Hatchet History
http://www.hatchets.net/bbasket.htm
From pioneer A.O. Fulkerson’s influences early in the
20th century to Tyler Zeller’s on-court exploits early
in the 21st, Washington High School has produced a
basketball tradition that rivals any in this hoops-crazy
state.
Three times, back when Indiana’s single-class high
school tournament was the envy of the nation, the
Hatchets reached the top of the IHSAA mountain. No
other school from southwestern Indiana can make such
a claim. The Hatchet tradition doesn’t end with those
state championships in 1930, 1941 and 1942, though.
Rather, they are only highlights of a rich heritage of the
Old Gold and Black.
It all started 103 years ago, in the autumn of 1905.
Professor O.P. West organized the first team at WHS,
with Fulkerson, the “Father of Washington High School
Athletics”, giving assistance.
Zinkan’s Hall, which was located at the corner of E.
Fourth and Van Trees streets, was rented for practices
and games. It was here that Washington played its very
first game, against Vincennes, on Dec. 16, 1905. The
Hatchets prevailed that night, 18-12, and won five of
nine games that inaugural season.
For a variety of reasons, basketball was discontinued
after 3 seasons. When the team was reformed — under
the direction of H.A. Sass — in the fall of 1913, the
gymnasium in the basement of the newly constructed
Washington High School became the team’s new home.
In response to the public’s growing interest, Leon H.
Moorman became Washington’s first “full-time” coach
the next season. By 1915, the team was commonly
referred to as “The Old Gold and Black”
In 1917, Washington made its first of 14 trips to the state
finals. It was also the first year that WHS hosted the
sectional. Robert Downey, who was inducted into the
Hall of Fame in 1975 as a coach at Washington Catholic,
led the team in scoring that season. Washington made
the state finals again in 1918, 1919 and 1920. WHS lost
first-round games all four years.
Washington’s streak of four straight state finals
appearances ended in 1921 despite Roy Burris’ best
efforts. The senior became the first player to score
over 500 points in a season and finished his career
with 1,124 points and a 58- point game against Paxton.
The 15-14 loss to Sullivan in the sectional finals is still
considered the biggest upset in WHS history.
Fulkerson, who had coached WHS in 1920 and 1921,
decided to concentrate on his duties as a teacher and
principal. He gave up his coaching position and the team
struggled without him in 1921-22. He returned the
next season as the assistant coach for Harry Hunter.
Although the team did not win a sectional in 1923 and
1924 under Hunter, he led them back to the state finals
in 1925. WHS made it to the final four of the 16-team
event and finished at 25-3.
Excitement over the 1925 team and envious of rival
Vincennes’ 1923 state championship resulted in the
construction of a new 5,200-seat gymnasium at a cost
of $60,000 (today, it is used as the Washington Junior
High School Gym). It was ready for the 1925-1926
season under new coach and hall of famer Burl Friddle.
Friddle was hired by Fulkerson to win a state title. In
October of 1925, Friddle met with his players to vote
on a new name for the team to coincide with a new
uniforms and the new gym. The unofficial nickname
of the “Old Gold and Black” was being ignored for
another one. Fans had begun using “Undertakers” in
reference to the 1925 team captain James “Bud” Gill’s
own nickname. By vote of the players and approval by
Fulkerson, Washington adopted the official nickname
“Hatchets”. Sports columnist Edward G. Brouillette had
used the name since 1924.
Although they played a tougher schedule to prepare
them for the tournament, WHS did not make it to the
state championships in 1926. (A footnote in history,
John Wooden played in the first game ever held at the
new gym for Martinsville.) But in 1927, Friddle led the
Hatchets to their sixth state finals appearance. The
Hatchets returned to the state finals the next year, but
again fell short. In 1929, WHS made it all the way to
the final four at the state before losing to Indianapolis
Tech. Making their ninth appearance in 14 years, the
Hatchets finally won the state title in 1930. Ed “Jingles”
Engelhart and hall of famer “Big Dave” DeJernett led
Friddle’s team. The Hatchets finished 31-1, the best
single-season mark in school history.
Washington made it back to the state finals in 1931,
but lost in the quarterfinal game. Over the next eight
seasons, the Hatchets won five sectionals but never
made it back to the state.
Under second-year Hall-of-Fame coach Marion Crawley,
the Hatchets made it to the championship game of
the semi-state before losing to Mitchell 20-19 in 1940.
WHS also lost 16-year-old Leo (Crystal) Klier to
graduation that year. He went on to become a two-time
All-American at Notre Dame and played in the NBA. He
was selected to the 1965 Silver Anniversary Team and
inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in
1977. He was named to Notre Dame’s All-Century Team
in 2004.
Led by Hall-of-Fame inductee and Indiana All-Star
Leroy “Hook” Mangin, WHS won its second state title
1941. The team had an incredible four Hall-of-Fame
players with Mangin, Jim Riffey, Art Grove and Charles
Harmon. After the 1941 state finals, Mangin paced
the Indiana All-Stars with 14 points as they defeated
Kentucky and was named the game’s “Star of Stars”.
Mangin, Riffey and Harmon all were selected to the
Silver Anniversary Team.
With Riffey, Grove and Harmon returning, the Hatchets
won their third state title in 1942 with a dazzling 30-1
record. Indiana All-Stars Riffey and Harmon went on to
play in the NBA and major league baseball respectively.
After the state championship season of 1942, WHS
won ten sectionals and two regionals over the next 20
seasons (1943-1962). Only twice during that span did
the Hatchets come close to returning to the state finals.
In 1944 Ray Scott’s Hatchets lost to Evansville Bosse
40-34 in the semi-state finals. In 1953, Ivan Hollen’s
team lost to Evansville Central 56-45 in the first round
of the semi-state. During this span, WHS produced two
Silver Anniversary Team Members with Sam Gee (class
of 1954) and Hall-of-Fame inductee Sam Alford (class of
1960).
In the 1963 sectional finals, Steve Craney’s Hatchets
stunned unbeaten and 11th ranked Loogootee 58-51.
Gary Grider led WHS over Jack Butcher’s Lions after
Washington was down 31-22 at halftime. It still ranks
as one of the greatest upsets in Washington sectional
history. The Hatchet starters played the entire game.
Grider went on to play in the 1967 NCAA Final Four
with the University of Houston. Two seasons later,
Craney’s team won its first 16 games and finished 21-2
and won the sectional. Hatchet greats John Helm and
Jerry Flake graduated in 1965. Helm scored 1,206
points while Flake finished up with 1,108 (837 for WHS
and 271 for Wheatland).
In the fall of 1965, Kenny Gray became the only ex-
Hatchet ever to be head coach of the Hatchets. The
1965-66 Hatchets won the sectional over Loogootee
when Alan Hopewell forced overtime with two free
throws with 13 seconds remaining in regulation and
the Hatchets went on to win 53-46. WHS finished 22-2
and set a school record by scoring 114 points against
Petersburg. On November 23, 1966, Washington opened
its new 7,090-gymnasium with a 75-68 win over
Springs Valley. A crowd of 5,000 watched as IHSAA
Commissioner Phil Eskew addressed the crowd followed
by Jeff Chambers scoring the first basket in the new
gym. The Hatchets won their own regional in 1967 over
Vincennes 56-54. In a game referred to as “The Great
Train Robbery” by Alice fans, Larry Frye hit a 20-foot
shot with 33 seconds left for the win. Vincennes had a
chance to tie but missed a shot and jump ball was called
with two seconds remaining. Washington’s 6-1 Scott
Alford controlled the tip over 6-6 Jerry Memering to
seal the win.
After a sectional crown in 1968, WHS did not win
another during the next seven seasons. During this
time, Hatchets fans witnessed history as Ron Arnold
broke Helm’s scoring mark, amassing 1,209 points
before graduating in 1975. The sectional drought
ended with Don Rogers’ 20-5 team in 1976. Hatchet
sophomore John Brown (a member of the 2003 Silver
Anniversary Team) sank two free throws with seconds
remaining in overtime as Washington beat Loogootee
46-44 for the title. Loogootee had won the previous
six sectionals. The Hatchets won the sectional again in
1977 and finished the season 20-5. Assistant coach Stan
Neal took over the reigns in 1978 and the team evolved
into a powerhouse. The sixth ranked Hatchets finished
27-2 and won the Washington sectional and regional
championships. This is the only team in Hatchet history
to produce three single season 400-point scorers with
Brown (575), Steve Bouchie (467) and Steve Miller
(404). Brown finished up his career with 1,049 points.
The 1978-79 Hatchets lost four starters from the
previous year but still finished 18-9 and made it to
the Evansville Semi-state finals on the strength of the
1979 Mr. Basketball Steve Bouchie. He ranks second in
career scoring with 1,311 points and first in rebounding
with 823. He wore number 1 for the Indiana All-Stars
and was named Parade Magazine High School All-
American. He played on the 1981 NCAA Champion
Indiana Hoosiers. He is a member of the 2004 Silver
Anniversary Team.
The Hatchets re-emerged as a power to be reckoned
with in 1982-83. Led by Indiana All-Star Craig Neal,
Washington finished 25-2 and made it to the Terre
Haute Semi-state finals. Neal set school scoring records
for single season points (745), career points (1,440),
single season scoring average (27.6 ppg) and career
scoring average (20.0 ppg). He went on to play and
coach in the NBA.
article and facts taken from;
Kelly Garland (1,069) and Morry Portee (1,012)
entered the 1,000-point club in 1992 and 1998
respectively. Brandon Smith (917) just fell short of the
1,000-point plateau in 2001. Bernie Butcher’s 1990 and
1992 teams went 16-7 and 13-8 respectively.
Coach Dave Omer fielded some very good teams (the
1995 Hatchets were 19-4, the 1997 team 16-6, the
2002 team 14-7, and the 2003 team 18-4). The 2004
Hatchets finished 18-5, as Luke Zeller became the first
junior to score 1,000 points. Coach Omer’s 123 wins at
WHS ranks third all-time. Only Friddle (192 wins) and
Neal (133 wins) have more. In 2005 Luke Zeller lead
the Hatchets to their 4th State title. During this season
Luke also was given the title of Mr. Basketball for his
efforts throughout the season.
In 2008 Luke’s brother Tyler followed in the family
tradition one of their greatest seasons ever. The
Washington Hatchets (23-2) capped off a record-setting
season by crushing #6 Fort Wayne Harding, 84-60, at
Conseco Fieldhouse to claim the Class 3A state title. The
Hawks (22-4) had no answer for the McDonald’s All-
American and Mr. Basketball frontrunner Tyler Zeller,
who scored a state finals record (in any class) 43 points
while grabbing 16 rebounds. His 6-11 counterpart Seth
Coy was dominate in his own right with 20 points and
16 rebounds. Tyler also set a 3A state finals record for
field goals made with 14 and tied 3A records for free
throws made (15), free throws attempted (18) and
blocked shots (4). It was Washington’s 21st consecutive
win. Only Muncie Central (8) and Marion (7) have more
state titles than the Hatchets. The Hatchets are 5-0 all-
time in state championship games, also winning the title
in 1930, 1941, 1942 and 2005.
Tyler averaged an incredible 36.0 points per game
during the 6-game postseason and finished his senior
year with 828 points, the 24th highest single season
mark in Indiana High School history. His school record
33.1 scoring average led the state in 2008. The Seven-
Foot senior closed out a brilliant career at Washington
with 1,624 points, second only to Luke Zeller’s 1,727
points.
Also, Tyler’s 47-point game (he did it twice this season)
is the second highest single game output ever at
Washington. Additionally, Tyler ranks second in career
field goals made with 628, third in career rebounds with
696, fourth in career free throws made with 367, and
fifth in career free throw percentage at .783.
The team set a school record for field goal percentage,
making 58.0% of its shots, shattering the old mark
of 53.1%. Also, for the first time in school history,
the Hatchets were ranked first among all teams in all
classes in the final Sagarin power ratings poll. Coach
Gene Miiller’s 61 wins at Washington is the best 3-year
start ever by a Hatchet coach. His .836 winning
percentage at WHS is the highest mark ever. Coach’s
529 wins overall ranks 22nd all-time in Indiana.
Seth Coy set the single game record with 26 rebounds
against Owen Valley. Seth’s field goal percentage of
.665 this season is the 4th highest single-season mark
ever at Washington. In addition, his career field goal
percentage of .627 ranks second only behind Tyler. Cody
Osmon’s 37 3-pointers this year was the 7th highest
single season mark ever at WHS. Both Cody and Kyle
Price each hit five 3-pointers in a game this season, the
9th best output ever at WHS.
Look at those skills.
www.hatchets.net Washington Hatchet’s Tyler Zeller attacking the basket!

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