Varsity Harriers Romp in Opener

Jed Fitzgerald and Mark Mullin led the varsity cross-country team to a solid triumph over Boston University and Providence in the season's opening meet yesterday at Franklin Park. The Crimson totaled 26 points, followed by Providence with 38, and B.U. with an astronomic 74.

At the end of two miles in the five-mile race, Mullin was engaged in a neck-and-neck battle for the lead with B.U.'s Art Freeman, and Fitzgerald was a yard behind Bob Bomberger of Providence in fourth place. In the next mile, the battle tightened considerably, and the four leaders passed the three-mile mark almost abreast.

The pace began to tell on Freeman and Bomberger as the race wore on. With a mile to go, Fitzgerald and Mullin were running together, 25 yards ahead of their opponents. Fitzgerald outdueled his teammate on the final hill to win in 26:31, and Mullin held off late charges by Bomberger and Freeman to take second.

Greg Baldwin, Jack Benjamin, and Ralph Perry completed the varsity's scoring by finishing sixth, eighth, and ninth, respectively. Bob Knapp and Wes Hildreth, the Crimson's last two official competitors, took 11th and 12th, followed by Don Kirkland and Dick Slansky in 13th and 14th.

The Crimson also took the freshman meet, tallying 37 points to Providence's 39 and B.U.'s 53. Ed Hamlin's third place finish led the Yardlings, as 22-year-old Ken Mueller of B.U. came in first.

Although the varsity's victory seems convincing enough, the team's showing yesterday is no assurance of a successful season. Providence was strong enough to post a respectable score against the Crimson, and the only thing that kept the Friars from making things really close for the varsity was their lack of depth. Many Ivy League teams may have sufficient second-line material to give Coach Bill McCurdy's perenially powerful team a rough treatment.