Powerful Alumni Eleven Downs St. Ed's, 13-0 To Capture 1953 Hall Football Championship

Alumni Hall, sparked by the aerial fireworks of Quarterback Marty Vieth and the swivel-hipped running of Fullback Mike Laughlin, won the Interhall Championship last Sunday afternoon on a sun-splashed Cartier Field, rolling over St. Ed's Hall, 13-0.

Alumni with a collection of tricky backs and glue-fingered ends, ground out 142 yards via the air and 88 on the ground. Their superior offensive and defensive abilities proved too much for the sputtering sophomore attack.

The Alumni line proved too much for St. Ed's., as it provided a wall of protection for their hard running backs.

The St. Ed's attack never did get going. Halfbacks Gene O'Connor and Ed Cosgrove were stopped in their tracks, as spotty blocking by the line provided little protection. Coach Tom Meglen's linemen were consistently outcharged by the Alumni forward wall. Fullback Jerry Ryan and Halfback Joe Kurzeja provided a little light in what otherwise proved to be a dark afternoon for Coach Meglen.

The first period was a see-saw defensive battle which saw both teams' offensive power bottled up. St. Ed's took the opening kickoff and was promptly stalled deep in their own territory. Quarterback Pete Fieweger couldn't get his offense started and St. Ed's was forced to kick. Alumni's offense stalled, too, and the first quarter ended, featured only by the exchange of punts.

Early in the second period Vieth hit Mike Laughlin with a beautiful pass on the St. Ed's 20, but Laughlin couldn't hold it. Vieth, faking a kick on fourth down, passed to Don Zech for a first down. Another Vieth pass was good to the St. Ed's 25, and the Alumni attack started to roll with buzz-saw efficiency. They picked up nine yards on an end sweep to the 16. From there Vieth hit Laughlin for a first down on the 10, and on the next play found Tom Short in the end zone for the TD. Vieth's attempt for the point was no good and Alumni led, 6-0.

With six minutes left to go in the half. Parsley picked off a Ryan aerial, and Alumni again threatened. Brehm threaded through the St. Ed's secondary for 25. One play later Kallfelz reeled off eight, and Alumni was deep in St. Ed's territory. Zech made a beautiful catch in the end zone for what should have been the second Alumni score, but an offsides penalty nullified the play.

Late in the third period Alumni scored again. With the ball on the four yard line after a drive highlighted by power, speed and passing, Larry Kallfelz took a handoff and drove to the one where he fumbled. The ball was recovered in the end zone by end Don Zech, and Alumni had a 12-0 lead. Vieth added the point and Alumni led, 13-0.

The victory was sweet for Alumni coach, Marty Vieth, as he had been coach of the runner-up team for the last two years, losing to Breen-PhiUips last year and to Morrissey the year before. Vieth also had a very profitable afternoon on the field, as he completed nine out of 15 passes for 112 yards.

Preseason

• The interhall coaches were students majoring in Physical Education, injured varsity athletes, and volunteers.

• Games were not necessarily played on Sunday. The coaches had greater freedom in scheduling games during this era.

• Howard returns to the interhall league after a hiatus that started in 1948. They played one game before dropping out, a 0–25 loss to Cavanaugh.

• The Indiana State Prison football team is scheduled to play four hall teams. The Prison team compiled a 2–2 record before facing the halls, losing to the JV teams of Valparaiso and Wheaton and defeating two semi-professional teams.

Regular season

• The 2nd Mud Bowl: a touch football game is played between the Bogmen of Badin and the Lizards of Lyons. The Lizards shut out the Bogmen 25–0. Dave Collins of Lyons and Carl Peters of Badin were elected "most dirty players".

Postseason

• Marty Vieth returned to the interhall championship game, but coached a different team, Alumni Hall.

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