After all the adversity and tough losses, the Washington University football team hoped to end its season on a high note against the University of Chicago. A 23-7 win against the Maroons not only gave the Bears sole possession of the University Athletic Association championship but also allowed them to retain possession of the Founders Cup.

Wash. U.’s defense, which has been the team’s strength all season, again stepped up to preserve a victory with Chicago driving and about six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. On second and ten at the Red and Green 22-yard line, junior defensive back Andrew Skalman stared down Chicago quarterback Vincent Cortina and read his eyes to anticipate his throw. Getting in front of Cortina’s intended receiver, Skalman made a timely interception and ended the Maroons’ drive, sending the Bears to their fourth straight win to close out the season.

“What a fitting way for us to end the season,” head coach Larry Kindbom said. “The turnaround with this team has been huge, and I’m so proud of this team’s determination, not just the last four weeks, but during the course of year, going one play at a time, putting bad plays behind them. Even with all the injuries, we managed to get better…I’m absolutely excited.”

For Wash. U., there is no better way to end the season than with a four-game winning streak after beginning the season with a three-game losing streak. Retaining the Founders Cup and winning the UAA Championship outright, the Bears ended the season with an overall record of 5-5 and a perfect conference record of 3-0. Wash. U. also improved its all-time Founders Cup series record to 19-7.

“I’m extremely proud of how hard we fought and the way we were able to finish,” junior defensive back Tate Byers said. “I think a large part of it was the leadership that we had on this team. It provided a spark that helped us get through tough times and end the season well.”

Once again, the Bears’ defense came out determined to stop the run and used several blitz packages to create pressure on Chicago’s quarterback. Wash. U. gave up only 61 yards on the ground and forced two fumbles (one of which was recovered), three interceptions and two sacks. According to Kindbom, the defense’s recent dominant performances have resulted from patience and belief in its defensive system, as well as the up-tempo speed that the Bears have gained throughout the season.

“In my eyes, the belief in the system helped this defense, as a whole, grow,” Kindbom said. “Our defensive coordinator did a good job of helping this unit come together. Our players believed in what we were doing, and I think that paid off when we were hitting the stretch of our season. Eventually, we became more aggressive, and we started to come up big in games like [the one against] U. Chicago.”

Time and time again, Wash. U.’s defense showed its ability to help the team get out of tough situations. On fourth and two at the Wash. U. 42-yard line in the third quarter, the Bears attempted a fake punt that went awry as junior quarterback John O’Connor couldn’t complete a short pass to sophomore wide receiver Tim Bartholomew. Nevertheless, the Bears’ defense quickly turned the situation around as sophomore defensive back Cody Deterding intercepted Cortina on the ensuing offensive play.

“Our backs were definitely against the wall after that fake punt,” junior quarterback Eric Daginella said. “But our defense is always there to pick us up, and they really helped turn around that play…definitely a momentum swing in our way at that point.”

On offense, the Bears had one of their best performances all year. Daginella passed for 236 yards, completing 18 of his 32 passes with a touchdown and an interception, while junior halfback John Hagemann led a bevy of running backs to a total of 247 yards on the ground. Bartholomew recorded a career-best six catches for 116 yards.

“Everyone was on the same page [on offense], and everyone wanted to bring that Founders Cup back,” Daginella said. “The wide receivers and offensive linemen played great, and it gave us a dominant performance. Besides that one turnover, we moved the ball very aggressively and effectively.”

On special teams, freshman kicker Alex Hallwachs and the field goal unit had some trouble in the first quarter, missing field goals from 45 and 25 yards out. Nevertheless, Hallwachs came back strong in the second quarter, making his third attempt from 42 yards out.

While not everything went well in the beginning of the season, leadership from the senior class and the will to persevere kept the Bears fighting throughout the season, which paid off as they enter the offseason with pride.

“Looking back on this season, we just tried to doing things the right way, one play at a time,” Kindbom said. “We believed we could play at a championship level, and we had a goal to get better on every play. We also believed, and I think that’s the legacy of this team.”