Published October 16, 1961
HOUND FIRST DOWN—Eddie McKaughan (15) picks up a third quarter first down for San Benito Friday night in the Greyhound - Pharr - San Juan - Alamo football game. Pharr’s Arnoldo Romero (67) is at left while San Benito’s Uvence Galvan (64) is in background. San Benito won the district 16-AAA game, 7-6. (Staff Photo)
Editor’s Note: In observance of the 50th anniversary of the 1961 San Benito Greyhounds, the San Benito News will feature in each weekend edition the story that covered the game of that week 50 years ago. This is the game featuring the San Benito Greyhounds vs. the Pharr Bears.
San Benito News
PHARR FIRST DOWN—Poppy Rodriguez (13), with ball, picks up enough yardage on this play for a first down on PSJA’s only scoring drive in the San Benito-Pharr game Friday night. San Benito players are Jerry Crow (63) and Marlin Mabry (31). San Benito is 2-0 in district play after the 7-6 victory. (Staff Photo)
PHARR – Domingo Ramirez blocked a field goal in the last nine seconds and Gene Uptegraph booted an extra point that didn’t look like it would make much difference at the time, to lead San Benito over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo 7-6, here Friday night.
In a game that started out looking like a runaway for San Benito’s Greyhounds, Pharr came back in the last half with a comeback effort that almost beat the Hounds.
The victory gave San Benito its sixth straight victory this season and a 2-0 district record. San Benito is tied for the district 16-AAA lead with undefeated Rio Grande City, 7-6 winner Friday night over Mercedes.
Pharr’s season record dropped to 4-2 after the defeat as the Bears stand at 1-1 in district competition.
Both squads came on in sports, San Benito dominating the first half and Pharr nearly pulling it out of the fire in the last two quarters.
In the first half, San Benito picked up 123 of its total 186 yards gained. Pharr managed only 47 yards in the first two quarters.
In the last half, though, Pharr picked up 105 of its 152 total yards while San Benito was getting only 63 yards.
San Benito never trailed in this game as halfback Jim Helms staked the Hounds to their only touchdown when he raced 34 yards midway through the second quarter.
San Benito, though, reached the Pharr one and five-yard lines in the first half while failing to score and got down to the Bear 11 in the fourth period where a fumble killed the thread.
Pharr, besides its one scoring thrust, owned the ball as deep as the San Benito 15-yard line as time was running out in the hectic fourth quarter.
San Benito won the toss at the start of the game and elected to receive. Jim Helms took the opening kickoff back to the Pharr 42 from his own 18-yard line as he lacked only one block to break loose.
From the 42, though, the Hounds couldn’t move and four plays later the Bears took over on downs at their own 33.
After a penalty put the ball back on the 28, San Benito’s Ronnie Driggs broke into the Pharr backfield, knocked the ball out of Pharr quarterback Jimmy Wilson’s hands, and fell on it for a San Benito first and 10 at the Bear 21.
From there, Jim Lewis picked up three, Upty was held for no gain, but Helms tossed a nine-yard running pass to Upty that carried to the Pharr nine for a first down.
An offsides penalty moved the ball down to the five for a first and goal there for the Hounds. The Pharr defense, though, led by Johnny Cox and Johnny Miller, got tough to repel the Hounds.
Upty was held for no gain, Eddie McKaughan passed incomplete, Lewis picked up two to the three, and Upty gained a yard down to the one on fourth down as the Bears took over.
Three plays netted no yards for the Bruins and on fourth down Pharr’s Danny Seltz got off the first of several booming kicks. Kicking from deep in his end zone, Seltz spiraled a 52-yarder to the San Benito 47-yard line.
From there, Coach Jake Helms’ crew marched right back down to camp near the Pharr goal, but again couldn’t figure out the tricky… (sic)
…Helms and McKaughan combined efforts for a first down at the Pharr 42 and a 15-yard penalty moved the ball down to the Bear 27 for a first down there. (sic)
After McKaughan picked up three to the 10 as the first quarter ended and after an incomplete pass, Helms and Lewis picked up only five yards between them to give the ball back to Pharr on the five.
Pharr had to kick after picking up one first down, though, and the Hounds were in possession again at their 31 as they mounted their lone scoring drive of the night.
Lewis was the big gainer for the Greyhounds early in the drive as he picked up first 27 and then 17 yards on quick openers to the right side to put the ball down on the Pharr 20 with a first down.
After Upty picked up a yard to the 18, however, a 15-yard illegal use of the hands penalty moved the ball back to the 34.
That penalty, though, seemed to give the Hounds the fire they needed to find the range. Helms, running from his right halfback slot, went wide to the left side, sprinted down the sideline, and crossed the goal just inside the flag with 6:47 left in the half for a 6-0 San Benito lead.
The elusive Helms did a sort of blocking for himself on his touchdown run. Pharr’s Julio Ayala came up to meet Helms on the line of scrimmage and looked to be in position for a sure tackle.
Helms, however, swung wide, slapped Ayala away, and danced along the sidelines for the touchdown.
Upty booted true on the extra point that was to decide the outcome and San Benito was through on the scoring side for the night with its 7-0 bulge.
Pharr mounted its only semblance of a drive late in the second quarter. It was on this march that the Bears ran their only plays in San Benito territory in the first half.
With only two minutes left before intermission, Pharr got down to the Hound 40 and was able to run six plays in San Benito’s end of the field.
In the first half, San Benito led in first downs 7-3, in rushing 114-47, and in passing yardage 9-0.
It was a different Pharr team that came out in the second half. The speedy Bruins were not to be denied their scoring chance, but one scoring chance was all they got.
A 41-yard punt by Seitz that rolled out of bounds on the San Benito seven-yard line early in the third period set up Pharr’s only touchdown drive of the game.
The Hounds couldn’t move out of their hole and had to kick, Upty getting the ball out to his own 42 for a Pharr first and 19 there.
From the 42, Gary Emrick, Poppy Rodriguez, and Wilson took over the Pharr ball-toting chores.
Emrick gained 11 for a first down on the 24 and then he and Wilson and Rodriguez combined efforts for another first down on the Hound 19-yard line.
Rodriguez picked up nine yards down to the 10 before an offsides penalty moved the ball back to the 15.
Emrick gained on to the 14 and on fourth down and needing five, Rodriguez punched the ball down to the 7-yard line for a first and goal-to-go.
Rodriguez carried twice for a total of four yards to the three and Emrick picked up another yard to the one. On fourth down, Emrick slanted over the goal and Pharr found the scoreboard with 2:48 remaining in the third period.
Wilson tried to run the left side for the two extra points that would have put the Bears in the lead, but he was stopped short to leave the score at 7-6.
After receiving the kickoff, San Benito mounted a 13-play, 57-yard drive that carried to the Pharr 11-yard line and ate up the rest of the third quarter and more than half of the fourth game.
After a 32-yard pass from McKaughan to Helms good to the Pharr 22-yard stripe, Helms and Lewis ran for a first down on the Bear 11 and it looked like the Hounds would ice the game with an insurance score.
But on first down, Ayala got in the middle of a McKaughan pitchout play and fell on the loose ball for a Pharr first down on the Bear 14.
After an exchange of punts, Pharr was back in business at the midfield stripe for that last gasp try for victory.
Wilson and Rodriguez picked up 15 yards between them for a first… (sic)
Pharr’s Phil Hetrick ranged down on the 35.
…back into his own backfield to pick up a fumble at the San Benito 44 to keep things going. (sic)
After two running plays, a pass interference penalty gave the Bears the ball on the San Benito 25 as little more than two minutes remained on the clock.
Rodriguez carried twice to the 18 and Wilson gave the Bears a first down on the 15 as 51 seconds were left.
San Benito’s Sonny Cortez tossed to Rodriguez for a one-yard loss back to the 16 to set up the dramatic field goal attempt.
Ramirez crashed through from his defensive end post to block the kick, but Pharr covered the ball on the 18 with only five seconds left.
Wilson faded to pass as time ran out, threw a desperation heave over to a receiver in the left flat and San Benito kept its undefeated, untied record.
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