All-time WPIAL boys basketball championship games No. 4: 1979 Midland tops Ford City in OT

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 6:39 PM

The TribLive High School Sports Network will be counting down the Top 10 boys and girls WPIAL basketball championship games leading up to the 2018 title games March 1-3 at the Petersen Events Center.

TRIBHSSN is the exclusive audio and video home for all 12 WPIAL championship games, which will be broadcasted and video streamed live at TribHSSN.triblive.com.

Here is the seventh installment of a 10-part series ranking the top WPIAL boys basketball championship games in district history.

No. 4: 1979 — WPIAL Class 2A finals: Midland 48, Ford City 47 (OT)

The 1970's was when the City of Champions was born as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates combined for numerous division titles and six world championships. It was also a decade of excellence for Midland High School when it came to boys basketball. In the 10 years between 1970 and 1979, the Leopards captured seven WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball titles. None were more memorable than what turned out to be the final crown in school history.

Ford City also had a rich tradition, but its heyday was back in the 1930's and 40's when the Sabers played in five title games and won three WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball crowns in a span of 12 years from 1937-48.

This 1979 title game, played at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, was tight throughout. Ford City's biggest lead of the game was when it went ahead 20-16 midway through the second quarter. Midland's largest advantage was a 39-33 lead late in the third quarter. There were eight lead changes and the score was tied 12 times, including when the Sabers' Joe Minarcin hit a baseline jumper with 14 seconds left in regulation that tied the score 43-43.

Late in overtime and trailing by one, Midland's 6-foot-6 forward Roosevelt Kirby tipped a missed shot that also missed, but a second tip put the Leopards ahead 46-45 with 17 seconds left. The Sabers responded when Brian Hobaugh connected on a short jumper to the left of the lane to put Ford City back on top 47-46 with seven seconds remaining.

Legendary Midland coach Ed Olkowski said after the game they wanted Kirby to take the final shot, and he did. With Ford City center Joe Kromka right in his face, Kirby's 35-foot desperation heave at the buzzer kissed off the glass and went in as Midland pulled out a 48-47 overtime thriller. Kirby led the Leopards with 16 points while Hobaugh had a game-high 21 points for the Sabers and Minacin added 17.

As it turned out, it was the final WPIAL boys basketball championship appearance for both schools. Midland High School closed its doors for good seven years later in 1986 while Ford City merged with Kittanning after the 2014-15 school year to form Armstrong High School.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Armstrong, Lincoln Park