In last year's Greater Boston cross-country championships, Harvard Coach Bill McCurdy withheld his best six runners and the Crimson still finished second. This year McCurdy is going all out for the title, and his decision has sent tremors from Newton to the Fenway.

In a shallow attempt to manufacture suspense, sports scribes have billed this afternoon's run in Franklin Park as a tense two-team duel between the Crimson and defending champion Northeastern. But even though the Huskies have won seven of seven meets so far this year, it's unlikely that they can upset McCurdy's charges.

For one thing, that 7-0 record has been compiled against the likes of Worcester Polytechnic and the University of New Hampshire. Massachusetts is the only common opposition for the Huskies and the Crimson. Northeastern beat the Redmen 18-45, while Harvard decimated them 15-50.

Hewlett's Chances Good

Top man for Northeastern is Dave Dunsky. Dunsky's undefeated so far this year, but his chance of retaining that distinction after meeting Walt Hewlett this afternoon is about as good as Barry's chance of taking up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Hewlett knows he can beat Dunsky--he did it twice during track season last year--so he shouldn't have any psychological problems about racing the Northeastern ace today. And when Hewlett doesn't have problems of the mind, his legs can be counted to do the job.

Shorter Course

The doubt, small as it is, about the team outcome of today's race is due to the length of the course--four miles instead of the five to which the Crimson is accustomed. McCurdy feels that the shorter distance will work to the disadvantage of Captain Bill Crain and Jon Chaffee, two runners of the plodding variety.

Northeastern has been running four miles and sometimes even less in its meets this year and should be better prepared to run that distance today.

John Ogden is still suffering from a virus infection and will not run today. It is not yet known whether soccer player Keith Chiappa will be available. Chiappa ran an impressive fifth in the Big Three meet last weekend.

It would seem that the other teams in today's race--M.I.T., Boston College, Boston University, Tufts, and Brandeis--could be factors in the outcome of the meet only if given a collective head start of half a mile or so.

M.I.T. and B.C., who have both been mashed by Northeastern in previous meets this fall, are rated the best of these fated also-rans and should battle it out for third place today.

Freshman Meet

Preceding the varsity meet, which is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m., is a freshman meet at 3 p.m. bringing together the yearling runners of the Boston schools. The strong Harvard squad is favored to win, with Northeastern and Boston College rated the top challengers.