Grapplers Land in Philly, Ready For EIWA Action

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.--In preparation for today's EIWA wrestling championships at Penn, the Harvard wrestling team flew here yesterday loaded with thesis materials (seniors), comic books (underclassmen) and high hopes of qualifying one or more Crimson grapplers for the NCAA championships in two weeks.

After taking off from Logan airport Thursday morning, the pilot of Allegheny Flight 351 relived his fantasies of becoming an ace fighter pilot, as he took the large jet through swoops and abrupt halts and tried to reach a height of 22,000 feet.

Glurp

Most of the grapplers who still needed to cut a few pounds waited until the team's arrival in Philadelphia to work out, but Tony Cimmarusti, a 177-pounder, lost some of his unneeded poundage mid-flight thanks to the pilot's careening through Pennsylvania airspace.

Although several of the matmet could afford to nourish themselves, none of the team members ate the unidentifiable Allegheny snacks being served.

The Crimson does not pose a serious threat to championship-seeking competitors, but boasts several individuals who could earn a berth in the NCAA finals.

Bill Mulvhill, at 134 lbs., co-captain Tom Bixby and Jim Corcoran, in the 150-and 158-lb. divisions, and Yal D'Agostino or Craig Beling, at 190 lbs. and heavyweight, could finish in one of the first three spots in their divisions if all goes well today and tomorrow. The top three finishers in each class earn a trip to the NCAA finals.

Looming as the teams to beat are defending champion Lehigh, Ivy League champion Princeton, and the Orangemen from Syracuse. All three teams return with defending champions from last year's tournament.

The last wrestler from Harvard to compete in the NCAA championships was Dan Blakinger, who placed second in 1974.

The last time a Harvard grappler even reached the final six in the Easterns came when D'Agostino placed fifth as a freshman in 1975.

Harvard coach Johnny Lee said yesterday, "We should do a lot better than last year." Lee spent most of last night in the coaches' meeting, working out the seedings for today's matches.

Most of the wrestlers spent last night in their rooms, relaxing by watching the ACC basketball tournament on television. But that's another story.