Thinclads Hold On, 86-77

It was a storybook ending to a storybook career. The Harvard men's track team delivered a convincing mile relay victory to cap off an 86-77 triumph over Northeastern in Coach Bill McCurdy's last regular season meet Saturday afternoon at MIT.

With the score 81-77, the Crimson needed to win the 4x400 relay to clinch the meet Brad Bunney got the squad off -to a good start with a very fast opening leg. Sprinter Jay Hudson took the baton and held onto the 50-yd. lead for most of the lap but just before he handed off. Northeastern's Mark MacKinnon made his move and cut the lead in half. That was as close as the Huskies ever got, though, as Bennet Midlo extended the Crimson lead and Dwayne Jones held on to give Harvard a comfortable win.

After the relay, the jubilant runners surrounded their mentor and hosted him upon their shoulders chanting, "McCurdy, McCurdy." The coach's grin soon faded once he realized that his charges were leading straight for the steeplecase water jump. After being dumped into the water, McCurdy led the squad in a victory lap as the chanting continued.

"I've been here 30 years and it's the first time I've ever been thrown in," the dripping coach said. "I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late."

Key second-and third-place finishes set up the soggy ending. In the short, distances, the Crimson's depth was too much for the Huskies. Harvard took first and surveyed in the 100-meter dash as Mark Henry jumped out to a lead he never relinquished while Hudson poured it on in the last 25 meters to catch Northeastern's John Gomes and take second by a tenth of second.

In the 200, it was all Crimson, as Jones, Midlo and Hudson blew by the Northeastern sprinters to take first, second and third, respectively. And in the 400, Jones and Midlo finished first and second across the line again when Jones grabbed the lead and Medlo came from way back to overtake Northeastern's Jeff Ward as they kicked coming down the stretch.

In the longer distances, depth was again the key. In the 1500, junior Eric Schuler and freshman Cliff Sheehan finished one-two Schuler. Sheehan and Northeastern's Jeff Childs broke away from the pack at the start of the race and the trio continued to fight for the lead as they started the gun lap.

Schuler moved to the front at the sound of the gun, and Sheehan made his move as he came around the last bend. The freshman middle distance specialist passed Childs and caught up to Schuler. The Crimson pair matched each other stride for stride in the last 25 yards to finish in a dead heat.

The victory celebration continued on Saturday night when the team honored McCurdy in a drier manner--with a banquet. The men's and women's squads, team alumni and friends gathered in the Albert H. Gordon track facility for dinner and speeches in honor of Harvard's track legend.

Harvard 86, Northeastern 77

Hammer--1 Karanikolas (N) 192-1: 2. Dawson (N) 169-10: 3. Alec Quintero (H) 167-6. Shot put--1 Dawson (N) 58-5 1/4; -2. Battistini (N) 52-7; 3. Karanikolas (N) 51-8 3/4. Discus--1. White (N) 167-6 1/2; 2. Dawson (N) 157-6 1/2; 3. Tom Schuler (H) 145-4 1/2. Javelin--1. Garth Andrade (H) 209-0; 2. Joe Bowen (H) 208-11; 3. Quitzau (N) 188-10. Long jump--1. Jim Johnson (H) 7 45; 2. Shinsky (N) 7. 12; 3. Mark Henry (H) 7.12.

Triple jump--1. Pladel (N) 14, 13, 2. Cus Udo (H) 14 13, 3. Hartman (N) 14.11. Pole vault--1. Heyburn (N) 15-6; 2. Hutchinson (N) 15-0; 3. Dave Randall (H) 14-6. High Jump--1. Julian (N) 6-10; 2. Hopkins (N) 6-8; 3. Jim Gregory (H) 6-4. 400m relay--1. HARVARD 41.7 (Hudson, Jones, Midlo, Midlo); 2. Northeastern 43.1. 110m high hurdles--1. Calderone (N) 14.4; 2. Steve Ezeji-Okoye (H) 14.4; 3. Quitzau (N) 14.9.

400m intermediate hurdles--1. Steve Ezeji Okoye (H) 54.3; 2. Quitzau (N) 56.7; 3. Peter Rittenburg (H) 56.9. 100m--1. Mark Henry (H) 10.4; 2. Jay Hudson (H) 10.6; 3. Gomes (N) 10.7. 200m--1. Dwayne Jones (H) 22.0; 2. Bennett Midlo (H) 22.2; 3. Jay Hudson (H) 22.4.; 400m--1. Dwayne Jones (H) 48.6; 2. Bennett Midlo (H) 49.7; 3. Ward (N) 50.9.

800m--1. Brad Bunney (H) 1:51.0; 2. MacKinnon (N) 1:52.3; 3. Bob Higgins (H) 1:53.1. 1500m--1 Cliff Sheehan (H) 3:50.8; 2. Eric Schuler (H) 3:50.9. 3. Childs (N) 3:51.8. 0000m steeplechase--1 Fowler (N) 9:15.5; 2. Andy Regan (H) 9:21.0; 3. Bruce Weber (H) 9:30.1. 5000m--1. Harrison (N) 14:41.5; 2. Eric Schuler (H) 14:54.7; 3. Duquette (N) 15:10.8. 1600m relay--1. HARVARD 3:21 6 (Burney 49.5. Hudson 51.3. Midlo 49.8. Jones 50.9); 2. Northeastern 3:24.3.