The traditionally powerful varsity cross-country team faces a major rebuilding job this fall and this Saturday's opening meet with Cornell should be a good test of its progress.

With graduation sparing only two of the top six runners from last year's undefeated team, Coach Bill McCurdy will be forced to rely heavily on untested sophomores and reserve lettermen to score against the reigning Heptagonal Champs in the meet at Ithaca.

"In terms of depth," McCurdy commented, "this will be the weakest team we've had in some time. Last year, for instance, when we were unbeaten in dual and triangular meets, we had ample depth behind front-running men like Reider, Anderson, Hildreth and Norris. But this year we have just five proven runners, and with two of them presently bothered by injuries, we may have a tough time duplicating that record.

Top Performer

The success of this untried team in its nine meet schedule may rest largely upon the efforts of Captain Dyke Benjamin. A veteran runner who trains conscientiously Benjamin proved he is prepared for the forthcoming Cornell meet by registering the best elapsed time in the open-field University Handicaps run along the Charles last Friday. He covered the four mile course in 18 minutes, 16 seconds.

Will Thompson, another senior letter-man who has been running well in the first two weeks of practice, was a consistent performer with the varsity last year and is expected to run with Benjamin in one of the top three positions.

Jim Schlaeppi and Ed Martin are veteran harriers who have been hampered by injuries so far this fall and both remain big question marks in the team picture. If both these men get back into running condition, the overall prospect will be brightened considerably.

New Material

With a manpower problem, Coach McCurdy may receive welcome help from a promising group of sophomores. One outstanding prospect is Jed Fitzgerald, whose remarkable performances as a freshman last year indicate that he could develop into one of the varsity's most dependable scorers. As a miler with the Yardling team last spring Fitzgerald broke both existing Freshman records for the mile and two mile run.

Other harriers who should figure prominently this year are Mac Brown, who turned in the second best elapsed time in the University Handicaps, Dave Donaldson, Will Julian, Buster La France, Sam Young and Gus Schumacher.