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Hornets Skin Gators, 18-6
Potent Westfield Defense
Propels ‘ Spring ’ Game Win
BY PHIL CLARK
A tenacious defense,
particularly in the first
half, helped the Westfield
Hornets to an 18-6 victory
over River North In the
spring football game for
bosh schools. If was a
long time coming, too,
this first-ever win over
the Gators, and although
it was only an exhibition
game, it was sweet music
to Coach Marvin
Arrington and his staff.
Hampered for most of the
past three weeks by bad
weather, the Hornet staff
obviously made the most
of the time they had,
judging from the outcome
of the game.
It was a cold, football
type night as the game
got underway. Westfield
won the toss of the coin,
and got possession on
their own 40 (there were
no kickoffs or punts in the
game). Two yard gains
by Gene Moreland and
Bill O'Neal, and four by
Donny Arrington failed to
move the chains, and the
Hornets gave up the ball.
In lieu of a punt, the ball
was moved 35 yards
downfield on the fourth
and 2 situation.
With the Gators in
possession at their own
21, Mark Richardson
stopped Todd Harper for
no gain, then Harder two
to the 23, and on third
down, Harder, getting his
third straight call,
fumbled the ball to the
Hornets' Ben White at the
Gator 24. With a great
opportunity, the Hornets
called on Arrington for
six yards on first down, to
the Gator 18. Two running
plays moved to the 16, but
on fourth down, Matt
Jerles fumbled the ball
behind the line of
scrimmage, and the
Gators' Gary Shepard
claimed it for River
North at the Gator 35.
Three plays later it was
fourth and 14 at the 31, as
the Hornet Mean Green
defense was just that, and
following the 35 yards
allowed for the punt, the
Hornets were back in
business at their own 34
yard line. And that's
when Bill O'Neal took a
handoff from Jerles, cut
off left tackle, headed to
the sidelines and outran
the Gator secondary to
the end zone for a 66 yard
touchdown that brought
the small, chilly crowd
whooping to its feet. The
score came with 4:46 left
in the first quarter, and it
was to be all the scoring
for over twelve minutes
of play.
Westfield's defense,
especially in the first
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Darryl Duckworth (86)
....Chases Gator Ball Carrier In Spring Game
half, was in top form,
with Mark Richardson,
Jim McKinney, Ben
White, Jeff Kennedy and
Eric Griffen up front and
Bill O'Neal in the
secondary making big
plays in the first half. A
big defensive play turned
the ball over late in the
half, and led to the second
Hornet score. It's the
Gators' ball, fourth down
and two at the Westfield
37. Buzz Allen handed off
to the workhorse tailback
Paul Sharp, but Ben
White and Jeff Kennedy
met him head-on at the
line of scrimmage. No
gain. Hornets' ball at
their own 37. A Gator off
side penalty made it first
and five at the 42, then
O'Neal gained four,
Arrington two and a first
down at the 48. Then Matt
Jerles hit Darryl Duck
worth for 35 yards on a
great reception and run,
down to the River North
20. A five yard Hornet
penalty put it back to the
25, but Arrington and
O'Neal got the five yards
back and on third down,
Jerles threw incomplete
to Duckworth, but came
right back and hit Gene
Moreland in the right
flats, and the tough
running tailback took it in
for a 12-0 lead with 3:53
left in the half. That score
stood up, and Westfield
fans had something to
talk about during the
intermission. The River
North coaches obviously
had done some talking,
too, as the Gators tried to
snap back to open the
second half.
With possession at their
own 40 starting the
second half, five running
plays netted 27 yards and
moved the chains twice
before the Hornet defense
could regroup. Then
Kennedy stopped Jay
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PAGE 15-A
THURS., MAR 23, 1978
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A I • T
Chilly Westfield Fans
....Keep Warm In 18-6 Win Over Gators
Cochran for no gain on a
first down run at the
Westfield 33, and Harder
fumbled after a hard hit
at the Hornet 29, and
Duckworth caught the
loose football in midair
tor Westfield. Two plays
later, however, O'Neal
tumbled and the Gators
had it right back at the
Hornet 33. After a fifteen
yard holding penalty
moved it out to the 48,
River North began their
deepest penetration of the
night. Sharp gained 30 on
two carries to the 18.
Harder picked up 2,
Sharp another 5, then
Harder two more to the
nine yard line. Griffen
and Kennedy made the
stop short of a first down
and on the next play,
White made his second
fumble recovery of the
night, at the Hornet 3
yard line. But even with a
15-yard face mask
penalty, Westfield could
only move the ball to the
19, and had to give it up,
the Gators getting
possession at their 46.
Ten plays later, the
Gators still had the ball,
but the Hornet defense
was hanging in there ...
and finally forced a
"punt” from the 37. The
thirty five yards allowed
for the punt put the ball
all the way down to the
Westfield 2 yard line on
the Hornets' first
possession of the fourth
quarter.
On first down, Bill
O'Neal lost the handle,
and David Leverette
claimed it at the five yard
line tor River North. It
took three cracks at the
line, but quarterback
Buzz Allen finally got it in
tor the score from a yard
out, with 8:34 left in the
game to make it 12-6.
After a half dozen
possession exchanges,
and River North deep in
their own territory,
defensive back Mike
Stovall intercepted an
Allen pass intended for
Randy Brown, and ran it
in from fifteen yards out
for the Hornets final
touchdown. Rex Ellis
made a key block on the
return at the Gator 10, on
which the Gators Andy
Meadows was shaken up.
That TD made it 18-6
Hornets with just 37
seconds to go, and two
passes later, Ellis made
an interception to put the
game away for the
Hornets, the first football
win ever for Westfield
over River North.
Greg Gentry is
recovering from surgery
following a freak
trampoline accident,
Candler Pritchett has a
separated shoulder, and
five other players did not
dress out for the game,
but Coach Marvin
Arrington had something
to smile about. He found
some new faces who will
help next year. Jim
McKinney, who returns
to Westfield after a year
in Valdosta, gave the
Hornets a good rush from
right defensive end.
Donny Arrington ran well
at fullback with 31 yards
in seven carries. Mike
Stovall and Rex Ellis
should provide excellent
relief in the defensive
secondary, and veterans
like Gene Moreland, now
the tailback, and linemen
Mark Richardson, Jeff
Kennedy, Eric Griffen,
Andy Poole, Wes
Goodroe, Ben White,
Chuck Kezar and Darryl
Duckworth and backs Bill
O'Neal and Matt Jerles
proved that the Hornets
can play well as a unit.
The atmosphere in the
coaches office after the
game was relaxed.
Marvin Arrington was
happy. Percy Hardy was
hoarse. B.J. Eble was
Winners Announced
Spring Has Sprung At HLCC
The members of
Houston Lake Country
Club thought that Spring
would never arrive, but
glancing around the club,
there are now members
all over with their tennis
racquets, golf clubs and
decks of cards. (Well,
Bridge is a sport too, isn't
it?).
The club held a Round
Robin Tennis Tour
nament on Sunday,
March 12. In first place
was the team of Susie
Varner - Riley Hunt.
Giving them a run for
their money and coming
in second was the team of
Margaret Esterlin and
Terry Todd.
hungry. And the first
order of business was a
call to Greg Gentry's
hospital room with a
short, sweet message
from Marvin Arrington...
"The Good Guys won, 18-
6."
Arrington said "we got
a good effort from our
defensive people, and the
youngsters we called on
helped us. Our offense
will be better after
they've played together
long enough to learn each
other. I was real proud of
our line, both ways. It
was the first lime we've
beaten these people, and
I'm proud of them."
Someone said after the
game, and it pretty much
summed up the game,
"we sent them Gators on
back to Macon with lock
jaw, but at least their
bellies were still
dragging the ground."
And that's the way it
went, out there on the
gridiron, at least until
next August. But it ended
on a happy note. Like the
man said, "The Good
Guys won, 18-6."
Rushing: Westfield -
Jerles 1 for minus 1;
Moreland 12 for 23;
Arrington7for3l; O'Neal
16 for 89.
River Norfh - Harder 18
for 39; Sharp 25 for 106;
Brown 4 for 12; Gustin 2
for 11; Allen 2 for minus
1.
Passing: Wesffield -
Jerles 2 of 5 for 55 yards, 1
TD
River North - Allen 3 of
9 for 34 yards, two in
terceptions
Receiving: Westfield
Duckworth 1 for 35;
Moreland 1 for 20 (TD)
River Norfh - Sharp 3
for 34.
Scoring
WESTFIELD: O'Neal
66 yard run; Moreland 20-
yard pass from Jerles;
Stovall 15-yard return of
interception
RIVER NORTH: Allen,
1 yard keeper
This tennis group
(mixed partners) meets
every second Sunday
afternoon at 2:00. Ursula
Hunt is chairman of this
group.
On Thursday morning,
March 16, the Houston
Lake Ladies Tennis
Group met for an en
joyable round of tennis.
Those there to play were:
Diane Harrington, Jean
Bennett, Sherrill
Pinkney, Betty Byrd,
Paula Geiger, Joan
Allison, Gail Spivey,
Doris Hulbert, Betty
Carter and Mary Ann
Severs. This group meets
each Thursday morning
, b
Gene Moreland (40)
....On The Loose Against River North
Sign-Up Continues 0$
Jr. League
Tips Off 23rd I
Season May 18
Registration for Junior
League and Pee Wee
Baseball will continue on
March 25 at Ochlahat
chee Club House from
9:30 till one o'clock. Boys
who will be 6 on or before
May 30, 1978 and who will
not be 9 on or before May
1, 1978 may sign up for
Pee Wee League. Boys
who are 9 on or before
May 1, 1978 and who will
not be 13 on or before July
18, 1978 may register for
Junior League Baseball.
Registration fee of SIO.OO
includes insurance wish
no deductable for bosh
Coach Percy Hardy
....Issues Orders To Hornet Defense
at 9:00 a.m. All beginners
and those who are
"working on their game"
are invited to come and
join the group.
Lots of bridge is being
played at the club also.
On Thursday evening,
March 9, five tables
competed in the weekly
Duplicate Bridge game.
Coming in first this
evening were Dr. Jim
Whitaker and Ken
Bowers. In second place
was the team of Frances
Manship and Duane
Inskeep; in third place
were Billie Sexton and
Doris Hulbert and in forth
place was the team of
leagues and a seam and
individual photograph is
included in the
registration fee.
Junior League begins
it's season on Thursday
May 18, 1978. Pee Wee
League will begin It's
season on May 30, 1978
with both leagues
finishing up on July 17,
1978. Both leagues will
participate in a 4 team
double elimination
tournament.
Andrew Hardware
Company will be the
defending champion in
Junior League play while
Jean Bennett and Marian
Stubbs.
The morning Duplicate
Bridge group met on
Wednesday, March 15.
Four tables participated
in this competition.
Tallying the greatest
number of points was the
team of Jo Drew and
Beulah Sain. Coming In a
close second were Kopie
O'Neal and Betty
Fesmire and placing
third was the team of
Frances Manship and
Betty Hafley.
Thursday evening,
March 16, found the
Evening Duplicate Group
again trying their skill
The Exchange Club will
be protecting their crown
in Pee Wee Play. Other
teams vying for the
Jun ior League wi 11 be The
Bank of Perry, Tolleson
Lumber Co., Kiwanis
Club, Goodroe Realty,
and Beavers Insurance
while Richardson Realty
Co., Walker-Rhodes,
First National Bank,
Rotary Club and Capri
Restaurant will be vying
for the Pee Wee Crown.
The league wishes to
thank these fine sponsors
for their continual sup
port.
(and luck) at gaining the
highest scores. This
evening there was a tie
for first place between
the teams of Kay Allen -
Kopie O'Neal and Jo
Drew Maria Whallen. In
third place were Frances
Manship and Duane
Inskeep; and in fourth
place was the team of
Stewart Richardson and
Bill Willis.
The Evening Duplicate
Group meets each
Thursday evening at 7:30.
Those members in
terested in playing
Duplicate, bring a part
ner and come to the club
for an enjoyable evening.