Penn sprint football met Cornell this last Friday for a frigid season closer. While the air might have been cold and crisp, the play on the field was a hot mess.
The Big Red (1-7, 0-4 CSFL North) took down the Quakers 31-14 on their senior night. After being tied at the beginning of the second quarter, the Big Red snagged a lead that it never let up for the rest of the evening.
Winning the toss, the Red and Blue (2-6, 0-4 CSFL South) hoped to take the momentum early, but the game would draw to a standstill after early punts by both teams. Midway through the quarter, Penn’s young offense would be the first to break through the defensive dominance. On the second drive, freshman linebacker Luke Sharp threw his first-recorded touchdown on a 36-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Jason Sheairs.
With energy mounting, the Quakers recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, starting the next play at the Cornell 38-yard line. As would become a recurring theme of the match, though, Penn failed to capitalize on the opportunity, sailing a fourth-down deep-shot out of bounds.
The cracks in the Quaker offense began to show in the second quarter. While the Big Red continued their punting streak, the Quakers would follow up with multiple fumbles and interceptions. The ladder, on a deep Sharp chuck, sparked a methodical 67-yard drive that led to Cornell’s first points of the game, tying up the game 7-7. Along the way, though, a key development occurred off the record books.
In a moment that personified the season, senior linebacker Gavin Griswold, visibly injured, quickly carried himself to the sideline.
“They never quit,” coach Jerry McConnell said. “We lost 12 starters over the course of the year to injuries, and that impacts you over time."
In sprint football, a sport where roster depth is an incredible asset, the loss of yet another defensive pillar was immense. Through a battle of sheer grit and persistence, Griswold’s trek, to many, looked no different than a simple substitution — keeping morale high and the focus on the field.
“We’ve had a ton of injuries,” senior wide receiver Jake Wang said. “We had six guys playing both ways, so we had no choice but to dig deep and keep fighting.”
In their subsequent offensive series, the Quakers were unable to match the rushing efficiency of the Big Red, who forced a fourth and long early in the drive. From deep inside Red and Blue territory, a Cornell rush hit home, blocking freshman punter Ezra Granet’s kick. Capitalizing quickly, the Bears scored for a second time and took a 14-7 lead.
With the final seconds of the half winding down, Sharp attempted to force a pass and was intercepted for a second time. Due to a penalty, though, Cornell was backed up far enough to keep them out of the endzone as the remaining time in the half ticked off the clock. The frustration and tension amongst the Red and Blue were palpable.
Exiting the half, the Quaker defense struggled to stop the pacing Cornell offense. Penn caught a late break in sophomore linebacker Colin Cross’ interception of a deflected pass at just the 3-yard line. Unfortunately, a stalled Quaker offense led to a quick punt from inside their own endzone. Yet again, the Big Red rush hit home, blocking Granet’s kick and recovering the ball inside the endzone to make the score 21-7.
A muffed punt by the Bears would breathe life back into this devastated offense. On the following play, junior defensive back Josh Johnson found Wang on a 33-yard pass over the goal line.
The one-score 21-14 game stood for the rest of the quarter until Cornell drove to score another field goal and later capitalized on an interception with a game-sealing touchdown.
The most notable thing about Friday had nothing to do with particular gameplay, strategy, or even the stints of icy flurry. What truly defined that night was the celebration of what it took to get there, and what the program meant to the players.
“I'm just so proud to represent my family's name in the city that my grandfather settled down in,” Wang said. “Penn sprint football has given me everything, both on the field and off the field, to succeed and just be me.”
As one season closes, another marks its beginning. Although this season was far from smooth-sailing, coach McConnell is optimistic about the potential for the team’s return in 2026.
“We had eight seniors graduate … and you can never truly replace them,” McConnell said. “But we’re excited about the future.”
