Booters Ready for Tilt With Tough Springfield

While the varsity football squad tackles Colgate today in the Stadium, across the street at exactly the same time Bruce Munro's booters take on one of their toughest tasks of the year--that of beating a favored Springfield soccer team.

Springfield has played two games, and won them both--the first against Cortland State Teachers, 3 to 1, and the second against Wesleyan, 1 to 0. On comparative scores, then, the Crimson booters are definite underdogs, as Wesleyan beat them, 3 to 1, last week. And Cortland State Teachers knocked off traditionally strong Cornell, too.

Home Game an Advantage

But Munro has not given up. The fact that it is a home game gives the Crimson the advantage, and since the Wesleyan game, won by a couple of penalty kicks, Harvard has improved. "We played poor ball against Wesleyan," Munro said, "and have picked up considerably since then."

Last year at Springfield, the two teams played to a scoreless tie, and Charlie Butt, who was chiefly responsible for bottling up Harvard's attack then, will be back this year for the Maroons, either at center forward or center half. Springfield always is a hustling team, in good shape, according to Munro, and Maroon coach Iry Schmid has come up with a high-scoring forward in Bill Bearchall (two goals against Cortland).

Passing Improved

Munro's team showed it could put together a passing attack that could score in the B.U. game on Wednesday, although the poor heading is the Crimson's worst weakness (only five men are consistently good "in the air," says Munro). Today the same men will start in the forward line as last game, and Munro is hoping they continue to convert the passes into goals--something last year's varsity was chronically unable to do.

Mauricio Toro (one goal against the Terriers) is starting at center forward again, and Berk Johnson (two goals) and Win Knowlton (one goal) are the out sides. The insides will be Frank Davies and Juan Rodriguez, with Johnny Beer, George Baker, and Marv Weiss spelling them.

Craig Zane will play at center half, with Rusty McIntosh and Dana Getchell the other two halfbacks. Captain Charley Ufford, Bob Sobel and Roger Taylor make up the defensive combination.

In view of the improved showing in the B.U. game, and the good practice on Thursday, the Crimson should give the Maroons a run for their money.