c/o Brian Katten

Losing at Trinity is a familiar feeling for football fans around the NESCAC, but very few schools can retain the right to call themselves conference champions after being defeated by Trinity. Such was the story for the Cardinals on Saturday, Nov. 9 as their 40-10 loss this past Saturday provided a peculiar finish to an otherwise unblemished season. The Cardinals just didn’t have the fight in them to ruin another Homecoming, leaving the 6-2 Bantams to celebrate their 51st straight home victory. With Saturday’s loss, the Cardinals finished 7-1, tied with Middlebury and Amherst for the top conference spot, splitting the NESCAC championship three ways.

Coach Mike Whalen recognized that a desperate desire to salvage their season may have been what fueled the Bantams past his squad.

“I think that them losing the two previous weeks helped them come in with nothing to lose,” he said. “This was their opportunity for redemption. They have a strong and proud tradition, you have to give their players and their coaches credit because they were certainly ready to play. The whole home winning streak was certainly a focal point for them, but I think the fact that they had back-to-back losses helped them come out with an aggressive game plan.”

The Bantams’ offense jolted the Cardinals from the start of the contest as the team from Hartford put the Birds down 13-0 in the first quarter. Prior to that, the Cardinals hadn’t fallen behind by more than one score all season long. After Sebastian Aguirre ’14 notched the final field goal of his career with a booming 39-yarder, the Bantams posted 20 unanswered points to put the game out of reach for good.

Although Jesse Warren ’15 was eventually able to notch his 15th touchdown of the year by connecting with Jay Fabien ’15 on a 45-yard strike early in the fourth, it was already obvious that Trinity’s defense had solved the Wesleyan quarterback. After lasting seven games without an interception, Warren was picked off three times on Saturday, while the normally potent running game was held to a paltry 3.2 yards per carry. Dismantling the Cardinal offense was crucial in swaying the result in Trinity’s favor.

“One of the things they were able to do was to get some pressure on Jessie early in the game,” Coach Whalen said. “Although they didn’t sack him, he got hit delivering the ball a little bit early, and I think that disrupted his rhythm. Once we got behind and we had to throw the ball to get into the game, that’s not our offense. That’s not what we’re comfortable doing.”

It seemed like the Cardinals were uncomfortable on both sides of the ball for the first time in 2013. According to Warren, that’s just how Trinity forced mistakes from the Cardinals.

“No matter what record Trinity has it is always tough to play there,” Warren said. “They know how to win, and that is why they have this long streak going. In big games it comes down to making big plays, and Trinity made all the big plays. They added some wrinkles into their defense that we didn’t expect. Things were not going our way, and we put ourselves in many third-and-long situations. We are a very skilled team, and I have all the confidence in our guys, but it just wasn’t our day.”

Despite being on the wrong side of such a harrowing defeat, the Cardinals were too stubborn to submit in front of the bleachers of Wes supporters that trekked to Trinity for the event. The Cardinal and Black did not let up for the entire 60 minutes of play despite their shortcomings, playing in honor of their coaches, their fans, and most importantly, the graduating seniors. Likewise, the Class of 2014 relished every moment of every down.

“The biggest take away from this game was the seniors’ leadership,” Warren said. “I am very thankful for being able to play under this senior class. There was a point where people got the feeling that the comeback was out of our reach, but the seniors never quit. They kept doing their job and went out fighting. You can’t ask for anything more out of such a great class. I love those guys and wish them well.”

Even with the loss, the Cardinals will have plenty to look fondly back upon, as the defeat is a minor blemish on an otherwise brilliant season.

For star running back LaDarius Drew ’15, this season is just a prelude for the good things to come.

“We still have an upcoming senior class of many that will be able to take control of this team and lead the underclassmen into the championship lifestyle,” Drew said. “Although the game itself was a rough sight, we still understand that this is just the beginning. Coach Whalen has not been here that long and neither have the players of my class, but we’ve all managed to turn this program around in the right direction with the little time we’ve had with one another and the players before us. All we have to do is keep going. We’re almost where we’re supposed to be.”

What the 2013 Cardinals have accomplished goes beyond wins, losses, or statistics of any kind. The squad has established the basis for an enduring legacy as a team that is changing football culture at the University. The rest of the NESCAC has reason to be concerned, as this year’s success seems to only be the beginning.