Championship Fever

Henjyoji feels the same way. This is his last year, and he senses the championship. At the Cornell meet, he practically ran onto the mat for his opening match, and hustled to a 5-0 victory over Rich Beck without relaxing for a moment.

It's hard to see how momentum can work in a wrestling meet when each match is separate, but it does. Quick, exciting victories arouse both the crowd in the stands and the wrestlers waiting their turns on the bench. Those early voctories must come.

Away from the meets, lightweights develop a sense of camaraderie. They naturally practice together, and together they assert their importance to bulkier teammates in higher ranges.

Mutual Admiration

Henjyoji worked with freshman Danny Naylor all last year. Their versions of those sessions are slightly different. According to Henjyoji, the only time he could take Naylor was when Naylor was tiring. According to Naylor, it was Henjyoji who set Naylor off on an undefeated season. The mutual respect is obvious, but it does not stop either man from putting the screws on the other when the practice is in earnest. At the same time, a friend won't push another too hard in practice if he is injured or feels he really needs rest more than anything else.

The lightweights will be the key to Sarturday's home meet against Princeton, the one likely to determine the league championship. An early lead will be decisive in this match as it has against Cornell and M.I.T.

It is possible that lightweight Andy Kopecki, once-beaten this year, will be worked into the line-up at that meet, shifting Henjyoji and/or Naylor out of their usual 123 and 130 slots.

But with any combination, the Crimson lightweights should get their wins. And it's a good bet at least one will get a pin. The overall difference in points they provide will probably be the margin if Harvard is going to win its first Ivy League wrestling championship