Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-03
HIGH GRID CRACKS
HEAR SIREN CALL
Intense Rivalry Expected to
Lend Excitement in Scrap
For State Championship.
SOME CHANGES IN RULES
By KARL LEE.

4 > - N r Il
lhe welcome can OF 1901 oail mas
sounded once again. Spring and sum-
mer have passed and the first day OF
chill--the glad weather of the grid.
iron-approaches. Autumn with its
pigskin stars will soon be in the field
Nebraska high schools will more
than welcome the game this year. The
intense rivalry existing among the
leading teams at the close of the last
season only serve to show in a de.
gree what state competition will
amount to this year. Three or four
teams that have been suffers in the
last three seasons are coming into the
field with weli-balanced. weil-coached
aqpregatibns that will contest strong.
" such leaders as Beatrice, North
Platte, Grand Island, Central High
and Lincoln. Aurora, Gothenberg and
Kearney are reported TO have ma.
terial enough to make any coach
look forward to a particularly fine
season.
Exn..+ Ano.h.r n;s,,..
~ p
rot various reasons me state eham-
pionship TINS year WIZ probably De
disputed. Inc windup OF the season
last year gave North riatte ana In
com equal contention Tor the title,
Whiie by process OF comparative
scores beatrice ana eentrai iiigh nae
Just as good a claim except tnat tney
were disgracea perhaps py one ue
feat Lincoln came thfough Withou!
oeieat ana having deteated tne prin'
cipai teams OF tne Missouri Vaiiey
without eHort Claimed the Vaiiey
Championship
An attempt mas peen maze 70 or
game seetionai 1901 pail league,
Inc idea Is 70 schedule only sucn
games as VIII aenniteiy eiininaIe an
out Top contenders Ior .ne tille; l n l:.se
leain Ms w9ulG play games io' inc ''''e
On lhahkss'vhg aa,es. r. :.
ah r., isianu = en',es .s ~ enI "
pan, me pies,uelt U ue poaru u
Euuea'lol, .nIie' ~ - mopot. ;. on,
nouneI - ma w. ;,i WI ea H., ,'''o
sneedy and fair determination of the
honor. Grand Island suffered but
one defeat last year and that was by
Central High. North Platte. the
counter contender for the 1915 title
voiced an opinion. Superintendent Of
Schools Wilson Tout OF the city, who
also acts as coach, stated that il
would be better to leave the organi.
zation OF such a league until the close
of the foot ball season or during the
basket ball season. Most coaches Of
the state have not taken up head
quarters yet and opinions viii not be
known until they return. The Omaha
schools are thought to be in favor oil
the plan:
The idea itself is progressive one
and would be well-liked all around
Cook County (lll.) the center OF Chi
cago high schools, entertalns the most
interesting football competition in
the entire country because OF Just
such an organization, while the states
of Indiana and California are also
sponsors for identical leagues.
Changes in Rules.
The changes in rules, although moi
materially altering the style OF play
give the referee increased powers Of
decision. Many of the argumentative
difficulties which high school teams
experienced in games Of the last sea
son have been cleared up. Three
principal systems of rules obtain
First-Fouls behind the goal line
are exhaustively defined. A foul Of
any sort behind the goal posts while
the ball is free inevitably results il
the awarding OF touchdown by the
referee to the offended side II the
foul is committed while the ball is II
the air safety is awarded the attack,
ing side. 1.-THE referee shall also hav,
jurisdiction over all roughing or foul
ing on the line. Under no circum
stances. the new rules say, shall !
PLAYER lock his arms or hands at an,
time or any place in the game. Viciou,