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1941
Coaches: Miggs Dressel, varsity football, lightweight basketball, head of track and golf; Merle Briggs, varsity basketball and lightweight football; Stevens, tennis; Walt Wattenburger, assistant in varsity football and track.

1941
FOOTBALL practice games: Palo Alto 7-0, Los Banos 6-6. Practice records 1-0-1. League: Hollister 13-7, Salinas 6-35, Monterey 26-13, Watsonville 20-6. League 3-1, second place. Season 4-1-1. Salinas champions.

This year the Cards won more games than they had for many a year. A tremendous improvement over last year, when they did not win a game.

Starting lineup: ends, Victor Fought and Art “Fiddle” Kitahara; tackles, Andy Demos, Archie Good and Jon Edmund; guards, Joe Scaroni, Charlie Booth and Jack Scofield; center, Bob Steele. Backs: Ugo Armanini, Tom Freeman, Johnny Davis and captain Victor Ghidinelli, who is also the punter. Other players: Al Ponticelli, Stocking, Baxter, Don Leibbrandt, Searle, Tony Fontes, Talbert Newhart, George Becknell, Ted Foster, Snyder, Nicholson, Morgan, Steward, Thompson, Riley, Pedemonte, Mitchell and Hull.

The Cards won their league opener against Hollister as Ghidinelli scores all the points. Led by Captain Vic Ghidinelli, who took a pass from Armanini with less than a minute to go and took it to the one yard line. After two line plunges failed, Vic went in for a score as the gun sounded. His kick for the extra point was good to bring the Cards from down 6-7 to a win 13-7. Hollister scored first and the Cards came right back to score, but did not make the extra point. Line plunges by Ghidinelli and passes from Davis to Armanini took the ball to the 14 yard line. Freeman carried to the seven yard line. Armanini passed to Ghidinelli to the two yard line from where Ghidinelli took it over.

The Cards played their best game of the season, when they defeated Monterey 26-13. The first string scored 19 points in the first half while holding Monterey scoreless, before letting the second, third and fourth strings take over. Johnny Davis, who has been the mainstay of the Cards offense completed six out of seven passes for a net gain of 80 yards, to say nothing about his fine running. The plunging of Vic Ghidinelli and Hugo Armanini along with the fine blocking by the whole team was outstanding. The first score came after four first downs good for 60 yards, Davis went off tackle for the remaining 15 yards and the touchdown. For the next score, Davis passed to Armanini for 20 yards, Ghidinelli made 20 yards in two tries on a run and a lateral play, which put the ball on the 13 yard line. Davis then scored on an end run. Later on a kick off return, George Becknell ran the ball back to mid field. The big gains were two long runs by Ghidinelli for 19 and 35 yards. A couple of penalties pushed the ball back to the 18 yard line from where Davis passed to Ghidinelli for the score.

A crowd of 5,000 saw the Cards win their first victory in seven years over Watsonville by the score of 20-6, which is the same score as 1933. The Wildcats scored first. The Cards came right back in the next series of downs, running the ball down to the Cats 40 yard line. Davis threw a long pass to Ghidinelli for the score. Just as the third quarter was to end a poor Cat kick gave the ball to the Cards at the Cat 35 yard line. Davis ran around right end for 20 yards to the 15. A pass from Davis to Armanini put the ball on the five, but the Cats held. The Wildcats could not get a first down and were forced to kick. Fought blocked the kick and recovered on the two. Davis ran it in for the score. Ghidinelli kicked the extra point making the score 13-6. Late in the fourth quarter, Davis intercepted a pass on the Cat 20 yard line. After a series of line plunges, Davis ran seven yards for the score. Ghidinelli again kicked the extra point to make the final score 20-6.

Trident All League team: quarterback, Johnny Davis; Vic Ghidinelli, offensive and defensive back and kicker; guard, Bob Steele and center, Jack Scofield.

LIGHTWEIGHT FOOTBALL Hollister 20-0, Salinas 13-7, Monterey 2-6, Watsonville 20-33. League 2-2 tied for second. Watsonville champs.

Starting line up: ends, Jerry Stanley, Jimmy Smethers and Dick Skotland; tackles, Dean Nelson and Richard Manildi; guards, Wataru Okino, Bob Short and Bill Dickson; center, Bob Thurman; Backs, Tom Oksuki, Jim Dover, Bob DiVita, captain and punter Ernie King and Bob McCullah. Subs; Fred Juhl, Marvin Ellis, Harry Miller, Tom Butler, James Choisser, Yockey, Cunha, Curtis, Guzman, Wagner, Rapanini, Iwanaga, Mills, Van Valkenberg, Crummy, George, Vernon, Burshem, Berg, and Dick King,

Cardlets Win Close Game From Cowbabes 13-7. Led by the brilliant play of captain Ernie King, who on receiving the kickoff following the Salinas score tossed the pellet to Dick Scotland who galloped sixty yards to a touchdown. The first conversion was missed, but a Salinas penalty allowed another try with McCullah plunging over. The final score came with three minutes remaining in the game, when King ripped off tackle for 13 yards and the winning touchdown. For three years King has been feared for his passes and some of the best running seen in these parts in a long time. SC rolled up 209 yards to Salinas’ 175.

Cardlets Drop Wild Tilt to Wildkittens 33-20, who Win Through the Line. The Kittens scored first and the Cardlets came right back with a score of their own on a pass from King to Stanley, who did some fine broken field running. Watsonville had by far the best line and used it to their advantage, breaking loose their star back for gains and scores. The Cardlets scored two more touchdowns using the accurate passing of King and the left-handed Mario Esposito. King threw what was probably the greatest pass seen at a CCAL lightweight game. With a minute to go King took the ball on the ten yard line and threw a pass to Jerry Stanley, leading him perfectly when he received the ball at the Kitten 40 yard line, from where Jerry ran it in for a score. The pass went for 50 yards and the whole play for 90 yards. Esposito had a good offensive game with his accurate passing and runs to the left and right ends. Jim Dover made about three fourths of the tackles to shine on defense. Many times when it looked like a Watsonville runner was going to break away for a score Jim would swoop in for the tackle.

Trident All League team: triple threat back, Ernie King; guard, Bill Dickson; end, Jimmy Smethers.

JV FOOTBALL against these teams first string heavyweights Pacific Grove 7-34, King City 19-0, Gonzales 7-6

Starters: ends, Becknell and Ted Foster; tackles, Dysle and Scaroni; guards, Baxter and Good; center, Charles Booth and Riley; Backs, quarterback Bill Michell, Talbert Newhart, Tony Fontes and Ray Morgan.

BASKETBALL practice games: San Jose 29-37, Burlingame 17-63, Santa Clara 42-28, UCLA 145 pound team 24-29, (not counted in the records). Practice record 1-1. League: Monterey 26-22, 26-21; Boulder Creek 43-26, 31-19; King City 29-15, 26-19; Watsonville 32-21, 19-27; Salinas 19-21, 22-37. League 7-3 for third place. Season 8-4. League standings: Salinas 9-1, Pacific Grove 9-1, Santa Cruz 7-3, Watsonville 7-3, Boulder Creek 5-5, King City 5-5, Hollister Monterey 3-7, Hollister 2-8, Gonzales 2-8, Carmel 1-9.

The Cards had 31 consecutive league win streak going back to the 1939 season. Salinas broke the streak in the first round. Salinas won the league.

Starting lineup: center, George Becknell 6‘3“; forwards, Dick Fassio 6‘, Talbert Newhart 6’2” and Wayne Lear; guards, captain Ugo Armanini 5’6”, John Davis 5’6” and Eugene Shatkin; Subs Emmett Thompson, “Pinky” Pedemonte, John Fulmer, Ralph Pritshau, and Ned Rice.

The Cards kept their championship play intact by edging out Monterey 26-22. Led by sophomore, Dick Fassio, who scored 14 point, the Cards did not have the game sewed up until the last minutes of play. Monterey was just as good as they were supposed to be, but the Card quintet handled the ball like veterans, although their shooting was slightly off at times. Star center, George Becknell was held to only four points, way below normal, but made up for it on defense. Eugene Shatkin played a well rounded game and scored points. The surprise of the evening was the fine ball played by Fassio, who made impossible shots from all angles and proved himself the best player on the court.

No time during the first three quarters of the game was victory assured for the Cards. Three times during the evening the Cards found themselves on the short end of the score. At half time the score was 8-8. Toward the end of the third quarter, Becknell started to run wild scoring 17 points to leave a little cushion 32-21. Others scoring: forwards, Fassio 6, Shatkin 3; guards and subs, Armanini 4, Davis 1, Newhart 1, Thompson and Lear 0.

Championship hopes fade as Salinas takes Cards 22-37. The Cards were on their toes all the time, but tired in the final quarter. The Cowboys towered far above our “short” Cardinals, thus taking the ball off the backboard a large part of the time. The starting line up were not the normal five, but forwards, Shatkin and Lear; center, Thompson; guards, Davis and Newhart. This team proved unable to handle Salinas as they were down 1-12 at the end of the first quarter. The half ended 9-20.

Dick Fassio a starting forward as a sophomore. he led the team in scoring with 62 points.

LIGHTWEIGHT BASKETBALL Undefeated in League CCAL CHAMPIONS Practice games; San Jose 23-13, Burlingame 26-23, Palo Alto 19-26, Santa Clara 21-27. Practice record 2-1. League: Monterey 42-28, 36-19; Boulder Creek 36-9, 51-11; King City 29-19, 40-25; Watsonville 41-10, 32-12; Salinas 41-20, 28-17. League undefeated champions 10-0. Season 12-1. League standings: Santa Cruz 10-0, Gonzales 8-2, Salinas 7-3, Monterey 7-3, Watsonville 4-6, King City 4-6, Hollister 3-7, Boulder Creek and Carmel 1-9.

The Cardlets were a “dream team” all of them lettermen from last years championship team and four were starters last year also. Jim Smethers, with 108 points broke the league record set by George Becknell last year.

Starting lineups: center, Jim Smethers; forwards, Bob Searle, Captain Dick Jeantrout, Bill George and Fred Juhl; guards, Malcom Macaulay, Ernie King, Art Kitahara and Tom Otsuki. Subs: Julio Ghidinelli, Carter, Jim Choisser, Mario Esposito, Willis Anderson, Dick King and “Sonny” McGregor.

In the league opening first game, a win against Monterey 42-28. Up until the end of the half the outcome of the game seemed anybody’s choice with the Cardlets ahead 17-13. In the second half SC dropped a pair of buckets and Monterey literally fell apart allowing SC to run up a comfortable lead. The three leading SC scorers were King 14, Smethers 13 and George 12. Guards, Jeantrout and Kitahara proved to be valuable assets on offense as time after time they worked the ball into the forwards for sucker shots.

Off to a fast start, the Cardlets piled up an early lead toward a runaway score of 41-10 over Watsonville. The Kittens found it next to impossible to penetrate the SC defense. At half time the score was 23-2 and the only question was how large was the score going to be at the end. Scoring: forwards, Juhl and King 2 each; center, Smethers 8; guards, Kitahara 10 and Jeantrout 3. Subs: George 9, Anderson and Esposito 2 each, Otsuki, Julio Ghidinelli and Searle 1 each; Macaulay, Choisser, Carter, King and Mac Gregor 0.

Cardlets Cinch CCAL Championship With Unblemished record taking a 28-17 win from Salinas. The Cardlets did not get through the game without a scare. It was 6-6 at the end of the first quarter and 13-13 at half. To start the half, Kitahara moved inside rather than stay in his normal position on the outside and dropped in two quick shots under the basket to put the game on ice. The Cardlets rolled up 15 points to 4 for the Cowbabes in the second half. Scoring: forwards, George 6 and King 4; center, Smethers 10; guards, Jeantrout 2 and Kitahara 6; Subs: Esposito, Juhl, Otsuki, Macaulay, Anderson, and Choisser 0.

The Cardlets scored 342 point to their opponents 153. Average points scored per game is 38 with 22 against. A winning margin of 16 points per game.

TRACK At the CCAL meet the heavyweights were third and the lightweights were fourth.

Top scorers for the heavyweights in all meets
For the season Jack Scofield led the team in points scored with 50. Most of his points were in the high hurdles, high jump, shot put and the relay.

Mario Esposito was second in scoring with 34 points, even though he missed the first part or the season with the measles. His 100 time of 10.4 and 220 time of 23.3 and being a member of the relay team made points for him.

Richard Thompson was third in scoring with 25 points. Most of his points were won in the 440. His best time was 53 second. He also ran in the relay.

Jay Blaine 18 points did not reach his record breaking broad jump of last year, only doing 20’3” this year. He was hindered by an injured leg muscle.

The next three men earned 17 points. Ray Deems made all his points in the first two meets as the measles got him down. Last year he did the 100 in 10.4 and the 220 in 24 seconds flat. Charles Strope made his points in the high jump and 220 yard low hurdles. He won the county meet with a jump of 5’6”. George Wightman made all his points in the pole vault. His best mark was 10’6”.

Talbert Newhart scored 14 points all at the Monterey Relays and dual meet. He placed in the mile, discus and 880 with his best time of 2:25.7. Roy Morgan scored 11 points all made in the 220 low hurdles.

Top scorers for the lightweights in all meets
Malcom Macaulay with 50 points. His top meet score was 14 points. His events were 120 and 160 low hurdles, broad jump and relay.

Bob McCullah 36 points made in the pole vault with a best of 10’ and a high jump of 5‘3“.
Bob DiVita 31 points in the discus of 110“6“, shot put, broad jump of 18’2” and 440 relay.
Bob Stiffler 18 points in 50 yard dash of 5.7, and discus of 115‘6“. Bob would have had more points and helped the team do better at the big meets, but was out sick.
Kenny Morgan 16 points in 440 and 660 time of 1:36.3.
Itsuki Artyishi 15 points in broad jump of 19’1” and the 160 and 120 low hurdles.
Ted Deems 13 points in 440 in 57.4 seconds and 660.
Jim Fallis 12 points in 440 and 660 in 1:42.
Lawrence Trapani 12 points in 50 and 110 yard dashes, plus a 220 in 24.9.

With nine schools at the CCAL meet there was a lot of competition. For the heavyweights, Scofield took seconds in the 120 high hurdles and the high jump and a third in the shot put. Esposito took third in the 220 and fourth in 100, even after being very sick for a time. Other third place finishers were: Richard Thompson in 440. Van Shepard in mile and Jay Blaine in broad jump. Charles Strope took fourth place in the high jump.

At NCS Jack Scofield was entered in 3 events, but did not score.

For the lightweights at the CCAL meet: Second place finishers: Malcolm Macaulay in 120 high hurdles and 160 low hurdles. Di Vita in discus and third in shot put. Bob McCullah in pole vault and fourth in high jump. Fourth place finishers: Berg in 440, Morgan in 660 and Areyoshi in broad jump.

At NCS Bob McCullah was the only scorer tying for third in the pole vault for 1.5 points. Other participants for the lightweights: Macaulay was entered in the 120 low hurdles, Stiffler 50 and Morgan 220 low hurdles.

BASEBALL Practice game: Monterey 11-4; League: Salinas 3-7, 1-3; Hollister 9-3, 1-5; King City 1-4, 3-0; Carmel 6-9, 16-10; Watsonville 4-0, 1-10. League record 4-6. Season record 5-6.

Midway through the season the league banned six of the best Cardinal players. (No explanation was given. It could have been a new rule put in by the league that prohibited players from playing the same sport in outside competition. Which many players did all along, before this rule went into affect. In the 1930’s the high school baseball team, toward the end of the season, had players playing for the legion nine at the same time.)

The loss of these players, plus the back up of games because of bad weather, caused the team to play four games a week for a few weeks. There was only one pitcher left, Art Kitahara. Art had to pitch all four games in the week. It was tough to do and with poor fielding behind him this season, caused the season to not end well. Art started the season as the second basemen, but when the other pitchers were dropped from the team, it took great heart for him to fill that spot. It was especially tough, for one who had been a tough competitor, to end up losing games. Another senior had to fill a vacant position as catcher and Richard Searle playing in his first year on the team did a nifty job and boomed out several extra base hits, one a home run. The third and last senior, outfielder Adolph Negri walloped the old apple all over the lot.

In the last game of the season a 16-10 win over Carmel, the line up included: Mal Macaulay, who hit a homer; Johnny Ghio who slammed out three singles; Art Kitahara who hit two doubles and scored three runs; Dick Searle doubled, Wataru Okino singled, Don Baldwin, Seta, Bob Rittenhouse, Bob Baldassar, Tom Saunders and Adolph Negri. Other team members: John Davis, Richard Fassio, John Reis, Fred Carothers, Wayne Lear, Art Demos, Emmett Thompson.

TENNIS TRI-CHAMPIONS ended with a tie for the championship with Salinas and Monterey, to be played off in June, The team match scores: Carmel 7-2, Salinas 5-6, Pacific Grove 11-0, Watsonville 11-0, Monterey 7-4 and Carmel 10-1.

First man and CCAL singles champion, Eugene Shatkin will go to Berkeley to represent the league at the NCS. Eugene lost in the finals at NCS to a senior, which should give Eugene a good chance to win the title next year.

GOLF CHAMPIONS went undefeated in league for the championship
The scores for the league matches: Pacific Grove 36-0, Watsonville 32-4, Salinas 33-3, Monterey 35-1.

The team was led by Ernie King and Tom Butler who consistently hit in the 70’s. Jim Smethers and captain Dave Nelson hit the 70’s once. Other golfers: Jim Wilson, George Becknell, Bob Searle, Pat Migues and Dick King.

King and Butler will participate in the State tournament in Pebble Beach. Ernie also enters large tournaments on the coast and shoots in the 80’s.

INDIVIDUALS
George Becknell played football, basketball and golf this year. He was the starting center on the third place varsity basketball

Art Kitahara lettered as a starter as varsity end in football, pitcher and infielder in baseball and a starting guard on the lightweight “dream team” this year. For his first two years in school he was a track star. He is speedy with coordination. Art was the boys athletic honor student.
The loss players toward the end of the season, plus the back up of games because of bad weather, caused the team to play four games a week for a few weeks. There was only one pitcher left, Art Kitahara. Art had to pitch all four games in the week. It was tough to do and with poor fielding behind him this season, caused the season to not end well. Art started the season as the second basemen, but when the other pitchers were dropped from the team, it took great heart for him to fill that spot. It was especially tough, for one who had been a tough competitor, to end up losing games.

Malcom Macaulay as a freshman track man made it to the NCS track meet and played short stop, was a good hitter and hit a home run this year.

Ernie King will participate in the State tournament in Pebble Beach. Ernie also enters large tournaments on the coast and shoots in the 70’s. This year he is a starting back on the lightweight football team and does all the punting, shares passing duties with Esposito, who goes to the left where Ernie runs to the right to throw or run. He also was one of the first substitutes off the bench for the undefeated lightweight basketball team.

Eugene Shatkin a junior this year was a first string guard on this years basketball team and a member of the California Scholastic Society with the intention of attending Cal on graduation. He has been elected Student Body President. Eugene won the singles title for the CCAL this year and reached the finals of the NCS. He has been ranked as one of the top junior tennis players in the area. Eugene was a finalist at the NCS tennis matches this year and winner of the league singles. In 1942, he was again league singles champion, plus helping win the doubles title. This same year Eugene was selected as an ALL CCAL guard, playing on an undefeated championship varsity basketball team.

For the season Jack Scofield led the team in points scored with 50. Most of his points were in the high hurdles, high jump, shot put and the relay. With nine schools at the CCAL meet there was a lot of competition. But Jack was up to the task and took seconds in the 120 high hurdles and the high jump and a third in the shot put. Jack qualified for all three events at the NCS competition, but was not able to place high enough to score. Jack was a starting guard on the varsity football team.

Mario Esposito was second in scoring with 34 points, even though he missed the first part or the season with the measles. His 100 time of 10.4 and 220 time of 23.3 and being a member of the relay team made points for him. Mario was a starter on the lightweight football squad as a fast back running around both ends and as an accurate left handed passer. In 1942, he played on the powerful undefeated basketball team as a forward.

Richard Thompson was third in scoring with 25 points. Most of his points were won in the 440. His best time was 53 second. He also ran in the relay.

FORMER PLAYERS
Bob De Witt acclaimed by all who saw him play, as the greatest basketball player to come out of the CCAL, received an even higher honor, when he was unanimously chosen as forward on the all star team picked at the Junior College invitational Tournament.