Evening star., 1947-09-03
576 Sehoo|boys Open
Drills; Tech Rated
As Team 10 Watch
By GEORGE Huber

High school football coaches are
putting the finger on Tech as the
team to watch this year. Practice
opened only yesterday, however, and
nobody yet knows much about what
the eight teams will be like. It's
always nice to have one Of the other
fellows teams as favorite, so Ed
Solomon's Maroons are being built
up by his fellow coaches for this
pressure spot.
There were 576 boys turning out
for the first day yesterday, and with
additions expected all this week the
figure should rise to around 600.
Most coaches were surprised by the
overall size of most of their candi-
dates. There are some exceptions to
this, though. Gil Conn, coach OF the
Coolidge team which for two years
has taken the title, figures he'll have
his nghtest team, and the same goes
for Coach Dick Mentzer at Eastern.
Solomon at Tech admits to some
hefty candidates in his turnout Of
10 boys, but he's afraid lot OF it's
fat. A week Of heavy work, he fig
ures, will get them down to skin and
bones and about $50 pounds each.
Solly does have eight veterans from
last years .runnerup eleven, which Is
one reason the other coaches are
putting the finger on him. He ap-
pears in good shape in the back
field, with Bob Bugs Thompson.
Cece Gray and Flea Fletcher on
hand. He's particularly looking for
new tackles, plus reserves in all posi-
tions.
10 Turn Out at Coolidge.
Coolidge's champs also attracted
a turnout of 10. Coach Conn
figures on building an almost en-
tirely new team around Bobby Rohr
in the backfield and Ralph Schaffer
and Charles Ackerman in the line.
On the weight question, Ackerman
was big disappointment. He was
a 200-pound tackle last year. and
at that weight was good and fast.
Now he's down to ITS. Chris
Valanos, center last year, has a
Clipped bone in his ankle as the
result of a baseball injury and as
vet hasn't an okay to play from
his doctor.
Expected back but now missing
are Tex Jones and Randall Wood
yard. Tex is transferring to Wood
ward School and woodward moves
to Parkersburg. w. Va. If he makes
the high school team there he'll
be playing against his old mates
In a game late this season.
Largest turnouts were at Wilson
and Eastern, attracting IS and 80,
respectively. Wilson's Tigers ap-
pear willing and ready. but Coach
Joe Carlo is displeased with their
apparent lack of condition. He
figures they need rough work and
is afraid that when they get 1t the
size of the squad, both individually
and numerically, will shrink. Best
of his vets appear to be Bill Voigt
and Julian Self in the backfield and
Center Ed Frager. Pat O'Neill, an
other very fancy back, wasn't on
hand yesterday, but Is expected to-
day or tomorrow.
Coach MentZer at Eastern may
have weight in the tackles, but over
all the team appears light, especially
In the backfield. Bob Hackney at
center Is the only really experienced
lineman, while returning regulars in
the backfield are Ed Smith and Sal
Di Giorgi. Mentzer's biggest prob
lem will be to find high-caliber ends
to replace the two really good boys
he had last year.
GA Report at Roosevelt.
Coach Phil Fox at Roosevelt had
one of the smallest turnouts with 81,
but the boys have much more spirit
than usual with the Rough Riders,
and already are talking of success
full season. Roosevelt should be good
in the middle of the line, with 175-
pound Bill Boyer at center and with
Lew Valos, 1873 pounds, and Bill
ORegan, 100, f1anking him at guards.
Returning backs are Jerry Rothkin,
Carl Ruble, Aristotle Bacas and
Bernie Mead.
Westerns Fred M1lvey greeted 10
candidates, most of them larger than
usual. Jack Leadbetter, George
Holmes and Bob Glasgow are his
experienced backs. and returning
linemen are Don Strain and Norm
Wacker. Mulvey needs particularly
to bolster his line, and is looking for
a good end, tackle and guard.
There were " reporting to Coach
Jan Jankowski at Central, an excel
lent turnout for the Hilltop school,
which Is shrinking in enrolment.
Sixteen of them were holdovers from
1916, although all weren't regulars.
The Anacostia turnout was go, and
some size was evident here also.
Coach Zuzu Stewart needs replace
ments in all positions, however, as
his only returning regulars are Bob
Allwine, Speedy Kent and Buck
DiY0n