Pulp | Arts Around Ann Arbor

OTTAWA LAKE-The local bookie goes under the nickname “Boris the Lithuanian” and he was calling a 51-point spread Friday night when undefeated, third-ranked Ann Arbor St. Thomas High played the Whiteford Bobcats.

It’s a good thing no one decided to gamble with Boris, because even though St. Thomas scored six of the eight times it had the football, it could only post a winning margin of 40 points, 43-3.

The only two times St. Thomas failed to score were when a fumble stopped a 75-yard drive on the Whiteford 14 and when time ran out at the end of the game with the Irish inside the Bobcat two-yard line.

The St. Thomas scoring, as well as its rushing attack, was led by the backfield combination of fullback George Creswell and tailback Blaise DiDonato. While the Irish have been averaging 213 yards on the ground, last night marked the first time this season that an individual ball carrier gained over 100 yards.

Creswell raced for 102 yards in 10 carries and scored three touchdowns. DiDonato also shattered the century barrier, running for 101 yards in 15 runs and scoring one touchdown. Both of these ball carriers came into last night’s contest averaging 4.8 yards per run, and now Creswell has scored eight touchowns on the year to DiDonato’s 10.

The Irish also showed that they can score by the pass as well as the run, which was no secret. On the first play of their second possession, quarterback John Wright hung a 30-yard pass out to Rocky Farmiloe who had split the Whiteford secondary and was all alone in the end zone.

Wright went on to complete four of the five passes he attempted in the game, for a total of 102 yards and two touchdowns. The senior quarterback made honorable mention All-State last year, and it’s hard lo believe that the 65 per cent completion rate he has going this year will earn him any lesser honor.

Whiteford scored its lone three points after a rare fumble by St. Thomas' Mike Mrozinski as he tried to return a punt. With possession on the 25, and then the 10 after a roughing the passer penalty, the Bobcats managed a field goal from the nine-yard line. This made them only the third team in seven games to score on St. Thomas this year.

The only fault to found to be found with the St. Thomas defense last night was its excesses, resulting in three 15-yard penalties that accounted for more than half of the first downs by Whiteford. Several strong sacks of the Bobcat quarterback, particularly by defensive end Dave Morehouse, balanced the Whiteford rushing attack at an even zero.

“I expected to beat ’em and we beat ‘em,” St. Thomas Coach Dave McCarney stated succinctly after the game.

"Boy, I wish we’d have got that last TD."

ST. THOMAS..........14 22 0 7-43

WHITEFORD..........0 0 0 3-3

ST-Creswell 3 run (kick by O'Brien)

ST-Farmiloe 27 pass from Wright (kick by O'Brien)

ST-Mrozinski 4 run

ST-Schork 12 pass from Wright (Richmond 2 pass from Tice)

ST-Creswell 10 run (kick by O'Brien)

ST-Creswell 2 run (kick by O'Brien)

W-Briskey 9 field goal

ST W