There were fumbles on both sides and the ball hovered for some time around the center of the field. Finally Nordham worked a quarter-back kick and recovered the ball on the Blue’s twenty yards and the game took a new turn. Yardley was on defense almost under her goal-posts. A forward pass netted Nordham six yards, a penalty set her back five, several tries through the line left her little better off and finally she tried a drop-kick for goal that only missed by the narrowest of margins. On the stands the Yardley supporters breathed with relief and their cheers took on a more hopeful tone. Later, Yardley reached her opponent’s ten yards only to be held for downs. The half ended with the ball in midfield, with no score and with the honors belonging to Nordham.
In the second half Payson put in his first string of backs. It was Nordham’s kick-off. Yardley had the wind in her favor now and instead of running the ball back from the ten-yard-line, Loring passed it to Kapenhysen who punted. The ruse worked well, for Nordham’s backs were well up toward the center of the field and had to turn and run back to get the ball. By the time they had reached it Yardley’s ends were down on them and there was no advance. Again came the wide-open formation. It had been talked over in the gymnasium during intermission and Yardley had been instructed how to meet it. Her ends strung away after the opposing ends, but the rest of her forwards and two backs lined up in rather close formation, the backs reinforcing the line in front of the Nordham full-back, who, with the right end, was the only player in position to get through and legally capture a forward pass. But this time, instead of going to the quarter at an angle, the ball went straight back at short pass to left half who got off a quick, low kick from close behind center. It was nip and tuck, but he got the ball away before Colton and Mitchell smashed into him. It was a nervy play and even the Yardley sympathizers were forced to voice their approval. Dan put out his opponent, but the Nordham left tackle went straight down the field without molestation, as did the Nordham right end. Loring, however, was fleet of foot and although the ball had struck the ground before he had reached it he managed to recover it deftly on the rebound and make the turn toward his opponent’s goal before he was downed. Nordham had gained thirty yards and better.
On second down, with six yards to go, Yardley tried a bunch forward pass, but it failed to work and a fifteen yard penalty set her back to her fifteen yards. Kapenhysen kicked and the pigskin was Nordham’s again near her fifty-yard-line. She tried a quarter-back kick and gained twelve yards. Another plunge at right tackle for a scant three feet was followed by a [fake punt] in which the left half took the ball between his own left guard and center for a first down. Trick after trick was tried and Yardley was fairly bewildered. Then a fumble by quarter gave Yardley the ball and Kapenhysen kicked on first down, the ball settling into the Nordham left half’s arms on his ten yards. He reeled off ten more before he was stopped. Nordham’s line opened wide across the field again and Yardley tried to guard against a kick by dropping her backs further from the line. This time the ball went to quarter and he sprang away outside of Yardley’s right tackle and had put four white lines underfoot before he was stopped. A few minutes later the same formation was used again, but by this time Yardley had learned her lesson. She made her line compact at the center and trusted to getting through and upsetting the play before it was in motion. The result was that Nordham was set back for a five-yard loss. That was the last of the wide-open play that day.
But she never allowed Yardley to become bored. She had more tricks than a juggler and Loring’s brain fairly seethed. Getting the ball on her forty yards, Yardley punted to Nordham’s twenty-five and Dan dropped the runner at the second stride. Here, thought the Yardley supporters, was where the Blue won the game! Mindful of what had happened in the Brewer game, Loring called for a forward pass to Dan, but Nordham was too cute and Dan found himself besieged by the Nordham right half and full, and the latter secured the ball. Nordham quickly punted out of danger. Yardley settled down now, with ten minutes to play, to steady attacks at the opponent’s line. This programme, interspersed with an occasional try at the ends, worked well for short gains and yard by yard the pigskin crept back toward Nordham’s goal.
But it was slow going and Nordham killed all the time she could. She was lavish with new players, sending in substitutes here and there all along the line and, before the game was at end, providing herself with a brand-new backfield. With two minutes to play and the ball on Nordham’s fifteen-yard-line Loring called again for a forward pass, but again Nordham solved the play and spoiled it and again kicked out of danger. Disheartened, the blue-clad warriors took up the journey again. Loring was taken out and King sent in. Connor tried the end without result and Capes had little luck at the other corner. Kapenhysen kicked. Nordham returned it. Connor got away through tackle for twelve yards, Capes seized three more through the same hole, Kapenhysen plugged center for four and then came another punt. This time Nordham kept the ball and began an attack on the Blue’s line, but before she had made her third down the whistle blew and the game was over with no score.
Yardley had one consolation, however, and she made the most of it; she was still undefeated.