Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-11-07
Jackets Play
Well Against
Oxford Eleven

oke Rapids High School Friday
night turned in what Coach Dan
eagle termed "their best home
performance" here in holding
the heavily-favored Oxford High
School football team to a 1910
victory.
Instead of the wide-open Of
fensive game expected by fans,
1t W. a clash of defensive
teams and one in which breaks
PLAYED major part.
Oxford scored first in the clos
ing seconds of the first half,
then turned a fumbled pass in
to another touchdown in the fin
al quarter for the only scoring
OF the game. The Jackets play
ed much of the game in Oxford
territory but never penetrated
further than the 28-yard line.
First downs were few and to-
tai yardage for both teams was
relative little. The locals reeled
off two first downs in the final
minute of the game on two plays
which took them from their own
seven yard line to the Oxford
81 before the clock ran out to
end the game.
During the first half neither
team was able to make much
headway, with the Jackets
Vance Stewart constantly keep
ing the visitors backed into their
own territory with long punts.
Toward the end of the second
period Stewart got off a boom
ing punt which carried 81 yards
from scrimmage into the Oxford
end zone for an automatic touch
back and the ball came out to
the 20.
Harold Currin, fleet Oxford
halfback got into action from
that point and carried to a first
down. Currin then took the ball
on his own 80 and moved right
through the center of the line
behind some good blocking or
a 3A-vard iaunt which carried tc
the Roanoke Rapids 3 before
he was caught and knocked out
of bounds by Stewart, the only
man between him and a touch.
down. Sid Cuts threw a lonf
INCOMPLETE pass, then Currin
dropped back and 1obbed pas.
to his right to John Parham
speedy wingback, who cut in be
hind the defenders and took tn,
ball on the Roanoke Rapids six
yard line and went on into tn,
end zone for the first touchdow,
with only seconds remaining i,
the half. Currin's ATTEMPTED
conversion kick from placemen
was wide.
Early in the third quarter OK
ford staged another mild threa
when Calvin Baton fumblet
Currin's punt after savage tao
kle on the Roanoke Rapids 2
recovered by Tom Chappell fo
Oxford. The Jackets dug in
however, and took over the bal
four plays later on their own &c
In the last quarter Carltol
Matthews connected with en-,
. Hubert Lowder on a spot pas
play but the ball bounced ava,
from Lowder and was snagge,
by Parham in what sideliner
disagreed on whether or not
was an intercepted pass or
mid-air. tumble recovery. Par
ham streaked his way to tn,
Roanoke Rapids 10 before h
was stopped.
From that point Currin hit tn,
line three times then connecte,
on a short pass to Nat M. Bur
we'll for first down on the JAG
ket seven-yard stripe. Cutt
then took the bal; and cut of
left tackle and fell forward int
the end zone when he was hi
at the line. Currin's point tr,
was again wide.
In the final minute of tn
game the Jackets took over OF
their seven and sent Stewart ou
wide to the left on their forma
ton. Tommy Myrick tossed tn
ball out to Stewart VIII,
passed up the field to Wordes
Felts who gathered in the bal
on the 46. Stewart then passe,
out of Myrick's reach and OF
the last play of the game Stew
art went wide to the left, GU
upheld and snagged Myrick'
pass on the Oxford 80 when tn,
final horn sounded.
Myrick and Baton, both o
whom were moved up just Mon
day from the junior varsit,
squad, played good ball in thei
first varsity encounter. Myricl
drew the starting fullback as
signment, when Matthews wa
shifted to wingback. Donalt
Burton, Jayvee guard, played ;
bangup game on defense. Mat
thews, backing up the line, wa
one of the outstanding defensiv
men on the field.
The Oxford backfield showed