Football faces Tigers in pivotal Ivy matchup

By David Lisson

As the Bulldogs enter this weekend's game against the Tigers, they must try to keep the old adage "Princeton doesn't matter" out of their minds. Yale is currently tied with Brown for first place in the Ivy League with two games remaining in the season. Although the matchup on Sat., Nov. 13 may not be The Game, its outcome is vitally important to the team's drive for the league championship.

Although Prince-ton is only 1-4 in league play, the Bulldogs are being careful not to take the Tigers lightly. "When it comes to this game, tradition definitely comes into play," defensive end Peter Sarantos, MC '00, said. "You can pretty much disregard the wins, losses, and stats when it comes to a game like this." With traditions that stretch back farther than almost all other teams, Princeton squads always seem to find a little something extra when playing Yale or Harvard. The Cantabs found this out the hard way earlier this year, struggling before narrowly defeating the Tigers with a last-minute touchdown.

Along with strong traditions, Princeton brings a strong defense to the table. The Tigers enter the game with the league's second-best defensive squad, second only to Yale. Princeton's strong front eight is tough on opponent's running games. Defensive end David Ferrara '00 is Princeton's all-time sacks leader and one of the league's premier defensive players, having recorded 54 tackles and four sacks so far this year. He notched 67 tackles and 12 sacks last year to lead the Tigers. Princeton's confidence in Ferrara and the rest of its front eight has allowed the team to drop back its safety, causing problems for opposing passing attacks. It is against this defense that Yale quarterback Joe Walland, TD '00, will try to match last weekend's performance, for which he was named Ivy League offensive player of the week. Walland completed 24 of 33 passes for 244 yards and led the team to 30 unanswered points against Cornell, who was tied for first place in the league at the time.

On the other side of the ball, the Tigers field a much younger squad then the one that Yale faced last year. At quarterback, Tommy Crenshaw '02 has been steadily improving. "He has a pretty good arm," Sarantos said. "We need to put pressure on him and make him throw early." Halfback Marty Cheat-ham '01 has emerged as a talent in Princeton's backfield and, if allowed into the open field, is fast enough to cause trouble. As a result of a few key injuries, Princeton will be fielding many freshmen at skill positions, including wide receiver and tailback. Without All-Ivy tackle Dennis Norman '01, who is day-to-day with a sprained ankle, pass protection has been Princeton's greatest weakness.

The Bulldogs' top-ranked defense will try to exploit this weakness as much as possible. At the defensive end spot, Yale's rotating trio of Sarantos, Jeff Hockenbrock, PC '00, and Eli Kelley, PC '00, has combined for 81 tackles (25 for loss), 18 sacks and three fumbles this season. Apart from their individual stats, the strength on the ends has softened the middle, giving tackles Peter Maloney, PC '01, and Mike Reeves, SY '01, room to get to the quarterback. "The main key to stopping Princeton's attack is hard play on our part," Sarantos said. "We just have to come out swinging from the start and play ferocious defense from the start."

As with all big games, past performances are meaningless. If Princeton manages to beat Yale, they could salvage their season. A loss for the Elis would present a serious blow to any championship hopes. "This game is very significant on our end, and Princeton has virtually nothing to lose," Sarantos warned. "That makes them dangerous." The Bulldogs are two steps away from the Ivy championship, but the Tigers would like nothing more than to spoil the finish. The key to a Bulldogs victory will be to avoid looking a week ahead and to remember that Princeton does matter—at least for one day.

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