Crimson Swimmers Oppose Navy's Top-Ranked Squad

The varsity swimming team will face another powerhouse foe today when it takes on Navy at 4 p.m. in the IAB.

Harvard's coach Bill Brooks expects a very tough meet. "Navy had an extremely powerful freshman team a year ago and we'll have a lot of trouble beating them," Brooks said. "They are so improved,' 'he added, "that I consider them the second strongest team in the league next to Yale." Only two men graduated from Navy's squad last year, while nine outstanding members of last year's freshman team have moved up to the varsity.

No Pushover

Brooks said he hopes Navy will not have as easy a time as it did in its opener against Columbia last Saturday. The midshipmen swept six events and won both relays in trouncing Columbia, 82-22. While Harvard often uses individual swimmers two or three times in each meet. Navy has so much depth that a number of its good competitors enter only one event.

Navy's Best

Four of Navy's best swimmers are Jim Johnson, Phil Graham, John Powrie, and Mark Porier. Brooks spoke especially highly of Johnson. "I regard Johnson as their best swimmer, and he's one of the best potential swimmers in the country," he said. Johnson, a junior, coasted to victory in the 200-yard free against Columbia Saturday.

Double Winner

Graham was the meet's only double winner, as he competed successfully in the freestyle at both 500 and 1000 yards. Powrie was second to Graham in the 1000 and was also runner-up in the 200-yard breaststroke behind Navy's Glen Stockdale. In the 200-yard individual medley, Poirier broke the Columbia pool record with a time of 2:06.6.

Two events of particular interest today should be the 500-yard free and the 1000-yard free, Graham's two events in the Columbia contest. In the 500, he is likely to go against Harvard's star Steve Krause, who has won the event in both his previous meets. In the 100 his opponent will probably be Dave Powlison, another outstanding sophomore. Brooks said he is not yet sure exactly how he will juggle his several capable freestylers.