Atlanta Daily World

Waycross Center High Wins Georgia Class A Grid Title

WAYCROSS, GA. - The Center High School Tigers overcame a halftime deficit with a touchdown in each of the last two periods to win the state G.I.A.A. Class A grid crown with an 18-12 victory over Fort Valley at Memorial Stadium last Saturday.

The Tigers had spotted the Lions a 12-6 intermission advantage but fired up their steam-roller in the final half to cop the state trophy.

Center had broken the scoring ice with a first period TD but Fort Valley notched a tying tally in the first period and went ahead with a second quarter score.

Beautiful running and passing marked the comeback victory for the Tigers. Donald Austin knotted the score in the third period with a twisting, squirming 47 yard scoring excursion when Bobby Jack Williams hit Charles Goins with a 30 yard touchdown pass for the winning points.

The entire Center High football team was nothing short of great. From end to end, the Tiger line out-charged and outfought its heavier opponent throughout the contest.

Fighting as a unit regardless of which seven was in action, Norris Lundy, Clinton Johnson, Eugene Williams, Marvin Dyson, Rudolph Davis, Charles Goins, Ulysses Reid, B. C Carswell, Donald Robinson, Robert Atkinson, William Wells, and John McPhaul shared the defensive spotlight.

Backfield luminaries included Bobby Jack Williams, who directed the attack and tossed the winning TD aerial, Johnny Green and Donald Austin, who ran amok with the leather, these being abetted by Frank Peeples, Curtis Davis, Jimmy Perry and Carlton Jenkins.

plus every other back who saw duty last night.

The Fort Valley team was just as strong as expected. They presented a fast running team but could not match the fire of the Center High eleven and solve the stubborn Tiger defense in the last two periods.

Center High scored first in the opening stanza with a methodical 56 yard march. Johnny Green pushed over from four yards out to climax the drive and the try for point failed.

Fort Valley came right back to knot the score. With Clifford Brown and Ulysses Marshall alternating, the Lions marched 75 yards for a six-pointer which Brown tallied from five yards out.

Midway the second period, Brown electrified the crowd with a spectacular 62 yard scoring jaunt to give Fort Valley a 12-6 halftime lead. Brown burst loose on a quick opener and outsped the Center secondary.

Center High took the ball at its own 38 early in the third canto and after working to the Lions 47, Williams handed off to Donald Austin who darted through a surprised Fort Valley defense to knot the score at 12-12.

The remainder of the third period and the first eight minutes of the final round was a rugged defensive battle with neither team threatening too seriously.

With time running out the Tigers took possession at their 36 to move for the winning points. Mixing up plays to perfection, the Tigers moved to the Fort Valley 30 from where Bobby Jack Williams spied Charles Goins back of the Lions defense and bullseyed a perfect aerial for the points that brought the trophy back to Waycross.

Donald Austin's final performance for Center High was the greatest of his career. The brilliant young halfback notched 143 yards to take running honors in the game Johnny Green another senior Tiger, was close behind Austin for the night with 129 yards in his best showing of the year.

Fort Valley's Clifford Brown was the workhorse of the Lions with 139 yards for his evening's efforts.