This
Date in Blue Devil Football
•
November 19th •
By
BOB MILLER
Daily Herald Sports Editor
—
On November 19, 1966,
Bellwood-Antis fell victim to Juniata Valley 13-7 in a Mountain High League
playoff for the league championship. The two schools finished in a tie
and did not meet during the regular season.
—
Bellwood-Antis put up several threats during the game, but had trouble
finding the end zone for coach Chet Dillen.
—
The Bellwood-Antis touchdown came on a two-yard run by Jim Singler, who
also ran in the extra point. Singler had a 12-yard burst and John Graham
added an 11-yard sprint during the scoring drive to key the score. SinglerŐs
father Reeder Singler was a member of the Tyrone 1940 mythical state championship
team, playing as a running back and kick returner.
—
Near the end of the opening quarter, Blue Devil quarterback Tim Sissler
connected with Graham for a 35-yard pass play that came to nothing. The
Blue Devils also had an apparent 78-yard TD pass from Sissler to Dan Davisizer
called back because of an illegal procedure penalty. Graham returned a
Juniata Valley punt 35 yards to the JV-9, but once again the Blue Devils
were turned away scoreless.
—
The B-A defense stopped Juniata Valley at the BA-4 and BA-15, and in each
case was able to hold on to prevent a score.
—
The Hornets scored their winning touchdown with 2:52 remaining in the
game when they returned an intercepted B-A pass for a score.
—
Already Western Conference Class B and Mountain League champs, Bellwood-Antis
under head coach Chet Dillen added the Inter-County Conference Group-B
title with a convincing win over West Branch on November 19, 1965.
B-A had to share the ICC with Central because the Scarlet Dragons and
Blue Devils battled to a 14-14 tie, the only blemish in an otherwise perfect
9-0-1 season for Bellwood-Antis.
—
Needing just six points to take the Blair County scoring title, John Graham
and the Blue Devils pounded the Warriors 41-13 at Memorial Stadium in
front of the home crowd, although the stubborn opponents made a game try
of it for a quarter and a half. Suddenly, the Main Line Express poured
in three scores in the final three and a half minutes of the half and
from there it was all over but the shouting.
—
Denny Campbell, who along with Roy Pickens (1946-48), is the only B-A
back to both run and pass for 1,000 yards in their high school careers,
scored three touchdowns and rushed for an extra point in addition to rushing
for 96 yards on 20 carries. Graham also had 20 carries for 85 yards, one
TD and one extra point which pushed him to a 109-108 margin over Ron Bookhamer
of Williamsburg to win the County scoring title by the slimmest of margins.
—
Graham also tossed a pair of TD passes, to Dave Campbell of 48 yards and
to Jim Decker of 28 yards, while completing four of four passes for 132
yards. Decker also caught a pass for a successful PAT. Rugged senior 230-pound
lineman Pete Stetter, who usually opened the holes for his teammates,
moved into the backfield to rush for two extra points in the final game
of his high school career.
—
Bellwood-Antis used every player on the bench in a 45-6 victory over Bigler
Township of Madera, on November 19, 1943.
—
This was dubbed a “Luncheon Special” for the B-A students, staged
at home right after the noon lunch period with all of the Bellwood-Antis
students dismissed so they could attend the football game.
—
Bellwood-Antis kicked off to start the contest, but soon had the football
back. Three plays later, freshman Kenny Woodhall smashed through the middle
of the line and raced 53 yards for a touchdown. The Blue Devils fumbled
the ball away on their next possession to Bigler, who turner around and
handed it right back via a pass interception. Woodhall scored his second
TD of the afternoon after the turnover. Raymond Strunk scored the third
Blue Devil TD of the first quarter on a line plunge.
—
Strunk went over again for his second score of the game on a reverse in
the second quarter and added the extra point on a line plunge to give
Bellwood-Antis a 26-6 advantage at the half.
—
The reserves got plenty of time on the field as early as second quarter,
but coach Duke Burkholder put his starters back in to begin the third
quarter. Strunk scored for the third time with the Blue Devils marching
down the field to score.
—
Jim Campbell scored the final pair of Blue Devil touchdowns. First Campbell
grabbed a pass just moments after Strunk’s third score and took the
ball 55 yards for a TD. Then in the fourth quarter, Campbell sprinted
35 yards for the final score.
