Bellwood-Antis edged Saxton-Liberty 14-11 in the mud on Nov. 5, 1938 for their seventh straight victory.
The new Blue Devils were in just their first year of existence and were coached by Harry “Sis” Dinges.
The game was played on Saxton’s home field and was a sea of mud that held both teams to pretty much straight-forward football. Few passes were attempted and both teams were able to complete just two.
Saxton drew first blood after holding B-A deep in their own territory forcing a punt that went only to the BA-32. The Blue devil defense held for two plays, but a 30-yard run on third down went for the first TD of the contest.
Near the end of the opening quarter, Bellwood-Antis returned a punt to the SL-15 and took it to the eight-yard line on the final play of the quarter. After picking up a first down at the SL-5, Blue Devil fullback Ken Ehrisman bulled five yards for the tying score and rushed for the PAT to put Bellwood-Antis into a 7-6 lead.
Ehrisman completed a pass to end and captain Francis that netted a first down, but B-A stalled and punted to the SL-10.
Saxton-Liberty fumbled at that point, and Ehrisman, Johnnie-on-the-spot was there tom pick up the ball and step into the end zone for his second score. Ehrisman added the extra-point rush to give Bellwood-Antis a 14-7 halftime lead.
Saxton-Liberty controlled the ball much of the third quarter, and pushed Bellwood-Antis back into their own end zone for a safety to trim the lead to 14-9.
Continuing in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats brought the ball to the BA-1 twice and got within inches of the goal line on a third attempt. On all three occasions, the Blue Devil defense held. On the third try to the six-inch line, B-A held and then gave up an intentional safety to further slice the score to 14-11. The safety also allowed Bellwood-Antis to get some breathing, kicking from the BA-20.
Saxton got the ball back to the BA-10 on just two plays, but fumbled there and the Blue Devils recovered to end the threat and pick up the win.
Bellwood-Antis set the school’s all-time record for scoring on Nov. 5, 1948, by demolishing Williamsburg 75-0 for coach Duke Burkholder.
The Blue Devils had just suffered a devastating 34-6 loss to Roaring Spring on costly interceptions, the week before, turned six Williamsburg interceptions into touchdowns to simply bury the Blue Pirates.
B-A began early with senior co-captain Roy Pickens tossing a 20-yard TD pass to Gene “Mouse” Moore. Len Hummel rushed for the PAT.
A few minutes later Williamsburg fullback Emery Stewart, who had played for Bellwood-Antis, but moved out of the district fumbled and Ira Hummel recovered for the Blue Devils at the W-10. Pickens faked a pass, and then skirted left end for the touchdown and used the same play to score the PAT.
A minute later, it was Pickens again, this time a beautiful 70-yard punt return for a score. Pickens kicked the extra point.
With the B-A reserves in early, Mike Hoffer scooted 24 yards on a reverse from Paul “Bud” Wertz for a TD and Wertz kicked the PAT for a 28-0 lead at halftime.
The Blue Devils stepped up the pace with three-third-period scores and four more in the final quarter.
Pickens scored his final TD of the day from seven yards away and senior co-captain Gerry Trees rushed for the PAT. Wayne Snyder intercepted a Williamsburg pass to set up a 20-yard Len Hummel score off a triple reverse, one play later and Treese bulled for his second extra point. Melvin Sigle hit Hoffer for 26 yards and a TD, on a score that was set up by a Paul Utz interception. Sanford Nearhoof grabbed a pass for the PAT from Sigle.
Three Paul Wertz picks set up scores in the fourth quarter.
Wertz returned the first one 15 yards for a score. Two plays later, Bud’s second pick gave B-A the ball at the W-26. Sigle wasted no time in finding Hoffer for the team’s ninth TD and Wertz added the PAT.
Gambling desperately, Williamsburg lost the ball on downs at their own-41. Sigle ran around end for a first down to the Pirates-27 and then found Utz all alone in the end zone for the TD pass.
On the final play of the game. Wertz intercepted his third pick and sprinted 50 yards for the touchdown. Utz passed to Leo Campbell for the PAT to set the final.
Bellwood-Antis avenged their loss to Laurel Valley in the 1993 district championship game, by posting a 28-7 win over the Rams, on Nov. 5, 1994. In a semifinal win that put the Blue Devils back into the district final for the second straight year B-A overcame a quick 7-0 deficit, racking up 305 yards of total offense and forcing five Laurel Valley turnovers.
Ryan Hostler scored a nine-yard TD to answer the early Laurel Valley score as each team scored on their first possession.
That would be all the scoring for the Rams, thanks to the attacking Blue Devil defense, while the B-A offense put four unanswered scores on the board to advance to the district final against Homer Center.
Chad Swogger gave Bellwood-Antis a lead they would never surrender in the second quarter powering his way in for a one-yard TD after a Jason Reed to fullback Jason Kirkpatrick 16-yard pass completion on a fourth-and-10 call kept the series alive. Reed ran out of time looking for a receiver on the two-point PAT try and ran the ball in himself for a 14-7 lead at halftime.
The Blue Devils added a pair of second-half scores to ice the win. First, Swogger intercepted a Laurel Valley pass. Then the burley senior fullback grabbed a Reed pass and after a nifty cutback, scored on a 23-yard pass play.
Hostler capped the B-A scoring with his second TD of the contest, scooting 26 yards for the six-pointer and Dan Tubbs booted his second extra point.
