Sitting in the middle of a standing ovation of Brown fans, most of whom donned T-Shirts with the slogan "Brown State" on the front, I sat down in disbelief and shock and was for the first time in 61 minutes of play, silent. Today, there was no way to break free from my emotions toward the team that lined up before a roaring crowd after taking the NCAA champions of just two short years ago into overtime at Homewood Field.
Maybe it's influenced by so many Lars Tiffany speeches, but I can't help but give a philosophical outlook on the Brown Bears Lacrosse team after the past three months.
Four seasons ago, the Brown Bears finished the 2006 season with a 2-11 record. There were no expectations for what was to come, but when Tiffany entered the picture, there was certainly a sense of hope amongst the Bears. And today, that hope and belief and faith was felt among every single Brown supporter. Sitting in front of members of the 1971 team that beat Hopkins so long ago, I listened as former players talked about their glory days at Brown and gave a play-by-play record of the game as the minutes wore on. The alumni, who traveled to Homewood Field in Baltimore to support players they hardly know, came with enough cheers to sing a different one at every TV timeout. As the parents and current fans sat clinching their teeth with a 3-0 score early in the game, the alumni stood proud and cheered louder for the team that they knew would succeed today.
And that they did. While it wasn't the outcome any Brown fan wanted today, it is yet another step toward gaining the national respect for a Team that has defied all odds.
Tied 7-7 to begin the final quarter, the Bears came out ready for yet another battle. Minutes later, the Blue Jays got on the board with three unanswered goals, running away with it as though the victory was already theirs. But for the second time in the game, the Bears came back from three goals behind. They answered with Andrew Feinberg's second goal of the game off of an assist by Collins Carey who seemed to shock the entire Blue Jay squad as he came out of nowhere at the end of the third quarter with a shot to tie things up at 7-7. The Bears knew their fight was still just beginning as the Blue Jays answered two minutes later with a goal by Brian Christopher with just under eight minutes left to play.
Down 11-8, the momentum was still with the Bears as Charlie Kenny won another face-off to gain possession on the field. As usual, Thomas Muldoon showed unyielding determination to get another goal, scoring two unassisted and unanswered goals for the Bears to trail 11-10 with 2:46 to play.
Then, as the Blue Jays did all they could to maintain possession for the remaining minutes to edge past the Bears, an outstanding effort by the Brown defense proved too much to beat. In a double-team play assisted by goalie and Ivy League Player of the Year Jordan Burke, a startled Blue Jay offense was shut down as the Bears forced them to move the ball. Burke reacted quickly for his second interception of the game to keep the ball in motion toward the Blue Jays' net. Frankly, the following seconds were a blur as I jumped up and down with excitement and sickness as one of the Bears long-poles took the ball up the field and got it off to an attackman for the play of the century. With the Blue Jays scrapping their way through the Brown offense, Kyle Hollingsworth was determined to do whatever it took to get the ball in the back of that net. Falling to the ground after being hit from all sides, Hollingsworth took to his athleticism in what was essentially a hockey shot as the crowd watched in astonishment as the ball hit the back of the net with just :08 left on the clock.
It was everything you would have expected from Hollingsworth and the Bears if you have been following their team through the season. They have had to work for every little victory they have gotten and have conquered any speculations that they have merely gotten "lucky" against some big teams like Cornell. The moment after Hollingsworth's goal will go down in history as one of the best moments for the program, if you ask me, which you probably won't. Regardless, the play stopped the Blue Jays and their fans in their tracks. As the BRUNO side went nuts with applause, the Hopkins fans were silent. I looked on as members of the band stopped preparing for the victory song that they have played so many times at Homewood field.
As for the final minute of the game in overtime, we all know what happened. Blue Jay Brian Christopher, who has scored the winning goal in overtime three times in the last four games, got on the board with a sniper goal from what seemed like six yards away just :38 into play.
But this game was about so much more than the score. You can shoulda, coulda, woulda all day long, but at the end of it all, the Bears have still proven themselves to a nation of skeptical teams and even more skeptical media.
But don't think the Bears have had their last say. Next year, the Bears will remember this day and as always, will come back with a vengeance. Returning for the Bears will be some of the best talent on the field today. First-Team All-Ivy Peter Fallon intercepted at least two or three Hopkins passes and picked up six ground balls, Jake Hardy got into the mix with two groundballs, both of which were after a shuffle that could have ended with possession on either end, while long-pole Jake Westermann will also be back for the Bears next year. Charlie Kenney, who went 11-for-21 on face-offs, most of which happened all in a row in the second half as the Bears made their way back, will be back with Matt Greenberg, who beat players to the ball and hustled like never before. On the other end, First-Team All-Ivy Thomas Muldoon got four goals and picked up five ground balls playing with heart as always alongside Second-Team All-Ivy selection Andrew Feinberg who got two goals. Also back for the Bears will be first-year Rob Schlesinger who has made his mark on the season as one of the hardest workers on the field coming out of high school as an attackman now playing D-middie for the Bears and putting up a goal or two every now and then when the opponents least expect it. Collins Carey and Jimmy Wittpenn will also be forces to be reckoned with in 2010 as they have shown some of the greatest improvements on the field this year. Fortunately for the Bears as well, Reade Seligman will be back for more for his final year. And you never know what kind of talent has been waiting in the wings.
Brown State will be back in 2010. See you then.
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