To view action photos of the Hatboro/GA game, visit the photo gallery by clicking on the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
Walter ‘Ozzie’ Ostrowski – better known as Coach ‘O’ – was a coaching legend at Hatboro-Horsham.To ensure that the former Hatters’ basketball coach will not be forgotten, coach Dennis Steinly started the annual Coach ‘O’ Classic to raise money for a scholarship fund in Ostrowski’s honor.
The legendary coach passed away on July 9, 2007, of complications from a malignant brain tumor at the age of 57. The first classic was held the following winter.
“The kids on our team still have that connection to him since they would come to his camp,” Steinly said. “As the years go on, those people are getting fewer and fewer.
“This is a way to keep in touch, to keep that connection alive.”
For the past two years, the event consisted of varsity and jayvee games pitting the Hatters against Germantown Academy.
Jim Reichwein – a Hatboro alum who went on to play football at the University of Kentucky and later the NFL – was an assistant under Ostrowski, and it was his connection to GA coach Jim Fenerty that set the wheels in motion for the annual benefit classic featuring the high profile Patriots.“They were happy to oblige, which was nice because they can go out and schedule teams better than us, but they’re willing to do it, and I appreciate the fact that they’re continuing to do so,” Steinly said. “The opportunity to play Germantown Academy – while we know it will be difficult to defeat them, the kids always get up for it.”
The Hatters managed to keep the game close for awhile, trailing 14-11 at the end of one quarter, but the Patriots used a 21-6 second-quarter scoring blitz to go into halftime with an 18-point lead. GA went on to earn a 65-41 win.
Cameron Ayers and Austin Curry led a balanced GA attack with 13 points each. Jim Hammer (12 points) and Jake Beil (10 points) also finished the game in double figures for the Patriots, who had 10 players in the scoring column.
Hatboro was led by the 14-point effort of Pete Williams, who was 5-for-10 from the field, while Mike Marvin added 10 points.This year for the first time, Steinly opted to add a second game. Cheltenham faced Hazleton in the opener of Saturday night’s double header. The Panthers – doomed by a one-point first quarter – were edged by Hazleton 48-47.
“We wanted to expand and include more teams just to try and get more spectators and also allow other coaches who knew and respected coach ‘O’ to get involved,” Steinly said. “I also wanted to include a Suburban One team.
“If we can rotate a different team in to play a Suburban One team, that would be great.”
Ostrowski and former Hazleton coach Bruce Leib - now the coach at Central Dauphin East - were close friends, and in the mid 90s, Hazleton and Hatboro participated in each other’s tournaments.
“It was a pretty sizable crowd,” Steinly said. “Hazleton has a very loyal following, and Cheltenham had a decent crowd.
“This is the first year it was a double header, and I think we need to continue to work on it and make it even better.”
The annual classic ensures no one will forget Coach ‘O,’ a fixture on the sidelines at Hatboro for 33 years – 22 as head coach.
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