Thinclads Stomp Yale

The Crimson tracksters were hardly flashing in the torrential downpour yesterday in New Haven, but they did dash the Elis' hopes for an upset, defeating the Blue soundly. 117-46, and maintaining an undefeated record for the season.

Running without the services of Gus Udo, Adam Dixon, Jay Hudson, and seniors Peter Nsiah and Mare Chapus (exam pressures and injuries), the Crimson still managed to rack up a total of four sweeps--100 meters. 400 meters, javelin, high jump--and all but two first places.

The farewell performances of seven seniors outshone the Elis, who are in the thick of their exams.

Senior stalwart Chuck Johnson set the meet's tone by beating archrival Sergio Aguerro to the tape in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 15.1 seconds.

Johnson, who has been one of the Harvard squad's most solid members for four years, said afterward. "This season was short, but we had some real good meets. I think the biggest thing was the way people pulled together to encourage everyone else."

Senior tri-captain Dave Frim matched Johnson's victory, leading a sweep in the 400-meter run with a time of 50.4 seconds. Bennett Midlo and John "Obie" O'Brien trailed Frim to complete the sweep.

Out in the swamps of the hammer throw, Dubliner Colin Ball closed out his Harvard career with a victory toss of 186 ft. 3 1/2 in. Alec Quintero supported him with a 164-ft. 7-in. throw to pick up second. In the shotput, senior Allen Strehler got a second place with a distance of 47 ft. 5 1/4 in., his last Crimson throw before turning in his jersey. And teammate Lanny Tron completed the picture, winning the event with an incredible 49-ft. 5 3/4-in. effort.

Not to be outdone by the seniors, Garth Andrade, Jim Mullen and Joe Bowen put together a sweep in the javelin, with Andrade winning it with a throw of 193 ft. 11 1/2 in. Not bad, considering the two-inch deep mud in the infield.

Newcomer John Rice led a sweep of his own in the high jump, beating out teammates Tim Crudo and Peter Rittenburg for the victory as no Yalles entered the event.

And over at the pole vault, freshman Gus Spanos racked up the first varsity victory of his career. The event would normally have been forced indoors by the rain, but Yale's Coxe Cage is under renovation. Undaunted, Harvard vaulter Dave Randle took second place, leaving top honors to Spanos.

The mud was just as deep on the track, where Yardling Brad Bunney sloshed to a 1:56.9 victory in the 800 meters, while Bruce Weber and Andy Regan, both from Eliot House, barely noticed the water-jump in the rain as they placed first and third, respectively, in the steeplechase. Senior Paul Jacobs also ran in that race to finish out his Harvard career.

Harvard also fared well in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, as Kim Stephens overcame Aguerro and the mud to break the tape in 56.2 seconds. Rittenburg barely beat out teammate Scott Murrer, who normally runs the 400-meter dash, for third in 57.5 seconds.

The rejuvenated Harvard sprint corps continued its victory spree, sweeping the 100 and nabbing the top two places in the 200. Freshman phenomenon Mark Henry led the 100 from start to finish, breaking the tape in 11.5 seconds. Dwayne Jones snatched second place in 11.7 seconds, while his roommate Bernard Goodwyn, competing in his first varsity race this year, copped third.

In the 200, it looked as if Henry was on the way to yet another victory when he let up to allow teammate Rocky Delgadillo to notch his first varsity win, in 24.4 seconds.