Fencers Are Optimistic For IFA Championships

The Harvard fencing squad, coming off its most successful Ivy League season ever, visits the home of the American Navy today, to prepare for the IFA fencing championships at Navy. The Crimson, who finished second in the Ivies while amassing an overall record of 12-4, will seek greater honors in the IFA competition on Friday and Saturday in Annapolis.

Despite a disappointing upset loss to Yale, coach Edo Marion is optimistic about Harvard's chances in Annapolis. Marion thinks that the Crimson should finish higher than at least half of the teams entered in the competition.

"I will be very disappointed if we don't finish at least as high as sixth." Marion said Tuesday. There are 13 teams entered in the IFA championships.

Both Marion and captain Geza Tatrallyay have high hopes for the Crimson sabre and epee squads. Harvard's sabre men have been a dominant force throughout the season. In match after match the sabre team of Gordon Rutledge. Ken Hetzler, and Terry Valenzuela led the way to Harvard victory.

The epee team seems to have rebounded convincingly from a dismal showing two weeks ago against Penn. In the Yale match Harvard's epee men--Tatrallyay, Ken Bartels, and Eugene White--stormed to seven victories in nine bouts.

The Crimson foil squad, a weak link in Harvard's armor all year, hopes to rebound this weekend from disastrous showings against Penn and Yale. If Dave Fichter. Don Valentine and Sam Anderson can return to the level of performance that they achieved in mid-season foil action. Harvard's chances will receive a big boost.

The IFA championships shape up as a battle between NYU and Columbia, with a possible challenge from CCNY. NYU appears to have lost little from last year's championship team and must, once again, be considered the favorite. Columbia, a perenniel Ivy fencing power, usually fares well in post-season competition, and CCNY seems to be on the upswing this year.