1927 Neillsville, WI High School Annual

Neillsville High School Football

Starting the season with only a few of last year’s squad members, Coach Olson never-the-less succeeded n turning out a team which held its own with any of the former Neillsville teams.

The season opened at Black River Falls. Although we were defeated, the store does not snow the relative strength of the teams. We received the kick-off and after, about six plays took the ball over, the score being made by a forward pass to Shaw. We failed to score the point after a touchdown. In the second quarter Black River took the ball to the one yard line where we were held for two downs. However, on the fourth down they carried it across. They succeeded in making the point after a touchdown. Although we threatened to score many times during the next half, we never were quite able to do so. The final score was 7-6.

The second game was with Marshfield on the home field. Marshfield was supposed to have a big edge on us but we surprised everybody, including the Marshfield team, by hold them to a scoreless tie, making as many if not more first downs then they did. They work of Davis and Hemp, Neillsville tackles, featured the game. Barton, our fullback also played a star defense game.

Page 49

The third game was played here with Owen. Owen, with practically the same team that beat us last year came down expecting to defeat us again. However, we got our long desired revenge by beating them 6-0. They only score was made when Hemp and Shaw made several nice gains, while the defense work of Barton again was a feature.

The fourth game was played at Medford where the snow-covered, slippery field was a great advantage to the heavy Medford team. The first half ended with a score 0-0, the ball being in their territory most of the time, but in the second half their big fullback succeeded in shoving two touchdowns. The game ended with a score of 12-0.

The last game was at Augusta. We played against a veteran team that was doped to win. Being hampered by injuries, we were beaten, but not until we had given them a good fight. It the final quarter we completed pass after pass, but could never quite succeed in scoring. The final count was 24-0.

With the hardest schedule in years and playing as we did against much heavier opponents who sometimes outweighed us by twenty pounds, we are satisfied with out showing. It is expected that with men left over from this year’s team as a nucleus, Coach Olson will again put forth a good team next season.

W. H. ’27.

Captain Walter Hemp

"Kunk" did all the punting and passing for the team and made a good job of it. He was deadly tackler, a good blocker, and when called upon to do so could hit the line with force. His tackling featured all the games.

Glenn White

"Whitie" was a good blocker and very fast at getting around the ends. His long runs featured the Owen game. We expect a lot of him next year.

Leo Barton

Barton was a great defensive fullback which was seen especially in the Owen and Marshfield games. He could always be counted upon to make yards on off-tackle smashes.

Raymond Shaw

"Ray" was on the receiving end of most of our passes; in the Black River game a pass to him resulted in a touchdown. He was also a good defensive man.

Joseph Chase

"Chick" was no spectacular player buy played a good steady game all season to the end. He was especially fast in covering punts.

Robert Davis

"Bob" without any previous experience developed into one of our best linemen. His work being outstanding in the Marshfield game. It is with regret that we saw him leave. N. H. S.

Everett Skroch

"Butch" was a good defensive man as not many gains were made through his position. With a year’s experience behind him he should develop into a great lineman.

Ardell Cooper

Outweighed by every center opposed to him and handicapped by injuries Cooper nevertheless showed a lot of fight and made the center position a strong link in the line.

Kenneth Keach

Keach was handicapped by that bane that inflicted nearly all our football team this year namely inexperience but he developed quickly into a good guard. His strong point was opening holes for the backfield.

Richard Hemp

"Dick" was an experience man being a power of strength on both offense and defense. His work all season was outstanding.

Elliot Warlum

"Pete" was a sterling end. No gains of substantial length were made around his end by the opposition. He was also noted for his ability to boss the opposing tackle.

Warren Medick

Medick was one of those steady players whose steady work goes unnoticed by the side-lines. He was a valuable man for either the guard or center position, filling these positions when called upon to do so.

James Gates

Handicapped by injuries from the start James nevertheless came back and won a position on the team by his good work.

Bill Terman

Although Bill was too light to get into many games he nevertheless made the regulars fight their positions.

WHAT DO YOU SAY, FELLOWS?

In reviewing the past athletic season of N. H. S. one deplorable fact is outstanding. That is, the lack of interest that is shown by most of the boys toward football. Eleven men constitute a football team. Besides these there should be at least eleven more to act as substitutes in case any of these should be injured, and what is more vitally important for the development of the team, to furnish the first team with opposition in practice games or scrimmage. Yet were there twenty-two men out for football last fall? No, most emphatically no! Just fourteen candidates were out, out of which our coach had to pick a combination that would make a creditable showing. That the team made the showing it did is chiefly due to Mr. Olson’s excellent coaching. Such a thing might well be classed as a miracle as it is not a common occurrence. The entire student body likes to have a winning team represent its school. But to make such a winning team possible, there must be plenty of material for our coach to work on. There is no lack of quantity of material in basketball. On the contrary there were approximately twice as many candidates out for basketball during the first days of practice, as there were for football. There must be a reason back of all this. But what is the reason? Is it because the game seems to rough? I say "seems", for football is no more rough than any other normal sport. True, serious injuries have happened and will happen in the future. But analyze the other sports. Do not serious injuries occur frequently in baseball and basketball? To follow this line of argument on injury even a fatality may happen while you’re waling down the street. Is it because of lack of knowledge of the game? The rules and fundamentals of football are among the simplest devised for any sport. Is it because of studies, or probably farm chores for those of you who are from the country, that you aren’t coming out? Yet about half-a-dozen boys played on the eleven last year who came from a farm and went home every night. This need be no excuse, neither is the ridiculous excuse of too many studies plausible. We are fortunate enough in having one of the best high school coaches in the state. Be fair to him and to the school, fellows, and go out for football. Go out next fall and I am sure the result will be gratifying to both you and the school. Let’s go?

R. A. H. ’27.