Lehigh Eleven Battles Crimson for Third Time

As the crowds stream down Bolyston Street and pour through the gates of the Stadium this afternoon an undefeated Lehigh squad will be finishing up final strategy discussions and making last moment changes in an attempt to score its first touch-down in the history of its rivalry with the Crimson.

For, in their past two encounters with the Varsity eleven, the Engineers have been unable to break into the scoring column. In the fall of 1928 a powerful team swept over the men from Bethlehem, Pa., 39-0. Five years later Lehigh was again shut out in a 27-0 rout, and since then the two schools have not met to test their strength on the field.

Today, however, the situation could possibly become reversed. Lehigh boasts a one win, one tie record against fairly impressive schools, and is heavily equipped with one of its best passing attacks in recent years. Defensively, the team has prevented both Gettysburg and Delaware from gaining more than 100 yards this season.

The Crimson, on the other hand, has been especially weak at the passing game this season.

Last year Lehigh's coach almost achieved amazing success when his squad won eight of nine contests, losing only to nationally ranked V.M.I. by a close 12-7 score. The team received the Lambert Cup, a coveted prize in small college football, for its efforts.

Lehigh will charge out of the huddle and group into a Split-T formation probably under the direction of quarterback Bob Scheu. The team sorely misses the flashy control of Little All-American Dan Nolan, who has joined the pro football rosters, and hopes that Scheu will become a similar giant. So far the left-handed sophomore seems to be on the way; against Gettysburg last weekend he completed 9 out of 16 passes for 133 yards.

As the play develops, the uninitiated, between milk punch refreshers, should notice that many of Sheu's tosses are directed toward speed demon Joe "The Antelope" Wenzel at left end. Wenzel was chosen a member of last week's All-East football team for his outstanding play against Gettysburg. The 6 ft. 2 in. end twisted and lept into the air to snag seven throws.

Between passes one might just observe an ex-Marine, Ron Lauretti, leading the backfield at the tailback spot. Lauretti was a surprise for Leckonby when he returned this fall. The fullback should be ably assisted by halfbacks Al Kovach and Charley Burger, the team captain.

This substantially well balanced quartet is partially offset by the Lehigh forward wall, for the Engineers are basically an offensive squad. Weaknesses at guard and tackle present tentativelly unsolved problems for Leckonby.

In the tackle positions, Bill Beattie and Walt Meincke should participate in most of the action today. Beattie, who was second string tackle last year, and Meincke, a converted center, both tip the scales at about 200 pounds.

Willie Schaeffer, a reserve guard last year, and John Stanley, one of nine returning lettermen, will probably be starters in the guard positions. The strongest point in the Brown and White line, center, will be occupied by Tom DeFlavis, a returning veteran.

In almost all of eleven positions Lehigh lacks a large amount of depth. Most of this year's second-string men are sophomores who are new at the varsity level, having only played on a successful freshman squad.

At any rate, this afternoon should unveil a fast-breaking, sharp passing Brown and White eleven sparked by hopes of revenging two earlier massacres.