The Cornell Sprint football team finishes up its seven game season this Friday at Schoellkopf field with a game against the Mansfield Mountaineers (2-4, 1-2). Mansfield has struggled this season, scoring only one touchdown this season against Princeton. Mansfield, the newest team to join the Collegiate Sprint Football League, lost to the Big Red earlier this season 20-0. The Red will look to finish the season strong against the Mountaineers after a disappointing loss to Army a week ago.

“Last week we felt like we played hard and the outcome didn’t go our way,” sophomore center George Gomez said. “This is our last game and we want to play well and finish the season on a good note. I hope we can send our seniors out with a win.”

Friday’s game will honor 22 senior sprint football players, including four offensive starters and four defensive starters. Seven seniors were part of the 2006 National championship sprint football squad, and four were honored and named to the All-CSFL team.

On offense, the Red’s most explosive player, senior running back DJ Schiavetta will look for some help from All-CSFL senior lineman Mike Adler and Sam Lincoln to help him break the all-time school rushing record. The Red is currently within 300 yards of breaking the school record. In the last matchup against Mansfield, Schiavetta ran for 124 yards and two scores, while quarterback Elliot Corey ran for 128 yards and a score.

“The rushing record isn’t all that important,” said Gomez. “As an offensive line we just want to open holes for DJ and Corey. If we have the luck to break the record then that is great but as a team we are focusing on winning. Winning has been our focus all season, nothing changes”.

Going deep: The Red should have no problem defeating Mansfield who haven’t been able to score a touchdown on any team except Princeton this season.

The Red defense, which has performed so well this year for the Red, will lose senior standout linebacker John Parke. Parke has been making plays for the Red all season, and leads the team in total tackles, solo tackles, tackles for loss and has also recorded 1.5 sacks in five games. Parke and defensive captain Nick Indovina, who did not play in the first game against Mansfield this season, will lead the Red defense. The Red will be looking to shut out the Mountaineers for the second time this season.

“Parke and Indo have been leaders all year,” junior defensive end Tim Kozen said. “With them out on the field leading the way we know we will be in the right spots to make plays and give our offense a chance to get the ball and score. We want to make sure we play solid defense, keep them out of the endzone, get our offense the ball, and finish the season strong”