Military holds on with goal-line stand in ultimate seconds, beats Navy 17-11

School Sports activities

“This recreation, within the grand scheme of issues, is about greater than soccer.”

By JIMMY GOLEN, Related Press

December 9, 2023

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Military held its floor on a goal-line stand within the ultimate seconds to ship Navy mascot Invoice the Goat — and Navy superfan Invoice, the G.O.A.T. — dwelling disenchanted.

Military linebacker Kalib Fortner scored on a fourth-quarter strip sack after which helped stuff quarterback Tai Lavatai inches from the top zone with 3 seconds left to guide the Black Knights to a 17-11 victory over Navy on Saturday and win the 124th assembly of the nation’s oldest service academies.

“Why’s it all the time acquired to be like that?” mentioned Military coach Jeff Monken, whose group gained final 12 months in double additional time. “It’s. It’s all the time like that. We had a 14-point lead, and with 1 second to go they’re standing there knocking on the door with an opportunity to tie the sport. Unreal.”

Bryson Every day ran for 84 yards and threw Military’s first landing move in opposition to Navy since 2015 to assist the Black Knights declare the much-coveted bragging rights for the sixth time in eight tries. Kanye Udoh ran for 88 yards for Military, which additionally claimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy that goes to the group with one of the best document in head-to-head matchups in opposition to different service academies. (Military upset then-No. 17 Air Pressure final month.)

Lavatai got here off the bench within the second quarter and rushed for 74 yards, finishing 16 of 26 passes for 176 yards — essentially the most passing yards for a Navy quarterback in opposition to Military since 2010. Jayden Umbarger caught six passes for 75 yards and a landing that made it 17-9 with 2:47 left.

“This recreation, within the grand scheme of issues, is about greater than soccer,” Navy coach Brian Newberry mentioned. “It’s about celebrating among the best younger males within the nation on the sector, after which celebrating and recognizing all people who have devoted their life to service, which have served and are serving your nation. Shining a lightweight on them, celebrating them and exhibiting gratitude for his or her sacrifice and their dedication. That’s what it’s all about.

“I believe, on the finish of the day, whoever was within the stands was pleased with what they noticed these younger males do.”

The matchup of patriots on the Patriots’ dwelling introduced an injection of pomp and pleasure to Gillette Stadium, the place the six-time Tremendous Bowl champions have stumbled to a 3-10 document — getting shut out twice at dwelling in a season for the primary time in franchise historical past. New England is on tempo for the worst season in Invoice Belichick’s three a long time as an NFL head coach, stripping among the shine off the devoted Navy man who’s within the dialogue for the Biggest Of All Time.

Belichick, who grew up in Annapolis whereas his father spent 34 years as a Navy assistant coach, spoke to the Midshipmen on Friday night time and pulled on a Roger Staubach-era Navy helmet for a TV pregame present to foretell the winner.

It wasn’t sufficient.

“I do know Belichick has a wealthy historical past with Navy. I do know his dad coached there,” Military linebacker Leo Lowin mentioned. “I do know Boston’s close to the ocean. Nevertheless it’s good to get an Military win right here.”

The Black Knights opened a 17-3 lead with lower than 5 minutes to play earlier than Lavatai drove Navy for one rating after which took the Midshipmen to the Military 6 within the ultimate minute. He threw two incompletions earlier than hitting Alex Tecza, who was tackled in bounds on the 2.

With no timeouts and no alternative to spike the ball — it was fourth down — Navy scrambled to line up and get the play off. Lavatai surged ahead as his complete group pushed, forward of him and behind, however Military held on; replay confirmed that the ball by no means crossed the purpose line.

To kill the remaining 3 seconds, Every day took a shotgun snap, hesitated, and stepped out of the top zone for an intentional security.

Cadets started to storm the sector earlier than being despatched again for an additional assessment to see if time had expired. The affirmation from the sales space set off one other wave of Military followers onto the sector.

“It positively would have been good to have extra of a stress-free recreation. Nevertheless it speaks to the Military-Navy rivalry: They don’t stop; we don’t stop,” Lowin mentioned. “I’m simply so proud to be part of this group, and say I used to be an Military soccer participant.”

It was simply the second time since 1926 that America’s Sport has left the Mid-Atlantic area and its first journey to Massachusetts, the place George Washington took command of the Continental Military and the USS Structure — the world’s oldest commissioned naval warship — is docked.

Organizers squeezed in a weekend of actions at historic websites within the space, together with a pep rally and debate at Faneuil Corridor, a ceremony to mark the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Get together and a tug-of-war on the Previous North Bridge in Harmony, the placement of “the shot heard around the world.”

Practically 100 buses carried college students from West Level and Annapolis to Foxborough, the place they took the sector of their costume grays and blues in a pregame “march-on of the Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets.” Ultramarathon relay groups ran recreation balls from their campuses, and parachute groups dropped onto the 50-yard line. New recruits had been sworn in throughout a third-quarter timeout.

Representatives of the 2 academies got here to midfield for the coin toss; the Military cadets spelled out “EAT SQUID” in yellow tape on their grey overcoats; Navy countered with “NUKE ARMY.”

Carrying gold uniforms that paid tribute to the Dogface Troopers of the third Infantry Division, Military took a 10-0 lead in opposition to a Navy group that had zero move completions on the half. Lavatai changed starter Xavier Arline within the second quarter and drove Navy into discipline purpose place early within the fourth to make it 10-3.

However with about 5 minutes left, Fortner punched the ball out, picked it up on one bounce and scampered 44 yards for a landing that gave Military a 17-3 lead.

“I hit the ball. It’s virtually type of like I deliberate it, the best way it bounced in my fingers, and I simply began working. And I noticed on the Jumbotron sea of gold jerseys behind me,” Fortner mentioned. “It was only a surreal second.”