The football team delivered a dominating performance Saturday against Colby in every area but one - the scoreboard. With missed opportunities by both squads, the score stayed deadlocked at zero for 57 minutes.
However, the 16 seniors playing in their last home game came up with big plays all day, refusing to leave without the victory that the team sorely needed to bring its record above .500.
"It's an amazing feeling," senior quad-captain and offensive lineman Brian Schurko said. "It is the first time the seniors have won at home in the last game in six seasons. We have a great group of guys, and if we can finish on a winning note [at Middlebury next week] that would be great."
Senior quarterback Matt Russo, buoyed by a fantastic running game that finished with 210 yards, was efficient and calmly led the Jumbos on the deciding drive. His 15-yard completion to junior tight end Kevin Gleason on third down and nine set up the eventual five-yard toss to Gleason to complete the drive.
Wide receiver Steve Menty was another senior with a solid performance, hauling in two catches for 38 yards, a solid senior season in which he's led the Jumbos with 259 yards receiving.
On defense, senior quad-captain and defensive end Chris Decembrele and senior safety Bryan McDavitt stood out, making big plays and helping the Jumbos hold the Mules to only 160 total yards. McDavitt made a spectacular diving catch to intercept a pass from Colby senior Justin Smith in the second quarter, and Decembrele had a team-high six solo tackles.
The importance of this game was not lost on the underclassmen, either. The younger Jumbos were looking to send their senior teammates off on a winning note, and they succeeded. On a day when the seniors had the spotlight, running backs sophomore Will Forde and junior Brendan Georges paced the offense with a combined 196 yards on 42 carries.
On defense, junior linebacker Stephen Albertine led the team with seven tackles and sophomore Tyson Reynoso continued a breakout campaign. But the changing of the guard was put aside for another week, as it was the seniors' day to shine.
"The seniors are so great," Forde said. "You just want to go out there and play hard for them. That's what we did today, and hopefully we can go out there and do it again next Saturday."
The Middlebury game will be the final time this group of seniors takes the field for the Tufts football program. A win would help Tufts finish above .500 for the first time since 2003, the current senior class's freshman year. But win or lose, this Tufts team will cherish Saturday's game.
"There are so many emotions," said Schurko. "It is crazy that this is the last game. To know that this is the last time I'll put on football pads, it is very emotional."
"Four years is a long time to do anything," Russo added. "We've spent a lot of time down at this field, and when it finally hits you that it's your last game, the emotions just come out."
Evans Clinchy contributed reporting to this article.
