BERKELEY VS. PRATT.
Full-back "bucking" the line.
For the High-School, Laner, the Captain, and Lambert did the best work. The latter's offence was strong, and his good runs around the ends were in a large measure responsible for High-School's victory. This team was strong at the ends and back of the line, in this having some advantage over their opponents. In no game that I have seen this season has there been so little kicking; High-School did not kick at all, and Poly Prep. only once. This was when Mason punted for a 35-yard gain into High-School territory, Laner missing the catch, and letting the ball go to Poly Prep. on the 30-yard line. This should have encouraged the Poly Prep. Captain to play more of a kicking game, but he was apparently blind to his advantage. Both elevens were weak at tackle, and most of the plays were shoved through here on both sides.
BERKELEY VS. ST. PAUL'S.
Holding in the rush-line.
The Long Island football season has not been so successful this year as might have been desired. It made a bad start and ended up weakly. Bryant and Stratton's decided at the beginning of the season not to put a team in the field. Adelphi, after being defeated 66-0 by Pratt Institute, disbanded her eleven, and forfeited the remaining games scheduled. A little later the Latin School followed suit. The latter had played but one game with High-School, in which they did good work, although the score was 18-0 against them. This wholesale resignation left only four teams in the League: St. Paul's, Pratt Institute, Poly Prep., and High-School. The reason given by Bryant and Stratton's for withdrawing from the League was that so little interest was taken in football that it was impossible to organize an eleven. I think the additional reason of bad management on the part of the Athletic Committee might well be added to this. At Adelphi one player was hurt early in the season, whereupon the parents of five of the best players in school took it upon themselves to prohibit their sons from taking any further part in the game. Another reason given by the Adelphians is that their men were so light that it was useless to attempt to pit them against the heavier teams of the League.
The Latin School eleven was unfortunate in having some of its best players laid up at the start. This seemed to discourage the men, and some of them announced openly that they intended to play Poly Prep., but would forfeit to St. Paul's and Pratt Institute, because they were not heavy enough to play against such teams. Later in the season they did, in fact, play Poly Prep., and were defeated 20-10. This business of forfeiting games for one reason or another is a very bad thing. The League ought to have some rule to penalize such conduct, or every season will see the same kind of fizzle that this year has exhibited. Any team that feels it cannot win in Brooklyn decides apparently that the noblest course of action is to forfeit at once. This is not sportsmanlike, and very little thought on the part of athletic leaders across the river ought to show them what a serious mistake they make by encouraging or allowing any such conduct on the part of the Captains or Managers of football teams.
BERKELEY VS. ST. PAUL'S.
Formation for tandem play.
When the season opened, St. Paul's School was looked upon as a probable winner of the championship, but after the eleven had played several games it became apparent that the men lost heart in an uphill contest. In the game against Berkeley, however, they belied this reputation by playing a beautiful uphill game. High-School and Poly Prep. are now tied for third place, in spite of the fact that the former was victorious in the Thanksgiving-day game. The League will undoubtedly give to the Latin School the game that her eleven played against the High-School, which the latter won 18-0, and in which there was that peculiar agreement between the Captains to which I referred some weeks ago.
The results of the games played in the Long Island Interscholastic Football League this fall, are as follows: