Salem College - Dirigo Yearbook (Salem, WV)

Page 140 text:

Salem College 20 West Virginia Wesleyan 19 Tiger grid fortunes soared from their lowest point to the highest in many a year in just one halfas the 1961 Homecoming became a success because of a second half come- back which set aright a 19-point halftime deficit and defeated the W.V.I.A.C.'s leading team for the only time all season. The game began on a sour note as the Bobcats grabbed the opening kickoff and sustained a drive which endedwith sixpoints ontheir half of the scoreboard. Things then went from badtoworseas Wesleyan held four downs, took over and proceeded to score again. This sequencewas repeatedathird time before half time, and this time a Bobcat PAT ran the count to 19-0. At this point the Tiger machine began to get in gear as they took their turn at scoring aftera 73-yard drive with the initial kickoff. The score came on a nine-yard pass from Billy Connors to Dave Wiegand. After the defensive unit stymied thevisitors, the offense again mounteda 73-yard march, which ended as Wiegand skirted left end from 18 yards away and then took another toss from Connors for the PAT. With six minutes remaining, Salem ran a punt back to the W.V.W. 37 and stormed over from there on a 13-yard dashby Don Gilpin. Tom Cuppett's extra point kick split the uprights and spelled the difference. 134

Page 139 text:

Salem - 13 Glenville - 14 Journeying t o th e home of the Pioneers, the Tigers dropped the conference championship in the waning minutes of the game. Salem began as though they meant to insure themselves of the c r own . Glenville fumbled on the first play from scrim- mage, Salem recovered and Billy Connors winged a 14-yard TD pass to Joe Cowley on the next play. Tom Cuppett's kick sent a 7-0 bulge on the board after only one minute of play. In the third quarter Glenville got even on Ollie Pottmeyer's 4-yard dash and Fred Smith's kick. A stalemate resulteduntilthe men of Underwood mounted enough offense to score onSteve Rymasz's 2-yard drive with just three minutes left. This time the extra point kick went wide. The Pioneers, not to be denied, drove unbelievably fast as they tied up the game with 45 seconds left on a 15-yard Pottmeyer-to-Gunnoe pass. Smith's second kick then cost the Tigers conference laurels. Statistically, Salem led in first downs 12-10, connected on 7 of ll passes for 89 yards, and gained 200 total yards. Each team fumbled five times, with Salem losing two and Glenville three, while both squads were penalized 45 yards. 133

Page 141 text:

Salem - 45 Davis Elkins - 6 In posting the highest score since the 1927 Salem gridders bested West Virginia Tech 71-0, the Tigers blasted what was previously the top defensive outfit in the WVIAC all over the West Union Athletic' Field's turf. Salem drew first blood ona 32-yard drive after recovering a D Sz E fumble, as Ron Gaudi went the final three yards. In the second quarter, a 22-yard Connors - to - Cowley pass and an 88-yard drive capped by Dave Wiegand's two yard scamper raised the count to 18-0. All PATs failed. Inthe second half, Connors heaved a 30-yarder to Dave Wiegand for the fourth score. The same combination then clicked for the PAT. Shortly thereafter, Connors found Roy Phillips on a 23- yard TD toss. Ron Whitt took over as quarter- back and connected with Jim Fittro for an 18- yard score, after which Wiegand converted. The final score came as Steve Rymasz plunged over from five yards away. Jim Scott iced the cake with his extra point kick. West Virginia Bowl Salem - 0 W. Va. Wesleyan - 12 Infinishing their season the Tigers ac- complishedtwofirsts - theybecamethe only team to play in both West Virginia Bowls, and also the only team to lose twobowl games fthe 1961 affair was dropped to Fairmont 13-75. Playing in a drenching downpour and after three days of steady rain, Salem was shut out for thefirst timein 17 games, as their vaunted pass- ing attack, led by quarterback Billy Connors, whose 68.72, completion average led the nation, was literally smothered in the mud. S.C. passes were good on7 of 12 occasions, but only 44 yards were gained. The game, close all the way, was decided after a scoreless first half, on a 70-yard punt returnby Wesleyanin the third quarter. This score set up the second, since, with only three minutes left, Salem was forced to gamble for the first down in its own territory. They failed and the Bobcats managed a second tally with but 12 seconds left in the game. ALL CONFERENCE SELECTION Harry Vannoy, Dave Wiegand, Tom McCort, Tom Cuppett, Harry Hartman, Billy Connors, and Coach Underwood. fNot pictured Walt Craigl. 135