This is the eleventh installment in a series recapping the 50th anniversary of the Oxford Hills 10-1 1971 football season.
In what turned out to be the toughest game since its 13-12 win over Winslow in early September, Oxford Hills again rode stellar halfback Larry Durgin and a bend-don't-break defense to a 20-13 Saturday afternoon road victory at Rockland. It was the tenth straight victory overall for the Vikings and eighth in its first year in Pine Tree Conference play.
Durgin scored from 20 yards out with almost five minutes remaining in the game and Dave Daniels added the extra point to give Oxford Hills the 20-13 lead. Durgin gained 199 yards on 24 carries on the day and became the first Oxford Hills player in school history to cross the 1,000-yard mark in a season.
Another Durgin Score: Behind some excellent team blocking, halfback Larry Durgin notches the first Oxford Hills touchdown against Rockland on Saturday, November 6, 1971.
Once again, Oxford Hills scored early in the first period when Durgin capped a 69-yard drive with a one-yard plunge. Daniels missed the conversion try, leaving the score at 6-0.
Cummings Keeper: Quarterback Brad Cummings calls his own number and collects the second first-half touchdown for the Vikings.
Quarterback Brad Cummings tallied the second score for the Vikings, as he trotted in from two yards out in the second quarter after another lengthy drive. This time, Daniels connected on his placement kick, putting the Vikings up 13-0. At that point, it looked like just another day at the office.
Rockland’s season had started slowly, but the Tigers had gotten stronger toward the schedule’s end. In a quick strike late in the period, talented quarterback Terry Kenniston hit end Lance Hudson on 25-yard touchdown pass to answer the Vikes’ second score. A missed extra point by Doug Curtis made the Oxford Hills halftime lead 13-6.
Midway through the third period, Kenniston connected with end Frank Mace for his second 25-yard scoring aerial. A successful Curtis conversion kick for the Tigers tied the game at 13-13, putting the visitors on the nervous seat, best exemplified by Stuart Cummings (the father of Brad and Gary) puffing on two cigarettes at once on the sidelines. The score stayed tied until Durgin came through with his heroics late in the game.
Edwards Goal Line Interception: Cornerback Hal Edwards snuffs out a Rockland threat at the goal line with a clutch interception of a Terry Kenniston pass.
Durgin and cornerback Hal Edwards each intercepted Kenniston, while Edwards also added a fumble recovery. The Vikings negated the advantage with two lost fumbles of their own.
Fumble Recovery Celebration: With middle guard Steve Raasumaa high in the air, the defensive unit of the Vikings celebrates another key takeaway by cornerback Hal Edwards.
Cummings was five of nine in the passing department, hitting end Billy Brooks for 93 yards. He also hit Durgin for ten yards and halfback Reggie Olmstead for three. Fullback Pete Brown returned from a flu bout to notch 70 yards in 15 carries, while Olmstead chipped in 26 yards in five carries. Cummings also picked up 21 on eight jaunts, including his touchdown scamper in the second period.
The Vikings racked up 330 yards rushing and 106 yards passing along with 14 first downs. Rockland had 114 yards on the ground, and Kenniston was 13 of 28 passing for 104 yards and nine first downs.
It was the second game in a row that turnovers by the Vikings cut into its scoring total. It left the team with one more Viking raid to finish the season, the highly-anticipated regular-season finale next Saturday afternoon against the Morse Shipbuilders in Bath. According to one newspaper account previewing the matchup, it stacked up as one of the most evenly matched games in Maine schoolboy history, with two fine offenses and two fine defenses. Something was going to have to give!!
Bob Moorehead covered the 1971 Oxford Hills football team as a general assignment reporter for the Portland Press Herald and Sunday Telegram. He later served the Guy Gannett Newspapers as a sports editor, city editor, managing editor, and general manager. Paul Ricci and Brian Partridge (both OHHS Class of 1972) conceived the idea for the series and provided extensive research. Readers who would like to share any favorite memories or stories from the 1971 season are encouraged to E-Mail either of them at paulricci@hotmail.com or brianpartridge@comcast.net.
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