Varsity Polishes Offense and Defense

The varsity football team yesterday pranced through one of its longest and sharpest practice sessions in the last fortnight. It was devoted to the usual Tuesday chores--offensive and defensive scrimmaging, dummy drills, corrections, and a preliminary setting of defenses for Cornell.

The injury situation was somewhat brighter yesterday. John Coan reported in uniform (sans pads) and exercised for a while, still favoring his bum right knee. Chief Bender, limping slightly, was in full uniform. He jogged around from time to time, took part in a couple of plays against the dummies and spent the rest of the afternoon ambling up and down behind the squad, as if he could hardly wait to resume regular contact duty.

Captain Howie Houston was not ready to scrimmage either. He was not limping, only a mite stiff. Sam Butler limbered up briefly in a padless uniform. Hal Moffle and Jim Kenary are definitely unavailable for Saturday's game. some of the others on the injury list (Art Valpey did not say which ) may be in shape for limited service only.

Passing Attack Stressed

Valpey tuned up his passing attack against the freshmen in a semi-live drill and then ran the varsity against dummies. Houston took part in this workout but when the freshmen took over on defense his tackle post was filled by Jerry Kenter. Art Connolly replaced Coan and Duke Sedgewick played Bender's position.

The first string backfield of Bill Henry, Jim Noonan or Charlie Roche, John White, and Paul Shafer remained unchanged. Carl Bottenfield who has a broken bone in his right hand, worked with Charlie Walsh, Carrol Lowenstein, and Nick Athens but saw considerable action with the number one combination. Wingback Bill Hoaley did some particularly impressive running.

The junior varsity sent a simulated Cornell T attack against the second defense before operations were transplanted to the Cage. For the first defense-setting session, Valpey used Armando Mazzone, Dick Guidera, Kanter, Rosenau, Will Davis, and Dike Hyde in the line, John West and Dave Warden as backers-up, Bottenfield and Shafer as defensive halfbacks, and Noonman and Roche alternating as safety man. This was be revised when the squad get more group work on defenses today.

Meanwhile in Ithaca, Coach Lefty James stressed pass defense and groomed Hillary Chollet as safety man. Two guards who had been out with injuries returned to action and will play Saturday.