Sunday, October 13, 2013

Copemish Boys Basketball (1952)



Copemish Celebrates Its Quarter-Final Victory

After defeating Mass last night, 51-50, in the Petoskey gym, enabling them to move on to East Lansing tomorrow night for the semi-finals of the Class D state tournament, the Copemish players celebrated their hard earned quarter-final victory by cutting loose with noise and excited talk in their dressing room. 

Coach Wilfred Fish was the center of interest as his players gathered around him and lifted the like-able coach and carried him around the locker room.

Shown above are Coach Fish and the following players: Ben Blaho, John Rodgers, Jerome Jakubik, and Ed Suchy, (l to r). - Manistee News Advocate photo.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Copemish Boys Basketball (1952)





Copemish Boys Basketball (1952)



Cyclones Regional 'D' Champions Again

Copemish high school's Cyclones repeated as Class D regional cage titleholders here Saturday by trouncing Kingsley's Stags in the finals contest of the four-day tourney and thus earned a berth in the state quarter-finals. Members of the squad are: front row, left to right: Edward Suchy, Benjamin Blaho, Jerome Jakubik, Mickey Finan, John Rodgers.  Back row, left to right: Thomas Scarbrough, Herbert Milks, Gordon Nordbeck, Patrick Egan, Charles Bigelow, Edgar Morris, Coach W.M. Fish, and Merle Smith, receiving the regional trophy from Referee Ed Graybiel of Traverse City. (Record-Eagle Fotocut)


Copemish Boys Basketball (1952)



Last Minutes of Tournament Game Tense

The tension of the late moments of the first quarter of the game held last night in the Petoskey gym between Copemish and Mass, is reflected on the faces of players shown in the above photo as Copemish "swished" one through the net. Merle Smith (32) and Mickey Finan (24). The win last night sends Copemish down to Lansing tomorrow to meet the Spring Arbor quintet.


Copemish Boys Basketball (1952?)

Here is another newspaper article with no paper name or date listed.  However, I believe that this is the 1952 team --


Finan Hits 27 Points

Paced by the sharpshooting Mickey Finan, who poured in 27 points to bring his total to 78 for three tourney games, Copemish high school's Cyclones swept to their second successive regional Class D cage championship Saturday night by thumping Kingsley's Stags 61-39, at Central high gym.

A capacity crowd of fans was on hand to witness the finals of the four-day tourney, in which seven district titlists battled it out for a state quarter-finals berth.

Copemish, defending the D crown won here a year ago, proved itself a true champion by notching its third win in as many nights.  The Cyclones defeated Central Lake, Mio, and Kingsley in their march to the title, and in the finals Saturday the Benzonia district title-holders avenged a seasonal 44-41 loss to the game Kingsley club.

Finan, who racked up 30 points against Central Lake, 21 against Mio, and 27 against the Stags, was the margin of difference.  His consistent scoring spearheaded the attack of the Cyclones, ably assisted by Smith, the rangy center and Jakubik at guard.


The first half was fairly close, although Copemish was never headed after snapping a 3-2 deadlock in the first minutes to move into a 13-7 first quarter lead.  Kingsley, whose gunnery was badly off Saturday, picked up in the second stanza from a 25-13 deficit and closed the gap to 27-29 at halftime.

In the third period Copemish doubled the score on the Stags, piling up 14 points to boost their lead to 41-27, and then cut loose in the last quarter with a 20 point burst as they pulled steadily away playing control ball the final minutes to run out the time.

Finan's performance gave him individual scoring honors, with Smith collecting 12 and Jakubik 10.  Rodes, who dropped in several long toms, was the big gun for Kingsley, with 14 markers followed by Brown with seven.

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Scorers listed in this game were Finan, Balho (Blaho), Smith, Rodgers, Jakubik, and Suchy.

Copemish Boys Basketball (1951?)

I am assuming that this is the 1951 team --


Copemish Cyclones, Regional D Champions

Winners of the Traverse City regional Class D crown in last week's tourney here, the slick Copemish Cyclones face their biggest test Wednesday at Petoskey when they clash with Brimley's defending state champions in a quarter-finals tussle.  Pictured as they received their trophy following the regional finals Saturday night, the Copemish players are:  back row, left to right, Manager Ed Suchy, Pat Egan (21), John Rodgers (22), Jerome Jakubik (35), Wayne Nordbeck (30), George Suchy (33), Donald Rudman (31), Coach Wilford Fish; front row, Rudy Lehto (23), Fred Scarbrough (20), Merle Smith (32), Mickey Finan (24), Dale Hysell (25).  Referee Tom McDonnell of Alpena made the presentation.


Copemish Boys Basketball (1951?)

Here is a newspaper article about the Copemish Cyclones basketball team that was successful in the early 1950s. I'm not sure which paper, and I don't see the date. However, I believe this article is from 1951.  The article states that the Copemish Cyclones won the Class D Regionals --