Varsity Harriers Race Providence, UMass in Meet

The fur will fly today at Franklin Park when the Harvard cross-country team takes on Providence and the University of Massachusetts. The eight Crimson runners who have carefully cultivated their beards through pre-season training camp have vowed to shave them in unison at tonight's victory party.

Before there is any party, however, they must get by two teams which promise to pose a greater challenge than Northeastern did in Wednesday's 15-48 Harvard romp. Each team has a nucleus of returning lettermen and a number of promising sophomores.

The top Providence runner, Robb, ran 23:14 on Northeastern's 4.7-mile course last Saturday. In comparison, Harvard victor Royce Shaw was the only runner to better that mark in Wednesday's race. Friar captain Dave Crooke also has the ability to challenge for the lead, and a strong flock of underclassmen could split up the Crimson scoring punch.

UMass could further complicate matters. The Redmen boast a talented sophomore named Duarte who topped Harvard's Dave Pottetti in last year's IC4A freshman meet. Senior Paul Hoss and two other returning lettermen boast times on the Franklin Park course that would put them in the thick of Harvard's top five.

Head coach Bill McCurdy expects a tough race from the two out-of-town teams. UMass appears particularly strong, but may be lacking in depth. However, only recently did the UMass coaching staff ask that their team be included in the meet, and they must feel they have a good enough group to justify the long trek from Amherst.

There is evidence that other teams are pointing for Harvard in hopes of breaking McCurdy's string of fourteen consecutive dual meet victories. If Hardin, Pottetti, Shaw and company are still stiff from Wednesday's race, or if several of Harvard's backup scorers get left behind in a fast start, there could be a real scramble for the finish.

The varsity gun will fire at noon with the freshman preliminary scheduled for 11:30.