In a wide open, closely contested game, the Junior Varsity eleven were held to a scoreless tie in their season debut against Providence Freshmen yesterday afternoon.

Although the Crimson team were able to march for repeated first downs, and were almost continually on the offensive, they lacked the punch to put the ball over the last marker. Three times during the first half the ball was advanced within the Providence 20 yard line, once resting 3 yards from a score where the Jayvees were held for downs.

During the third quarter, it was anybody's game. Long gains by both teams were frequent, but almost always terminated in a fumble. One 30 yard romp by a Providence back resulted in Harvard capturing the ball when a last minute lateral failed. Encouraged by this break, the Crimson rallied for a first down, capitalized on a 15 yard penalty for several more gains, and then lost the ball in their turn by a fumble.

This brand of ball continued into the fourth period, with Harvard continually keeping the advantage. Five minutes before the closing whistle, Traff Hicks attempted a field goal from his 30 yard line, and missed the uprights by just a few feet. From then on, the scrimmage moved around the field with the rapidity of a soccer ball, the secondary of both teams making their longest gains on intercepted passes.

But this game, sloppy as it was, had its encouraging side. The Providence contingent was by no means a poor team, and outweighed the Jayvees almost man for man. Against this heavier opponent, Coach Art Lane was able to field a combination that waged many sustained marches and were able to keep the fight in enemy territory for the majority of the game. With the development of a few power plays with which to push over those last few yards, this outfit should develop into a scoring team before the end of the season.

Spearheads of the Crimson attack were Bob Burnett and Traff Hicks, while Rick Hedblom was the outstanding linesman of the afternoon.

The starting lineup: Jameson, le; Barkin, it; Tufts, lg; Hedblom, c; Baum, rg; Schmidt, rt; Knapp, re; backs: Burnett, Houghton, Cohen, Jerome.

Substitutions: Colwell for Jameson, Gardner for Barkin, Mellon for Tufts, Ellis for Mellen, Emerson for Baum, Radway for Schmidt, Alexandro for Houghton, Hicks for Cohen.