Emerson High School - Emersonian Yearbook (Gary, IN)

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FOOTBALL With eight major lettermen back from the 1944 squad, which racked up eight consecutive con¬ tests before bowing to Lew Wallace in the season’s final, our outlook was promising. The returning veterans were: End, Bob Yesh, halfback, Dick Colley, tackle, Louis Karas, fullback, Gene Miller, half, back, Steve Pangiotis, guard, Steve Kokos, center, Jack Schaff, and guard, Carl Carnahan. Emerson 6—Evansville 13 With high hopes our boys traveled down to Evansville to tangle with the Memorial Tigers. Memorial recovered an Emerson fumble deep in our territory early in the game and quickly broke the ice. Early in the second half the Tigers marched 51 yards for their second touchdown. We finally broke through late in the last quarter on a short plunge by Gene Miller. Play was featured by tough line play by both teams in the 20 degree heat. Emerson 26—Hammond Clark 0 Bouncing back from our first setback we ran rampant over the hopeless Pioneers without the assistance of fullback Gene Miller, inducted into the Army. Jack Schaff shifted from his center posi¬ tion and proved an able substitute at fullback. Steve Pangiotis highlighted this game with a 58 yard touchdown gallop. Schaff was the workhorse this game and scored one touchdown; Bill Kuck scored two on short plunges. Carl Carnahan made 2 out of 4 placements. Emerson 0—Whiting 0 Tough defensive play again featured this game as the ball stayed within the 30 yard markers for the first 3 quarters. Both teams threatened several times but penalties always set them back. At the last quarter, the Oilers threatened on a long 49 yard pass but ran out of steam on our 18 yard line. Emerson then turned on steam for a drive to Whiting’s 16, featured by the running of Jack Schaff Tackle Louie Karras featured our defensive play by repeatedly breaking through. We had the best of it statistically with Schaff’s 20 yard gain, the longest of the game. We welcomed back Merritt Lesch, last year’s quarterback, who was just discharged from the Marines. Emerson 19—Wallace 26 Wallace was leading 13-0 at half time and made it 20-0 before the Tornado began to roll. We fought back to make it 20-19 before Wallace scored their final touchdown. Bob Brooks started it off for Wallace with a 52-yard touchdown ramble. Wallace added another before the half ended and made it 20-0 on a fifty-yard pass. Bob Yesh scored our first touchdown on a short pass from Steve Pangoitis and Jack Schaff bulled his way through the Hornets for a 14-yard touchdown. Dick Colley set up the next score with a 1 6-yard sprint and Merritt Lesch sneaked over. Wallace then struck back for their final score set up by a 43-yard run by Respecke. Page Twenty-eight

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Our Atomic Coaches Coach Klug has been producing winning teams ever since he came to Emerson back in 1942. As basketball and freshman football coach, he has showed his worth and ability time and again. Housing all his talents on his favorite pastime, basketball, he again turned out a fine basket¬ ball team. Turning out city champs in freshman football is just another thing with Mr. Klug. His fine talent of developing material brought another freshman championship to Emerson. His sense of humor and winning ways have won him as many friends as his ability has won him fans. - ★ - In 1936, Emerson heralded the arrival of Arthur J. Rolfe to the position of football coach He is an alumni of Carlton College, Class of 1918, and hails from Anaconda, Montana. He has coached many outstanding teams during this span of years and he is certain to have many more. Mr. Rolfe not only stresses physical fitness, but he wants to make a man of each of his athletes, and this pays dividends in the games. - ★ - Last February Emerson welcomed the return of Coach Connelly to his old position as track coach. Former Navy Lieutenant Connelly served a three-year hitch, twenty-eight months of it at Pearl Harbor, where he was the pilot of a PT boat. He is a former Emersonian, having graduated in 1927. Afterwards he went through the Uni¬ versity of Pittsburgh. His super chalk talks before meets are wonders never to be forgotten. The meets are won, before they start, in the classroom. Another thing about coach is his friendliness and sense of humor that always keeps his team in good spirits. Coaches :—left to right —Rolfe, Klug, Connelly Page Twenty-seven

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Emerson 21—Hammond 0 The Tornado started this one early. Fullback Paul Artosky intercepted a Wildcat pass early in the third quarter and raced 68 yards to score. In the second quarter, Dick Colley sparked a 73-yard drive and scored a short plunge. Colley came through again in the final quarter, and Carl Carnahan’s third placement made it 21-0. Louie Karras again was the bulwark of the line. Emerson 14—Washington E. C. 13 After leading 14-0 at half time, the Tornado ran out of steam and came close to losing the game in the second half. We drove 71 yards for our first touchdown as our whole backfield alternated in carrying the ball. Bill Kuck finally took it over. With less than a minute left in the first half, Colley broke loose for a 43-yard ramble to the 1-yard line and then took it over. The Senators showed new life in the second half and came back to score two touchdowns. Carnahan’s two placement kicks were fortunate for the Tornado. Emerson 20—Froebel 0 We took to the air to score two touchdowns in the second half after leading only 7-0 at the end of the first half. Paul Ortosky plunged over for the first touchdown after Louie Karras recovered a Froebel fumble deep in their territory. A 23-yard pass, Bill Kuck to Bob Yesh, accounted for the next touchdown after a 34-yard pass to Sam Ranzino. Early in the last quarter, Merritt Lesch con¬ nected with Ranzino for a 31-yard touchdown. Emerson 13—Roosevelt 0 The Panthers showed unexpected power as they held us scoreless through the first half. Paul Ortosky powered the first touchdown drive with Colley going over from 5-yards out. Lesch intercept¬ ed a Roosevelt pass to start the last drive with Ortosky going over from the 6. Emerson 27—Horace Mann 6 The Tornado really came to life in this game and rolled over to the Horsemen. Center Don Kirksey intercepted a Mann pass to start the first drive, highlighted by Colley’s 23-yard run. Jack Schaff took it over. A couple of penalties, a Joe Minnitti’s 22-yard run set up the next score when Colley went over from the 2. In the last quarter, Colley went over from the 16, after a march of 81 yards. Carnahan kicked his third straight conversion. The Horsemen scored soon after on a 74-yard aerial drive with Kyle hitting Lees from the 12 for the score. Emerson came right back as Minnitti broke loose for a 44-yard touchdown gallop. Page Twenty-nine