Wrestlers Meet Downtrodden Elis In Concluding Ivy Contest Tonight

The Harvard wrestling team closes out its Ivy League season this afternoon when it hosts an equally downtrodden Yale team at 3 p. m. in the IAB.

More than anything else, pride will be at stake as the traditional rivals battle for fourth place in the Ivies. Both teams have had disappointing-and remarkably similar-seasons, with injuries and personnel problems taking their toll.

The Crimson, 5-9-1 on the year, and the Elis, 5-6, have won two and lost three to the same Ivy League opponents, Common losses to Penn, Princeton, and Cornell were by nearly identical scores, as were victories over Columbia and Brown.

Today's meet pans out to be specially close because the two teams' strengths do not coincide. There are no really key match-ups, and victories in the individual bouts should be routine matters.

Upsets in any of the bouts are unlikely, and a 15-15 tie is a strong possibility. "It's not hard to envision a tie. "Harvard coach John Lee said Thursday. "The breaks should determine the winner, if there is one."

Perhaps the only unpredictable bout is at 150, where Dean Sheppard, who has won three of his last five bouts against strong competition, meets Eli captain Chris Legg. Legg finished fourth in the Easterns last year.

Both Mike Slutzker and Colin Mangrum will weigh in at 158, but Lee will not decide the starter against A1 Gaby until just before the meet.

Second Appearance

Harvard's John Countryman will make his second appearance of the season at 177, and Tony Rayner will move up to 190 to replace Dave Scanlon, who has been placed on academic probation.

Countryman will have his hands full with Yale's Kevin Milliken, whose only loss this season was to Mark Faller in the finals of the M. I. T. Holiday Tournament.

Both Faller and Bart Harvey will weigh in at 167 for the Crimson, but Faller will start there unless Lee shifts him up to wrestle Milliken at 177.

The rest of the Harvard lineup will remain the same, with captain Paul Catinella and junior Pat Coleman favored at 134 and 142. Tom Schnorr (118) and Jim Abbott (unlimited) are rated even in their bouts.