Evening star., 1951-12-01
Reese St. Johns Ace
In Defeat Of Eastern;
$4,000 Watch Game
BY Brian Bell, Jr.

among the more than 40 high
school football teams in the area
and there was little to separate
them last night as the Johnnies
beat the Ramblers, 20-13 at Grit
fifth Stadium.
A big crowd estimated at $4,000
saw the two previously undefeatec
and united teams battle evenly
down to the last two minutes
when st. Johns stopped an East
ern drive on the Johnnies' four
yard line.
Both teams played hard but
clean football-St. Johns was
Ipenalized only five yards and
Eastern 20-and statistics showed
how close the battle was. The
Johnnies gained 100 yards rushing
and So passing. while Eastern
made 81 on the ground and SO in
the air, a difference of only two
yards in total offense.
Eastern First To Score.
Just as tight was the scoring
Eastern took a TO lead in the
first period and the Johnnies tied
things at TT In the second quar-
ter. st. Johns was ahead, 1877,
at halftime, but the score was
knotted, 1913. early in the third
quarter. The Johnnies scored the
winning touchdown midway in the
final period and held off the final
Eastern surge to win.
AS expected, the two great high
school lines battled each other on
even terms. And, also according
to form, the publicized stars played
standout football. Bob Reese, the
Johnnies' 200-pound quarterback,
scored all three of his teams
touchdowns and did everything
well. Tackle Frank Fannon was
another st. Johns star, while for
Eastern Ralph Sta. hard-running
Center Spencer Lam
piris and Bill Hunter. lanky end,
were everything they were sup
posed to be.
1t was fine climax to a great
season for ST. Johns. The
Catholic League cham
pions, finished the year with a
80 record. while the interhigh
titlist, Eastern, took its first loss
in 10 games. Especially gratify-
ing to the Johnnies was the chance
to reverse the result of the cham
game between the two
last year when Eastern
won, 60.
Joe Gallagher, st. Johns coach,
and Mush Dubofsky. his line
coach, both soaking wet after
being tossed into the shower by
their players, were all smiles.
Coach Praises Reese.
"The line did a great job and
I think Reese, who was always
cool and knew just what plays to
call. made the difference" GAL
lagher said.
Gallagher had praise for the
Eastern team as a whole and
Hunter in particular.
That was real good team we
played tonight" he commented,
"and that boy Hunter was ter
rife"
Dick Mentzer, Eastern coach,
and his players took the defeat
In fine fashion. The consensus
was they had played a good game
and been beaten by a fine club.
At the start, it appeared that
Eastern might repeat last years
victory. The Ramblers drove to
the st. Johns 1-yard line before
being stopped midway in the first
period. and just before the quarter
ended Sta got them touchdown.
He took fiat pass from Quarter
back Tommy McHan, seemed to
be trapped. but cut back, shook
off two fredericksburg his he'll
met in the process-and ran 25
yards to score. Dave Keys added
the point to get Eastern a TO
lead.
Pass for Extra Point.
However, st. Johns drove back
after the kickoff and went 68
yards. At of these by AL Kniseley
on a double reverse to the 6-yard
line, with Reese scoring from the
l on a quarterback sneak. Bob
passed to End Jim Hennesey on
a fake kick for the tying point.
Three minutes later st. Johns
was out in front after Reese had
passed 81 yards to End Ralph
who went out of bounds
at the l. The 200-pound quarter
back then smashed across the goal
line again. Bob Kelly's point was
wide.
Eastern tied the score early in
the second half on a McHan-to-
Hunter pass from the Johnnies'
26-yard line. Hunter took the toss
between two defenders at the 10
and got away for the score. Keys
point try was wide.
The Johnnies got the winning
touchdown with 7 minutes left in
the fourth quarter when they drove
Al yards. With Kniseley and Nick
Poulos catching Reese passes and
Fullback Brother Frye making
yardage on the ground, st. Johns
went to the half-yard line. Once
again Reese bucked across and
Kelly added the final point.
After the kickoff, Eastern roared
back. The Ramblers went 64 yards
to the 4-yard line before Guard
=. r.