Forney smothers Malakoff by 35-8
“Wild Bunch” back
By Jimmy Shepard, Staff Writer
Terrell Tribune
Sunday, 9 September 1973, Page 11
MALAKOFF – The lid is off, the curtain has been raised and the ’73 football season has arrived. Last year it was said the Forney Jackrabbits would be back and back they are. Vindiction is a mean word but in this word there is a purpose and a goal. The first step was taken on Malakoff’s home field to the tune of 35-8. “The Wild Bunch” is back.
It’s easy to list the stars of this ballgame because it doesn’t take long to name 20 dedicated ballplayers. But a familiar name in a different position needs to be recognized. Robert Runnels, the new Rabbit field general, played almost errorless ball, and directed the Rabbits to tallies in all four quarters.
With the line opening holes left and right Steve Collier picked the defense for 137 yards on just 15 carries and Ronny Pittmon, the other half, tromped for 73 yards on 13 carries.
Scoring Drives
Being a marked man does not make a task easy but with 4:30 left in the first quarter Collier went over from five yards out. The extra point was good by Collier. The Rabbits scored again when a beautiful executed play action pass good for 63 yards from Runnels to Mark Miller set it up. Runnels carried in from two yards out with the P.A.T. failing. The score stood at 13-0.
The young Rabbits then broke down for the only time this night. On the ensuing kickoff, Marlin Dawson took the boot on his 18 and set sail for wide-open spaces scoring almost untouched. The try for two was successful and Forney’s margin had been had been chopped to 5.
The Rabbits immediately cranked up a 58-yard drive that was capped by Collier scoring his second TD of the night. Runnels’ try for two was good and the Rabbits went to the dressing room with a 21-8 lead.
In the third, Collier tacked on his third score from 34 yards out over right tackle again. The try for two was good with Runnels going over. In the fourth, Collier made it four for the night from 15 yards out with the P.A.T. failing.
“The Wild Bunch” tag apparently means quite a bit to a bunch of young men like Les McElveen, Scott Rogers, Ysavel Medina, Rusty Roland, Frank Rhea, Robert Runnels, Tony Jackson, Arvel Woodward, Steve Collier, Ronnie Pittmon, Mark Couch, Dusty Webb, Willie Thomas, Johnny Briscoe, Jess Skinner, James Miller, Larry Runnels, Gary Zmolek, Ronnie Briscoe, Mark Miller. These young men wanted that name and they have another full year to live up to it. Twenty Jackrabbits have purpose that was left unfinished last year. Step one has been taken. Number “2” in more ways than one is next week.
Statistics:
Special thanks to Tony Jackson for providing this article.
