Crimson Chronicles

Game 1 vs. Holy Cross 9/19/08

The Harvard Crimson kicked off another season of football in thrilling fashion as they rallied from a 24-12 deficit in the fourth quarter to post a 25-24 win against Holy Cross at Harvard Stadium on Friday night. Harvard went up 3-0 on their first possession when Patrick Long hit a 29-yard field goal but the Crusaders came right back to take the lead when Dominic Randolph hit Jon Brock on a 9-yard pass to cap of seven play, 48-yard drive. On the ensuing kickoff, Harvard got great field position on Andrew Berry’s return, setting up shop at their own 40. Chris Pizzotti connected o three passes before the drive stalled and the Crimson had to settle for another 29-yard field goal from Long to make the score 7-6 Holy Cross.

Moving into the second quarter, the Crusaders embarked on a lengthy, time-consuming drive that culminated in Matt Partain’s 24-yard field goal. On the next possession, Michael Wright picked off Pizzotti’s pass at Harvard’s 40 and returned it to the 18. A pass interference call against the Crimson put the ball on their call line and two plays later, Terrance Gass banged it in to give the Crusaders a 17-6 lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, Holy Cross was sitting on Harvard’s goal line looking to put the game away when Randolph was sacked and fumbled the ball. Eric Harris recovered the ball and brought it back to the 15. After Pizzotti found Luft for 13, he hooked up with Iannuzzi on a 68-yard touchdown strike. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but Harvard was back in the game at 17-12. Holy Cross was forced to punt on the next possession, but Iannuzzi fumbled the ball and the Crusaders’ Ty Shaw recovered at the Harvard 26. Randolph hit on two passes, taking the ball to the 1 before going in on a keeper to make it 24-12. Starting at the 34, Gino Gordon carried on four straight plays for 37 yards. Pizzotti then hit Luft on a 28-yard pass play and found the end zone on a keeper three plays later. The extra point was good and Harvard was now only down by five points. After the Crusaders went three-and-out on the next possession, the Crimson started their drive at their 40. Pizzotti found Chris Lorditch four separate times, taking the ball to the Crusaders’ 20. After a penalty against Holy Cross moved the ball five yards, Gino Gordon rumbled up the middle to the 2. Two players later, Pizzotti took it in again for the go ahead touchdown! The two-point conversion failed and the Crusaders got one more crack at Harvard’s defense with 1:35 remaining on the clock.
Starting at their 25, they were faced with a fourth and four at the 31 when Randolph hit Freddie Santana for a first down. As the clock wound down to the final seconds, Randolph was looking at a fourth and 12 at the 35 when he connected with Nick Cole far short of the first down marker, and the Crimson won in a thriller.

Next week, it’s a visit to Brown.

Game Balls:
Gino Gordon, Marco Iannuzzi, Chris Pizzotti and Eric Harris.