SoHo Takes Conference Title

The South House Orangemen, truly the lineal descendents of Oliver Cromwell's own Orangemen of Ulster in sheer ruthlessness and cunning, yesterday extended their two season House Football winning streak to eight games with a 6-0 defeat of Eliot House.

The victory gives SoHo a 3-0 record and the National Conference crown.

The indomitable Orange Crush defense has yielded only six points since the first kickoff of last year's championship season, and it looks as though the steamroller will move on to a repeat match-up with last year's championship game opponents, the estimable men of QWorld, who beat Kirkland on Wednesday.

In a game dominated by strong defensive play on both sides, the only score came late in the second quarter. A Bruce Hanson interception of a pass from Eliot quarterback Dave Gessner, compounded by a spearing against Eliot in the same play, gave SoHo possession of the ball on the Eliot 15.

SoHo QB Joe Auteri then turned to stalwart running back Rick "Galloping" Gallito, who on five consecutive hard fought rushes pushed South to within eight inches of paydirt.

Auteri slipped up the middle and over the end line on a quarterback sneak, but an illegal procedure call nullified the score and sent South back to the six yard line. Rolling right on the next down, Auteri hit tried-and-true tight end John Cheney on the left sideline for the score. A failed two point conversion attempt left the mythical scoreboard registering the game's 6-0 final.

Eliot followed the South House TD with the closest thing they got to a tally all afternoon. A long kickoff return and SoHo penalty found the Eliot squad deep in South territory with only seven seconds left in the half. Roy "Hands" McLeese snagged an overthrown Gessner pass with a diving lunge, but time ran out as McLeese hit the ground only yards from the end zone.

Villainous

The remainder of the game consisted of a struggle of the defenses and a flood of penalties--ten in the contest overall. Eliot, who according to Gallito had "No doubt the toughest team we've played," contained the South backfield and prevented any further scoring drives.

But SoHo lineman John Rockwood provided the day's outstanding defensive play. Combining with teammates Andy Golub and Mike Casey for numerous tackles, Rockwood personally chalked up two sacks.

The Masses

Rockwood attributed his successful outing to a weakness in one side of the Eliot offensive line which let "us draw 'em into the middle and then I went in on the end."

The conference champs move into the first round of the playoffs now and will next meet a tough Kirkland team next Tuesday, while American Conference winner Quincy House will face Eliot on Thursday.