The 1948 Oil City team finished with an overall record of six wins, two losses, and three ties; and made the school's best ever effort toward winning a state crown. Playing nemesis Tallulah (who knocked them out of the 1946 playoffs) in nearby Vivian, the locals fought the favored Trojans to a 26-all deadlock. In those days there was no overtime, and the tiebreakers used were first downs and penetrations; both in Tallulah's favor, so they advanced. Given that the Trojans easily handled Varnado 25-0 in the finals, it is not unreasonable to think the Tigers might have produced a similar result, or for at least won.
1948 Oil City High Bengal (yearbook)
1948 Oil City High Bengal (yearbook)
Schedule and Results:
Vivian 13, Oil City 0
Oil City 20, Bossier City* 7
Oil City, 7 Texarkana Catholic 7 (tie)
Oil City 6, St. John's 6 (tie)
Oil City 34, Plain Dealing 0
Oil City 25, Rodessa 6
Oil City 48, Sarepta 13
Winnfield 40, Oil City 20
Oil City 38, Mooringsport 6
Oil City 59, Logansport 0
PLAYOFFS
Oil City 26, Tallulah 26 (Tallulah advanced on first downs, 21-13)
* Though some articles throughout the year report OC beat "Bossier" 20-7 (implying the varsity), this certainly must have been their junior varsity team. There is no mention of Oil City in the Bossier yearbook that recapped their football season including opponents and scores. It did however note the school initiated a jay-vee team. Their varsity team was very strong that year, winning the Class A state championship.
Recaps found follow:
Oil City 7, Texarkana Catholic (tie)
A brief mention of the contest appeared in a preview of the OC-St. John's contest.
Shreveport Times 07-Oct-1948, Page 14
Oil City 6, St. John's 6 (tie)
Times 08-Oct-1948, Page 33
Oil City 34, Plain Dealing 0
Times 16-Oct-1948, Page 8
Oil City 48, Sarepta 13
Times 28-Oct-1948, Page 18
Oil City 38, Mooringsport 6
Times 06-Nov-1948, Page 8
Oil City 25, Rodessa 6
Times 20-Nov-1948, Page 8
PLAYOFFS
Preview of the upcoming Tallulah game.
Monroe (LA) News Star 03-Dec-1948, Page 10
Oil City 26, Tallulah 26 (tie)
The game ended in a tie, however the Trojans led both in both tiebreakers - first downs, as well as penetrations (inside the opponent's 20 yard line). A game recap was not published in any available local or Monroe area newspapers. All that could be found are the brief comments published several days later in an article about Tallulah's upcoming championship game against Varnado High.
News Star 09-Dec-1948, Page 14
Accounts from persons in attendance describe at some point George Riley of Oil City returned a kickoff for a touchdown that was called back because a lineman had his foot on rather than behind the line marking the required 10 yard clearance from the ball prior to kick. After the end of the game everyone on the field and in the stands was anxious as the officials tabulated the results,. Both teams were huddled around, when suddenly the Tallulah players broke into celebration, while the OC boys displayed obvious disappointment and frustration when the totals were disclosed.
Tallulah went on two weeks later to defeat Varnado 25-0 for the state championship.
POST SCRIPT
Amazingly, the team that played the eventual state champion to a stalemate did not have a single player selected to the first or second all-state teams. By contrast, Tallulah had three first team selections, with two others named to the second unit.
George Riley would go on to become a junior college All-American at Kilgore (TX) Junior College.
Claude White played professional baseball for several years, including briefly for the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League.
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