Finding Extracurriculars for YOU
As I was deciding which college to apply to, Tufts checked all my boxes like no other. A huge part of what I wanted in a school was to have various…
Fantasy Football
Tufts is undefeated in football! The Jumbos defeated Hamilton 24-17 on Saturday afternoon, snapping a 31-game losing streak dating back to 2010 as a huge crowd of 3,500+ cheered from the stands at Zimman Field.
It was a thrilling game. Sophomore running back Chance Brady gave Tufts an early lead with a rushing touchdown late in the first quarter. Minutes later, the Tufts defense stopped Hamilton on fourth and goal at the 2-yard line. Wow, I thought, our fortunes are shifting…
The score was tied at seven when wide receiver Mike Rando grabbed a punt return and sprinted 67 yards to the Hamilton 16. The resulting field goal made it 10-7, a lead the Jumbos never surrendered in this opening game of the 2014 season.
At the half, Tufts lead 16-7. The tailgates were buzzing.
A win was in the air as the 4th quarter began. I sat in the top row of the bleachers near the 30-yard line and held my breath. (The women’s lacrosse coach is my witness.) With 13 minutes to go, a pass interference call against Hamilton gave Tufts a first and goal; a rushing TD and a two-point conversion lifted Tufts to a 24-10 lead.
The Continentals were tenacious and they battled back. A late Hamilton TD made it 24-17 and an on-side kick was imminent. When Tufts recovered it with less than a minute to play, the victory was secured.
As the Jumbo quarterback took a knee, something unexpected happened. Zimman Field erupted. A Jumbo stampede was underway as students stormed the field in a jubilant celebration four years in the making. It felt like we'd just a championship. After 1,406 days without a football win, maybe we had.
In my 11 years at Tufts, I don’t think I’ve witnessed a more electric moment on this campus. Hundreds of ecstatic students were screaming with joy as a knot of white helmets bounced up and down in the middle of the happy melee. The loudspeaker boomed, “Tufts is 1 and o!!” The crowd on the field and in the stands roared.
And that’s when I noticed I was crying. (It wasn’t a big boo-hoo but I’ll admit it, my cheeks were wet.) As the admissions liaison to Tufts football, I’d vetted each of the players’ applications. So I guess you could say I had a personal connection to the team and its fate. I cried for the seniors who’d never won a game during this longer-than-expected rebuilding effort. I cried for all the guys who enrolled at Tufts— despite the losing streak—because they wanted to participate in the renaissance of Tufts football.
But, mostly, I was really happy for my friend, Jay Civetti. Yes, it’s only one win. Yes, there’s a long season ahead. But every winning streak begins with one win. And this coach—this really good guy—deserved to get a "W" on his coaching stat sheet.
Now he has one.
