We continue the long-running series this fall by taking the Bellwood-Antis games that were played in the past on the same exact dates as this season’s schedules. We will take two or three games each week for you enjoyment or topic of conversation over the morning coffee.
On Friday, Sept. 9, 1949, Bellwood-Antis opened their season by stopping backyard rival Tyrone 15-0. The triumph ended a 29-game win streak for the Golden Eagles. Tyrone had already stopped a 19-game win streak by Bellwood-Antis a few years earlier with a 14-0 win in 1947.
Performing under new head coach Earl Strohm for the first time, after former coach Duke Burkholder moved to DuBois to teach and coach, the Blue Devils never allowed three-time defending Western Conference champ Tyrone to threaten the B-A goal line.
Tyrone was without a first down, until Eagle halfback Elwood Reese plunged up the center in the fourth quarter to move the sticks for the first time.
Bellwood-Antis got all four of their running backs into the act. Mike Hoffer, John Powell, Paul “Buddy” Wertz and Len Hummel knifed through the inexperienced Tyrone line for 14 first downs and 165 yards rushing, while the B-A defense limited Tyrone to 64 yards.
The Blue Devils scored on their first possession of the game, driving 63 yards after Wertz returned the kick seven yards to the BA-37. Hoffer picked up a first down taking a reverse seven yards. Hummel skirted right end for 15 more, before Hoffer ran another reverse for eight yards and Powell bulled the final five yards on two plunges, including a two-yard TD.
In the second quarter, Bellwood-Antis stopped Tyrone on downs at the T-36. After Wertz gained three yards through center, Hummel fired a jump pass to right end Bill Reed, who took it to the Tyrone-5. Hummel then went over right tackle for the score and Powell added the extra point rush for a 13-0 lead.
Wertz’s kickoff was fumbled and touched down at the Tyrone one-foot line. Wagner attempted to punt out of trouble, but the kick was blocked out of the end zone for a safety to increase the B-A advantage to 15-0.
The scoring all came in the first two quarters with Bellwood-Antis’ furthest second-half penetration to the T-14, while the Eagles reached as far as the BA-30.
On Sept. 9, 1988, Bellwood-Antis jumped out to a quick start against Southern Huntingdon to earn a 26-8 win over the Rockets for head coach John Hayes.
A pair of passes from senior quarterback Todd Hirt, one for 13 yards to classmate wide receiver Charlie Burch and another to senior tailback Tobias Nagle netted key first downs on the Blue Devils opening series, with Naugle’s grab a determined effort on fourth down. Senior, slotback Jason Lamertina put the ball into the end zone by scooting 10 yards on a reverse.
The first of two consecutive Southern fumbles gave Bellwood the ball at the Rocket-33. On the second play from scrimmage, Nagle burst through for a 21-yard gain and several plays later Scott Mirabella powered in for the first of his three scores.
Following the second fumble, Mirabella blasted for 14 yards, Naugle sliced through for eight more and Mirabella motored the final 15 yards for the TD. Mirabella added the PAT kick for a 19-0 B-A margin early.
Then as coach Hayes described, “it seemed like everybody took turns self-destructing.”
While the defense continued to hold the Rockets, allowing just a single first down while the first team was in the game, and a single fourth-quarter score, the B-A offense stumbled and misfired into four interceptions and numerous other mistakes.
Finally a couple minutes into the fourth quarter, sophomore Bo Lardieri set up the final score with a 20-yard punt return to give the Blue Devils good field position at the SH-25. Mirabella capped the seven-play drive by bolting the final five yards for the score.
The Blue Devils jumped ahead of Everett with two quick scores, but needed a defensive goal-line stand and late TD to edge Everett 27-26, on Sept. 9, 1994.
Chad Swogger recovered a fumble on Everett’s first possession and Dennis McClellan capped the short 27-yard march with an eight-yard TD. McClellan, who rushed for 133 yards on 26 carries, also had runs of seven and eight yards in the series.
B-A also put the ball in the end zone on the next series as well. Runs by Swogger of 11 yards and quarterback Jason Reed for 10, keyed the 14-play, 69-yard drive and Jason Kirkpatrick scored the four-yard TD.
Everett came right back to score a touchdown in each of the first three quarters, with the Blue Devils notching a score in the second.
Mike Dougherty recovered an Everett fumble and a penalty on the Warriors moved the ball to the E-11 in the second quarter. It took Tony DeGennaro just one call to run a reverse for the 11-yard score. A pair of PAT kicks by Jason Tubbs put B-A up 20-14 at the half.
Everett tied the score 20-20 following a Blue Devil fumble at the BA-13.
McClellan contributed runs of seven, 18 and 14 yards and then the three-yard TD on the next series as B-A drove 64 yards for the go-ahead score. Tubbs added the all-important extra point.
Everett returned the following kick 73 yards for a touchdown and after a time-out went for two points. An attempted pass went incomplete and Kirkpatrick recovered the on-sides kick to wrap up the win for the Blue Devils and coach John Hayes.
