A visiting Dartmouth cross country team proved too strong in the middle positions and handed the Crimson its first defeat of the season, 26 to 31, at Franklin Park yesterday. The Yardlings won their meet against the Green freshmen, 23 to 32.

Dartmouth's Hal Morrisey took first place as expected, followed closely by Harvard's Hal Gerry and Hubie Maguire in the second and third spots. Indian Bill Ashenfault finished fourth and Crimson Captain Emil SanSoucie came in fifth.

Harvard led at this time, but three Dartmouth runners crossed the line in the next 17 seconds to salt away the meet for the Green. Marshall Childs finished ninth and Frank Nahigian thirteenth for Harvard to round out the scoring.

Yardlings Art Wills, Don French, and Jim Whatmough captured the first three places respectively in their meet, after Dartmouth's front-running Ron Marshall collapsed 50 yards from the finish line. Marshall got up and came in sixth, behind his teammates Bill Hull and John Riker. Ken Wilson, eighth, and Jim Gregg, ninth, clinched the meet for the Yardlings.