Between him and the fifty-yard line friend and foe were mingled, and to
win through seemed a preposterous undertaking. And yet first one and
then another of the enemy was passed, team-mates formed hasty
interference for the runner and, suddenly, to the consternation of the
Brimfield stand, the quarter, with the ball snuggled in the crook of his
left elbow, was out of the melee, with a clear field before him and two
Benton players guarding his rear. Crewe made a desperate effort to get
him near the thirty-yard line, but the interference was too much for
him, and after that, although Brimfield trailed the runner to the goal
line and over, there was no doubt as to the result. And when the Benton
quarter deposited the ball squarely between the posts and laid himself
down beside it friend and foe alike arose from their seats and cheered
him long and loudly. Never had a more spectacular run been made there,
for not only had the quarter practically traversed the length of the
field, but had eluded the entire opposing eleven.
Benton deserved to secure the odd point by kicking goal, but
goal-kicking was the quarter-back's business and he was far too tuckered
to try, and so the player who did make the attempt failed miserably, and
Benton had to be satisfied with those six points. Probably she was, for
she cheered madly and incessantly while the period lasted and then spent
the half-time singing triumphant paeans. And those military academy
chaps could sing, too! Brimfield, a bit chastened, listened and
applauded generously and only found her own voice when the
Maroon-and-Grey warriors trotted back again.
Carmine had given place to McPhee at quarter and Holt to Cheep at right
end. Otherwise Brimfield's line was the same as in the first half.
McPhee opened his bag of tricks soon after play began and double-passes
and delayed-passes and a certain fake plunge at guard with quarter
running wide outside the drawn-in end made good gains and took the ball
down the field with only one halt to Benton's twenty-three yards. There
the military academy team solved a fake-kick and St. Clair was laid low
behind his line. Rollins made up the lost distance and a little more
besides, and finally, with the ball on Benton's nineteen yards on fourth
down, Captain Edwards called for a try-at-goal and Rollins dropped back
to the thirty. Fortunately the Maroon-and-Grey forwards held back the
plunging enemy in good style, Rollins had all the time he wanted, the
pigskin dropped neatly over the bar, and the score-board figures
proclaimed 6 to 3.
Benton kicked off and once more Brimfield started up the field, St.
Clair, Tim Otis and Rollins banging the line from end to end and Edwards
varying the monotony by sweeping around behind and launching himself off
on wide runs. But the advance slackened near the middle of the field and
an attempted forward pass was captured by Benton. That play brought the
ten-minute period to an end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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