Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Russell's 1958 Basketball Team

RUSSELL'S 1958 BASKETBALL TEAM
4th Place in the State Tournament

    Pictured above with Coach Bob Wells in the front row, left to right:  Gary Ford, Walt Pyle, Bernard Relph, Roger Pierce, and Dean Downard.
    Second Row, left to right:  Donald Relph, Dale Downard, Jerry Dillman, and Richard Atwell.
    Back Row, left to right:  Edward Parker, Bill Parks, and Doyle DeBok.

    In years past, Russell High School has known several fine basketball teams.  Only one, however, has advanced into the annual State Tournament.  The 1958 team pictured above entered the State Tournament with a 25-1 record.  They defeated Macksburg at Chariton in the first round of the state contest and next faced Roland, a perennial favorite in that decade, at the Veteran's Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.  The Russell team was defeated by this tourney favorite and finished fourth place in the state after being defeated by Calumet in the consolation round.  Their team spirit and determination created some exciting contests that year and merited a big following by the community.  Nearly all of Russell turned out to back the team at the state contest games.

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