Rossville High School - Roines Yearbook (Rossville, GA)

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Hutson, Halfback Pierce, Tackle Patrick, Tackle Dunlap, Guard Jenkins, Guard Williams, Guard Denton, Fullback Sage, Quarterback Pruett, Tackle Wright, Halfback McCroskey, Guard Lange, Center Stanfield, Guard Russell, Tackle Westbrook, CenteT Wood, Guard 45

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FOOTBALL HI-LIGHT!! The Bulldog began their '48 season, under the capable leadership of coaches Boots Payne and Roland Wardlaw, on August 9. The band of experienced and inexperienced boys went right to work for what proved to be long and hard fighting season. With oost of the boys back from last years' line-up, the coaches began whipping the team into shape for the first game of the season, opening with the Bradley Beurs up Cleveland way. The first headache was the fact that Alvin Joe McCroskey chipped his elbow on the train coming from Marine camp. The 70 man squad continued its work seeking revenge for the 7-6 loss which we received the nreceeding year. Finally the big day came when the heavier hossville team with Captain Pete Brown and Alternate Captain Leon Patrick donned the field in Cleveland where the Bears were waiting to give us our worst defeat of the season. The Bears got off to a quick start by taking the kick-off and driving within a few downs into the shades of the Bulldog's goal. On the next play the Bears scored and the extra point was good. The Bulldogs came back but were stopped by the big fore wall of the Bears, and we were forced to punt. The Bears took the advantage and started gaining ground again. At this point Guard Alvin McCroskey had to be taken from the game because of his elbow. Without the services of Mc-Croskey the line was weakened, and the hard driving Bradley team again scored and the placement was good. The quarter ended and the Bulldogs were trailing 14-0 The second quarter began. Rossville tried desperately but were stopped in their tracks when Quarter back Don Gainer's pas to Left End Bill Evatt was intercepted by u Brudley hulfback who raced 51 yards for a T.D. The extra Soint was in vain. The spirited Bulldogs, with big Pete rown plunging, tried ugain but lost the ball on a fumble. The Beurs scored their fourth with an 8 yard plunge through the middle. The whistle ended the half. Beginning the third quarter on the short side of a 26 point margin, the battered and torn Bulldogs gave way to two more T.D. 's be fore the quarter ended. Then the never die spirit of the Bulldogs showed in the fourth when the Blue and White clad boys drove to the 1 yard line with Brown, Hembree, und North stepping off first downs. Gainer took the ball from center and a quarterback sneak crossed the twin strips for Rossville's lone talley. The Bears scored once in the fourth and Rossville was defeated 45 to 6. Tlie next week was full of work ironing out mistakes and getting ready for the fray with the Red Raider from Baylor. Un the night of September 10 the screaming Bulldog sup. porters witnessed a game which will long be remembered. The unpredictable Bulldogs came back fighting after the defeat given them by Bradley. The Baylor teum started the scoring rally on u 54 yard drive and made good the extra point. But the aroused Rossvillians fought back, and big Boss Brown broke through the middle for a 67 yard run to pay dirt. The uuurter ended Baylor leading 7-6. The second quarter began and on the first offensive play from scrimmage uggressive little Bill Hembree twisted and turned for a 62 yard run crossing the twin strips. Guiner's placement was good und the Bulldogs led 13.7. The Red Raiders from Baylor cane back to score, but the pass for the extra point was not good and the score was 13-13. We received the kick, but Before we could begin a drive Baylor gained possession of the ball by a fumble on the Rossville 39. Baylor quickly took the break and scored mov. ing ahead 20-13 as the half ended. The third quarter was barely under woy when Rossville tied the score with Hembree breaking through with a 60 yard run and a T.D. Don Gainer, playing a fine brand of football, made good the extra point. This ended the scoring for the Bulldogs, but Baylor moved on for two core touchdowns. The Ikilldogs showed surprising strength in the middle of the line with Bill Russell pacing the way. Tackles Leon Patrick und diaries Pruett, and Center Tiny Selvidge looked impressive in their respective positions. The game ended Rossville 20, Baylor 32. After a week's rest the victory hungry Oilldogs faced the Tyner Hilltoppers invading Exchange Field. The whistle called the two teams to battle. Rossville jumped to a quick lead when North stepped off a 19 yard jaunt to the 39 and Billy Hembree sprinted across on the next play. Guiner's nl aCement was good. The next kick off brought gloom into the hearts of every ardent Rossville fan and player. The always dependable, ull around man. Quarterback Don Flip Gainer was lost for the season with a broken arm. The Ikil Idogs un-leashed their fury on the Hilltoppers and scored again in the first frame. In the second period brusing Pete Brown raced around end for 18 yard und goal line clover. Dickie North's placement was good. The third Quarter brought a parade of backs with Hembree, Brown and North showing the way. North crossed the goal for the only third period tally. Jimmy Johnson and Charley Pruett scored in the final frame to end the scoring for Rossville. Tyner's lone counter came in the fourth when a Rossvi 1 le player fumbled a punt, and the Hilltoppers scored. The entire Rossville team played creditable ball. Big Pete Brown, hampered by his bad ankle, turned in his share of the glory and North played excep-tionally well at quarterback, kicking 4 of 5 extra points. Selvidge and Pruett received the lineman honors. The following week found the hard hitting Russell team from Atlanta invading Exchange Field for a nip and tuck battle with issell scoring in the first quarter. Rossville's Billy Hembree skirted off tackle for 15 yard and a T.D. This ended the scoring for the half. The Russell team came'back strong and tallied again in the third, but Billy Hembree, offensive star of the Bulldogs, put us back in the game by plunging away in the fourth for his second pigskin talley. Within the next few plays Hembree took the Dali, bounching from its receiver's chest, and raced 84 yards for what would have proved the winning T.D., but the play was nulli-fied by the officials. The crippled Bulldogs without the services of Captain Pete Brown and Don Gainer lost the heart breaker to Russell by the score of 14-13 although End Bill Evatt, Leon Patrick and Charley Pruett played consistent ball throughout the hard fought game. The next week offered a much needed rest for the Bulldogs. On the night of October 15 the Bulldogs met t lie strong Rome High team at Rome with a shifted back field. Pruett played fullback und Pierce replaced him ut tackle. The hard driving Rome team scored in the first to lead 6-0. The second drarae wus fought to a 0-0 deadlock. Hembree and Dynamic Dick North led the offensive battle. The half ended Rome 6, Rossvi 11c 0. The Hilltoppers came back and in spite of hard hitting Tmy Selvidge, McCroskey, and Leon Patrick the Romans took advantage of a bad kick and drove across the the twin strips for the second time. The Bulldogs fought back, but they could not overthrow the stubborn Hilltoppers. Rossville dropped a 30-18 decision to North Fulton, a-nother hard hitting team from Atlanta. In the scoring spree North accounted for two-- one in the third and one in the fourth - also playing a bang-up defensive game. Billy Hembree, fleet-footed little halfback, ran his opponents crazy twisting, turning and driving for yardage time after time. Pete Brown, still out wi th a bad ankle, and Alvin McCroskey, with an injured elbow, were surely missed. The most spectacular run of the evening was Billy Hembree's 28 yard dash for Rossville's first tally. Wheel-horse Dick North gained when yardage was needed. He ripped off first downs time after time. The entire team played good ball with Pruett the bright spot in the line. The home coming gume gave plenty of thrills for both team's supporters. Another injury added to the list was when quarterback TaCque Tribble, doing a fine job in Carrying on the work of Donald Gainer, fractured his left collar bone and was lost for the season. Our mercury-heeled Billy Hembree and firey Dickie North guve the fans another thrilling faze in football history by leading the Bulldogs to 25-6 victory over Soddy-Daisy. Hem-bree, u scutback, scored three times boasting his scoring record past 60 points. North, a tripple threat, passed to Bill Evatt, our towering left end, for a T.D. TinySelvidge stopped two drives by Soddy-Daisy with intercept ion once in the shades of the goal posts. The iron man tackles, Charley Pruett and Leon Patrick and Guard McCroskey played their best gasses of the year against the fighting Trojans. Brown got into the game only for punting duties. He averaged 52 yards. The rains came and souked LaFayette’s Patton Field until game time between LaFayette and Rossville. The rain soaked gridiron kept both teams from doing anything the first quarter except rolling in mud. The rain fell so fast the of ficial s could hardly keep up with the ball. The second auarter the Ramblers drove across the Bulldog goal line and the extra point was good. The Rossvillians became aroused and Hembree took a Rambler punt and sloshed 80 yards for T.D. turf, but was called back on a penalty. Pete Brown, who was good for past time service, fought nis way around the end for the second T.D. to be called back on off sides. A third period safetycaste before he could boot it. Meers was injured in the first quarter and was out for the remainder of the season. Again Pete Brown broke around end to the Rambler 1 yard line but was Called back on out of bounds. The game ended in a 7-2 defeat. The following week found Rossville meeting the Region 4 Champions of the GIAA division at Ponce dc Leon Purk in Atlanta. The Rossville gridman got off to a good start but J ]«v«wayto a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The second frame ound Murist scoring again but the extra point was not good andatthe half-time the Buildogs were trailing 13-0. But the Varist team came back determined and ran up 25 points in the third period. Pete Brown wus good for several first downs, while Dick forth and Hembree continued their fine brand of foot but 1. Charley Pruett wassuffering f rom u stomach ui I ment, but Bill Russel 1 did a fine job substituting. A1 vin McCroskey turned in his best performance of the year showing well on defense. RossviIle' tally came in the fourth by brusing Pete Brown. Dick North plunged for the extra point. The entire team played creditable ball showing up well the first half. The long awaited game of every season finally came. The encounter with the Lee High Trojan from Chickamauga was here. Our rain soaked gridi ron soon was covered with BI ue and Whi te clad Rossvillians and white clad Trojans. With small lakes here and there big Pete, in full swing again, wound up his filching arm and threw three passes long to Bill Evatt, our eft ftankman, who gathered the muddy ball and headed for pay dirt. End Melvin Madaris also caught short passes accounting for several first downs. The Lee Trojans threatened in the second period, but Mudaris brought his teammates out of the hole by recovering a fumble. Brown also scored twice ending the first half 18-0, Rossville. Centers Tiny Selvidge und Bi 1 1 Lange showed up wel1 on defense with Mudaris und Evatt mainstays on both flanks. The entire line charged consistantly throwing the Lee passers for losses time after time. The second half was a march of backs wi th Hembree scoring twice, but one T.D. was called backonoff sides. The biggest thrill of the evening came when versut i 1 e 1 i 111 e J immy Johnson sprinted for u 32 yard run and pay dirt. With only one thing in the players' mind, winning the giune in memory of Jug , the Bulldog team played their best gume crushing the undefeated Trojans 31-0 The student body supported the team to the fullest, and their support wus appreciated by every one of the players and the coaches. The pi uyers could not express the i r appreci a t ion for Coaches Payne and Wardlaw for tlieir unlimited services, bearing wi tn us through victory and defeut, doing well their job of teaching football along with sportsmanship.