The IC4As are here and the chances to qualify have passed.

But for the athletes that have met the time, length and height standards, this is the week that they will have to be more focused than ever. They prepare for THE team meet this Friday and Saturday, the two-day climax with the best teams in the East.

"There is no messing around this week as now is not the time for applause. They need a kick in the tail," Coach Harry Groves said. "The IC4A is the big meet of the indoor track season and everybody has to be ready."

And since the indoor season began in January, the Penn State athletes have participated in several weekend meets to reach the standards.

But Saturday was the absolute final opportunity for any athlete to not only get into the IC4A, but the NCAAs, which are held March 8-9.

With the Last Chance and Notre Dame Invitationals, athletes from around the country gave it one last shot. While the majority of Penn State's athletes remained home, a few travelled to South Bend, Ind., to take advantage of the brand new facilities at Notre Dame.

And at Notre Dame, milers Doug Walter and Aidan O'Reilly battled and banged with 11 other runners on the five-lane, [15]-mile track.

"There were way too many runners entered in the race. All of them took a lot of punishment, so at the end, they had no lift to go," Groves said.

Walter finished third in the race with 4.06.74 and O'Reilly followed fourth in 4.07.04.

Those times, however, weren't good enough for the provisional NCAA qualifiers (they needed 4.02) to automatically secure them a berth in that meet. But both will compete this weekend in the IC4As.

In the 500, Jon Strange ran a "good race" winning it in 1.05.73, while qualifying for the IC4As. Strange also anchored the mile relay team of Brian Kelly, Joe Stegbauer, Jerry Robinson to victory in 3.18.50.

Stegbauer, who didn't run his best race in the 800, still finished sixth in 1.51.27, a time good enough for the IC4As.

Groves, who attended the Notre Dame meet, said many athletes may have benefitted by staying home. Among those were jumpers Ricardo Hall (provisional NCAA qualifier in the triple jump) and Antonio Davis (an inch shy) and pole vaulter Mason Ternay, who vaulted a season high 16'7".

"We've given our people many chances to qualify. Now that (qualifying) is over, our focus is now on the IC4A," Groves said.