1945 Bearcats

1945 BEARCAT TEAM


CAPTAINS:  J.T. DECKER and BENNY BLITCH

COACH:  FLOYD SORLEY


Bobby Carl Simpson, Norris Burdette, Max Goates, Cled Heathington, Winford, Chandler, Owen Campbell, Henry Van Terrill, Arl Nowlin, Carroll Ragland, Keith Jaye, Homer Miller, D. Lock, James Upshaw John Dendy, Wayne Freeman, B. Lawless, C. Grimshaw, Glen Newton, Jimmy Hansford, Charlie Page, Arden Locke, Donald Nowlin, Robert Rice, and Billy Gray.  Joe Durham manager.

   World War II ended less than a month before school started.  Even so, De Leon and Comanche played twice, continuing the effort to save the rationed gasoline.  On opening day, enrollment in the De Leon schools totaled 650 students.

   Little has been found on the games played that year even though it was a generally successful season with the Bearcats going undefeated until the Dublin game (however at what point during the season the game was played is unknown).  Dublin won the district and was beaten by Ballinger at Bi-district 52-7.  It was the fifth Bi-district Championship in a row for Ballinger.

    Floyd Sorley came to De Leon in January 1944 when health issues knocked him out of the army.

   De Leon opened the season against Albany.  The Albany  News reported the score as a 58-0 De Leon win. The Comanche Chief reported the win as 26-0.

    The Bearcats opened the Thanksgiving game against Comanche with a fumble at their own 3 yard line.  Comanche recovered the fumble and three plays later scored as Harold Pate carried in for a touchdown.  Armstrong kicked the point after.

      Midway through the second quarter, Keith Jaye quick kicked the ball and the Native Americans took over at their own two foot line.  Comanche immediately punted the ball back to De Leon for safety sake giving the Bearcats the ball at the Comanche 30.  The Bearcats scored as Jaye ran to  near the Comanche goal and Benny Blitch carried it in for a touchdown tying the game.

      Blitch scored the winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter and then kicked the point after.

1945


District 7-A

DHS                        OPP

58 Albany                     0

7   Goldthwaite            6

24 Comanche              6

27 GORMAN                0

W  COLEMAN              L

14 COMANCHE           7

34 HICO                       6

19 HAMILTON             0

0    EASTLAND            0

7   @DUBLIN *             18

28 Gatesville Training

                 School         7

 

Programs provided by Ben Blitch