Crimson Lights Face Navy; Heavies Go Tiger Hunting

The Harvard heavyweight and lightweight varsity crews are starting to look like network television stars. The program--"Different Strokes."

The heavies meet Princeton and MIT on the Charles today beginning at 9 a.m., with the varsities racing at 11:30. The lightweights face Navy at Annapolis, Md.

These are not, however, the heavies that lost to Brown last weekend. Neither are these lights the same squad that swept Dartmouth, MIT and Coast Guard. The reason--different strokes.

George Hunnewell, last week's j.v. stroke, debuts at eight in the Crimson heavyweight varsity.

The sophomore replaces classmate Curt Pieckenhagen, who moves to the four-seat. He'll row in front of another new addition, Co-Captain Arthur Hollingsworth. Coxswain Dave Corey has also made the jump.

The boat, which includes 1984 Olympic silver medalist Andy Sudduth, has the potential to be one of the fastest Harvard crews in recent years--if it ever comes together.

"I hope we're not making all these changes for fun," Crimson Coach Harry Parker said yesterday.

On the lighter side, the j.v.-to-varsity switch has also struck the lightweights. Senior James Sheldon, the third varsity stroke in as many weeks, moves up to the position he held all last season.

Sheldon replaces Peter Herbig, who replaced Dave Berger. But even without the familiarity that comes from rowing together consistently, the Crimson 150s should have little trouble with the Middies.

Navy hasn't beaten Harvard's lights since 1981, and the Cantabs lead the series, 16-2. The Middies, coached by 23-year-old rookie mentor Val Ferme, have already lost to Eastern powerhouse Princeton.

The big Tigers will be an entirely different story. This year's Princeton heavies are an unusually strong crew, along the lines of the eight that defeated Harvard in 1983 for the first time in 27 years.

"They are very good." Parker said. We anticipate that they're going to be one of the best crews we race this year."

And the Harvard crew may be one of the best Princeton faces this year.