Chuck Crane, LaVern Ellis Roy

Phoenix Pirates Overpower Illinois Valley Gridders

Friday, October 4, 1968

Phoenix Pirates Overpower Illinois Valley Gridders

PHOENIX – Hard work does pay off. The Phoenix High Pirates proved that when they roared over the Illinois Valley Cougars 40–7 here Friday in a Rogue League football game.

Earlier in the week Phoenix Coach Jack Woodward reported that he was working on giving more variety to the offense. The results showed Friday as the Pirates did almost everything while gaining their big margin.

They were in front 13–0 at halftime. Then went to town in the third period, scoring three touchdowns to lead 33–0. Both clubs tallied in the first quarter.

Running chores were more divided this week with fullback Terry Phillips gaining 112 yards on 15 carries. Bruce Workman raced for 75 yards on 13 carries.

Scoring honors were also shared with Chuck Crane running for two and passing for one touchdown and Workman, Phillips and Mike McGinley each running for one TD.

The Cougars were held scoreless until the final minutes. Then Dennis Lawrence passed to Tad Dierkes for a goal.

The Pirates scored the first two times they got the ball. Phoenix took a punt on its own 35. In 11 plays the Pirates moved to touchdown land with Workman taking it to the last yard midway through the period. Phillips kicked the extra point.

The Cougars were forced to punt again in the first period and the Pirates took over on the 34. Illinois Valley’s defense got tough and the Pirates couldn’t move the ball.

The Pirates were forced to punt. Phillips kicked and was knocked to the ground. Roughing the kicker penalty gave the Pirates the ball on the Cougar 46-yard line.

Crane swept around the left end for the touchdown with five seconds left in the period.

Held Scoreless

A fumble and penalties hurt the Pirates in the second period. But they came to life in the third. They took the opening kickoff, marching 60 yards to a touchdown. Crane took it the last two yards and Phillips booted the extra point.

Mintues later the Pirates scored again. The Phoenix line held the Cougars, forcing them to punt. Phillips gathered in the ball on his own 15. He headed for the sideline and took off. On about the Cougar 40 he was cut across the field and had clear sailing. His kick for extra point was true.

A pass interception by Pat Wolfe started the Pirates on their next TD drive. Wolfe snared the ball on his own 35. Nine plays later Crane tossed to Phillips. The play was good for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Pass Intercepted

The Pirates final TD came after a pass interception put them on their own 25. They moved the 75 yards in nine plays with McGinley scoring from five yards out. McGinley had one gain of 39 yards.

Two 15-yard calls on Phoenix put the Cougars on the Pirates’ 20 yard line. Then with 1:07 left in the game the Cougars hit paydirt.

The victory left the Pirates with a 3–0 mark in league play. They and Lakeview are tied for the lead. Illinois Valley now has a 1–2 mark.

We play Lakeview for Homecoming – Oct. 11

Friday, September 27, 1968

Phoenix Pirates Top Eagles In Rogue League Grid Tilt

EAGLE POINT – Terry Phillips wasn’t the big scorer here Friday night. But his two points were the difference that gave the Phoenix High Pirates a 14–12 victory over the Eagle Point Eagles in a Rogue League football tilt.

The Eagles jumped off to a 12–0 lead. Then the Pirates fought back and Phillips’ extra points gave the Pirates the margin.

The clubs were fairly even and both tried to give the ball game away through fumbles and pass interceptions. Phoenix lost four fumbles, one leading to an EP touchdown and the Eagles were intercepted twice with one interception going for a Pirate TD.

Bruce Workman was the big carrier for the Pirates again with Phillips clearing a path. Workman carried the ball 27 times for 116 yards.

Second Rogue Win

It was the Pirates second loop victory in as many outings. They and the Lakeview Honkers are tied for first in the league standings. It was the Eagles second defeat.

Eagle Point did all of its scoring in the second period. With seconds left in the first half the Pirates cut the gap to 12–7. Then Phoenix went in front early in the third quarter.

Both clubs had a shot at controlling the ball in the first quarter. Later in the period the Eagles’ Steve Digby recovered a fumble on his own 42-yard line.

From there the Eagles marched to the end zone with Dan Reed passing to Jim Chubb for the touchdown with 11:52 minutes showing. The play covered 13 yards. A 20-yard pass play and a personal foul aided the drive.

The extra point kick was blocked by John Sweeney, Jay Baker and Mike McGinley.

Punt Fumbled

A fumbled punt return led to the Eagles’s next touchdown. Mid-way through the period the Eagles punted to Chuck Crane. Crane handed off to Phillips who headed for the side.

Phillips was brought down by a grasping tackle and the ball bounced out of his hands. Eagle Point’s Gary Thomas was there to pick up the ball. He didn’t stop until he had covered the 20 yards to the end zone.

The Pirates didn’t give up after that bad break. They took the kickoff and began to drive toward the Eagles’ end zone. They drove to the nine in 12 plays.

Then Crane went back to pass. He found Terry Stringer in the middle of Eagles and let loose. Stringer held onto the ball for the TD with 37 seconds left in the period. Phillips followed up with his first extra boot.

Phoenix took the second half opening kickoff on the Eagles’ 40-yard line following two penalties on Eagle Point. The Pirates drove down to the Eagles’ five.

Eagles Hold Firm

But Eagle Point held firm and took over the ball on downs. The Eagles attempted one running play. Then Dan Reed went back to pass. He pitched the ball out toward the side. But Bob Pete was in the way for the Pirates.

The tall Phoenix grapped onto the ball and dashed into the zone to give the Pirates a 13–12 margin. Phillips got his second point of the evening with another kick.

Phoenix mounted another attack seconds later after Allan Chisum recovered a fumble on the Eagles’ 25. The Pirates moved down to the Eagles’ four before Workman lost the ball on a fumble. Thomas came up with the loose ball for the Eagles.

Eagle Point started moving in the final period, racking up good yardage. A fumble on the Pirates’ 25 stopped the drive. The Eagles held the Pirates again and started moving the ball but Pete came up with his second interception of the evening.

So much has happened today!

Saturday, September 21, 1968

Journal: So much has happened today! We had our annual Friends Youth Banquet – it was really great! Pat Shearin sang, “I Believe.” Patsy is a really great singer. Reverend Oscar Brown of the Medford Friends Church was our speaker – and a really great one, too! The decorations really looked pretty nice, too.

Last night the Phoenix varsity football team beat St. Mary’s, 20 to 7! Now we have lost one game to Brookings and have won one! Chuck Crane (32, a junior) really came on strong for the Phoenix Pirates in the first half. It was a really great game – especially since we won! Mike Enright told me he would sign my annual for me, so I guess I’ll take my annual to school Monday! So long for now,

–L.R.

Bruce Workman was the work horse for the Phoenix High Pirates here Friday night as the Buccaneers opened the Rogue League football season with a 20-7 victory over the St. Mary's Crusaders.

Friday, September 20, 1968

Phoenix Opens League Play By Downing St. Mary’s 20–7

Intercepts Pass — Phoenix’s Terry Phillips (37) gets in position to intercept a pass on his own goal line. Phillips snared three of the Crusaders passes as the Pirates stopped St. Mary’s High 20-7 Friday in the Rogue League football opener at Phoenix. Tossing the ball is the St. Mary’s quarterback Dan Coats (20) and Larry Beskow (80) was the intended receiver. Coats got the ball away just as he was hit by a Phoenix defender.

PHOENIX – Bruce Workman was the work horse for the Phoenix High Pirates here Friday night as the Buccaneers opened the Rogue League football season with a 20-7 victory over the St. Mary’s Crusaders.

Workman who had been converted from quarterback to wingback this week to give the Pirates more running power showed the coaches that they had made a wise decision. He rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries and scored all three Phoenix touchdowns.

Chuck Crane took over at quarterback spot and moved the club down the field consistently.

All three of the Pirates’ touchdowns came in the first half. The Crusaders didn’t score until late in the third period.

The Pirates’ ground defense was tough, forcing the Crusaders to go to the air. St. Mary’s moved well in the air with Dan Coats passing for 183 yards. But the Pirates picked off four of his passes.

PRETTY EVEN: Statisticwise the two clubs were pretty even with both clubs gaining 16 first downs. Phoenix had a total of 285 scrimmage yards compared to 245 for St. Mary’s.

The Pirates got most of their yardage on the ground rushing for 239 yards and passing for 46. The Crusaders were held to 62 rushing yards.

Making SM mistakes pay off was the important factor for the Pirates. Phoenix gridders controlled the first half action and in the first period St. Mary’s had only 11 plays from scrimmage.

The Crusaders twice lost the ball to Phoenix in the first quarter on fumbles. And in both instances the Pirates took the ball and marched for touchdowns.

The Pirates final touchdown came after Phoenix held St. Mary’s. The Crusaders punted and the Pirates began their third march.

UPPER HAND: St. Mary’s held the upper hand in the second half as the Pirates lost the ball four times on fumbles. But the Crusaders were only able to score once on the miscues.

St. Mary’s took the opening kickoff and began to march. Then after gaining 30 yards and two first downs the ball got knocked loose and Phoenix’s Crane came up with it on the Pirates’ 37-yard line.

The Pirates couldn’t be stopped as they drove for the goal line. They drove 63 yards in 14 plays with Workman taking it across the line from the two-yard marker with 3:53 minutes left in the quarter.

The Pirates kicked off again and on the next play from scrimmage Allan Chisum came up with a Crusader fumble on the St. Mary’s 41.

Minutes into the second period Workman rushed from the two-yard line for the Pirates second touchdown.

TAKE PUNT: The Pirates next took a punt on their own 36-yard line and rushed for a TD with Workman going the last yard with 1:28 showing on the clock.

St. Mary’s began to toss in desperation and with 11 seconds left in the first half were on the Pirates 14 yard line. Coats went back to pass. He was rushed and he let the ball go with Terry Phillips intercepting the ball near the goal line.

Bugaboos began to hit the Pirates in the second half. After they took the kickoff they moved out to the St. Mary’s 30-yard line only to have Mike Gorman come up with a fumble recovery for the Crusaders.

A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty brought the ball out to the 46. By hard work, some rushing and passing the Crusaders moved down to the Pirates’ eight.

Again there was a loose ball on the field and Phoenix’s John Graham recovered it. The Pirates didn’t hold onto the ball for long however as two plays later Martin Vakoc landed on a fumble for the Crusaders.

COATS PASSES: After two running plays pushed the ball to the seven, Coats tossed out to Carl Hillestad in the end zone for St. Mary’s touchdown.

The Pirates got the ball and started to drive toward the Crusaders’ goal line. Gary Pendergast snared a Pirate pass on the Crusaders’ 22-yard line to stop the march.

But St. Mary’s were unable to move as Coats was brought down twice for loss of yardage. Hillestad attempted to punt but the snap from center was bad and he attempted to run the ball out. He was tackled on St. Mary’s eight-yard line.

But on the Pirates’ next play there was another fumble and St. Mary’s Jeff Boiler was on the bottom of the stack.

St. Mary’s mounted an attack and rolled down to the Pirates’ 13 yard line. But once again Coats had a pass picked off with Phillips falling into the end zone.

The ball was brought out to the Pirates’ 20-yard marker. The Crusaders got it right back as Mahar fell on a fumble on the 25.

St. Mary’s gained four yards on a Coats-Hillestad pass. Then Phillips got his third interception of the evening on the Pirates’ nine.

Phillips kicked two extra points for Phoenix and Mahar booted one for St. Mary’s.

Phoenix Coach Jack Woodward was pleased with the line play on offense and mentioned the good work of Crane at quarterback. It was Crane’s first game at signal calling spot.

Assistant Coach Ron Baker named Terry Stringer, Joe Pescatore, Dave Ohman, Phillips, Mike Enright, Dennis Campbell, Bob Pete, Ray Ferns, Workman and Crane as tops on offense.

Baker reported that Graham, Jay Baker, Greg Hayes, Ferns and Chism were strong on defense.

St. Mary’s Coach Larry Walker remarked that the Crusaders passed more in this one game than they did all last year.

He felt that the Crusaders played a good game, but added that the loose ball on the first drive set them too far back. Walker reported that guard Jim Loffer injured his knee on the first defensive play and missed the entire game. Loffer is the Crusaders’ leading tackler.

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