Riverview Military Academy - Orbit Yearbook (Poughkeepsie, NY)

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Football NVhen the call for candidates came almost as soon as school opened in the fall, it was soon discovered that only one man of the squad had ever played football before. In addition to this, the men were lightg averaging under one hun- dred and thirty-live pounds. No scrub team could be made up, so that, for scrimmage prac- tice, we had to arrange a series of practice games with the Poughkeepsie High School team. At the hrst of the season, as may be seen from the scores, the inexperience of the eleven was plainly shown, but as the time passed, the team- work improved greatly. A few changes in the lineup strengthened the backtield and increased its ground-gaining ability as well as unifying the line. By the end of the year, the team, with a good quarter-back, would have compared favor- ably with that of two years ago. .Below are given a few salient points of each player's work. Captain Cunningham, though he was new at the game and was the recipient of many minor injuries at the start of the season, soon developed into a good half-back. llc showed the most iight of any backlield man Riverview has had in years. I le was placed on the All-I Iudson team by a l'oughkeepsie sporting editor. Mills, who was elected captain for 1915-'16, played the strongest game of any man in the line, due partly to his weight. He was very fast on getting down the Held under kicks, often reaching the runner as soon as the ends. W'hen on the defense, he was in the centre of every play. He, too, was placed on the All-Hudson eleven. Gleason played tackle for the lirst half of the season, and was placed at this position on the All-Hudson. Later he was removed to full-back where his great weight gave him excellent line- plunging ability. In aggressiveness he was second only to Cunningham. Longo really belonged at tackle, but he did well at half-back, though he was somewhat in- dividual. His short, stocky build made him a hard man to stop, especially in a broken field, and he played well on the defense. l'almer and l'ersiano, the tackles, kept quiet and learned the game, so that by the end of the

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FOOTBALL TEAM

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season they were able to take care of their posi- tions in very creditable style. Lattin, Foote, A. and Foote, G., as guards, were steady and consistent, though Lattin was handicapped by being shifted from the back- field. Foote A's injury at the last of the season was much regretted. Smith and Schryver, as ends, did well con- sidering their youth and inexperienee. Smith seemed to have a natural aptitude for tackling which stood him in good stead. Riverview 6, Kingston 25. Riverview 0, Mohegan 48. Riverview 6. Stone School 7. Riverview 19, Poughkeepsie High O. Poucher started at end, but was moved to the baekfield too late to become proficient in the use of signals at quarter. His punting was su- perior to that of any of the kickers who opposed him. Fox, on account of illness, was not able to come out long enough to thoroughly master the duties of quarter, which was to be regretted, for he played a plueky game. Riverview 26, Troy Academy 0. Riverview 0. Eastman College 19. Riverview 40, Poughkeepsie High 0. Riverview 28, Middletown, N. Y. 7.