A cloud appeared over Christy-Mathewson Memorial Stadium this past Saturday, April 18, in the form of the Crusaders. The Bison went head to head with reigning Patriot League champion, Holy Cross, in their first championship game since 1996. Unfortunately, the Bison struggled to score and defend the Crusader’s aggressive offense resulting in a 33-10 loss.

The Crusader’s gained momentum in the first quarter with a 17-0 lead. At the end of the first half, the Bison secured a touchdown. However, in the second half the Crusader’s defense dominated with multiple interceptions resulting in touchdowns. Even with a Bucknell field goal, it was too difficult for the Bison to recover.

In the four-time All-Patriot League selection Simeon Page’s ’21 last game as a Bison, he had a game-high of 10 tackles and attained the school record of career sacks of 26.5. When asked about his Bison football career, he stated that “playing football has taught me just as much about life as it has football. I wouldn’t trade a moment of time that I have spent here for anything else. I’ll never forget the people I met, experiences I went through, and memories that I made.”

Despite the loss, the Bison had a remarkable season. P.J. Barr ’21 is “confident that this program is in great hands moving forward based on the foundation this senior class built, and can’t wait to see where the program goes from here.” He also “fully expects this team to be champions in the near future.”

With promising underclassman and a newfound drive, the Bison football team is expected to continue to accomplish great things next fall.