Saturday's football game between Tufts and Colby was paused after the end of the first quarter, as the PA announcer took a moment read the names of the 16 fourth-year Jumbos playing in their final home game. And then those seniors took the field and made the game one to remember.
Senior safety Bryan McDavitt made a dazzling interception in the second quarter, senior quad-captain Chris Decembrele came away with a team-high six solo tackles including a huge 10-yard sack, and senior quarterback Matt Russo iced the victory, throwing a game-winning touchdown in the final minutes as the Jumbos topped the Colby Mules 7-0.
"Whenever it's your last home game, especially for the seniors, everyone's always a little more pumped up and ready to go," Decembrele said. "Big plays being made, on offense and defense - that gets guys pumped up. So it's a combination of making big plays and having the seniors play their last game. There was some serious emotion."
Most of the game was a defensive struggle, as the game remained scoreless until the fourth quarter. The Colby offense had an especially rough game, gaining just 55 rushing yards on 30 carries and going just 5-for-14 on third down conversions.
The Jumbo offense, however, came to life in the final quarter, as Russo led a 17-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard pass to junior tight end Kevin Gleason, who dove into the end zone for the game's only score.
"I thought it was pretty cool how we took the last drive of the game, and went down and scored," coach Bill Samko said. "I really thought we should have already been ahead by two touchdowns at that point, but it doesn't always come out the way that you draw it out."
Indeed, the Jumbos had their chances to break the game open early on, but failed to capitalize. Russo completed a 19-yard pass to senior wide receiver Steve Menty in the first quarter, as the Jumbos plowed their way to the Colby 28. That drive ended in a turnover on downs, however, as the Jumbos couldn't get any closer.
They had another chance in the second quarter, as junior running back Brendan Georges carried the Jumbos deep into Colby territory, but Russo threw an interception to junior safety Greg Enos to end the drive. The squad got close again just before halftime, but Georges fumbled the ball inside the Colby five yard line, again sending the Jumbos back to the sidelines empty-handed.
"It seemed like we had their number," Russo said. "We were moving the ball well, running and throwing, but we just couldn't finish. We've got to protect the ball - that's what we did earlier in the season. A couple of turnovers just killed two drives, and when you do that, you're not going to put points on the board."
Meanwhile, the Colby offense was having struggles of its own. Senior quarterback Justin Smith, a four-year starter who had beaten the Jumbos in each of the last two years, was uncharacteristically inconsistent. He completed his first eight pass attempts of the day but failed to score on the game's opening drive after being sacked twice in a row.
From there, Smith only got streakier. He threw three straight incompletions, followed by three straight complete passes and then missed with three more. On his 17th pass of the first half, he threw his first of two interceptions, as McDavitt dove over the middle to make a tremendous leaping catch.
And contain him they did. The Jumbos sacked Smith twice, holding the usually mobile quarterback to negative rushing yards. Smith threw for just 105 yards, and two interceptions, one to McDavitt and one to sophomore safety Nathan Scott.
"Our defense ... week after week, they always figure out how to shut them down," Russo said. "[Defensive coordinator John] Walsh has done a great job all week in practice - they do a great job preparing. It's a very intelligent defense, and if [the other team] scores zero points, we can't lose. That's just a fact."
The third quarter was fairly uneventful, as a series of three-and-out drives characterized the period for both sides. That trend would continue until 10:34 remained in the game, when Russo sparked the Jumbos' game-winning drive.
Georges and sophomore Will Forde were instrumental in that drive, as the Tufts running game was in full effect in the fourth quarter. The Jumbos' ground game has thrived all season by handing the ball to six or seven different rushers, but this weekend, Georges and Forde carried the offense themselves. Georges would finish the game with 100 yards on 22 carries; Forde picked up 96 on 20 attempts of his own.
Gleason entered the game with just three catches on 22 yards all season, but on Saturday, he more than doubled his season output, leading all receivers in the game with four catches, 49 yards, and the game's only touchdown.
Smith tried to bring the Mules back into the game after the Tufts touchdown. Colby picked up two first downs, one on a pass interference penalty and another on a pass to senior tight end Brennan Moore. That was all she wrote, however, as Scott's interception put the game away for good. Russo took a knee, and Tufts walked off with its first win in almost a month, improving to 4-3.
Next week is the 2006 season finale, and the Jumbos are set to hit the road, heading to Vermont to take on Middlebury. Like the Jumbos, the Panthers started off 3-0, but have cooled off since then. With a 10-0 win over Hamilton on Saturday, the Panthers now stand at 5-2. The Jumbos sit one game behind Middlebury in the standings but are hopeful they can finish the season tied, each at 5-3.
"I think we have a good chance, and we're looking forward to the opportunity," Samko said. "We can win the game. We'll go play, and it will be a great finish. I'm confident that we'll go up there and compete, and it will be a good game."
