La Salle Academy - Maroon and White Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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gg t awe 2 g -1 E 2 MAROQN and WHITE g g Qlrnmi Glnimtrg 9' ULLY conscious of the heritage that had been entrusted to them by the victorious teams of past seasons, the cross-country squad of l928, by faithful, diligent and system- atic training, not only equalled the glories of the past but far surpassed them. Every time the cross- country team competed they added laurels and prestige to La Salle's reputation. Their record this year has been a bright spot in Athletic Activi- ties at La Salle. These records are not based on mythical championships, as in other sports, but won by actual competition on the field of battle. Here are some of the titles the cross-country team won during the past season: New England High School Championsg Champions of the City of Providence: Rhode Island State, and Confer- ence Champions: Catholic High School Cham- pions of the East. The New England Championship was won at Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 3rd, when La Salle outdistanced the other High Schools of New England. The City Championship was won by our repeated victories over Technical High, the Public School Champions, and also Commer- cial High, the interscholastic League Champions. T he Rhode Island State Conference Champion- ship was won on November 24th at Providence, when La Salle defeated the best schools in the state. The Catholic High School Championship of the East was decisively won at the Manhattan College Meet in New York on October l8th, when La Salle romped home in front of all the Catholic Schools of New York State, including seven other Christian Brothers High Schools of New York and vicinity. We also claim individual championships for our stellar performer, Ray McManus, Captain of the victorious team. He not only won the City RAYMOND MQMANUS C:-iptain and State title but also achieved the honor of holding the individual honors in the various cham- pionships in which his team competed. Never before had a La Salle team achieved such greatness. It is encouraging to relate that the live highest scorers of the past season will be back at La Salle next year for the i929 season. They are as follows: Captain Ray McManus, Eloi Lareau, Thomas Russell, Joseph Conley, and William Briston. Gold, silver and bronze medals have been awarded to the above named, while gold trackshoes have been awarded to McManus, Lareau, Russell, Conley and McWil- liams for placing in the Rhode Island State Con- ference Championships. In this meet the team won the Championship and Ray McManus suc- cessfully defended his State School Boy Title against Cotter of Westerly. Of the seventy odd members on the squad, 65

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I I 2 E T T E ii 5 2 OON ggelxmjnz-1, and WHITE 5 played this same brand of football the entire sea- son we would take on all comers and show the former grads what real football was. With such a start, as we received in the pre- vious game, we traveled the open highway to East Greenwich for the final game of the season and met East Greenwich on their own battle-ground. Rearing to go, our prancing backfieldmen took the ball and placed it over the opposing goal at will. The line, invulnerable as ever, held while the men in back completed their plays. The score of this particular setto, I do not recall, but you can rest assured that we were not on the wrong end. And this is the uconsummatus est of the sea- son. With the others it will go down into the an- nals of the school, as a successful l928 football season. We were vanquished four times and we t .. Q 64 JOE MYETTE Captain conquered only three, but if one should figure the scores they would lind that La Salle led their opponents in points for the entire season. We have taken another step nearer our goal, which is to equal the teams that represented our Alma Mater on the gridiron before us. Every man on the squad is to be congratulatedg every Brother or coach connected in any way is to be thanked: every student who stood in the stands those bleak, autumn days cheering is to be cheered. And now let every mother's son of us join in THREE ROUSING CHEERS FOR THE 1928 LA SALLE TEAM. Let's go-Hip-Hip-.

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1 Wim 2 S it e 5 s 2 g ooixr ,pkMJeg, and WHITE 5 only two will be lost by graduation, Frank Barrie and john McWilliams, both of whom placed among the select five and often helped La Salle to victory. With the l25 members of the Freshman squad to call upon we have a very formidable array of talent to carry on La Salle's prestige in the hill and dale game in the future. Our first meet of the year was scheduled for October l4th with Commercial High, Interscho- lastic League Champions. Owing to some miscal- culation the dedication of La Salle's new athletic field was finally settled upon for October l6th. Just two days before our most important meet. During the halves of the football game, the cross- country run was called. Amid the clicking of cameras, accompanied by the cheering of some 6000 people present, the race was started by Bishop Hickey. It was not long before the har- riers were lost to view over the nearby hills. just as the football teams were returning to resume the game, Ray McManus was seen lead- ing the harriers down the hill leading to the home stretch. After encircling the field McManus reached the finish line fully l00 yards ahead of Marzano, the Interscholastic League Champion. The cheers were deafening. Lareau, Conley and Russell of La Salle followed closely. La Salle carried the day by a 20 to 35 score. This was the first victory of the 1928 season. This meet served as a final tryout for the trip to New York City. Those making the trip were McManus, La- reau, Conley, Russell, Briston, McWilliams, Bar- rie, McAndrews, and Leonard. On the following day, thanks to the student body, Mr. T. Cooney, Mr. R. McManus and Mr. J. Murphy who made the trip possible, we left Providence for the joumey to New York to enter the Manhattan College lnterscholastic Meet. After an enjoyable trip we arrived in the big town. After seeing most of the city, we were quartered in De La Salle Hall as the guests of Manhattan College. On the morrow we prepared for the fray and witnessed the assembling of over 400 athletes to 66 take part in the meet. Never before had we wit- nessed so many athletes taking part in an event. As the mob toed the mark, we went into a huddle, encouraged one another and with a prayer on our lips we were off for the hills of Van Courtlandt Park. Much to the surpirse of all, McManus was seen battling the leaders down the homestretch. He placed second! Only a step behind the win- ner. Out of 40 schools participating we placed fifth. Thus outdistancing by far the other Catho-' lic Schools of the East. Seven other Christian Brothers Schools from various parts of New York State were also entered, but La Salle, Providence, led them all. May we not also claim this cham- pionship? This trip marked the first time any athletic team from Providence ever competed in New York. ' Our next meet was with Burrillville High School, a Class B school, which we won by an l8-32 score. It is our intention in the future to compete with Class A schools, and having these Class B schools compete with our reserve team, consisting of Freshmen and Sophomores. The last meet of the year was held on Thanksgiving Day. It was the local Y. M. C. A. Annual Road Race. La Salle entered a full team and won both the individual and team prize, McManus placing first, and Lareau, McWilliams, Russell and Bar- rie, all of La Salle, placed in the second, third, seventh and eleventh positions, respectively. As victory followed victory, and championship fol- lowed championship, the conservative daily press took notice of our achievements, and the Writeups of our races increased proportionately. Numerous pictures, too, graced both New York and Provi- dence newspapers: Providcnce journal: La Salle's great cross- country team opened its season in a victory over Commercial High, and next came the invasion of New York. In this meet Captain Ray McManus distinguished himself by placing himself only one second behind the winner in a field of more than 400 competitors.