Left End Edwards

by Ralph Henry Barbour

"All right. On the trot now!"

The cheer leaders leaped to their places as the teams came hustling back to the field and waved their megaphones and dropped them and beat time with clenched hands as the cheers burst forth.

"Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfield! Rah, rah, Brimfi-e-ld!"

"Claflin! Claflin! Claflin! Rah, rah, rah, Claflin! Claflin! Claflin!"

And then Fowler had thudded the ball away with a long swing of his foot and the last half had begun.

The Claflin full-back pulled the ball out of the air, quick interference formed about him and he came charging back up the field. Five—ten—fifteen yards! Then Miller pulled him down with a savage tackle and the two teams faced each other. Umpire and referee dodged out of the way, Ainsmith called his signals and a back tore at Williams. The secondary defence sprang to the point of attack. There was an instant of confused heaving and swaying. Then the whistle sounded and the lines straightened again.

"Second down! Seven to gain!"

Steve, profiting by Miller's advice, kept his gaze fixed on the face of the opposing end who was edging out into the field. Then the ball was in play and the Claflin end came tearing down upon him, dodged to the right and then strove to slip past him inside. But Steve met him squarely with his shoulder and sent him sprawling. Behind him the teams were off under a punt and he recovered himself and raced along. It was Milton's ball on his thirty-yard line. Brimfield punted on first down and Claflin tore off three yards through centre and then kicked. Neither team was able to gain consistently through the line and each punted on second or third down. Brimfield had a trifle the better of the exchanges, aided a little by the breeze which had freshened since the beginning of the game. With the ball on Claflin's forty-two yards a fumble was recovered by Ainsmith for a loss of seven yards, and on third down Claflin attempted a forward pass which was intercepted by Captain Miller and carried to Claflin's thirty-yard mark. Brimfield cheered encouragingly and Norton smashed through left tackle for four. Kendall added two more and on a wing shift Still made the distance and the ball was down on the Blue's twenty yards. Two yards through centre by Norton was followed by a wide end run and the loss of four yards, Still being captured by Captain Burrage. Norton failed to gain at the line and Williams dropped back to kick.

Milton followed to hold the ball for him and Brimfield held her breath. Thursby passed low to the quarter and when the ball arose it bounded away from a charging Claflin forward and went dancing and rolling back up the field. It was finally secured by Gleason on Claflin's thirty-three yards. Three tries by the Maroon netted but six and again Williams went back. This time the kick was short and Claflin secured the ball on her five-yard line and ran it in to the thirteen. Claflin made four around Steve's end and three through Williams. Then Whittemore punted to midfield.

Brimfield returned to her line-smashing and secured first down on the Blue's thirty-six yards. There a forward pass to Captain Miller grounded and Milton made a short punt to the Blue's ten yards. Steve upset Burrage in his tracks. Claflin tried the Brimfield centre twice for four yards and punted to the fifty-yard line. Milton came back twelve and Kendall added six around the enemy's left end. Norton secured first down through right guard. Time was called and Danny Moore scurried on with his pail. Milton was injured and led off, Marvin taking his place. A forward pass to Captain Miller netted twelve yards. Marvin carried the ball through centre for two and Kendall met a stone wall when he tried to get past Johnson. Norton made a yard through left tackle and Williams dropped back to the twenty-yard line. The Brimfield supporters were cheering wildly, imploring a touchdown, but it seemed that a field goal was the best they were to have.