When Yale, Princeton, and Harvard cross-country teams battle along the 4 1/2 mile course at New Haven today victory-starved Crimson harriers will be out to avenge not only this year's dismal season, but also to make up for two straight losses to the Eli's and Tigers.

But no matter how badly they want to win, Jaakko Mikkola's Varsity runners can't snare victory without any material. Judging from the way Rhode Island, Tufts, Holy Cross, and a comparatively weak Dartmouth squad have all run them into the dirt, Mikkola's runners just don't have it this year.

John Cogan, Crimson captain, could run a good race, but there are far too many "excellent" runners on the Yale and Princeton teams for that to matter much. Joe Carleton, who came in first for the Crimson and sixth in the field against the Crusaders and Tufts, is also in the "you-never-can-tell" column. The roster from there on includes Dick Welch, Joe Leeming, Marvin Albee, Dick White, and a handful of other starters.

Freshmen May Come Through

Dave Gregory, a standout this year in the '52 squad, may be able to pace on amazing Freshman squad to its fifth victory of the year. Backed by such promising runners as Owen Edmunds, Thayer Scudder, Tom McGrath, Peter Lord, Allan Master, Joe Heaney, and Clark Coggeshall, the '52 representatives sense victory within their reach.

Extensive practice has been the keynote for the Crimson harriers this week, and Mikkola's makeshift taxi-service--an HAA laundry wagon and his own private car--has been running steadily transporting runners to and from practice grounds around Boston. "We can't go too much trouble if it means a chance of beating Yale," Mikkola asserts. "Twice in a row is too much," Mikkola adds. "I'd hate to see it happen a third time."