HOUSE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP, LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL.
The game between Lawrenceville and Andover day after to-morrow will be an interesting one to watch, for both teams are in the best of condition, and have been doing remarkably good work all season. Phillips Academy will have the advantage of home grounds, but even so they will have to put up a pretty stiff game to overcome those lively players from New Jersey. Last year the first contest in football between these two schools was held at Lawrenceville on the same date that will see this season's play, and the home team was victorious to the tune of 20 to 6. The score will probably not be so large day after to-morrow, for the two elevens seem to be more evenly matched.
There was at first some trouble in getting the proper men fitted into the several open positions at Lawrenceville, but the team has been pretty well settled upon now, and the men who lined up against the Princeton Freshmen last week will in all probability represent the school in the Andover game. Eddy and Righter have improved greatly, and will remain at the ends. The former is doing a good deal of running with the bull, and ought to give Andover some trouble. Cadwalader, who played guard last year, is now at tackle. He is somewhat slow to wake up, but when once started it takes two men to hold him. Emerson is the other tackle, and he is no doubt the best man in that position of any school team this year. Church of the Princeton 'Varsity had all he could take care of when he faced Emerson in the recent game that the Tigers played against Lawrenceville. He can be counted on for making frequent holes in Andover's line, and I should not be surprised if he got through often enough to stop some of Douglass's kicks.
The heaviest man on the team is Edwards at right guard, and he is playing about the best all-around game of any man on the team. He breaks through quickly, and is also a valuable man in advancing the ball. Richards is at left guard, and, although a new man for the team this year, is learning the game rapidly, and knows his position thoroughly. He has another claim to athletic distinction in being Lawrenceville's best tennis-player. The new man at centre, Simons, has been somewhat of an experiment all along, and may prove a weak spot in an otherwise solid line. He is amenable to coaching, however, and unless something pretty serious crops up in his play, will not be displaced for the Andover game.
Quarter-back will not be so well taken care of as it was last year, for there are few players so clever as was De Saulles, who is now at Yale. Powell, now holding the position, has had some experience, however, having played quarter for two years on the Cook County Normal School Team, of Chicago. Captain Dibble has entrusted him with the important duty of giving the signals, which is properly a part of the quarter-back's duty, although it is the Captain's privilege and prerogative. Where it is possible to have the man at quarter do the signalling, it is always best for the general welfare of the team, and Powell has proved himself fairly capable of shouldering the responsibility. He is a little prone to the "rattles" at the start. This nervousness, of course, affects the play of the backs, and some minutes are lost before the team can get steadied down.
This feature of Powell's play may prove embarrassing at Andover, for there will be a cyclone of yelling as the game starts on the hill, and the P.A. forwards will do all they can to make things unpleasant for him. If this nervousness is something the man is unable to overcome at first, although he can, a few minutes later, play football with the coolest of any on the team, I should advise Captain Dibble (if he will pardon me for offering a hint not in any way intended as a suggestion as to how he should handle his team) to give the signals himself until Powell has got steadied down to work. As to Powell's good points: his passing is fair, and his tackling qualities are much above the average.
At the halves, Captain Dibble and Davis hold their places where they have now played together for three seasons. Dibble's injury to his ankle a few weeks ago will probably not affect his work at Andover, although he has been forced to keep out of practice for some weeks. He is a sprinter of great promise and considerable achievement, and his running qualities make him an invaluable man. He gets up to his place in the interference quickly, dodges excellently, and when once clear of his interference usually runs around the opposing full-back, making a sensational dash. Dibble is probably the hardest man to tackle and bring to a full stop that has ever been on a Lawrenceville eleven, and frequently, when about to be tackled low, jumps clean over the man. This is a dangerous trick, but has frequently proved successful when performed by Dibble.
THE BERKELEY SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.
Photograph by Pach Brothers
The other half-back, Davis, is a strong line backer, and is one of the most reliable men on the team. Captain Kafer, of the baseball team, is now at full-back, and fills the position very creditably. His line backing is fair, and he can outpunt must of his fellows at the school. He has made several goals from the field this year.