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Last Minute Parkers’ Score Knots Count After DarbySees 19-6 Lead Eaten AwayBy MITCH ROSENFELDSmoke from forest fires in the south gave the sky above the Darby High football field a hazy cast Friday. But it couldn’t compare with the gmoke generated on the gridiron as the unbeaten Rams clashed with undefeated Ridley Park in a duel for Class B honors,J When the dust had settled anc* the battered footballers were congratulating one another instead of .thumping heads up and down the iield, the score stood tied, 19-19.Some 1,000 spectators, slightly shopworn from excitement, walked away, satisfied they had seen one of the better football contests of the county grid campaign. The ilams had gone into the game with live consecutive victories and the barkers had four straight.lt;-■. If a moral victory could be ’Claimed, it should go to the Parkers who fought back from a 19-6 '•third quarter deficit to knot the 'iscore. Sparking Ridley, which scored the tying points with less than a minute left in the game,'Was Ted Smithers whose passingTimes Staff Photo -..ALL ALONE—Joe Tyler, ace ••Darby halfback, steps into the *_'end zone on the first play of the Ceecond quarter to score the first ' touchdown of the game Friday Darby. Ridley Park tied the Rams, 19-19,lirm and driving legs ignited his teammates,^ 2, 3 PUNCHDarby swept to its lead from a half time tie of 6-al 1 through the jpfforts of a potent one-two-three punch—Joe Tyler, Don Smith and JJonny Roberts, These three all but opened up the game with some gritty running and clever passing * The backs ran stiff competition against the linemen who dominated felay in the first half. The blocking and tackling definitely was not in toe tea-and-crumpet category.* The game had almost everything Including a 99-yard TD drive, beautiful runs, long passes, blocked kick, a goal-line stand and intense competitive play. v Darby scorod on the first play the second quarter following an g4-yard march inaugurated when Lamarr Johnson, Darby guard, pounced on a Jim Campbell fumble.TYLER KEY MANI A key play was Tyler's dash from deep punt formation for 26 yards to the Darby 45. After two plays lost. 11 yards, southpaw passing Tyler pitched one to Joe Jktkins. The ball bounced off Atkins’ chest into Alonzo Lewis’ arms for |1 yards to the Ridley 43. a Smith to Roberts pass netted 22 yards to the Ridley 15.Another Smitth pass, this time to Tyler, was good for four yards,Then Tyler headed for left end, picked up a goo ’. block from Sophomore guard John Kasmer, and hit pay dirt, Tyler’s rush for the point after touchdown failed.Ridley bounced tack with a drive from its 30, In 4 plays with Smithers, Campbell and Jack Raymond parting the Darby line, the Parkers moved to the Darby eight. But a Ram’s a stubborn animal and Darby held on downs on its eight.After taking a short Darby punt, Ridley started on the Rams' 32 and scored in 13 plays. When the running attack bogged down, Don Waite passed from the eight to Smithers who charged over the double-chalk mark with 35 seconds left in the half. Guard Dick Sweeney’s attempted place kick missed. DARBY IN HOLEIn the second half, the Parkers put Darby In hole with a punt that bounced out on the Rams’ four. Roberts Juggled the ball and lostThen Smith, who had been handcuffed by the Ridley line in the first half, caught fire. He picked up 24 yards in two tries. In seven more plays, two of them completed passes, Darby was on the Ridley six. Two plays later, with the ball on the five, Roberts, deep man in a single wing right, took the pass from center, shot to his left and raced without Interference into the end zone to end the 99-yard march. An attempted pass for the point fizzled and Darby led, 12-6.Cleo Thurman, Darby line backer, knifed the Ridley forward wall and blocked Archie Evans' punt minutes later. With the ball on the Parker 46, Smith bolted through center, shook himself loose like a spaniel shedding water, and galloped for the TD. He butted over for the all-important extra point.Ridley came right back, starting on its 10 and in five plays scored. After a 10-yard pass play, Smithers raced 20 yards to the Darby 30. Two plays later he uncorked a 29-yard pass down the middle to Campbell who went over standing up, This time Sweeney’s kick was true.START AT MIDFIELDThe final scoring drive started at midfield with Smithers leading the yardage parade. He ate up 36 yards in four carries and Ridley was on the Darby 10. The Darby line fought gfimely to hang on, but Smithers scored on a fourth down and two yards to go situation. Charging hard, the Darby line rushed Sweeney and his extra point kick was wide with less than a minute left. The score remained 19-19.Carl Truxel and Pete LeDonne were disappointed that their boys had been tied in the closing moments, but Ridley’s Jack Wilson was a mighty happy man. His rather cryptic comment was, “I thought it was a wonderful game and both teams deserve what they got.”Poa. DarbyLE—Lewis LT—W. Atkins LG—Kasmer C —Miller BG—Baumann RT—Scott RE—J. Atkins QB—Carter LH—Roberts RH—Tyler FB—Smith. DarbyRidley ParkRidley ParkBell Baker Ireland W. Bullock Sweeney CareyCampbell Griffith Raymond Smithers 13 0—190 13—19Touchdowns! Darby, Roberts, Tyler, Smith; Ridley Park, Campbell, Smithers (2). Points after touchdown; Darby, Smith (plunge); Ridley Park, Sweeney (place kick),Substitutions: Darby, Blankley, C.Thurman, Mackery. R. Johnson. Elaey, Small, McBreen, Ruffin, P. Thurman, p. Johnson; Ridley Park, Evans, Glenn, Scone, Waite,Officials: Referee, Paul Frey; umpire, Marvin Yarnall; head linesman, Ger-old (Doc) Harter.
Newspaper Details
Chester Times
Chester, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Nov 01, 1952
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Karl B.
NA 04 May 2025
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