Harriers Try for Second Win In Today's Race at Dartmouth

The Harvard cross country team, coming off last Monday's convincing win in the Greater Bostons, is trying to improve its struggling Ivy record at the expense of the Dartmouth harriers in Hanover this afternoon.

The Crimson has managed only a single win in Ivy competition this year while dropping meets to Penn, Columbia and Cornell. Dartmouth, on the other hand, comes into today's race undefeated, with a victory over Columbia to its credit.

Beating Drums

"Dartmouth has been beating their drums," Harvard coach Bill McCurdy said Wednesday. "They're undefeated and they think they will beat us."

The Green squad boasts at least two outstanding players, and they are supported by good depth down the line. Captain Chris Peisch is the number-one man for Dartmouth, while freshman Rich Axtell has shown signs of joining Peisch as a class runner.

Number-three man Carlson and the fourth man, Walker, have provided good strength down the line for the Green all year. In Dartmouth's meet against Brown, the top four men placed within 34 seconds of each other.

"We're farther along than we've been all year," McCurdy said. "Jim Keefe is maturing, Andy Campbell is stronger and faster, and Dirk Skinner has stayed solid all season."

The Crimson can also look to an improving Jeff Brokaw, Karl Tsigdinos and freshman standout Jeff Campbell to break into the scoring ranks. "There is always the chance that someone like Fred Linsk and the returning Jim Hughes can upset things big," McCurdy said.

Dartmouth is running on a new, reputedly shorter course this year. It will be "the shortest we will have run on all year," McCurdy said. "I don't know what this will mean to us, except that it ought to put speed at a premium."

Comparing scores against common opponents indicates today's race should be about even. Dartmouth beat Northeastern, 22-34, and Harvard defeated them, 21-36; against Brown the scores were 16-45 and 15-49, respectively.

"The one that has them thinking big must be the Columbia thing," McCurdy said. "They beat Columbia, 26-29, and Columbia topped us, 24-31."

"What the hell, I'm getting mad thinking about it," McCurdy said. "Just because we had a little tough going at Van Cortland and at Cornell they don't have to think they're going to run on us."

"We'll make them wish they hadn't given up that Indian mascot, because there's going to be some scalping done," he continued. "Their best chance is that it snows and we follow the wrong white line."