Track Moves Outdoors

HOUSTON--The Meeting of the Minds between the Harvard men's track and field team and Rice's squad ended up being as competitive on the track as it is in U.S. News and World Report. HARVARD  72 RICE  62 HARVARD  72 MINNESOTA  19

In other words, Harvard came out ahead, winning 72-62. A token squad of throwers from Minnesota totaled 19 points in the Mar. 27 meet.

The highlight for Harvard came in the javelin, where sophomore thrower Chris Clever broke his own school record by throwing 69.54 meters, or 228'2. It was a five-foot personal best and broke Clever's own school record. The throw also qualified him for NCAA championships. All three of Clever's throws were better than his best from last year.

"Training's going well," Clever said. "I'm having a little trouble with my arm, and I'm not sure if I'll throw in all the meets, but I'll definitely throw in the big ones. My goal is to throw over 240 feet."

"He's probably one of our best athletes," co-captain Joe Ciollo said. "He dominates."

Nineteen men traveled for Harvard, which is about three-fourths of its normal point scorers.

Senior Scott Muoio ran the steeplechase in 9:14, a good opening time for the season.

"Dave Martin also established himself as a force in the steeplechase at 9:20," Ciollo said. "It's by far a personal best for him. I think he's going to have some big races this season."

Freshman John Cinelli got second in the 1500, and Arthur Fergusson got second in both the long and triple jumps.

Ciollo finished second in the 400 and first in 200. Freshman Kobie Fuller got third in the 400, and sophomore Jamil Shamasdin got second in 200.

Freshman Ben Bodamer came in second in the 110 hurdles, and junior Cabral Williams got third in 400 hurdles. Dom Patillo raced to third in the 800.

According to Ciollo, the bulk of Rice's squad was present.

"The trip was one of the best in recent years for training," Ciollo said. "We didn't have any serious injuries. A lot of guys got tired at the end because of the two-a-day practices."

Ciollo said that although it is probably too early in the season to extrapolate, he thinks the training will get the team in good shape for Brown and Dartmouth this weekend.

The women's team ran in the unscored Bayou Classic Mar. 27 against host Rice, Illinois, Minnesota and many independent runners.

Like the men's team, the highlight for the women's side was an NCAA-qualifying performance.

Sophomore Dora Gyorffy surprised no one with a high jump of 1.88 meters, a centimeter above the qualifying height.

"I was pretty happy because I didn't practice after NCAA indoors," Gyorffy said. "It was also before the week of training, so it was okay."

Other than Gyorffy, 22 women traveled, or a little more than half of Harvard's squad.

The meet was divided into heats, and in the open 400-meter, Lee Shearer won her heat. Sophomore Brenda Taylor finished second in the first--or most competitive--heat of the 400 hurdles.

The 4x100 relay ran a good time in its first outdoor meet, according to co-captain Heather Hanson. However, both Hanson and freshman Carrie McGraw injured their hamstrings trying to avoid a man with a javelin, and Harvard did not enter the 4x400 relay.

"Because it's the first time we've been outdoors, we got to do some events like the 400 hurdles, 4x100 and javelin that we haven't gotten to do," Hanson said. "We had to compete the day after we arrived, so it was just a good wake-up call."

The women start their official outdoor season this weekend at McCurdy Track against Brown and Dartmouth.