Gridiron Glances HEN a Georgia wildcat attacked a roaring railroad engine, and fought a fierce and gritty battle before finally being burned to death by the flaming furnace, people acknowledged the account with admiration. When a fighting group of Weber College Wildcats encountered eight fine football teams and escaped with their eighth consecutive Intermountain Junior College championship, the account was acknowledged with admiration. But that's another story, and it goes like this: It seems that a certain Merlon L. Stevenson had been molding hard fight and clean sportsmanship into the hearts and minds of young men on Weber College championship teams for some time, and had produced among his Intermountain title teams a Western champion or two, and even a national title holder, which brings us to the point that nothing more than the making of just another championship team was the responsibility faced by Mr. Stevenson. Now Steve, for we all call him Steve, went about his work in a meticulous manner. Registration day, which is better known as the first day out for football, had revealed to the veteran mentor his stock in hand, and it might be mentioned here that all Steve needed to make a football team was any eleven men. Forty-five aspirants were issued togs and told to pay attention. Among this group Coach Steve discovered that he was familiar with enough of the gridmen he had previously coached to form a fairly active aggregation without depending on any newcomers. The veterans who had reported for more. included Elton Knapp and Bill Hickman, ends; Don Chambers, Dave Doxey, and Ernest Tarran, tackles; August Ahlf, Ray Anderson, Melbourne Chugg, and Wesley King, guards; Victor Roylance, Jack Doxey, centers; Jim Francis, Jay London, Frank Read, and Arnold Troseth, all former halfbacks. The line looked substantially strong; the main problem lay in locating a backfield to replace a trio of stars of the year before, who, with Francis, had been in the regular lineup. The McKinley High had sent three backfield bids in James Ing, George Zane, John Peterson, and Weber High two, Fred Paoletti and West Lindsey; Bingham High hailed Don Tracy, a swift secondary man; Ricks College transfered Dean Hinckley; Polytechnic High, San Francisco, offered the services of Shandon Twomey, half and quarter; and from way down in Ranger, Texas, whooped a triple-threat cowboy tagged Roy Wilson. Turning again to the forward wall it was encouraging to find that, in addition to the returning regulars, there appeared two giant tackles, Harry Buchalter, who had starred for the McKinley team in the Island the year before, and Lee Valentine, an all-division high school man from Box Elder; Allen Blackford, a two hundred and thirty pound center from Frisco; Blaine Thatcher, a scrappy center from the A. C. Frosh; Junior Pantone ,a clever end from Ogden High, and a number of other promising eligibles. The problem had been transformed to that of thinning the turnout down to the strongest possible starting lineup. After a few weeks of fundamentals and conditioning, the solution was practically found when injuries played their ever disastrous role rendering some of the favorites of little future use to the cause. From here the story takes an episode shape dividing into game-chapters in two sections, league and non-league. First, the league section: WEBER-B. A. C. The night (odd as it may sound) was cool, the grass damp, and the teams actually "steamed" up and down the brilliantly lighted sward. As for the game itself, it marked the opening of league excitement and the initial win for our Weberites. Coach Linford brought a clean fighting band of boys up from the Branch Agricultural College at Cedar City, but they lacked experience and a serious scoring punch. The first kick-off found the Purple and White machine in near perfect running order, and it was not long until co-captain Knapp had collected a pair of prety passes from co-captain Francis, and crossed the goal line. Jim counted the extra point from place-kick formation, and a few minutes later he booted another, bringing the tally to 14-0 after Jimmy Ing had reeled off 40 yards to score on the famous "Stevenson Spread" play. In the second quarter, the southerners played their best ball, holding our boys tight and collecting six points for themselves on Gardner's plunge, after a pass from Captain Osborne had placed the Branch men in scoring distance. The first quarter after the half, boosted the Wildcat advantage to 27-6, due mainly to Bert Welch's excursion on the "spread" play, and another broken field 42-yard shuffle by Ing from an off-tackle cut. Jay "Honey" London stepped into the lineup in the last quarter and in two plays escorted the oval from mid-field to the goal post. A minute later "Rangy Red" got in the way of a pass from Gardner, intended for an Aggie receiver, and galloped 5 2 yards in seven league strides for the next counter. London missed both attempts to convert. To climax the evening's entertainment, Francis pounded tackle and end for another touchdown, and Johnny Peterson plowed through for the point that left the total at 46-6. For B. A. C. the work of Osborne, Gardner, Wicker, in the backfield, and Mace at center, was outstanding. The whole Weber team functioned faultlessly, with Francis, Knapp, Ing, Anderson, and Thatcher probably a bit more prominent. Steve gave all his reserves a chance to play and they responded in a favorable fashion. WEBER-SNOW The second league encounter took the boys to Ephraim where they engaged Snow College. This grid battle was waged before a good-sized crowd but on a crude gridiron. Snow threw a serious scare into our charges when the half closed, leaving them a 7-6 lead as the result of a touchdown by Wall, and the extra point from Norman's toe. Francis gained the only Wildcat score in this half. Steve said something or other to the boys during intermission and they came back and melted Snow with three touchdowns. Freddie Paolletti caught the first kickoff and traveled 95 yards to completely startle the Snow team and give Weber her margin, that was later increased to 2 5-7 by Kid Ing and Knapp, who caught an aerial thrust and made a 45-yard non-stop flight to the end zone. Weber players and the small band of supporters that had accompanied them were treated royally by the Ephraim folks, and they thoroughly enjoyed their stay there. WEBER-ALBION The Idaho State Normal School at Albion, Idaho, certainly deserves our congratulations. They were the first team to defeat Weber College in eight years of league competition. And this year they nosed us out twice. The first setback came at Albion during Coach Stevenson's absence. Malcolm Watson, of the Weber Gymnasium, was directing the Purple and White play and it is no discredit to Malc to say that we lost, 18-13. Albion, that day, was just one of those teams that wouldn't be beaten on its home ground, and wasn't. Weber fought a gallant battle and proved they were as glorious in defeat as in victory. Here, too, the town was turned over to our fellows and students, and they left with a great deal of respect for Coach Norman Jacobson and his Red and Black institution. WEBER-RICKS The final league game was with Ricks College of Rexburg, Idaho, the team that had beaten Albion and was coming to Ogden intent on taking away the championship that had rested comfortably here for so long. The game was played late in the season, and on a frozen field, but the greatest obstacle in Rick's path to fame was "Battering" Jim Francis. Jim realized the importance of the situation and instilled his fighting spirit into every one of his team mates, while he smashed and tore the Rick's team to pieces. Ray Anderson was also at his best on this November afternoon; in fact, if we were to read the Weber lineup, we'd be naming a gridder each time who played outstanding football in the fine teamwork of is Alma Mater. 20-6 tells the tale. A loyal student body braved the miserable weather and was rewarded with the eighth consecutive Junior College championship. Coach Pete Dow's eleven fought hard but were unable to cope with the pennant-bound Wildcats. Steele was instrumental in the Viking's splendid effort. Me and My Shadow; "Poi;" "Steve;Twas Midnite in the Stadium;" Georgie, Jimmy, and Pete; Stadium by Day; "Malc."