Advertisement

Crimson Edges Highly Favored Cornell, 13-12

ITHACA, N.Y., October 9--There was no upset on Schoellkopf Field here today. The amazed bookies and dismayed homecomers notwithstanding, the Harvard football team's 13 to 12 victory over Cornell today was neither freak nor undeserved. If the two teams played again tomorrow the margin of victory could only increase, for the added poise and confidence that this stunning victory will give the Crimson, plus the vast superiority of the Harvard line, would enable the visitors to win with considerably less excitement that marked this game.

At times slipping back into the sloppy, inexperienced football of its opener, more often playing single wing football of IBM-like precision, the Crimson justified the predictions of optimists who still saw seven games left on the schedule after the Massachusetts defeat.

The highly partisan crowd of 20,000 crupted into limited pandemonium at approximately 4:40 p.m. as the Crimson ran out the clock. The band circled the field seven or eight times, Lloyd Jordan was lifted on tweedy shoulders, and everyone cheered his five words, though no one heard them. The smallness of the group only increased the intensity of its joy.

In the orderliness and neatness of the statistics one finds Harvard made almost twice as many first downs (15 to 8) and gained almost 17 times as much rushing (167 to 10). Yet this victory was in some ways even more decisive because of the way the varsity won. It came from behind after almost 50 minutes of two way football, and it came a long way. The drive, with Cornell leading 12 to 7, started on the Crimson 23, and carried 77 yards without the benefit of a pass.

Even up to the last seconds today Harvard could have lost the game. The mistakes of inexperience that benefited Massachusetts occasionally reared their illegitimate heads today, but he last quarter march, and the tenacity and depth of the line proved that jokes about the present team, like tonight's homecoming festivities are liable to fall very flat. No more than he should bemoan the Massachusetts loss should the student enter the Stadium from now on expecting a ready-made victory. This team may still lose games, but in the process it is going to play very exciting, and at times equally good football.

Advertisement

Many things stand out after today's game--the fine two-way play of both Bob Sowles and Jerry Marsh, the dependable rushing of Matt Botsford--but among the factors least likely to get much publicity is the outstanding job of scouting on this Cornell team.

The Big Red had its strong points (named Len Oniskey) and weaknesses. The scouting reports and Marsh's exceptionally fine play-calling allowed the Crimson to exploit the weaknesses to the fullest. One can only wonder why the Big Red, with a very slick passer in Bill De Graaf, and with no openings through the middle, did not pass more.

The real significance of today's victory can be measured only by someone who sat here three years ago and watched the low point of Harvard football. Captain Carroll Lowenstein had been drafted the week before and Columbia had humiliated the Crimson 35 to 0. The Big Red added the final touch by not only defeating Harvard 42 to 6, but breaking the arm of the succeeding captain, Red Wylie, who was lost for the season. The next week the Crimson upset Army 22 to 21, however, and has been climbing to football respectability ever since. Per-

Fresh from its victory over Cornell, the varsity will be hailed at 7:30 p.m. tonight with a rally on the Widener steps. In attendance will be the team, cheerleaders, coaches and band.

Tickets for the Dartmouth game must be ordered today by 5 p.m. An additional ticket is $4.00 for this game. haps even more than last year's victory over Yale, this victory over Yale, this victory assured a position of stature.

Today's game, climaxed by a hectic final three minutes which had fans from both sides lining the field ten deep, at times produced more excitement than skill. Harvard scored in the first quarter, and led 7 to 0. But Cornell scored twice with discouraging swiftness in the third quarter, which made the Crimson's late drive even more surprising.

Midway through the fourth quarter, after the Big Red missed a touchdown when Dick Jackson caught a long De Grasf pass just outside the end zone, Harvard took over on its own 13. On the first play, Cowles, who played a magnificent two-way game today, cut through for five yards on a play that was virtually unstoppable today, the inside, reverse over left guard. Then, Botsford, whose sense of timing permitted him to use his interference to perfection, faked off two tacklers and cut though right tackle for a first down on the '34. He squirmed to the 41 and then Gianelly smashed through to the 44. Gianelly missed a first down by inches and Bostford got the first down when he went off tackle to the Harvard 49.

Gianelly hit the weak Cornell left side and cut through to the Big Red 47. Then, Botsford, whom the H.A.A. lists at 165 pounds, reeled off two runs for first downs. On the first, he cut inside and then broke into the clear for 11 yards to the 36, and then, with a wave of interference remisicent of Dick Kazmaier and his portable Goliaths, turned the right for a first down on the 26. A Gianelly buck produced three yards, but Cowles was stopped at the line on an inside reverse. Then back for what was the first pass of the drive, Botsford suddently decided to run, and cutting wide to the right, reached the 16 before he was driven out of bounds, just inches short of a first down. With Cornell in a seven man line, Gianelly picked up the first down on the 15.

Good Interference

Hitting the right side again, Bostford reached the 11, Cowles found no opening at all on the buck lateral reverse, and it was fourth and five to go. But Botsford, again with good interference, cut wide to the right for a first down on the four. On the first play Gianelly hit the middle for two, and then, trying the left side, found nothing. And then again on the 19th play of this drive, it was Botsford, seemingly stopped on about the five, who broke through and into the end zone for the score.

Advertisement