Evening star., 1952-11-13
Freshman Rule Helps
CIV Eleven Toward
Best Season Since '36
By George Huber

George WaShington's football
team. headed for its best season
since 1886, has reason to be CRATE
full for the rule allowing freshman
players on the varsity.
This wartime development is a
big help in heading the Colonials
toward the 6-2-1 season they
figure to have when they close
their 1852 campaign. CIV already
has won four games, lost two and
tied one, and is favored to take
tomorrow nights game against
Davidson at Griffith Stadium and
the windup week from Satur-
day against Richmond at Pich-
mond.
But GW's record probably
wouldn't be anywhere near as
good without the first-year men
playing regularly. A case in point
Is Len Ciemniecki. a 6-foot, 190-
pound halfback from Elizabeth,
N j. He's big and fast, and has
been regular ever since Scoringl
two touchdownS, one on an 85-
yard run. in the opening game.
Powerful Plunger.
Not only does he have speed,
but he also is a powerful plungerI
who can bang through the line for
short yardage. He's the teams
leading scorer and ground gamer,
having picked up 393 yards in 52I
carries. an average of rs.
Skinny Safer, from Fairfax
High. is another freshman who
has helped the offense. He's not
a starter yet, but CIV coaches.
have no qualms about using him
as No. l substitute at either of
the halfback spots or fullback.
The first time he got his hands on
the ball he ran so yards for al
touchdown, and in a later game
he completed three passes on
three tries for total of 80 yards
and one touchdown.
Leroy Courtney, from Oklahoma
City, has developed into a fine
punter after quickening up his
getaway. He's averaging close to
40 yards a boot now, and the
Colonials don't have to worry
about kicking for the next three
years. Dick GaSperi, from Hershey,
Pa, also has improved his kicking
after an erratic start. He, too.
should be good for three more
years of steady play. His total for
the year is only II of 18 points
after-touchdown tries, but he is
rolling along in good form with
three in a row and five in his last
six tries.
Quarterbacks Stand Out.
Others who help on offense are
two freshmen quarterbacks, Bob
Gribble and Hugo Valdesirri, both
from Pennsylvania. Neither has
won a permanent job or replaced
Ray Fox. a junior, but they get
to play frequently. The first who
can show he's consistently good
passer will be the No. l choice.
Where freshmen have been of
really big help in a desperate
situation at CIV is in the defensive
backf1eld. Coach Bo Sherman had
to put all f1rst-year operatives at
safety and the two defensive half
backs, and except for occasional
lapses that can be charged to in
experience they've come through
nobly.
Especially good has been Bob
Sturm at safety. A 168-pounder
from Muskogee, Okla, Bob was a
quarterback candidate until he
got a tryout at safety. They
haven't been able to get him out
of there since. Not only is he a
hawk on pass defense, but he also
is a good tackler and a speedboy
running back punts. There's talk
at CIV that he might be the one
to give the Colonials the passing
Jney neeQ at offensive quarterback,
but they don't dare move him from
safety now.
Other first-year defenders who
have shown we'll include Don
Greene. George Dancu and Lou
Donofrio. Donofrio, for instance,
was big help only last week when
he recovered a Bucknell tumble,
intercepted a pass that led to a
touchdown and intercepted an
other pass that stopped a big
Bucknell threat.