Navy's powerful track forces are favored to win their second straight Heptagonal championship today in Cornell's Barton Hall.

In the 27th meeting of the eight Ivy League schools and the two service academies, the Middies have four defending champions who contributed a record 69 points last year, enabling Navy to capture its first indoor Heps title.

The Crimson could prove to be a challenge to the Middies, with defending champ Nick Leone back in the 600, and Mel Embree and Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace looking strong in the jumping events.

However, Navy will return defending champs Ted Bregar in the weight throw, Jim Campbell in the long jump, Ike Owens in the 60-yard dash, and Jeff Kramer in the mile. All four could garner top laurels in the ten team competition.

Three in a Row?

Harvard will also have to contend with two Penn athletes, Bruce Collins in the dash and Dan Fikes in the 1000. Both Fikes and Collins will be seeking their third consecutive gold medals.

Last year Navy, scoring in 12 of 14 events, dethroned Penn, winner of two straight seasons, by 21 points, with the Crimson another 12 back.

Harvard and Army monopolized the team titles for nine years through 1970, the Crimson winning six times and the Cadets three, with Harvard on top for an unprecedented three consecutive years through 1966.

Big Three

If Harvard hopes to start another winning streak, recent winners of the Big Three--Blayne Heckel in the pole vault, Dan Jiggetts in the shot put, and Mike Horton in the 60 yard dash--will have to come through with point placings in each event.

The Crimson will also be looking for points from a strong mile relay team of Joel Peters, Randy Buckley, Nick Leone, and Steve Brown. Jeff Campbell in the mile is also a possible scorer.

Going into the meet coach Edgar Stowel said that Harvard could come back from Cornell with some pleasant surprises. "Navy is tough but we stand a good chance to unseat Penn for the unofficial Ivy Help crown," Stowell said last week.

But the key factor dampering Crimson title hopes will definitely be Navy's decisive edge in the field. Unlike the foes in Harvard's other multi-team engagements, Navy has a strong field aggregation which could present Harvard's field tribe with its first real challenge of the year.