The Winthrop/Leverett gridders showed yesterday that they not only have an offense that can go to the air convincingly and run with style, but one which can also, so to speak, go both ways. The 'Thropettes went both backward and forward on their way to a convincing 22-0 drubbing of Lowell in the first round of the House football playoffs.

Coming out with guns drawn, the 'Throp scored on their first possession on a 35-yd. Charlie Slack to Mark Ashenfelter pass. Only minutes and two fumbles later--one by each team--Slack scrambled and hit Billy Marston for another tally. Peter Martin nailed that extra point for a 13-0 first quarter lead.

Then came the interesting stuff. Thropsty Carlos Devalle snatched a Lowell fumble on the Lowell 42 to set up the second longest drive of the game. Second bests rarely merit much attention, but this drive may enter the pantheon of memorable drives because, well, it went backwards.

After moving the ball to the Bell Boy 7 on three crisp plays, the Levthrops incurred four penalties while trying to complete one down, setting them back a full fifty yards. With second and goal on their own 43, the Winthrop/Leverett offense went into the shotgun, but Lowell defender Jeff Schwaber snagged Slack's pass to end the retreat.

In the first play of a more orthodox second half, 'Throp running back Wayne McDuffy left the backfield and landed in the endzone 56 yards away.