Let's hope it's an omen.
Yesterday's freshman football team did not play in the Stadium before 40,000-plus screaming fans, but the 33-0 pasting that Harvard's freshmen handed Yale tasted almost as sweet as the real thing.
Despite the puddles that covered Soldier's Field, the yardlings clinched a perfect 4-0 Ivy League record with touchdown runs of 55 and 18 yards, and TD aerial spanning 27 yards, a fourth-quarter goal-line stand, and two interceptions. The Elis showed little both offensively and defensively.
The game ended almost before it began. Not even allowing time to get uniforms muddy, Chuck Columbo quarterbacked the Crimson to three early touchdowns.
Minutes into the game fullback Ted Polich found the endzone after an 18-yd. run, and Paul Sharon followed with a 2-yd. scoring run of his own shortly thereafter. Sharon got his second touchdown with a 1-yd. run at the end of the quarter. Including two Jim Villanueva PAT's, the Yardlings led 20-0 after 15 minutes.
Harvard did not let up. With Greg Gizzi at the helm in the second quarter, the Crimson offense began a time-consuming drive at its own 32-yd. line. Thirteen plays later, Gizzi combined with Tim McGugan for a dazzling 27-yd. catch-and-run touchdown.
McGugan also provided the only score of the second half--and probably the best play of the game as well. After a Dave Twite-to-Mark Gruchacz spiral put the yardlings near mid-field, McGugan took off around right end and won a 55-yd. footrace against the frustrated Yale defense.
Fried Bulldog
Anchored by Will Adamopoulos, Joe Azelby, and Mark Mead, Harvard's defense stopped the Yale offense cold nearly every set of downs, and when they didn't the Yardlings came up with the big play.
Two key interceptions helped preserve the shutout for Harvard. At the start of the second quarter Yale drove 50 yards to the Crimson 17-yd. line. The drive ended abruptly, however, when Dan Barton picked off an errant pass from Eli quarterback John Neville.
The scenario was replayed in the final quarter. Taking over at the Harvard 30-yd. line, Neville brought Yale to within 16 yards of six points. This time safety Jeff Howkins came through with an interception on the goal line.
Read more in Sports
ON DECKRecommended Articles
-
Football Seasons In ReviewYale Season Review Since its heartbreaking loss to Brown to open the 1999 season, the Yale football team has been
-
McInally Inspires Frosh Gridders To Victory Against Brown 40-24The Yardlings boosted their season record to 4-1 yesterday, routing Brown 40-24. Harvard has a two-game winning streak and faces
-
Yardling Defense Insures Victory Over B.C., 18-6The Freshman football team, sparked by Grady Watts, the diminutive quarter-back, rolled to an 18-6 victory over Boston College, a
-
Three Touchdowns in Seven Minutes Propel Harvard to 20-13 Victory in The GameIn The Game of the year, it took the Harvard football team nearly an entire half to find its most
-
Three Touchdowns in Seven Minutes Propel Harvard to 20-13 Victory in The GameIn The Game of the year, it took the Harvard football team nearly an entire half to find its most
-
Freshman Gridders Down Elis, 31-18, Without MealHoward Johnson marshmallow-fudge candy bars aren't exactly the ideal pre-game meal for a football team, but they were enough to