WORCESTER -- The MIT Men's Cross-Country team launched their 1997 campaign in auspicious fashion, romping over RPI and WPI in the 37th running for this coveted cup. MIT's harriers totalled a mere 20 points [everybody knows that low score wins in cross-country], easily besting the 38 by RPI and the whopping 85 amassed by WPI.

And it was youth that hoisted the banner of tradition, as the Engineers' team co-captain Mike Parkins '99, Chris McGuire '00, and intercollegiate neophyte Mark Strauss '01 cruised to a 1-2-3 finish together. The trio established a course record of 26:41 on the freshly configured multi-loop 5.1-mile layout adjacent to the WPI campus.

Co-captain Rich Rosalez '98 ran one of the strongest races of his career in placing 6th overall in 27:48. Youth ran rampant behind him as well, as Jeff Billing '01 (28:32) outsprinted Sohail Husain '98 (28:33) for the 8th spot.

The next five MIT finishers were freshmen and sophomores: Liyan Gou '01 was 11th (28:39), Phil Loiselle '01 took 12th (28:42), and Aaron Adler '01 (28:48), Frank Johnston '00 (28:54), and Ray Molnar '00 (29:07) captured 14th, 15th, and 16th, respectively.

"Our front group ran strong today," offered interim head coach Dick MacKenzie, who is filling in while long-time coach Halston Taylor devotes his year to special projects for ODSUE, "and Rich did a great job of keeping the gap close. Our freshmen are coming along pretty well, but we all still have a lot of improving to do. Next week will be a tough one."

Next week will be a tri-meet with Bates and Tufts, both of whom are ranked in the top five in New England Division III. The race will take place at the Grafton School near Worcester. The gun fires at 1:00, and plenty of good seats are still available.