BROWN, MARIST TO MEET TONIGHT
By Charlie Roberts
Brown and Marist football teams, both fresh from two weeks of rest since the end of the regular season, will be pitting brawn and gridiron savvy against each other for the North Georgia Class AA championship for the second straight year when they don jerseys and headgears at 8 o'clock tonight at Grady Stadium, where a gathering of 10,000 overcoated fans is expected to witness the carnage.
The shoe will be on the other foot this time, as the saying goes, with J. E. DeVaughn's Johnny Rebs shuffling nervously and uncomfortably to the fray in the favorite's role. It was different in 1948 when Shorty Doyal's Cadets, having trimmed the Brownies in the season opener, 13-0, were favored to repeat, which they did by a 12-0 count.
The West Enders this year have bounced nine of 10 foes, scoring 247 points to the opposition's 67, while the Ivy Streeters managed only three victories in 10 tests, amassing only 113 counters to 179 for the folks on the other side of the line. Those three wins, however, constituted the Cadets' entire Region 4-AA slate and, ironically, gave them their crown.
Actually, there was little to choose between the two teams in their first meeting this year, the surprised West Enders squeaking through to a 7-6 triumph although outgained 201 yards to 191, counting both rushing and passing. Pepper Rodgers' educated toe booted the extra and winning point after a brilliant 72-yard punt return by Wayne Clyburn in the second quarter. Johnny Ewing swept around end and scurried 63 yards in the same period for the Marist points, but the conversion try was missed.
Brown's record for the year, of course, is by far the better one, the Rebels losing only to Charlotte Central High in North Carolina, 14-7, the winning touchdown being scored on a most peculiar and remarkable circumstance. A Brown player was injured and lying on the ground. Other Rebels were grouped around their fallen mate. Charlotte ran a quick play that naturally went for a touchdown and the officials in Tarheelia allowed it to stand.
The winner of the Brown-Marist game, which will not be televised, will clash next Friday with the Glynn Academy-Lanier victor for the State title, won last season by Lanier on the penetration system after a 13-13 stalemate with Marist in the finals here.
The star-spangled Rebel assault is headed on the ground by Johnny Hunsinger, Charlie Brannon, Wayne Clyburn and Gene Kinard, four hard runners, and in the air by crafty Pepper Rodgers, an All-State selection last year. Cecil Trainer, also All-State in '48, is the Pepperpot's favorite target although he has been used much as a decoy part of the season.
A rock-ribbed line highlights the rugged tackling of Ed (Bulldog) Carithers, Norman (Pig) Campbell, Don Cox and David Colcord and a host of less-publicized head knockers. Hunsinger, Brannon and Bud Ballew also are amoung the most savage tackling backs around.
Marist must rely on the bull-like rushes of Bubber Tietz and Earl Gunn and the twinkletoed slithering of John Ewing and Don Broome plus the throwing arm of Allen Morris, whose great punting too probably will give the Cadets the edge in the booting department. Resourceful Brown, however, has an able booter in Clyburn and a great quick-kicker in Hunsinger.
Henry Hair and Harold Bradshaw, two late-season sensations at end; Tackle Harry Perkerson, Guard Jimmy Brawner and Center Donald Azar have made the Cadets much tougher defensively as the campaign wore into November.