Evening star., 1948-11-16
ST. John s.Gonzaqa
Winner Likely Foe Of
High School Champion
By Bill Fuchs

BY Bill Fuchs
Washington's public high school
football champion is scheduled to
meet the private school standard
bearer in q playon for the school
boy championship of the Capital
area at Grifnth Stadium, December
4, but one OF the leading contenders
for private school honors may not
be able to participate.
Bright hopes for giving one team
a clear-cut claim to the crown were
clouded today by news Of prema-
ture dismissal of classes for the
Thanksgiving holidays at George
town Prep because Of q mild out
break of polio. Having played st.
Johns to a scoreless tie two weeks
ago, Georgetown was scheduled to
meet Gonzaga Friday in . key game
Of the private school series. The
Little Hoyas were undefeated.
But the illness Of two students,
Lawrence Kennedy Of Mount Kisco,
N. Y, and Henry O'Brien Of Pitts
burgh. which was diagnosed as polio
at Georgetown University Hospital,
where they were removed for treat.
ment, caused school authorities to
decide to terminate classes imme-
diately. They will not be resumed
until after the holidays.
Matter Of Time.
1T seems IS though fate has
stepped in to put us out Of conten.
tion," said Father Thomas Dugan,
director Of athletics at the Garrett
Park School. Doctors did not ad-
wise US to disband, but with many
parents Withdrawing their boys It
was decided to suspend further ac-
tivities until after the holidays. This
means our game with Gonzaga is
of, unless, of course, some arrange
ment can be made to play it later.
1T Is matter Of time now. Our
boarding students will not be back
until November 28 and our day stu.
dents won't return until the next
day. So it seems We won't play
Gonzaga, but I will talk 1t over with
them"
Thus, the st. Johns -Gonzaga
game at Griffith Stadium November
% likely will determine which team
will face the public high champion
probably Central.
Central Is an odds-on favorite to
grab the high school title. The
Vikings, who have not lost a game
In championship series competition,
will finish their season Friday against
Western, while Roosevelt will be at
Wilson and Coolidge playing Tech.
Central needs only to win Friday to
take the title. A loss or q tie will
necessitate q play-oh between the
Vikings and Anacostia, which
finished its series competition last
week in second place.
Hardy Pearce, director Of athletics
for the high schools, announced
yesterday that the game proposed
between Central-if undefeated and
untied-and m all-star team drawn
from the seven other high schools,
QaS Occh bCIdppco.
Johnnies Unpredictable.
OF Ill the teams in the running
for the area title game st. Johns
is the most unpredictable. At .
meeting last night attracting inter-
ested officials, football reporters and
sportscasters at Hotel 2l00, Brother
Andrew, director Of athletics at st.
Johns, threw some light on the
fantastic doings of the Johnnies on
the gridiron.
They seem to play according to
the opposition" said Brother An
drew. IT the team they're playing
is great they'll play like champions.
If the opponent is supposed to be
pushover, st. Johns gets pushed
over"
st. Johns record bears out
Brother Andrews remarks. The
Johnnies lost to Blair. then came
back to beat Western. They amazed
observers by tying Central, then
lost to Dewitt, team they figured
to defeat. But they bounced back
to tie Georgetown Prep. Last week
they dipped again. losing to WASH
ington-Lee after holding a TO hail.
time lead.
Torrid Game Anticipated.
But it's an exciting team" con-
tinued Brother Andrew. Even
Coach Joe Gallagher doesn't know
what st. Johns is going to do next.
It's q green team. We have first
year quarterbacking from the T
formation. We have only one ex-
perienced runner in Halfback Dummy
Waldron. But he is terrific. He
has averaged seven yards . try"
Brother Andrew brushed his
sparse brown hair back and wiped
his glasses.
"It's an exciting race" he said.
IF We can only beat Gonzaga on
November 28-"
Father Geib, director of athletics
at Gonzaga, looked up at Brother
Andrew. Both smiled. You got an
idea it'll be 4 hot game at Grimth
c. Ai,,,~a Avs