Matmen Demolish MIT, 26-11; Engineers Never in the Match

The varsity wrestling team strolled down Mass Ave last night to pick up the mythical Cambridge championship, stomping MIT, 26-11 in its last duel match.

And it wasn't really even that close, since the Engineers got more than half of their points in the final match, on a pin from their undefeated, 360-pound behemoth, Erland Van Lidth de Jeude.

Dave Albert (118 lbs.) was behind, 2-0, at the end of the first period of the opening match, but took control of his opponent and won, 8-2.

Milt Yasunaga (126 lbs.) got a takedown at the buzzer ending the second period of his match and a reversal with 17 seconds left in the final period to edge his foe, 4-2.

Bill Mulvihill (134 lbs.) held a 2-1 advantage in the waning seconds of his match, but his foe earned two late points to move into the lead. But the Crimson grappler was awarded a point for riding time and the match ended in a 3-3 deadlock.

Next, senior George Baker (142 lbs.) won a seesaw contest, 13-7, and Harvard led in the match, 11-2.

Harvard's Kelly Jenson (150 lbs.) lost a heartbreaker, as MIT made its last bid to get back into the contest. He led, 2-1, as the clock ran out with neither man having riding time. But with two seconds left, his opponent turned him for a reversal and a 3-2 victory. Harvard's lead was cut to six.

The Engineers never got any closer. Jim Corcoran (158 lbs.) toyed with his out-matched opponent for an 18-3 superior decision. Then blind freshman Ed Bordley shaded his foe, 9-8, by taking the riding time point to break an 8-8 deadlock.

Eve of Destruction

Next, Captain Jimmy Strathmeyer (176 lbs.) destroyed a hapless Engineer 11-1. Strathmeyer sagged to a 2-3-1 start this season, and then got pinned in the deciding match of Harvard's disappointing loss to U Mass. Since then, however, he has been the squad's best wrestler, racking up seven straight wins.

Sal D'agostino (190 lbs.) whipped his opponent, 6-1. Then came the most devastating spectacle of the season. Harvard's heavyweight, Kip Smith, tips the scales at 240 pounds, but looked small beside the agile giant MIT trotted out.

The enormous Engineer charged like lightning, picked Smith up, and fell on him for the pin. The match was 22 seconds old.

With the 26-11 triumph, Harvard closed out its season with a 7-8 record. This week, Crimson mentor Johnny Lee will prepare his charges for this weekend's Eastern Championships in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.