A historical reflection of 90 years of hoops at Mariposa County High School
Contributed by Trace DeSandres, former coach, athletic director and teacher.
Mariposa County High School (MCHS) opened its doors in September of 1914.
Boys’ varsity basketball did not come into existence until the 1930/31 school year. The “Miners,” as MCHS athletic teams were called at the time, were coached by John F. Cummins.
The first varsity or “A” team (which designated the varsity team at that time) consisted of: Russell Heapy, Adrian Quick, Angus “Fish” Smith, Frank James, Carl “Swede” Nelson, Tom Souvulewski, Lawrence “Fuzzy” Green and C. Harkleroad.
The high school sat in the area where the current Loyd Hobby gym now sits, so Mariposa was the only team in the area that did not have its own gymnasium; all practices were held outside in the elements.
In my research, no official win/loss record could be found; however, I believe Mariposa played five “A” team games and lost them all. Games were played against Merced, Los Banos (twice), Raymond and Le Grand.
The Miners practiced on a dirt court where the current math and science buildings are located. A total of 11 boys went out for basketball and, when it was possible, a “B” and “C” team competed.
The Miners’ first team uniforms were purchased with an anonymous donation of $40.
The 1931-32 season saw coach Cummins’ departure with new basketball coach Ernest Pieri taking the reins of the fledgling program. Eight league games were scheduled, but due to inclement weather only three were played. Mariposa traveled to Madera, Merced and Los Banos and finished 0-3 in league play. Practice games were played against Livingston and two games with a local town team. No results were available for the practice games.
The following season (1932-33) saw Mariposa start with its third basketball coach. Lewis Tromp became the new coach and league roundball play was changed to the Tri-County League. Instead of playing league games with Madera, Los Banos and Merced, Mariposa would play two games each with Le Grand and Raymond. The varsity team went 1-2-1 in the league, losing to Le Grand 18-7 and 17-13, tying Raymond 14-14 (apparently there was no overtime), and winning a forfeit game to Raymond. No practice game results could be found.
For many years, Mariposa listed 1933 as its first varsity basketball championship. The “B” and “C” teams did win the Tri-County League title, going 3-1 and 3-0 against Raymond and Le Grand. Unfortunately, the first “A” or varsity championship would not come until 1941.
The 1933-34 season saw Mariposa replace coach Tromp with John “Pop” Ryan.
Tromp, like the previous two coaches, had taken a teaching position elsewhere. Coach Ryan, whose specialty was football, also coached tumbling and wrestling. Only two games were recorded for the season, both against Le Grand – both losses.
For the first time since basketball became an official sport at MCHS, the Miners or “Basketeers” as they were sometimes referred to, had the same coach as the previous year.
While Coach Ryan was building a successful football program, basketball continued to lag behind. With a new high school being built in the next year or two, the possibility of a gymnasium for hosting home games was still years away.
The 1935/36 season shows only two reported games, both against Chowchilla. The first game was a 19-16 win, the second a 40-19 defeat. The win may have been the first ever for the varsity basketball program in an actual game since the original win in 1932-33 was by forfeit.
In the 1935-36 school year there is no record of basketball being played. The 1936 yearbook shows football and baseball results only. Pop Ryan continued to coach both sports.
(In a 2021 interview I conducted with 1948 MCHS graduate and local historian LeRoy Radanovich, about the potential reasons for not having a team may have been severe weather, declining enrollment due to the Depression, lack of a court to practice on due to on-going construction of the new high school and, finally, a lack of interest due to no gym in which to practice and play.)
For the 1936-37 school year, like the previous year, there is no report of a basketball team in the yearbook and no results in the local newspaper. The new high school opened on Jan. 4, 1937. The old high school, which was located where the current gymnasium stands, was shut down.
In a quote by then Vice Principal Cleo Adlesbach, “The only thing we now lack is a gym. Coach Ryan and the boys are cleaning out the old auditorium and are fixing it up for basketball.”
Apparently, that endeavor was not successful as there was never any other mention of the old auditorium being used for basketball. In 1937-38, Coach Ryan departed after four years at MCHS.
Coach Craig Henrich was hired to take Ryan’s place. Henrich coached football and baseball and for the third straight year no basketball team or basketball results were found in the yearbook or the local newspaper.
The 1938-39 school year saw basketball return. In Henrich’s second year as coach, Grizzly
basketball was back. (Note: Mariposa High switched from the Miners to the Grizzlies sometime between 1936 and 1937.) Henrich had 19 players out for basketball and had an “A”, “B”, and “C” team. The “A” team or varsity was made up of the following players: Pat Dennis, Don Hoff, George Grenfell, Charles Coon, Pete Mondot, Clyde Adams, Clarence Williams, Herbert Hargrove, LeRoy Rust and Jim Gann. Mariposa competed in eight games going 4-4 on the season. That was the most games played and most wins since basketball began at MCHS.
During the 1930’s, Mariposa fielded six basketball teams with five different coaches at the helm. Mariposa had 22 games recorded, winning six games, losing 15 and tying one. With no gym in the immediate future, Grizzly basketball was years away from the rich tradition that would eventually become the school’s athletic history.
The 1939-40 season saw Mariposa High with a new teacher/basketball coach. With Craig Henrich’s departure, Julius Langlo was hired to take on the coaching responsibilities. Coach Langlo guided the Grizzlies to a 1-3 league mark. Some non-league games must have been played, but no recorded scores were discovered. Although the win-loss record was not impressive, Langlo reportedly brought discipline and a no-nonsense toughness to the Grizzly athletic program.
The 1940-41 season saw coach Langlo lead Mariposa to its first varsity basketball championship. The Grizzlies had just won their fourth football league title, and many of the football athletes competed in basketball. The Grizzlies went 3-1, defeating Tri-County League opponents Le Grand and Raymond for the coveted title. Not only was the first basketball championship significant, but beating Le Grand for the first time was special because Le Grand was MCHS’s arch-rival.
Surviving members of the 1941 team were honored at halftime in 2001 in the
Loyd Hobby gymnasium. Unfortunately, the 1941 Grizzlies never got to play a home basketball game in the gym as it did not open for another nine years, in time for the 1950-51 season.
In Coach Langlo’s final season at MCHS, the team went 2-2 in league play and 2-3 overall.
Langlo finished with an overall mark of 6-6 but will always be remembered as the coach that led the Grizzlies to their first-ever basketball championship.
Keeping teaching coaches at Mariposa County High School was a very difficult thing to do. Without a gymnasium it was next to impossible. While football and baseball had won multiple championships, basketball was still thought of as a secondary sport. Between 1942 and 1949 Mariposa hired five different teachers to coach at the high school.
Between Coaches R.E. Butler, E.A. Grant, Phillip Goettel, James Simerly and R. Baruther, the Grizzlies won one game while losing 29 and tying Le Grand. At the conclusion of the 1947 season a quote in the local paper simply stated, “Basketball will continue to be a losing sport in Mariposa until such time that adequate training quarters are provided.”
The good news at the time was that a new gymnasium was seriously being discussed. In the 1946 MCHS yearbook an artist’s conception of the future Grizzly gym caused a great deal of excitement. Unfortunately, Mariposa would not get that artist’s rendition of a gym. A gym, however, was in the not-too-distant future.
In the 1949-50 season, Mariposa hired its 12th basketball coach. Don Hixon was hired to teach multiple subjects while coaching football, basketball and baseball. Unlike the previous 12 coaches, Hixon settled in Mariposa with his family and stayed for eight years (1949-1957).
His influence provided much-needed stabilization to Grizzly athletics. In his second year, the Grizzlies finally had the new gymnasium. There was no more practicing or playing outside. Over his eight seasons as basketball coach, Hixon’s teams went 15-62. The 16-game schedule in 1951 was an all-time high for the Grizzlies, as were their five wins. Record not-withstanding, I believe that Hixon set the tone for what was going to be a strong basketball program.
With Coach Hixon’s departure in 1957, Mariposa hired Vern Peter. As the Grizzlies 13th basketball coach, Peter led his team in a record 21 games. Unfortunately, Mariposa went 4-17. Coach Peter would coach varsity basketball for an additional three seasons. His 1958-59 squad won a record nine games, going 9-13 on the season.
In Coach Peter’s four seasons his teams went 21-62, but more importantly the Grizzlies were finally playing a full 20-plus game schedule. It should be noted that during the 1958-59 season, Butch Hanlin became the first player to score 30 points in a single game.
During the 1961-62 season, Coach Peter stayed on as varsity football and baseball coach, while Vice Principal Don Smith became the 14th varsity basketball coach. (Coach Peter remained in the program as junior varsity basketball coach).
Smith’s team would go 4-15 overall and 1-11 in league play. Smith gave way to a new teacher and basketball coach as Grant Munz became coach number 15 for the 1962-63 season. At six foot five, Coach Munz was a shot in the arm for Grizzly basketball as he emphasized defense and rebounding. Mariposa improved to 8-10 overall and 5-7 in the very tough Southern Athletic League. The Grizzlies improvement garnered Coach Munz both Southern Athletic League and All-Area Coach of the Year honors.
For unknown reasons, Coach Munz moved on after only one year of teaching and coaching.
Coach Smith returned as varsity coach for the 1963-64 season. With several injuries and suspensions, a promising year left Smith shorthanded. Mariposa went 5-14 overall and 3-11 in league play.
From 1930 until 1964 Mariposa High School employed 15 varsity basketball coaches over the 31 seasons of recorded games. Mariposa had just one winning season and one league championship during that time. Not having a gym until the 1950-51 season was a huge factor in the Grizzlies lack of success. With the exception of Hixon, no coach stayed longer than Peter’s four seasons. The average of all the other coaches was less than two seasons. Continuity was always a challenge. Travel was always an issue and during the 40’s the Le Grand gym was used as home court for Grizzly home games. That was all about to change.
Next edition: The Hobby era.
