Rivalries

The major rivalry in basketball has been with Mansfield High School. This competition has involved not only the most games (209) against any opponent, but, also, the some of the most disappointing defeats and some of the most exhilarating victories. Overall the Tygers hold a 140 to 69 edge on the Orange and Black, while twenty-eight times the game has been decided by a single shot. Eight times the A’s have finished second behind them in league competition. Thirty-six times the rivals have met in tournament games with the A’s winning eight contests, while 28 times the Red and White ended the Ashland season.

Appropriately Ashland basketball has had only one rivalry trophy, and it’s with Mansfield. It was the most memorable souvenir the Red Lantern. Originally it gained a reputation for its endearing luck as a mascot, when it followed the 1932 AHS basketball team to the State Tournament. The lantern appeared at the Mansfield-Ashland District tournament game in Sandusky, and the A’s won a 13-point victory, which was the largest margin in six years against the “men of Murphy.” MHS coach Russell Murphy suggested at the next NCO league meeting that the two schools vie for its possession after each future football and basketball game.

The advent of the mascot seems to have come from a Highway department detour between Ashland and Mansfield. The alleged and suspected ringleader was the famous Ashland speedster Jim Jesson. The magical prize was the subject of many columns by T-G Sports Editor Bill McKee, who referred to the lantern as “the Jim Jesson” trophy. Nevertheless after Ashland victories the lucky lantern could be found hanging in the coach's office hallway leading to the McDowell auditorium/gymnasium.

The Red Lantern was involved in eight basketball games between 1932-36. The record was four victories for each side. The competition for the trophy ended January 3, 1936 after an Ashland victory 27-26 at Mansfield, when they failed to produce the lantern. Bill McKee called for a “writ of replevin,” and he reported the rumor that the laurel was swinging from a Mansfield flagpole with no ropes to pull it down.

The lasting appearance of the treasured warning signal was on the cover of the 1932-33-basketball dope book, which was published by the Hi-Y Club of AHS. Remnant copies are at Ashland High School and the Historical Society on Center Street. It, also, holds an honored place on the homepage of this website.

There are several other noteworthy facts concerning the opponents. The A’s longest winning streak was against Shelby with 23-consecutive wins. The streak ran from 1938 to the upset win in the 1954 Sectional game at Marion, when Ken Sidle fouled out against a trio of Shelby pivot men. The longest losing streak was 19-games over ten years against Mansfield Malabar, which came to an end in 1989. The Arrows had a 15-game sweep of Mansfield Madison between 1998-2004. Probably one of the most memorable streaks was the victory over Mansfield Senior in 2002 that ended their record of 49-straight OHC wins. Another memorable streak-snapper was the 1992 New London game at Kate’s gymnasium, when the A’s ended the Wildcats 32-game regular season winning streak. Incidentally one of the top scorers for New London was one Robbie Lavengood, the Arrows B-ball mentor.