Cornell Overtakes Eleven, 20-16, As Last-Minute Pass Succeeds

The ghost of Frank Merriwell hovered over Soldiers Field late Saturday afternoon.

Trailing by four points with but 24 seconds remaining, Cornell's football team suddenly connected for a 76 yard pass play that defeated the Crimson, 20 to 16. It was as exciting and unlikely a finish as local fans have seen in years.

Only three minutes earlier, the varsity seemed to be headed for its third touchdown, which would have clinched this Ivy League opener. Taking over on downs at the Cornell 26, it had driven for a first down on the 13. A clipping penalty nullified this advantage and the possible score, but Charlie Ravenel's time-killing maneuvers seemed to have put the game on ice.

The Big Red finally took over on its own 24 for a desperation attempt to score. Dave McKelvey, a second string quarterback who had been outstanding all day, rolled out to his right looking for a receiver. Eighteen yards downfield was fullback Phil Taylor, hemmed in between two Crimson backs.

McKelvey let loose and Taylor grabbed it. He feinted left, dodged the two dedenders, and streaked 58 yards down the right sideline for the winning six points.

Pandemonium broke loose on the Cornell side of the field, for with this victory the Big Red vaulted into the thick of the Ivy League race. Princeton's loss and Dartmouth's tie on Saturday leave Penn and Cornell as the top contenders for first place.

If they are to make it, however, Lefty James' forces will have to be more impressive than they were this weekend. For until the final moments of Saturday's contest, Cornell was outplayed and out-fought by a keyed-up Harvard eleven.

Led by Chet Boulris, who played one of his finest games in a Crimson uniform, and Charlie Ravenel, who suddenly discovered that he could pass, after all, the varsity made mincemeat of Cornell's highly rated defense.

Boulris topped the running attack which slashed the Big Red line for 220 yards, as much as the visitors had given in their previous two games. Ravenel, behind strong protection from the offensive line, managed to hit on nine passes for 96 yards, seven of those completions coming in the first half.

Cornell used a tight 5-4-2 defensive alignment throughout most of the first half, and Ravenel seized the opportunity to take to the air.

After two offensive drives stalled deep in Cornell territory, the Crimson finally broke through to score at 9:46 of the second quarter. Boulris was the architect of this march. His passing, receiving, and running brought the ball 54 yards to the seven, whereupon he caught a Ravenel pass in the end zone. The "Jet" then dashed untouched around end for the point after touchdown and it was 8 to 0.

A Cornell fumble early in the second half set up the next varsity score. Taylor bobbled a handoff on his own 35, and Hank Keohane recovered. Six plays later Ravenel went over from the ten to put Harvard two touchdowns ahead.

The visitors wasted no time in retaliating, as they grabbed the kickoff and marched 80 yards in nine plays for their first score. The key play in this series was an overthrown McKelvey pass on which interference was called against the Crimson. From the press box it seemed as though the safety had merely stumbled over the fallen reciver, and the fans, too, were vocal in their disapproval of the call. But the ruling stuck, and Cornell gained 25 yards on the play.

Moments later Dave Bidwell took a screen pass from McKelvey and ran unmolested to the goal line, 13 yards away.

Midway in the final period, Cornell capitalized on a Crimson fumble to score again. Ravenel let a handoff squirt out of his hands on the 33, and Bidwell, grabbing the ball in mid-air, moved to the 26. On the very next play, Marcello Tino's pass to Taylor was complete for the touchdown.

Twice more in the closing moments the varsity drove deep into opposition territory, only to be thwarted by the determined Big Red line.Crimson halfback LARRY REPSHER is stopped by Cornell's JOHN SANDUSKY (86) after a short gain over left tackle. LYMAN BEGGS (41) charges up for the coup de grace as JON CHRISTIANSON (53) and DAVE CAPPIELLO (80) look on.