Contributing Writer
This week the Springfield College football team fell 4-3 as they lost to Merchant Marine last Saturday 22-21. Kings Point eagerly managed to slip away as they scored a touchdown with less than three minutes to go in the game. Rather than kicking the extra point to tie the game up in hopes of clutching the win in overtime,Merchant Marines gutsy play call to go for two points turned somewhat savvy as they their tight end caught a pass in the back right of the end zone to gain a one point advantage for the win. This 4th quarter loss broke the Pride’s two conference- game win streak and was a devastating but not defining blow for the squad.
As Springfield College Homecoming approaches, the Pride plan to bounce back during this week’s big conference home game against St. Lawrence. Due to all the events taking place on campus this weekend, plus some alumni coming up, there should be a good sum of spectators rallied at the game. Although this should be nice, this is one of the last things on football players and coaches’ minds at this point. Last weeks’ loss has placed a chip on these athletes’ shoulders and has given the team a hunger like no other to come home with a dub this showdown.
Being a veteran in his field, head coach Mike Delong has been in tight spots like this before and knows it’s one they’ll have to fight to get out of. Offensive coordinator coach Cerasuolo will be working the offense into one of their hardest practices as defensive coordinator Jack Holik shall properly prepare the defensive front for all possible situational looks in the game. St. Lawrence has begun to make a name for theirselves as they are still undefeated in the conference and fall somewhere within top national rankings.
The pride merely embraces this as an opportunity to once again make a statement by competing with and beating one of the best out there. After such a detrimental loss to Kings Point there is not one person in the locker room who can stand to wait any longer until this next exhibition. However, there is also a one-ness within the team right now which they must correct past mistakes now in order to succeed later.
As a result, high tempo reps and more communication on the field has ve been an emphasis amongst the Pride’s gameplanning for this week. Now we will simply have to wait and see what lies ahead for the Pride this Saturday as they take on their biggest opponent yet for homecoming. This should be a game to remember.