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Post by hchoops on Nov 28, 2021 8:52:00 GMT -5
Maybe these questions were answered earlier in the thread. But, 1- Did Purdy play ? The announcer said he was back for a kick off after a SH score, but I did not see him line up on offense. 2- Why was Forrest used far more than he had been all season ?
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Post by spenser on Nov 28, 2021 8:55:58 GMT -5
Based on how pissed he was in post game interview, I think that Chesney will get them ready for Nova. It was a poor showing on offense today. I don’t expect as bad a performance next week (win or lose). Did the other other coach shake Chesney’s hand after. It seemed that he did not from broadcast. Also, Sacred Heart players were classless throughout and especially after the game. The other coach did. I couldn’t see it when I was in the stands but I watched the game again later and he did. Might have been a quick meet because of the actions of SH #44. He and a lot the other SH players were absolutely classless. But a lot weren’t.
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Post by princetoncrusader on Nov 28, 2021 8:58:13 GMT -5
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 28, 2021 9:03:44 GMT -5
Based on how pissed he was in post game interview, I think that Chesney will get them ready for Nova. It was a poor showing on offense today. I don’t expect as bad a performance next week (win or lose). Did the other other coach shake Chesney’s hand after. It seemed that he did not from broadcast. Also, Sacred Heart players were classless throughout and especially after the game. The other coach did. I couldn’t see it when I was in the stands but I watched the game again later and he did. Might have been a quick meet because of the actions of SH #44. He and a lot the other SH players were absolutely classless. But a lot weren’t. Yes, there was a quick handshake between coaches, but they were more focused on trying to keep things calm after that finish. #44 was classless, indeed...but most of SHU showed a good deal of class and there were many positive interactions between players after the game. Both teams have many things of which they can be proud. I wonder when these schools will meet again - regular season or post-season?
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Post by efg72 on Nov 28, 2021 9:19:56 GMT -5
'Making history was definitely a goal of ours,' Holy Cross stuns Sacred Heart with last-minute TD pass to advance in NCAA FCS playoffs
WORCESTER — The Holy Cross defense did its job for the better part of four quarters during Saturday’s FCS playoff game at frigid Fitton Field. When the Crusaders, who had managed just two field goals, got the ball back with three minutes left and trailing by four, HC’s defensive players watched excitedly from the sideline, certain it was time for the offense to shine.
“We had the utmost confidence,” junior linebacker Jacob Dobbs said. “It’s our job to give them energy. You’re cheering them on knowing they’re going to do their thing.”
With 14 seconds on the clock, sophomore quarterback Matthew Sluka threw a perfect ball to classmate Jalen Coker in the front corner of the end zone, the 35-yard completion capping an 80-yard drive and lifting Holy Cross to a thrilling, 13-10 victory.
It was the first national postseason win in Holy Cross football history.
“Making history was definitely a goal of ours coming into the season,” Sluka said. “It feels great to do it. Hopefully we can keep progressing.”
Holy Cross (10-2) will play at Villanova in a second-round game at 7 p.m. Friday.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Dobbs said. “Out here in the playoffs, your job is to go earn the next week. You’re playing your heart out and giving everything you have to earn that next week. That’s what we did. We earned the right to play another football game.”
HC posted its first 10-win season since the 1991 team finished 11-0.
The Crusaders, who won their third straight Patriot League championship this fall, dropped their previous five postseason appearances.
“It’s cool to accomplish something in the storied history of this program,” HC coach Bob Chesney said. “To have a first is not easy to come by. To get one today is pretty awesome.”
Holy Cross hosted a playoff game for just the second time; the other was an NCAA Division 1-AA quarterfinal game against Western Carolina in 1983. HC students are on Thanksgiving break, but 4,163 fans, family members and friends braved the cold at Fitton Field.
HC extended its win streak to seven games.
Sacred Heart, which won its second straight Northeast Conference title, finished 8-4.
Holy Cross averaged a PL-best 35.5 points per game this season, but it was a challenging day for the offense, which tied a season-low point total, and posted its second-lowest rushing yards (111) of the year.
Game time temperature was 35 degrees with a real-feel of 26 and a blustery wind.
“When the wind was going one direction, it was great,” Sluka said. “When it was going the other direction, it was definitely tougher. It allowed them to stack the box a little bit more and prevent our run game from really getting opened up. (The conditions) made it a little bit of a challenge, but we were able to overcome it.”
Sacred Heart went up, 10-3, on a field goal early in the fourth, and HC responded with a Derek Ng field goal four minutes later.
On the final drive, Sluka converted a fourth down with a 5-yard gain, and later, on third-and-17 from the HC 24, took off for 21 yards. He completed passes to Coker (nine yards) and senior Tenio Ayeni (10) to set up the winning strike.
Being able to look downfield, keep his eyes downfield – we have to get the ball out of his hands a little bit sooner, which we’ll work on this week – Matt created some pretty awesome situations for our program,” Chesney said.
The TD was No. 4 of the season for Coker.
“(Executing that play) was hours of hard work before practice and after practice,” Coker said, “and building that relationship with the wide receiver and quarterback.”
Sacred Heart, which features two fine running backs in senior Julius Chestnut and junior Malik Grant and had the 11th-ranked rushing attack in FCS this season, scored on the game’s opening drive. Backup quarterback Rob McCoy came in and broke free for a 21-yard gain to get the Pioneers inside the HC 10, and he scored from five yards out.
Sacred Heart was 7-13 on third-down conversions, but the Holy Cross defense came up with numerous big plays to keep the Pioneers out of the end zone.
Dobbs had a game-high 18 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. Seniors Liam Doran and Liam Anderson each had eight tackles, and seniors Benton Whitley and Dan Kuznetsov each had a sack.
“Our defense was amazing,” Coker said.
HC trailed, 7-3, at halftime and seemed to catch a much-needed break early in the third when senior Terrell Prince recovered a Sacred Heart muffed punt at the Pioneers’ 36-yard line. The Crusaders gave it right back, though, when sophomore QB Marco Siderman threw an interception in the end zone.
Holy Cross had nine penalties for 66 yards, including six false starts.
“We dug a hole and made some mistakes,” Chesney said. “It’s exciting to sit here in this moment and say we won with that many mistakes. We have a lot we can improve on. It’s going to take everything we’ve got moving forward.”
Junior linebacker Jacob Dobbs, who last week was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, led a tremendous defensive effort with 18 tackles.
The Crusaders trailed, 10-6, when they got the ball back with 3:14 left. On third-and-17 from the HC 24, Sluka rushed for 21 yards to pick up a critical first down. He later threw completions to Coker, for nine yards, and senior Tenio Ayeni, for 10 to set up the winning TD to Coker. F Sacred Heart, the Northeast Conference champion, scored on its opening possession and added a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
For Holy Cross, senior Derek Ng kicked two field goals, the second with 8:27 left.
The Pioneers finished 8-4.
Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Nov 28, 2021 9:25:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the link, Princeton. Just rewatched that final drive. I hope HC sends that hit against Sluka to the NCAA for review. That is crystal clear targeting. My guess is that the officials didn’t want a call like that to make a big impact on the game. HC would have had the ball 1st and 10 on the SHU 40. It was just the wrong call, though.
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Post by HC92 on Nov 28, 2021 9:42:58 GMT -5
Definitely tough to understand how that’s not targeting.
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Post by thecrossisback on Nov 28, 2021 10:02:35 GMT -5
Watching the final drive I still can't believe it. 4th 4 pocket collapses and he picks it up by running. Avoids bumping into the ref. This unbelievable I am more stressed watching it on here then I was in the end zone yesterday.
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Post by Ignutz on Nov 28, 2021 10:14:19 GMT -5
Maybe these questions were answered earlier in the thread. But, 1- Did Purdy play ? The announcer said he was back for a kick off after a SH score, but I did not see him line up on offense. 2- Why was Forrest used far more than he had been all season ? You likely answered your own question. I don’t think Purdy played, this opportunity for Run Forrest Run.
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Post by Tom on Nov 28, 2021 10:22:02 GMT -5
Random observation about attendance:
Society has changed. Back in 1983, every casual sports fan in Worcester knew about the playoff game. In the 20th century, people read newspapers and there was plenty of Telegram coverage of HC HC athletics. Worcester people would not have known about the game unless they went looking for the info. Not sure how schools in the 21st century get the word out to people who aren't predisposed to pay attention
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Post by Ignutz on Nov 28, 2021 10:22:45 GMT -5
The other coach did. I couldn’t see it when I was in the stands but I watched the game again later and he did. Might have been a quick meet because of the actions of SH #44. He and a lot the other SH players were absolutely classless. But a lot weren’t. Yes, tdere was a quick handshake between coaches, but they were more focused on trying to keep things calm after that finish. #44 was classless, indeed...but most of SHU showed a good deal of class and there were many positive interactions between players after the game. Both teams have many things of which they can be proud. I wonder when these schools will meet again - regular season or post-season? Well after the game was over, and after some of the nonsense which appeared to have been initiated by SHU players, there were a few seconds shown on TV where Sluka and Malik Grant (SHU #4) we’re walking on the field having a chat, and each was smiling broadly. Nice to see that one of their stars could do that with one of ours.
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 28, 2021 10:23:08 GMT -5
Amateur view from the stands of the TD pass and catch and the final play/sack of the game and the immediate post game celebration with NAD in the cameo appearance:
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Nov 28, 2021 10:49:26 GMT -5
The second video gives a good view of the visitor stands. An easy eye scan can tell you roughly how many were sitting on that side. Sacred Heart traveled well, the best of any school that I've seen on PL broadcasts of games at Fitton Field. But their number lends credence to the officially reported attendance.
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Post by hchoops on Nov 28, 2021 12:11:32 GMT -5
Could not help but relive the Jack Lentz to Pete Kimener 39 yard TD to beat BC in 1966. Like Sluka, Jack was a run first QB whose passing improved with experience. 70 seconds left in that one.
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Post by hc2020 on Nov 28, 2021 12:19:17 GMT -5
Maybe these questions were answered earlier in the thread. But, 1- Did Purdy play ? The announcer said he was back for a kick off after a SH score, but I did not see him line up on offense. 2- Why was Forrest used far more than he had been all season ? Purdy was not in uniform and did not play yesterday. He has a sprained MCL and may not be available this week as well.
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Post by hchoops on Nov 28, 2021 12:22:58 GMT -5
Maybe these questions were answered earlier in the thread. But, 1- Did Purdy play ? The announcer said he was back for a kick off after a SH score, but I did not see him line up on offense. 2- Why was Forrest used far more than he had been all season ? Purdy was not in uniform and did not play yesterday. He has a sprained MCL and may not be available this week as well. Than you,( I guess)
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Post by newfieguy74 on Nov 28, 2021 12:26:21 GMT -5
Definitely tough to understand how that’s not targeting. If someone wanted to prepare a video of the definition of targeting I think that play would suffice. Amazing Sluka wasn't injured.
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Post by hchoops on Nov 28, 2021 13:33:56 GMT -5
Unsung but vital to the win were the two field goals by Ng. That is another similarity with the win over BC in 1966. Our kicker then, Mike Kaminsky had converted two 44 yard (his longests) field goals to put us in position to win at the end.
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 28, 2021 13:56:35 GMT -5
Side note: Mike Kaminski was not at first a scholarship recruit. He was actually a walk-on. He was always asking if I could find ways to mention him in the Crusader (because he hoped to eventually earn a scholarship and thought good publicity could help).. I did and so did he! What a great "find" he was for the Cross.
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 28, 2021 14:21:07 GMT -5
I have a great picture of the visitor side and looking at it you would have to doubt the official 4,000+ attendee figure. Unfortunately, despite shrinking it down, Crossports keeps telling me it is too large. Not sure why I am getting this message as I have downloaded other pictures of similar or even larger pixels (is that the right term?). Definitely more like minimum, 5,000 and perhaps 6,000 fannies in the stands.
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Post by Chu Chu on Nov 28, 2021 14:31:33 GMT -5
I have a great picture of the visitor side and looking at it you would have to doubt the official 4,000+ attendee figure. Unfortunately, despite shrinking it down, Crossports keeps telling me it is too large. Not sure why I am getting this message as I have downloaded other pictures of similar or even larger pixels (is that the right term?). Definitely more like minimum, 5,000 and perhaps 6,000 fannies in the stands. My impression also is that the attendance was much larger than reported. Also, on TV, the crowd noise was much more obvious and louder than previous games I have watched from Fitton this year. It looked great on the screen.
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Post by thecrossisback on Nov 28, 2021 15:06:57 GMT -5
I agree and wouldn’t mind playing Sacred Heart again. They traveled really well. Easily over 4,000 fans. I have pictures of the away side vs Harvard and Merrimack and it was not close. Definitely some HC fans on that side to trying to stay warm.
Never have to go to another game it will never be as good!
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Post by rgs318 on Nov 28, 2021 15:42:22 GMT -5
Well, as unlikely as that may be, better is always possible.
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Post by HC92 on Nov 28, 2021 15:55:07 GMT -5
One interesting play that was mentioned elsewhere was the extra point after the go-ahead TD. At the time, thought it might make sense to go for 2 and take a knee. Eliminates the possibility of a 2 point return to tie the game. Is that crazy?
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Post by sader1970 on Nov 28, 2021 16:02:54 GMT -5
But if you miss, we have only a 2 point lead. Always harder to get the 2 point PAT than the kick for 1. Then, if Pioneers get close enough, a FG for them wins it rather than a tie and overtime. I think Chesney made the right call though your argument has merit. Edit: Oh, wait. You mean concede no PAT by just taking a knee? Hmmm. I need to think about that more!
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