Varsity Harriers Open Season In Triangular Meeting Today

One of the more unsettled cross country teams in coach Bill McCurdy's regime will begin its season against Providence College and Boston University this afternoon in Franklin Park. Providence has the nucleus of a strong 1958 team back this year, but, as McCurdy said yesterday, "if the varsity can't take this meet in stride, it's due for a rough season."

Bob Bomberger and Charlie Goetz, who came in fourth and fifth behind three varsity runners in last fall's triangulars, will go to the mark for Providence, as will Bill Horridge, who was eighth. Of the first three Crimson finishers a year ago, moreover, only one, Jed Fitzgerald, is left. And the Friars have a powerful complement of sophomores.

B.U. does not seem likely to figure in today's race, although its leading runner, sophomore Art Freeman, is a competitor with a strong finishing kick. The Terriers are sorely deficient in depth; they will send only five men to the starting line.

For the varsity, Fitzgerald, Mark Mullin, and Ralph Perry should lead the way. Perry in particular has been a pleasant surprise this fall, capping a promising training period with an 18:58 performance in last week's three and one-half mile University Handicaps.

The big three for the Crimson will be backed by Wes Hildreth, Don Kirkland, Dick Slansky and captain Eddie Martin, who is still suffering from the heel injury that idled him during track season last spring.

Before the five-mile varsity contest, the Crimson freshmen will face squads from B.U. and Providence in a three-mile race. Yardlings Ed Hamlin, Jim Bonnar, Lowell Davidson, and Glen Rogers should lead the Crimson to victory, but B.U., led by Bob Dias, could pull an upset.