Right Half Hollins

by Ralph Henry Barbour

It was Walsh who ate his way by short, irresistible attacks on the enemy line from the eighteen yards to the seven, Walsh only once relieved by Galvin. The chain had to be dragged in to decide matters after the eighth down, but Alton was safe by a few inches. Storer went wide for a scant yard and left the ball nearly in front of the posts, with less than forty seconds of playing time left. Galvin retired to the fifteen-yard line, took the pass from Patten, faked a drop-kick and hurled straight past the right-hand goal post to Savell. Fitz, although apparently hopelessly surrounded by foes, pulled the pigskin down and went to earth four yards behind the line!

Storer added a point from the try and Alton shouted frantically and loudly. Coach Cade rushed Cahill, Howard and Lovell in and Patten, Haines and Ball retired. Kenly kicked off to Bus Lovell on the latter’s seven yards, Bus ran nearly across the field in an effort to find a hole in the charging line of enemy players and finally was thrown for a yard loss. And then an asthmatic horn ended the half.

For fifteen minutes the rival cheering sections entertained with song while anxious enthusiasts discussed past and future. So far neither team had shown an attack quite good enough to warrant implicit faith on the part of its friends. Kenly had actually gained more ground by rushing and had proved herself somewhat more irresistible than Alton, but no great advantage had been exhibited by either contender. So far as the final outcome was concerned, that first half might as well not have been played.

Alton took the field again about as she had ended the second period, the only difference in her line-up being at right end where Chick had succeeded Savell. Kenly kicked off and Alton caught on her twelve yards and went to the sixteen before she was stopped. On three sweep plays Galvin and Storer made it first down on the twenty-eight. Galvin tried a long pass down the field, but Storer failed to get near it and the ball grounded. Walsh poked his way through the right for three yards and then was stopped behind his line for a loss of two. Storer punted to Kenly’s thirty where a back fumbled and finally, closely pursued by Chick, fell on the ball near his twenty. Alton was caught holding in the line and Kenly went to the twenty-six and started on a march that brought her finally to the enemy forty-two. There Alton called on the services of Hop Meecham and Lum Patten and stopped the invasion. Kenly tried a forward-pass, which failed, and then punted.

Lovell was thrown hard on his five-yard line and gave way to Ted Ball. Storer got free around left end and reeled off eight yards before he was thrown out of bounds. Walsh failed to gain in the line and Storer punted to Kenly’s forty where Chick nailed the catcher. On the first play Kenly fumbled and recovered for a seven-yard loss. An off-side penalty set her farther back and, after a sweep that was good for two yards, she punted to Storer on Alton’s forty-four. Galvin made three and then four more. Walsh was stopped for no gain, and with three to go on fourth down, Ball used a double-pass and sent Storer around left end for five. The third period ended.

Bert went in and Walsh retired. On the first play from the Kenly twenty-seven Bert took the ball from Patten and shot around left end behind strong interference. Past the line, he was hit by a tackler and went down. But he rolled over, found his feet and went on again to the fifteen. There a second enemy launched himself at the runner, missed and sent Bert once more to earth. Rolling, Bert went nearly to the five-yard line. There he once more recovered himself and, dodging a third tackler, went over!

Ted Ball tried to kick the goal but sent the pigskin into the line instead, and Alton had to be satisfied with the six points. It sounded as though she was!

Kenly kicked off to Howard who caught on the sixteen and plowed through a small army of opposing players to his twenty-two. Ted tried Number 14 for the second time and Galvin ripped through between guard and center on the left for twelve yards. Galvin got four more on the other side but was hurt and gave way to Couch. Dozier came around and slid off tackle for three and Kruger made the same trip for three more and first down on the Alton forty-five. Kenly broke through and stopped Storer for a loss. Ball scampered around the right for three and Bert added two off tackle on the other side of the line. Storer went back to the forty-two yards and faked a punt, throwing the pigskin far and to the right. Chick found no one to dispute his right to the ball, made a clean catch of it and went on along the side-line from the fifty to the twenty-six, where he was forced out.

Kenly tried desperately to turn back the invasion and twice stopped plays at tackle. On third down, however, Storer threw a short pass to Bert and [once more Bert gave an imitation of a corkscrew]. He caught on the sixteen, slipped out of a tackler’s arms, zigzagged to the ten-yard line, was almost stopped there but got free again and was finally brought down on the four, just short of his goal. Storer tried the left for no gain and, with Number 14, Couch got two of the remaining four yards. Storer went back as if to drop-kick and Patten shot the ball to Bert who took it on the run and swung wide around the Kenly right wing and went over almost without opposition close to the corner.

This time Storer made the try and sent the pigskin neatly across, and the score-board proclaimed Kenly 7, Visitor 20, and Tommy Parish swallowed a peanut shell and almost choked!