North Park University - Cupola Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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coach and co-captains in (0 o o the viking 1951 gridiron season was played un- der almost the worst conditions possible: a combi- nation of rain, snow, and ice. the blue and gold played seven games, only one of which was fought on good terrain, three were played on rain-drenched fields and three on snow-covered ground, one of these in a real blizzard at morton. all this added up to a season of close, low-scoring games in which hard, rugged line play prevailed. however, there was no lack of rugged line play in this year ' s eleven, and the boys more than held their own in a tough league, though compiling a mediocre 1-2-4 record, the team was nevertheless one of the best in the league, making every contest a real battle, there was little similarity of recent n.p. elevens evident as the vikings snapped a three- year losing streak at thornton ' s expense, 20-6 and proceeded to tie morton and then wright in a thrill- ing homecoming battle, the boys had more than their share of tough breaks, but proved beyond a doubt that coach swanson ' s team was one of, if not the best team in the vikings ' 16 seasons of foot- ball. kick off V,

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cheering them on U 0) (D walking across the back campus on a sunny, fall afternoon, one may see the long shadows and bare feet of hopeful girls trying out for the cheer- leading squad, the cheerleaders have boosted the spirit of our teams and spectators throughout the football and basketball seasons . . . snow, rain, and cold . . . we could always count on them . . . any person who has been a competitor in a sport under- stands what a cheering crowd can do for you when the pressure is on and the going tough . . . many thanks for their hard work and fine spirit. i b -o (0 i 0) u Q. 108

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season record north park wheaton 26 north park 6 wilson 13 north park 6 la salle 25 north park 26 thornton 6 north park morton north park 6 wnght 6 north park 7 joliet 28 a cold, wet viking season opened against wheaton ' s b squad oct. 6 in a drizzle, the first half was an omen of a thoroughly disappointing season as the black and orange ran up 26 points against a green team which showed little co-ordina- tion and a lot of susceptibility to passes and end sweeps, the second half painted a completely dif- ferent picture of the coming season, however, as the vikings began to work as a unit, out-playing their foes both offensively and defensively, but having to settle for a 26-0 licking, their worst of the season. the blue and gold opened their conference schedule as they journeyed to wilson, only to lead the southsiders in every column but the score, wil- son scored the second time they got their hands on the ball on a neatly executed pass play, in the second quarter co-captain John hallsten broke off- tackle for 46 yards to score, and the boys went into the locker room behind 7-6. wilson scored again in the fourth quarter to make the score 13-6, and the gun went off as junior young was downed inches from pay-dirt. the vikings played hard against a good la salle team in the home opener, but the backfield just couldn ' t stem the accurate passing, three t.d. passes broke the blue and gold ' s back as they bowed to la salle 26-6. the win-hungry vikings ended their famine with a well-deserved meal at thornton, devouring the wildcats by a 20-6 score on a mushy field, after trailing 6-0, junior young lit the fuse with an inter- ception deep in his own territory and toted it to the thornton 15, from which the vikings scored on a pass from paul Johnson to vaughn rudnick. the blue and gold scored twice more, once on a t.d. pass, bruce lake to rudnick, and a one-yard plunge by don hescott. the vikings trotted off the field with their get your man no