Talented Thinclads Hope for Undefeated Season

An ample measure of veterans, a sprinkling of freshmen and a dash of team spirit. That's the recipe that track coach Bill McCurdy hopes will lead his potentialladen team to an undefeated dual meet season and a first place finish in the Heptagonals.

Coming from a winter track season in which they were undefeated before failing badly in the indoor Heptagonals and IC4As, the thinclads boast some of the best individual performers in Harvard history.

McCurdy yesterday said that the main factor in the team's performance this season will be its team spirit.

"If we're not sparking by the first meet," McCurdy said, "It'll be a long cold spring."

The thinclads will face four opponents in dual competition this Spring--Princeton, Army, Dartmouth and Yale.

"We figure we can beat Princeton and Army," said McCurdy, "and Dartmouth will be a challenge. As for Yale, we'll kick the hell out of them."

The Heptagonals, which will take place in May, will bring together some of the best teams in the East. "Penn and Navy are the teams to beat, but we are as good as anybody," McCurdy said.

The coach's optimism is based on an exceptionally strong contingent in the field events and an experienced group of middle distance runners. The major weakness on the team so far is a lack of proven sprinters and hurdlers.

The field events are highlighted by pole vaulter James Kleiger who set a New England interconference record this winter with a vault of 16 ft. 6 in. Kleiger could surpass 17 ft. this season, associate coach Edgar Stowell said. Backing Kleiger up will be sophomore Blayne Keckel, who has cleared 15 ft.

Freshman Mel Embree gives the team added strength in the high jump. This winter he placed fourth in the IC4A indoor championships with a 6 ft. 9 in. leap. Embree will be backed up by Bill Beryle and Tom Cline.

The long jump will be headed by Harvard record-holder Vincent Vanderpoole-Wallace.

Vanderpoole-Wallace will also perform the triple jump, along with freshman Huseyin Kayali.

Jay Hughes will be returning to the shotput, and will be backed up by Heptagonal scorer Kevin McCafferty.

Hughes will also throw the hammer, with Steve Niemi and Bob Shaw.

Stowell said that the javelin still remains the weakest of the field events, but that Bill Pade and Adrian Tew should be able to hold their own with any opponents.

Dick Gilbane, who threw the discus 158 ft. last year will be joined in that event by Steve Niemi.

McCurdy said that he expects great things of his middle distance runners. "The only thing I should have to worry about with them," he said, "is that they put their shoes on."

Rick Rojas, the Indoor Greater Boston two mile champion, will run that event. Cross-country Captain John Quirk will run the mile, Nick Leone will be the 440 man and Bob Clayton will run the half-mile.

The Weakest Part

"The sprint and hurdles are the weakest part of the team," McCurdy said yesterday. "Baylee Reid is the only proven runner, but there is plenty of potential," he said.

Reid will run the 100, 200 and anchor the 440 relay. Sprint and hurdle coach Robert (Pappy) Hunt said that sophomore Rick Nance and freshman Mark Greenberg, Paul Tosetti and Alan Yates are candidates for the other sprint slots.

The high hurdles event is the biggest question mark for the team, Hunt said. Dewey Hickman, whom Hunt called one of the best hurdlers in the East, is the only experienced high hurdler.

"The track team is unproven," McCurdy said, "but if some of these inexperienced runners live up to their potential, and we come together as a team, it could be very good."