For the first time in almost five years, the Hopkins football team lost a regular season game. The unparalleled 45-game regular season winning streak was snapped this weekend in an epic showdown against the Ursinus College Bears, with the Blue Jays falling 21-17 in Collegeville, Pa.
The Bears got off to a hot start just two plays after receiving the opening kickoff. Following a seven-yard run on the first play of the game, Ursinus quarterback Thomas Garlick found wide receiver Carmen Fortino downfield, who ran 67 yards into the end zone to put Ursinus on the board just 50 seconds after kickoff.
Staying composed, the Blue Jays responded quickly and effectively with an 11-play, 80-yard drive topped off by a nine-yard strike from sophomore quarterback David Tammaro to senior wide receiver Brett Caggiano.
The score remained as such until early in the second quarter, when the Jays recovered the Bears’ fumble to get the ball in Ursinus territory; eight plays and 19 yards later, senior kicker Jamie Sullivan knocked in a 40-yard field goal to give Hopkins their first lead of the game.
Sullivan got a second field goal attempt soon thereafter, but could not convert, missing out on an additional three points for the Blue Jays. The two teams traded punts back and forth until the half ended with the score held at 10-7 in favor of Hopkins.
Receiving the ball in the second half, Hopkins went three-and-out, once again giving the Bears the early momentum at the start of the third quarter.
The Bears capitalized with a four-play, 75-yard drive with 26 and 34-yard throws by Garlick, capped off by a two-yard run from running back Stacey Gardner that took just over a minute to complete. Ursinus put themselves back in the lead at 14-10.
Ursinus continued to build momentum as they picked off Tammaro’s pass in the first play of the Jays’ next possession.
The Blue Jay defense remained stout and forced the Bears’ kicker Alex DeSpirito to attempt a 30-yard field goal that sailed wide, keeping the score at 14-10.
DeSpirito got another chance early in the fourth quarter, this time from 37 yards out, but this kick was also unsuccessful.
The Jays retook possession and marched 80 yards in 13 plays to reclaim the lead at 17-14 after a one-yard rush from Tammaro.
With just over five minutes left in the game, Ursinus took the ball from their own 26 and ran down the clock with an effective running game.
They also had help from a 15-yard penalty against the Blue Jays after the Bears converted on a crucial third down and 15 yards.
Ursinus continued to make their way down to the Jays’ nine yard line. From there, Garlick ran the ball into the end zone with just 20 seconds left on the clock. This would prove to be the deciding score.
The Jays could not find the end zone in their desperate attempts at the end of game, giving the Bears the win and handing Hopkins their first regular season loss since 2012 against Franklin & Marshall.
The loss was a role-reversal from what the Blue Jays have been accustomed to this season.
In the first two games of the season for the Jays, they managed to overcome deficits in the final seconds of regulation to either tie the game or take the lead, so they got a taste of their own medicine against the Bears.
“It was a great game that came down to the wire,” junior offensive lineman Zack Toussaint said. “We have to hand it to Ursinus for coming out with the win, but for us, we still have the whole season ahead of us and our goals haven’t changed. Now our attention is fully turned towards Franklin & Marshall.”
Tammaro finished 20 for 41 passing with 258 yards and a touchdown, 94 of those yards going to junior wide receiver Luke McFadden on his six catches. Running back Ryan Cary contributed a season-high 97 yards on the ground, as well as 51 yards in the receiving game.
For the Bears, Garlick was 11 for 22 passing with 247 yards through the air, as well as 104 yards in the run game. Fortino netted 111 yards on three catches while wide receiver Jonathan Gerhartz finished with 93 yards on two grabs.
While the game was disappointing for the Hopkins team, the real test will be to see how they bounce back from the loss.
“It’s tough to lose, especially since it’s such an unfamiliar feeling, but how we bounce back will define our team,” senior defensive back Michael Munday said. “We know what we are capable of and are a confident group, so I am excited to see how we bounce back.”
The winning streak had to come to an end at some point, so the Jays can take this opportunity to start a new streak and they will need it if they wish to win their seventh consecutive Centennial Conference title.
Hopkins will return home this weekend after two straight weeks on the road as they face off against Centennial Conference foe Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. on Homewood Field.
