Evening star., 1941-09-18
Key Spot Apparently
Has Lost lis Appeal,
Mu|veyFigures
Wilson's Is Only Team
In Public Series With
Talent in Position
By GEORGE HUBER,

by
One of the biggest problems fac
ing high school football coaches
and they almost are unanimous on
its finding dependable centers
AS Coach Fred Mulvey of Westerns
championship squad puts it: II
don't understand it. Few of the
boys come out for the position-it
seems to have lost its attraction"
To quote Artie Wondrack of
Tech: THE center is the most i'm
portant man on the team, especially
If you can get good one. The
quarterback calls the plays, but the
center is the one who starts them"
Both Mulvey and Wondrack par
ticularly are interested in finding
good centers because last year they
had the best two boys in the inter-
high series, Jack Xanten at Western.
selected on the All-High first team,
and Art NeWSome at Tech, named
On the second.
Xanten was a real 40-minute
man (high school version of a Co.
minute NAM and his replacement,
John Boaze, had only about 10
minutes of actual playing time in
the series. Coach Mulvey will use
Boaze as his starter probably, but
still is seeking a substitute In
desperation he is trying to make
centers of Welles Fendrick, end,
and Gene Shoemaker, back.
Newsome's Sub Gone, Too.
Not only did Newsome graduate
from Tech but so did Dick Backora,
his substitute. leaving Wondrack to
start this season with Bud Sand
ers. third-stringer last year. Bud
still needs plenty of polishing but
he's the best so far. Another lad
who may be used is Robert Smith,
third-semester boy out for the
first time. He is a tough youngster.
Bud was candidate for tackle but
Wondrack switched him to center.
The same story, with minor vari-
ations, is heard at most other
schools. Roosevelt has no center of
any description returning. and Coach
Artie Boyd is using Bernie Miller, a
good tackle, in the slot. Central has
George Lavinder, an experienced
man, to start, but no reserves. Wood
row Wilson seems the best supplied
with two letter men returning in
Jim Craine and John Kershishian
Dewitt also Is an exception with
two capable centers on the team
in Paul De Meglio. Eastern letter.
man last year, and Gus Kirven. ALL
State center with the Lynn Mass)
championship team. Coach Jim
OLeary is so hard up for starters
IN other positions, however that he
is leaving Di Meglio at center and
transferring Kirven to tackle.
Dewitt Meets Puzzling Foe.
Dewitt plays its first game tomor-
row night, meeting an unknown
quantity in Hagerstown Md High.
For his starting backf1eld OLeary
has selected Bob Kaufman at quar-
terback, John Bredbenner. Central
player last year, and Allen Waitman
as halfbacks, and George MCGOWAN
at fullback. MCGOWAN in practice
has been outstanding
Another player delighting the
Dewitt coach with his improvement
is Charles Davis, a 195-pound guard
and sure tackler.
Opening against Hagerstown pre-
sents several problems. For one
thing that school plays under ma
tional scholastic football rules
something like pro rules-while
Dewitt, as do other schools in Wash
i Wilson Line Promising.
Woodrow Wilson had its first tough
scrimmage the other day and OBJ
servers were surprised pleasantly
with the line displayed by the Tigers.
Also promising trouble for opponents
Is the passing of Dick Schwab. He
throws a long, accurate fiat pass
that appears easy to catch. Will
sons running attack, despite capa-
BILE line, doesn't appear particularly
formidable and the boys may have
to do lot of passing.
Coach Wondrack at Tech has
plenty to worry about this year with
out doing anything about 1912, but
he does have several new players
and sophomores who promise to
become valuable players a year
hence. Among them are Manzon,
Brooksbank and Gilmore, sophomore
backs. upon whom he is counting for
next year. They will be used when
the opportunity is offered this season
to give them experience.
Manzon particularly is promising
and for a greenie does everything
well.