Shortly after dusk this evening, as the big boys indulge in an episode of the Simpsons and continue to relish the oh-so-sweet taste of their 10-6 victory over Dartmouth's Big Green, a collection of athletes of considerably smaller stature will take to the field in an attempt to regain some of that enigmatic Pennsylvania Pride which The U.S. News and World Report recently stole from this institute of higher learning. That's right, it's time to kick off another season of Penn lightweight football. Tonight (7:30 p.m., Franklin Field), the under 159-pound Quakers will take on a tough Princeton team in the squad's season opener. Led by coach Bill Wagner, the Quakers look to start the season off on a high note against the rival Tigers. "This team is led by several talented returning veterans," Wagner said. "In order to be successful, the experience of the veterans must filter down to create depth." The Quakers are led by senior tri-captains Keith Meschke, the starting center, tailback Tom Morrin and defensive back Kris Wappaus. Morrin, was a first-team Eastern Lightweight Football League (ELFL) performer in the backfield last season, and he has rushed for 1,308 yards during his career. Meschke, also a member of last year's ELFL first team, will anchor the offensive line. Wappaus returns after earning second-team all-league honors last season, despite playing injured throughout a good portion of the schedule. According to Wagner, the receiving corps, led by sophomore Scott Grupp, junior Michael Haraschak and senior tight end Ryan Hadrava, is exceptionally talented. The receivers hope to run circles around foes while catching the pin-point passes of junior quarterback Carmine Grecco. Furthermore, if freshman tackle Randall Cook and the other members of Penn's offensive line create a spacious pocket, Grecco should have plenty of time to spot his receivers infiltrating opposing secondaries. On the defensive side of the football, three starters from last year's secondary will return this season. Senior linebacker Greg Baker and junior LB John Grobe return to lead the linebackers. Junior defensive end Victor Hsu earned an honorable mention all-ELFL selection last year, and Wagner is confident that Hsu will be one of the team's leaders on defense. Missing from the lineup this week is defensive standout Matt Astrom. The junior defensive end earned first-team all-ELFL honors last season along with Penn's Outstanding Defensive Lineman award. Astrom sustained a minor shoulder injury, but he should be back into the lineup by the October 2 contest at reigning ELFL champion Navy. Other key returnees from last year's 1-4-1 season (1-3 EIFL) include senior Dennis McGorry, who will start on the offensive line for the third consecutive year. Jeff Mensch, a multi-faceted senior who can play linebacker or the defensive line, is considered a key component of the defense. Also, Dan St. Pierre, a senior jack-of-all-trades who received honorable mention from the ELFL last season for his play on both the defensive and offensive lines will see significant time this year. With all the players returning for the Quakers, one would think that Penn could contend for the ELFL title. While Wagner would like nothing more than for that to happen, he has more modest goals for the team. "Come November, I could be satisfied with a 3-3 season, although I am sure that probably two of those losses will be games that we could have won," Wagner said. "Should we win those, we will emerge as contenders in the ELFL, and that is always a solid goal." In order for the team to achieve such lofty expectations, Wagner believes that the younger players on the team must learn from the more-experienced veterans. "It takes both talent and depth to win at this level," Wagner said. "And though this team is talented, it may take a few weeks for the newer players to gain enough experience to begin winning some ball games." In last season's losses, the team was hurt by mental mistakes leading to crucial turnovers at key points in the game. As far as tonight's game against Princeton is concerned, both Wagner and the team feel that the Quakers could come away with a win if they play smart football. "If we can avoid mistakes, such as interceptions, fumbles or blocked kicks, we should be able to beat Princeton," Wagner said. Overall, during the 62 years of the Penn-Princeton lightweight football rivalry, the Quakers are 23-38-2, including a respectable 1-0-1 record in the two meetings last season. The two teams meet twice this season, with a rematch of tonight's contest on October 29 at Princeton. The 1993 schedule is composed of six contests, including both home and away contests against Princeton and Navy. The Quakers also take on Cornell at Franklin Field and Army on the road. At any rate, it is a short season, and Wagner feels that the team must perform at a high level for each game. "In order to contend for the title at the end of the season, we must concentrate during each contest to maximize our opportunities," Wagner said. "The key players must avoid injury, and the leaders must strive to keep morale high."
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.