1942-43 Ridgers: Top players of that era
By Mike Harper
Blue Ridge High School was established in the fall of 1930, just in time to move into, along with students from the elementary grades, a brand new building as the new year began in January of 1931. At that time the high school grades spanned the 8th through 11th grades. Like most of the high schools in the area, Blue Ridge was a small school, typically with an enrollment of less than 200 students at any one time. The first graduating class from Blue Ridge High included only five students.
The Blue Ridge boys basketball teams enjoyed a lot of success during the first 12 years of competition from 1930-31 through the 1941-42 seasons. They won three of the first four county tournament championships that began in 1938-39 and were perennial contenders in District 9 tournaments in the class C division. Many outstanding athletes competed for the teams of that period including Max Gartrell, Larry Tone Jr., John Dobbs and Kindell Poe.
One of the top players of that era was big Fred Jones. Fred started for the Ridgers as a freshman in 1939-40 and led the teams for four seasons. Fred was a giant for his time, standing 6 feet, 4 inches tall. He was affectionately called ‘Freddie Bear’ by his teammates and fans. Fred was one of the leaders, along with Browne Allen and John Goan, of the 1941-42 team that won the County and Bi-State tournaments as well as the 9th District, Northern Division title. They were defeated by Dacula in the overall district tournament championship game, denying them a trip to the state tournament.
Hopes were high in Blue Ridge as the 1942-43 season approached. John Goan was lost to graduation but returning were Fred Jones and Browne Allen, along with Ed Querry, Jack Miller and Junior Farmer, so the Blue Ridge squad appeared poised to make a run for the district title and a first-ever trip to the state tournament. In a good news, bad news scenario two things happened that weighed heavily on the prospects for the upcoming season.
The bad news for the team came in the form of an announcement from the Allen family that Browne would not be returning to Blue Ridge for his senior year. Browne and his family had designs on an appointment to the US Naval Academy for Browne and decided that his chances would be improved if he matriculated at the Georgia Military Academy in Milledgeville for his senior year.
The good news was that Ocie LeMaster and his family moved to Blue Ridge in the summer of 1942. Ocie was employed by the L&N Railroad Company and was assigned to the Blue Ridge station. Ocie’s son Oliver was a basketball star and would be plying his talents at Blue Ridge during his senior year.
On opening day of the 1942-43 school year, Blue Ridge High School welcomed 113 students, not a big population from which to build a competitive basketball team. The Blue Ridge boys basketball team embarked on the 1942-43 season with a starting lineup of big Fred Jones, Jack Miller, Ed Querry, Junior Farmer and Ollie LeMaster. The 6th man was Bill McGill. It was a strong team inside and outside, led by Jones at the post and the flashy guard LeMaster running the team from the point guard position. Wartime restrictions that inhibited travel were in effect so most of the regular season games were played against local teams such as Epworth, McCaysville, Morganton, Ducktown and Copperhill. The Fannin County tournament was not held in 1942-43 due to gas rationing.
Blue Ridge enjoyed success during the regular season, but Epworth was generally thought to have the best shot of the Fannin teams to bring home trophies from district and possibly state competition. The District 9 tournament began on Thursday, February 25 at Rabun County High School in Clayton. Upsets ruled the day in the first two rounds as Epworth fell to Clayton and then Demorest High dispatched Clayton in the semi-finals.
Blue Ridge played solid basketball from the beginning defeating Stratham 25-7, Sugar Hill 23-12 and Demorest 22-20 in the title game. Jack Miller was the leading scorer in the Demorest victory with 9 points. Jones scored 5 with Querry and LeMaster each contributing 4 points to the victory total. The victory propelled the Blue Ridge High School to the Georgia State C basketball tournament beginning on Thursday, March 4 in Macon. Blue Ridge won the opener over Gordon High School 22-21 but had a very cold shooting night in losing their semi-final contest to Barney 20-13. The only player named to the all-tournament was guard Oliver LeMaster.
The 1942-43 Blue Ridge High School boys basketball team was the first team, boys or girls, to play in a state tournament at any level. That achievement would not be duplicated until the 1960-61 West Fannin boys advanced to the Class AA state tournament in Atlanta. In recognition of their singular accomplishment, the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to add the 1942-43 Blue Ridge boys to our honor roll of members.