Black Defeats Orange
By WAYNE STOKES
Sports Editor
September 13, 1970
The annual Orange and Black preseason intrasquad classic became history last night, with the white shirted Black team squeaking out a tight one over the junior varsity laden Orange by a 17-12 margin.
Leaving no doubt that they came to play and to impress, the Orange team took the ball on their first series of downs and moved downfield in orderly fashion to slam the ball in from four yards out for the game's opening score. With Jeff Hancock handling the Orange controls, the drive started with ninth grader hope for the future, big Alex Upshaw, churning off the left side for a ten yard pickup.
This set the pace for the opening touchdown, as gritty little Bill Keller countered on the same play for another ten yard gainer. Upshaw peeled around his right end on a sweep on his next attempt and rambled sixteen yards before the stop was made by Jimmy Busby.
Hancock cranked up his passing arm on the next play and connected with Joe Carson down to the 18 yard line of the Black. Upshaw again was called upon and the strapping halfback picked up eleven yards down to the seven yard stripe.
From this point, Bill Keller was called upon and NO. 33 came through to put the first touchdown on the board for the Junior Varsity offense.
The attempt for the extra point failed.
The fired up Black came back on offense with a rush and under the leadership of regular varsity signal caller, Andy Carlton, set up shop with Guthrie and Ryan as his setbacks. On first down, Ryan was halted after a two yard pickup and Guthrie picked up four yards on second down. Faced with a third and four, Carlton ran the ball for enough yardage to gain the first down. Andy came right back with a fine completion to his tight end, rugged Kenny Hicks, at the two yard marker.
With a golden opportunity to even up the score, Ryan was stopped for only a one yard gainer, but Guthrie slipped through a hole with a determined bit of running to knot the score at six apiece. Then Elton came on to boot the extra point and the varsity-led Black squad led 7-6.
Time ran out in the first quarter with the Orange in possession of the football. Keller and Upshaw ground out another first down before the drive stalled and the Black took over on offense.
On first down after taking the ball over, Carlton tried the long one to Jerome Kerrison but the play fell incomplete. Guthrie reeled off an eighteen yard scamper leaving the ball at the 20. here the drive halted and Gene Elton was called upon for the field goal attempt from the twenty. The kick sailed right through the uprights and the Black now owned a 10-6 advantage.
Not ready to be counted out yet, the Orange youngsters set up on offense and once again the team of Keller and Upshaw showed some fine exhibitions of legwork. Both youngsters ran the ball with fierce determination and showed the desire that it takes to become fine varsity football players.
Keller took the first down handoff from Hancock and blasted for eight yards up the middle. Upshaw was nailed trying to sweep wide an lost back seven of the yardage Keller had gained. Upshaw got the nod on third and long yardage and the big one rambled for eight, bringing up a fourth and one situation for the first down. Alex again got the call to pick up the tough yardage through the middle and he responded with a three yard gainer, good for another Orange first and ten.
With the drive still alive, the opening carry by Keller gained only one. Upshaw lost three going wide and Hancock fired a completion good for twelve yards to his big end, Joe Carson. Hancock carried himself for the first down on another fourth and one yard gamble.
Jeff came right back on first down to throw a 30 yard completion to his wide receiver on the right side. After this long gainer, Upshaw got the nod and responded with a ten yard romp down to the Black nine yard line. Alex again was called upon and into the end zone he galloped to make the scored Orange 12 Black 10. On the touchdown by Upshaw, the 6-3 180 pounder made a beautiful cutback once over the line of scrimmage to run into paydirt untouched.
The first half ran out with the score remaining in favor of the junior varsity-led Orange.
Kenny Hill came on at quarterback for the varsity in the second half and led the team on a march that faltered after gaining a pair of first downs. Setting up in the backfield with Hill was Haywood Richardson at one running back and Carl Chatman at the other. Both boys showed some hard running in their stints in the ballgame, with Richardson driving with reckless abandon on his running chances.
Chatman clicked off a nineteen yard sprint for the long gainer in this short lived drive and the Orange went back on offense deep in their own backyard.
Starting from the one, the Orange ground out a first down behind Keller and Upshaw but had to turn the ball back over to the Black. The offense of the Black couldn't move the ball in for a score and once again the Orange took possession deep in their own territory. They didn't stay there long, however, as Upshaw rolled around his own left end and it took fifty one yards before Jim Busby could make the stop from behind. Alex came right back for another nineteen yard lope and the Orange was making a serious bid to score again.
This drive fizzled and Andy Carlton brought his charges out on to the field trailing the JV boys, 12-10. Immediately Andy went to work, getting a lot of yardage out of his runners, Guthrie and Ryan.
Andy pitched a scoring toss to Kenny Hicks but the officials spotted an infraction against the offense and the score was nullified. The penalty was a long one but on the next call Andy hit Tommy Ryan coming out of the back field and Tommy lugged it into paydirt, giving the Black a hard-earned 17-12 victory over the scrappy Orange. Once again, Gene Elton split the uprights for another extra point.
The game was highlighted by good play on behalf of several of the younger players, which is what the coaches were looking for out of the game. The running of Upshaw and Keller on the Orange, and Richardson and Chatman on the Black must have been encouraging to the coaching staff, as this position has been slow to round into form, so far.
Secondary play by Marvin King, Steve Ezell, Jim Busby, and Dale McClelland was particularly sharp, as was the linebacking of LaVelle Rixie, late in the ballgame.
Big varsity starting defensive end Ken Mosely played a very aggressive game for the Orange tonight and once this young giant learns how to handle his position, he should be a big boost to the defensive front thrown up by the Jackets this year.
The only serious casualty in the game was Brent Gibbs and his injury extent was not known. All in all, the game was a whopping success, as the crowd was very good for a bad weather night and the action on the field matched the crowd.
All proceeds from the game went to the Dad's Club. This was a very worthy cause and once again, Leesburg sports fans have come through again. We have a great group of Yellow jacket boosters here and they will surely make their presence known this year.
Upshaw led the ball carriers as the big speedster raced for over 125 yards on the ground. It doesn't appear to be to far in the future that the ninth grader might get a one-way ticket to the varsity with continued improvement.
Resources
WAYNE STOKES
Sports Editor
Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
www.dailycommercial.com
September 13, 1970
September 13, 1970
Leesburg Public Library
http://www.ci.leesburg.fl.us/library/
http://www.ci.leesburg.fl.us/library/
Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
Gerald is a professional Internet marketer and social media marketing expert. His online business ventures and websites generate multiple streams of income annually. His consulting clients include best selling authors and international speakers.
Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online
Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online
