Tracksters Dump Yale

When the Harvard track teams square off against archrival Yale, the result is usually a challenging, competitive meet. But Saturday, the Bulldogs were forced to suffer through a Crimson track clinic.

Not only did the Harvard men and women dominate the meet, 95-68 and 96-49, respectively, but they also swept the individual Treasurer's Awards which are presented to the top male and female athlete at every Harvard-Yale meet.

"Because of the tradition behind the Harvard-Yale competition, it is always one of the most important meets for the team," said sprinter Derrick Horner, who copped top honors for the men by winning four of his five events.

Despite the dreary weather conditions, Horner took first in the 100-and 200-meter dashes, won the long jump by a signifigant margin and ran the leadoff leg for Harvard's victorious 4X100 relay team.

In addition to his four firsts, Horner also took second in the triple jump, an event in which the sophomore does not normally participate.

"I wanted to do my job and get points for the team," Horner said.

The Crimson recorded a 1-2-3 sweep of the triple jump, won by sophomore Dean Lufkin, and three other events as well.

Yale raced to an early lead in the meet by racking up points in field events, grabbing the top three spots in the men's javelin and adding points in the long jump and pole vault.

The Crimson tied the score with its 4X100 victory and took the lead with a 1-2-3 finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Harvard was able to sustain the lead until Yale took first and second place in the 110-meter hurdles to regain control of the meet.

But the Crimson recovered quickly.

Captain John Mee--who went on to take second in the 200m dash and to run an outstanding leg on Harvard's winning 4X400m relay quartet--tied the team score with an impressive win in the 400-meter dash in 49.09. And from that point on, the Bulldogs never reclaimed the lead.

The Harvard women crushed the Bulldogs by a margin of 47 points, chalking up three 1-2-3 finishes.

Sophomore Catherine Griffin won the Treasurer's Award for the women with her excellent performance in the field events. Griffin dominated the weights, taking first in the shot put, discus and hammer throw. The sophomore then went on to place behind two teammates in the Crimson's javelin sweep.

Harvard jumped out to an early lead behind Griffin and Mara Beverwyk's hammer throw points, and never relinquished its lead.

"I think this win against Yale was key for team unity," said hurdler Senzeni Steingruber, who continued her undefeated outdoor season in the 400-meter hurdles despite a knee injury. "This is especially important, because it gets us psyched for Heps."

Harvard superstar Meredith Rainey finished a surprising third in the 400-meter run, an event she generally dominates without difficulty. But the senior sprinter was saving her energy for her comfortable victories in the 100-and 200-meter dashes immediately following her unusual defeat.