Looking back at Cape Central’s first state title 70 years ago

It’s crazy to think that exactly 70 years ago, the Cape Central boys’ basketball team tasted ultimate victory.

On March 6, 1954, the Tigers won the state championship with a 78-55 win over Christian Brothers College in front of the home fans at the Houck Field House on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The Houck Field House, now merely a shack that houses the SEMO volleyball and gymnastics teams, was the Palestra of Cape back then, a Cathedral for local basketball.

The Tigers were led by the duo of Don Koch and C.W. Suedekum, who combined to score 50 of the Tigers’ 79 points. The Tigers started the game hot with a 17-9 first-quarter lead and went to halftime up 35-20.

It turned into an absolute rout in the third quarter when the Tigers turned up the offensive heat with 21 points to go up 56-34 entering the fourth quarter.

“We could not miss shots,” said Suedekum, who is now 87 years old, living a retired life in Cape Girardeau. “I think we ended up shooting 72 percent from the field, and they were not all set-up shots. We just blew them out at the beginning. It was overwhelming.”

The Tigers were not only proficient on offense, they also proved to be devastating on defense. The Cadets were led by Jack Mimlitz, who scored 30 points in their semifinal matchup against Webster Groves. Wood McComb, who only scored five points, was tasked with guarding Mimlitz, holding him to 11 points.

“He was on him like a leech,” Suedekum said. “I mean, Mimlitz couldn’t take a breath 'cause Woody was right in his face. And I think that has a lot to do because they couldn’t get their defense going, which is built pretty well around them.”

It was the school’s first state championship of any sport. Paul Stehr was named the state tournament MVP.

Central head coach Lou Muegge was lifted on the shoulders of his players after their monumental victory. He also coached the baseball team to a state championship the same year on a team with Koch, Stehr, Suedekum, and McComb. Muegge unfortunately died on July 14, 1955, at the age of 51.

Stehr went on to play college baseball at Valparaiso. Suedekum played for the Capahas in 1955 and embarked on a military career with the National Guard, where he rose to the rank of colonel.