Sports in brief

Crimson comeback shocks Brown

The Harvard football team overcame a three-touchdown deficit this past Saturday (Sept. 25) to skim past host Brown, 35-34. Sophomore running back Clifton Dawson had another stellar afternoon (142 yards and three touchdowns) to help the Crimson stay perfect at 2-0 (1-0 Ivy).

Down 31-10 at the break, the Crimson reeled off three scoring drives in the third period to cut the Bear’s lead to 31-28. Harvard then took its first lead of the game, a 35-31 edge, at the 12:16 mark of the fourth quarter on Dawson’s 1-yard touchdown run.

The Bears responded with a 28-yard field goal at the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter to get within one point, but Harvard’s defense managed to hold off the late Brown push to preserve the 35-34 win.

The 21-point comeback ties Harvard’s largest turnaround victory in program history. In 2001, then-freshman Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 orchestrated a second-half Crimson win facing a 21-0 Big Green lead.

Harvard travels to Easton, Penn., on Saturday (Oct. 2) to take on Lafayette (3-1). Check http://www.gocrimson.com for scores.

Crimson kicker named rookie of the week

The Ivy League named Harvard kicker Matt Schindel ’08 rookie of the week following the Crimson’s 35-34 win over Brown on Saturday (Sept. 25). Schindel was perfect on five placements as part of the Crimson’s come-from-behind win against the Bears. He booted field goals of 34 and 22 yards and was three for three on point-after-touchdowns.

Through Harvard’s first two games, Schindel has gone four for four on field goal attempts. His average of 2.0 field goals per game leads Division I-AA.

– Compiled by Andrew Brooks