Harriers To Run For IC4A Title Monday Without Injured Spengler

Harvard's undefeated cross country team will be running without Tom Spengler Monday in New York, but it still has high hopes of winning the IC4A's for the first since 1931.

Spengler, one of the top performers early in the season, has been sidelined for three weeks with a hip injury but was considered a likely starter in the IC4A's until a few days ago. Now he definitely will not run. "It would have been a gamble to use Tom, but it would've been one I'd have been willing to take," coach Bill McCurdy said Wednesday.

With the rapid improvement of captain Keith Colburn, Dave Pottetti, and Roy Shaw, and with the continued strong running by Mike Koerner and John Heyburn. Harvard is certainly one of the favorites. Colburn has won his last four starts and has to be rated a contender. Pottetti ran right behind him last week and was seventh in last year's IC4A's, when Harvard placed third.

Reserve Strength

Backing up these five are Howie Foye and Erik Roth. "Roth and Foye have looked good this week." McCurdy said Wednesday. He added that Heyburn is running better since the Heps, in which he was eighth. Sophomore Bob Seals, bothered all year by injuries, will not be entered.

The Crimson will be racing in the university division along with about 40 other teams, McCardy expects 250 runners Villanova. the defending champion is probably the team to beat. Three other top teams are Maryland, Michigan State, and Penn State. Art Dulong of Holy Cross. second-place finisher last fall, has a good chance to win individual honors this year.

"I think we can win." McCurdy said. "But if we're going to win. we'll have to have top-flight performances from our top five. Totally, we're much better than we were last year." he explained. McCurdy pointed out that last year Doug Hardin was injured, weakening the team notably. Another advantage this year is that most of the Crimson runners are IC4A veterans.

Even Match

Judging by comparative results against Penn. Harvard and Villanova are pretty evenly matched. The top Wildeats are Chris Mason. Don Walsh. Bill McLoughlan. Andy O'Reilly, and Des McCormack. McCurdy says his team will key on Villanova. "We'll have our men run in relation to their men." he explained.

In the Big Five Meet in Philadelphia, where Villanova and Penn competed, Walsh and mason went out at a quick pace, leaving Penn's Julio Piazza behind. Piazza stayed with Harvard's leaders in the Heps before falling to third, but the pace was slow that day.

"With all those people and the physical nature of the course. there is a premium on getting out fast." McCurdy said. So it is likely that the top five Crimson runners will try to be out front early. "I just want to try to stay up as far as I can as long as I can," Colburn said.

Coach Pappy Hunt's freshmen are also a major three in their race. Villanova's freshmen should be no problem, but William and Mary and Fordham may be very strong, Hunt has been emphasizing the IC4A's for the Yearlings, who have easily completed an undefeated season in dual-meet competition.