Reading High Gridders Face Tough Opponent in Coaldale (1947)

(Reading Eagle, October 9, 1947)

Reading High’s football team will attempt to better its current .500 average on Saturday afternoon when it entertains a new opponent, Coaldale High, at Albright Stadium. However, against the strong Schuylkill Countians the local school boys will be tackling a team that is undefeated in four starts this season.

The Red Knights thus far have compiled a log of two victories against a similar number of defeats.

The visiting Coal Crackers, at present tied with Lansford for first place in their Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Conference, sport decisive wins over Blythe Township, Newport Township, Minersville and Tamaqua.

Coaldale comes here led by Tom Raymer, head coach since 1924, who over a 23-year span has guided his charges to a record of 154 victories, 20 ties, and 56 losses. Raymer, like his assistants, Wilbur Berger and Steve Martinec, are graduates of Susquehanna University. In 1946 competition, the Tigers won eight and lost two.

Returning from last year and the nucleus of the visiting array are Joe Rilo, Right End; Charley Hontz, Quarterback; Amos Trimmel and Geno Poli. The remainder of the invaders sport jayvee experience from 1946 and this year’s four-game seasoning and complete what looms like tough opposition for the Red Knights.

Source: Newspaper - Reading Eagle

Morning Call article has a couple of sentences about the 1947 season:

--"Coaldale kept pace early on, winning its first four starts before losing a 7-6 decision to Reading. The Tigers would bow in two of their next three games, but finished with a string of three straight wins to complete a third successive winning season."

--"Higgins, who followed Mikovich as a first-team all-state choice, outdueled defending scoring champion Bob Marouchoc of Lansford by scoring 17 touchdowns and 17 extra points for a 119-point total. Marouchoc finished sixth behind teammate Paul Vitek, Coaldale's Bob Praskac and Charlie Frasinelli of Summit Hill -- all of whom were among the top scorers the previous fall. Higgins wound up far ahead of the field although his two closest rivals were a pair of juniors -- Palmerton's Bob Romig and Charlie Hontz of Coaldale."