University of Virginia Library

Harriers Outdistanced
By Duke's Blue Devils

By Mike Decamps
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Duke's cross-country squad
came to town Friday and gave
strong evidence why Maryland
is in for quite a battle if the
Terps want to hold on to their
ACC cross-country championship
they have held for sixteen
of the last seventeen years.

Strong Stuff

Showing strong depth, the
Blue Devils had relatively little
trouble in sweeping the
tri-meet with the Cavalier harriers
and Virginia Tech. Duke
scored with a 18-40 win over
Tech and a 16-47 victory over
the Cavaliers. The Virginia
team, hoping to knock off
perennial state power Tech,
had rough luck and lost to the
Hokies also 24-33.

The Blue Devils were missing
one of their two stars, Mike Graves,
but still were able to sweep to the
first four places. Bob Wheeler, one
of the nation's most sought after
high school seniors last year,
showed why he was so highly recruited
by blitzing the old course
record and finishing in 25:04, more
than a minute in front of his
teammate, Roger Beardmore who
also broke the course record.

Beardmore led in his two teammates
Larry Forrester and Phil
Wilson, who nipped Tech's first
runner Rick Marquez. The Cavaliers
were led by Phil Meyer, who was
still fighting the flu but managed a
seventh place finish behind Tech's
Marquez and Nerle Velotto.

The Virginia squad had been
expecting a poor performance from
Velotto, a star steeplechaser who
had just gotten over an operation
and had run very poorly a week
before. If his performance had been
the same it is likely the Cavaliers
would have worn because Tech's
fifth man was all the way back in
twenty-third place indicating a tack
of depth for the Hokies.

Another Shot

The Cavaliers will get another
shot at Tech in the state meet, but
first must meet VMI and Old Dominion
in the next two weeks. Two
victories would make the harriers
record 3-4, but more importantly
will be a good tune up for the State
and ACC meets. Last year the
thinclads cracked the top division
with a fourth place finish in the
conference, and they are pointing
for the same this year.