Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 209, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1917 — Confidence Reigns Among Grid Warriors. [ARTICLE]

Confidence Reigns Among Grid Warriors.

If confidence, an imperative requisite in the makeup of all championship athletic teams, will carry Rens/selaer high school to a state football championship this season, then the heads of the Indiana high school athletic association had just as well hand over the state banner to the local school at once, without waiting until the close of the season for this formality. From Coach Meyers down to the rawest reeruit, the squad is brimful of confidence and are anxiously awaiting the first sound of the referee’s whistle to start on their course of blasting the hopes of their adversaries. Almost from the first day of school the local squad has been hard at work, conditioning themselves for the future. Coach Meyers’ eyes opened wide when he saw some of the husky material h e had at hand. And there was an abundance of it, too. Since the coach’s first glimpse of his squad he has been rubbing his hands together in glee, patting himself on the back and telling himself that this is a Rensselaer year and that he is certainly a fortunate mortal.

The squad is now going at midseason speed and the men one and all are giving the best there is in them to earn one of the coveted positions. From eighteen to twenty men report each evening for' the two hours’ drill. The newcomers are apt students and are learning the rudiments of the game swiftly. The rule which limited a member of the I. H. S. A. A. to six games a season has been changed and now any member is allowed an eight game schedule. The local schedule has been practically completed! Kentland will pry off the lid on September 29th, Kirklin will follow on Oct. 6, Logansport will be here Oct. 13. Sheridan will doubtless occupy the attention of the locals on the 20th; the 27th will be an open date; Hammond is carded for November 3, after which the Watseka, 111., eleven will be here on the following Saturday. The final game of the season will be played with South Betid high school in this city on Thanksgiving, and in securing this engagement the local management feel that they have made a ten strike. South Bend was well up among the leaders last year and the game on Turkey day will probably be the best of the season, along with the Hammond game. A game has been offered Rensselaer by Elkhart, but whether or not this game is scheduled has not been determined as yet. The team at present is lined up as follows: Dunlap and Kight, ends; Gourley and Potts, tackles; Halleck and Babcock, guards; Beam, center; McColly, quarterback; Phegley and York, halfbacks; Pullins, fullback.