The football team was in command of Saturday's season finale against Middlebury for all but two seconds. Unfortunately for the Jumbos, those two seconds were the last of the game.
Sophomore running back RemiAshkar — who was named the NESCAC's Offensive Player of the Week — scored on a 1−yard run with two seconds remaining, sending Tufts to a heartbreaking 19−17 defeat that concluded its frustrating season at 0−8. But the defensive performance against one of the conference's most prolific offenses leaves hope for the future.
Middlebury entered averaging over 400 total offensive yards per game and an impressive 29.7 points per game, ranking first in the NESCAC in both of those categories. The Jumbos' defense would be tested all game, and the unit took to the challenge, holding the Panthers scoreless through three quarters of play.
The defensive performance by the Jumbos can be best described by the phrase "bend but don't break," and Middlebury's first drive was a clear example. Sophomore quarterback McCallum Foote, who led the NESCAC in passing yards by a wide margin entering the game, converted on three critical third−down situations to keep the drive alive. However, when the Panthers reached the 4−yard line, the Jumbos defense shut down Middlebury on three straight plays to force a turnover on downs.
"[It was] a big credit to the offense," senior tri−captainJ.T. Rinciari said. "The game plan coach [Jay] Civetti had was incredible. They kept Middlebury's offense, their talented quarterback and wide receivers off the field because our offense ate up the clock. We had big plays, big interceptions, big stops."
Unfortunately, the defense finally broke on the game's final drive, one that ultimately sent Tufts packing without a win this season. Middlebury took over with 4:32 remaining and proceeded to march 79 yards down the field, aided by a 4th−and−10 conversion from the Tufts 40. With two seconds remaining on 4th−and−goal from the 1−yard line, Ashkar punched it in for the victory.
Up until that point, the Jumbos were rolling. They wasted no time putting points on the board on the first drive of the game, capped off by a 13−yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Johnny Lindquist to junior tight end Nick Kenyon.
Shortly thereafter, senior kicker Adam Auerbach punctuated an 89−yard drive that ate up almost 13 minutes of clock with a 24−yard field goal that gave him Tufts' all−time record. On the drive, sophomore running back Ryan Pollock accumulated 37 of his team−high 104 rushing yards — his first time over the century mark this season.
Later in the second quarter, the Panthers caught a break on a botched snap in Jumbos territory and drove to the 1−yard line. Middlebury, however, was unable to convert, as a critical goal−line stand sent Tufts into halftime fired up and riding a 10−0 lead.
"For a team averaging 30 points per game, to keep them scoreless going into the half was huge. It was good defensive football," Rinciari said. "It was a confidence booster for our defense going into the half."
Middlebury came out of the break reinvigorated, driving the ball down to the Tufts 29−yard line on only eight plays. It looked as though the Panthers would pull back into the game, but junior linebacker Kyle Weller thwarted their momentum by intercepting a dangerous Foote throw over the middle of the field.
Despite a beautiful 27−yard pass to junior wideout Dylan Haas, who finished the game with a team−high 91 receiving yards, Tufts punted back to the Panthers. The Jumbos' defense, however, stood tall once again, forcing another turnover on downs inside the red zone.
The Panthers finally got on the board on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 2−yard rushing touchdown by Ashkar. After dominating three quarters of play, the Jumbos found themselves only up by three points.
Lindquist would respond convincingly, however. On a 3rd−and−long situation, Lindquist was forced out of the pocket and rolled out to the right. It appeared to be a broken play that would result in a sack, but Lindquist floated the ball downfield and hit a wide open Haas for a 35−yard touchdown.
Lindquist was extremely efficient in his final start at Tufts, completing 14 of 19 pass attempts for 152 yards and two touchdowns, by far his best outing of the fall.
"He really showed his leadership skills," senior defensive tackle Ian Levinsky said. "He really rallied the troops so to say when he did this, and it was a great day for him."
Senior linebacker Zack Skarzynski left the game early due to injury, but not before posting five tackles, cementing him as the NESCAC tackles leader with 97 tackles.
Although it was a disappointing loss for the Jumbos on Senior Day, their play was enough to make coaches, parents and fans proud. Nonetheless, the scene at Zimman Field after the game was bittersweet.
"It was extremely emotional, four years playing in college all culminating [in this moment], and all the time spent together as a team," Levinsky said. "Being a part of a football team is the epicenter of your college career; it was really sad for all of us."
