Evening star., 1942-09-20
Tall End F., Giant Tackle
Receive Baptism in
Tilt With Terrors
Quarterback Spot Open;
Graham Likely to Be
Key BockfieId Man
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

Two sturdy sophomores, 1885,
pound Ed Czekaj (Check-eye) ano
235-pound Maurice Hurley, have
snatched starting jobs in the lineup
Coach Johnny Baker will trot onto
the field Friday night at Griffith
Stadium when George Washington
University tangles with Western
Maryland in the local collegiate
football opener.
Czekaj, a 20-year-old Polish youth
who has employed his feet inches
to impress Baker with his pass
catching ability, will team with Al
Romasco at the ends, while the burly
19-year-old Hurley and 215-yound
John Koniszewski will handle the
tackle assignments.
Ellis Hall and Enrico Seeno will
operate in the guard slots, with the
Veteran Don Seibert taking over at
center. The Colonials' backfield still
Is unsettled with the exception of
versatile Jimmy Graham. who will
shout signals from the tailback spot.
Pete Labukas and Matt Paida-
kovich still are scrapping for the
quarterback. or inside blocking back,
job. with Paul Weber and Alex
Chronis battling for the right half
back post. Frank Geno and Joe
Bernot are disputing fullback duties.
Labukas, Chronis, Seno and Bernot
also are sophomores.
Graham Key Back.
The key man in the G. w. outfit
likely is to be Graham, who will
handle the bulk of passing and
punting. Baker has instructed
Graham to gamble and in practice
at least Jimmy has demonstrated
he is no penny ante thinker.
Graham came to the downtown
school as basket ball player. A
friend of Bobby Gillian, who starred
on the court for G.. w. for several
seasons, Graham became interested
In George Washington through the
efforts of Dave Osborne, another
former G. W. basket ball player who
recruited several athletes for his
alma mater before joining the Army.
He didn't play freshman football
didn't think he had a chance
but the following spring he reported
for practice under Bill Reinhart
and made considerable progress.
Last year he was the Colonials' sec
ond leading ground gamer on a
dismal club.
Livelier This Season.
Last year G. w. was one of the
country's duller outfits from a spec
tator standpoint. From an artistic
standpoint the Colonials also foun-
dered, winning only one game. and
in an effort to kill two birds with one
brick G. w. will display a more
daring team.
1--WE have to gamble" says Baker.
"We haven't the best material in the
world so we'll have to substitute an
element of surprise. 1t may backfire
but we'll have to take that risk"
The Colonials, who operated with
balanced line under Reinhart,
will move into action exclusively
with an unbalanced line under
Baker. If they get their early
gamess- Western Maryland Rich
mond and The Citadel-Baker be-
lieves they may have some fun this
season because he has a fine crop
OF sophomores who are calculated
to improve each time out.
Terrors Are "Unknowns.'
Like G. W., Western Maryland
will import an unknown club.
Included in the Green Terrors'
starting lineup will be four sopho-
mores and a freshman. One of the
II freshmen eligible to play for
Western Maryland's varsity is Dick
Koester, a 198-pound end who
sparkled at Roosevelt High here.
Western Maryland will employ
the "T" formation but it deviates
from the system used by Clark
Shaughnessy at Maryland. The
Western Maryland quarterback han
dies the ball on every play but
also lugs the leather considerably.
Limited to one workout yesterday,
the Colonials will resume their tor
tuous grind tomorrow with two
heavy sessions scheduled.