Pennsylvania defeated Harvard at football on Soldiers Field Saturday afternoon, for the first time since 1897. The score, 11 to 0, expresses fairly the relative showing of the teams, as the strength of Pennsylvania proved to have been greatly underestimated. The Pennsylvania team won by hard aggressive football, by determination and earnestness coupled with a thorough knowledge of the game, which was in decided contrast to Harvard's utter weakness even in fundamentals. Pennsylvania's team was composed largely of experienced players, whereas the University eleven was an aggregation of individuals, for the most part inexperienced and undeveloped.
On the defense Harvard was unable to stop Pennsylvania's fast and varied attack, and when in possession of the ball was powerless to make consistent gains, except during the latter part of the second half, when in three successive series of rushes, the ball was three times advanced almost half the length of the field only to be lost when within striking distance of the goal line. These were the only chances Harvard had to score during the whole game, except on a futile attempt to kick a goal from placement from the 50-yard line just before time was called at the end of the first half. Pennsylvania made both touchdowns in the first half, partly as a result of fierce attack directed against all parts of the Harvard line, and also as a result of the lifelessness and lack of energy displayed by that line.
The weakness of the Harvard team was due principally to the ends, who with the exception of Montgomery, were practically useless. The playing of Filley questions the policy of using in important games a man who has not has more practice with the team. Leary was equally incapable. Brill, at left tackle, played a good offensive game, but though commendably active on the defense, allowed many of the plays he should have stopped to go right over him. Oveson, at right tackle, put up a remarkably good game considering the fact that he was obliged to play outside his own position in stopping plays that should have been attended to by right end. Parker, at left guard, did not play the game that had been expected of him, both he and Parkinson allowing the Pennsylvania backs to get through them continually for long gains. Parkinson's passing for punts was extremely erratic. Squires, who played at right guard, was weak on the defense. Kernan failed to help his men along and made two bad fumbles. Starr, who replaced him in the second half, handled the team well, and proved in every way a reliable and competent quarterback. Sperry did all the kicking, but was not very successful. In most cases his punts lacked distance and were not high enough to enable the slow ends to get down the field. His work in carrying the ball was good, but on the defense he was deplorably weak. Mills, at fullback, played a good and plucky game, and to a large extent the improvement in offensive work in the second half was due to him. His tackling was strikingly good in comparison with the extremely poor work in this department of most of the other Harvard players. The work of Captain Hurley was without question the best on the Harvard eleven. At times he was practically the whole team, always in the right place at the right time, and was especially reliable on the secondary defense.
Harvard won the toss and chose to defend the south goal, taking advantage of a stiff breeze. Smith kicked off to Brill, who was downed without gain on Harvard's 28-yard line. After gaining 11 yards through the Pennsylvania line Harvard was forced to kick. Sperry punted 55 yards to Stevenson, who ran the ball in 9 yards. On four attacks at centre Pennsylvania netted a gain of 10 yards. Pennsylvania was forced to punt. Kernan fumbled and Lamson dropped on the ball for Pennsylvania on Harvard's 52-yard line. Pennsylvania tried rushing but was obliged to kick again. Reynolds sent the ball to Harvard's 14-yard line where Kernan caught it but was unable to gain. Sperry punted to the middle of the field. A fake kick and a run around Leary's end made only two yards. An exchange of punts gave on advantage to either side. Failing to gain by rushing, Pennsylvania kicked to Kernan, who ran back 20 yards to the 30-yard line. On the next play Kernan was thrown by Greene for a loss of 5 yards. Sperry kicked to Pennsylvania's 45-yard line. Stevenson caught the ball and made a beautiful run through a broken field to Harvard's 46-yard line. Stevenson broke away for another long run but was tackled by Kernan on the 15-yard line and fumbled. Sperry punted to Pennsylvania's 50-yard line, where Reynolds caught the ball and ran it back to Harvard's 51-yard line. Greene went through centre on a fake kick for 8 yards. Stevenson circled Filley's end for 14 yards, and then with Piekarski back of the line, Pennsylvania steadily advanced down the field until Piekarkski went over for a touchdown. Stevenson punted out to Smith, who kicked the goal. Score--Pennsylvania, 6; Harvard, 0.
Smith ran Sperry's kick-off back 27 yards to the 31-yard line. Pennsylvania, favored by the wind, began a kicking game, and on three exchanges made 50 yards. Stevenson ran back Sperry's punt 39 yards and was downed on Harvard's 46-yard line. A fake kick netted 15 yards and then with line plays averaging gains of from 3 to 5 yards the ball was rushed down the field until Piekarski was forced over for the second touchdown. Stevenson's punt-out failed. Time was soon after called with the ball in Pennsylvania's possession on her 35-yard line.
The second half began with a kicking contest. In three exchanges of punts Pennsylvania netted a gain of 30-yards, and then in four rushes carried the ball to Harvard's 6-yard line. Failing to gain, Stevenson made a quarterback kick, which Starr caught for a touchback. Oveson secured the ball for Harvard on a fumble on the 45-yard line and the ball was rushed with good line attacks three times in succession to within Pennsyl- vania's 15-yard line, only, however, to be lost each time, once on a fumble, once on a poor pass, and once on downs. The game ended with the ball in Pennsylvania's possession on Harvard's 48-yard line.
The summary:
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Sophomores, 5; Freshmen, 0
