Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-02-19

Written by a Student in Junior
Class for Practice Work

The football season Of 1913 proved
to be a most successful and interest
ing one, Its success was not acct
dental but was the result OF the
hard work of a well chosen team. 1t
is seldom that anything worth while
is accomplished by chance, .eonse-
quently, this years unusual record
was the result OF the labor of a most
faithful and determined team. Prep
arations for a winning season began
immediately upon the opening of
school and the practice continued
regularly until the end of the sea
son. Untiringly the boys reported
for practice every evening after
school, and played until dark with
the vigor and enthusiasm that de-
mands success.
The second team also deserves
credit for the willingness they show
ed in making the first team a win
ming one, for when so powerful a
first team imagines that. a second
team is their opposing enemy. it is
not an inviting evenings occupation.
However. the second team often man
aged to hold its own against the
first team, which made the practice
games Immensely interesting.
The first team played seven outside
teams this season, all of whom were
supposed to have considerable ability
in football playing The first game
was played on our home field with
Stevens Point Normal The Normal
men We're very positive of their vic
tory before the game, but We're
astOunded at the end of the game
when Grand Rapids scored % points,
making the score 25-0 Tho the gamt
was hard fought, it prepared the boy
for a battle with Wausau the next
and after a long dispute
over the score, We were finally cred
tied with 2 points, and Wausau
with none This victory was a great
honor, and the boys began to feel
their ability When the next game
was played with Marshfield the vic
tory was. easier, and in like manner /
Marshfield followed the fate of the
teams, the score being
bn
easiest of the season, resulting in
the score, 1870 in our favor There |
was doubt in Grand Rapids mind |
when the team met the teamof La
Crosse, for La Crosse boosted, before |
the game, of the fact that the game |
would merely be a practice game for
them; consequently, our Enthusiasm
reached its highest point when Grand
Rapids secured nine points, leaving |
La Crosse to follow with the other |
teams who received zero mark.
The out of town game was played i
with Merrill, who had been favored |
with the. reputation of having a |
weak team. The weather was UNI |
favorable, for the day was cold and |
stormy; there was some trouble |
trouble about a touchdown made by |
Grand Rapids, so the game ended
with d 90 score. OF course the team |
was disappointed, but went to Sparta |
to fight the last battle
to decide the championship. They |
met their Waterloo there, yet, met it
manfuly. The score, 60-2 in Sparta's
favor was rather startling and unex
Dected, but considering that athlet-
cs is the important thing in Sparta's
nigh school, and that their men av-
eraged two years older than ours,
he defeat did not seem so great.
Sparta was the only team to score
against Grand Rapids during the
entire season; of this point we are
very proud.
The rules made two years ago pro
libiting the use of tobacco during
he football and basketball seasons
raised the moral athletic standard
IF our school as a whole, but this
years was unusual because very few