Starr Nabs Fifth In Mat Nationals

Dropping his semi-final consolation match. Harvard's 190-1?. Rich Starr rallied in the next round to defeat Eastern Champion Tom Hutchinson of Lehigh for fifth place in the NCAA Wrestling Championships held Saturday at Auburn, Ala.

His finish was the highest by a Crimson wrestler since 1953 when Starr's coach, John Lee, finished third for Harvard in the 125 pound division.

A crowd of 8300 in the 15,000-seat Memorial Coliseum roared throughout the championship bout at 190 pounds as number one seeded Ben Peterson of Iowa State decisioned Syracuse's Vince Paolano, 9-6. "It was a pretty good crowd considering it was in Auburn. Ala., which isn't near anything," Lee said.

Harmon on the Mat

"Going there (the Nationals) for the first time, I kind of over-exaggerated the competition and pictured it as being superhuman but once I got on the mat with some of those guys, I found I could actually handle them." Starr said. "I went with an attitude of hoping to place, next time I'll go to win."

Consolation

After defeating Oklahoma's Mike Brundage in his first consolation bout, 7-5. Starr met second seeded Bill Bragg of Colorado in the consolation semifinals.

"After I wrestled the best in my life for two days (Thursday and Friday), I was tired, physically and mentally hurt." Starr said. "Brundage really made me work and in the third period he opened up a gash in my leg when he threw me off the mat into the score-board clock. I just wasn't ready for Bragg-on a good day I could've beaten him."

He lost, 10-1, to Bragg. who went on to finish third. In his match to determine fifth and sixth place. Starr disposed of Lehigh's Hutchinson, 3-1, with a third period takedown. "Starr was faster than anyone there at 190, and as long as he didn't run into someone who was exceptionally strong, he was in great shape," Lee said.