This season was supposed to be one of hope for the sprint football team. And three games into the season is certainly too early to write off the Tigers (0-3 overall, 0-1 Collegiate Sprint Football League).
Having said that, the trend doesn't offer much support to a Princeton squad searching for its first win since 1999.
On Friday, the Tigers traveled to West Point, hoping to end that winless streak against one of the perennial powers in the CSFL, the Black Knights of Army (2-0, 1-0).
In the first half, it looked as though the overmatched Princeton team might pull out an improbable road win.
Each side was held scoreless in the first quarter, and Army only managed to scratch out a 3-0 lead going into the end of the first half.
It was in the second half that the Black Knights rode roughshod over the outclassed Tigers.
Spurred on by a strong defensive effort — including six sacks of Princeton sophomore quarterback Dennis Bakke and two interceptions — Army jumped on Princeton for 16 points in the third quarter.
The Blacks Knights added 13 more points in the fourth to coast to an easy win, 29-0.
For the Tigers, there were few bright spots, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Bakke was pressured heavily all game long, completing only five of his 20 attempts and throwing two interceptions. The Tigers gained only 54 yards through the air in the game.
Princeton's frustrations carried over to the running game, as well. Senior running back Rikki Racela was held to just 29 yards.
The Tigers will have several more chances at redemption this season, so this lopsided loss was by no means the last chapter in the story of the 2002 sprint football team.
Next Friday, the Tigers will return to the friendly confines of Frelinghuysen Field for the traditional second contest of the year with Cornell.
As Cornell was the last team to drop a game to the Tigers, the Big Red should also be the next best shot to restore Princeton's hopes.
With the largest roster the team has fielded in years, this was supposed to be the year that sprint football was going to break out and start competing with the rest of the CSFL. With three games left, there is still time for the Tigers to salvage the season. This Friday's game may determine if that salvation will arrive as hoped, or if it will have to wait another year.
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