Lacrosse: A New Look

About the only thing which can be said for sure about the 1975 Harvard lacrosse team is that it will be markedly different, in appearance at least, from its immediate predecessor. Whether this change will produce an improvement over last spring's 3-6 record is a question which only time can answer.

For openers, the familiar face of Bruce Munro, who has coached the Crimson stickmen for the past 25 years, will be absent from the Harvard bench. Munro stepped down from the head coaching position last spring, and in his place will be Bob Scalise, a former assistant coach and a standout player at Brown.

From the moment that Scalise arrived in Cambridge, it was apparent that he meant business. Last fall, be organized an informal lacrosse program, the fist of its kind in Harvard history. Spring practice began the first day of the second semester, and only last week, nearly two months later, was he able to say that "things are starting to look optimistic."

For Scalise's preseason optimism to be transformed into victories this spring, a great deal will depend upon the performances of the other newcomers to the team: the numerous sophomores who were responsible for last year's 8-0 freshmen record.

As many as six sophomores could be in this year's starting varsity line-up, a fact which speaks well for the future, but which raises question marks about the chances of success for this year's team.

In addition to his team's inexperience, another factor which could make Scalise's initial season a long one is the schedule. The team opens play during vacation week with a three-game tour of the Baltimore ara, a journey which includes contests with Towson State, Morgan state, and Washington College, all of whom were ranked in the top 15 in the country last year. Towson State was rated third.

After returning north, matters hardly improve. The top ivy teams, Cornell, Penn, Brown and Princeton, were respectively ranked fourth, ninth, tenth and eleventh in the nation last spring, and according to Scalise, they should all be improved this time around.

Scalise, however, is conceding nothing. "Admittedly," he stated, "our talent level is not extraordinary by any standards. We have, sough, an intangible quality--we're hard-working, eager enthusiastic, and we'll use these strong points to knock off some of the top teams."

Scalise's starting line-up for the opener against Towson State on March 31 is virtually set. Four attackmen, led by co-captain Jim Quinn, will alternate at the three attack positions. Quinn will be joined by senior Bob Frisbee, and sophomores Scott Mead and Bill MacKenzie. The latter was one of the leading scorers on last year's unbeaten frosh squad.

At the midfield positions, the starters will be veterans Bill Tennis, Bruce Bruckmann, and Kelvin McCall. The second line of midfielders, consisting of sophomore Scott Clemson, Andy Gillis, and Al Costello, should also see plenty of action.

A sophomore-laden defense corps will be hard-pressed to make up for the graduation loss of All-American Charley Kittridge. As will be the strategy at the attack, four defensemen--Al Senior, Tom Scott, Mike Belmont, and Jeff Flanders--will rotate between the three positions.

The starting goalie slot is up for grabs among co-captain Leroy Thompson, Bruce Poliquin, a frequent starter last year, and Jim Michalson, last spring's freshman netminder.

In order for Scalise's debut to be a mildly successful one, his belief that the Crimson's enthusiasm will be able to compensate for its talent deficiency will have to come to fruition If it doesn't. Harvard's recent history of lacrosse mediocrity will continue for yet another year.