Monson Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Monson, MA)

Page 51 text:

VARSITY SOCCER TEAM First Row, left to right-Robert Hayward, William Francis, Richard O'Malley, Capt. Norman McMahon, Paul Welch, Eugene Bragiel, Robert Donovan. Second Row-David McLarnore, Irwin Swirsky, Wesley Goldstein, Robert Blakey, William Cushman, Kenneth Stebbins, Ioseph Stone. Third Row-Elmer Tidmarsh, Mgr. David Levin, Ralph Manganiello, Erwin Kaplan. The 1945 soccer season at Monson Academy was considered by all concerned to be successful. The team held its own against, and fought to close finishes with, some of the best soccer squads in Western Massachu- setts. Built up around a hold-over nucleus of seven first-stringers, the team acquired from their coach, Mr. George D. Morrow, an excellent working knowledge of the basic principles of soccer, and a respectable repertoire of power and force plays. Mr. Morrow also succeeded in instilling in the group a driving spirit , that urge to push and keep pushing that keeps the ball near the opponents goal line, The season got off to an unpropitious start, with the heartbreaker losses of C2-Ol against Wilbraham Acad- emy and fl-Ol against Williston Academy. However, the team rallied to win their third game, against Suffield Academy, C5-Ol, and their fourth game, against Worcester Academy, K5-ll. This last game opened with a real thriller, an exchange of points within the first thirty seconds of play. After losing the fifth C5-ll to the cham- pionship Monson High squad, our team came back to recapture the Suffield Nutmeggers, C4-ll, and tie Worcester fl-ll in the season's only overtime game. The season closed with the losing of two hard-fought battles, at Williston C2-ll, and at Wilbraham C5-Zi. The team owes much of its success to the excellent judgment and powerful boot of team captain Norman McMahon, who was also the season's top scorer. The rarely-failing ability of goalie Bob Hayward to stop em before they went over, and the push of center forward Paul Welch and center halfback Dick O'Malley also contributed greatly to the team's success. When Bob Hayward sprained his ankle, Ken Stebbins stepped between the posts and filled the gap nicely until Bob could lay aside his crutches, Every one who went out for soccer enjoyed himself, and that fact alone would have made the season a success.

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FOOTBALL TEAM First Row, left to right-Gordon Gyngell, Iarvis Littlefield, Grenville Garvin, Capt. lames Kelly, Archie Mc- Connell, Edwin Smiley, Eugene Dibble. Second Row-Richard Green, Kenneth Clifford, lames Berger, Donald Chase, Walker Barrett, William Martin, Donald Lipman. Third Row-Asst. Mgr. Iohn Vosburgh, Mgr. William Sullivan, Robert Holland, Irwin Rosenthal, Elihu Martin, Harvey Swift. Fourth Row-Lawrence Reed, Martin Hayes. CMissing from picture, Robert Thomasl For the first time after a five-year absence Monson Academy took to the gridiron. In their initial post-war game against Wilbraham Academy's junior varsity, beneath a blazing sun, Monson lined up on their own field, raw and inexperienced, but game, The contest was a close and hard-fought match between two teams of equal skill. First blood was drawn when Bob Thomas plunged over from the seven-yard line, The game saw the score as 5-G in favor of Monson when the final gun went off. This victory boosted the morale of the Blue and White, who had some trepidations about their next game with Palmer High, Palmer's strength immediately evidenced itself as she powered her way into a score of 33-U. We were outclassecl all the way, but never outfought. Our next game was again against Wilbraham's jayvees, now on their home grounds. This game was even more closely contested than the first, in that no headway was made for either side during the first half, In the second half the Monson lads began to roll, piling up three touchdowns to put the game on ice at l8-O. A word must be said for the good, clean playing and fine sportsmanship evidenced by Wilbraham Academy throughout, Our final game of the season was played against the highly-rated Western Massachusetts combination, the eleven iron men of South Hadley High. Despite their reputation and size, Monson put up a stiff battle. Their team was a dynamic bulldozer, against which we were all but powerless The only touchdown on our side of the score column was made by Iim Kelly who, on an interception, ran 75 yards to cross the white line. Our pluck and tenacity was lauded by the crowd, all residents of South Hadley. The season was a good one, all things considered, and everyone profited by the experience and fine training given us by our earnest coach, Mr. Erving E. Beauregard.

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IUNIOR SOCCER ' First Row, left to right-Donald Robinson, Francis Martell, Capt. Donald Delong, Leo Zacks, Kenneth Comee Second Row-Richard Platt, Leonard Rome, Roger Castle, Minot D'Arcy. Third Row-William Gates, Lawrence Cushman. CMissing from picture, Richard Pelletier, lean Beaucheminl The I. V. Soccer squad, composed of the boys of the younger grades and underclass- men, participated in two games in the 1945-46 soccer season. Their both games were with Wil- braham with a final score resulting in advantage for neither team. Monson took the first game l-U while W. retaliated in the second game with the same score. The line-up was as follows: I. Beauchemin Lett inside L. Zacks Right halt S. Iacobs Leftdwing M. D'Arcy Lett fullback L. Cushman Right inside W. Gates Right fullback R. Pelletier R. wing L. Rome Goal A. Young Center half F. Princiotta Coach Captain D. De long Left half P. Saunders Assistant coach Unfortunately L. Rome was injured in the second half ot the first game. R. Castle took over for the remainder of the season and did an able job. According to Capt. De long it was a successful season and he expects a better team to turn out next year.