CRIMSON NOTEBOOK

Sweeping the first eight positions, the men's cross country team handily beat St. John's 15-50 in its opening race of the season.

Here's how Harvard Captain Rob Failla described the five-mile run through the Bronx in Van Courtland Park: "[It was a] tune-up race in which no one ran that hard."

Modest, huh?

Bill Bland, who came in first at the meet, said this win hints at great promise for the squad.

With the Heptagonals--a competition involving the Ivies, Army and Navy-being held this year at Van Courtland Park, Bland has every reason to hope that a strong showing on the course against St. John's will be indicative of a bigger and more coveted win near the season's end.

The Harvard women's cross country team mirrored the men in its victory over St. Johns--and its players attitude afterwards.

Harvard's Hollie Moore admitted that the Crimson's 19-45 win did not come as a surprise.

"We expected to crush them," Moore said humbly.

But there was more than pride backing her words.

The cross country team has been dutifully practicing since the beginning of this month--a time together that has proved helpful to building comraderie as well as strength.

Taking six of the top seven places, the women's team has been given a confidence boost that is unusual for the beginning of the season, according to Moore.