A Quarter-Back's Pluck: A Story of College FootballChadwick, Lester
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A Quarter-Back's Pluck: A Story of College Football
Chadwick, Lester
College sports -- Juvenile fiction; Football players -- Juvenile fiction
His players responded to his call. Through tackle, guard and center,
then around the end, the plays being repeated, the ball was carried.
The men were tiring, but Phil would not chance a kick. They had no sure
thing of a field goal now, as a little wind had sprung up. Up and up the
field the spheroid, yellow no longer, but dirty and grass-stained,
was carried. On the Randallites took it, until they were on the
twenty-five-yard line. There was a form of madness among the college
supporters now. Once more came the fierce cries for a touch-down, and
once more Phil called to his teammates to respond. The signal for some
sequence plays was given. It was well these had been practiced, for
Phil's voice could scarcely be heard. One after another four plays were
reeled off. They were all effective, and though Boxer Hall tried to stem
the rush, it was impossible. Over the line went the Randall lads, to the
inspiring chorus of: "Tear 'Em Apart and Toss 'Em Aside!"
"Touch-down! Touch-down! Touch-down!" came the frantic cries, the
players mingling their voices with those of the spectators on the
grandstand. The goal was missed, but the score was now eleven to five in
favor Randall.
Again came the line-up after the kick off. By a fumble Boxer lost the
ball, and Tom Parsons fell on it. Then began another fierce attack on
the Boxer eleven. But the terrific line-smashing was telling on both
teams, though more so on Randall. There was less power in her attack.
Boxer held for downs, and the kick was a weak one, the ball going only
a short distance. Then Boxer Hall began to rush it back, and by a trick
play got it so far down the gridiron that another field goal was kicked.
It began to look dubious for Randall, but there was no give-up in her
playing. Securing the ball, Phil kept his players on the rush. Down the
field they went, a forward pass netting a good gain and wonderfully
saving the wind of the now almost exhausted team. An on-side kick was
also used, and then, seeing a weak place in the adversary's line, Phil
in turn sent Kindlings, Jerry Jackson and Holly Cross at it. In vain did
Boxer Hall try to stop up the gap, but their left-tackle and guard were
about all in. In two minutes more Bricktop Molloy was shoved over the
line for a third touch-down, and, as goal was kicked, the score was
seventeen to ten.
"One more touch-down!" cried Holly Cross, but there was no time for it.
Two minutes more of play and the whistle blew. Randall had won one of
the fiercest games she had ever played.
"A cheer for Boxer Hall!" cried Holly Cross, and the despondent players,
grieving over their defeat, sent back an answer. Then came cheer upon
cheer from the grandstand, where waved the yellow and maroon of Randall,
and Bean Perkins led in the song: "We Have Come and We Have Conquered!"
"Great, old man!" cried Tom to Phil, who was limping slightly. "Are you
hurt?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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