Eight players of last years regular team were lost by graduation while eight of the second team were lost either through graduation or because of ineligibility by failure to keep up their work. The outlook seemed dark enough but another serious blow came when Harold Stump received an injury that kept him out of the game most of the season.
Many people do not realize the fact that had we won the Harrisville game, we would have won the Little Mountaineer Conference. St. Marys, although defeated by Calhoun 7-0, won the championship for the second consecutive season.
Calhoun opened their season against the W. Va. Industrial School of Pruntytown by defeating them 14-6. Quite a few of the boys started into the game for the first time thus being inexperienced.
Normantown visited the local gridiron next and returned home suffering a 19-0 defeat. Gaining experience from the Pruntytown game, the boys played better ball throughout the game. Practically every boy on Calhoun's squad played in the Normantown game.
The Calhoun boys first tasted defeat when they were beaten by Glenville by the score of 6-13. The C. H. S. team was badly hit by injuries from the Normantown game and several boys were out of place without team mates with whom they had been accustomed to playing.
In the next game Calhoun was severely defeated by the husky state champions of Parkersburg by the score of 64-0. Although we were badly beaten, it was proved in later games that we profited by the loss. Every boy on the Calhoun team showed that he could be a good sport by staging a gallant fight while being defeated. Parkersburg considered Calhoun one of the gamest teams with whom they played.
Calhoun opened against the highly touted Spencer team hitting their full stride by handing them a 13-6 defeat. Spencer being our greatest rival, much enthusiasm was created. The fans were proud of the team for this victory.
Calhoun received their third defeat of the season from Harrisville, the score being 6-1.
The next in line for the Red Raiders of C. H. S. was Pennsboro, whom we defeated 19-1. In a very hard fought game Calhoun again showed their prowess by coming from behind to win this game.
After a very short rest of only two days the powerful Calhoun combine came through by swamping Ripley by a score of 35-0. Many reserves served in this game.
Doddridge came next for Calhoun and the Red Raiders were defeated 19-6. West Union proved their superiority by starting a much larger and more experienced team.
Tyler High School lost to the Red Raiders in a hard fought game, the score being 27-13. The small Tyler team put up a game fight but the Calhoun aggregation proved themselves much too strong for the scrappy but lighter boys from Tyler.
In our last game of the season the St. Marys Blue Devils came to Grantsville and were defeated in a sea of mud by a score of 7-0.
When Little Mountaineer Conference honors were distributed this year, Calhoun was well represented on the first team. Orman Ewing was selected halfback and Leon "Hoot" Gibson end. On the second team Glenn Farrar was selected guard. Denzil Gunn, Aves Holpp, Raymond Ewing and Eugene Bennett were given honorable mention.
Our team will lose seven men by graduation this year. They are Orman Ewing, Glenn Farrar, Harold Stump, Clyde Sampson, Gordon Keith, George Saurbourne, Doyle Elliott, Frank Marshall, Ersell Hughes, Aves Holpp and Leon Gibson.
Orman Ewing, a good student and popular schoolmate, was chosen to play with the North squad in the annual North-South charity game at Charleston, and was further honored by sports writers who picked him on their All-State teams....Leon Gibson was chosen end and captain of Parkersburg's All-Opponent team, received honorable mention on the All-State team....Glenn Farrar is a popular student, not outstanding but consistently good and reliable football player. Glenn will be greatly missed from the team hereafter....Clyde Sampson was a very valuable player on Calhoun's team, being in his prime during the Spencer game. He should be highly commended for his work....Harold "Mug" Stump played in bad luck for the past season. Had it not been for injuries which kept him from playing in all but four games, he would have been beyond all doubt, one of the greatest athletes that Calhoun High School has ever turned out....Gordon Keith, tackle, and George Saurbourne, quarterback, were two players who turned in some marvelous work the past season....Frank Marshall and Doyle Elliott have played football for the past three years and should be praised for their spunk and their ability to play the game....Ersell Hughes was a good defensive player....Aves Holpp, last but by no means least played one year at center position and although handicapped with a "trick" knee played a successful season.
Some of the undergraduates who saw service on the football team this year were Bill Busch, Raymond Ewing, Eugene Bennett, James Hall, Willie Barnes, Dan Stewart, Junior Owens, Denzil Gunn, Jack Stump, Glenn Fowler, Elmer Phillips, Rector Brown and Leon Yoak. These boys will return next year to play football and we may expect great things from them hereafter.