Benton Township High School - Scarab Yearbook (Benton, IL)

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☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ■ ☆ “First Comes Courage” BENTON 14—HARRISBURG 7 A slightly headstrong Ranger team took the field against a hard-fighting Harrisburg team to win their third conference victory 14-7. I he Ranger attack was sparked by Red” Lowery who did all of the scoring for Benton by running over two touchdowns and making the two conversions. One of the Benton touchdowns was made on a freak blocked-kick play. Lowery used a little fancy headwork by Bill Cosgrove and a low Harrisburg punt to score the winning touchdown. This game was the last game for Chester Grammar who left for the Navy soon afterwards. Chester played a splendid game all year and was chosen on the all-conference first team.

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BENTON 46—MARION 14 BENTON 52—JOHNSTON CITY 12 The Rangers won their first conference victory of the season over a strong Marion team. This game showed a much improved Ranger squad. The back-field and line were co-ordinated perfectly. The scoring was divided up between Lowery, Johnston, Conner, Burkett, and Phillips. Phillips made his score on a blocked kick recovery. The strong aerial attack of the Marion team was held powerless until the last few minutes of the game, when the second team was sent in by Coach Rollins. The great Ranger line, led by Jim Lovin and Cotton” Cosgrove, began to show its power. BENTON 0—CHRISTOPHER 0 The Ranger’s hard luck streak continued from the Central game, and the Rangers were still unable to cross the last stripe. Most of the play was within the Christopher half, but the Rangers couldn’t get across the five yard line. The Rangers marched to a rousing victory over a weak, but game Johnston City team. The Rangers offensive was starred by long runs by Johnston, Lowery, and Sanders. Ewing Johnston brought his total of touchdowns to nine and Lowery raised his to seven. In the last quarter, the second team was sent in, and Johnston City made its two touchdowns. BENTON 45—DuQUOIN 0 Led by Captain Jim Lovin, the Rangers beat DuQuoin 45-0. Lovin set up a touchdown by blocking a kick, and Red” Lowery, the hard-driving fullback, made four touchdowns and three extra points. Johnston, Burkett, and D. Conner also scored for the Rangers. These hoys played on first eleven. Raymond Carlton Chester Grammar Doyne Garrett Hack Rote—Smith. Bennett. Sewell, Giles, Seymour, Jackson. Front Row—Fletcher, Sanders, Shutt, Warren, Wilson.

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“A Tale of Two Cities” ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ BENTON 41—WEST FRANKFORT 0 At the closing gun of the annual Thanksgiving classic, the third rated team in the State and one of the best teams in the history of B. T. H. S. trotted off of the field with the Conference Championship and the largest score ever scored in a Thanksgiving game. This game was the first time this year that the Benton squad had used any passing and the Frankfort boys were totally unprepared for it. While the Benton boys, Burkett, Lowery, and Johnston were rolling up yards, the much praised Red Birds attack coul.ln t get started, and they gained only 71 yards through the line. Red” Lowery, the Ranger war horse, gained 110 yards for the individual crown. ''Red’s” wonderful running and playing won him a position on the All-State and All-Conference teams. The main reason for the zero after West Frankfort was the rip roaring game played by Jim Lovin and Bill Cosgrove in the line, or rather in the Red Bird backfield. Nearly all the Red Bird plays were stopped back of the line of scrimmage and only about ten plays gained any yardage. The Benton attack was led by Red” Lowery who scored two touchdowns and made five out of six of the conversions. Dale Conner threw three touchdown passes, two to his twin, Gale, and one to Jack Ponsctti. Kenneth Burkett ran over the other touchdown. So with this victor, the 33-0 defeat of 1941 can be considered truly avenged. —Jack Fi.oro Pape fourteen