Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-10-19
WEBSTER CITY
DEFEATS nevada
Local High School Captures Football
Contest at Nevada by a
Margin of Twenty
Five Points.
GRIDIRON WAS WATER-SOAKED.
Smallness Of Score Came Somewhat
as a Surprise to the Webster
City Team.
GR1DIRON WAS WATER-SOAKED.


team Saturday afternoon put up an
excellent exhibition of the game on
their home gridiron, and held Web
ster City to a margin of four touch
downs and one goal-kick.
The smallness Of the score came
somewhat as surprise to the Web
ster City team, who had hoped to
run up an impressive margin of
points in this contest. Nevada,
however, was evidently pointed"
for this game, and fought desperate
ly from the very beginning, playing
their heavier opponents almost to a
standstill throughout the first half.
The Webster City squad was also
badly afflicted with an over-confi-
dence which subsequent events prov
ed to be far from warranted.
The game was played on water
soaked gridiron covered with long
tangled grass, and speedy playing
was impossible to either team.
Nevada received the ball on the
kickoff, and came at the Webster
City line with a rush which soon
carried them nearly to the goal.
Here Webster City gained the ball
on downs. Greenwood punted ten
yards. Nevada carried the ball the
second time. to Webster City's two
yard line,. but lost it to France on
tumble. Greenwood punted twenty
yards. The quarter ended soon af-
ter, the score being to O.
The second period showed . very
little improvement from the Web
ster City standpoint. The Webster
City boys seemed bewildered by the
simple plays of the Nevada team,
and failed to take the aggressive at
any time. Poor generalship on the
part of the quarterback in choosing
plays and slowness in calling signals
did much to delay the attack of the
visitors. Late in the quarter, how
ever, lucky touchdown was secur-
ed by Gilmore. Skirting right end
and darting swiftly and unerringly
through the field of Nevada players,
he succeeded in out-distancing them
all for a safe tally between the goal
posts. Goal was missed, making the
tally at the close of the first half 8
to 0 for Webster City.
A complete reversal of form char
acterized the second half. Nevada
still fought gamely, but Coach 81
ferts talk to the Webster City team
between halves seemed to be the
tonic needed for over-confidence,
and the listless playing of the open
ing session was at an end. Gilmore
added another touchdown during the
period, which made the count IL to
0, Lane missing goal.
The fourth period found Webster
City tearing great holes in Nevada's
fast t-weakening defense, and the
game became a series of marches to-
ward the goal Gilmore scored his
third straight touchdown soon after
the beginning, and Greenwood miss
ed goal. France also scored six
point tally, and Lane added another
point with the only successful goal
kick of the game With three min
utes left to play, Webster kicked to
Nevada, held on down, and when the
final whistle blew the ball was rest
ing in Frances possession one foot
from the goal. Many Of the specta-
tors declared that the ball had been
pushed over the line on the play;
howe ever, the referee decided other
wise.
The game was marked by frequent
penalties, some of which were de-
served. Simpsons consistent work
at left tackle was a feature Of the
game. France and Gilmore were the
other shining lights of the Webster
City eleven. In general it may be
said that many of the men who
starred at offense were correspond
ingly weak in defense.
This was the fourth game of the
Webster City schedule, and the third