This Day in Norwood History-November 26, 1942-Dedham, Norwood in Scoreless Tie

Timer’s Gun Halts Former Six Inches from Goal line

By HENRY M. CAREY

Fri, Nov 27, 1942 – The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts)

DEDHAM. Nov. 26—Underdog Dedham High rose to the heights today and outplayed the undefeated Norwood High team in a game that ended in a scoreless tie before 6000 fans.

The Heaphymen were denied a win only by the timer’s gun. After two powerful lines clashed for 47 minutes, Frank Scafati went into action and two passes carried the ball to the Norwood six-inch line for^a first down as the game ended.

Taking the ball from Norwood after stopping the hard-running Ray Martin deep in Dedham territory, the Crimson and Grey brought the gathering to its feet with its near-touchdown advance. With the ball on its own 29, the Dedham eleven came to life when Frank Scafati, on a spinner, crashed through for 11 yards. Capt. Al Aylward then swept around end for a first down on the Norwood 42.

After two line plunges failed, Scafati shot a pass to Don Nay, who leaped into the air and pulled it down on the 17-yard line. Scafati attempted a long pass into the end zone, but it was knocked down and as the timer raised his gun, Scafati found Bill Williams loose and dropped a pass into his arms as he headed for the coffin corner. Williams was knocked offside at the six-inch line as the game ended.

Three Periods Uneventful

In the first three periods neither team could produce a sustained offensive. Dedham fumbled the slippery ball on several occasions and the backs were unable to keep their feet on the wet turf. Capt. Al Aylward of Dedham and co-Capt Ray Martin engaged in a kicking duel as the teams waited for a break.

In the third period Norwood stooped a Dedham offensive which seemed on the way to paydirt when Ray Martin, reaching into the air on his own 20. picked a pass out of the air and started on what looked like a touchdown run. As he reached midfield he was cut off by Capt Aylward and, while looking for one of his teammates to whom to lateral the ball, he was cut down at the 42. Martin and Lukawecki then bucked out a first down to the Dedham 25 but here the Dedham forward wall rose to the occasion and took the ball away on downs. Aylward booted a long one down the field out of danger.

The final period found the teams again see-sawing back and forth at midfield with Norwood getting a break near the end of the period when Aylward kicked poorly, the ball going offside on Norwood’s 37. Martin, on a spinner, cracked the Dedham line for six yards but on three more smashes at the line he was held and Dedham took over at the 29-yard line, commencing their drive which fell short by six inches. The summary.

DEDHAM HIGH—MacAleese. Collins, le; Murphy. Geary. It; Davis. 1g; Robinion. Darling, c; Overko. rg; Blakney. Haynes, rt; Nay. re; Williams, ob; Scafati McLeish. Ihb: Aylward- rhb; Ray. fb.

NORWOOD HIGH Billingham. re; Costello, rt; Valma. rg; Venterosa. c; Coyne. Polovitch, 1g; Cistenelli. It: Perednia. le; McGuff. qb Praino, rhh; Lukawecki. Ihb; Martin. Tamulonis. fb.

Referee. Kilroy. Umpire. Nyland. Linesman. Clark. Field Judge, Vachon. Tune, four 12m periods.

TURKEY BONES

H. Bennett Murray’s undefeated team was a slight favorite before the game but by half time Jack Heaphy’s Dedham warriors had whittled the odds to even money— the statistics showed they battled it out pretty evenly with Dedham making seven first downs to Norwood’s five—Norwood punched out three first downs in the opening half to two for Dedham and they each had one in the third period, but in the final period Dedham had four to the visitor’s one.

The hardest tackle of the game in the opening period when Aylwird punted to Lukawecki who eluded several Dedham tacklers and was on his way for a good gain when Aylward came up at full speed and dumped the Norwood back with a tackle that sent Lukawecki flying 10 feet through the air. Tappy Venterosa. Norwood’s center, was the first man to require attention …

His wind was knocked out in the second period … in the third period Frank Scafati of Dedham had to be taken from the game for a few minutes to rest after he received a head blow. Don Nay and Don Blakney were thorns in the sides of the Norwood backs.

Hez Tucker, former Dedham High great, handled the stakes for the head linesman in expert manner . . between the halves the gathering was warmed up by the actions of the bare-legged and short-skirted cheer leaders of both schools, who made up for their lack of clothing by the energy they put into their work … a favorite with the crowd was the song, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,” but no ammunition was produced by either team, both schools protected their band instruments and the banc’s did not appear until the third period and by that time they had lost their stand and had to serenade the crowd from spots near the bleachers.