Intramural Hockey Race Tightens

One of the best JV hockey teams in years and a stew of hockey-playing sophomores have combined to produce one of the tightest House intramural hockey races in years.

This year's JV team has more games and more players than ever before. Consequently, many players have forsaken the rigorous JV schedule for more lax intramural competition.

Sophomore-laden Mather House took a slight lead in the House race Monday night when Eliot House tied previously unbeaten Winthrop, 1-1, but Winthrop has a chance to win the championship when it faces Mather at 10 p. m. Wednesday.

Eliot and Winthrop traditionally dominate House hockey, but Eliot is struggling along in eighth place this season with a 1-4-1 record.

Even more surprising this year is the number of strong teams competing for the House title. Third-place Adams lost in overtime, 3-2, to Mather last Thursday, and Leverett, Lowell and Quincy have all figured in the race.

The Mather-Winthrop game should be close. While Winthrop may have the edge on defense. Mather seems to have more individual talent. Canadian Craig Bergstrom, who scored the overtime goal against Adams, centers Charlie Olchowski and Phil Faust. Both Bergstrom and Olchwoski began the season with the JV's.

Mather also has a strong defense to back up How? Rose, who is by far the best goalie in the intramural league. Dave Weeks, Jim Strasenburgh and Bruce MacDougall all former freshmen hockey players, anchor the defense.

But Mather's strong point may be its coach. Tutor David Leighton-Brown coached the equivalent of the JV team at McGill University last year.

Meanwhile, Winthrop has tremendous depth, Against Eliot. Winthrop had four lines and three defensive pairs compared to a total of seven players for Eliot.

Paul Perkins centers Winthrop's first line of Bill Hobbs and Nick Sullivan, while ex-JV star Caleb Warren and captain Joe Stiles play defense Goalie Vin Crowley, in the nets for the first time in his life Monday, may be the only weak spot in the lineup.

Intramural Hockey Standings

W L -T

Mather 6 0 0

Winthrop 6 0 1

Adams 4 2 0

Leverett 3 2 0

Lowell 3 3 0

Quincy 2 2 0

Kirkland 2 4 0

Eliot 1 4 1

Dunster 1 5 0

Dudley 0 6 0