[CHAPTER IX]
SUBS VS. SCRUB
With the beginning of the fourth week of the season, the football situation at Alton Academy had become fairly well straightened out. The squad was down to thirty-four, about as low as it was likely to go, the Second Team had hit its stride and was providing tough opposition four or five times a week, and, with the approach of the first important contest, that with Lorimer Academy next Saturday, the preliminary season was coming to an end in a fairly normal manner. The victory over New Falmouth, while of no great consequence, had shown coach and players and School that the Team possessed latent possibilities, something which the School, at least had begun to doubt. One win out of three starts was a record that was scarcely impressive. However, if Alton was having her difficulties, so, too, was her rival, Kenly Hall. Kenly had won her first game handsomely enough, had lost her second without apparent rime or reason and had been able to do no better on Saturday last than play Oak Grove to a scoreless tie. Since Oak Grove was normally a small-caliber team, Kenly’s last performance had brought encouragement to Alton. Kenly almost always turned out a scoring eleven, and her inability to put anything over on Oak Grove suggested that this fall, for once, she was minus heavy artillery.
On Monday the substitutes held the center of the stage at Alton, since those who had played for any length of time on Saturday were excused after signal work. The Second came across, rearing to go, and engaged an adversary largely composed of second-choice substitutes. Bert, somewhat to his surprise, was allowed to start at right half. Lovell was at quarter for a while, and Tyron and Couch completed the backfield. The scrimmage went slowly, for Mr. Cade was trying out two new plays—new, at least, to the team—and the play was frequently stopped for criticism or instruction. Mr. McFadden’s charges were an eager, hard-fighting lot, and in the first ten minutes neither side scored. Field-goals were barred to-day, except for which both First and Scrub might have had three points. Bert tried his best to act on Tommy Parish’s suggestion and keep his head up when he went at the line. Sometimes he did it, but habit was strong and more times he failed. Still, he comported himself fairly well, and when he was relegated to the bench at the end of the first half was able to assure himself that he had done as well as Tyron.
In the second half of the scrimmage Parkhurst started in Bert’s position, but he was so weak on defense that he lasted but a few minutes and gave way to Keys. The Second got under way when the ball was fumbled by Riding, who had succeeded Lovell toward the end of the first session, and picked up by a Scrub end. From their own forty-two yards Mr. McFadden’s pets smashed along to the First’s thirty-one, using a wide sweep that worked with all the efficiency of a steam-roller. Shelfer, playing right end, was of so little use when the play came on his side that Mr. Cade sent him off and looked about for a substitute. Ends, however, were scarce this afternoon, and finally Fitz Savell was tried. Fitz might have claimed immunity, since he had worked rather hard Saturday, but that was far from his thoughts. At end, a position he had played awhile a year back, Fitz fitted excellently, so well that runs around the First Team’s right ceased after the next attempt. Too close to the side-line to try a play around the other end, Scrub piled into right guard for no gain and then shot off a neat forward-pass to the left that was caught close to the boundary and advanced for a total gain of seventeen yards. From the First’s twelve yards the Second went over for a touchdown in three plays, the final one being an unexpected plunge through a loose center by quarter after a seeming attack on tackle had fooled the defenders. Couch was slightly hurt in that play and Franklin took his place at full-back. No goal was tried and the First kicked off again and the Scrub left half was downed without a gain by Fitz Savell. One plunge netted two yards and Scrub punted. Keys caught on his forty-three and the First started to hammer the right of the adversary’s line and made good going to the opposite forty. There, two smashes were stopped and Keys made an ineffectual attempt to take a long heave from Franklin. Time was taken out for the Scrubs and Coach Cade seized the opportunity to make several changes. Two new linemen were brought in and Keys was sent off to the showers. Coach Cade’s demand for another half-back brought Jake, the trainer, to his feet.
“Half-back! Come on, one o’ you! All right, What’s-your-name!”
But “What’s-your-name” didn’t get well onto the field before he was turned back. “This man doesn’t know these plays, Jake,” called the coach. “Who else is there?”
“Not a one, Coach. They’ve all been worked.”