Evening star., 1940-12-21
-Four Quints Menace
Rooseve|t's Grip
On High Crown
Catholic League Nicely
BoIonced; County Fives
Better This Season
By GEORGE HUBER.

Scholastic basket ball teams, sign
ing off until after the holidays, leave
a hectic record of early season play
that promises. among other things,
one of the best high school title
series in recent years when action
Is resumed with heavy schedule
early in January.
Several upsets already have been
spread on the books to indicate that
weaklings of last year have found
the strength needed to make them
serious contenders On the other
hand, none of last years leaders
noticeably is weaker and chal-
lengers will find tough going as
they attempt to nose into the select
circle.
Here's the way the various cham
pionships line up this early in the
season:
Public high schools: Roosevelt
winner last year for the first time
since 1919 and the old Business
High days. is being threatened from
several sides. 1t has lost twice, first
to Bethesda-C Chevy Chase and then
to George Washington freshmen. 1t
has a good team, though, with only
one weak spot in the starting quint
which Coach Herman Littman may
be able to strengthen before the
series opens on January 7.
Tech Contender This Season.
Other quints in the playoff last
season were Eastern. Central and
Western. Eastern appears the main
threat and currently has the highest
ranking among Washington quints
with a four game winning streak
Central, with Hardy Pearce trying
his hand at basket ball for the
first time. also is contender. West
ern hasn't played enough to supply
real line on its chances, but of
the four teams it likely will be the
one to drop out if real challenger
comes from last years also rams.
The one likely to replace it is Tech,
although Wilson also has chance,
Anacostia apparently is out,
Catholic schools-This unofficial
league has been reformed, with
Georgetown Prep returning to the
schedule for two games each against
st. Johns and Gonzaga. Gonzaga
appears the class of this loop with
only loss to Central on its record,
while Georgetown Prep has shown
such form that it might be able to
make a serious bid for second place
over st. Johns, which, while still
good team, is not up to usual high
Johnny standards.
Blair Primed for Fight.
Montgomery County-Bethesda
Chevy Chase took this championship
last year with two successive vic
tories over Montgomery Blair Blair
Is stronger this time. however, and
will make a serious bid. 1t showed
Its strength by defeating previously
unbowed Charlotte Hall and then
winning over good alumni quint.
The Barons. however, will be no soft
touch and have only defeat by
Eastern to mar a five-game record.
This promises to be one of the most
heated rivalries in the Washington
Metropolitan Area and both games
have been scheduled at Maryland'S
Ritchie Coliseum to take care of the
large crowds expected.
Nearby Virginia. Of all the sec
tions in this area, this is where
the outcome is most certain. The
rivalry is between Washington-Lee
and George Washington High. The
Little Generals have had great foot
ball teams, but they haven't made
a serious basket ball bid for several
seasons, while it has been the other
way around with the Presidents.
They went to the final of the State
basket ball championship last year
and, while that goal may not pe
reached this time, they may expect
little trouble in heading to the
championship of Northern Virginia.
Smaller Schools Stronger.
Action in the nearby smaller
schools also promises to be heated,
with Hyattsville. Mount Rainier,
Rockville, Fairfax and jefferson of
rams CnurCn all DOaStlng gOOQ
little teams.
OF the 18 or so major" schools
In the Washington Metropolitan
area, IA already have played their
first games and what indicates that
this is going to be hard-fought
and interesting basket ball year is
that only two of these teams, East
ern and Tech-still are undefeated
u> A All-0.