Branford Eleven Defeats Eliot, 8-6 To Take Intramural Grid Crown

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 22-Yale's Branford College capped a day of frustration for Harvard's House football teams by marching 68 yards in the last three minutes of play to upset Eliot House in the championship intramural game.

Only two of the nine Crimson teams posted victories over their Eli opponents. Leverett mixed a powerful running game with an accurate passing attack directed by quarterback Steve Gelbach to shut out Timothy Dwight College, 21 to 0. Kirkland, the third place finisher in the House League, made a second quarter score stand up as it eked out an 8-0 victory over Calhoun College.

Two Houses fought to scoreless ties with their Eli opponents. Quincy tied Morse in a game played while darkness enveloped the field.

More frustrating was Lowell's 0-0 tie with Pierson College. Several potential Lowell scoring threats were turned back in the last minutes of the game. On the last play Pierson increased Lowell's disappointment by blocking a field goal attempt.

Yale Takes Four Other Games

In addition to the championship, Yale emerged triumphant in four other contests. Saybrook College overcame an 8-0 deficit to trip Adams House, 14 to 8. Winthrop House was buried by Silliman College, 21 to 6. Ezra Stiles College beat Dunster, 14 to 0: Dudley was bombed by Trumbull College, 44 to 0.

In the championship match, Eliot's big line and shifty backs dominated play for the first three quarters. Branford was held to one down and a little over 30 yards total offense during the first half.

Meanwhile, the Elephants moved quickly for their first score. A blocked punt recovered by Eliot on the Branford 40 set up a snappy six-play touchdown drive, capped by fullback Bob Yager's seven-yard scoring dash. Eillott Topkins' attempted conversion hit the crossbar and bounced back, but the Elephants led 6 to 0.

Innumerable Eliot threats were nipped by fumbles or interceptions, and finally. Branford's ground game began to click. Quarterback John Ashcroft, who led the drives, plunged over from the three-yard line for the score after being hit in his own backfield. Halfback Doc Marshall slanted off tackle for the crucial two-point conversion and Topkins' last minute passes proved useless.