Follow us on Instagram
Try our daily mini crossword
Play our latest news quiz
Download our new app on iOS/Android!

Sprint football closes out the season against Chestnut Hill

Under the brightFridaynight lights of Princeton Stadium, the sprint football team competed in a thriller of a game against Chestnut Hill College in its final contest of the season. For the men of sprint football, however, the game would end in gut-wrenching heartbreak, as the Tigers fell 44-36 in a particularly wild 4thquarter.

Princeton (0-5 overall) could not have asked for a better start to the game, as junior quarterback Chad Cowden hit senior wide receiver Patrick Yu for a 58-yard bomb to put the Tigers up 6. Senior defensive back/running back Emmanuel Castaneda (most sprint football plays serve both offensive and defensive roles on the team) would continue the team’s hot start, picking off Chestnut Hill quarterback Reginald Robinson to put the Princeton offense at its own 48-yard line. Cowden followed up from there, launching a 41-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver/defensive back John Van Orden for the second score of the game. A two-point conversion from a rush by Cowden left the Griffins down 14-0, where the score remained through the end of the first.

ADVERTISEMENT

Chestnut Hill put themselves on the scoreboard early in the second — a long drive near the end of the first was punctuated with a rushing touchdown within the first five seconds of the second quarter. Cowden, however, came through once again for his team, busting through the Griffins’ defense with a 33-yard run to put the Tigers up 20-7. While Chestnut Hill would successfully respond two drives later, the Tigers were able to make their final score of the half the most exciting one. Griffins kicker Scott Ashton, preparing to give the Tigers back the ball on a punt, found his kick blocked by senior defensive linesman/offensive linesman Spencer Halderman. Halderman’s efforts forced the ball into the endzone, resulting in a safety for the Tigers. Thus, heading into the locker room, Princeton held the 22-14 edge over their visitors.

The second half could not have opened much better for the Tigers. After an unsuccessful drive by Griffins left them at its own 45-yard line, Princeton was quick to convert. After another long pass from Cowden, this one for 31 yards to senior running back/linebacker Nick Barnett, the Tigers were within two yards of the Griffins’ endzone. Another strong rush by Cowden gave them their 4thtouchdown of the game, moving the score out to 28-14.

The Griffins, however, would not stay lying down. On the ensuing drive, a 63-yard run from Chestnut Hill’s Raevon Floyd-Bennett would shrink the Tigers’ lead down to 28-20 (after a failed extra point conversion).

A strong drive at the end of the third, however, caused the momentum to swing the Tigers’ way, in no small part due to Cowden’s gutsy run on a 4thand 7 to give his team the first down. The Orange and Black would open the 4thquarter lining up at the Chestnut Hill 36-yard line, which would soon become the 6-yard line after another deep one from Cowden to Barnett. Castaneda would take over from there, needing but a short rush to give the Tigers another score. A successful two-point conversion meant the Tigers’ lead would double from the results of this drive, moving to 36-20. The atmosphere in the crowd grew elated, as the Sprint Football team had firmly taken control of the game.

The Griffins, however, had very different plans for the night. Following the Tigers’ score, Robinson only needed to sling two passes, for 32 and 25 yards, respectively, to put his favorite target Floyd-Bennett into the endzone. A two-point conversion would bring them to 36-28.

The Tigers managed to gain one first down on their ensuing drive, but ultimately failed to convert their opportunity into any points. That is when the Griffins struck again, needing just under 3.5 minutes to get 82 yards and get the touchdown they needed. Yet another two-point conversion brought this game completely level, 36 apiece.

ADVERTISEMENT

The sprint football team’s reaction to this sudden reversal of fortune was a mighty one. Starting at their own 38-yard line, the Tigers picked up three first downs on route to lining up at the Griffins’ 14. With a late score within reach, disaster suddenly struck for the Tigers. On a rush, Cowden had the ball stripped from him by the Griffins’ Brian Layden. The Griffins would not only recover the ball, but return it for an 85-yard touchdown. A final two-point conversion was the final topping on a horrible sequence for the Tigers.

The game, and the Tigers’ season, ultimately ended via a Cowden pass getting picked off by Floyd-Bennett. Thus, despite one of their strongest offensive showings in recent memory, the Tigers fell just short of getting a win on the season.

Subscribe
Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »