BETWEEN THE HALVES
_Clearfield_ _Springdale_
Merrick, l. e. Cummings, r. e.
Partridge, l. t. Torrey, r. t.
Cable, l. g. Furniss, r. g.
Haley, c. Heath, c.
A. Beaton, r. g. Connell, l. g.
Wayland, r. t. Grey, l. t.
Felker, r. e. Borden, l. e.
Cottrell, q. b. Kelly, q. b.
White, l. h. b. Sawtell, r. h. b.
Tupper, r. h. b. Cook, l. h. b.
N. Beaton, f. b. Norton, f. b.
That was the way the teams lined up at the start, with no surprises
on either side, unless, possibly, the absence of Brent at fullback
could be considered such. But it had been Clearfield’s policy all the
Fall to put Brent in only when a field-goal was called for, and the
fact that he did not start the game aroused no suspicion. Morris,
blanket-wrapped, sat beside Dick on the Clearfield bench and watched
moodily as Sawtell caught the kick-off some dozen yards in front of his
goal and sprang forward with the ball. Merrick tried for him and missed
and it was Wayland who finally locked his arms about the runner and
downed him on the twenty-yard line.
Clearfield applauded the tackle and the teams faced each other.
Springdale used a formation in which the ends dropped back a little and
the backs made an oblique tandem behind right or left guard. A shift
which placed a guard or both guard and tackle on the opposite side of
the line was generally used, and sometimes the backs formed behind
the long side and sometimes behind the short side, a feature which
caused not a little perplexity to Clearfield during the first of the
game. A split attack, the first man in the tandem going to the right,
the second man straight ahead, followed by the quarter carrying the
ball, and the third man to the left, was a favorite play and fooled
the opponent many times. Springdale stuck to attacks between tackles
all during the first period, punting when unable to gain by rushing.
Her line was heavy and fast, played low and hard and usually managed
to open holes. The backs started from close behind and struck the line
almost as soon as the ball was put in play. Springdale’s policy was to
“get the jump” on her adversary, and it must be acknowledged that she
succeeded. The oblique tandem leaped into place just before the ball
was snapped and often the play came through while Clearfield was still
moving to meet it.
From the twenty-yards to the forty Springdale worked her way without
pause, the backs making short but consistent gains between Partridge
and Wayland and finding the right side of the Clearfield line the
easier proposition. Arthur Beaton was put out of the play time and
again, and Dick sent Kent in for him at the end of some five or six
minutes. Springdale’s supporters were cheering incessantly as the Blue
plowed her way toward the middle of the field. Kent bore a message to
Cottrell, and Clearfield, who had been playing six men in the line, now
dropped her other end back. This allowed both halfbacks to close in
toward the middle and the next two tries at the center failed.
Still disdaining end runs, Springdale sent Norton back to kicking
position and “knifed” her left half between guard and tackle on
the left. But the fake had not deceived the adversary and Cook was
stopped for a slight gain by Tupper. Springdale then punted from the
forty-eight yards and the ball went out at Clearfield’s twenty-three.
It was the Purple’s chance to applaud and a hearty cheer went up as the
ball was brought in and the teams lined up again. Formation B evidently
inspired the opponent with misgiving, for she dropped her backs into a
deep basket formation, leaving five men in the line and spreading them
well open. Cottrell tried out the other team’s defense with a straight
plunge at center which went through nicely and followed it by a run
off tackle on the left that added three yards. With two to go, Lanny
piled through right guard for first down. Springdale brought her backs
further in, being convinced that Clearfield’s strange arrangement of
her backfield did not necessarily foretell a forward pass, and two
tries at the left netted the Purple but four yards. Faking a plunge
at the center, Cottrell sent Tupper tearing off to the right, but the
interference failed and he was stopped near the side line for no gain.
Lanny punted to Springdale’s forty and Felker downed the catcher in his
tracks.
Springdale, her quarter running off his plays like lightning, came
steadily back. Kent was proving hardly stronger than Arthur Beaton, and
many plays went through his position to be stopped by the secondary
defense. Lanny played a magnificent defensive game, sensing the point
of attack and jumping to meet it. More than once he was literally
awaiting the runner when the latter shot through. Springdale was
showing a powerful offense and her linemen were playing like veterans,
which, with three exceptions they were not. Back past the center of the
field the Blue progressed, using old-fashioned football all the time
but using it so well that the brunt of the defense was falling to the
lot of the Clearfield backs. Springdale got her plays off so quickly
and from so close to the line that it was difficult for Clearfield to
foretell the point of attack. A penalty for holding set her back but
failed to stop her. On Clearfield’s forty-two, with four to go on third
down, Kelly, the Blue’s quarter, again tried a fake-kick, and this time
Clearfield failed to size-up the play. Kelly himself plunged through
Cable and eluded Lanny for twelve yards and the Blue flags waved
riotously in the stand.
The pigskin was now almost on Clearfield’s thirty. The Blue’s fullback
hit the line for three yards, and tried again for no gain. A split
attack went past Haley for three more and, on the twenty-five-yard
line, Kelly again sent Norton back. This time the play was a double
pass, and Sawtell got through between Kent and Wayland, the defense
having been badly fooled. The tape was used and first down was
declared. Before the ball could be put in play again the quarter ended.
The teams traversed the field and lined up again on the twenty yards.
Clearfield now played her ends in and spread her backs. Kelly failed
to gain at the right and Sawtell made three through the opposite side.
Clearfield’s supporters were imploring the Purple to hold. Springdale
sent Norton back and rushed two backs and an end to the left as the
ball was snapped. Norton swung his leg, side-stepped and hurled across
to the group. But the throw was short and Felker knocked it down. Again
Norton went back, but the ball was passed to Cook and that youth went
dodging and spinning through the center. But he was stopped on the
fifteen yards and the ball went to the defenders.
Two plunges gained four yards and Lanny kicked from almost under the
goal. The ball went low and rolled erratically, finally being dropped
on by Kelly close to the tee in midfield. Springdale accepted the
challenge and punted on second down after a two-yard gain. Cottrell
caught on his twenty-four yards and dodged back seven before he was
thrown. From kick formation Lanny took the ball around Springdale’s
right end for five yards. A forward pass was then attempted, Cottrell
to Merrick, but Springdale had guessed the play and Merrick failed
to make the catch. Lanny punted to the Blue’s twenty-seven and Cook
brought it back five. Springdale now started at the ends and her first
attempt sent Sawtell around Merrick for twelve. A fumble was recovered
with a loss of four yards. Norton tried Cable but was thrown back and
Cook failed to get through Wayland. Norton punted to the Purple’s
twenty-six and Lanny fumbled but recovered on the twenty-yard line.
Dick sent Hansard in for Tupper who was limping badly. Hansard bore
instructions to Cottrell to get his plays off faster and an improvement
in the speed of the team at once resulted. The teams were well over
on the left of the gridiron and Cottrell pulled off the Number 6 play
with success. This play brought Merrick running obliquely back from
position before the ball went into play, Hansard going into the line
between guard and tackle on the other side to maintain the required
number there. Beaton played back in kicking position. The ball went
to Cottrell, however, and he made a two-handed pass to Merrick as the
latter swung by between him and Beaton and, with Lanny interfering,
raced in a wide arc around his own right wing. Springdale was caught
napping and Gordon covered eighteen yards before he was stopped.
Enthusiasm took possession of the Clearfield supporters and purple
megaphones howled and shrieked.
Springdale was for the moment off her balance, it seemed, for a
skin-tackle play on the left, with Lanny hugging the pigskin, went
for seven yards. Cottrell speeded up the team and in two plays the
ball passed the middle of the field. With three to go on third down,
Hansard, keeping his feet wonderfully, fought straight through for
six. Springdale tightened then and Lanny was thrown for no gain when
he tried the left of the opponent’s line. Beaton fell back to kicking
position and hurled the ball across the line to Felker. The latter got
it but fumbled when tackled and the ball popped into the arms of a
Springdale back, who was downed on his thirty-four.
The rest of the period was Springdale’s, for she came back hard and
for a time almost drove Clearfield off her feet. Wayland was hurt and
gave way to Scott and Springdale replaced her right guard and her left
tackle. But there was not time to score by the methods Springdale used.
Only twice were runs outside of tackle resorted to, the Blue apparently
striving to wear down the Purple’s defense by furious assaults. Once
Cook nearly got away, but was pulled down from behind by Lanny after he
had made almost fifteen yards through the right of the Clearfield line.
On the Purple’s twenty-eight Springdale made a forward pass to the side
of the field, and again, for a breath-taking moment, it seemed that
the Blue was about to score. But Cottrell forced the runner over the
line at the twenty yards and before Springdale could gain farther the
whistle blew, bringing the half to an end.
The Clearfield players trotted to the dressing-room and the visitors
retired to a tent in a corner of the field. Cheers and songs started
again, the band played its loudest and some twelve hundred spectators
excitedly discussed what had happened and predicted what was going
to happen. There was no gainsaying the fact that the Blue had shown
the more consistent offense or that in the matter of punting she had
fully equaled the home team. That Clearfield plainly possessed a more
versatile attack was allowed, but whether she had plays capable of
gaining inside the twenty-yard line was a question, except that, as
everyone knew, Brent could be depended on to score from the field
provided the line held. Doubtless Clearfield would do her utmost in
the next half to reach a position where Brent’s science could be used.
As to defense, it seemed a toss-up between the Purple and the Blue.
Both teams had been well trained in that department. If there was any
difference it lay in the fact that Springdale’s forwards were a bit
quicker at charging, thus leaving less work to the backs. In the two
periods played Springdale had made eight first downs to Clearfield’s
three, not an encouraging showing for the home team.
Perhaps Dick was considering that as he followed the team and
substitutes into the dressing-room. At least, he looked sober enough
in all truth. Springdale was not showing the signs of overtraining
that Dick had more or less counted on, although there had been moments
in the last few minutes of the second period when he had thought he
could detect a falling off in the power of the attack. The removal of
two linemen also suggested that the Blue was approaching its limit of
endurance. For his own team Dick had no fears. They had stood the hard
smashing of the Springdale backs excellently. Not a player had weakened
under the strain and none of those taken out had sustained injuries
sufficient to prevent his reinstatement. Dick expected the Purple to
play better in the next two periods, expected it, in fact, to finish
stronger than it had begun, for there was no denying that it had played
a slower and more listless game than it had showed against Weston the
week before.
While the fellows were being rubbed and having their bruises attended
to, Dick conferred with Lanny and Chester Cottrell. Lanny was pretty
well keyed-up, Chester unusually grim and silent.
“We’ve got to have Tupper back, Dick,” declared the captain. “Hansard
doesn’t get into it.”
“All right, Lanny. And look here, you’ve got to hump that line up on
defense. Do you get me? They’re getting the jump on us every time.
What’s the trouble?”
“I don’t know,” replied Lanny rather wildly. “They’ve been letting
every blessed play through on us. That’s a mean attack of theirs,
Dick; you can’t size it up.”
“I know, but you’ve got to watch the ball, Lanny. You can’t tell where
the play’s coming by guessing. Another thing, fellows. It won’t do
to spread your backs too much near goal. Better play your ends well
out and force the runner in, and keep your backs behind center. They
haven’t any running game that we need fear, I think. Of course they’ll
try to spring something this half, and we’ll have to be on the watch
for it, but, whatever you do, Lanny, and you, Chester, don’t let them
score on a line play! They can’t if you charge quick and watch the
ball. And, Chester, you’re not getting your plays off fast enough. I
want to see things go twice as fast this half. It’s their kick-off this
time. Let’s see if we can’t take that ball straight down the field,
fellows. I’ll tell you frankly that you haven’t been putting up half
the game you did against Weston or Lesterville. You’ve got to wake up
and fight, that’s what you’ve got to do. I’m well enough satisfied with
what’s happened so far. We’ve let them work themselves pretty tired, I
guess, and we’ve held them off. But for the rest of the game we’ve got
to jump and smear them. We’ve got to force the fighting, fellows. Line
up quickly, get your signals off quickly and then――” Dick smote a fist
into the other hand――“smash into ’em!”
The others nodded, Lanny eagerly, Chester thoughtfully.
“And use your delayed plays more, Chester. Try that Number 8, and if it
goes keep on using it. And once near their goal hammer the left side of
their line. That new tackle of theirs doesn’t look much to me. Stick
Beaton through there a few times. Find the weak spot and hammer it
flat! But, above all, play fast! You’ve got to do it!”
Dick turned on his heel and sought Tupper. “How’s that knee, George?”
he asked.
“All right, Dick!” To prove it, Tupper arose eagerly from the bench and
swung his leg. Dick smiled.
“All right. Go in again. But take care of it. And, George, we’ve got
to play faster than we’ve been playing. See if you can’t get more jump
into it. Merrick and Felker, here, please!”
For several minutes Dick spoke earnestly and in low tones to the two
ends. Then Manager Cotner, who had been keeping track of the time,
announced that only four minutes remained, and Dick swung himself over
to the window and faced the room. The noise died away.
“I’m not going to tell you fellows that you’ve played good football,
because you haven’t,” began Dick earnestly. “You’ve let Springdale get
the jump on you all through the half. You haven’t watched the ball
as you should and you’ve been fooled time after time for that reason
alone. You’re every bit as good as Springdale, but you don’t let them
know it. You linemen have let play after play go through you just
because you’ve been watching your opponents instead of the ball. You’ll
never win that way, fellows. You’re putting too much work on the backs.
They can’t do it all. You’ve got to keep your eyes on the ball and
charge quick and hard. Some of you have been playing much too high. Get
down low, and when you charge lift them up. Remember that you’re facing
men several pounds heavier than you are. The only way to even that up
is to play faster than they do. Don’t meet them on your side of the
line; meet them on theirs!”
“The same thing is true of you backs. You’ve started slow almost every
time. And you’ve let up when you hit the line. Don’t do it! Get your
speed before you strike the line and then keep on going! I ought not
to have to tell you these things at this late day. You know them well
enough, but you don’t do them. Or you _haven’t_ done them. You’ve got
to for the rest of the game, though, if you want to win. Some one’s
going to score this half. It might as well be us. But if it is to be us
we’ve got to play better football. We’ve got to watch the ball, play
like lightning and fight like bear-cats! Springdale is going to tire
before long, but she’s got a lot of fight in her yet, and you’ve got to
work hard to keep her from winning. I want you fellows to go back there
now and start in and everlastingly play football! Wake up and show
something! You’ve got it, fellows, so show it! When you get the ball
at the kick-off, hang on to it and take it right down the field and
put it over! You can do it if you’ll only think so. That’s all. Play
hard, Clearfield, and fast――_fast_――FAST! Now then: Merrick, Partridge,
Cable, Haley, A. Beaton, Scott, Felker, Cottrell, White, Tupper and N.
Beaton. All right!”
“On the run, fellows!” cried Lanny.
The door slammed open and out they trailed, the team to throw off their
blankets and race into the field and the substitutes to huddle again
along the bench and watch and wait. Cheers met them and the band
started “See, the Conquering Hero Comes,” much out of tune, perhaps,
but enthusiastically enough to make up for lack of harmony. Clearfield
spread itself about the east end of the field and Springdale lined up
behind its forty yards while Heath, the center, built up the tee and
cocked the ball to his liking. The sun had gone behind the clouds again
and a little cold breeze was quartering the field from the northwest,
causing spectators to pull rugs around their knees and button coats at
the necks and the players to trot about as they waited for the whistle.
“Ready, Captain Torrey?”
“Ready, sir!”
“Ready, Captain White?”
“All ready, sir!”
The whistle blew, Heath strode forward and swung a long leg and the
pigskin arched into air again.