No one expects the Crimson cross-country team to take first place in the IC4A cross-country meet in New York this afternoon. But the performance of sophomore star Walt Hewlett and his teammatos should answer a few questions about prospects for future Crimson teams.

Hewlett had won seven of eight meets, placed second in the other, and had never been beaten by a teammate going into the Heptagonal meet Nov.8. On that disastrous day Hewlett staggered home in 26th place, behind Crimson teammates Ed Meehan and Bill Crain, and in back of almost a score of runners he had beaten earlier in the year.

Today there is little prospect that Hewlett can place first in the meet, although no one knows just fast the Crimson sophomore is able to run. But by placing well against the rugged competitions he will face in the IC4A's, Hewlett can prove that his Heptagonal performance was simply an off-day, not a budding habit.

The IC4A's have not been lucky for Hewlett; last year as a freshman he was running fifth until he took a wrong turn and wound up in twelfth place. But then last year's race was thoroughly disastrous for the Crimson squad. After finishing second by one point in the Big Three Meet, and second by a close margin in the Hops, Harvard finished incredibly badly in the IC4A meet. Since-departed Ed Hamlin was the first Crimson runner to finish, in 25th place. Meehan was 35th and Crain 102nd, as Villanova's Vic Zwolak and Pat Traynor ran away with the race.

Traynor has graduated, but Zwolak will lead a strong Wildcat squad in the defense of its team title. The top contenders are expected to be Michigan State, which has won the meet five of the last seven years, Georgetown, and Notre Dame. Heptagonals champion Cornell rates an outside chance.