Thinclads Cruise Past Eagles

In one of the most exciting track meets ever held at the Albert H. Gordon Indoor Track and Tennis Center, the men thinclads snatched a single-point, last-second victory from Boston College.

For a time, though, it didn't seem like the Crimson was going to have a chance to display any last-second heroics.

In the 1500 meters, the first track event, three BC runners crossed the finish line before a single Crimson singlet.

But the thinclads quickly bounced back to even the score at 22 with a sweep in the 55-meter hurdles--an event with no BC runners. Harvard victories by Tom Quinn in the 500 meters and Donald La Vigne in the 400 gave Harvard an early edge at 42-29.

But the visitors' strong showing in the field events kept them close. Ray Hawkins' victory in the 55-meter dash, and George Grant's triumph in the 800 put the Eagles ahead.

And when Chris Blanchet of BC kicked from behind to nip Harvard's James Umlas in a photo-finish at 1000 meters, it seemed like Boston College was ahead to stay.

But the visitors hadn't figured on the Crimson's Paul Kent.

Racing against two excellent BC runners in the 3000, Kent carried Harvard's fate on his shoulders. And when he came through the last banked turn--arms pumping, having shattered his competition with a huge final kick--the thinclads were still alive.

"My strategy was just to stay with them as long as possible," Kent said. "It wasn't until the last quarter mile that I thought I could beat them with my kick."

After Kent's dramatic victory, BC never recovered.

Harvard still needed victories in both of the final relays to overcome the Eagles' nine-point advantage.

And after a three-second victory in the mile relay, the Crimson seemed fated to win as Jim Umlas--running the second leg of the two-mile--neatly avenged his earlier loss by surging past his BC competitor.

And Paul Kent pumped around the last bank to seal the 68-67 triumph.