Four Houses are virtually tied for the top spot in Inter-House rankings as the winter schedule of the Straus Trophy contest approaches its half way mark.

Eliot House entered the season in first place, but is losing ground standily to its three closest opponents Leverett, Lowell, and Quincy. All three are faring much better in the winter events, basketball, hockey, and squash.

Kirkland House leads the basketball leagues with a 6-1 record, but it trailed the fall leaders by 90 points. Kirkland's showing in the other winter sports is weak and it will be difficult to make up much of the 90 point margin this winter. Traditionally, Kirkland coached by Kenneth M. Deitch '60, is the major power in basketball.

Adams House, sparked by high scorers Hal Holmes, Paul Grobstein, and Keith Butchinson, scored a major upset topping Kirkland 47-42. Adams with a 3-2 record is demonstrating that it refuses to play its traditional role as pelay in the inter-House competitions. Their next meeting will show whether or not Adam's victory was a fluke.

The Kirkland team, with no juniors at all, is led by seniors Dave Taft, John Lesky, and Roger Noback and sophomores Tom Williamson, Dave Thomas, Bill Timpson and Dun Beller. Tuft's game average is an impressive 15 points.

Last night Quincy House gained sole possession of second place in the basketball league by defaulting Winthrop House 53-51 in a double overtime. Both teams had 4-2 records before last night's encounter.

Another decisive victory was gained las night in the hockey league when previously undefeated Leverett and Lowell met on the ice in Watson Rink, and Leverett emerged victorious. The 2-0 conquest put Leverett House undisputedly into first place, while Lowell House sunk into a second place tie with Eliot.

The turnout for squash is again extremely large, and the Houses have a great pool of talent from which to draw their "A" teams. The league's outstanding players are Doug MacDonald and Don Frendenberg (Lowell House), Tim Carter and Larry Rand (Adams), and Rob Howard (Kirkland).

Lowell, with its own courts, is in a particularly fine position; everyone on the "A" team is undefeated, and the "B" team has dropped only one match if Lowell's other teams keep winning, the House will be in a good position for a final thrust at the Straus Trophy in the Spring.

Quincy and Kirkland might also make their bids for the House championship if they can continue to build momentum. Both Donald Epstein, Quincy House Athletic Secretary, and John French, Kirkland House Athletic Secretary, feel their team's improvement since the beginning of the season gives them a psychological advantage, over Eliot.

French thinks the team to beat in Leverett House, last year's Straus winner. He points out that a year ago Leverett had shot into the lead during the winter season and was impossible to catch after that French's fear of a similar occurance this year are not unfounded.