Men's Track Shines While Women Flounder in Heptagonals

This past weekend, the Albert H. Gordon Track was host to the Heptagonal Championships and over a thousand track and field fans. It was also witness to the most dominant performance of senior Ian M. Carswell's career, as he led Harvard to a fourth place finish in the Ivies.

With every Ivy League team present, the senior All-American began the weekend with an impressive win in the 3000 meter run on Saturday night.

On the second day of the meet, he easily beat the mile field and crossed the finish line with a celebratory wave to the partisan crowd. Carswell also anchored the winning Distance Medley Relay (DMR), which secured him the meet's Most Valuable Performer award.

Senior Killian Lonergren also had a stellar performance. He won the 5000 meter run, led off the championship DMR, and finished second to Carswell in the 3000.

Even teammates were amazed at the dominance of the two distance runners.

"They were always in complete control of their races," said senior Ryan M. Sandrock. "To be honest, no one else had any business being on the track with them at the same time."

Other standout performances belonged to sophopmore Kevin M. Johnson. The sophomore broke a fourteen year old school record, running 400 meters in 48.14 seconds.

Sophomore Joseph R. Ciollo broke another school record in his heat of the 500 meter run. He finished fourth in that event, with senior Thomas Mike in second place.

The three sprinters, along with freshman Dominick Patillo, combined to break the school record in the mile relay.

Running with stress fracture in his leg, freshman Darren N. Dineen fell behind early in the 1000 but ran a remarkable last lap to pass most of the field. He finished the race in second, setting a freshman record in the process.

In an unusually strong field, co-captain Mark A. Clayman placed sixth in the 35-lb. weight throw.

Coach Frank J. Haggerty '68 was pleased with his team's performance.

"The lads did a fabulous job," he said. "They surprised everybody in the building but ourselves."

Carswell, Lonergren, and the DMR have all qualified for the NCAA's to be held in Indianapolis March 7 and 8.

The coach predicted the dominant performances to continue.

"Ian is the odds-on favorite," said Haggerty. "Killian will finish in the top three, if not first."

In the women's meet, the Harvard team did not fare as well. They finished in seventh place in the league.

Lacking the one-two punch of the men's team, the women faced a difficult struggle to place well.

"To do well, we knew that we were going to have to eke out points," said Haggerty.

The women were led by sophomore Margaret E. Schotte who finished 3rd in the 3000 and by junior Margaret B. Angell who finished fifth in the mile.

Schotte and Angell also ran on the sixth place two-mile relay, along with junior Heather L. Stroud and freshman Bethany K. Helms.

Captain, Jen C. Braga singled out the performance of fellow senior Ailey Y. Pennigroth in the pentathalon.

The senior destroyed the school record in that event on the strength of her long jump. She is also the first Harvard woman to break the elusive 3500 point barrier.

Co-captain Jane C. Manners cited the lack of depth as a reason for the team's poor showing.

"The girls on our team put in quality performances," she said. "But due to injury and other factors, we just don't have the quantity."

The women's team is sending a small contingent, led by Peningroth, to the Eastern States Championships this weekend.