J.V. Gridders Demolish UConn, 47-0

Harvard's JV football team may not have standing-room only crowds for every game played on their patch of muddy, battered earth at the far edge of Soldier's Field, but they certainly deserved one yesterday afternoon as the Crimson Cruised to a 47-0 victory over a hapless University of Connecticut team.

The Huskies set the tone of the game shortly after the opening kickoff by giving up possession of the ball at their own 20-yard line. Steve Ernst ran the ball to a first down and goal, and Harvard's first of seven touchdowns was scored by starting quarterback Armond Colombo. Colombo was back in the game almost immediately, as the Harvard defense prevented Connecticut from rushing or passing.

In scoring position again after rushes by Ernst and Bernard Goodwyn, the Crimson took the opportunity with another quarterback touchdown, and by 3:20, with the first period not yet over, UConn was forced into an almost totally defensive game plan.

UConn quarterback Larry Corn took his team into Harvard territory several times, but the Huskies seemed to have trouble caused by first downs from the beginning of the game. Example: On a fourth down and six, Neil Gauvin punted directly to Harvard's John Dailey, and within three plays the Crimson had their third touch-down. Robert Bonner fought for Connecticut yardage, but his team was plagued by fouls and a strong, united Harvard defense.

As the first half came to a close, Mike Granger gave Harvard a comfortable--if not unbeatable--27-0 lead, as he scored after a run of over twenty yards by the quarterback and rushing by Granger and Timothy McGugan. McGugan was an important factor in the first half, but during the second, Paul Golitz, and quarterback Joe Lahti and Jack Riordan joined him as key players in the Harvard's offense.

Connecticut tried another quarterback, Tim Grimsich, in an attempt to score before halftime. After a series of unsuccessful handoffs and a few sackings of Grimsich, Harvard regained the ball, plus yardage for unsportsmanlike conduct when quarterback Riordan was hit by a frustrated Connecticut linesman.

The second half was very much like the first--Harvard scored, and scored, and scored. Joe Lahti got the offensive game up in the air at first, but after a near interception by Connecticut's Kerry O'Connell Harvard returned to a series of highly successful hand offs and tossbacks. Golitz set up a first down by Lahti and then ran for Harvard's fifth touchdown.

The greatest Connecticut threat came when a pass from Corn set up a first down in Harvard territory, but the Huskies fumbled and Mark Mead recovered the ball for the Crimson. Harvard themselves fumbled early in the fourth period, but McGugan recovered the ball, and Lahti regained yardage lost on a penalty with two good passes.

The combination of Riordan/Golitz/McGugan, plus the strong Harvard offense, set up yet another touchdown, which Riordan ran in himself.

Connecticut vainly attempted to score again, but a combination of a strong Crimson defense and another Harvard touchdown by McGugan followed by a missed point after served to seal the Huskies' fate with a final score of 47-0.