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Forney romps – “Wild Bunch” rides

By Jimmy Shepard, Tribune Sports Writer

Terrell Tribune
Sunday, October 28, 1973, Page 11

 

FORNEY – A half-time talk and a goal line stand told the difference in the ball game played on the Jackrabbits field Friday night. For the second week in a row the “Wild Bunch” shut out their opponent but the big difference this outing was at time they looked bad doing it. After a lethargic first quarter and one half the Rabbits decided the fun and games had gone on long enough. Grand Saline had five shots at the goal line from the three and gained nary an inch. From this point on the Rabbits stretched their final count to 35-0.

Inspired Defense

A here-to-fore unmentioned freshman, Sammy Eacrete, filling in for the resting Steve Collier, who saw limited duty, became the spark the team needed. Carrying the pigskin 15 times for 150 yards and scoring two touchdowns, this freshman filled a mighty big gap when it was much needed.

“The Wild Bunch” again was supreme. Be it the name or the pride or both these 11 young men that make up this unit get better by the week. They held a potent Indian attack to 66 yards rushing and 103 yards in the air; scooped up one fumble and picked off two passes. Big Tony Jackson, Willie B. Thomas (who in the last two games has put back-to-back efforts that will be hard to equal), Larry Runnels, Ronnie Briscoe, Gary Zmolek, Ronnie Pittmon, Dusty Webb, Arvel Woodward, Robert Runnels, Marck Couch, Johnny Briscoe, and the others have proved to everyone who are dissenters, that it takes a supreme effort by the opposing party to achieve any measure of success against this rock-walled unit.

Developing Offense

Like an aging wine the unified eleven gets better with age. Ronnie Pittmon; 105 yards, Robert Runnels; 57 yards rushing-114 yards passing-accounted for 3 TD’s, Tony Jackson (golden hands); one TD pass and one extra point conversion, Eacrete, 150 yards rushing and two TDs. After a first half of seven first downs and nothing on the tally sheet the Rabbits came back to put fifteen on the record book along with 35 points in the latter stage of the game.

With 6:44 left in the third quarter, Eacrete burst over left tackle and outran everyone for the initial score of the contest. With 10:50 left in the fourth Runnels hit Eacrete over the middle for a 39 yard strike and the Rabbit had left the launching pad for real. With 7:44 Pittmon got into the act with a 19 yard burst up the middle. Promptly intercepting a pass, Ysavel Medina set the Rabbits up in shop on the Indian 8 yard line. Runnels covered the required distance standing up from four yards out. Like a caged lion on the sidelines all night, Collier took an errant snap from center and scored his victory for the night. Recovering an Indian fumble with 6:50 left again by Medina, the Rabbits scored with Runnels hitting Jackson for the TD.

A team that gets better by the week and a team that respects each opponent is hard to beat. For the greater part of one half, the “Bunch” forgot this axiom. When confronted with adversity they responded as they should. No one is going to do their job for them; it is up to them to prove what they can do on the battlefield. This year’s Frisco game can be the reminder of what can happen if they take anyone lightly. To happen twice in one year would be disaster. These young men have one goal, to win it all and to do that means to win at least three more games.

Next week in Rockwall there will be a ball game that will go along in deciding who will be the Rabbits major obstacle in this years title chase. There are three undefeated giants in this district. “The Wild Bunch,” a name to be proud of with a town that is proud of them. This ingredient can go a long way.

 

Statistics:

FORNEY
STAT
ROCKWALL 
22 
First Downs
10 
9-15-0 
Passes
6-14-2 
114 
Passing Yardage
103 
311 
Rushing Yardage
66 
2-2 
Fumbles
1-1 
2-37 
Punts
3-41 
6-40 
Yards Penalized
3-21 

 

Special thanks to Tony Jackson for providing this article.

 

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