Harvard, B.C. Rated Favorites In GBC Track Meet Tonight

Returning to the boards after a 27-day layoff, the undefeated Harvard track team begins the crucial second half of the season this weekend when it faces a tough field in the Greater Boston Championships tonight and Saturday at the Farrell Facility.

Slight Favorite

The Crimson, on the basis of dual meet wins over Boston College and Northeastern, is a slight favorite. Both the Eagles and the Huskies, however, are stronger squads now than when they met Harvard, and the Crimson may be rusty following the month long break. Northeastern, which last year stunned Harvard by grabbing the GBC title, snapping an eight year Crimson skein, may have difficulty defending its title.

"Harvard and B.C. are better balanced," head coach Bill McCurdy said yesterday, and since balance and depth are particularly important in championship competition the battle for the team title will probably be between these two teams.

"B.C. has more running depth, and we have better scoring potential in the field," McCurdy said, "so to beat them we'll have to outscore them in the field and nullify their running strength."

"We feel we can score in every event, and I don't know what other school can make that claim," he said. "But we really don't know what exams and the flu have done to us and we're not as sharp as we were before exams. It ought to be a helluva meet."

What makes the meet extremely difficult to predict is the balance and potential of the Crimson and B.C. Most events will involve head-to-head competition and thus the scores could fluctuate wildly depending on which team wins.

An Edge

Harvard appears to have an edge in the field events. Jay Hughs is a favorite in the 35-pound weight throw. Vincent Vanderpoole-Wallace is a first place threat in the long jump, and University record-holder Jim Kleiger appears to be a sure bet in the pole vault. Freshman Mel Embree has a shot as first in the high jump. The high jump, triple jump, shot put, and long jump will be particularly crucial events, as Harvard must build a lead going into the running events in order to offset B.C.'s strength on paper in the middle and longer distance races.

In the running events Nick Leone will be favored in the quarter mile or 600, whichever he runs. Dewey Hickman is among four hurdlers favored in the 60-yd. highs while co-captain Bob Clayton is a cofavorite with B.C.'s Keith Francis in the 1000. Co-captain John Quirk and John McDonald of B.C. head the field in the mile. Harvard's Ric Rojas is among four sub-nine minute two milers centered in what could be the best race of the meet, with Harvard freshman Bill Durette a dark horse threat. Quirk has recorded the better time by two seconds, but McDonald won the last meeting between the two.

"We'll have a pretty good idea if we are in serious trouble or not after Friday's field finals," McCurdy said. Saturday's races, however, may decide whether or not Harvard regains the GBC title and its familiar dominance among Boston-area track powers. In any case it may be the best contested GBC meet in years.