Restic May Lose Berger for Columbia; Golden and Foster Set to Face Lions

With the crucial Harvard-Columbia game less than a week away. Crimson coach Joe Restic yesterday began the task of plotting how to stop the Lions's Don Jackson-led offense, while hoping desperately that nature will heal Harvard's walking wounded enough to allow them to play in the Crimson's first lvy League test.

Saturday's mudbowl victory over BU didn't come cheaply, despite the fact that most of the regulars saw little action after Harvard had jumped out to a 31-0 lead by the time the game was a quarter old.

Mitch Berger a starting defensive end for two years and an all-lvy performer last season, reinjured his left knee against BU and may be lost for the Columbia contest if not for the season. The loss of Berger--who has a piece of loose cartilage in the knee joint--would be a big blow to the Crimson's front four, and against Columbia, the toughest opponent that Harvard has yet faced, Restic would like to be at full strength.

Restic has taken a wait-and-see stance on whether or not Berger will be ready. "The doctors say that Mitch is through."Restic said yesterday. "But they said that the last time, and he played. We just have to see how it goes this week."

Berger was on crutches yesterday and said that whether he plays or not is up to him. "It's not something the doctors can't decide," he said. "I can put some pressure on it, but I can't extend it all the way. It's just a question of whether it will come around in three days."

Berger was not the only casualty in Saturday's contest. Backup tight end Howard Keenan will be lost for the season with a separated shoulder Keenan underwent surgery over the weekend Restic said that Pete Curtin has been seeing more action since the loss of Keenan.

Ups and Downs

Quarterback Frank Guerra banged up his neck Saturday, and his status is also uncertain for Columbia. Guerra was injured when he was upended by a tackler. He landed on his neck and the tackler landed on top of him.

On the positive side of the injury ledger. Steve Golden, who missed Saturday's contest, is expected to be back in action against Columbia. Golden' had injured knee ligaments in the season's opener against UMass.

And finally, fullback Rod Foster, who has missed most of the season (and preseason as well) with a balky ankle-injury, may make his long-overdue season's debut this weekend. Foster was in pads yesterday for the first time in a long time, and took part in a light-contact workout with the offensive unit.