1949 Jefferson

Front Row:Marilyn Odle, Janice Hollowell, Pat Hoffman, KeithArmstrong-student manager Second Row: Robert Ludy-principal, Bill Anderson, Rex Odle, Jim Woodbury, Morris Odle, Jim Hummel, Bob Reid-Coach                                                                                                           Third Row: Pat Darby, Richard Sipe, Jim Harris, Keith Woodbury, and Merrill Whitenack             Kneeling in front is the Jefferson Mascot

     Jefferson, located near Deerfield, won the Hartford City championship in 1949. The ''gymless wonders," as they were known, became the only school from Randolph County ever to win a regional basketball tournament, dumping Lancaster Central in the final game of the Huntington regional.
     The Red Devils, coached by Bob Reid, lost 49-43 to New Castle in Muncie semifinal play
ending their winning spree which had made them "the people's choice."
     Going into the tournament with a 13-7 record, Jefferson had only 57 students in the upper four grades. including only 22 boys, 15 of whom went out for the team. Jefferson was almost gymless, accounting for its nickname through the tournament. It shared Saratoga's gymnasium since both schools were in the township (Ward) to which the arena belonged. During the regular season, the Red Devils played their home games at Saratoga. They also held practice there four days a week.
     Members of that team were seniors Merrill Whitenack (6-1), Dick Sipe (6-2), Bill Anderson
(5-7), Pat Darby (5-10): juniors Jim Harris (6-2), Jim Hummel (5-11), Jim Woodbury (5-7), Rex
Odle (5-10); sophomore Keith Woodbury (6-2), Keith (Shorty) Green (5-3); and freshman Morris Odle (5-9).

     Jefferson finished the regular season with a 13-7 record.

     In the Hartford City sectional, the Jeff boys knocked off Dunkirk's Speedcats 26-18, Portland
41-27. Pennville 42-28 and Roll 51-36, Portland was the favorite that year having made it to the"Sweet Sixteen" just a year earlier with Darrell (Pete) Brewster, Johnny Bright and Bill Bond
leading the way. Bright later became a coach and piloted Selma to a victory at Winchester in 1967.
      At the Huntington regional, it was somewhat tougher as Jeff tripped favored Huntington
Catholic, the team which beat Huntington High in the sectional, by a 41-34 margin, and then
stopped Lancaster Central 36-33 for the title.
     In the semifinals, New Castle outscored Jefferson 13-3 in the third period on six field goals and a charity toss while the Red Devils managed only three connections from the 15-foot stripe. That gave the Trojans a commanding 39-25 third-quarter lead after Jefferson had trailed by only four (26-22) at half-time.
     But when Harris, who had been in foul trouble early in the game, returned for the fourth
period the tide turned. New Castle canned only two points while Jefferson scored nine in the first
3:30 of the quarter as the Red Devils pulled to within seven at 41-34.
      Jefferson edged a bit closer bur ran out of gas in the stretch as New Castle won 49-33.
During Jefferson's seven-game tournament ride, Harris was the leading scorer with a 14.7
average and 103 points. Sipe, who canned five of his first six field attempts during the first half of
the game with New Castle. finished with an 11.3 mark and 83 counters.