Mackenzie Lachey
October 27, 2010
BOSTON—The Terriers will have to go big or go home this Sunday when they take on the Northeast Elite at MIT’s Steinbrenner Stadium in a last stand battle for playoff contention.
The Boston Terriers Football Club, now 1-4 on the season, can still secure a playoff spot in the Yankee Collegiate Football Conference, but they must win their final home game or their season is over.
If Boston defeats the Rebels this Halloween and Clarkson loses to Northeast Connecticut, the Terriers will have an automatic bid. If, however, Clarkson wins that game, there will be a three-way tie between Clarkson, Northeast Elite, and Boston for the last playoff spot. The last spot would then be determined by a coin toss tiebreaker in true “Friday Night Lights” fashion.
The Terriers, who started their season strong with a first game win over Northeast Connecticut, ran into some problems mid-season. But the Terriers we saw in that first game are back and ready to show us they can finish their first season just as strong as it started.
“Last week’s game we had a very shorthanded unit battle to the finish, and we were within a score with a few minutes remaining. This week we’ll be much closer to full strength and look more like ourselves,” Head Coach Anthony Morgante said. “We’ll have more of our best weapons available.”
But the Terriers cannot rely on more guys suited up to fix their problems. If they play the way they have been, no amount of guys can help them. “We’re going to have to execute a lot better,” quarterback Patrick Ferrell said. “We beat ourselves a lot. And I know some of our throws we’ve had people open. It’s just not quite there. If we can do what we are capable of doing, then we can make those plays and put some points on the board.”
With other teams and sheer dumb luck having a hand in determining the Terriers’ fate, much is out of their control. But the Terriers are determined to focus on what they have power over.
“I think all of us think the play-offs are a possibility,” Ferrell said. “You can’t go into the game unsure. You have to be confident of what you can do. I think we are all expecting to win this game because we know it’s do or die.”
If the Terriers don’t come out of this game with a playoff spot, Morgante still views this season as a success. “We’ve done the improbable by playing a season of college football where it was thought to be impossible. We’ve laid a foundation for seasons to come, and given students and alumni something to cheer about. A bunch of football players also got to have a lot of fun, too,” Morgante said.
The club president, Nikki Bruner, also views this season as a success, no matter the final record. “Our team has overcome a lot just to take the field,” she said. “And the fact that we did it on our own, without any help from BU means even more.”
The Terriers aren’t the only team in the conference playing a nail-biter. In the final week of regular season play, Maine and Vermont will face off for home field advantage. Northeast Connecticut has yet to put up a W this season and will be looking to rob Clarkson of a playoff spot, and in the process, salvage their 0-5 record.
The Terriers will throw in all of their tricks this Halloween, and maybe come away with a treat. Game time is set for 1p.m. at MIT’s Steinbrenner Stadium.
