THE SPORTING SCENE

"Wait 'till next year" is an adage as old as organized sport, but in the case of the varsity lacrosse team it has definite meaning. For the Crimson next season will have six members returning from this spring's starting ten, along with a freshman team which compiled an 8-1 record.

This year, though, the varsity didn't fare as well as its freshman counterparts. After an encouraging spring trip, on which it downed a highly-touted Hofsta squad, the varsity tailed off. The squad was winless in Ivy League competition, with a 5-8 overall record.

But in a generally gray season, there were several bright spots. Among them was sophomore attackman Dave Bohn, a consistent scorer who led the team with 35 goals. Bohn is one of the calmest attacks to play on Crimson teams in recent years: unlike many college lacrosse players he usually waits for the goalie to make the first move before shooting.

Also outstanding was defenseman Lanny Keyes, a junior. Playing on a relatively weak defense, Keyes made most of the team's clears and, especially in the Yale game, hounded opposing attacks. His value to the team was emphasized when his absence in the Princeton game accounted for several of the Tigers' 20 goals.

The varsity can also point to several games as examples of what it could have done had it been able to play consistent lacrosse. First there was the Hofstra game, which the varsity won 5 to 4 in one overtime, playing well on a muddy field.

There was also the victory over Holy Cross in front of about 500 intensely partisan Crusader fans. In this game, the varsity overcame a 2 to 1 half-time deficit and played calmly throughout the last half to win 8 to 6.

As the season progressed, though, good performances became more sparse. The team members were rarely able to sustain the same level of play. For instance, against M.I.T., goalie Chris Stone turned in his best game of the spring, making several incredible saves. But the rest of the team played shoddily and the Crimson lost 6 to 4.

The other game in which the Crimson demonstrated consistent lacrosse was the season's final against Yale--and even then the varsity defeated itself with some horrendous lacrosse in the first period. But throughout the rest of the game the defense checked harder than it had all season, and the whole team played well. Although the varsity lost 9 to 4, it outscored the Elis 4 to 3 in the last three periods.

The performance of this year's freshman team bears out Coach Bruce Monro's contention that "this season we are building the foundations for Harvard lacrosse."

Among the men the freshmen will send to the varsity are attacks Grady Watts and Woody Spruance, midfielders Pete Sieglaff, defensemen Henry Field and Carl Sheridan, and goalie Bobby Bland.

Only this year's captain Jerry Pyle, midfielder Charlie Devens, defensemen Ed Tarlov and Mike Adair, and goalies Stone and Howe are graduating. With the return of attackmen Bohn, Nick Lamont, and Andy Leaf; midfielders Tadgh Sweeney, Dick Parks--next years' captain--John Gould, and Dave Birch; defensemen Keyes, Bron Thayer, and Arnie Margolius, and the entire freshman team, the varsity should be much stronger next season.