The Charlotte Observer
October 10, 1974
By Richard Sink

SOUTHMEN HOLD OFF LATE HORNET BID, 27-23

First touchdown for Hornets: QB Tom Sherman sneaks over from one yard line against Memphis in WFL game.

The Memphis Southmen strolled into Memorial Stadium Wednesday evening with a billing as a vicious running football club, but with the tendency to strike through the air when necessary.

The reputation should stick.

Memphis shunned the airways for three quarters, then pierced the Charlotte secondary for two decisive touchdowns in the final period for a 27-23 World Football League victory over the fired-up Hornets.

It wasn't quite that simple, however, at the end of the hard-hitting game, one of the most brutal either team has played this season, the two coaches agreed afterwards.

Charlotte, which led 15-11 entering the concluding 15 minutes, made things entertaining for the partisan crowd of 25,133, who jammed the dimly-lit stadium past the capacity mark and on into standing room only.

Hornet quarterback Tom Sherman marched the team 60 yards after Memphis last score and fullback Don Highsmith traveled the final yards for a touchdown drive.

The onside kick by Pete Rajecki to George Sauer, who was speeding along the right side line, was perfect. "An absolutely perfect kick," Memphis coach John McVay said. "It was just like a perfect pass and he (Sauer) darn near caught it on the run."

The difficult maneuver which was accomplished with the soccer-style Rajecki kicking the ball with his left foot, returned the ball to the Hornets at their 44.

On third down Sauer grabbed his fifth pass of the game and carried the ball to the Memphis 40. But from there Sherman forced a pass which appeared to be an intentional grounding on first down, and twice he tried to locate Al Barnes deep.

On the second attempt, David Thomas intercepted with 1:00 left, sealing the 10th straight win for the Southmen, now 13-2.

Charlotte coach Babe Parilli defended the Hornets' pursuit of the long strike in the final two minutes.

"Any time they blitz that puts them in one-on-one coverage," Parilli said, whose team fell to 9-6. "We wanted them to blitz. Barnes ran by the guy, but we just under threw him. I don't know why Sherman threw short. But he did us a good job overall."

"Our players are overwhelmed, it's a great town. We've never had people pulling like this for us. This crowd, in a small stadium, sounds like twice as many, It's music to our ears."

Ironically, Parilli pointed to the incredible enthusiasm as a potential factor in the Hornet's early jitters, which led to Memphis's first touchdown and cost them possible scores.

Highsmith fumbled on Charlotte's first offensive play and before halftime, Sherman bobbled snaps. He recovered both times, but losses slowed down drives.

"We had a bad start," Parilli said. "We regrouped, but against Memphis you just can't make mistakes. I don't know if the crowd did it, but those (mishandled) snaps from center just haven't happened to us this year."

Highsmith's early fumble followed Greg Len's blindside tackle of Memphis quarterback Danny White. The brutal hit jarred the ball loose and tackle Carter Campbell fell on it for Charlotte.

John LeHeup than began to make his presence know by landing on Highsmith's bobble at the Charlotte 36, and six plays later J.J. Jennings dived into the end zone from a yard out for a 7-0 lead. White raced all around trying to find a receiver on the action point and finally spotted Ed Marshall stepping on the back end line.

That score by Jennings was Memphis's only one along the ground, but he carried 17 times for 104 yards and running mate Willie Spencer dashed an equal number for 107.

Marshall really ruined the Hornets in the point parade. He was the recipient of White's TD passes in the final quarter from 13 and 19 yards.

The Hornets showed early that they could penetrate on the ground. Ike Thomas's 55-yard kickoff return placed the ball at the 33, and Sherman stuck the ball in his back's arms for nine plays until keeping it himself for the TD on a one-yard fun up the middle for the 8-8 tie with 2:39 left in the first period.

Memphis didn't complete its first pass until midway through the second quarter, and the Hornets didn't try one until the opening play of the period. But before the night was over, Charlotte had to go to the air 27 times, and the Southmen defense bottled up its runners for just 69 net yards.

White's punting in the first half, for a 49.5 average, kept the Hornets in trouble but he never once had to kick in the second half.

The ball-control tactics of both clubs continued into the third quarter, and Memphis took off on it's only complete possession of the period for a 28-yard field goal by Bob Etter.

Sherman started to unload passes in the third quarter, but the Hornet's go-ahead touchdown on the ground came on Highsmith's five-yard sweep around the left end, behind Ford's block. Sherman's pass on the action point was mishandled by Sauer in the end zone, and that failure proved costly later.

Memphis's fourth-quarter touchdowns and successful conversions put the difference at four points as the Hornets began their desperation drive in the final two minutes, needing a TD, not a field goal to tie and force overtime.

When Memphis regained the lead, Charlotte cornerback Larry Shere fell down in the end zone and Marshall was left all alone to catch White's 13-yard toss with 1:47 gone in the last quarter. White again displayed his art of scrambling on the action point by finally locating Roger Wallace, who leaped for the reception.

A Robbie Reynolds punt to the Memphis three seemingly buried the Southmen but White dug them out with his passes. A pass interference call against Charlotte's Ike Thomas kept the Southmen going on third down, and two lays later Whit hi Marshall from 19 yards on a post pattern, John Harvey bulled for a 27-15 lead.

That was with 6:15 to go, and the Hornets took the kickoff for a score. Passes sustained the march, but Highsmith tallied his second touchdown on a one-yard run. The action-point pass to Barnes made it 27-23. They then needed a successful onside kick and a touchdown. They got one but not the other.

1) Memphis QB Danny White draws back to pass.

2) Hornet LB Jim Sims causes fumble.

3) DE Carter Campbell (79) has shot at ball.

4) Campbell makes recovery to set up first Hornet TD.