New Brighton 1951 Football Team Named WPIAL Class A Champs
Written by Mike Spratt, from the 1952 Alaurum
The Lions opened the grid season with Hopewell’s Class B team and defeated them 26-0.
Fred Leaf passed to Bill Beck for the school’s first score. Then climaxing a sustained drive, Leaf plunged over from the three-yard line. Tito Francona—with a perfectly-timed interception—galloped into the end zone untouched. Alert lineman Ray Tannehill climaxed the scoring by falling on a pass from center, which sailed over the Hopewell back’s head and into the end zone.
Brighton traveled to West Allegheny for their first Class A test in 1951.
Five plays after the opening kickoff, fullback Joe Dwyer carried the ball 28 yards for the score. Dwyer and Leaf scored one each in the second and third quarters from one yard out. However, New Brighton’s class and power were not revealed yet, as they beat West Allegheny 21-6.
One of the most thrilling and significant victories was scored by a fighting Lion team, upsetting Ambridge 25-21.
Tito Francona started things rolling with a TD from the four-yard line and later in the second quarter he tossed a TD pass to end Bill Beck. Cory scored for Ambridge on a 50-yard run, but the Lions marched back 70 yards, with Francona taking it over from the fourteen and later intercepting a Bridger pitchout on the New Brighton sixteen, he raced 84 yards for the final New Brighton touchdown. After that, the Bridgers fought back with Bombian and Ciper scoring TDs. Although suffering several injuries, the Lions hung on with more fight and courage and came out victorious.
Suffering from a temporary let-down, the Lions were trailing Rochester 6-2 at the end of the third quarter.
But Leaf, who had been injured the week before, came from the bench and scored twice to stun Rochester 15-6.
The Lions rolled over Beaver 40-14 and rung up 20 first downs to one for Beaver.
Leaf started it off by scoring from the five-yard line and then Tito scored 26 points on 13, 1-, 79- and 3-yard runs. Late in the game the reserves took over and Sam Sheffield scored the final TD from the one-yard line.
German Township proved to be the toughest Class A battle for the Crimson and Gold team.
Dwyer and Leaf after a scoreless first half, tallied one TD apiece. The strong New Brighton line held German Township to a net rushing yardage of 33.
The single wingers from New Brighton outclassed Ford City 40-0, with Tito scoring three TDs from the 4-, 7-, and 30-yard stripes.
Dwyer, Leaf, and reserve Jim Karis also added TDs.
The real test for New Brighton was Midland who held the Lions to a 7-7 tie at the end of the half.
But in all ball games, a second half must be played, and then Leaf scored twice and Snowberger once. Those with Tito’s one in the first half gave the Lions a decisive 27-7 count.
Brighton easily topped Monaca 32-13, assuring them a Class A playoff bid.
Leaf, scoring four times, ran wild against Monaca. Francona added one TD as New Brighton gained 292 yards on the ground. This marked Brighton’s 17th game without defeat since Ambridge in the ‘50 season.
The pressure in New Brighton gave way as an inspired Beaver Falls eleven broke New Brighton’s streak at muddy Reeves Stadium 16-6.
The Beaver Falls line held the strong offense of New Brighton but Dwyer made it a battle by scoring the lone TD for the Crimson and Gold. The presence of little Jerry Haney proved to be the margin of victory for the Tigers.
At the neutral Dormont field, New Brighton reached its peak of the season, and New Brighton High School football teams through the years, by out-classing, and out-scoring the fighting Ramsey team 33-0.
Signal caller Kenny Majors finally came into his own with a 72-yard screen pass TD and a 69-yard punt return. Leaf and Dwyer came through as usual with each scoring two touchdowns. Tito made three out of five extra points.
Brighton finished up the season, a well-coached, smooth-running ball team.
They made Beaver County history by winning the W.P.I.A.L. crown two years in succession. It was the first time a New Brighton received the Geneva Cup, and also the first time since 1937 that they have been Beaver County Champs. Tito Francona and Frankie Chufe made first team all W.P.I.A.L. with Don Snowberger and Fred Leaf getting honorable mentions. Francona also received an honorable mention on the All-State Squad. Francona also led the county with the greatest number of points scored, 99 in all. Leaf was second with a total of 78. The success of the team was shown by the spirit of the student body, so hats off to the 1951 champs.
1951 New Brighton High School Football Team
MANAGERS
Bob Synder
Poe Dalbey
Ab Preston
Pat Howard
Emerson Barr
Ken Crowl
Ben Hardesty
HEAD COACH
Charles F. Buzard
ASSISTANTS
John J. Corll
Albert H. Franco
Charles L. Croft
PLAYERS
Jim Allison
Ray Tannehill
Tom Reindi
Dale Sutherland
Ron Anderson
Ken Majors
Fred Leaf
Stanley Garvin
Dick Watt
Jim Vukich
Bob Reed
Dick McCanna
Dan Hunter
Jim Bonzo
John Cobbs
Jim Sutherland
Bill Pasquale
Harold Engle
Joe Hardy
Alexander Narvette
Richard McKee
Paul Jackson
Joe Dwyer
Ronald Terrazzano
Frank Chufe
Jim Campbell
Bill Beck
Don Snowberger
Dick Beegle
Sam Sheffield
Don Gillespie
Tito Francona
Jim Kairis
Fred Antonio
Dick Hummer
Mickey Crawford
Dick Sylvester
Jack Meir
Rudy Kalcevic
Joe Salamone
Harold Young
Ronnie Book
Bob Anderson
Jim Grimm
Bob Shroads
Dave Pasquale
Steve Alaskin