshman Joan Bundy.

No record exists through the Meadville papers of all of their games and results, but we do know that the girls first game of the year against **Cocranton** did not go well as they were beaten **48-17**. The first win of the year was against **Bloomfield, 39-22**. The night that Saegertown played **Cambridge Springs** had two closeheart-breaking games for Saegertown fans as the **girls lost 10-8**, and the boys would lose 36-34.

When the girls played Conneautville one of the major rule differences between the boys and girls showed. **Conneautville and Saegertown ended in a 10-10 tie in regulation.** According to the Meadville paper, scholastic rules specifically state there shall be on overtime period in game contests.

Other Girls' scores were: Linesville 10 Saegertown 8; Saegertown 14 Springboro 8; Conneautville 12 Saegertown 10

The Saegertown Girls finished third in the Eastern Division of the Crawford County League.

Randolph defeated Sparta, 21-17 for the Eastern Division Championship in a game played at Townville.

Western Division Champions, Conneaut Lake awaited Randolph in a game to be played 8:00 PM, prior to the boys CCL Championship game at Montgomery Gym on the Campus of Allegheny College.


 * Conneaut Lake would defeat Randolph 19-18** becoming the Girls Crawford County League Champions for the 1946-47 season.


 * The Old Guys Prove They Still Got It **. . . . **March 4, 1949**

Saegertown Basketball **Coach Vic Fuller** arranged a basketball game between his Saegertown Blue Jackets and the Varsity Coaches from the other Crawford County Schools, with all of the monies of this novel event going into the coffers of Saegertown Athletic Fund. Showing his athletic skills, Coach Vic Fuller would tie Coach Richard Walker, of Bloomfield High School for scoring honors, both men tallying 8 points. The coaches defeated the Saegertown Varsity that evening 41-30. Center Bob Smith scored 8 points for the Varsity.

**A Gift from the Saegertown High School Senior Class. . . .March 2, 1948**

Electronic scoreboards are taken for granted during basketball games in this day and age, but there was a time that chalkboards, stop watches and starters pistols were used to help keep time and score. After the Crawford County League Class C Tournament had concluded and Saegertown's season had almost ended, Cambridge Springs visited Saegertown for a boys and girls basketball game. What was special about the ocasion was that Dick Battin, President of the Saegertown Senior Class presented to the high school a gift of an electronic scoreboard to the school. Now Saegertown could be like Meadville and Conneautville who had received scoreboards during the previous season.

Cambridge Springs boys defeated Saegertown 40 - 29. the Girls beat the home squad female quintet 25-18. The games did not mean much, did not take on the bitter ferceness that future games between the burgeoning rivals would have as Cambridge competed in the Erie County League and Saegertown competed in the Crawford County League, but it signified the first time that "brilliant electronic lights" graced a basketball game in Saegertown.

**Saegertown's "Sister City" at least for the 1947-48 Season.....March 5, 1948**

Much like some American cities today have a "sister city" in another country where culture and ideas are exchanged, for one season Saegertown and Tidioute made basketball their common experience as a way of sharing local culture. It was announced by Principal John Harvey that Friday March 5th that Saegertown community would host the Tidioute community in a day of basketball. At 3:30 PM the junior high girls would clash, at 4:30 the junior high boys would follow. At 7 PM the Varsity girls would play followed immediately by the Varsity boys clash. The Meadville newspaper stated that, "Saegertown students, faculty members and townspeople will entertain the Tidioute delegation between afternoon and evening games. Saegertown had visited Tidioute in December of 1947 for a day of basketball and cultural exchange.

The Saegertown Cagers won both contests, winning in December at Tidioute 17-13, and the season finale on this Friday in March 42-20.

Saturday, December 12, 2015 Saegertown Basketball was involved in a Girls/Boys Varsity double header against Mercer County foe, Reynolds High School. While the Girls Varsity was playing, a loud crash was heard by late arriving fans parking in the lot above the football field. Upon inspection, it was found that the window in the cafeteria was smashed. SHS Assistant Principal, Phil Young, game manager for the night, inspected the cafeteria area. He found that a deer had jumped through the window and was sitting and bleeding in the hallway behind the cafeteria. The game commission was called, the deer taken outside and dispatched. Video monitors showed that the deer had actually jumped through the window earlier in the day, and it was speculated that the vibration of the gym floor from the basketball game, located above the cafeteria, caused the window to crash. If not for the basketball game, SHS personnel would have come to school on Monday and found a shattered window and a dead deer in the back hallway. The Panthers, behind Garrett Johnston's 16 points beat Reynolds that evening, 53-48.
 * December 12, 2015: The Game Commission called to SHS **

=**December 12, 2017: What a First!!!!**=

Senior Billy Lilly, a Panther who saw limited playing time in his career, rarely had an opportunity to shoot the ball. Against Jamestown, with 0.8 seconds remaining in the game, Billy took an inbounds pass from fellow Senior Jarrett DeJohn and shot the ball with a right handed baseball throw 70 feet toward the Panther Hoop. The shot banked home for a field goal as the buzzer sounded ending the game. That 70 foot shot was Bill's first and only three-point attempt/field goal of his career. Amazingly, a clip posted on twitter showing the shot was viewed by almost 3,700 people.

 Bill Lilly scores his first Varsity points for the Panthers in this recent game against Jamestown. It was his first three point attempt as well. pic.twitter.com/jrCuxaK8f5 &mdash; Saeg Boys Basketball (@SAEGBBALL) December 20, 2017

