ITHACA, N.Y., Oct. 4--Tom Skypeck, Cornell's spectacular, triple-threat quarterback, won an individual battle with Crimson signal-caller Charlie Ravenel on this summery afternoon at Schoellkopf Field as the Big Red defeated Harvard 21 to 14.
Only the play of captain Bob Shaunessy and junior Pete Eliades in the line rivaled Ravenel's performance. Shaunessy, of course, always turns in such performances, but Eliades and Ravenel came into their own as varsity players in today's game as the Crimson battled in a losing cause.
The varsity kept up with Cornell through the first half, as Ravenel, sent in by coach John Yovicsin in an attempt to stop the Big Red's advances, guided the team expertly from its own 31-yard line to score in 12 plays, with Ravenel passing to Hank Keohane for the score (shown at left) at 13:05 of the second quarter.
Skypeck Penetrates Pass Defense
But as the second half began, Skypeck, looking for flaws in the Crimson's defensive armor, found a huge one--the varsity's traditionally weak pass defense. With the ball on Cornell's 25, Skypeck pitched back to fullback Phil Taylor, who tossed 32 yards complete to end Norm Juvonen, the Big Red's pass catching specialist. Then, on the next play, Skypeck fired to Juvonen again for 12 yards to the Crimson 31.
To set up the touchdown, Skypeck sent John Webster, usually a decoy halfback, deep into Crimson territory, and, after faking a handoff, completed a 26-yard pass play to Webster. On the next play, Skypeck, on a beautifully faked keep play, rushed over from the five-yard line. For all intents and purposes, however, the game ended when Taylor completed his pass to Juvonen. With this play, Cornell hit upon the varsity's main weakness and used it later in the game to rally their winning touchdown.
This final Big Red score came in the third quarter, when, with the ball on the Cornell 35, Skypeck threw to Juvonen for 45 yards down to the Harvard 20. Then, with the defense looking for another pass, Skypeck went to his left on the option play and just as he was about to be tackled pitched to left halfback Terry Wilson, who raced the remaining 20 yards to the end zone.
Ravenel Shows Poise
Despite this dazzling show by Skypeck and his cohorts, the Crimson--and Ravenel in particular--was not horribly outclassed. In guiding the varsity to its first score, the little sophomore played with poise equal to that of the three-year veteran Skypeck. Directing an all-under-class backfield of two sophomores and two juniors, he efficiently called and executed a series of handoffs and keep plays to bring the Crimson to the Cornell 30-yard line.
At this point, Ravenel took a pass from center and started on what looked like another keep play. But just as the Cornell line had him trapped, he lateraled to Larry Repsher, who carried 20 yards to the 10. Then came the decisive pass, and after Repsher's rush for two more points the Crimson led temporarily, 8 to 7.
In the third quarter, with Harvard trailing 15 to 8, Ravenel again brought the Crimson surging back. Ably assisted by Chet Boulris, who ran and passed for a total of 21 yards, he moved the varsity from its own 34 to the Cornell three-yard line, only to be stopped by the Big Red line.
Cornell took over again, but on the second play from scrimmage Skypeck, on a brilliant piece of backfield trickery carried for what looked like a long gain to the Harvard 20. As he was tackled, however, he fumbled, and Bert Messenbaugh recovered for the Crimson. Six plays later, Boulris fumbled a Ravenel handoff into the end zone, where tackle Eric Nelson recovered. Boulris was stopped on the one-yard line trying for the extra points and Cornell led, 15 to 14, at 0:44 of the fourth period.
It is perhaps unfair, however, to say the Crimson's pass defense was glaringly weak. Skypeck's passes were so accurately thrown that very little could have been done to stop them.
There is little doubt that Skypeck was the difference in this battle. He was an excellent field general and personally accounted for 145 of Cornell's 310-yard total offense. If Cornell had played with an ordinary quarterback, the Crimson would probably have won; the way things turned out, the varsity was fortunate to hold on as well as it did.
Read more in News
Crimson Sextet Swamps Weak Brown Squad, 8-1
