Penn Favored in Heps Today

The Harvard track team is in Ithaca, N.Y. today to face the American intellectual and military establishment in the 25th annual running for the Heptagonal title.

The Ivy League schools, as well as Army and Navy will be represented at the meet.

Jim Tuppeny's Pennsylvania squad is favored to win the title for the second year in a row, but could receive some competition from a tough Navy squad. The Midshipmen defeated the Quakers in a dual meet on Jan. 15.

The contest will be a big test for the Crimson. After two consecutive defeats at the hands of Northeastern, the thinclads came back last Saturday and overran Princeton and Yale, 92 1/2-30-25 1/2, Last year. Penn downed Harvard in the Heps 46 1/2-28. Navy ran third with 24 points.

While Harvard has little chance to win today, a strong showing will be crucial to the team's spirit for the IC4A's on March 3 and 4, and the outdoor season.

Defending champions in the meet include Penn's Tom Blair, who set the Heps record at 16ft. 7 in. in the pole vault. Blair was the meet's outstanding performer last year, and has already cleared 17 ft. 3 1/2 in.

Harvard is expected to put up a strong fight in the two mile with Ric Rojas and Mike Koerner who took 1-2 against Princeton.

In the mile. Harvard's Jim Hughes and Mark Connolly, who were surprisingly strong in the Big Three's, will be going at it, along with teammate John Quirk. The mile includes a number of very strong competitors, including Penn's Karl Thornton and Dennis Fikes. Fikes has been clocked at 4:03.5.