Erastus Snow Romney

Memories of Vera Wittwer Hardy, sister to Eldon Wittwer, the 1916 championship basketball team Eldon went to High School at Bunkerville. He was on our first basketball team.There were six boys in the senior class and the six boys were on the team. They were Noble Waite, Milton Earl, Laman Leavitt, Albert Leavitt, Ralph Huntsman and Eldon Wittwer. They were going to Reno to play for state. We didn't have a gym so they practiced on the ground. About a week before they left for state. We didn't have a gym so they took all the benches out of the church, took bales of hay and pulled them over the wide board floor to make it slick and they practiced on that. They went to state and won the championship trophy.

Newspaper article (unknown origin), titled "Virgin Valley Wins Nevada State Championship Tilt" subtitled "For 2nd Time in 20 Years virgin Valley Wins State Casaba Championship" There was no picture in the news article. The attached picture is the 1916 championship team For the second time in 30 years the Virgin Valley high school at Bunkerville, surprised the sports fans of Nevada by taking the 1946 state championship in Division B. Their coach, Howard Christensen, was called to military duty more than a year ago, but they practiced religiously assisted by David Cox, a returned veteran, and Reed Leavitt, a local dairyman, until Coach Christensen returned in January. Though they lost their practice games consistently, the boys managed to nose through each time to win in the district tournament. At Reno last week they met Well, Fernley and Carlin, Nev., teams, defeating each in turn to take the state honors. Personnel of the team included Mervin Adams, Dixie Leavitt, Cloyd Leavitt, Clair Leavitt, Owen Bunker, Richard Lunt, Glen Waite, and Larry Reber. . . Once before, back in 1916, this little school won the Nevada state championship. At that time they had no school buildings but held classes in that old rock church; in the wood-shed (walls of chicken wire and a corrugated tin roof); and in private homes, while the woodpile and tithing office barn were favorite study rooms. The late Erastus S. Romney was coach, and the team included Laman Leavitt of Las Vegas; Albert Leavitt, Beaumont, Idaho; Noble Waite, Los Angeles; Milton Earl, Overton; and Ralph Huntsman, St. George, with Eldon Wittwer, now a professor at the University of Reno, Nev., as their one reserve. All were then Bunkerville residents. From day break each morning until almost school time they practiced on an out-door court, dashing home for a basin rinse-off before classes. On their tour they played 20 games, losing only one. They not only earned their fare home (the budget did not include funds for athletics), but state-wide fame as the Mormon basketeers who had never before played on a floor or by electric light; whose diet was largely bread and milk, and yet who by sheer endurance could win.