Nebraska Wesleyan University - Plainsman Yearbook (Lincoln, NE)

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' The Plainsmen, driving down the home stretch of the 1938 season raised their season ' s percentage to .500 by capturing; two victories and a tie in the last three .games. The Yellow and Hrown won four games, each oddly enough from a school with the colors of Pdue and White, as against four defeats and the one tie. In the Doane, Midland, and Hastings games. Martin Brasch played full games proving himself truly an iron man , and a leading candidate for All-Conference center. ' hen injuries made a shortage of guards, John ' anElls was shifted from tackle to this spot. The Midland tilt showed that he wouldn ' t be stopped. All season long Xeil Davis blocked, and blocked out those would-be tacklers. . t Hastings his all-around play was a fitting climax to a grand career. SNIost All-Conference selections picked Johnny .Staten for a backfield post. This year Jawn ' s defensive play and ball toting ranked with the best. Elongated LaX ' aun Price cjuarterbacked the Plainsmen -his year. His pass receiving set the stage for several of ' esleyan ' s touchdowns. Don Williams, one of the most consistent ends in the con- ference, was a tough cookie on both offense and defense. Another tough man is Captain Raleigh Ripley, one sweet guard. His opponents had no trouble in spotting Ripley ' s hard playing. Floyd Ralston played an aggressive game at guard this sea- son to advance to an All-Conference rating. His hobby was play- ing in the opponent ' s backfield. The specialty of Dale Magnuson, fullback, was backing up the Plainsman line, and tearing the opponent ' s line to shreds. Speedy and shifty Charles Burroughs turned in several long gains on end runs. His passing and plunging was a real asset to the team. Tackle Gerald Beefy Gardner, the biggest football player in the nation, starred previously at Omaha university. Beefy played every game with all he had and that was plenty. When the Weslejan attack stopped, little Don Otto ' s running, punting, and passing often set the Plainsman machine rolling again. For a small sized fellow, Frank The Champ Harrington did a first class job of blocking and ball toting. In his first year of football Bob Braun gained needed experi- ence and at Midland proved that he ' s got plenty of snap and drive. For dependability John Lay rates high, his defensi e work being his strong point. From many a pileup he emerged with the tackle. Old carrot top George Carne is one who is headed for great things next year. His work this year was very commendable. The toe of Bill Wilhelm, end, kept Wesleyan out of many holes. His play this season ranked him high in the X.C.A.C. Russell Merrill played some grand ball at tackle this year, while blocking back, freshman Ray Bailey, worked his wa - up to one of the top backfield spots. Bob Anderson filled in at center, doing a grand job of it. and the play of Andrew Johnson served notice that he is one to be watched next season. AuGUSTANA 20 Wesleyan In the opening game of the season, Nebraska Wesleyan ' s Plainsmen bowed before the Augustana Redskins at Sioux Falls, South Dakota 20 to 0. The Dakotans scored in the first, second, and third quarters. The first touchdown was a result of an intercepted pass. A second interception again set them up for an easy tally. The Redskins chalked up their last score when they blocked a Plainsman punt and recovered behind the goal line. (28)

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The Thomasmen almost scored twice, their first drive end- ing on the six-yard line where they lost the ball on downs. The other threat came in the third period when they advanced to the eight-yard stripe before again losing the ball on downs. Wcsleyan ' s offensive looked ragged, and had no drive in the pinches. Their defense, however, showed possibilities, for the Redskins never crossed the Plainsman , 0-yard line with the exception of their three markers. Wksi.kyan 14 York Two successful scoring spurts in the second (|uarter put the skids under York ' s invading Panthers, and Wesleyan won its opening home game 14 to 0. Vesle an ' s threat of the first quarter failed, but in the second period Hill Ralston ' s recovery of a York fumble on the Panther 1(1 set up the scoring pins. Charles Hurroughs in four successive off-tackle plays I)ehind beautiful interference sliced through to score. La ' aun Price ' s placement adxanced the Plainsman lead tc 7-0. Later in the second period Wesleyan took the ball on ' ork ' s 44. Don Otto and Johnny Staten made it a first down. Two of Powniaster ' s passes to Staten were good and the Methodists scored again. Xeil Davis took a toss from Howmaster for the extra [joint and the Plainsmen led 14 to 0. . third quarter Thomasman drive fi . led on York ' s two-yard line. The Panthers, in turn, knocked on ' esleyan ' s five in the fourth period, before they were halted. In the final minutes of the game, the Plainsmen, led by Howmaster smashed to York ' s ihree-yard line where the final gun stii]iped them. .M.ARVvii.i.E 21 Veslevan 12 Even though the Plainsman aerial attack of the last six minutes which netted them 12 points, fell short of the 21 -point lead that Maryville ' s Hobcats chalked up previously, Wesleyan ' s eleven very definitely rocketed liack into the picture for a suc- cessful season. Trailing 14 to in the third (|uarter, the Plainsmen shifted into high. Hill W ' ilhelm ' s long punt plus a penalty pushed Mary- ville back to their 11. Don Williams then blocked Maryville ' s punt and Wilhelm outran the invaders ' backfield, to recover be- hind the Cats ' goal for a touchdown. The attempt at the extra point failed and the score was laryville 14, Wesleyan 0. The Teachers launched a 5S-yard drive to score again. The cf)nversion gave Maryville a lead of 21 to 6. liut the Plainsmen wouldn ' t be stopped. LaX ' aun Price gal- loped to the Thomasmen ' s 3i. Charles Hurroughs faded and passed to Price on the Cats ' 25-yard stripe. Price ' s aerial to Davis was good to the 10. After two plays Hurroughs passed to Wilhelm for the Methodists ' second tally. The attempt at the extra point failed, and the game ended soon after the kickoff. Wesleyan 6 Kearney Even though they were pushed all over the field, and out- downed 15 to four, Nebraska Wesleyan ' s Plainsmen upset the highly favored Kearney Teachers 6 to 0. The Thomasmen scored in the last five minutes. Johnny Staten ' s 3S-yard pass to LaVaun Price paved the way. Staten and Dale Magnuson ripped off yardage to the Kearney 1,5. Price ' s lateral to Staten put the ball on the Antelopes ' four-yard line. Staten made it a first down and Dale Magnuson plowed over the Kearney forward wall to score. The attempt at the extra |)()inl failed. But Kearney didn ' t give up, and using their passing attack, drove to the Plainsman three. Don Williams knocked down the next Kearney pass, and on the final play the Plainsmen balked on the one- ard stripe. Hill Wilhelm ' s punting, an alert pass defense, and a stout hearted line that r efused to budge when the invaders threatened the Plainsman goal, kept the Antelopes from scoring on five dif- ferent occasions. This combined with a Ijackficld who wouldn ' t be stopped brought the Thomasmen a hard earned victory. (29)