Nitro High School - Nitronian Yearbook (Nitro, WV)

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ST. ALBANS(20-0) High spirited and packed with desire, the Nitro Wildcats knocked St. Albans for a long tumble Sat- urday, September 17, with the ringing score of 20-0. Although the Nitro field was soggy- wet, the Wildcats put on a grand show. Wingback Phil Cerullo and Tailback Darrell Gibson shared the honors in leading the Cats to their second consecutive victory. With the help of John Nelson, who recovered a fumble on the St. Albans 24-yard line, Gibson, several plays later, raced seven yards for Nitro's first touchdown. Also in the first quarter , Cerullo scampered 55 yards for the Wildcats second touchdown. Gibson added the extra point. Gibson accounted for Nitro's final touch- down in the third quarter with a nine yard run. Connecting with Gibson on a 33-yard reverse pass play, Cerullo helped set up this touchdown. An aerial from Gibson to Mike Carroll added the extra point. SOUTH CHARLESTON(19-0) The Wild- cats struck again with a surprising 19-0 victory over South Charleston. This time it was Joe Sizemore who was the big fun for the Wildcats. Settling for small gains, Nitro had to grind out its scores against the stub- born Eagles. Sizemore's first touchdown came on a one yard plunge climaxing a 54-yard drive in the second period. Sizemore crossed the O-stripe again in the fourth quarter with a two yard plunge that topped an 80-yard drive. Keith Slater, Wildcat lineman, termin- ated the scoring by grabbing an attempted pass and rambled 55-yards for The man on the spot is Kanawha Valley's leading scorer and winner of the Tom Me Ann award, Darrell Gibson. Darrell proved to be invaluable to the Wildcats this year as he paved the way n,r the Wildcat's first undefeated season.

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Full steam ahead says tailback Darrell Gibson as he plows through a big hole in the Dupont line enroute to a touchdown. WILDCATS REACH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WEIRTON(0-40) Parkersburg was the scene of the 1960 State Football Championship game in which the Nitro Wildcats were smothered by the Weirton Red Riders 40-0. A capacity crowd was on hand to watch Bob Kelly, the Red Rider's flashy halfback, score four touch- downs and pass for a fifth tally. During the course of the game the Wildcats posed two scoring threats only to be stopped on the seven and two yard lines. It's that guy Gibson again, and he's on his way to a first down in the Sissonsville game. ELKVIEW(7-0) Subduing a deter- mined Elkview eleven, 7-0, Nitro's fight- ing Wildcats opened their 1960 football season on the right track. Tailback Darrell Gibson stepped into the limelight with a 55-yard touchdown run. Early in the second period Gibson faked a drive up the center and sped around right end for the game's only touchdown. Joe Sizemore plunged over for the extra point. The Wildcats controlled the ball a majority of the time and managed to keep the Elk Herd from threatening. First- downs favored Nitro eight to three. Darrell Gibson tears around end in the Stonewall game. Two coaches with the same thought apparently, watch their team strive for vic- tory. Kenny Higginbotham and Ken Whittington give similar looks during a vic- tory.

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Here's one of Nitro's 41 points. Darrell Gibsor. scores on an extra point through the middle of the line. Nitro not only had an extremely potent offensive unit, but the defensive group held the first four opponents scoreless. a touchdown. Darrell Gibson tailied the lone extra point of the game. DUPONT(41-0) Darrell Gibson took the spotlight in this 41-0 romp of the Dupont Panthers, as the tailback scored three touchdowns and three extra points. Addi- tional touchdowns were added by Vic Fer- rari, Joe Sizemore, and Phil Cerullo. The Wildcats scored twice in the first quarter and once in the second to push the Cats in front 21-0 at halftime. The Nitro gridders continued their onslaught with six in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth. DUNBAR(34-6) Our Nitro Wildcats crossed the halfway mark with flying colors. Peppering their host with five touchdowns, the Cats beat Dunbar 34-6, Friday, October 7. Although the Nitro score was impres- sive, Dunbar marred their defensive record by crossing the Cats goal. The Wildcat eleven jumped off to a 13 point lead in the first quarter. Dunbar then struck with Issiah Hunter scoring the Bulldog’s only score of the evening. In the second half Nitro roared back with Phil Cerullo leading the way, and end- ing up with three touchdowns for the night. Gibson had two touchdowns and booted four extras. SISSONSVILLE (19-6) Sissonsville proved to be tough opposition October 15, when Nitro's toughening Wildcats knocked off the Indians 19-6. The initial score was on a 75-yard punt return by Darrell Gibson. Ferrari and Sizemore accounted for the 26