Football unable to finish in red zone in loss to Dartmouth

Sophomore Derek Javarone said he felt his kicking had been improving this season, but he certainly did not mean for the Tigers to rely solely on his leg.

Javarone was 5-5 on field goals, tying an Ivy League record, but Princeton football (2-8 overall, 2-5 Ivy League) could not score a touchdown and lost its final game of the season Saturday afternoon at Dartmouth (5-5, 4-3), 21-15.

The Tigers had a chance to win the game late. With three timeouts remaining, Princeton forced the Big Green to punt and got the ball back at its own 31-yard line with one minute and 47 seconds remaining in the game and the Tigers trailing, 21-15.

Junior quarterback Matt Verbit drove the Tigers to Dartmouth's 48-yard line, but on a third-and-10 he threw a low pass to his receiver streaking up the right side and linebacker Chris Dodds stepped in front to intercept the pass and seal the win for the Big Green.

"We were running double slants," Princeton head coach Roger Hughes said. "Our slant ball had been wide open. We tried to get the strong safety to come down and bite on it."

The scoring began when Javarone capped a game-opening 16-play, 64-yard drive with a 24-yard field goal at seven minutes, 54 seconds of the first quarter.

Verbit and junior running back Jon Veach led Princeton to the Dartmouth 22-yard line where the team faced a fourth-and-seven. Hughes elected to go for it, and Verbit delivered a nine-yard pass to junior wide receiver B.J. Szymanski to get the Tigers into field-goal range.

Later in the first, Princeton marched 52 yards in seven plays, sprung by a 39-yard reception by senior wide receiver Blair Morrison, who found a hole in the Big Green zone near the left sideline. Again the drive stalled and Javarone added a 36-yard field goal with under a minute remaining to make it 6-0.

The teams traded field goals in the second quarter and the Tigers headed into halftime leading, 9-3.

"I thought we controlled the first half," Hughes said. "But when you're inside the red zone three times, you have to come away with touchdowns."

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Big Green drove 73 yards in eight plays for the game's first touchdown.

Quarterback Charlie Rittgers threw a hanging pass on a flea flicker deep down the right sideline to receiver Andrew Hall. Freshman J.J. Artis and junior Nick Brown stood in front of Hall, waiting to break up the pass, but Hall jumped over both defenders, made the reception, and walked into the end zone. The extra point was no good, and the game was tied, 9-9.

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Princeton was forced to punt on the ensuing possession but returner Jay Barnard fumbled the kick under heavy pressure. Freshman Brigham Walker recovered the loose ball, and Princeton took over at the Dartmouth 20-yard line. But the offense again sputtered and Javarone made good on a 37-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 12-9 lead.

Later in the third, the Big Green evened the score again on a 30-yard field goal by Tyler Lavin.

Dartmouth went ahead in the fourth when Rittgers found Barnard on a fade pattern in the corner of the end zone. Barnard reached up over his defender's outstretched arms to haul in the touchdown.

Verbit drove the Tigers 56 yards in five plays on the following drive, bringing up a first-and-goal at the Dartmouth nine-yard line. With a chance to get the lead back, Princeton again could not convert. Veach ran twice for four yards, and on third-and-goal Verbit threw a pass toward Morrison's back hip on a slant route, and cornerback Mike Ribero slid inside Morrison's shoulder and made the interception.

The Big Green drove 59 yards following the interception and added their third field goal of the game, a 38-yarder, to take a 21-12 lead with 5:37 to go.

Princeton responded with yet another extended drive that stalled inside the Dartmouth 20-yard line. Javarone kicked a 34-yard field goal to get the Tigers within six points with 3:40 to go. Princeton held the Big Green on the next possession, setting up the failed last effort.