St Marys High School - Per Annos Yearbook (Cortland, NY)

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FADED CLEAT MARKS On September 8th, twenty-four eager candidates reported to Coach Bob Martin at Columbus field, ready to win fame and fortune as the St. Mary's gridiron representatives for the 1943 season. Among these twenty-four were five tried and true veterans of last year's campaign who formed a nucleus about which Coach Martin could form another of those fighting teams which are a tradition of St. Mary's. After three weeks of intensive conditioning exercises, signal drills in scrimmages, the Blue and Gold warriors set forth on September 26th to do battle with a highly touted St. Anthony's of Padua eleven from Syracuse. St. Mary's played David to St. Anthony's Goliath that afternoon and a second-period score decided the game in favor of St. Mary's 6-0. But the Blue and Gold did not emerge unscathed. A fractured ankle forced Doyle Glover, a varsity tackle, to the sidelines and Jim O'Mara, a first string end for three years, was accepted by the Navy. The following week Holy Family High of Auburn journeyed to Cortland for the first game of a home and home series. Striking early and late, the Auburnites defeated a fighting St. Mary team 20-0. Let it suffice to say that Auburn had a team far heavier and far more experienced than St. Mary's could ever hope to put on the field. Apparently Lady Luck was not looking on St. Mary's with favor, for another veteran, Joe Dwyer, was forced to the bench with an injured knee. In spite of this great loss St. Mary's revamped team came raging onto the field to whip George junior Republic 28-0 with Ray Corser, a freshman streak of lightning, scoring two touchdowns, and Bob Corcoran, playing his last game for St. Mary's before going into the Army, scoring another. Having been beaten by Auburn two weeks earlier by a score of 20-0, St. Mary's resolved that the same thing would not happen again when it traveled to the Prison City on October 17 for the final game of the season. Although the team would surely miss the line plunging of Bob Corcoran, the star fullback who had departed for Camp Upton at the request of his Uncle Sam, St. Mary's felt sure that the experience that they had acquired since the last game would make the Blue and Gold a match for the tough Holy Family team. That Sunday afternoon in Auburn was, without doubt, the climax of the season. Auburn was determined to repeat its previous performance, and St. Mary's was equally determined that they would not. For the full four quarters two gridifon giants charged up and down the field in vain endeavors to cross the opponent's goal line. Quarterbacks matched wits, using their most intricate plays, to no avail. Once a fumble on St. Mary's ten yard line almost spelled defeat for the Blue and Gold, but the defense tightened, and a quick kick on first down set Auburn back on her own thirty yard line. Up and down the field the battle raged, first one team taking the initiative and then the other, and when the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read the same as it had in the beginning 0-0. Because of wartime restrictions on transportation, St. Mary's did not play as full a schedule as it formerly did. However, the team, as usual, was high in quality if rather small in quantity. We wish the best of luck to Jim O'Mara and Bob Corcoran who have departed for the armed forces, and we give to them and to the members of the team who will be graduated, Bob Martin, Jim Casey, Tom Snyder, Tabby Domineske, Tom McNally the memories that come only from playing football for St. Mary's. Last, but not least we thank Father Edwards and Father Whalen for their kind under- standing, our able managers, Art Goodwin and John McNeil-for the efforts that they put forth to make this season the success that it was in spite of the difficulties. i'131l'

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-141 Ilh , R' ' E'-wc .41 QSX - x 1 N R, 'k12'k First row-left to right: T. Walsh, Halfbackg C. Ackerman, Tackle, R. Corser, Halfback Second row-left to right: J. F. Casey, Center Third row-left to right: E. J. Domineske, Halfbackg L. Martin, End Fourth row-left to right: R. Martin, Quarterback, T. McNally, Tackle Fifth row-left to right: J. Dwyer, Fullbackg R. Kane, Guard, T. Snyder, End x 1' at

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Left to right: P. Michaud, A. Goodwin, J. Casey, Father Whalen, D. Odell, T. McEvoy, L. Martin, R. Kane R. Martin, J. Rush, J. Dwyer WITH A SWISH UF THE MESH St. Mary's did not escape the topsy-turviness of War-time basketball. Like other schools all over the country, we found ourselves in a whirl from the begin- ning to end- dropping cinch games and winning the tough ones. However the war has certainly made new friends in the guise of neighboring schools, whose colors we had not seen before. The O. D. T. acted as median. Despite the starting line-up of one veteran and four of last year's J. V.'s, we managed to come through with ten victories against twelve defeats, being restricted to 22 games, in lieu of the usual 24. But as is the way of all championship teams, defeats are suffered in the early years. CYou see, our 1943-44 courtsters were comprised of numberless sophomores, one junior and a sprinkling of seniorsj It should be added that three or four frosh supported strongly. Another pleasant surprise awaited us as the season drew to a close. Climaxing many high-scoring feats, Jim Casey, this season's remnant of last year's Varsity, smashed the all time scoring record at St. Mary's. He bettered the 219 point record set last year by Ted Hogan by 6 points, and did this in 22 contests. Until next year, when the hoop again becomes a crown, we bid adieu to our parting seniors-Casey, Odell, Martin, Goodwin, and to all lovers of basketball in general. 'k14i' Mary's H. Maryls H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. Mary's H. McLean H. S .... . . , Cincinnatus H. S. . . Tully H. S. ....... . Alumni ........ . . . Truxton H. S. ..... . Homer Academy. . . Marathon H. S.. . . . Cincinnatus H. S.. . Marathon H. S.. . . . Tully H. S. ....... . Groton H. S. .,.... . Homer Academy. . . Truxton H. S. .... . Cardinals .,...,.... Groton H. S. ...... . George Junior ...... McLean H. S ..,. . . . Cardinals .......... Whitney Point ...,. Our Lady of Pompeii Whitney Point ..... Holy Family. .... . .