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ReitzFootball.com proudly presents “This Day in #ReitzFootball History,” as we look back through almost 100 years of The Mighty Panthers.
Saturday, Nov. 30, 1940
Reitz 7, Memorial 0
Bosse Field
“An eager, overly anxious Reitz High School eleven struck quickly in the opening quarter at Bosse Field Saturday afternoon to beat Don Ping’s Memorial Tigers, 7 to 0, therby hanging up the 1940 city gridiron championship…a crown worn by the Lincoln Avenue Tigers for the past six years.
It was the first victory for Reitz over Memorial since 1933. The win gave the Panthers an undefeated season and places them in line for serious Indiana title consideration (which the Panthers subsequently won). Only a 0 to 0 tie with Central mars their record.
Capitalizing on a break, which came midway of the opening quarter, the Panthers wheeled into action and in seven plays they punched 34 yards for what proved to be the deciding points. The break came when Memorial fumbled on their own 37 and Ray Gooch, Reitz tackle, piled through to cover the ball on the Memorial 34.
Fullback Bob Ritter punched through a mass of waving Memorial arms to the 10-yard line. The jack rabbit, [Jack] Dezember, went flying through to the four. Back came Ritter and he was brought down in a wedge of players at the one-yard line.
A desperate Memorial front wall turned back Dezember, the ball coming to rest on the one-foot line. This time Reitz Quarterback Don Savage called on Ritter, and Ritter didn’t fail. He went ploughing through, over and across the last white line for the marker.
There was some confusion at the conclusion of the game. Memorial had the ball and Ellspermann passed incomplete. Time was up and the gun fired. Fans rushed on the field, only to be waved back by Referee Howard Millard. There was a penalty on Reitz on the play and Memorial got one more chance. But it failed, too.”
Reitz 7 0 0 0 - 7
Memorial 0 0 0 0 - 0
First quarter
Reitz - Ritter 1 run (Dezember kick)
Rei Mem
First downs 5 3
Rushes-yards 110 -54
Passing yards 3 40
Comp-Att-Int 1-5-2 3-12-0
Punts 10 10
Fumbles 2 3
Penalties-yards 7-45 2-20
Final city standings
Team City Overall
Reitz (c) 2-0-1 8-0-1
Central 1-0-2 6-0-3
Bosse 1-2-0 5-4-0
Memorial 0-2-1 4-3-1
Final SIAC standings
Team SIAC Pts Overall
Central (c) 4-0-2 30.5 6-0-3
Reitz 3-0-1 27.0 8-0-1
Sullivan 3-1-0 13.0 9-1-0
Bloomington 1-1-1 12.0 6-1-2
Princeton 2-2-1 8.5 4-2-2
Washington 1-1-2 8.0 4-2-3
New Albany 2-1-0 8.0 3-4-1
Vincennes Lincoln 1-5-1 6.5 3-5-1
Bosse 2-3-0 3.0 5-4-0
Bicknell 0-5-0 0.0 0-8-0
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