Football Rolls Over Tufts in Season Finale

Author: Neil Onsdorff

Think Head Coach Bob Ritter was happy with the way his team finished the season? "We were clearly the more focused, motivated and determined team as we played our best football game of the season this afternoon,"answered a modest Ritter after the game. The Middlebury Panthers capped their season with a crushing defeat of the Tufts Jumbos, 31-6 in front of a packed house at Alumni Stadium.
The game resulted in the end of the football careers of 14 seniors who, for the past four years, have left their mark on Middlebury football. No person has left more of a mark than Denver Smith '03, however. On the first play from scrimmage Smith hauled in a 10-yard pass reception from quarterback Michael Keenan '05 to set the school's all-time receiving yards record. In this win alone, Smith had 10 catches for 143 yards, amassing an astonishing total of 1,760 yards in his career — the most in the program's 109-year history.
"It was great to get the record out of the way early, but really I was more concerned with leaving the field a winner," said Smith. "We as a team fired on all cylinders and played a fantastic game. It just goes to show that we had the potential and the talent to play great all season. I am glad that we were able to showcase it during the seniors' and our team's last game."
Not satisfied by just having the record, Smith opened the scoring in the game. On a fourth-and-nine punting situation from Middlebury's own 33-yard line, Smith carried out a gutsy fake punt to perfection and maneuvered 60 yards, using great moves to give the Panthers a 7-0 lead.
Tufts, merely looking not to be embarrassed by a shutout, struck back on its next drive, using a 51-yard pass to bring the team within scoring position. However, a huge pass deflection on three and goal from the two-yard line by linebacker Rich Decembrele '05 ended the touchdown threat. Tufts had to settle for a field goal, leaving the score at 7-3 in Middlebury's favor.
On Tufts' next drive, its offense yielded the first of its four turnovers on the day when dime back Ernie Miller '03 made a great sideline catch and a big Middlebury interception. Middlebury responded by going on an 11-play, 77-yard offensive clinic, which culminated with a Middlebury score on a two-yard option play in which Keenan dove in between two Tufts defenders for the score.
Miller came up big again on the next Tufts drive as he intercepted his second pass of the day and ripped any confidence out of the Tufts sideline. Evidence of this could be seen on the Jumbos next drive, as they coughed up the ball for a third time in the half when safety Craig Schuette '03 laid a huge hit on an unsuspecting running back. His partner in crime, defensive back Pat Allen '03, easily recovered the loose ball.
Two plays and nine seconds later, the Panthers scored again as running back William Lazzaro '03 ran 13 yards and back-up running back Matt Wolf '04 completed the drive with a two-yard score, giving the Panthers a commanding 21-3 lead.
As the second half opened, Tufts, which was looking to add to a late first half field goal, essentially ended the game when their quarterback threw up an errant pass as he was being dragged to the ground. The pass went right to Middlebury defensive back Craig Pitman '04 for an interception and the Panthers' fourth defensive recovery of the day.
Middlebury, going for the throat, marched 56-yards, 53 of which came by way of the legs of running back Lazzaro. He finished the drive with a one-yard run and the Panthers added to their total, leaving the score at 28-6. Middlebury finished the scoring when place kicker Mike Frissora '03 hit a 35-yard field goal giving the Panthers 31 points for the day.
After the game Coach Ritter said, "It was a great feeling to watch the seniors walk off the field smiling on Saturday, in a season that has been marked by both great victories and painful defeats."
Perhaps more than any other aspect of this weeken's performance, Ritter was especially proud of the effort made by the senior class that has been the cornerstone to this season's sucesses.
"Saturday's victory was a testament to both the resolve of the entire program as well as the outstanding leadership we have received from our seniors and captains all season," said Ritter.
On his reflections for next season Coach Ritter said, "While we will surely miss our seniors, we are all looking forward to building on our success in the off-season and preparing for the 2003 campaign."
Like most of this year's fall sports teams, football is blessed with a talented and determined young crop of players. Though the team will lose key assetts in their four captains and unusually strong senior class, it is confident that the underclassmen will step-up to next season's challenge.