Quickly the teams lined up in the scrimmage, and Alan ran around the ends for a good gain.
Then, unfortunately, the Hall boys could not advance another yard, owing to the active tackling of the High School players, and on four downs, without a five-yard gain, the ball went to their opponents.
Then ensued a battle royal for the next quarter of an hour. Ripley Falls struggled hard to advance the leather into Whipford's land, with some small success, but being in danger of losing the ball on downs, it was passed to their full-back, who punted it away up the field close to the blue's goal-line.
It was caught by Cole, who no sooner clutched it than he was seized and held by the boys of the white and purple--the colors of the High School. He grasped it firmly, and was allowed a fair catch.
This gave Whipford the kick-off, and the ball was punted up the field with the whole eleven on its track.
Upon lining up for the scrimmage, McKenzie, the right end of the Hall team, broke through and was down on the captain of their opponents before the latter could run with the ball.
It was a big loss for Ripley, and when Adams, the left end, did the same thing an instant later, the noise from the Hall boys along the bounds was ear-piercing.
When it looked as if the captain of the High School eleven was good for a run the whole length of the field, with only Heathcote and Cole in front of him, and was very neatly stopped by the former with a gain of a few yards only and the loss of the ball, the racket was tremendous.
Then the blues did some tall playing. They had the ball and meant to keep it, and surely was it forced to within a couple of yards of the goal-line of the purple and white.
The next play of the Hall team settled the question, for when Dick Percy received the ball from Teddy Taft, instead of throwing it to Heathcote, as the enemy expected, it was passed over to Adams, who, with Shriver, Heathcote and Cole pushing him, crossed the line and touched the ball down amid the plaudits of their schoolmates.
As the touch-down was made near the centre of the goal immediately under the cross-bar, Cole had no difficult task to kick a goal.
It had been hard work, but was accomplished nicely, and the boys from Whipford felt highly elated, while the High School fellows looked mournful.