The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-23

rat fans had been in the habit of crticizing, they changed habits
And if there was a better way to end a season, we don't know Of it
Friday nights Wildcat victory flung down the curtain
on what has been just a fair season in New Hanover High
schools 1947 schedule. There was no conference championship,
and no state championship like the ones which came Will
mington way during the basketball season and the baseball
era this year. But, there have been compensatons.
Fans here can remember the 1947 season for a few major
events. First the Wildcats played what was probably the roughes
high school schedule in the state. While Coach Leon Brogder
didn't bring any titles to New Hanover, he brought some line
football. He brought, outside of the league tits, games with
Charleston, Maury and Petersburg which spiced the schedule ii
no small manner. It has often been the habit OF schools and col
1ege to schedule swhat has become popularity known as breather
when grid machines 60 outside their conferences. It's an old trick
to make a season look good even when family foes knock YOU
block off. Brogden employed no such tactics and 1t may be Sale
that with the exception of the Wadesboro tilt and possibly the
Eastern Carolina Teachers College freshman clash, sectional rivals
proved tougher opposition than Glass IA loop teams.
It wouldn't be difficult for Brogden next year to make his
Job easier by lining up a few games with some anemic elevens
and in that manner bring victory to Wilmington a little more
often. But, the fan who wants victory instead OF good COMPETE
ton is off base.
The Cats won five, lost four and tied two for their 1947 eff
forts. They scored 147 points against 88 for their opponents if ou1
memory is working correctly and # it isn't, we don't think that:
far wrong.
There were, we think, several keys to the Wildcat story
this year. Several minor things chat spelled a lot of big things.
One was the position best suited to Irwin Gore, who played a
fine center during the latter part of the year. We think that
Jimmy Piner operated the T formation in excellent style, but
Brogden had the right idea in playing Gore at quarterback as
he started to do before disp1easure was evidenced in great gobs.
A second key was Cndrue Smltn, VII Was Lc STAR VI tHc
Petersburg game in our humble opinion. Smith just started off
too good, and couldn't possibly keep up his opening game
pace. Had he done so, he would have been legendary.
But, the season is over. We personally think the Cats had
a good year and tip this old fedora to the white-jerseyed warriors
and their coaching staff. The rugged schedule just concluded will
mean more to the Cats when they begin collegiate play than any
undefeated season might have meant.
Defeating Petersburg was not the easy task it appeared to
be. OF course the Crimson Wave was suffering from the loss
of its star back, Bill Stevens, but even so it took some out
standing play by the Wildcat front wall to get the ground Of
fensive moving as smoothly as it did and eliminate any neces-
siy Of going into the air. In a sky battle, the result might
have been different.
For most of the fans the SO yard pass from Jim Gibson to
Homer Brewer for the second score was the highlight. For some
fans the touchdown runback of a punt by Brewer was the feature
For us, again hurnbly, we suggest that Smiths block on the five
yard line of a Wave tackler, that permitted Brewer to score
standing up was the finest bit of teamwork seen at Legion Stadium
this year.
Another thing the Wildcat fans have had this season has
been outstanding line play. If there is a better lneman in the
conference than Bill Kuhn, we haven't seen him. But Kuhn
is only one part of the line. Extensively, Doc venters, Craig
Hampton, Gore, Deck Jordan, Kuhn, Ed Garfield, Bobby Haas,
and Il. L. Sanderson have played a lot of football. Defensively
ditto.
Despite his steady yard-gaining, Gibson, we think, stands out
on defense. Petersburg backs had Gibson's arms around them 50
often they nearly married the guy to make it legal. And as if that
wasn't enough, he passed for a score. Smiths buzzlike slashes off
tackle and around end showed the value of the T formation Fri
day night as it hasn't been shown here before. Against it, Peters
burgs offensive looked sluggish.
Brewer was just Brewer again and that's enough for any
kid to be. He spoiled the Virginians' evening by letting them
know that you don't always get the horizontal just cause
you've been tackled. The only thing wrong with Brewer is
that he isn't twins. And Piner couldn't have called his plays
any more effectively. 1t might be mentioned here that as a
tribute to Piner, there was not one Cat tumble on plays
starting from the line of scrimmage.
There were others that made the Wildcat follower a happy
fan Friday. Honeycutt, Gregg, Bolton, Haas, Crowley, Quarles,
Lewis and the rest of the gang. Their season has been no disgrace.
In fact, we hope that Brogden and MINIS will get to work
at once on putting together another rugged schedule win
'em or lose 'em -. lets keep some good teams on the Cat list.
And bringing back Petersburg wouldn't be any error. Teams
which pass when they need one yard for a first down, teams which
pass deep IN their own territory -. they're the razzle-dazzle boys
that make a night in Legion Stadium yes even there - en-
joyable.