With three wins and two losses to their credit, a fair-to-middling Yardling grappling outfit is rapidly being whipped into shape, preparatory to their last two meets. The season started very inauspiciously with a 28 to 5 loss to M. I. T. in the pre-vacation warmup, but this was amply redeemed by a crushing victory over Tufts the following week.
After dropping a meet to Cranston High early in January, the matboys began to settle down, and won two straight. They edged out Andover with a slim 15 to 11 lead, and trounced Governor Dummer 23 to 13. These results show considerable improvement, but a lot more will be necessary if the team hopes to vanquish Exeter this weekend, or Yale on the eighth of March.
As far as individual wrestlers are concerned, there are no outstanding stars, though there is at least one good man in practically all the weights. Jim Reildy is the only contender in the 121-pound slot, and he has made a fair showing. 128-pound Breck Marshall is the best bet in his class, although Bob Chase has been giving him some competition. Breck wrestled at Providence Country Day several years ago, and was the Rhode Island State Interscholastic wrestling champ in the 118-pound class in 1938.
Ted Guild, solo wrestler in the 136-pound group, has been turning in a very good performances. He has wrestled in all the meets, losing his bout in only one. He is an old hand at the sport, as he was a member of the Exeter team for three years. There are three contenders for the 145-pound position, Earnest Jackson, Bill Moss, and Bill Watson. All three have wrestled in at least one meet, although Watson is the only one with previous experience.
Charles Purinton is the regular in the 155-pound group and is doing an excellent job. He is undefeated, although he has not been in all the meets. Frank Houston and George Price have been waging a hotly-contested battle all season for the 165-pound place, with Houston maintaining a slight but consisted lead.
Dug Burns and Pete Sax fall within the 175-pound bracket. Dug has wrestled in every meet so far, and has lost his bout in only one. Heavyweights Howle Gleason, Doug DeCoster, Dave Vaughan, Bob Burns, and John Corrigan are the present rivals for the top group. Glesson and DeCoster have wrestled in two meets apiece, while 175-pound Pete Sax has fought one scrap for the heavies.
On the whole the outlook for the Exeter meet is fair, although predictions cannot be made. Yale will be a tougher nut to crack, as the Elis are said to have a bang-up team this year.
