Scorecard

PLAY IT AGAIN, COACH

Unbeaten Castle High of Newburgh, Ind. , the state's defending schoolboy football champion and ranked 12th in the nation in the latest USA Today high school poll, scored on a dramatic 24-yard field goal with two seconds left Friday night to take a 21-19 lead over unbeaten Bloomington South in a state quarterfinal playoff game. When Bloomington South's Mark Brainier appeared to be tackled near midfield after handling Castles subsequent squib kick, jubilant Castle fans, believing the game to be over, began pouring onto the field. However, unnoticed by the fans and at least some of the Castle players, Brauner had, just before he was downed, lateraled to teammate Brad Jackson. Jackson then cut to the left sideline and using part of the Castle throng is interference, raced into the end zone, giving South a stunning 25-21 victory.

All right, everybody, let's run that Cal-Stanford tape again, O.K.?

PILLOW TALK ON THE GRIDIRON

You may have noticed squarish pillow-like objects protruding from behind the necks of linemen and linebackers at football games this fall. Well, don't think those fellows have been sleeping on the job. Formally called helmet restrictors but more jocularly referred to as "rocket launchers" or "humpbacks of Notre Dame," the pillows were developed by Byron Donzis , the innovative Houston sporting-goods designer who first made news with football gear a few years ago when he fitted injured NFL Quarterback Dan Pastorini with a then-revolutionary rib protector (SI Sept. 3, 1979). The Donzis "flak jacket" has since become standard equipment among pro and college quarterbacks.

Because they're made by hand, the helmet restrictors, which attach to the back of the shoulder pads with Velcro and metal snaps, are pricey; each one sells for $87.50. They're designed to soften blows to the head and thereby prevent one of football's most common and painful injuries, the burner, or stinger, an affliction caused by the neck being thrust violently in any direction. The pads are tilled with open-celled urethane foam that, on impact, displaces air in proportion to the Strength and speed of the hit. A linebacker can slowly tilt his head back over the helmet restrictor during pregame neck exercises and the pillow will fully deflate. However, in the event of a sharp hit by an opposing player, the pillow will deflate only enough to cushion the blow. "We needed to pad players so the neck would be immobilized." Donzis says. "But we don't want them to feel encumbered."

One of the helmet restrictor's biggest boosters is Notre Dame trainer John Whitmer, who hits bought 17 of them for this year's Irish team. Other users include West Virginia . UCLA and a smattering of players in the pros. Not everyone is sold, though. Boston College tried but shelved them. Northwestern trainer Steve Long dismisses the helmet restrictor as merely a "bigger and bulkier" version of the neck roll, a protective item long used by many teams.

Donzis also makes a variety of padded gear for hockey, soccer, lacrosse, rodeo and other sports. One thing the firm's founder says he'll never manufacture, however, is a protective cup. "I personally test everything before it goes out the door." Donzis explains. "And I'll be damned if I'll stand there and let somebody take a swipe at me with a baseball bat or a sledgehammer."