Evening star., 1939-09-19
Line 10 Be Rebuilt
With Blues Stars
OF 1888 Gone
Mentor Makes Strategy
Quiz Of Scrimmoge
With Anucostiu
By ROBERT HENRY.

among OCner tQlnSS, HdTQy
Pearce expects his Central High
School footballers to think a little
beyond generally accepted gridiron
lines and also accept weather as 1t
is. This was revealed yesterday as
he coached his large squad through
q practice scrimmage with Roland
Lunds Anacostia outfit at the Co.
lumbia Heights stadium.
Benny Steiner, Centrars all-high
quarterback, had just won the toss
and elected to defend the west goal.
Pearce called him aside and asked
what he had done and why.
so we'll have the wind in our IA
vor in the last quarter" Benny an
sWered.
Now, listen" said Pearce pa
tiently. suppose the wind shifts be-
fore then. That would be bad,
wouldn't it?"
Benny agreed.
Pearce plays EN- Safe"
"Why, then" continued Pearce,
shouldn't we take advantage of 1t
now? 1t changed one day five years
ago when I was coaching Eastern
and it helped us protect a 6-point
lead against Tech. Joe Moran-hes
with Georgetown now-outkicked
the Tech boy in the final quarter,
thanks to the wind, and we won.
That's something to remember"
Benny thought so.
It became apparent few minutes
after scrimmage got under way that
Hardy Pearce is no gambler. Some
coaches might not have minded
when the acting Anacostia quarter
back called for running play in
midfield with yard to go on fourth
down. But Pearce minded. In fact,
he stopped proceedings and called
his players around him.
What would you fellows do now?"
he asked The answer came quickly,
. loud kick"
Right" the coach agreed, "and
here's why. There's no sense in
taking a chance early in the game,
and should you run the ball, you
might lose the game right there.
If you fail to make that yard, the
other team has the equivalent of
long run and first down. OF course,
If it's late in the game and you're
tied or on the short end, that's a
different story
Bothered About Line.
The Anacostia boys were begin
ming to break through Central's line
now, and Pearce viewed with alarm.
Although his team has finished first
twice and second twice in the high
school race since he took over four
years ago, he seems worried about
the present outfit. It's every
coach's privilege to moan, Of course,
and one most take advantage of,
but this former George Washington
tackle appears genuinely concerned.
Cant tell how my line will hold
up this fall" he said. Last year
we had three all-high men in there,
but they graduated and I'm not
sure who is going to replace them"
Coach Lund dropped by in time
to overhear. Listen to him." he
said. Hes got swell group here
and he'll probably end up with
perfect season, yet he's worried"
That's the trouble with every
body" Pearce came back. We're
the champions, and naturally you
fellows expect us to keep on win
ming, but did you ever hear OF
champion that didn't get bumped
off sooner or later? think we have
a fine bunch all right, but there's
more than one hole to fill before
we may talk about winning again"
Fears Squad Overconfident.
Out on the field the teams were
getting warmed up, but making little
headway. Finally a Central back
tore through an opening big enough
for half the team. Pearce bright
ened.
Blocking" he said. "You can't
win without it, but it's the hardest
thing to teach a schoolboy. He
usually doesn't follow through.
Therere some hefty dummies inside,
though, and these lads will get
plenty of practice at smashing them
to pieces after cut the squad in
half the next few days"
A big, thick-legged player trotted
by and the coach watched him on
down the field. That boy might
help plug the line he ventured. 1t
was Dan Magnuson. He played
little backfield last year. He's really
too slow there, but I think his size
and strength will help plenty in one
of those empty tackle positions. 1
hope so, anyhow"
He didn't say it in so many words,
but Pearce left one with the i'm
preston that he believes his squad
is overconfident and that a good
pushing around would prove bene-
fetal. Its going to be tough sled
ding this year." he warned as he
led his squad to the showers and
we're in for plenty of competition
from all the schools. The team that
wins will have to show plenty OF
fight. Don't forget that"