“47—68—62!”
Back shot the ball to Chester, off darted Tupper for the guard-tackle hole on the right. Beaton and Lanny swung wide to the left. For a moment the lines heaved and fought. Then, the ball clutched to his stomach, Chester plunged straight ahead and went through where Haley and Arthur Beaton had opened a wide hole. The Springdale line had been pulled apart and the secondary defense had been drawn out. Chester slipped away from a tackle and staggered on, dodged past a back and was pulled down finally after ten yards had passed under his feet. The linesmen pulled up their rods and scampered past two white marks and the Clearfield section shouted wildly. Chester, breathless, was pulled to his feet and trotted back to position.
“Regular formation!” he called. “Line up! Get down there, Scott! Signals! 309—25—62!” Lanny jumped to the right in front of Chester. “309—25—62!”
It was Lanny’s ball, direct from center, and he sprang at the same hole as before, Tupper clearing it out for him. But only two yards resulted this time. “Second down! Eight to go!” announced the referee.
“Line up quickly!” called Chester. “Here we go now! Regular formation! Signals! 98—99—84! 98—99—!”
The ball went to Chester, was passed to Nelson Beaton, and that youth struck like a cannon ball at the opposing left guard and tackle hole and piled through for four yards. Clearfield was “getting the jump” on her opponent at last!
“Get up! Get up!” shrieked Chester impatiently. “Signals!”
The ball was on Springdale’s thirty-six yards now, it was third down and four to go. Lanny pulled Chester’s head down and whispered. “Signals!” repeated the latter. “22—53—306! 22—53—!”
Tupper had slipped into the line between right guard and tackle and now Gordon Merrick was running back toward where Nelson Beaton crouched behind Chester. Then came the ball to the latter. Off raced Lanny behind his line toward the right. Chester passed to Gordon and that player, one hand outstretched to ward off attack and the ball in the crook of his right elbow, followed Lanny. The Springdale tackle was boxed and Felker sent a halfback flying out of the path. Then the cry of “In! In!” was heard and Gordon, passing behind his interference, sped through an opening in the enemy’s front and was laid low for a seven-yard gain.
The middle of the field was in sight now and thus far every play had told. A plunge at the Clearfield right, Beaton carrying the ball, gained three, Lanny shot outside of left end for four more, Beaton made two at center and Chester knifed himself through for first down on Springdale’s forty-six yards. The Clearfield supporters were cheering incessantly and the bass drum was thump—thumping loudly. Springdale was fighting desperately, but the pace was beginning to tell on her.