Evening star., 1938-02-25
PAIRING Of TEAMS
IS DIFFICULT TASK
st. Johns Bracketed With
B.-C. C., Eastern Drawn
With Western.
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

Although preliminary skirmishes in
two instances assume something of q
David and Goliath aspect, the result
Of the delicate business of pairing
teams in The Stars sixth annual
metropolitan scholastic basket ball
tournament assures seething action
'predicated on feuds which have been
simmering all season.
After calm deliberation the Tourney
Committee has yielded first-rollnd
pairings for the tourney at Tech High
gym March 3. 4 and 5, with the result
calling for st. Johns to clash with
Fredericksburg High, Bethesda Chevy
Chase to stack UP against Mount
Rainier, Western to collide with WASH
ington-Lee High and Eastern to face
Georgetown Prep.
st. Johns and Bethesda Chevy
Chase have been seeded in the TOP
bracket, while Western, defending
champion, and Eastern, interhigh
champion, have been seeded in the
lower bracket. Thus some of the most
sensational games in local schoolboy
history are anticipated when the tour
ney reaches semi-final and final stages,
B.-C. C. Is Confident.
The Bethesda contingent, which in
past Star events has struggled val
iently but fruitlessly against Washing
ton teams, this year enters the COM
petition with warranted confidence,
but meets an unknown quantity in
Mount Rainier. a veteran metropolis
tan campaigner which last year
reached the semi-1inal round before
losing to the eventual champion,
Western.
Mount Rainier thus far this season
has won eight games and lost seven,
but its record is more creditable than
that would indicate Five Of those
seven losses were suffered in Decem-
Der, when Coach Perry Wilkinson was
confronted with the problem of mold
ing team from inexperienced timber.
That he has manufactured a repre-
sentative team is mirrored in the
eight victories in 10 games the Mounts
since have scored.
Eliminated in the first round last
season by st. Johns. Bethesda Chevy
Chase this year grimly is determined
to survive the Mount Rainier engage
ment in order to obtain another crack
at the Cadets, whom they trounced
only recently to spoil the Johnnies'
otherwise unblemished record against
scholastic outfits.
Fredericksburg Dangerous.
st. Johns doubtless will be installed
4 decided favorite to wallop Freder-
icksburg, but the Virginia lads never
theless are regarded - dangerous.
Should the Cadets experience an OF
night they may find Coach Johnny
Fenlon's team potent package.
Washington-Lee High, which owns
triumph over Bethesda Chevy Chase,
as does Western, lost to Western by a
10-point margin early this season but
since has improved and hopes to spill
the Red Raiders The Little Generals
twice have trounced Fredericksburg
and George Washington High.
Eastern has received an added IN
centive to capture the crown, since
Coach Mike Kelley next season Will
be replaced by John MacBride, and
the Lincoln Parkers hope to present
the popular Irishman a befitting gift
for the manner in which he ,piloted
the club to the interhigh title. East
ern and Georgetown Prep will have
something in common, for both have
been whipped by st. Johns.
Prises Are Numerous.
MacBride, former Sparrows Point
(Md) High School basket ball and
track coach, for two years has been
teaching at Eastern. Kelley is in
charge of Eastern's Cadet Corps, and
his duties conflict with the coaching
job, which he took over in midyear
from Artie Boyd, who in turn had
succeeded Chief Charley Guyon.
Guyon's illpess caused the wholesale
shifting.
Prizes will be awarded in prolific
fashion. THE winner and runner-up
will receive trophies, as will the best
and second best suburban teams,
the girls division winner and runner
up and the boy adjudged the best
player in the tournament. In addition,
basket ball statues will be awarded
to individuals Of winning and runner
up boys teams in the metropolitan
struggle.