The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-10-09
BY JOHN A. CLUNEY


 High school football competition of the type Crosby has provided for the past two Saturdays, was too much for Taft Prep, in its opening game of the season last Saturday, the: Watertown boys being unable to score in a 1s-0 game at Municipal Stadium.
 From an undefeated 1943 season which was first handled by Its cur rent coach, Gerald La Grange, Utica N. Y. graduate of little Hamilton College to a won 2, lost 3, tied one season in 1944, Taft has been up and down in football fortune; and what with graduation, a late September opening of school for the fall sem:s- ter, and even a mild epedemic of dysentry that has effected 12 of 25 players, their immediate football fu- ture is about as rosy as a black pearl.
 Yet, the lads and their coaches have "laid to" for the past two weeks, gotten in every possible min ute of organized and supervised practice; some of 1t in rain and weather that was more suitable to hunting, so that Taft might make its best showing possible against Crosby, a 1920 winner over Torrington in the New City ten days ago.
 Grateful
 LaGrange, a slight-built, specta. cled young man, and his first aide, line coach Rod Beebee were grateful for the good weather and warm sun of the past few days; plus the re. turn of most of their squad from the infarmary since Q mild epedemic Of dysentry which began in Watertown almost a week ago. LaGrange came to Taft in 1942 and handled his first varsity football squad the fol- lowing season; having the good luck and ability to guide his Taft boys through a season of seven or eight games, without finishing once on the short" end of the score. He IS a graduate and varsity footballer Of the 1886 Hamilton College team from Clinton, NY, the college situ- ated about 20 miles from the more famous Colgate University at Ham Nton N. Y. LaGrange, weighing about i45 pounds; was being used as a ball-carrier on offense and at back ing up the line when opponents had the ball. Hamilton College encount- cred such small college teams as Haverford, Swarthmore and Union, the latter Schnectady, N. Y. insti- tution of learning, whose football rivalry with Hamilton goes back some 40 to 50 years.
 Rod Beebee, line coach at Taft, Is 6 Yale man, class of 1883. He frankly admits he was mot good enough" for varsity football at New Haven. but liked the game and stuck to his job as @ Junior. Varsity line- man for three years. At Taft, he al- so handles the varsity basketball squad and has put forth consistent winners for the past three seasons. Jack Morris, J-V football coach at TaRt had no college varsity experi- ence, but does @ commerdable job with the younger boys, some of whom graduate" to the varsity squad, when they develop unusual ability as gridders, sooner than ex- pected.
 CaleSthenlcs
 Prior tc the usual running, pass .ng, Kicking and blocking practice the Taft boys are put through Q rigorous set of calesthenic exercises to loosen up muscles, improve their breathing and stamina and harden them physically, before the "con- tact" work for the afternoon gets under way. The latter consists of hard scrimmage, blocking against pads, dummies and also Tive" op. ponents as well as ground" work such as proper tackling under var Ious conditions that might arise in a game.
 Coach Ladrange teaches the "sin- yle-wing" system of football with very little of the 'T-formation" type of offense, aside from Q few variations or plays that provide Q quick-opening that can be coinbin- cd with e man In motion, under CSEbhAl SxSaAAASt0AeSSSp es~Sess-~ssC position of the ball on the field when in Taft's possession and tn amount of time left to play, to th end of e period or the final whist "Later on" said the Taft coach. "v may go into some of the many d tails of T-formations, but 1t Is t early in the season for that, 6! how much of 1t we use depends , how the boys come along with ' single- wing .setpp." Though the "7 when properly mastered, has U advantage of surprise, deceptia and quick, line-opsning plays which gain needed yardage and touch- downs in tight games. 1t Is by far the most difficult system to teach embryo Oranges, KelleyS, and Dav- ises of high school age.
 At the present time, three Wa tsrbury boys are expected to come along as varsity football material. They are Bob Sean, an end, Jimmy Wcraeaaw q hank and H0d Goa q