Monson Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Monson, MA)

Page 52 text:

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.

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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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CLASS 46 Q v at BASKETBALL TEAM First Row, left to right-Richard O'Malley, Donald Chase, Capt. Iames Kelly, Elihu Martin, Edward Lonczak, R Cl. . Secddrlrdygdlvifelefsleto right-Coach Sweeney, Norman McMahon, lClCk RUSSG11, Eugene Dlbble. lOhI1 Moran, Mgr. William Sullivan. The l945-1946 season got under way with two hold-overs from last year to form the nucleus of Coach Sweeney's team this year. The brand of basketball played by the team far exceeds the record which it com- piled during the season. The never say die spirit was displayed nobly throughout the seasoon. Captain Iames Kelly, of Holyoke, led our team at one forward spot and was ably assisted on the other side of the floor by Norman McMahon, who relinquished his position to Ed Lonczak because of an ailing knee. Ed was a new- comer to our school, having just completed three years in the Air Corps. Gene Dibble was at the center post, and, while rather weak on the scoring punch, was invaluable to us in controlling the ball. Elihu Martin, af Pittsfield, and Don Chase, another Holyoke boy, combined their efforts in the backcourt and scored frequently. Dick O'Malley and Bill Martin were two forward replacements who saw plenty of action during the season, along with Iack Russell, Larry Reed, Herb Aronson, and Iohn Moran, also a veteran of three years' service with the U. S. Army. The season opened at home against Monson High, and after we played even ball for three quarters, early season jitters spelled doom for us and we went down 30-26. We then traveled to Wilbraham Academy and were entertained by the Red and White rooters with one of the best played games in their gym in years, but we were turned down again, 40-36. The teams matched basket-for-basket, and, with 30 seconds left, Monson was in the van by three points, only to have Wilbraham tie the game and go on to win in the overtime. Close competition was a specialty with our boys and was shown again at Suffield Academy, where, trailing by ten points throughout the game, the Nutmeggers suddenly came to life and tied the score, forcing the game into the overtime period. However, Monson was not to be denied and gained her initial victory, 33-31. Another highlight of the season was the premier nocturnal game for our boys against Cushing Academy, who had a clean slate of eleven wins. After a poor first half, we went out to put on a great rally that carried us to within three points of victory and, undoubtedly, it was the best-played game of the year. The scoring honors went to Eddie Lonczak, who poured in close to a 100 points for the year. He was closely followed by Don Chase and Norm McMahon. The seniors, having played their last game at Monson, appreciated the time and co-operation which Coach Sweeney gave them and also the enthusiastic support of the student body. Those graduating this year are: Captain Iames Kelly, Ed Lonczak, Don Chase, Herb Aronson, Elihu Martin, Dick O'Malley, and Bill Martin. Norm McMahon, Larry Reed, Iohn Moran, Gene Dibble, and lack Russell are the boys who will form the back- bone ot next year's team. We wish them luck in having a successful year.