NORDHAM SPRINGS SOME SURPRISES
The next afternoon when Dan reported for practice he found that a few
moments of passing and a half-hour of signal work was all that was
required. Saturday’s contest had been a hard one and there were lots of
lame muscles and stiff joints among the fellows who had participated.
Even on Tuesday the practice was still short and there was no line-up.
On Wednesday occurred the first scrimmage and then several surprises
were sprung. Dan was at left end, Hill was back at center, Little was
tried in Folwell’s place at tackle, King, of the Second Team, was
at quarter and Gerard was at full. Gerard was a second-string man
and his presence in the line-up merely signified that Kapenhysen was
still feeling the results of the Brewer game. Dan didn’t dare believe
that his elevation to the First Team was anything more than temporary
pending Williams’ recovery. He played the best game he knew, however,
in the hope of “making good,” and in spite of King’s mistakes, for the
Second Team quarter was oppressed by the unexpected honor of being made
varsity substitute, managed to play a brilliant game. But on the whole
things went badly. In spite of the easy work of the last two days many
of the fellows played a lifeless game that wrought Payson to heights of
disgust. His comments were more caustic than usual and the tempers of
his charges shorter, and the result was that when practice was over the
entente cordiale between coach and players was somewhat strained. Andy
Ryan, quick to note discord, hovered around like an anxious, clucking
mother-hen. At supper appetites were erratic and dispositions more so.
Plainly a slump was threatening, a slump the more dangerous for being
so long delayed. With only two days of practice before the Nordham
game the outlook didn’t please Payson at all. He had planned to rest
the fellows the first part of the week and to drive them hard Thursday
and Friday. Andy had agreed with him. But now it seemed that they had
made a mistake; to have worked the team on Tuesday and Wednesday and
given them light practice Thursday and Friday would have been more
advisable. Payson had three new plays to teach and he had been counting
on to-morrow and the next day; now he seriously doubted if it would be
wise to attempt it. He and Andy got together in his room that evening
and faced the problem.
“There’s no use in forcing them, sir,” declared the trainer. “It’s a
critical time and we’ve got to humor ’em along the rest of the week. If
we don’t they’ll go up in the air like a lot of crazy balloons, sir.
Colton’s all on edge, and there’s others no better off. Take my advice,
sir, and humor ’em.”
“That’s all well enough,” grumbled Payson, “but there’s a lot of work
to do, Andy. You know that as well as I do. The team’s a week behind
this year, for some reason. You can’t do anything the last week but
polish up. And there are new plays to learn, man!”
“Give ’em a blackboard talk, sir, to-morrow instead of a scrimmage.
Maybe they could walk through the plays afterwards in the gym.”
“Yes, they might do that. And how about Friday?”
“We’ll wait and see, sir. But we’ll have to lay Colton and Hadlock off
for a couple of days, I’m thinking.”
“How about Loring?”
“Uneasy, but all he needs is work. He’s the sort that can’t stand in
the stable, sir, without getting the fidgets.”
“And Kapenhysen?”
“Fit, sir.”
“And Williams?” Andy shook his head.
“He won’t be round by Saturday unless for a few minutes of the game. In
fact, I wouldn’t advise you to put much faith in him for the rest of
the season. He’s mighty uncertain, sir.”
“Well, there’s Vinton. Vinton is doing good work. If he can keep it up
we won’t miss Williams, I guess. You think, though, that Williams is
the only one we’ll have to keep out on Saturday?”
“As it looks now, sir.”
“I’ve been thinking I’d start the game with the second string of backs,
Andy; Stevens at left half, Dyer at right and Gerard at full.”
“Yes, sir, but King won’t do at quarter, I’m thinking.”
“No, no, Loring will have to play the game through if he can.”
“He can do it, barring injury, sir.”
“It’s too bad about Clapp. This is his last year, too, poor chap. How’s
he getting on?”
“First rate, sir. He’ll be able to see the Broadwood game, likely.”
“That’s good. Well, I guess I’ll take your advice, Andy, and cut out
the scrimmage to-morrow. I wish we might have a spell of good cold
weather.”
“We need it, sir; this sort of thing takes the life out of ’em. It’s a
touch of frost they need. They ain’t eating right. If they don’t pick
up by Friday, sir, I’d say give ’em a signal drill and hand ’em over to
me for a walk.”
“All right, Andy, you know your end of it better than I do. But
remember that I ought to have three days of hard work yet and give them
to me as soon as you can.”
Instead of improving, the weather got worse. Thursday and Friday were
soft, muggy, cloudy days without a bit of life in the air. The only
consolation Payson could find was in reflecting that the conditions
were just as unfavorable for Broadwood as they were for Yardley.
Thursday there was the blackboard talk in the trophy room and the first
trials of the new plays on the gymnasium floor. Friday signal practice
was held out of doors, there was a little punting and catching for the
backs and then Andy took them off for a five-mile walk along the shore.
At supper that night the trainer thought he could detect an improvement
in the spirits of his men. Appetites were better and the talk was more
sprightly than it had been since the Brewer game.
Saturday dawned bright and warm, but there was a light breeze off the
water that promised to freshen as the day advanced. The Nordham game
was set for three o’clock. After luncheon Gerald showed up and he and
Dan spent a half-hour together before the latter went over to the
gymnasium to dress. Gerald was an enthusiastic Yardley Hall boy now;
one would have thought that he was already enrolled.
“You’re coming home to dinner with me, Dan,” he said as they parted at
the gymnasium. But Dan shook his head.
“There’s a meeting of what Payson calls the Advisory Committee this
evening,” he said. “Can’t I come to-morrow night instead?”
“Yes, but I wish you’d come to-night. Anyhow, I’ll wait for you here
after the game. Good-bye.”
Nordham, like Yardley, had gone through the season thus far without
a defeat and the game had awakened a good deal of interest in the
neighborhood. So by three o’clock Yardley Field was filled with the
largest audience of the Fall. Nordham, who had journeyed down from
Western Massachusetts, had played Broadwood the day before, and, using
her substitutes whenever possible, had managed to escape with the
score 12 to 9 against her. Yardley expected a hard game, but not such
a difficult one as that with Brewer. Nordham had only won twice during
the last six years, and then by small scores; usually Yardley managed
to win decisively. But to-day Payson was in doubt, for there was no
denying that his team was backward. The line-up when the game began was
as follows: Vinton, left end; Little, left tackle; Hadlock, left guard;
Hill, center; Colton, right guard; Mitchell, right tackle; Dickenson,
right end; Loring, quarter-back; Stevens, left half; Dyer, right half;
Gerard, full-back.
Nordham Academy’s team was, theoretically at least, an ideal one.
From tackle to tackle her men were both heavy and fast; her ends
were rangy, hard-running and fleet of foot; her quarter, a veteran
of three seasons, was one of the best on the school gridirons, a
plucky, determined player and a good general; her backs were fairly
light, fast and “tricky.” She had been drilled in new football until,
to-day, she was far in advance of her opponent in that line. Having
won the toss she placed herself with the breeze, which since morning
had strengthened a good deal, at her back. Kapenhysen kicked to her
ten yard-line and Dickenson nailed the runner for a scant gain. Then
Nordham sprang the first of many bewildering surprises.
Leaving her center absolutely alone in the middle of the field, the
rest of her line-men spread out until the ends were close to the
side-lines and an average distance of four yards separated them.
The Nordham quarter went back ten yards and a little to the right
of center and the two half-backs stood ahead and at either side as
though a kick was to be made and they were to protect the kicker. The
full-back was a little in advance of the quarter and ten yards or so to
the right.
It was open formation with a vengeance, and Yardley was at a loss
how to meet it. No one had ever seen such a play and for a moment
consternation reigned in the ranks of the Blue. Finally, deciding that
a punt was coming, Yardley spread out in a half-hearted way, Dickenson
following his opposing end and Dan starting to do the same until the
position of the full-back struck him as peculiar. By that time Nordham
was giving her signals. Dan abandoned his end and took up a position in
front of the Nordham full-back.
The ball flew back to quarter at an angle, the Yardley forwards ran
through the open line and the Nordham full-back sprang straight ahead.
Dan saw him coming and tried to upset him, but the Nordham chap was too
much for him and the next moment the ball was arching across the line
into his arms on the prettiest of forward passes. Had Yardley met the
formation by either keeping her line closed or by opening it up wide it
is probable that the Nordham full-back would have got away for a good
gain. But as it was he was nabbed before he had made three strides with
the ball in his arm. But Nordham had gained ten yards and Yardley was
still bewildered.
After that, as though to lull suspicion, Nordham settled down to plays
on tackle and wide runs at the ends. There she made a mistake, for had
she attempted another trick at that time--and she still had plenty up
her sleeve--she might have made a good gain, for Yardley was for the
moment quite demoralized. Payson, for one, drew a deep breath of relief
when he saw the enemy return to ordinary formations.
For awhile Nordham stuck to plain football without frills, making gains
now and then through the left of the line from guard to end and now
and then getting a back away around one corner or the other. It is
only fair to say that Dan’s corner was less easy than Dickenson’s, for
the latter was plainly off his game and allowed himself to be put out
of the way frequently. But the gains were all short, and on Yardley’s
twenty-eight yards the ball was lost on downs. Kapenhysen kicked and
the struggle began all over again. Nordham now began a series of shifts
which worked well until Yardley, who had been coached to meet them but
lacked experience, solved them.
There were fumbles on both sides and the ball hovered for some time
around the center of the field. Finally Nordham worked a quarter-back
kick and recovered the ball on the Blue’s twenty yards and the game
took a new turn. Yardley was on defense almost under her goal-posts.
A forward pass netted Nordham six yards, a penalty set her back five,
several tries through the line left her little better off and finally
she tried a drop-kick for goal that only missed by the narrowest of
margins. On the stands the Yardley supporters breathed with relief and
their cheers took on a more hopeful tone. Later, Yardley reached her
opponent’s ten yards only to be held for downs. The half ended with
the ball in midfield, with no score and with the honors belonging to
Nordham.
In the second half Payson put in his first string of backs. It was
Nordham’s kick-off. Yardley had the wind in her favor now and instead
of running the ball back from the ten-yard-line, Loring passed it to
Kapenhysen who punted. The ruse worked well, for Nordham’s backs were
well up toward the center of the field and had to turn and run back to
get the ball. By the time they had reached it Yardley’s ends were down
on them and there was no advance. Again came the wide-open formation.
It had been talked over in the gymnasium during intermission and
Yardley had been instructed how to meet it. Her ends strung away after
the opposing ends, but the rest of her forwards and two backs lined up
in rather close formation, the backs reinforcing the line in front of
the Nordham full-back, who, with the right end, was the only player
in position to get through and legally capture a forward pass. But
this time, instead of going to the quarter at an angle, the ball went
straight back at short pass to left half who got off a quick, low kick
from close behind center. It was nip and tuck, but he got the ball away
before Colton and Mitchell smashed into him. It was a nervy play and
even the Yardley sympathizers were forced to voice their approval. Dan
put out his opponent, but the Nordham left tackle went straight down
the field without molestation, as did the Nordham right end. Loring,
however, was fleet of foot and although the ball had struck the ground
before he had reached it he managed to recover it deftly on the rebound
and make the turn toward his opponent’s goal before he was downed.
Nordham had gained thirty yards and better.
On second down, with six yards to go, Yardley tried a bunch forward
pass, but it failed to work and a fifteen yard penalty set her back to
her fifteen yards. Kapenhysen kicked and the pigskin was Nordham’s
again near her fifty-yard-line. She tried a quarter-back kick and
gained twelve yards. Another plunge at right tackle for a scant three
feet was followed by a fake punt in which the left half took the ball
between his own left guard and center for a first down. Trick after
trick was tried and Yardley was fairly bewildered. Then a fumble by
quarter gave Yardley the ball and Kapenhysen kicked on first down, the
ball settling into the Nordham left half’s arms on his ten yards. He
reeled off ten more before he was stopped. Nordham’s line opened wide
across the field again and Yardley tried to guard against a kick by
dropping her backs further from the line. This time the ball went to
quarter and he sprang away outside of Yardley’s right tackle and had
put four white lines underfoot before he was stopped. A few minutes
later the same formation was used again, but by this time Yardley had
learned her lesson. She made her line compact at the center and trusted
to getting through and upsetting the play before it was in motion. The
result was that Nordham was set back for a five-yard loss. That was the
last of the wide-open play that day.
[Illustration: FAKE KICK THROUGH LINE]
But she never allowed Yardley to become bored. She had more tricks than
a juggler and Loring’s brain fairly seethed. Getting the ball on her
forty yards, Yardley punted to Nordham’s twenty-five and Dan dropped
the runner at the second stride. Here, thought the Yardley supporters,
was where the Blue won the game! Mindful of what had happened in the
Brewer game, Loring called for a forward pass to Dan, but Nordham was
too cute and Dan found himself besieged by the Nordham right half and
full, and the latter secured the ball. Nordham quickly punted out of
danger. Yardley settled down now, with ten minutes to play, to steady
attacks at the opponent’s line. This programme, interspersed with an
occasional try at the ends, worked well for short gains and yard by
yard the pigskin crept back toward Nordham’s goal.
But it was slow going and Nordham killed all the time she could. She
was lavish with new players, sending in substitutes here and there
all along the line and, before the game was at end, providing herself
with a brand-new backfield. With two minutes to play and the ball on
Nordham’s fifteen-yard-line Loring called again for a forward pass, but
again Nordham solved the play and spoiled it and again kicked out of
danger. Disheartened, the blue-clad warriors took up the journey again.
Loring was taken out and King sent in. Connor tried the end without
result and Capes had little luck at the other corner. Kapenhysen
kicked. Nordham returned it. Connor got away through tackle for twelve
yards, Capes seized three more through the same hole, Kapenhysen
plugged center for four and then came another punt. This time Nordham
kept the ball and began an attack on the Blue’s line, but before she
had made her third down the whistle blew and the game was over with no
score.
Yardley had one consolation, however, and she made the most of it; she
was still undefeated.