Harvard Stuns Yale, 22-21

NEW HAVEN, Conn.--The scenario was familiar: Harvard's defense had just yielded a morale-crushing score in the final minutes of a closely-contested football game. Yale tailback Kena Heffernan's two-yard dive into the end zone with 1:39 to play in the game seemed a fitting end to a lost Harvard season.

After the ensuing kick-off, which senior Kweli Thompson returned to the Harvard 38-yard line, the Crimson offense embarked on The Drive.

Trailing 21-16, senior quarterback Vin Ferrara--having been benched after throwing an interception early in the third quarter--re-entered the game with 1:34 remaining at Harvard's 38-yard line. On first-and-10, the veteran signal-caller completed a sideline pass to junior tight end Andy Laurence for a gain of 19 yards to the Yale 43-yard line.

With the clock running, Ferrara found senior tight end Adam Golla for five yards on an out pattern. Then, on second-and-five, the Crimson finally got the break it had been looking for all season. Ferrara overthrew junior tailback Eion Hu--the ball tipped off Hu's hands, ricocheted off a Yale defender and into Golla's well-positioned lap.

This "Immaculate Reception" moved the chains to the Yale 15-yard line, where on first down, Ferrara hooked up with senior flanker Mike Halligan for an 11-yard gain to the Yale four, setting up a first-and-goal situation with less than one minute remaining.

Sophomore quarterback Jay Snowden--who had relieved Ferrara mid-way through the third period--replaced the Jess-mobile Ferrara to run the Crimson's goal-line offense.

After Snowden was dropped in the backfield for a three-yard loss on first down, Harvard called its second time-out with 45 seconds to play. On second down and goal from the Yale seven, Snowden plunged over the left side of the offensive line, diving forward to the two-yard line. With 34 ticks remaining on the clock, the Crimson spent its final timeout of the game.

On third down, Harvard again went to the option--Snowden pitched to Hu, who burst into the Yale end zone, powering behind sophomore left tackle Matt Birk and senior left guard Dan Vereb to give the Crimson the go-ahead score and a 22-21 victory at the Yale Bowl.

"I can't explain how happy I am," senior captain Justin Frantz said of his first career win against Yale. "Everyone came up big today. I can't describe the feeling."

If nothing else, the 112th playing of The Game on a rainy, almost surreal Saturday afternoon was a testament to the resiliency, pride and character of the Harvard football team.

The beleaguered Crimson, winless entering the annual finale against the Elis, thrice fought back from second-half deficits en route to perhaps the most emotional win in recent Harvard history. Indeed, Harvard's comeback victory on its final possession was especially significant in light of the tremendous amount of adversity confronting the team.

"You wouldn't believe how every week we'd go through heart-breaking losses and the guys would come back the next day and battle," Ferrara said.

"The bottom line was that our kids refused to lose," Harvard coach Tim Murphy said.

Trailing 9-7, Harvard began the second half with the ball on its own 35-yard line. After a nine-yard pass from Ferrara to sophomore wide-out Colby Skelton, Hu carried the ball 13 yards on second-and-one to the Eli 43-yard line.

Then, on the subsequent first down, Harvard's offensive line opened up a gaping hole, enabling Hu to drive ahead for a 17-yard gain to the Yale 26. Two Ferrara incompletions sand-wiched around a Hu four-yard gain set up a Ryan Korinke 40-yard field goal--only his second of the season. The seven-play drive, 42-yard drive put the Crimson back on top, 10-9, with 12:07 to play in the third quarter.

Yale, returning the following kick-off to its own 30, methodically drove to the Crimson 23-yard line, before quarterback Chris Hetherington was hit on the option and fumbled. The loose pigskin was recovered by senior safety Kevin Dwan, halting the Eli drive.

"I was pretty happy," Dwan said. "For us defensively, this has been a long time coming."

The Harvard offense, taking over at Harvard  22 Yale  21

its own 24, picked up one first down, behind the strong running of Hu. But on third down and seven from the Harvard 41, Ferrara forced an ill advised pass into double coverage which was picked off by Eli defensive back Mark Wallrapp and returned to the Crimson eight-yard line.

One play later, Ferrara's Yale counterpart scampered into the end zone for a touchdown. Following the Hetherington eight-yard run, Yale missed its second point-after attempt of the game and had to settle for a 15-10 lead.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy, trailing by five, gambled midway through the third quarter, inserting Snowden at quarterback. Early in the fourth period, the coach's gamble paid off. With 12:44 remaining, the Harvard offense took over at its own 31 yard-line. The Crimson converted on third down, when Hu powered his way to the Harvard 41. After that it was all "Big Play" Jay.

"Jay Snowden stepped up and showed his leadership skills [down the stretch]," Frantz said.

Snowden, throwing on first down, hit Skelton on a 16-yard pass play to the Yale 43. Three plays later, on a critical fourth and two, Snowden ran the option and lunged ahead for the first down. After an incompletion, Hu powered ahead for nine yards on a pancake block by senior fullback Rob Dlugos.

"There were always holes wherever I went," Hu said of his blockers--Dlugos and the offensive line. "[They] did a spectacular job and brought it up much more today than they have all season."

The Crimson offense again converted on third-and-short--Hu carried the ball to the Yale 21. A Snowden four-yard keeper, followed by another Hu burst, drove the Crimson to the Eli 5. On first down and goal, Snowden carried the ball into the end zone, hurdling a defender, to cap a 14-play, 69-yard drive. Leading by a mere point, 16-15, Murphy wisely elected to go for the two-point conversion--unfortunately Hu was stopped in the backfield.

After the Harvard "D" held Yale to three-and-out, the Crimson offense took over on its own 35 yard-line.

"We stepped it up a notch today [defensively]," Frantz said. "We stopped Hetherington pretty well and we knew that's what we needed to coming into the game."

But on first-and-10, Snowden's pass to Andy Laurence deflected off the tight end's hands and was picked off by Yale cornerback Rob Masella on the Crimson 40 yard line. The Harvard defense shot itself in the foot with two uncharacteristic and costly offsides penalties, one on third down and long, enabling Yale to convert on fourth and inches at the Crimson 28-yard line.

Two plays later, a 12-yard Kena Heffernan scamper gave the Elis a first down on the Crimson 13. Yale then converted on third and seven from the Harvard 10 on a Hetherington completion to Jesse Steinfeldt at the two-yard line. A play later, running back Heffernan plunged in from two yards out, regaining the lead, 21-16, with 1:39 remaining.

Which, of course, marked the beginning of the Crimson's final drive.

"This is the stuff that legends are made of," Murphy said. "There's something about this game--everything's intensified."

"This doesn't make up for the whole season, but it does," Hu said. "It's a great feeling for new."

After so much pain and so much heartache, it is a great feeling.

HARVARD, 22-21at the Yale BowlHarvard  7  0  3  12  --  22Yale  0  9  6  6  --  2

its own 24, picked up one first down, behind the strong running of Hu. But on third down and seven from the Harvard 41, Ferrara forced an ill advised pass into double coverage which was picked off by Eli defensive back Mark Wallrapp and returned to the Crimson eight-yard line.

One play later, Ferrara's Yale counterpart scampered into the end zone for a touchdown. Following the Hetherington eight-yard run, Yale missed its second point-after attempt of the game and had to settle for a 15-10 lead.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy, trailing by five, gambled midway through the third quarter, inserting Snowden at quarterback. Early in the fourth period, the coach's gamble paid off. With 12:44 remaining, the Harvard offense took over at its own 31 yard-line. The Crimson converted on third down, when Hu powered his way to the Harvard 41. After that it was all "Big Play" Jay.

"Jay Snowden stepped up and showed his leadership skills [down the stretch]," Frantz said.

Snowden, throwing on first down, hit Skelton on a 16-yard pass play to the Yale 43. Three plays later, on a critical fourth and two, Snowden ran the option and lunged ahead for the first down. After an incompletion, Hu powered ahead for nine yards on a pancake block by senior fullback Rob Dlugos.

"There were always holes wherever I went," Hu said of his blockers--Dlugos and the offensive line. "[They] did a spectacular job and brought it up much more today than they have all season."

The Crimson offense again converted on third-and-short--Hu carried the ball to the Yale 21. A Snowden four-yard keeper, followed by another Hu burst, drove the Crimson to the Eli 5. On first down and goal, Snowden carried the ball into the end zone, hurdling a defender, to cap a 14-play, 69-yard drive. Leading by a mere point, 16-15, Murphy wisely elected to go for the two-point conversion--unfortunately Hu was stopped in the backfield.

After the Harvard "D" held Yale to three-and-out, the Crimson offense took over on its own 35 yard-line.

"We stepped it up a notch today [defensively]," Frantz said. "We stopped Hetherington pretty well and we knew that's what we needed to coming into the game."

But on first-and-10, Snowden's pass to Andy Laurence deflected off the tight end's hands and was picked off by Yale cornerback Rob Masella on the Crimson 40 yard line. The Harvard defense shot itself in the foot with two uncharacteristic and costly offsides penalties, one on third down and long, enabling Yale to convert on fourth and inches at the Crimson 28-yard line.

Two plays later, a 12-yard Kena Heffernan scamper gave the Elis a first down on the Crimson 13. Yale then converted on third and seven from the Harvard 10 on a Hetherington completion to Jesse Steinfeldt at the two-yard line. A play later, running back Heffernan plunged in from two yards out, regaining the lead, 21-16, with 1:39 remaining.

Which, of course, marked the beginning of the Crimson's final drive.

"This is the stuff that legends are made of," Murphy said. "There's something about this game--everything's intensified."

"This doesn't make up for the whole season, but it does," Hu said. "It's a great feeling for new."

After so much pain and so much heartache, it is a great feeling.

HARVARD, 22-21at the Yale BowlHarvard  7  0  3  12  --  22Yale  0  9  6  6  --  2

One play later, Ferrara's Yale counterpart scampered into the end zone for a touchdown. Following the Hetherington eight-yard run, Yale missed its second point-after attempt of the game and had to settle for a 15-10 lead.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy, trailing by five, gambled midway through the third quarter, inserting Snowden at quarterback. Early in the fourth period, the coach's gamble paid off. With 12:44 remaining, the Harvard offense took over at its own 31 yard-line. The Crimson converted on third down, when Hu powered his way to the Harvard 41. After that it was all "Big Play" Jay.

"Jay Snowden stepped up and showed his leadership skills [down the stretch]," Frantz said.

Snowden, throwing on first down, hit Skelton on a 16-yard pass play to the Yale 43. Three plays later, on a critical fourth and two, Snowden ran the option and lunged ahead for the first down. After an incompletion, Hu powered ahead for nine yards on a pancake block by senior fullback Rob Dlugos.

"There were always holes wherever I went," Hu said of his blockers--Dlugos and the offensive line. "[They] did a spectacular job and brought it up much more today than they have all season."

The Crimson offense again converted on third-and-short--Hu carried the ball to the Yale 21. A Snowden four-yard keeper, followed by another Hu burst, drove the Crimson to the Eli 5. On first down and goal, Snowden carried the ball into the end zone, hurdling a defender, to cap a 14-play, 69-yard drive. Leading by a mere point, 16-15, Murphy wisely elected to go for the two-point conversion--unfortunately Hu was stopped in the backfield.

After the Harvard "D" held Yale to three-and-out, the Crimson offense took over on its own 35 yard-line.

"We stepped it up a notch today [defensively]," Frantz said. "We stopped Hetherington pretty well and we knew that's what we needed to coming into the game."

But on first-and-10, Snowden's pass to Andy Laurence deflected off the tight end's hands and was picked off by Yale cornerback Rob Masella on the Crimson 40 yard line. The Harvard defense shot itself in the foot with two uncharacteristic and costly offsides penalties, one on third down and long, enabling Yale to convert on fourth and inches at the Crimson 28-yard line.

Two plays later, a 12-yard Kena Heffernan scamper gave the Elis a first down on the Crimson 13. Yale then converted on third and seven from the Harvard 10 on a Hetherington completion to Jesse Steinfeldt at the two-yard line. A play later, running back Heffernan plunged in from two yards out, regaining the lead, 21-16, with 1:39 remaining.

Which, of course, marked the beginning of the Crimson's final drive.

"This is the stuff that legends are made of," Murphy said. "There's something about this game--everything's intensified."

"This doesn't make up for the whole season, but it does," Hu said. "It's a great feeling for new."

After so much pain and so much heartache, it is a great feeling.

HARVARD, 22-21at the Yale BowlHarvard  7  0  3  12  --  22Yale  0  9  6  6  --  2