FACES IN THE CROWD

Russ Taintor, a senior at Brick Township (N.J.) High School, broke 12 course records in his final dozen cross-country races. During his career Russ won 71 straight dual meets and three New Jersey championships while leading his team to three state titles.

Lamoin Merkley, a senior at Central Washington State College and a 167-pounder on the wrestling team, won his first 14 matches this season (10 of them by pins) and did not have a single point scored against him, as he ran his streak of consecutive wins to 48.

Mildred Ignizio Martorella, 21, a southpaw bowler from Rochester, N.Y., who reached her peak during the 1967 season by winning the Queens Tournament, was chosen as Woman Bowler of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America.

Carl Ward, whose football teams at Ceredo-Kenova (W. Va.) High School had a 58-6 record the past six years and won their last 19 regular-season games and three Class AA titles in four tries, was named the state's high school Coach of the Year for 1967.

Hank Kaestner, a defenseman for the Johns Hopkins lacrosse team last season and now an Army private, won the Schmeisser Award, given annually to the outstanding college defensive player, thus becoming the first ever to earn it two years in succession.

Bill Shepherd, a 5'10" sharpshooting guard on the Carmel (Ind.) High School basketball team, scored 70 points—46 of them in the second half—in a 117-69 victory over Brownsburg and after 14 games this season was averaging 33.3 points per game.

SIX PHOTOS