1950:Gloucester Lions vs Rams Football Series

~ Bill Cleary

Lions Swamp Rams Score 56-7 

If any of the Gloucester Catholic gridders had nightmares after last night\’s city series battle in Gloucester, they may have consisted of a mythical grid figure bearing the numerals 66 hurdling over the bottom of the bed.

In registering this triumph, the charges of Coach Carlos Paisley set a new school scoring record. The previous high was 49 in 1930 against Clayton.

Bob Ritchie and Steve Shimkus tallied the other six-pointers for the Blue and Gold while Bill Gibison pushed over the \”Ramblers\” only touchdown.

The game got off on an interesting note when Eppleman took \”Hickey\” Aughenbaugh\’s opening kickoff on his own 14 and after dribbling once, started on his touchdown sprint. He was sprung loose by George Wilson\’s grass cutting block on the enemy 35-yard marker.

Midway in the first period, the Ramblers rolled 71 yards to tie matters and then go ahead on John Bicking\’s conversion.

Gibison and \”Woo\” Robinson paced this drive that included five first downs and was ended when, Gibison raced around end from the 15.

This lead was short-lived, when Gloucester took the following kickoff and moved 90 yards in four plays. Ritchie scooted 13 yards for the touchdown after picking up Bob McConnell\’s fumble.

Midway in the second quarter the Blue and Gold scored again. Shimkus set up this score when he returned a punt from the Ramblers\’ 35 to the 11. Grant smashed to the four, and Eppleman smacked the middle, was hit on the two but shook off the would-be tackler and framed himself between the goalposts.

Gloucester upon receiving the opening second-half kickoff started in a hurry. Eppleman returned the boot to the 40. Grant picked up 10 and \”Epp\” dashed the distance.

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Eppleman led to the next touchdown when he returned a punt from his own four to his 46. Tom Neilio made six and Grant raced for a first down on the enemy 25. Neilio made nine and Eppleman six. Two plays later found Grant circling the flank for the thirty-first point.

Early in the fourth quarter Gloucester took over on there own 30 and Eppleman was again the inaugurator when he dashed 44 yards to the 26. Grant raced to the seven and Eppleman rammed to the one. Ritchie in recovering his own fumble lost two, but on the next play, Eppleman went over.

After the Ramblers failed to move the ball after the following kickoff, Gloucester took over on the opponents\’ 40. Eppleman raced out into the clear and was tripped by his own blocker, Wilson, on the four. McConnell went to the one and Eppleman plunged over.

Shortly after Gloucester thundered back from their own 49 in four plays. Eppleman picked up 11 and, after a 15-yard penalty for clipping had set them back, Grant raced 35 yards to the 19.

Eppleman was stopped after a yard pickup, But Grant got on his horse and sprinted the remaining 18 yards for his second touchdown.

Just before the final whistle had sounded Gloucester recovered a fumble on their own 48.

On the first play Shimkus, a dazzling sophomore, raced 52 yards on a double reverse. He also booted a pair of singletons in the one sided fray.

The line play of Gloucester\’s George Wilson, Jarvis Midgett, and Fred Henning was outstanding. They continually bottled up the Ramblers\’ attack on the ground.

In a losing cause, Tom Baker was easily the standout in the Ramblers\’ offense from his end. Gibison and Robinson did most of the ground gaining during the evening. Jack Brill and Aughenbaugh, until injured stood out on defense for the charges of Coach Joe Sheridan, but their efforts went for naught in a wild-scoring second half.