Middleton had a particularly puzzling, and successful protection for the runner at the kick-off, and swept the ball back into the middle of the field in spite of her opponent’s efforts to penetrate the interference. After that, Middleton apparently set out to capture the game then and there, and came measurably near doing it. From their forty-five yards to Grafton’s twenty-three they took the pigskin, using bewildering runs outside tackles that, for the time at least, the Scarlet-and-Gray could neither solve nor stop. Only once was the home team in danger of losing the ball during that advance, and that was when, on the thirty-yard-line, a runner tripped over his own feet, and the tape had to be brought in to determine the distance. The matter of an inch or so gave Middleton her first down, however. After that, she plugged the line, and reached the twelve yards in six downs. There, after two attempts with no gain, she tried a field-goal, and, although the kicker stood well inside the twenty-yard-line, made a horrible mess of the attempt, the ball being blocked and captured by Hanrihan on his nineteen yards. Winslow kicked on second down, and the battle surged back to midfield.
Middleton again tried her running plays, but made shorter gains now. Grafton got the ball on downs near her thirty-yard-line and started toward the distant goal. Plugging brought her past the center of the field and two wide runs by Caner put the pigskin down on the enemy’s thirty-four. Then an attempted forward-pass went into the wrong hands and Middleton punted, and the quarter ended.
The second period was Grafton’s all the way, but although she got to within fifteen yards of the goal a fumble by Caner just when things looked brightest and the Grafton contingent was shouting loudest saved the home team. The second quarter ended in a punting duel in which neither side showed any superiority, although Middleton’s skill in running the ball back gave her the best of the argument. Middleton had caught on her thirty-five yards when the whistle blew.
When the second half began it was seen that Bellows had taken Derry’s place at left end and James was substituting Spalding at left tackle. Middleton had favored that end of the Grafton line in her runs, and with good results. The change worked well, James proving much harder to fool than Spalding had been. Grafton got the ball on her ten yards at the kick off and Ordway took it back seven before he was spilled. The same back made four through tackle on a delayed play and Caner was stopped in his tracks. Winslow punted to the enemy’s forty-five yards. Middleton tried the Grafton right end and made three, but was stopped for a loss on the next attempt at the same place. She got through left guard for four and then faked a kick and made her distance on a double pass that caught Grafton’s right side napping. Two more gains gave her another six yards and then she punted over the line.
From the twenty yards, Winslow got clean away for twelve and followed it up with four more. Caner tried the center and made no gain. Bellows pulled in three on an end-around play. Caner again failed and Winslow punted. Middleton misjudged the ball and Ordway fell on it on the enemy’s twenty-seven. Grafton’s supporters implored a touchdown and the Scarlet-and-Gray team set out to give them what they asked for. Two delayed-passes put the pigskin on the twenty, Blake gaining four and Winslow three. Ordway was stopped for a short gain near the side line, but Winslow made the distance on a short-side plunge. Time was called for a Middleton player and the home team made two alterations in her line. Ordway carried the ball on a wide end run to a point opposite the goal but without much gain. Caner faked a forward-pass and tossed the ball to Winslow for a try at center. Winslow got through for seven and put the pigskin just back of the ten-yard-line. Caner got two off right tackle, Ordway failed to gain and Winslow dropped back to kicking distance. But with only eight to go on the third down, the kick didn’t materialize, nor did Middleton expect it to. Winslow threw forward to Tray and the latter fell across the line for the first score. Caner failed at goal.
Grafton’s second score came three minutes later. Ordway made thirty-two yards on the run back after the kick-off and put the ball on his own forty-four yards. Longley went in for Musgrave at center and Brunswick took Captain Winslow’s place at left halfback for Grafton. On the next play Brunswick got clear through the right of the Middleton line and romped to her thirty-six before he was pulled down. A forward-pass paved the way for the next touchdown and Ordway took the ball across from the twelve yards in three plunges. Brunswick kicked an easy goal.
The period ended a minute later and the teams changed places.
CHAPTER XV
MONTY GOES OVER
Coach Bonner ran in five substitutes, Bowen at right guard, Peet at right tackle, Hanser at right half, Barnes at full and Weston at quarter. Monty, one of the blanket-wrapped line on the bench, witnessed Bowen’s departure for the trampled battle field with disappointment. He had been hoping that Mr. Bonner would decide on him for the place. But Bowen was an old hand and a better player, and, in spite of disappointment, Monty acknowledged the wisdom of the coach’s choice. Kinley was still holding down the right guard position and would certainly come out before long, but when he did there was Hersum ready, or, if not Hersum, then Little. Monty couldn’t see where he came into it today.