Brown Defeats J.V. Gridders, 23-18; Time Runs Out on Last Period Surge

When a football team is penalized more than 100 yards in a game, it is not supposed to escape with a victory. But Brown's junior varsity gridders violated the laws of poetic justice at yesterday's home contest as they outlasted the Crimson, 23-18, despite suffering 13 penalties for a loss of 144 yards.

The Bruins took advantage of several Crimson errors and an impotent Harvard offense in the first half to take a 13-0 lead at intermission.

After the ball had changed hands several times in the opening period, the Bruins got their first scoring opportunity when Brown defender Mike Sherman snagged at midfield a misdirected aerial from Crimson quarterback Steve O'Brien.

Scoring Strike

Six plays later, Bruin quarterback John Anderson hit tight end Mike Prairie in the end zone on a nine-yard scoring strike. The conversion kick was good, and Brown led, 7-0, with 15 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The second quarter was frustrating for the Crimson, as the offense could not get untracked. The Harvard eleven was repeatedly stymied on third down conversions, and was forced to punt the ball away.

Brown's performance was nearly as unimpressive for most of the period, but in the waning minutes Anderson dropped a flare to Bruin halfback Jan Zlotnick, and the speedy back ran the ball in from 11 yards out for the second Bruin tally. The conversion kick was blocked, and the Crimson trailed by 13 as the half ended.

Whatever coach Paul McGuire told his troops between the periods was well taken as the Crimson turned aggressor and its offense came alive.

Following the Brown kickoff to open the second half, Crimson O'Brien marched his troops 70 yards for a touchdown that was capped by halfback John Balko's six-yard scoring plunge. The conversion attempt was blocked, but the Crimson was back in the game, down 13-6.

The Harvard defense was now inspired and refused to surrender yardage to the Brown squad. The Crimson offense took command once again and the momentum had clearly swung in Harvard's favor. O'Brien, who splits the Crimson quarter-backing chores with Doug Gordon, reentered the game and directed the squad inside Brown territory.

Then the comeback fell apart.

Deep inside Brown territory, the Harvard backfield turned a simple handoff into a broken play, which resulted in a Harvard fumble and a recovery by Brown.

The Bruins' offensive unit jelled and Brown was very successful with its outside running game. The Harvard secondary had trouble defending against Anderson's drop-back as the Bruins marched deep inside Harvard territory.

Brown's Doug Baran plunged over the goal line a few plays later, and with the conversion kick the Bruins led, 20-6. The time-consuming drive ate up the latter part of the third period, and the Crimson had its work cut out with one quarter remaining to overcome the 14-point deficit.

After Brown's kick-off, Harvard got the ball on its own 25 yardline. Brown's defense was impregnable and the Crimson backs could not make a dent. Forced to pass on third and long yardage, O'Brien set up in the pocket and looked in vain for a open Crimson receiver.

The Brown front line swarmed O'Brien and the ball popped loose in the ensuing tackle, only to be recovered by an anticipating Brown defender on the Harvard 11-yard line.

String of Penalties

The Bruins took control, but once again Brown suffered a string of penalties and had to settle for a field goal. The field goal came at 4:53 of the fourth period, and the Crimson trailed, 23-6.

Following a few changes of hands, Harvard regained possession under the direction of Gordon at quarterback. Gordon mixed the running plays well, handing off to fullback Tom Lincoln when the yards were needed most.

Gordon led the Crimson across midfield and deep inside Brown territory, on a drive that was sustained by a great catch by end George Ticknor.

The Crimson drove inside Brown's ten, and a Brown penalty brought the ball to the five-yard line. On the next play, Gordon executed a keeper around the right end for the score, and Harvard trailed 23-12.

O'Brien came in to attempt the two-point conversion, but a strong Brown rush thwarted his efforts.

With less than five minutes remaining, Harvard attempted a short kick and Crimson safety John McCarthy gathered in the loose ball in the midst of three brown jerseys.

McGuire called upon Gordon to lead the offense, and the signal caller brought the Crimson downfield for a quick score, culminating with a Tom Lincoln grab of a Gordon aerial. The conversion failed, with the Crimson down by only five, 23-18, with less than two minutes remaining.

Brown ate up the clock with running plays, and time ran out on the Crimson comeback.

The loss drops the junior varsity gridders' slade to 1-2.