St Johns High School - Le Cid Yearbook (St Johns, MI)

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1921-FOOTBALL-1921 Maroon and Black Lose One in Last Two Years. Owosso at St. Johns on September 23. The St. Johns Football team. covered with glory through its clean slate of 1921, opposing their unfzrgotten orponents of 1920, again lined rp before them on the local field for the first game of the reason. Showing a l ck of training on both sides, neith- er vuas in danger of being scored upon or scoring, and the fray ended 0-0. Ovid at St. Johns, on September 30. The St. Jc-hns spirited team well matched the husky team from the eastern city. Although Brenner and Shaver were unable to play, the team moved on just the same. Just after Kelley was taken out of the game. Roland Weller crossed the white line for the first touch-down of the season. Ken Jackson failed at goal. During the course of the game Jackson made a 70-yard run after catching a punt. In the last few mo- ments of play, an opposing backfield man broke through our line for a dreaded touch- down. Then, by their goal kick, squeezed another point, Score: Ovid, 7g St, Johns, 6. On account of the unfavorable weather the game of October Tth, with Itha.ca, was postponed. St. Johns at Mason, October 14th. Twenty men were taken to Mason for the victi-xy. Although our team was out- weighed, we made it hot for our opponents. Due to the faithful team and headwork of Captain Jackson, Clemons managed to tear his way around Mason's right end on a fake tickle-smash for a touch-down. Jackson kicked goal. In the second half several changes viere made in the line-up but no effective results occurred. Russ Frank sav- ed us from being scored upon by one of his famous tackles on an opponent who had in- tercepted a pass and ran 50 yards. Mason threatened Saint Johns twice, but only on account of two 15-yard penalties. St. Johns at Owosso on October 21st, The St. Johns aggregation and fans motored to Owosso to play off the tie game which occurred at the beginning of the season. Both teams were full of fight, espec- ially St. Johns, because they were there with a determination to win. St. Johns kicked to Owosso and held them for downs. Frank returned their punt 21 yards. In a smash off left tackle, Fitzpatrick, at left end, broke his collanbone which put him out for the rest of the season. The fumbles on the part of both teams. delayed the scoring in the first half. Owosso managed to complete a pass over St. Johns' goal in the first few minutes of play in the second half. The third quarter saw Frank run around right and by consistent playing, played up within three yards of Owosso's goal. Here, St. Johns opened a hole in Owosso's flank, Frank scoring. Shaver failed to kick goal. Shortly after the kickoff, with Owosso carrying the ball with more vigor than ever, St. Johns was saved from being scored upon by the timely tackle of Frank's. St. Johns held on her own 21-yard line and received the ball from Owosso on downs. Off a regular punt formation, Russ dashed around right end for ta touch-down. Shaver kicked goal. Score, Owosso 6 an-d St. Johns 19. St. Johns at Ionia on October 28th. St. Johns received the ball, Shaver catching, and dashing the full length of the field, scored the first touch-down in the first few minutes of play. St. Johns kicked to Ionia's 10-yard line. Shaver recovered a fumble and crossed the white line for a second touch-down. Both attempts to kick goal failed. Later in the game, Merillat caught a thirty-yard pass, making it possible for Frank, of St. Johns. to score the third touch-down. Shaver kicked goal. A short pass was intercepted by an Ionia left half and was carried 70 yards for their only touch-down. Ionia failed at goal. Thus the game ended. Score: Ionia 6 and St. Johns 19.

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Grand Ledge at St. Johns November 5th. Grand Ledge appeared on the St. Johns gridiron at 2:30 o'clock on Saturday after- noon. St. Johns received the ball and through consistent driving, carried the ball to the visitors' goal line, Weller taking the ball over. Goal kick failed. On the next kick-off, a fast Grand Ledge backfield man bewildered the St. Johns players, taking the ball the entire length of the field for a touch down. Their goal kick failed. Then the game resolved itself into a hard battle for both sides. By playing straight foot- ball, St. Johns was able to drive Grand Ledge to within a few yards of her own goal from where Russ Frank carried the pill over. Shaver kicked goal. Score: Grand Ledge 6 and St. Johns 13. St. Johns at Ovid November 9th, Highly aroused over the loud challenge of the Ovid team for a game, St. Johns took up the cry, and in a body, High-school students, towns-people, and St. Johns merchants, journeyed to Ovid on that memorable afternoon of the ninth of November. If a foot-ball team ever had support it was that day, there being more citizens of the Metropolis on the field than there were from the Village of the challengers. Al- though our neighbors played well for a bunch of clam-diggers, they were unable to find the ball when St. Johns tucked it avsay in a formidable water hole or under their arms for the necessary gains. All day the Villagers scraped the field of snow and slush. The clay exposed in the scraping came in handy. They all looked for a soft place to fall and they found it. St. Johns gave it to them. But they will probably have to be shown all over again next year. Won't that be terrible for them? The Game: St. Johns kicked off and in a rain of mud, Rome fell. You know Rome? St. Johns held Ovid in her own territory all of the first quarter. The second quarter opened with the ball in St. Johns' hands. Line smashes brought the ball within Ovid's 10-yard line and St. Johns broke loose for the first touch-down. Goal kick failed. St. Johns received the ball at the beginning of the second half and a series of punts resulted to open. Ovid tightened, but she broke a. wing in her aerial attack and Shaver intercepted a pass, carrying the ball 40 yards for a second touch-down. Goal was kicked and the scoring ended. Ovid, much to their chagrin, was held in her own territory for the rest of the game. St. Johns penalties amounted to 60 yards, all for holding. The game was hard fought, harder than the score indicates. Ovid was game, but St. Johns had the BEST team. The score: Ovid 0 and St. Johns '3. Ithaca at St. Johns Armistice Day. Another whitewash for the Jonsites. St. Johns received the ball and hurried it across the field for the first touch-down. Shaver kicked goal. Seven points were all that St. Johns could garner in the first half. but in the second the machine was thrown into high, and away St. Johns went. It was getting dark and all were afraid they wouldn't get through in time. Even Ithaca seemed to sense their strategical posi- tion and allowed St. Johns to score almost at will in the last few minutes of the game. St. Johns scored off any formation presented and the end of the game saw the largest score of the season for the home team, another whitewash. The score: Ithaca. 0 and St. Johns 40. Alma at St. Johns, November 18th. St. Johns seemed to have acquired the habit of starting things off with a rush. St. Johns won the toss and chose to receive. Frank peeled a touch-down off the truck- makers in short nc-tice. Then Alma got their big guns and held like the Forts of Verdun for the remainder of the half. But in this case Verdun had to give in and St. Johns crossed their goal line once more before time was called. A spectator at this game picked John Zabelka for the third All-State team, at his position at right tackle. The way the line and backfield of the team had been working in the past few games had put it in the running for state champion in Class B Schools. This Alma game with the score in St. Johns' favor, strengthened the position more than ever. The score: Alma, 03 St. Johns, 14, Immediately after the Alma game, St. Johns issued a challenge to the State for a game for the Championship of all Class B. Schools. Some discussing and cussing re-