Waco High School - Daisy Chain Yearbook (Waco, TX)

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contributed so nobly in the line that the Tiger backs might cover themselves with glory, had his own moment of personal triumph, The staying power of the Tigers was truly wonderful in this offensive classic. They proved once again that they were true champions. Blanton's passing, the line play of Myers, Gardner, and Vogel, the excellent play of Post at end, and the magnificent blocking of McCollum, were stand-out personal performances. But all of the Tiger players fought with savage fury and played with clocklike precision, so that no one could really be called VVaco's star. They were all stars. IIYIIVO 77Sft'f1lIt'lI F. iflhffl-ll U The Tigers had to go to Houston for their semifinal contest. There, at Rice Stadium, they met and defeated the huge Stephen F. Austin High School team of Houston on a rain drenched field. The game was as bitter and bruising as any the Tigers ever played. All afternoon it was a battle of lines. It was pound, pound, pound, with every man on the field taking a tremendous physical beating. The VVaco defense held magnificently in this, the one game in which the Tiger offense was throttled. VVaco fought its way down al- most to the Nlustang goal time and again, only to be thrust back hy that heavv fight- ing Houston line. At last, as the final seconds of the first half approached, VVaco took the ball on the Stephen F. Austin zo, after it had been repulsed from the very goal line a few minutes before. From here, Bob Burke faded back and heaved one of his famous long passes to Orville Post who was waiting on the 2 yard line. But Post was not in the clear. He was surrounded by Nlustang players. However, this fact didn't seem to bother him, for he leaped up from their midst, making a miraculous catch, and stepped over the goal, giving the Tigers their only store and a victory. Never did Stephen F. Austin seriously threaten, though it made one penetration in the third quarter on a long pass that was good for about go yards. The VVaco-Stephen F. Austin game will go down in history as one of the truly great defensive battles of all time. Such fury is seldom seen on a football field as was shown by both teams that day. The achievement of the VVaco line in holding the powerful Mustangs scoreless and in keeping the ball in Houston territory Pzllrlffic rr111't quite' t'Ilfl'lI il 115 Tyler closes in. '-if

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VVaco was again called upon to meet the Lions, this time in an important quarter- final game. Contrary to all predictions, the first half consisted of an extremely stout de- fensive battle. During the whole first quarter there was no score. The second quarter did produce two VVaco touch- downs. The first came when, early in the period. Harry Gardner intercepted a pass from the very arms of a Tyler receiver and galloped back up the field, with the assistance of beautiful blocking-3 by Mc- Collum, for about go yards and ai Tiger score, Then, later in the period, Leverett Bowen took a Tyler punt on his own 48 yard line and tight roped up the side line, worming away from Tyler tacklers, until he was in the clear and free to score the second VVaco touchdown. This was one of the most beautiful exhibitions of swivel-hipped running ever turned in by a VVaco player. VVith all this excitement, the Tigers had made only three first downs during the first half, and facing the strong Tyler passing attack, their position seemed extremely precarious. But three plays after the third period opened, Blanton, who had been injured earlier in the game but had returned to the lineup, shot through a wide hole over left tackle and skipped past the dazed Tyler secondary into the clear for a touch- down. The play gained 45 yards and put the Tigers ahead zo to o. After the kick- off, in practically no time, Tyler, aided by two pass interference rulings, had driven from VVaco's .to to a touchdown. VVaco slashed right back down to the Tyler zo yard line, from which point Burke heaved a remarkable running pass. bearing a striking similarity to the one he had thrown against Breckenridge the pre- vious week, squarely into the waiting arms of Orville Post, who leaped up beautifully to snare in the ball as he stood in the end zone between two Tyler de- fenders. The Lions replied with a splen- did series of passes, making the score 27 to I3 in favor of VVaco. But the Tigers were not to be denied, and as the XVaco line came charging in to rush the harried Tyler passer, Blanton intercepted his des- perate heave and weaved his way through a broken field .io yards to the Tyler goal. Not content with this, the Tigers scored once more, when Lloyd Myers inter- cepted another Tyler pass on the Lion 20 and raced unmolested to a touchdown. It is indeed gratifying that Myers, who had rllffilnffllzzz reefs off yarrfagc ngninrf lfiffrfmro fenm.

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most of the afternoon, was a tremendous one, but it took a heavy toll and left the Tigers in a weakened condition for the state final the following week. VVe cannot say too much for the line. Orville Post played a fine game, not only at end but also at quarterback after the injury of McCollum. McCollum's blockingand sig- nal calling were magnificent. Vogel play- ed another great game. The speedy Boyygl and the powerful Pulattie were at their best. But once more, the Tigers wan by team work, not by individual brilliance., Lubbock .20fI,ylIl'0 If-ff we 5 In the Tigers' last game of the sea- son, the state final, they met a defeat that ranked even above the one in their opening game as a heart-breaker. VVith the state championship hanging in the balance, Waco, battered and worn by the Houston game, fought its great heart out against the worst of breaks and the in- spiration of a fine Lubbock team, only to lose in the closing minutes of the game, Early in the first quarter, after prodi- gious punting had pushed VVaco back deep into its own territory, the VVesterners took over on the Tiger 17, from which point their great back, Alford, carried over on a fine run. Waco came back with that fighting determination that had al- ready been responsible for so many vic- tories, and drove down to the Lubbock 2, where a tragic fumble lost an almost cer- tain touchdown. For the time, the Tiger spark dwindled and once more the mighty VVesterners started to move. They inter- cepted a Waco pass in their own territory, gse.t.ting off-ga furious drive which netted them, another 6 points. So when the .Tigers started the third quarter, they were -behind lg, too- But early in that period VVaeo'recoverecl a fumble on the Lubbock 42, from ivliehfpoint it fought its way to the 2 yardline. Then Pulattie carried over on last down. Bowen's conversion left Waco only 6 points behind. A few minutes later the Tigers fought from the Westerner 77 to the 5 from where Blan- ton crashed over, carrying a good portion of the Lubbock team along with him. The conversion put VVaco ahead by i point. VVaco had fought its way to the lead by sheer determination, had come back after being behind by iq points. But the Tigers were not in the physical shape that they had been in for their other games, and were playing a great team and an inspired team. Lubbock had the wind in the final Bo-zt'r'11 'zt'mft's Iflrougfl I4'0l'f7ll.l' Clzrixffx Burr.