Harvard vs. America

They're really stars now.

Of course, you thought Mark and Scott Fusco were hot stuff last year when they led the Harvard hockey team to the NCAA championship game and Mark was named the top collegiate player in the country.

Well, sorry to disillusion you, but having the Hobey Baker Award winner and his high scoring brother on the ice in Bright Hockey Center didn't exactly put Harvard on the big time sports map. the sad fact is, it's tough to find people outside of New England, Minesota's Iron Range or Madison, Wisconsin who go crazy over two top-notch college hockey players.

For two seasons the Fusco brothers were well-known in the local sports world, but unknown or ignored away from Cambridge. When sports illustrated granted two of its precious pages to the NCAA finals last spring, the fuscos were mentioned just in passing.

That's changing. They were interviewed the other night on local television. In February, ABC plans to run an in-depth interview with the duo. We're talking national TV.

They're really stars, now. that's what happens when you play for the U.S. Olympic team that follows the Lake Placid gold-medal winners.

Mark, who graduated in June, and Scott, who's taking a year off between sophomore and Junior years to train for and play in the Sarajevo Games, will tonight find out what it's like to play against the Crimson when Harvard meets the Olympic squad in the Boston Garden at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets are available; see scoreboard, below.)

When coach Lou Vairo (helped by Assistant Coach Tim Taylor '63, who's taking a year off from his head coaching post at Yale) put together the Olympic roster in mid-summer, it read like a college all-star team. The Fuscos are now teamed with many of their best opponents from last year: Providence's Kurt Kleinendorst, Yale's Bob Brooke, Michigan St. Defenseman Gary Haight and the goalie stopped them in the final, Wiscosin's Marc Behrend.

While Mark received a "guaranteed" spot on the team, Scott was one of many members who had to survive seven cuts--six of which have been made. "I have a feeling when it comes down to it those guarantees won't mean too much, "Scott said after practice yesterday at the Garden. "It's going to be the best 20 guys who play in February.... I've been playing pretty well lately."

Including a pair of wins last week lover Clarkson and Cornell that raised the team's record to 18-8-7 (including victories over three NIH, teams), Scott has played 28 games, notching nine goals and 11 assists Mark is a point behind, with two goals and 17 assists.

No Trouble

The Olympians have had no trouble so far with college teams. If you can't decide who to root for tonight, it might make it easier for you to know Harvard for no chance. A very young team this year, the Crimson looked inexperienced while getting clobbered Saturday night in a scrimmage against Boston College. While the main attraction tonight is the Olympic team, you might keep an eye on Harvard's tentative starting line, seniors Jay North and Shayne Kukulowicz centered by much heralded freshman Allen Bourbeau.

If probably won't be a classic showdown "I hate to say this," says Scott, saying it anyway, "but we're really not too worried about em."

. . .

Another pair of erstwhile Crimson skaters have been making a name for themselves away from Bright lately. Greg Britz tried out with the Toronto Maple team in St. Catherine, Ontario, and in 16 games there made himself the top candidate to be American Hockey League rookie of the year. His chances for the honor Maple Leafs called him up to the NHL, where he has played six games.

Defenseman Neil Sheehy has been playing for the Colorado Flames, an affiliate of the Calgary Flames. In 14 games, he has three points and 41 penalty minutes.