Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-10-22
MERRILL WINS
FOOT BALL GAME
Merrill Makes Touchdown in Last
Quarter Rapids Scores on
Safety in First Quarter


The score shows the comparativ We
strength Of the teams. 1t would prob
ably be hard to find two teams more
evenly matched. Grand Rapids team
was fully as good as the team from
up the creek except in the matter of
ends. Merrill owes a lot to those
fast ends. Time after time they got
behind tie Rapids line and broke up
the play before the man carrying
the ball had got ten started.
At FIST, the Rapids line was IN
able to stem the fierce line, plung-
ing Of the Merrill backs and it
was not until Merrill had made first
down three times, the last 10 on an
end run that the Rapids line really
got together and held The Merrill
team seemed to solve the Rapids
trick plays and to break up the
usually successful interference of the
home team.
The game was a good one and re-
suited in the ball being in the air
a great deal Both teams had to re-
sort to punting on the fourth down
many times and it kept the battle
shifting from one end of the field
to the other. The greater part of
the struggle took place between the
two FORTY yard lines. At first Mer-
rill kept the ball in Rapids territory
a slight margin to their credit in
that way. However, after the Rap
ids line once stiffened, they held
like a rock. In fact had the work of
the ends at all compared with that
of the line men on defensive play,
Merrill would never have scored a
touchdown.
The Rapids men were wholly talk
en- by surprise at the fierceress of
the Merrill line plungers. The Rap
ids men were suffering from a spasm
of overconfidence caused by their
easy victory over New London and
it took them a little while to real
ize that they were up against a sup
erbIy trained and efficient team.
Rapids kicked off to Merrills 20
yard line and Merrill brought the
ball back 20 yards. Merrill made first
down twice by straight line backing,
and ten more by an end run Rapids
line holds for downs and Babcock
made 10 yards around left end. Mer-
rill holds for downs on Rapids 40
yard line. Merrill can't make amy
thing through the lines and punts
to Rapids 10 yard lime. Ball is re
turned 10 yards. Rapids lis penaized
Is yards for holding Pal Johnson
punted 40 yards and the ball rolled
20 yards more before it was STOP
ped. MerriIl's ball on their own s.
ard line. Mullen intercepted a for
ward pass. Here the ball changed
HANDS and Went over the Merrill
goal line where NatWick doWned a
Merrill play err lie impetuous to
the ball having been given by a Mer--
riIl player it is counted as a safety
and the Rapids scored two points
Merrillss bali ON 20 yard line. Mer-
riIl forced to punt. BabcOck went
through line for yards and Johnson
punted 40 yards. Rapids line holds
and Merrill lis forced to punt. Ball
on Rapids 40 yard line at end of
first quarter.
Rapids ball. Babcock makes To-
ward through line and Pal Johnson
Attempts drop kick. Kick blocked. Mer-
rill intercepts forward pass, and
makes Is yards on forward pass. Mer-
rill punts over goal line and Mullen
ran it back to 5 yard line. Pal John
son kicks 45 yards. Merrill returns
kick 80 yards. End Of second quarter
Rapids 2, Merrill, 0.
Last Half.
Merrill kicks off. Merrill gets ball
ON tumble. Loses ball ON downs. Pal
Johnson kicks 80 yards. Merrill re-
turns punt 80 yards. Rapids makes
first down twice and then Babcock
made a 80 yard run around left end.
Pal kicks out of bounds. Merrill's
ball on 20 yard line Forward pass
intercepted by Mullen. Rapids loses
ball on tumble. Merrill tries trick
play and fails. Merrill punts. Rapids
penal;zed 5 yards for being off side.
MerrIll's ball in middle Of field. Mer-
rill make 20 yards around right end
on trick play. End of third quarter.
Last Quarter.
MerriIs ball on Rapids 20 yard
line. Merrill carries ball to Rapids
1 yard line. Three line bucks and
Merrill goes over for touch down.
The Rapids line strived desperately
to keep Merrill from the touchdown,
but the distance was too small to
hold them enough.
Merrill failed to kick goal. Score,
Merrill, 6, Rapids 2.
Merrill kicked off. Rapids return
ed ball Is yards and. Johnson kicked
30 more. Merriu's ball on own 30
ward line. Merrill punts out of bounds
Rapids ball on 80 yard line. Mer-
rill penalized 5 yards for being off