Final Game at Harvard Memorable for Seniors

On Saturday, a frigid but sunny Harvard Stadium welcomed the senior class parents to town for their sons’ last collegiate home game.

Before the contest, seniors took individual pictures with their families at midfield. They then proceeded to soundly beat an overmatched Penn squad, 23-7, holding the Quakers to less than 200 yards of total offense.

It was a performance to make the parents proud.

Several seniors stood out on this special day, an appropriate ending to their playing days at Harvard Stadium.

At the helm of the Crimson’s balanced offensive attack was quarterback Chris Pizzotti, who has been touted throughout the year by Harvard head coach Tim Murphy as the team’s most improved player. Pizzotti threw for two touchdowns and now has a 10-1 record as a starter.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of a team and to be part of a team,” Pizzotti said after the game. “To be able to go out on the field for the last time at Harvard Stadium and win as a team was a great feeling.”

Despite completing just 14 of 31 pass attempts, Pizzotti also received praise from Murphy.

“I thought Chris Pizzotti really managed the game well,” Murphy said. “He played a very intelligent, cerebral game. I’m obviously very, very proud of our seniors who gave us great leadership and great effort all season, and certainly today.”

One example of the leadership provided by seniors was seen in defensive tackle Matt Drazba. Hampered by injuries in the past and playing behind younger starters this year, Drazba finally got on the field for the first time all season against Penn, even making a tackle in his final moments at the Stadium.

Then there’s the senior secondary trio of cornerback Steven Williams and safeties Doug Hewlett and John Hopkins. Touted all year as the best secondary in Murphy’s tenure, the unit gave up just 125 passing yards all afternoon, while Williams led the team in tackles with seven.

“They probably have as good a secondary as there is in this league,” Quakers coach Al Bagnoli said.

Captain defensive end Brad Bagdis, who has provided senior leadership on the defensive line all year, said that it was fitting that the culmination of the senior class’s efforts will take place next week in New Haven, when the two squads—both with undefeated conference records—battle for the league crown in a scenario that hasn’t been seen since 1968.

“I’m so proud of the senior class,” Bagdis said. “I think it was a great team effort the entire way, and there’s no better way to go out in your senior year than undefeated in the Ivy League, winning at home, and headed down to New Haven to play for everything.”

With a win in The Game, the seniors can bookend their college careers with Ivy League championships. In 2004, the Crimson went 10-0 on the way to a championship season.

The biggest highlight for the senior class on this memorable day came from standout Corey Mazza. The receiver, playing for the fifth consecutive year after an injury-shortened season in 2005, tied Carl Morris ’03 for first all-time on Harvard’s career touchdown receptions list.

Mazza’s score was also key in igniting a staggering Crimson offense, as his 20-yard strike from Pizzoti late in the first half was the game’s first score.

Mazza has shown continual growth since scoring his first touchdown in the second game of his collegiate career. Since then, he’s caught 170 passes for 2,748 yards, and with a couple of two-point conversions to go with his 28 touchdowns, he’s scored 172 career points while wearing crimson.

But for Mazza, Saturday wasn’t about individual accomplishments or a place in a record book. Just like all the games he played before, it was about just one thing.

“Personally, getting the ‘W’ was the most important thing of the day,” Mazza said. “But from an individual standpoint, after so many games at the stadium, you just kind of want to absorb as much of it as you could, because you’re never going to be out there on the field, hearing the roar of the crowd, and it’s just a great feeling being out there.

“It was great to have my parents out here…and there are so many people in this program, from the trainers to the team managers, that contribute each day to the win. It’s great to go out here in the last game in the stadium and win.”