Sophomores Will Bolster Harriers in Opening Trek with Tufts Today

Jaakko Mikkola's defeat - hardened cross-country squad opens the 1949 season against Tufts this afternoon at Franklin Park in Boston. The freshmen, meanwhile, will take on the 1953 Tufts squad is what will be for most of the Crimson runners their first race.

Captained by Jee Leeming, the 12-man varsity leaves for Franklin Park early this afternoon. The team will run a 4-, mile-plus course, while the freshmen tackle and slightly shorter. This may well prove a blessing for the '53 team. Mikkola reports that only three of four of the 20 freshmen now working out have ever run in cross-country competition before.

Sophs Helped

Last year's freshman squad edged Tufts, and as sophomores, may well aid the Crimson's chances today. Dave Gregory, '52 captain, will run for the varsity as well as Owen Edmonds, the team's number one man last season.

Although most of the men on Mikkola's varsity bettered last fall's times in the recent University Handicaps, assistant coach Doug Pirnie explains that the 1948 race was run in rain and the times were exceptionally low. Tufts, harriers, on the other hand, are pretty much the same men that outsped the Crimson, 27-54 last October in a three-cornered meet that included Holy Cross.

Although its famed Olympic entry Ted Vogel, has graduated, Tufts still is exceptionally strong because of runners like Max Schoofler. First in last year's Crimson meet, Schoofler is reportedly stronger than over this season.