If you've ever wondered what consistently strong Harvard varsity football teams are built upon, you'll find the answer by watching coach Loyal Park send his freshmen out to work on their opposition.
Last Sunday, for example, you would have seen the frosh team magically transform an 11-point deficit into an 11-point victory, 22-11, over the Boston College j.v.
Quarterback Burke St. John spurred the win in a brilliant clutch performance. St. John amazed the B.C. defense with an exciting third quarter 53-yard touchdown pass and followed that with a 64-yard scoring drive made possible by two key fourth-down pass completions.
The Crimson found themselves looking at zeroes on the scoreboard as starting quarterback Brian Buckley and a stalled Harvard offense could only muster three first downs in the first half.
The B.C. defense was in no mood to give up anything as they caught Buckley in his own end zone for a first quarter safety. Fortunately, the Crimson defense was just as stingy, holding B.C. to a solitary 36-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Eagles upped their lead to 11 points on the opening second half kickoff, as Don Potts burned the Harvard special team with a startling 90-yard return.
Takin' Off is Hard to Do
For the Harvard offense, this is where the game really began. St. Burke took the helm at q.b. and got things rolling, capping an 81-yard drive with a 53-yard touchdown toss to Ron Jellison with 1:10 left in the third quarter. St. John was sacked on the ensuing extra point attempt.
Harvard went ahead later in the last quarter as St. John's passing ability proved to be formidable.
Taking the ball from its own 36, Harvard drove downfield to find itself at fourth down and seven on the B.C. 17-yard line. St. John came through with a nine-yard completion to John Davison for the first down.
Three plays later and fourth-and-goal at the two, St. John again sent out a precision-guided missile, this time in the direction of Gary Confer, who hauled it in to put the Crimson on top.
Once in the lead, it never fell behind, as the Harvard defense tightened up, holding B.C. to three first downs in the second half and forcing five turnovers, including four fumbles.
Fumbling
One of these fumbles occurred after Harvard's second touchdown, as Potts returned the kickoff 25 yards, only to lose the ball to Chick Yates of Harvard, setting up a 36-yard field goal as Perry Morita converted his first of the year.
Harvard drew blood shortly thereafter as B.C. again fumbled away the ball. On the first play of possession, Jellison streaked 53 yards for the Crimson's final t.d. Ron Stewart completed the afternoon's scoring by kicking the extra point.
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