Although the fans have all gone home, Smith Field still rings with the echoes of Friday night’s roaring crowd, one of the largest ever assembled at the Covington gridiron, that watched coach Paul Devine’s Buccaneers hand the Class A West Milton Bulldogs a 44-0 pasting that will live long in the memories of local fans.
In annexing their sixth consecutive victory, the “Thundering Herd” completely dominated the entire game and to the delight of the huge Homecoming crowd, staged one of the greatest exhibitions of football ever displayed by a Covington team. Their blocking was superb. Devensive play was nothing short of teriffic. Tackling was hard and sharp. And deceptive backfield ball-handling kept the opponents, the fans, and at various times the officials, in complete bewilderment.
The Devine Dynamo lost no time in showing its superiority and before the game was six minutes old, had sent Leonard Woods crashing into the endzone for two scores. Both conversions were blocked and Covington led 12-0, that score prevailing until the quarter ended.
Midway through the second period, Kenny Shufbuch, Covington halfback, hurdled the line and scooted 28 yards down the right side to give the Buccs the 18-0 margin they held at the half.
Early in the third period, Covington quarterback Bob Tobias, faking a hand-off to Woods, brought the fans to their feet on a bootleg play by quietly scampering around the right side of a completely baffled Milton squad to score standing up from 41 yards out. Doug Diltz, conversion attempt was wide and Covington had command, 24-0.
At this point, Coach Paul Devine’s juggernaut really began to roll as it became evident that the badly battered Bulldogs could not absorb the perpetual pounding dished out by the Buccaneers’ forward wall. Seconds before the period ended, Leonard Woods bolted through the now seive-like Milton line, making “dunced” of stunned Bulldog secondary by prancing 65 yards in a glittering demonstration of broken field running to give Covington a 30-0 advantage. Covington’s attempted pass for extra point was batted down as the quarter ended.
Covington’s sixth tally came after Doug Alexander recovered a Milton fumble on the Bulldogs’ 30-yard line. Six power plays later, Doug Diltz bulled into the endzone from the two and Woods skirted right end for the conversion, making the score 37-0.
Using a widely spread pass offense, the Bulldogs took to the air in a desperate attempt to score, but Covington lineman Bill Frey haulted their aspirations by intercepting a Bulldog pass on the Milton 35 and clawing his way back to the two-yard line. On the next play, Doug Diltz boomed over for the Buccs’ final touchdown and then kicked the extra point as the massacre ended 44-0.
Scoring By Quarters:
Covington …….12….6…12…14 – 44
Milton Union ……0….0….0…..0 – 0