Sprint football drops final home game to Midshipmen

The first night of Fall Break was anything but relaxing for the sprint football team, which dropped its last home game of the 2004 season, 61-20, to Navy (5-0 overall) and extended its 33-game losing streak to 34.

Navy, a traditionally strong program who had beaten the Tigers (0-5), 77-16, in the first game of the season, came out strong and never let up. Halfway through the first quarter the Midshipmen had already scored three touchdowns, looking to improve on their impressive average of 49 points per game.

With 3 minutes, 42 seconds left in the quarter, however, Princeton senior quarterback Dennis Bakke launched a seven-yard pass to junior tight end David Gilbert for a Tiger touchdown. A failed extra point left Princeton trailing Navy, 21-6, going into the second quarter.

Bakke, who completed 14 passes for 160 yards and led the team in rushing with 105 yards on 18 carries, was the key in sustaining the Tiger drive that ended in a much-needed touchdown.

The celebrations did not last long, however, as the Midshipmen immediately responded by dominating the second quarter, rushing 67 yards for three touchdowns and completing two long touchdown passes from quarterback Brian Nagle. The Tigers left the field trailing, 54-6, at halftime.

Dejected and eager to make their mark on the final home appearence of the season, Princeton came out in the second half with a strong drive, which ended in the team's second touchdown of the game. Senior running back Matt Worley ran the ball into the endzone from the one-yard line, closing the points gap to 54-12.

Yet the Tiger defense continued to take a pounding, giving way beneath a talented Navy squad that scored its ninth touchdown of the game a mere five minutes after Princeton's. The touchdown, scored on a 50-yard run by Richard Engle, added to the Midshipmen's 220 rushing yards on the night. An additional 220 passing yards gave Navy impressive offensive statistics that the Tigers simply could not match.

Princeton did, however, end the game on a relatively high note, holding the Midshipmen scoreless for the remainder of the game and scoring the final points of the day as Bakke completed a four-yard pass to freshman receiver Lon Johnson. A successful two-point conversion attempt to Worley brought the game to a 61-20 end.

Though the Tigers failed to win on their home turf, a strong second half will give confidence to the team, as it sets its sights on the final game of the season next weekend at Penn.