In a cruel twist of fate, the Penn sprint football team has suffered two demoralizing losses just as it had seemingly turned the corner.
The Quakers dropped their second game in a row Saturday, losing in convincing fashion, 45-7, to Navy in Annapolis, Md. The loss was especially painful because of the great position the team had put itself just a couple of weeks ago.
On Oct. 16, Penn defeated Army for the first time in four years. The 31-17 win was the Quakers' third in a row, and placed them in a tie atop the CSFL standings.
With the Black Knights behind them, the team seemed poised to make a run at the CSFL title that had eluded Penn since 2000.
Since then, the script has turned so sour that the Quakers are closer to the league cellar than they are to the penthouse.
The troubles began in Ithaca, N.Y., on Oct. 22. Playing against a Cornell team that they easily defeated earlier in the season, the Red and Blue battled back from an early two-touchdown deficit but lost, 34-27.
Whatever defensive shortcomings the Big Red exposed, the Quakers were unable to correct them before the Navy game, and the Midshipmen took full advantage.
The first quarter was uneventful and evenly matched, with the only points coming on a 44-yard field goal by Navy's Joey Bullen.
Unfortunately for Penn, the opening period represented something akin to the calm before the storm.
The period actually began on a positive note, as Bullen missed from 37 yards out. On the next play, Penn quarterback Mike Loguidice broke through the Navy defense for a 26-yard run. But freshman Stephen Delgado fumbled on the next play, giving the ball back to Navy.
Virtually nothing went right for the Quakers (3-2, 1-2 CSFL) for the rest of the evening.
The Midshipmen (5-0, 3-0) scored touchdowns on their next three possessions, extending their lead to 24-0 by halftime. Leading the charge was running back Amir Shareef, who scored two touchdowns.
Whatever Penn coach Bill Wagner told his players at halftime, it was not nearly enough to stop a determined Navy team.
On the opening kickoff of the second half, Navy's Trevor Garabedian-Prophet scampered 85 yards for a touchdown. Six minutes later, the Midshipmen were in the end zone again, on Shareef's third touchdown run of the game.
To their credit, the Quakers hung tough and drove 74 yards in seven plays for their first touchdown, a 33-yard run by J.T. Hutchinson.
While Navy moved one step closer to an undefeated season and a CSFL championship, Penn must find a way to come together for its final game, a Nov. 6 matchup against Princeton at Franklin Field.
PENN 0 0 0 7 -- 7Navy 3 21 14 7 -- 45
First Quarter
N -- 8:38 - Bullen 44-yd field goal
Second Quarter
N -- 9:36 - Shareef 4-yd run (Bullen kick)
N -- 5:52 - Garabedian-Prophet 9-yd run (Bullen kick)
N -- 1:32 - Shareef 9-yd run (Bullen kick)
Third Quarter
N -- 14:46 - Garabedian-Prophet 85-yd kickoff return (Bullen kick)
N -- 8:16 - Shareef 2-yd run (Bullen kick)
Fourth Quarter
N -- 8:56 - Laughery 17-yd pass from Nagle (Bullen kick)
P -- 2:32 - Hutchinson 33-yd run (Gunther kick)
