Tiger make last
By CHUCK HESS,
JR.
“Merrily We Roll Along” was
the
Sweeping up and down the
gridiron like one of the dread German panzer divisions of World War II,
gobbling up more real estate than the great glacier during the ice age, the
* * *
WITH 11,574 fans watching the Tigers netted 442 rushing yards and 26 first downs on
a tidal wave of power football, which brought them their second win in three
games. It was
Senior wingback Mark McDew had his finest game as a Tiger, grabbing off 208 net
yards in 17 tries for a 12.3 average and, scoring four touchdowns and three
conversions. The kid with the educated feet thereby
grabbed off the team scoring lead.
Senior tailback Jim Smith
reeled off 116 net yards in 22 tries for a 5.3 average putting him well ahead
of his total last year at this time, and scored his first touchdown of the
season plus a conversion. Another senior,
quarterback Marc Malinowski, averaged 7.4 yards for
11 carries off a total of 81 yards and scored on TD, a conversion and passed
for six extra points.
The Tigers tried hard to hit
the 50-point scoring mark for the first time since 1965, but once again ran
afoul of long penalties and fumbles. For
the six and seventh times in three games, the offense put the opposition in
position for touchdowns with bobbles.
As it was, for the second
consecutive week the Tigertowners gave Coach Bob
Seaman his highest scoring mark in his three seasons here.
* * *
“I THOUGHT the whole offense did a helluva job!” Seaman
enthused. “McDew,
Smitty, and Malinowski all
ran well. I thought our blocking was
good, especially guards Gary Harig, George Whitfield
and Dave Couto cutting defenders down on the sweeps.”
Did Seaman think – as did
Mansfield mentor Gary Prahst – that McDew’s 91-yard TD romp on the option play right after
Mansfield’s first score in a rather long first period and 87-yard second half
kickoff runback were turning points?
“They sure were nice! Seaman
explained.
He thought another key was
Smith’s fumble on the Tiger 18 in the first quarter, which set up
“Our offense gave them two
touchdowns,” he said. “I’m as unhappy as
anybody about it.”
Dave Hoy picked off the ball
when Smith couldn’t find the handle on Malinowski’s
attempted option which bounced along the ground as a result of the Tiger
signal-caller’s being hit just as he was ready to let fly. The
* * *
MIKE SANDS recovered the second fumble.
Tom Nixon, Mansfield tight end converted from a tackle, combined with
Smith for a 21-yard pass-run play to the one.
After a motion setback, Smith hit Nixon in the center of the end zone
with 2:47 left in the welcome frame.
Smith’s attempted a pass for the conversion,
broke out of a trap and ran the center for the two points.
Both of the Tigers’ first
period scores were by McDew. Malinowski faked to
Smith and ran left end for the conversion after McDew’s
long romp with 6:47 left.
Taking over after the punt,
the Tigers’ marched 84 yards for their second score with 28 seconds left. McDew skirted left
end from the eight with Smith going left over left guard for the 16-16 score.
After the Tigers had moved
71 yards following a second period punt, McDew got
the call again and dashed between the left end and tackle from three yards out
with 33 seconds left. He added the
conversion on Malinowski’s pass to the right flag.
Two plays after McDew’s jazzy runback of the second half kickoff, Smith
rammed over left guard with 11 minutes left.
Malinowski passed to McDew
in the left side of the end zone for a 32-16 Tiger lead.
* * *
ANOTHER
71-YARD drive culminated early in
the goodbye canto with Malinowski going through the
center from the one. Smith missed the
run for the conversion.
The
Seaman thought the first
quarter knee injury re-occurrence which felled Duane Hill,
Seaman thought that because
“We’re not anywhere as bad
as the score indicated,” he concluded.
“Smith and McDew are fine runners. It’s too bad they (
The game closed out
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING
Player Att. Net Ave.
Wittmer 16 44 2.3
Player Att. Net. Ave.
McDew 17 208 12.3
Smith 22 116 5.3
Malinowski 11 31 7.4
Streeter 10 26 4.7
Ends – Hill, Allen, Nixon,
Sands, Barnett, Hoy.
Tackles – Parr, Moga, Battisti.
Guards – Wilcox, Salyers, Scott, Harding.
Center – Porter.
Quarterbacks – M. Smith,
Petty.
Halfbacks – Reed, Wittmer, Sweet, Bishop, Brooks, Mask.
Fullbacks – Gloriomo, Warndorf.
Ends – Robinson, James, Engler, Cline, Conley.
Tackles – Laase, McGeorge, Harris, Dorman,
Dell, Midgley.
Guards – Couto,
Harig, Whitfield, Hout, Muinick,
Arnott, Indorf.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterbacks – Malinowski, Fromholtz.
Halfbacks – Smith, McDew, K. Autrey.
Fullbacks – M. Autrey, Streeter.
THE
GRIDSTICK
First downs –rushing 24 6
First downs – passing 0 9
First downs – penalties 2 0
Total first downs 26 15
Yards gained rushing 458 84
Yards lost rushing 16 41
Net yards gained rushing 442 43
Net yards gained passing 12 167
Total yards gained 454 210
Passes completed 1-5 15-34
Passes intercepted by 2 0
Yardage on passes
intercepted 2 0
Times kicked off 7 3
Kickoff average (yards) 43.6 45.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 93 8
Punt average (yards) 0-0 7-31
Punt return (yards) 14 0
Fumbles 4 1
Lost fumbled ball 4 1
Penalties 10 9
Yards penalized 100 85
Touchdowns 6 2
Total number of plays 65 69