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From the archives | Oct. 29

BC routs Florida at Fenway Park

Held scoreless in a drab first half by a desperate Florida eleven, Boston College overpowered the visiting Gators in the concluding chapter of their intersectional scuffle to pile up a 33-to-0 victory before 7,732 spectators at Fenway Park yesterday afternoon.

The lopsided score in favor of the unbeaten Eagles, your envoy is sorry to state, is a bit deceptive. It wasn’t until coach Josh Cody of the Southern gentlemen withdrew his regulars and his second and third string spares began to heave crazy forward passes that the Eagles really piled up their one-sided margin.

Lacking sustained driving power in the first pair of periods, the Eagles suddenly awoke shortly after the intermission kickoff. While sophomore Charley O’Rourke pitched a pair of scoring passes to Dick Harrison, the phenomenal catching Boston wing, it was the terrific line smashing of Pete Cignetti which set up Boston’s debut in the scoring department.

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Repluse Gator threat

It was hard breathing for the Eagles in the standoff first half. Not only did they fail to cash a payoff chip in the second period but their own goal line was in jeopardy at the very end of the opening half. Florida, repulsing all Boston attacking attempts, heaved a couple of successful passes to reach the Eagles’ 17 before they were checked.

Following a couple of punt transfers on which the erratic Eagles picked up considerable yardage, Boston College launched a 42-yard scoring march early in the second half. It was “Five Yard” Cignetti who battered away at the Florida frontier to place the ball within range of the visiting goal line.

Pete was handed the ball five times in succession. He cracked through the middle of the Florida line on each occasion and the five thrusts sent Boston down to the Southerners’ 19. Here, the Eagle strategy changed. Al Horsfall was sent through the middle but he failed to gain. On the next shot the ball came to Cignetti, as it had on previous line bucks, but as he went through with his customary half-spin, he handed the ball to O’Rourke. Charley raced through the Florida left tackle, and he wasn’t downed until he struck within six yards of the Alligator goal line,.

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Harrison takes passes

Once more, Florida expected a Cignetti buck and again the Eagles crossed them up. It was Horsfall who carried the mail but the best he could gain was a single yard. The Eagles started out on the ensuing play as they did when O’Rourke hit tackle for a 13-yard advance but instead of going forward, Charley faded back and passed to Harrison in the end zone for a touchdown. On the play Harrison faked going towards the right sideline and when he cut over to the left he had nobody in front of him. Horsfall’s placement failed.

Not until the fourth minute of the fourth period did the game take on the appearance of a rout. With Cignetti, Horsfall and Cowhig hammering inside the Florida tackles, the Eagles marched 28 yards to the Florida 27. One pass and a rush failed to gain but on third down, O’Rourke passed to Harrison in the end zone for a second Eagles touchdown. Dick had two men covering him but he evaded them to make one of his copyrighted brilliant receptions. Fella Gintoff placekicked the extra point.

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Worth intercepts, tallies

Less than a minute later, the Eagles total soared to 19. Ralph Worth plucked a Florida pass out of the chilly breezes on the Gators’ 32 and he sprinted over the goal line. The scoring tempo increased thereafter at a pace which seemed impossible following the strictly defensive battle of the previous three periods.

The Eagles took the leather on their own 14 and with a couple of surprise plays marched 86 yards for their forth touchdown. They caught Florida unaware on fourth down with four to go. They were on their own 47 and they went into kick formation. But Gintoff, instead of punting, tossed a flat pass to Horsfall, who raced up the left sideline to the Florida 9. After two passes failed Gintoff heaved one to Alex Lukachik in the end zone for the touchdown.

A pass interception by Joe Zabilski with about 30 seconds left to play produced the final Eagles tally. Joe caught the Florida pass on the Southerners’ 48 and sprinted unmolested for the touchdown. There was only time for Horsfall to placekick the extra point when the game ended.