Harriers Remain Unbeaten As Benjamin Places First

Varsity cross-country captain Dyke Benjamin led the Crimson harriers to their sixth successive victory and second perfect-score triumph of the season yesterday as they smothered a weak Dartmouth team 15 to 50.

The Big Green offered the Crimson little competition in the dual meet at Franklin Park as seven varsity runners crossed the finish line before a single Dartmouth man.

Benjamin Performance Termed "Heartening"

For the varsity, Benjamin scored his sixth straight first place by covering the wintry five-mile course in 25 min., 48 sec. Benjamin's winning time was 12 seconds slower than the record which he set in ideal running conditions against the University of Massachusetts last Tuesday. But even with the poor weather and lack of competition, Coach Bill McCurdy praised Benjamin's performance as "heartening for the Yale meet next weekend."

After Benjamin, six Crimson runners finished in succession to complete the lopsided team victory. Senior Willie Thompson took second place with a time of 27 min., 21 sec. and sophomore Jed Fitzgerald, the other member of the Crimson's big three, finished third. From there on in, it was Jim Schlaeppi, Ed Martin, Mac Brown, Buster LaFrance and Dave Donaldson, in that order.

Runs With Bruised Ankle

Schlaeppi was particularly impressive in finishing fourth as he ran the race with a badly bruised ankle, while Martin's fifth-place finish indicates an improvement in the health of a previously doubtful runner--which should bolster the varsity depth for the Yale meet. Sophomore Buster LaFrance's seventh place finish was the highest he has achieved in varsity competition.

In the freshman meet, the Yardlings sustained their second loss of the season as Dartmouth sensation Tom Laris led a strong Dartmouth freshman team to a 19-41 win over the freshman harriers.

Laris, who had been heralded as one of the best high school milers in the country last year, justified the advance reports as he set a new course record in the rainy weather by chopping 36 seconds off the old time. Laris broke away from previously unbeaten Yardling captain Marc Mullin before the one mile mark and coasted home with a new record of 14 min., 22 sec.

Coach Bill McCurdy further indicated that the defeat would have been worse were it not for the fine effort of Bob Knapp, who ran with an injured shin.