Maria Stein 25 – Minster 21

An inspired Maria Stein St. John Blu-Jay squad picked up its first win of the season by whipping Minster’s Wildcats 25-21 at Maria Stein. The Blu-Jays, determined to present their homecoming crowd with a victory, turned in their best performance of the season in stopping the crippled Wildcats.

Obviously fired up to a fever pitch, the Jays got a big break when Minster fumbled the opening kickoff on the Wildcat 25 and St. John recovered. Two line smashed moved the ball to the Minster 22, from where Virg Will raced around end for the score. Thobe’s kick was perfect.

Minster scored for the first time after Garman got off a 62-yard punt to the St. John seven yard line. After the Jays had moved the ball to their own 20, Dave Seger recovered a fumble for the Orange and Black on the Jay 10-yard line. After a 15-yard penalty, Jon Hogenkamp drove to the 21. Garman, Horstman and Froning moved moved the oval to the 10, and Garman drove over for the score. Horstman plunged for the point that made it 7-7.

Maria Stein came back to score six more points when Thobe hit Cron on the 38 and the lanky end ran all the way. The kick was wide, and St. John led 13-7.

The Wildcats bounced right back to lead 14-13 after they took over on the St. John 32. A Froning to Huelskamp toss moved the ball to the 21. Hogenkamp, showing good drive, moved the ball to the three in three plays and Garman crashed over for the tally. Horstman drove over tackle for the point.

A 52-yard end run to the two by Maria Stein’s Clune set up the next Jay’s score. Thobe then hit Cron in the end zone for the tally. The extra point attempt was blocked by Hausfeld and St. John led at the half, 19-14.

Maria Stein drew first blood in the second half as Thobe intercepted a Froning pass on the St. John 40 and ran it back to the Minster 16. Two plays later, it was Virg Will around end for the 22-yard score and Maria Stein led 25-14 after Hausfeld blocked another extra kick.

Late in the quarter the Wildcats moved from their own 17 to the St. John nine in six plays. Garman cracked over tackle on the first play of the final quarter for the TD. Horstman again plunged over for the point to close the gap to 25-21.

With the Blu-Jays hanging onto their lead and the Wildcats desperately striving to score in the final period, the ball changed hands twice before the Cats stopped a Blu-Jay drive on their own 18. With Garman picking up 47 yards in three line smashed the Cats moved to the St. John 20 with time running out. As Froning went to hand off to Hogenkamp, the ball popped into the air and an alert St. John lineman recovered to end the Cats last real scoring drive.

The outstanding performer of the evening was Minster’s Ed Garman. The hard running Minster halfback turned in the greatest individual performance in Minster grid history. The sandy-thatched senior picked up 230 yards in 22 tries for a phenomenal average of 10.4. Garman scored all three Wildcat touchdowns, had a punting average of 37.7 yards and turned in a fine defensive game.

Scoring by quarters:

Maria Stein 13 6 6 0 — 25

Minster 7 7 0 7 — 21