The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-12
One Break Set Wildcats Back On Heels;
Caps, Bulldogs Hold Top Tie In League
BY GENE WARREN

10y OGINL WAftHEN
A bad break in the opening
seconds of Fridays Wilmington
Raleigh game cost the Wildcats
their 10Th straight loss to Ra-
leigh and first Eastern Class IA
conference loss of the 1947 sea-
son.
Charlie Smith, one of the most
promising. MINIS runners and a
star Of two previous Wilde a
games, was the unfortunate
player on this decisive stroke of
fate.
1t was 158-pound Charlie who
took Gene Ferrell's kickoff on
his 10 and a it brilliantly back
to the Wilmington SO before
Dick Sommers hit Smith, knock
ing the ball out of his hands.
That break was like a slap in
the face to the Wildcats, and it
was a stunned Wilmington team
which went through the motions
for the remainder of the game.
Raleigh knew if the Wildcats
were kept deep in their own ter
ritory, a victory was inevitable.
And that was just what happen
ed. The Caps rolled down. were
pushed back, and rolled down
again until they scored.
Then in the second half. the
Wildcats, who had received at
the start of the contest, kicked
off to their opponents. Dick
Sommers 0 d down til e
field, bringing it into safe Of
fensive territory. The second
half was just a replica of the
first half. Wilmington was bot
tied up, and could never get
going, until Homer Brewer pull
ed the old sleepy end routine in
the fourth period. Time ran out,
however, and the Cats walked
to their dressing room with a
Raleigh jinx which has stayed
with the Port City since 1928
still a pain in the neck.
Many fans believed the Wild
cats were wrong in punting on
first down after they had stop
ped the two Cap drives in the
first quarter. Jim Gibson
ordered to boot. and Raleigh
kept the ball in Wilmington ter
ritory. During tn whole first
half, Wilmington had only on e
! chance to go with the pigskin.
That was after the Caps h a d
scored. The Cats worked to the
80 yard line of Wilmington, and
with fourth down, Johnny Crow
lev did not know which to do. .
take a chance and run it or
kic11. Time was called, and
Brogden rushed in a substitute
with the orders. Gibson kicked.
Little Homer Brewer was the
only Wildcat offensive spark
after that damaging first our
ter tumble. He came in and
pulled the sleepy end play per-
fectly. When Brogden, in a last
ditch effort to score, pulled his
box formation plays out Of the
bag, it was little $50 = pound
Brewer who did the ground
gaining.
Charlie Smith, a big gun in
Wilmington's wins over Rocky
Mount and Wadesboro, could
never get over his tumble in the
opening seconds. He tried hard,
but Brogden took him out, know
ing that the boy was sick over
his bobble. It was one of the
breaks of the game, and Brog
had seen them happen m any
times.
Sonny Ussery, Dick Sommers,
and Jimmy Lesane performed
brilliantly Or the Caps. Ussery
averaged 40 yard on his punts
despite the fact that he kicked
many times after being hit hard
on running plays. Twice time
had to be called for the flashy
Raleigh h a1fback k, who was
game all the way. Lesane's fine
quarter backing also merits
praise. He saw a weakness IN
Wilmington's defense in the first
period when an eight-man line
was used against the Caps. So
he Just used his southpaw pass
ing arm for three straight con-
Meeting throws to right end Gene
Terrell. Those losses were In
strumental in Raleigh's scoring.
Little Jimmy Piner was the
defensive star for the Wildcats.
His fiery work kept the line on
it's toes in stopping the first two
Pa7nieh drives. He played the
whole came. Brewer, who re-
lieved Smith, stood out on the
offensive, and Bill Kuhn did well
front.