This Week in Benedictine Football, Week 15

December 9, 1950

Charity Game

Benedictine 14, St. Ignatius 14

                After a major snow storm crippled the Cleveland area in the early hours of November 25, the 20^th annual Charity Game became the only title game to be postponed.  

                Here’s how Tim Hudak described the weather conditions of that day in his book, The Charity Game, a history of Cleveland’s biggest annual high school football game.

“Early that morning it started to snow, and to snow, and to snow. The Plain Dealer called it, “one of the worst blizzards in modern times…” Twelve inches had already fallen by noon on the 25^th with no let-up in sight. By nightfall the total had risen to 21 inches. It would take five full days just to clear the main streets – and that was with the help of 600 National Guardsmen and some 100 Army vehicles. Schools were closed until Monday, December 3.”

                For those fans and friends who attended the game when it was finally played on Saturday December 9, it was worth the wait…as both teams could claim the title.

                No doubt, one of the happiest persons at Cleveland Stadium on that day had to be Benedictine’s Joe Kostelac. He converted one of the most important extra point kicks in Benedictine history.

                But more on that later…

                St. Ignatius was favored in this game as they were riding an 18-game winning streak. The Wildcats also had a sizable weight advantage on both offense and defense. The Wildcats offensive line averaged 192 to the Bengals 174, and 201 to 176 on defense.

                Ironically, while both teams were mostly known for their outstanding running attacks, the game turned into an air show.

                Benedictine quarterback Jack Slekar, who would be voted the game’s Most Valuable Player, completed six of 12 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown. The Bengals ground game could manage only 32 yards and did not help themselves by losing four fumbles.

                St. Ignatius passers completed nine of 24 for 136 yards and had three throws intercepted by the Bengals. The Wildcat runners gained only 45 yards.

                Benedictine jumped out to a quick lead as Slekar found Ben Stefanek for a 67-yard pass play that put the ball on the Wildcats 18. Running back Ed Yemec carried twice for the Bengals and scored from the six. Joe Kostelac kicked the extra point to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead.

                That lead was carried into halftime.

                St. Ignatius got on the board in the third on a 19-yard scoring pass and extra point kick to tie the game at 7-7.

                Then, with five minutes left in the game, St. Ignatius took the lead 14-7 on a 29-yard touchdown pass and extra point kick. It looked as if the Wildcats were on their way to victory. But there was another star-in-the-making for the Bengals.

                Benedictine moved the ball to the St. Ignatius 40. On a fourth-and-six, Slekar flung a pass to sophomore halfback Bob Konkoly, who was playing in his first varsity game after being promoted from the junior varsity squad. Konkoly gathered it in at the 10-yard line and crossed the goal line untouched with two minutes left in the game. His clutch touchdown reception put the Bengals in a position to tie the game.

                Now the game rested on the kicking foot of Bengals senior lineman Joe Kostelac.

                “My feet were frozen and my knees were shaking as we lined up,” said Kostelac. “It was a great feeling when I saw the kick was good,” he told the Plain Dealer.

                Not surprisingly, Kostelac, a stalwart on the Bengals line at 200 pounds, said it was the most important kick of his high school career.

                That kick gave the Bengals a 14-14 tie with the favored Wildcats and a share of the Cleveland City Championship.

                That prompted Benedictine coach Joe Rufus to declare, “We stopped their winning streak, we’re the champs.”

Who could blame him? If nothing else, his Bengals had earned a moral victory.

                NOTES: This game on December 9 is the latest date a Benedictine game was played.

                Bob Konkoly, Joe Kostelac and lineman Bob Radel are all members of the Benedictine Athletic Hall of Fame.

                If you are looking for a Christmas gift for someone else or yourself, you should consider The Charity Game book, by Tim Hudak. It is a very thorough, year-by-year look back at the Charity Game played as the season-ending game from 1931 until 1968.

                With its large number of appearances in the title game, Benedictine is mentioned prominently in the book with lots of photos. For more information go to:  www.sportsheritagepublications.net

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Wally Mieskoski ’71

Benedictine Football Historian