Battle Ground Academy - Cannon Ball Yearbook (Franklin, TN)

Page 26 text:

Herrington, H. ager Wright. Back Row: Manager Stephens, Coach Bobby Moran, Harris, Greene, Mitchell, Blackburn, Campbell, Gentry, A- Gentry, Hamilton, Rader, Martin, J. Moran, Gerth, Faircloth, Williams. Second Row: Muncy, Ross, Benz, Chambers, Anderson, Coach Cherry, Manager J. Gentry. Thompson, Dunn, Hoover, Little, Estes, Lee, Dodson, Man- Murfreesboro was a tough loss (14 to 13). We kept the ball in their territory early in the game, but could only score once. In the second half Buzz Hamilton single-handedly took a long pass from Steve Mitchell to score. It was not enough, though. The next week the B-team merged with us, and we formed offensive and defensive platoons. That Friday night at Lebanon the defense had its finest game of the season. Allen, Buzz, John, and Jimmy again led the charge with Phil Martin, David Gerth, and Buddy Parker close behind. Lebanon could manage only one drive that night, a long one in the third quarter. It was all they needed, though, and we fell 6 to 0.

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Springfield was big and tough. The rains that started that afternoon were ominous. They lasted throughout the game, making the ball slick and hard to handle. The defense did a creditable job, but we couldn’t get our offense moving. The Yel- low Jackets “upset” us 14 to 0. We were downcast, but Buzz soothingly reminded us, “We've got a lot of games to play. 9 and 1 won't be such a bad sea- son!” We all emphatically agreed. The next three weeks passed slowly. We fell to Lawrenceburg (19 to 7), Deshler (7 to 0), and powerful Clarksville (55 to 7). We couldn't go to a bowl now, but there was still time left to win games. Shelbyville was a team we could beat. The offense finally started to move. David Gerth broke through the line several times for fine gains. The defense was strong. With any kind of luck we could have won, but luck was not with us and we salvaged a 13 to 13 tie. While not being a victory, it was certainly not a defeat. Words of praise after the game encouraged us to try for victories in the coming weeks.

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True, the season had been somewhat disap- pointing up to this point; however, we now were awarded an opportunity to alleviate our sins. Stratford was an N.I.L team, and if we could beat them and they could beat M.B.A. in the Clinic Bowl. ..! Rains came that afternoon along with a cold wave. A strong wind whipped across J. B. Akin Field, permeating each body with the damp cold. The crowd was somewhat small—some twen- ty-odd students—but we didn’t care. We had come to play football. Harry Blackburn scored all our points on a field goal, a touchdown, and an extra point. Between these, Stratford managed to toss a double-reverse touchdown pass to a quarterback, sustain two long drives, kick a field goal, and thus outscore us 21 to 10. We lost to Jackson the next week 40 to 0, ending our season.