PU goes OT to remain perfect

Kicks make difference in latest Tiger football win

By: Justin Feil
   At home with the chance to start with the ball in the second overtime and put all the pressure on the Princeton University football team, Colgate University elected to go for the two-point conversion and the win Saturday.
   Instead, it was the Tigers who celebrated after the risky call as Connor Louden’s point after turned out to be the winning points in a 27-26 overtime victory.
   Tom Methvin tackled Colgate quarterback Mike Saraceno immediately on the draw play and the Tigers earned their first sweep of three Patriot League teams since 1997 and first 4-0 start since 1995. Princeton will host Brown 7 p.m. Friday at Princeton Stadium.
   Princeton quarterback Jeff Terrell enjoyed his finest day for the Orange and Black with 293 yards passing and a touchdown. He also ran in the Tigers’ score in overtime on a determined 4-yard keeper. Rob Toresco had the other touchdown for Princeton, which survived two costly fumbles, one of which led to Colgate’s first touchdown of the day and the other of which prevented the Tigers from putting the game a little farther out of reach in the fourth quarter.
   Three of Princeton’s four wins have come on the road, and this may have been the most impressive. Colgate had not lost to the Tigers at home since 1997, and have lost just once at home to an Ivy League team in the last 11 years. They are 13-2 in that span now. Colgate, picked to win the Patriot League, fell to 2-3 overall.
   The win was the second in overtime in three years to be decided by a single point. Princeton also won by a point at Columbia in 2004 when they blocked the extra point. Perhaps the biggest difference Saturday was Princeton’s confidence in its kicker, Connor Louden, and Colgate’s inability to rely on the boot of Jacob Stein.
   While Louden connected on a 33-yard field goal midway through the second quarter and sent the game into overtime with a 34-yarder with 4:02 to go in the fourth quarter and was also perfect on two extra points, Stein missed one extra point and his last-second field goal was not close as regulation time expired. Those misses were on Colgate’s mind after scoring a touchdown to pull within a point of the Tigers in the first overtime possession.
   "He missed an extra point and a field goal," said PU head coach Roger Hughes. "I’m sure that weighed into his decision. I felt going into the game we had a better kicking game. I felt we had an advantage there."
   The Tigers are confident in Louden, whose one miss Saturday came on a complete breakdown of the protection up front. Louden has started this year in place of Derek Javarone, who graduated last year as the Ivy League’s all-time leading kicker. Javarone wasn’t the only new foot in use Saturday for the Tigers. Princeton lost All-Ivy punter Colin McDonough to an elbow injury in Thursday’s practice and back-up Ryan Coyle did the punting duties Saturday, including knocking one punt inside the Red Raiders’ 20-yard line.
   "I thought he did a good job," Hughes said. "He had one where we were on our own 5-yard line and he punted out of our end zone. He did a real good job."
   McDonough also usually does the holding on field goals, and the Tigers had to use former holder and quarterback Chris Lee for kicks. Louden did the rest in giving Princeton further confidence in its kicking game.
   "He certainly had the leg strength," Hughes said. "He showed that leg strength last year as a freshman, but we didn’t know what his accuracy would be. So far, he’s done well. He’s missed some, but when Jav’ was a freshman he did the same and he became a pretty good kicker."
   Louden, who spent his freshman year behind Javarone, is enjoying his time in the sun. Saturday’s have brought a big change for him over last year.
   "I tried to start as a freshman," said the Parkersburg, W.V. resident. "I knew he would have the advantage. He did a great job. He is the Ivy League career leader. It was a great experience to learn from him. He helped me. We got along really well. Sitting and playing behind Jav’ has helped me so far this year.
   "It’s definitely different," he added. "I get a little more reps during the week. But the biggest difference is knowing you’re going to have to kick on Saturday. Last year, I was always wondering and knowing I probably wouldn’t kick. I consider practice that much more important. I try to make sure every day is a good day. If you have a bad day, you have to make sure the next day is a good one. My focus during practice is different."
   It’s paid off as the Tigers have gotten the kicks they have needed from Louden when they have needed them most. With 4:02 left in the fourth quarter and facing 4th-and-9 at the Colgate 17, Princeton turned to Louden to tie the game.
   "I think I knew that was probably the most pressure-packed kick I’ve had," Louden said. "But I actually felt more comfortable than before (on the 33-yarder). I guess I’m used to it. It’s only my fourth start. I knew the team got down there and they deserved the points. We needed three points there, so I knew I needed to make it."
   Princeton’s defense did the rest in regulation to force overtime. Colgate drove to the Princeton 22, but the Tigers tackled reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Jordan Scott for losses of 2 and 5 yards, including a tackle by Tim Boardman who led the Tigers with 12 of them, to push the Red Raiders back to the 29. Stein’s field goal was short of even reaching the goal posts to end regulation. Princeton held Scott to well under 3 yards per carry.
   "We were able to shut down Scott," Hughes said. "That was one of our major goals. Having Connor Louden come in and tie the game, that was crucial. And frankly, Jeff may have played his best game. We were able to make adjustments based on what they were doing to us. They were matching personnel to personnel and we took advantage of that some in the second half."
   The Red Raiders, however, had no match for the kicking personnel. The biggest advantage for the Tigers was Louden, who clearly gave Princeton more confidence than did Stein to Colgate. Afterward, Louden was sympathetic.
   "That can happen to anybody," Louden said. "You see it in the pros. Some of the best kickers in the league have nightmare days. I hope the Colgate kicker can come back. I’ve had those days. They’re not fun. It makes you want to work hard during practice."
   The Tigers’ practice thus far has kept them perfect, even when their play has not been. Saturday’s win was another in that category, and the difference ended up being a simple extra point.
   "It sets a winning attitude for us, especially a win like that," Louden said. "It shows you can win the close games. We didn’t play like we can. We can definitely play better. But that shows we can win the close ones."