Chestnut Hill Academy - Caerulean Yearbook (Chestnut Hill, PA)

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CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY 103 ltruirm nf ilinnihall, 19311 In summing up the season we realize that the football team consisted of a small group of luckless, fighting, inexper- ienced men, and young men at that. Against such odds as they faced, the fiercest of fighters would be jolly well up a tree and, as it turned out, that is precisely where we were. Even at the beginning of the season, the brightest optimist did not look for more than a mediocre team, barring acci- dents. Then, too, the opposition was unusually strong, it being correctly rumored that Haverford, Episcopal, Penn Charter, and Friends Central all had exceptionally fine out- fits. Thus was the situation as glimpsed a few days after a squad of such men as mentioned above turned out on September 22 to answer the first call. Of some twenty- two men who reported, five were letter men: Captain Harroun, Ferguson, Connors, Bright, and Blanchard. Around these Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. Merwin, and Mr. Williams set about to make a team which would be ready to take on George School in a weekis time. To reciprocate for their last yearis visit, we began our season on the 27th of the month at George School. Not know- ing what to expect with the opening whistle, because of our limited number of plays, resulting from but little practice, we watched the two teams battle to a 0-0 draw in a loose game. With this initial game began the disaster which was to follow us through the season. Such was our luck that we had two of our five letter-men injured seriously enough to be out for the best part of the year. The game also showed what an enormous amount of work would have to be done in pre- paring for Friends Central. Throughout the following week's practice, Dame Luck assailed our ranks to lay low two more outstanding men. Thus we faced Friends Central on their home grounds the next Friday. Now this school had a much-talked-of eleven, and they certainly deserved whatever favorable gossip they got, for our team was completely outplayed by their fine aggre- gation, 28-0. Montgomery, next on the schedule, presented a weak team, as a whole, but had two or three players of real ability. It was a game we should have won, but somewhere teamwork was lacking. The plays werenit functioning, and inexperience I our biggest troublej was plainly evidenced in the line play. The game itself ended in a 7-7 tie. We scored first, but Mont- gomery came back to even the count, leaving the score as above, 7-7. Germantown Friends School met us at a time when Dame 4,1 will nevermore call her lady j Luck once again had left us minus the services of four reliable players. As it was, we were fortunate to hold them to a scoreless tie. Then it was that the line began to show development, and against Germantown Academy, we were probably at our best. It was the only game in which our offense and defense per- formed with certainty. We had several scoring chances, but did not take advantage of them. Furthermore, two seemingly sure touchdowns were lost by penalties, and thus, with a vic- tory earned and due, our team went down to defeat, 7-0. The next two games were disastrous. Both Penn Char- ter and Haverford rode over us rough-shod. We could not cope with their dash and weight and reserve strength. Penn Charter beat us 33-0 and Haverford 32-0. Some may say of these games that we were trampled upon, others that we were hopelessly routed, but none may rightfully infer that we were crushed or smothered morally or even physically. In both of these contests C. H. A. finished stronger than she began- always fighting. Also, of these tiffs, I can say that only two touchdowns were gained once our 10-yard line was reached. Practically all points were scored on passes and long runs. With the Episcopal game, the season came to a finish.

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104 THE C AERULEAN By being generous to ourselves, we conceded a possibility that we might hold them to 20-0. How gloriously mistaken we were! The day for the battle dawned with a heavy rain falling. The clouds were heavy with rain which had been coming down all night. The field of battle was one over- grown mud puddle, growing larger with the day. Straight football was all that could avail in this weather, so straight football it was. The half ended 2-0 with C. H. A. taking care of the zero because of an unlucky safety in the first quarter. Into the second half the teams dove, and the fight went on. Up and down the field the battle waged, with slipping and splashing and dousing and drowning galore. No place for flashy playing here, no tricks, no nothing, but just plain, hard football, and we were giving and taking and making them like it. Alas! with thirty seconds to play, we punted what turned out to be a perfectly good punt after a freak be- ginning. The referee took too much for granted, didnlt watch the ball, and gave it to Episcopal on our one-yard line. After being battered back from our goal all afternoon, they were not to be stopped now, and over they went to make the score 9-0. The final whistle then sounded mockingly with the cheers that arose. It was tough to lose that game as well as those to Penn Charter and Haverford, but they showed one thing: that where experience didnit count, and things called for bulldog football, C. H. was right there. That is why so few touch- downs were scored from our 10-yard line or on long steady marches it is also why we always finished stronger than we began. As in the beginning, the team was but a small bunch of luckless, fighting, inexperienced men, but they played with abandon that warmed the hearts of those who love a fighting team.