Freshman Gridders Tip Green

The Harvard freshman football team recorded its first victory of the season yesterday, beating Dartmouth 25-15 at Soldiers Field.

"We were jamming the ball inside all day," Crimson Coach Jim Kubacki said. "I was very pleased with our inside running game and our overall defense."

The Green struck first, however, when quarterback Thomas Shakeshift hit receiver Craig Morton with a 60-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter. Dartmouth kicker Carl Romero hit the extra point to make the score 7-0.

The teams exchanged punts for most of the first half, failing to generate much offense.

But finally, Harvard's special teams broke the game open.

Dartmouth was forced to punt from its own end zone late in the second quarter, and the Crimson responded by going for the block.

Several players, led by linebacker Tom Dobbs, busted through the Dartmouth blocking wall and smothered the Green's punt. The ball flew out of the end zone, giving Harvard a safety and cutting Dartmouth's lead to 7-2.

The Crimson got the ball back and moved down to the Dartmouth one, where--on fourth and goal--quarterback Rod McLeod passed to tight end Mark Blasetti for a touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

Harvard entered the half with an 8-7 lead.

Early in the third quarter, Dartmouth bungled an option play, fumbling the ball and giving Harvard possession on the Green 17-yard line.

After halfback Chris Williams ran the ball to the three yard line, fullback Tony Hinz carried into the end zone for a 15-7 Crimson lead (following Jay Vanderpool's conversion kick).

The Harvard special teams again gave the Crimson great field position on the subsequent kickoff, smothering the untouched ball at the Dartmouth 25.

The offense couldn't advance the ball, though, so kicker Alan Hall booted a 42-yard field goal to pad the Harvard lead.

In a case of deja vu, Dartmouth fumbled the next kickoff, and the Crimson special teams jumped on the ball at the visitors' 27-yard line.

Tony Hinz controlled the ball from there, carrying on several plays and finally grinding out a one-yard touchdown run. Vanderpool added the extra point to round out Harvard's scoring and give the Crimson a 25-7 lead.

Dartmouth scored a touchdown and two-point conversion of its own in the third quarter to pull within ten points, but couldn't get any closer.

In the fourth quarter, the Harvard defense stopped two Green scoring threats to preserve its 25-15 lead.