Swimmers Win in Home Finale; Pennsylvanians Drown, 79-34

The beat goes on for Harvard's undefeated, unstoppable men's varsity swim team. Saturday, a very loose but still high-spirited crew of Crimson aqualungs stomped on a helpless Penn team at Blodgett Pool, 79-34.

Harvard's final home meet of the season proved to be your basic laugher. It was obvious from the beginning that the lowly 2-6 Quakers were no match for the league-leading Crimson. Earlier in the week, Penn had captured its first Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League victory by shaving down to drown Brown, 58-55.

But any inspiration provided by that triumph was quickly erased by the greeting the visitors received from Harvard's all-star Medley Relay team of Duncan Pyle, Tuomo Kerola, Malcolm Cooper, and Bobby Hackett. This fearsome foursome left their meek opponents in their wake by almost 15 full seconds in a race highlighted by the tremendously versatile Cooper's split of 50.9 for 100-yd. butterfly and the invincible Hackett's freestyle split of 45.7.

After that, Crimson mentor Joe Bernal was faced with a dilemma--he didn't want to thoroughly humiliate the Pennsylvanians by using his starting lineup of swimmers, but he was unable to use his JV team because it had a meet with Army immediately following the varsity contest.

The Amazing Misfits

Bernal's solution was to put his big guns in events which they don't usually swim. While the result was still unexcitingly onesided, Bernal at least found out a few interesting things about his troops that may come in handy when he's making out the lineup for next month's Eastern championships.

Freshman brick house Julian Mack showed he can do more than sprint as he sailed to a comfortable 30 second victory in the 1000-yd. freestyle. The giant from Glencoe, Ill. returned later to cop an easy first in his native 100-yd. free.

Butterflyer

Another freshman by the name of Bobby Hackett also captured two individual events. In one of the first races this season that the sensational Olympic medalist has failed to set some kind of record, Hackett took the 50-yd. free in 21.64. Not to be denied his quota, the Yardling superstar later ripped through the water in 1:54.58 to set a new pool record in the 200-yd. butterfly.

Malcolm Cooper showed why he is a charter member of Harvard's "Back Pack" as he smoothly waltzed away with the 200-yd. backstroke in the speedy time of 1:57.10. Freshman Kent Ashwood earned his first victory with the varsity as he and fellow first-year man Geoff Seelan swept the 200-yd. individual medley.

Victory From On High

Rounding out Harvard's first place finishes were two by now expected sweeps in the diving events. Mike Toal looked especially strong in winning the threemeter event with a score of 335.75, a new pool record. Sophomore Steve Schramm won the low board competition with a score of 291.95, while steady Jamie Greacen took second in both events.

Coach John Walker's divers have been the strongest part of the Crimson squad this season, and the spectacular high board performances in both Friday's meet with Maine and Saturday's contest were just another chapter in a banner season for this group. All four Crimson divers--Toal, Schramm, Greacen and Craig Gavin--are headed not only to the Easterns, where they will be the key to Harvard's chances for victory, but also to the NCAA championships at Long Beach, Ca. in late March.

Harvard's final dual meet of the season will take place next Saturday in New Haven against perennial swimming power Yale.