The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-11
PORTLAND WON.
South Portland Players Did Not
Know the Game.

Chasers.
Portland High school played team
from South Portland Saturday afternoon
on the Deering grounds. South Portland
did not score and showed a decided weak.
ness in the line and lack of knowledge
of the game. The team from across the
harbor is composed OF some we'll built,
rugged young fellows, who, with little
more training of the right sort and some
practice in the smashing up of plays,
would become a great team. They do
very well for the coaching they have had,
however, and on Saturday the game they
put up in the first 20 minutes was very
creditable exhibition. In the second half
the South Portland team went all to
pieces and though they fought stubborn
ly they could not break up the plays of
the High school team, nor could their
heavy backs make any impression against
the Portland line.
On the other hand the game that Port
land played was a very clever one. 1t
brought out the strong and weak points
VI bl6 UCtAlu W u AitOlJ et1lA w Ala 0iAoOupO-
eddy prove of great benefit to the team as
whole. In several ways the team has
improved since its game OF week ago,
and Coach Tom Pierce of Bowdoin has
done excellent work with the material at
his hand in that time. There was less
fumbling, faster playing, better defensive
work and the signals are well under
stood now. The team is greatly strength
ened by the addition of Underwood, who
is in his old position at full back. On
Saturday Underwood showed up III better
form than ever before and his work was
of the kind which won for him lots of
praise from the crowd of critics who saw
the game.
As a good smashing back Underwood
has had few equals in the High school
team for the last year or so. He is all
right in this respect now and coupled
with the goud work Of the backs and
guards Underwood made some wonder
full gains in Saturdays game. Then there
is an other hing about Underwood S
playing which will be of immense help
to Portland this year. He can kick goals
with any player of his experience in the
state and this means d good deal in a
close game. Weber and Files are all
right as bucks. The latter especially
distinguished himself by taking long
run around the South Portland end and
showed that he can sprint we'll and
squeeze through holes in way which
bothers the would be tacklers. On the
defensive work Portland is fast getting
down into better shape than ever before.
They understand breaking up plays and
Saturday they succeeded in stopping many
q move of the South Portland team. The
ends were well taken care of this year
and the whole line seems to be stronger
than it was last year at this time.
The absence of ringers from the
team is already showing its good effects.
The boys are all ambitious of making a
good team and they are willing to work
hard to put into the field an aggregation
which will be credit to the school.
The practice games are largely attended
and some good work is being done in
this direction. The team is also being
handled we'll by Anderson, who not only
knows his men, but who seems to be d
good general as well. On the whole the
outlook for a good years work is very
encouraging and with good coach the
Portland boys will be able to revenge
themselves for many defeat suffered at
the hands of Thornton, Hebron and Ban
gor in the past.
THE GAME.
The attendance Saturday afternoon was
not very large, but it WAS large enough
to show that Portland people have some
interest left in foot bail and would patro.
nize the games we'll if they are well
played. The wind was blowing strongly
| from the northwest when the game was
called and the Portland team winning
the toss, took the northerly goal and gave
to South Portland the ball. Fitzgerald
| kicked off for South Portland and the
ball went sailing through the air and
| landed in the arms of Weber on the q
yard line The interference lined uE
promptly and we'll, and Webber made e
yards before he was downcd, taking the
ball back into the centre of the field
Walker at quarter back was very nervous
apparently, for he funbled the ball twice
in succession and the last time it was
saved by Andersor, who fell on it in the
nick Of time. Portland had, however
lost her opportunity of making the nee
| essary five yards gain, and the ball went
to South Portland on downs.
South Portland's quarter back fumbled
twice and it looked as if the ball would
go back to Portland again, when Plum
took the sphere and banged through
| Portland 3 left tackle for five yard gain
| Fitzgerald followed wi h another gain
on the other side of the line and Their
South Portland fu1nbled again and An.
derson, who is always on hand at the
right spot and who Keeps the opponen
guessing all the time, got through the
| South Portland line and fell on the ball
| With the ball in their hands the Portland
| players took decided brace and Webbel
made the first gain of ten yards, a big
hole being opened up for him through the
right tackle Underwood, with some Of
his old time vim, smashed through cen
tire for Il yards gain. Thompson tried
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