Diagonal School

VARIOUS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/3/2009 at 06:00:09

DIAGONAL SCHOOL

During the second decade of the 1900's, several school districts in Ringgold County considered consolidation. Although the citizens of Redding School District voted in favor of consolidation in 1913, the vote was cast out on a technicality. The following year, a new school was erected in Redding. In 1915, another election was held in Redding and the citizens again voted to consolidate. In 1917, a large addition was constructed to accomondate an increase in pupils attending the Redding School. In 1915, the residents of Delphos voted to consolidate; Maloy residents voted for consolidation in 1917; and the Beconsfield residents cast their vote for consolidation in 1920. Although the residents of Ellston voted to consolidate, it was annulled on a technicality when the bonding company realized that the election notice had been advertised solely by public notices and not published in the newspaper. A second vote was called which resulted in a vote against consolidation.

BOYS' BASKETBALL
The first Ringgold County Boys' Basketball Tournament was held February 28 - March 1st, 1919, at the Mount Ayr high school gymnasium. Diagonal lost the first championship game to Ellson, 62-19.

At the 1921 tournament, Diagonal defeated Maloy 110-4 to claim the championship.

The following year, the tournament was moved to Arispe in Union County due to severe winter weather, bad roads, and a small pox epidemic which swept through western Ringgold County. Diagonal defeated Ellston, claiming the championship with a 38-35 win. Diagonal forwards L. SIMPSON and EASTON, along with guard TAYLOR were named to the all-county first team.

Diagonal failed to retain the championship in 1923, losing to Mount Ayr 18-14. Named to the all-county first team were Diagonal forwards YOUNG and L. SIMPSON.

The 1927 Ringgold County Basketball Tournament was held in Diagonal's new $35,000 gymnasium which had plenty of standing room and a seating capacity of 800. This tournament grossed well over $1,100. Diagonal also hosted the 1928 and 1929 tournament games. Diagonal lost the 1930 championship to Maloy, 37027. Diagonal forward PRICE and guard HUKILL were named to the all-county first team. The following year, on February 21, 1931, Diagonal claimed the championship, defeating Redding 46-21. Referee Jake LUKE named Diagonal's forward VARNER and guard OSMAN to the all-tournament first team.

Diagonal claimed the 1932 county championship in 1932, defeating Kellerton 38-17; the 1933 county championship over Mount Ayr, 16-15. By winning the 1933 championship, Diagonal was the first team to permanently possess the three-year traveling trophy cup. A new trophy cup was introduced to continue the tradition. Diagonal claimed the new tropy in 1934 by defeating Mount Ayr 23-20. Referee BOYER selected Diagonal's VARNER to the all-tournament first team.

Diagonal barely defeated Maloy in the first round, 29-27. Diagonal won their fifth consecutive county championship, defeating Redding in the finals, 32-25.

The 1936 Ringgold County Tournament was delayed a week due to cold weather and bad roads. During the first round, Diagonal won over Beaconsfield, 92-9. In the finals, Diagonal Maroons claimed the championship over Kellerton, 45-18.

The 1937 Ringgold County Tournament was moved from Diagonal to Mount Ayr's new gymnasium. Maloy defeated Diagonal, 40-17. A blizzard blew in, forcing the teams and the spectators to stay over in Mount Ayr until Sunday.

During the 1938 Ringgold County Tournament, Diagonal's Maroons defeated by Kellerton's Tiger during the first round, 37-26. In the second round, Diagonal suffered defeat from Mount Ayr, 34-31. Five weeks later, Diagonal, under the direction of Coach "Pop" VARNER, defeated DIKE 21-19 in overtime play to capture the Iowa State Class B Championship. This was Diagonal's sixth appearance at the Iowa State Boys' Basketball Tournament. The team members of 1938 were Max IVES, Claire BROWN, Marshall DAVENPORT, Miles NICHOLS, Eugene PINE, Raymond SLAVIK, Bud BEYMER, Cletus TINDEL, James DICKENS, and Lewis RICE.

Diagonal lost the county championship game of 1939 to Creston during the final game. The team did go on to to the Iowa State Boys' Basketball Tournament, representing the section for the 7th time out of eight years. Diagonal placed second in the state championship games of 1939.

Diagonal Maroons lost the 1941 county tournament to Mount Ayr's Raiders, 30-28. Diagonal's team included DAVIS, IVES, DAVENPORT, HOGUE, and RICHARDS.

The 1942 Ringgold County Tournament was held at Diagonal, the first time since 1936. JOHNSON led Diagonal Maroons with 15 points, helping the team to win the championship over Maloy, 35-23. Diagonal won the 1943 county championship title over Mount Ayr, 51-32. Dick IVES scored 25 of the total points for Diagonal's Maroons. Mount Ayr's Raider came back in the 1944 Ringgold County Tournament, defeating Diagonal 43-23 for the championship title. Diagonal's SOBOTKA was the shining star for Diagonal.

Diagonal claimed the 1946 county championship title, defeating Maloy 40-26 with Bill GOODALE leading the Maroons to a victory.

The 1947 Ringgold County Tournament was hosted by Diagonal. G. Dale HERRINGTON, once a former student of Coach "POP" VARNER, coached Diagonal's Maroons into a victory for the championship over Mount Ayr's Raiders, 34-33. The Raiders at this time were coached by "Pop" VARNER. Mount Ayr ralled the following year, claiming the 1947 championship title over Diagonal, 28-31. Diagonal's RICKER and CHILDERS were the stars for the Maroons. Diagonal barely made it to the finals with a win over Maloy, 29-28 in overtime play.

With RICKER paving the way, Diagonal claimed the 1951 county championship over Mount Ayr, 49-47.

Diagonal's Maroons won their 15th county championship title by defeating Kellerton 68-53 with Tom AUSTIN as their high scorer during the 1956 Ringgold County Tournament. Diagonal lost the 1958 county championship, 47-42 to Tingley, a team that had never previously won a tournament.

During the 40 year history of Ringgold County's Tournament, Diagonal won 15 championship titles and 8 second-place spots. The most dominant player of Ringgold's tournaments probably was Dick IVES from Diagonal, averaging 18.2 points a game during his senior year. IVES continued his basketball career, setting college records and selected to two All-American teams.

SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, February 10, 2007

Ringgold County History Compiled and written by the Iowa Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Iowa, Sponsored by Ringgold County Superintendent of Schools, Mount Ayr, Iowa. 1942.

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past. . .Ringgold County, Iowa 1855-2005 Pp. 17, 95. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr. 2009.

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009