University of Virginia Library

Merritt Gains 115

Vandy Edges Wahoos, 10-7

By BILL BERNO

Kent Merritt Had His Best Day Of The Year Saturday

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—They
tried, but they couldn't do
it–sad but true for the
Wahoos, who tried on many
occasions to score against the
Vanderbilt Commodores but
could only succeed once in
dropping a 10-7 decision here
Saturday night.

Several times during the
game the 'Hoos looked as if
they were going to put points
on the board, but their only
score came on a second-quarter
touchdown pass to Dave
Sullivan from George Allen.

George Allen? In the second
quarter? Yes, In fact, Allen
played all of the way after
Harrison Davis left the game on
the first series of plays with a
dislocated thumb on his
throwing hand.

Allen had a respectable
night, completing 12 of 26
passes for 142 yards but he had
an interception and only
engineered one touchdown
drive. That touchdown should
be credited to Sully, who ran
his customary down-and-out
pattern and was wearing
defensive back Doug Nettles
for a coat but broke deep into
the end zone to catch Allen's
17-yard pass on a fourth-down
play.

Things started out well for
the Cavaliers, but suddenly
turned sour. Vanderbilt
tailback Lonny Sadler fumbled
the opening kickoff, and
Wahoo Ed Sabornie pounced
on the ball at the Commodore
23. In what turned out to be a
crucial series of the game, the
'Hoos were unable to move and
Billy Maxwell wound up for a
36-yard field goal attempt. The
snap from center Paul Ryczek
bounced at Davis's feet and
squirted away. Maxwell
picked up the ball, but
fumbled it when hit and
Vanderbilt recovered on the
26-yard line. It was on this
disastrous play that Davis
injured his thumb.

Vandy carried the
momentum over to the
offensive platoon, which took
only seven plays to march
downfield on a 74-yard drive.
The touchdown run was a
beauty by Walter Overton.
Overton took the ball on a
counter and outran the Wahoo
defenders 39 yards into the
end zone.

It was in the second quarter
that the trend of the game was
set. Although Vanderbilt
couldn't move, the Wahoos
themselves were stymied on
several scoring opportunities.

In the third period, on the
first series of plays, Mike
Lacika lost the ball and
Commodore George Abernathy
recovered it at the Cavalier 47.
The ensuing drive proved to be
the deciding factor in the
game. Keeping the ball on the
ground, Vandy moved down to
the Wahoo 10 and had a
second and eight situation.

Sadler was thrown for a
four-yard loss but the Cavs
accepted a five-yard illegal
procedure penalty, giving
Vanderbilt second and 13
instead of a third and 12 they
would have had without the
penalty. Coach Don Lawrence
said after the game that he had
accepted the penalty because
he thought that the referrer
had called a 15-yard clipping
penalty. In any event, two
plays later Hawkins Golden
booted the winning field goal.