Hold it! Don't bury the Radcliffe track story at the bottom of the sports page. This team is clamoring for attention after pasting the University of Connecticut and Fitchburg State in a triangular meet at Fitchburg yesterday afternoon.
Radcliffe shattered three school records on its way to amassing 83 points to out-distance Connecticut (56 points) and Fitchburg (nine points).
Coach Pappy Hunt watched his 440-yd. relay team clip a full second off the old standard and sprint to first place. Kathy Rice, Val Moore, Kim Claermont and Pat Golpaul passed the baton across the victory stripe at 52.0.
"Connecticut really whomped us last year," Hunt said. "This time their team really underestimated us and they were really shocked," he added.
More Firsts
Rice's winning efforts did not end with the relay either. Rice picked up two more firsts by herself in the 100-yd. dash and in the long jump.
Radcliffe had even more surprises in the field events. Debbie Vogel won the shot put with a record heave of 35 ft. 6 1/2 in. Wendy Carle will also have her name chiselled in the hallway of Dillon Field House after setting a new school mark in the javelin throw.
Carle's contest was the most exciting of the afternoon. Her spear sailed 123 ft. 3 1/2 in. but the missile of her Connecticut foe stuck just inches beyond Carle's toss.
Convincing Hurdles
If Connecticut still did not believe this team was for real, the Huskies were convinced after the 100-meter high hurdles. When the victorious Connecticut runner broke the tape she was trailed by a host of Radcliffe timber-toppers in the next three places. This display of team depth resulted in more points for the Crimson than Connecticut.
Golpaul and Karla Amble added to the victory parade with firsts in the 220 and the mile, respectively. Amble grabbed the gold in 5:30 in place of regular miler Sarah Linsley who was busy winning the half-mile.
'Best Effort'
"It was the best team effort of the season," Hunt said. "We want to show some people that we can run. We are ready to shock some of these big jock schools," he added.
At least one of the meets made it to the top of the page.
CELTS PREVAIL, 113-108
The Boston Celtics, powered by the 40-point performance of Jo Jo White, sent their playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers into a seventh game with a 113-108 victory last night in the Boston Garden. Julius Erving scored 14 and Doug Collins pumped in 32 for the Sixers.
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