'60 Fencers Slight Favorites In Yale Match

The freshman fencing team, more than refreshed after Wednesday night's convincing 17-10 win over Brandeis, will be extremely ready for this afternoon's Yale match. The Yardlings, after three consecutive losses to supposedly inferior an unexpected, but still gratifying, win over the Judges.

squads, rebounded this week to snake out

Coach Edo Marion, despite scheduling an extra meet for the freshmen this year, is noted for spending a great majority of his hours on promising sophomores. It is fortunate that Marion has been favored this year with a preponderance of freshman novices, well suited for his personal pre-intercollegiate training system.

For it is something of a paradox that freshmen who have not fenced until their first year here usually develop into the best varsity competitors. This happens simply because fencers who begin the sport in preparatory schools often find that early habits hamper them in perfecting the style which suits Marion.

Certain to start in today's all-important Eli match will be Dave Johnson and Dave Sweet in foil, who as beginners have developed in the fashion which Marion desires. Pete Kane, who was substituted in epee against Bradford-Durfee, has looked very good in both events all year, but is handicapped by earlier training in the sport.

Johnson and Sweet, however, are strong choices to develop into very capable replacements for the varsity's lameduck foil squad. Jack Briley, also a beginner in foil, will be odds-on to start in the third foil slot. Kane, lacking a starting birth in foil, will stand by in reserve for both the foil and epee events.

Marion's sabre squad will include two newcomers to the sport, Jim Pruett and Jack Sheppard, who have benefited greatly from Marion's tutelage this season. Sherin Reynolds, who has fenced for a number of years, will also start; Reynolds, however, doesn't figure to play so large a position in varsity competition next year. Steve Young, who has shown occasional touches of brilliance, will be ready for a substitute role.

The epee squad has been the white hope of this year's team; it was particularly strong in the Brandeis win. Both Jim Roberts and Dick Thompson won three of three against the Judges. Both are newcomers and therefore very likely to do well in varsity activity.

Phil Charat, initiated into the foil fraternity in France, has been out of action for several years. After a brief reorientation session this fall, Charat was convinced to abandon his original weapon and convert temporarily to epee, where he will probably start this afternoon.

He will, however, be very much in the running for a slot in the varsity's epee team next year. Since Charat is a south-paw, however, it is probable that he could be used to better advantage next season in foil, where a lefty is at a particular advantage.

Marion's efforts with the freshmen, coupled with the spark of both novices and veteran fencers, will put the Crimson on at least an equal level with the Elis today. The added experience gained through this year's enlarged schedule, may well give the freshmen a slight edge