Harriers, Hardin Set Heps Record

Harvard cross country captain Doug Hardin scampered to a record-setting win to lead his team to an overwhelming victory in yesterday's Heptagonal Championships. The bearded redhead became the first harrier in league history to cop individual honors in two consecutive Heps meets, shaving twelve seconds of the two-year-old meet record in the process.

The Crimson fashioned an impressive display of team depth behind Hardin. Four of the first six runners to cross the finish wore "H" jerseys, and six Harvard runners gained All-Ivy status by placing among the league's top twelve. Harvard's total score of 27 points provided a convincing margin of victory over Princeton and Pennsylvania, second and third with 83 and 89 points respectively.

In Doubt

Hardin kept Coach Bill McCurdy in doubt about the battle for first place long after Harvard was assured of the team prize. "Dauntless Doug" fought a see-saw struggle for 41/2miles with Yale's previously undefeated captain, Frank Shorter.

Hardin made a strong bid to break away during the third mile, but Shorter came back to take a one-stride lead going up Van cortland Park's legendary Cemetery Hill. But Hardin kept the pressure on. Moving well over the crest of the hill and down the back side to open up a ten yard lead by the final flat stretch. He managed to maintain his momentum over the final 600 yards as his long-time Eli rival faded rapidly. Hardin's final margin of victory, a convincing eighteen seconds, belied the closeness of the battle.

Colburn's Best

Harvard junior Keith Colburn finished a scant four seconds behind Shorter in third place. Colburn ran the best race of his career, starting strongly and maintaining a steady pace in fourth position most of the way. Throughout the fourth mile, Colburn gradually whittled away the gap between himself and Princeton's Eamon Downey. The two of them matched strides until Colburn turned on his speed in the final 100 yards to edge Downey by a second.

Sophomore stars Dave Pottetti and Tom Spengler took the next two slots. Pottetti ran a steady race and was closing on Downey over the last two miles. Spengler was farther back for most of the race, but bounded up the final hill to overtake three opponents, finishing sixth in 25:18.

Harvard's scoring was wrapped up by Royce Shaw in twelfth place and Tim McLoone in thirteenth. Both carded commendable times, under the twenty-six-minute barrier. Jon Enscoe was seventeenth.

This year's team is only the second in Harvard history to add the Heptagonal crown to an undefeated dual meet record. The harriers will face a much stiffer challenge against Villanova, Penn State and Michigan State in the IC4A meet a week from Monday.