Evening star., 1941-09-11
Has Five Letter Men,
Trio OF Them Backs,
AS Team S Nucleus
Gonzueu Squad HustIinq
To Be Ready for Eurly
Start Against N. T. S.
BY GEORGE HUBER.

Although only five letter men. three
OF them backs, have returned,
Coach Jim OLeary is confident
that Dewitt School will have bet
ter eleven than last years. It's a
matter of logic says OLeary. mo
team could be as bad again as we
were last year"
With new policy of de-empha-
sis in effect last season. Dewitt won
only two of eight games and tied
two others. But a comeback ap-
pears in order with OLeary en-
tering his second year of coach
ing, and he figures on winning four
or possibly five of the nine games
scheduled this time.
Returning letter men in the back
field are George MCGOWAN, Sim
Price and Allen Waitman, while
completing the list is Bob Orme,
end, and Ralph Teunis, guard. Only
20 candidates are on the squad
now. but this number will be in
creased by out-of- town boys re-
porting when school opens on Sep
tember "a Dewitt has one game
before that, however, playing at
HagerStown High on the Goth.
More Talent to Come.
Promising to add all-around
strength to the team is Bud Kirvln,
a newcomer from Lynn. Mass, who
played high school football up
there. OLeary is counting on him
to play either center, his regular
position. or guard Guard appears
TO be the teams weakest position,
although the ends are not too
strong. The team is not deep any
where, however, and OLeary has
his fingers crossed in the hopes
that injuries won't handicap the
squad.
Particularly promising in prac-
tice on the small field behind the
school is Waitman. He has been
doing some excellent kicking and
passing. AS for his ball carrying,
OJeary tags him as the best run
ming back I've seen in long time.
He's plenty fast. He's a little light
and rather reckless and liable to be
hurt easily-I only hope he doesn't"
Gonzaga Rushing Preparations.
Gonzaga, too, is putting on the
pressure now in preparation for an
early opening. 1t goes against Ma
tional Training School on Septem-
ber is. Last year the Eagles opened
against Central and were beaten,
900. in a game which they really
should have won despite the ap-
parent one-sided score. Opening
with something easier should give
them better start and an even
better season than last year, when
they won four, lost three and tied
two. One of those ties was with
st. Johns in their annual classic.
Coach Sam Richards has no COM
plants about the speed and ease
with which the boys are picking up
the Notre Dame system he is in
-stalling. He naturally favorS this
style, having been with Rockne
at the South Bend school from
1927 to 1929. Along with this sys-
TEN he is adding several quick
opening Information plays.
Will Bank on Murphy.
For a good bit of the fancy ball
handling required on spinners and
reverses. Richards probably will de-
pend a great deal on Joseph (RedS
Murphy, a blocking back he has
shifted to quarterback. Described by
his coach as a really good field gen.
eral, Reds also will do the teams
signal calling.
Seven letter men in all are work.
ing with the Eagles, with Elmer
Raba and Bernie Healy the only
other experienced backs. Raba,
good enough last year to earn rec
ognition as one of the best school,
boy players in the city, appears even
better. Although the owner Of an
established reputation and a sure
starter, he is working as hard as
rookie
In the line are Joe Mullin and
Joe Claveloux, ends; Jim O'Keefe,
tackle, and Jim Fahey, guard.
OKeefe particularly is making a
good impression.
Among the leading backfeld pros
poets are Al Lauck and Les DAILY,
both members of last years squad.
Lauck's kicking and passing have
been impressive, while DAILY is prov
ing a good blocker and vicious
tackler.