Dorchester High School for Boys - Red and Black Yearbook (Dorchester, MA)

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Sports In Review My 6464494 Football DORCHESTER I3 B. C. H. 6 The lightest Dorchester eleven in two decades, coached by Bill Pendergast, stepped out on the turf at Braves Field and showed what courage, hustle, and that never-say-die spirit could mean in a football game. Employing speed and de- ception, it toppled the highly-rated Boston College High Eaglets from their lofty perch, with a thump that echoed throughout the Boston Conference. THE GAME Dorchester kicked off, and the honors were rather even until the latter part of the period when the Maroon and Gold suddenly mouse- trapped almost the entire Dorchester line and fleet Charley Winchester scampered through the gaping hole for 79 yards and a touchdown. The try for the point failed. With Gene Ratto and Paul Farrell running superbly, the Dorches- ter eleven stormed up and down the field for the rest of the half, but never once could they cross into pay dirt. The score stood 6 - o starting the final period. Then on a series of crossbucks with Ratto carry- ing, the Red and Black moved to the B. C. H. one yard line, from where Ratto plunged over. The try for the point failed, and the score was tied 6 - 6. After the kickoff, a Franny Martin punt set B. C. H. back on their own ten. With but eighteen seconds left to play, Win- chester went back to pass. A horde of Dor- chester linemen swarmed over him, knocking the ball from his grasp. The alert Hurstack pounced on the ball in the end zone for six points. He then calmly converted and a few seconds later, the game ended. It was a great victory but also a costly one. Paulie Farrell injured his leg shortly after the third period got underway and had to be assisted from the field. This game merely confirmed Coach Pendergast's statement at the first practice session - that to have a winner this season, the team must be alert, have speed, and deception along with plenty of fight. THE HIGHLIGHTS Change of Gene Ratto from blocking back of last year to this year's driving fullback. Franny Martin's great choice of plays and fine clutch kicking. Bob Gould's stellar play at defensive left guard. Hurstack's place kicking. LATIN I8 DORCHESTER 7 Anyone who saw this game will have nothing but praise for the fighting lightweights from Dunbar Avenue. They fought a much heavier Latin school team to a standstill throughout the first half, but were nnally subdued in the second session when their lack of reserve strength proved too great a handicap, plus a howling wind that was responsible for Latin's first two scores. THE GAME Dorchester received the kickoff and after an exchange of punts Hurstack recovered a Latin fumble on the latter's forty-yard stripe. Ratto and Dolan made it a first down on the twenty Seven. The Red and Black passing attack was stopped and Latin took over on downs. After a short punt exchange, the Purple and White again fumbled and Norton recovered on the Latin forty-five. Dolan then completed a pass to McDonough, but Mickey, sporting a sprained thumb, couldn't grip the ball securely and it flew from his grasp into the arms of a charging defender. This just about ended the Red and Black offense for the first half as Latin, with the wind at its back, kept the leather deep in Dorchester territory. Thrice the strong forward wall backed up by HWhitey Norton and Harpo Bertazzoni repulsed the hard charging Latins only 8 yards from pay dirt. At the start of the third period the wind was still with the Purple and White, and after a one sided punt exchange, Latin took over on the Dorchester thirty-four. Five plays later and they had chalked up the first score of the game on a pass from Harwood to Gallagher. Later in the same period, a Martin punt into the wind could only reach the twenty and Latin page thirty-Hue

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dusted off the old Statue of Liberty play with Gallagher going over standing up. The Red and Black seemed on the move in the fourth period when Dolan tossed a fifteen yard bullet to Norton, but on the next play, Gallagh- er intercepted and scampered sixty yards for his and Latin's eighteenth point. All of Latin's attempts at conversions failed. Taking the en- suing kickoff on his own twenty-nine, Captain personally averted a shutout by fading from the onrushing Latins and flying the right sideline for his second score of Ratto away down the year. Hurstack showed the Latins how, when he booted a perfect placement. A few moments later, the game ended. IN THE SPOTLIGHT Gene Ratto - SEVENTY-ONE YARDS J WOW!! Whitey Norton - his backing up of the line was terrific. Harpo Bertazzoni - held the Red and Black defense together throughout that first half. TRADE 6 DGRCHESTER 2 It was an overconfident Red and Black eleven that ran out on the gridiron at Braves Field today. Eleven men came out of the clouds too late to turn defeat into victory. It was an offensive team that didn't have that extra punch to deliver the knockout blow. Twice the ball rested a scant three yards short of the Trade goal line, but twice a powerful Trade forward wall rose to successfully meet the oc- casion. THE GAME Dorchester received the kickoff but was stopped cold. Martin punted and Trade, on a series of wide end sweeps, moved to the five. Here the alert Hurstack broke through and re- covered a Tradesman fumble. The ensuing punt carried out to the twenty-five where Trade's Antzak gathered it in and sped down the far side line, outrunning the entire Red and Black eleven to chalk up a first period score. The try for the point failed. After the kickoff. the Dorchester offense began to click, and with Ratto and Bob McGrath running nicely, the ball was moved deep into Trade territory before a fumble ended the threat. Again employing their flankers and wide sweeps, Trade moved page thirty-six out to their own thirty-five. They lost the balls on downs. Then with nifty running by Captain Ratto, the leather was moved to the nine, Gene roared to the six. McGrath was stopped cold. Ratto went to the three. Whitey Norton was dropped for no gain and Trade took over. Neither team threatened thereafter, and as Bertazzoni intercepted a pass, the half ended. It wasn't until the latter part of the third period that the Red and Black attack began to go again. Here McGrath broke loose for twenty yards, A Martin to Norton pass went to the Trade thirty-five before Trade took over on downs. They c0uldn't move past the line of scrimmage and so punted to Ratto who bulled his way back ot the Trade forty. Ratto and Norton made a first down on the thirty. Kennedy passed to Norton to the twenty-one. He then threw to McDonough for a first down on the eleven. Whitey Norton then leaped into the air to bring down another Kennedy toss on the three. In two plays Ratto went to the one. Here Remi Kennedy went into the center of the line, but was thrown back and the last Dorchester threat was over. Rather than punt into the wind the Tradesman took an intentional safety. The game ended with a Tradesman intercepting a pass on his own twenty-five, DIMMED LIGHTS Remi Kennedy - his fine last period passing. Whitey Norton-his great receiving. ENGLISH 26 DORCHESTER 0 A mountainous English High eleven which had outscored its previous four opponents 140 - 0, almost met a stalemate when they en- countered the lighting fools from Dunbar Ave. Outweighed thirty pounds to the man, the Red and Black pushed the double blue all over the Held and only breakaway runs and long passes enabled English to pile up the score. THE GAME Gene Ratto took the opening kickoff and brought it out to his own 40. Ratto, Farrell, and Ratto again made it a first down on the English 40. Paul Farrell, playing his first game sinse the opener, broke loose for fifteen yards to the 25. In two smashes into the center of the line, Ratto roared to the 14.