Army demolishes sprint football at Frelinghuysen

In 1997, Princeton sprint football defeated Army in one of the most stunning upsets in Collegiate Sprint Football League history. So despite lopsided scores in the Black Knights' favor for the past three seasons, the Tigers knew it could be done.

So last Friday night, with Princeton (0-3) looking for its first victory in two years against Army at Frelinghuysen Field, it seemed as if history might be repeating.

In the early part of the game, the Tiger defense had made it difficult for the Black Knights' offense to move, forcing two turnovers and controlling the clock. At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied, 0-0.

But Army started the second quarter with possession of the ball and changed the complexion of the game quickly. The Black Knights went to work on the ground, and eleven plays and 65-yards later, Baron Moffit dove two yards into the endzone for the game's first score.

Seven possessions and seven touchdowns later, Army had a 48-7 victory.

Despite the past victory, few expected Princeton to have a chance against Army. Boasting the CSFL's top-ranked defense, the Black Knights had only given up a touchdown in its first two games while scoring 67 points. The Tigers, on the other hand, had allowed 83 points while scoring only 19.

Aside from the first touchdown drive, Princeton's defense shut down the Army offense for the entire first half. It was the Black Knights' special teams that blew the game open. Late in the second quarter, Army freshman Austin Wilson took a Princeton punt and returned it 53 yards to put the Tigers down 14-0 going into halftime.

Before the Army offense even took the field in the second half, Wilson struck again, taking the opening kickoff of the half 88 yards and extending the lead to 21-0.

The rout had officially begun. Starting quarterback George Feagins directed the Black Knights' option offense on two long scoring drives, the first capped by a 27-yard scoring run by Clay Bibb. The second drive, ending in a 15-yard touchdown trot by Bibb, was Feagins' last. He was replaced late in the third quarter by Steve McKeon.

Unfortunately for Princeton, Feagins' last touchdown drive was not Army's last. Starting the fourth quarter with a 34-0 cushion, McKeon capped a drive of his own with a one-yard dive for the penultimate score. Army's seventh and final score came off a 30-yard interception return by Michael Kelvington.

Princeton finally broke through the Black Knight defense with time running out in the fourth quarter. Christian Gomez busted out a 47-yard run down to the Army 19 yard-line. With only 19 seconds remaining, freshman Dennis Bakke, who came on at quarterback for the Tigers in the second half, rolled out and scored on a seven-yard run to match the total amount of points scored against Army by any team this season.