No, not The Storm of the Century. The Mather storm.

Brewing in the cellars on Cowperthwait street, Mather wreaked a path of intramural destruction through the winter season, moving through like a blizzard and claiming three out of the four basketball competitions.

"They had the greatest winter season that I have ever seen," says Lowell Intramural Secretary senior George Gavros. "They were incredible at basketball."

But Mather also displayed consistency in the many other sports--ranging from soccer to squash--that make up the Straus Cup competition. And on the IM circuit, talent may win games but consistency and participation win championships.

"Everyone in the house got really involved," says Mather Intramural Secretary junior Josh Dieterich. "Our goal was to finish in the top three in every event."

New Kids on the Block

In the 58 years of Harvard intramural competition, the Straus Cup has only graced the halls of Mather once before--three years ago after the 1989-90 season.

In fact, Mather spent much of the '80s frequenting the cellar of IM competition. Mather does not have the tradition of Straus Cup success that a house like Kirkland has.

Kirkland is the undisputed historical champion of intramural competition, boasting the most championships by far (20) and the most titles in a row (six, from 1957-62). But Mather has asserted itself in the '90s as a force to be reckoned with, and if the house does not have the tradition of Kirkland, it does have a strong core of secretaries that ensure a high level of resident participation.

"It's a lot of work," Dieterich says. "A lot of phone calling and cajoling. If someone says they can't play, we don't let it rest at that. We make them come up with a good excuse. What happens is people realize they really can participate."

Wentzel says the work of the various secretaries from all the houses is what makes Harvard's intramural competition so successful.

"It's a really good program," Wentzel says. "Participation is always high. It's a program for students run by students. I just get the ball rolling."

Too Competitive

One problem with the program that Wentzel and the house secretaries have addressed in past years and continue to address is the proper level of competitiveness within the intramural program.

Wentzel says the competition of intramurals comes naturally at a school like Harvard where "no one likes to lose."