Sept. 14, 2008
Box Score
ASHLAND, Va. - Navy sprint football defensive back James Campbell (Sr./Kansas City, Mo.) picked off two passes and had a stellar day on special teams to lead the Midshipmen to a 20-0 victory over Randolph-Macon JV on a sultry Sunday afternoon at Day Field. With the win, Navy improved to 2-0 on the year.
Campbell intercepted two passes deep in its own territory and returned them for a total of 67 yards. He also broke up another pass attempt and chipped in with a tackle. On special teams, he returned five punts for 79 yards - four of which went 10 yards or longer
"James was a leader on the field all game," stated Navy head coach Maj. Jake Jenkins, USMC. "We wanted the ball in his hands. It was contagious and sparked a lot of enthusiasm on the defensive end."
With Campbell's help, Navy's defense limited Randolph-Macon JV to 167 yards of total offense - only 61 yards coming on the ground via 35 carries. The Midshipmen forced the Yellow Jackets into five turnovers on the day - four interceptions and a fumble recovery. Navy's defense made 10 stops in the backfield for a loss of 34 yards, highlighted by three sacks.
The shutout was Navy's first since an 83-0 victory over Princeton on Rip Miller Field last season.
"The defense was exceptional from start to finish," said Jenkins. "To get four interceptions against a team that runs so much, that was a great effort."
Defensive team captain Brian Smith (Sr./Gainesville, Fla.) led the Mids with nine tackles, including a forced fumble and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. Fellow linebacker Chris Combellick (Sr./Carmel, Ind.) delivered eight stops, while Tyler Hawkins (Jr./Canyon Country, Calif.) and Kyle Hayhurst (Jr./Pleasanton, Calif.) each chipped in with six tackles. Defensive back James Han (So./Munster, Ind.) also picked off two passes late in the game to preserve the shutout.
After a scoreless first quarter, Navy took advantage of good field position and solid defense to grab a 17-0 lead going into the break. David Reifenberg (Jr./Ft. Wayne, Ind.) booted through a 28-yard field goal to open the scoring with 9:33 left in the half. He would connect on a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter.
On the next possession, Navy started on the opponent's 44-yardline thanks to a 20-yard punt return by Campbell. Three plays later, Nate Stewart (Jr./Fitzgerald, Ga.) took a pitch to the left 36 yards for the first touchdown of the game to make the score 10-0.
With less than 15 seconds left in the half, Randolph-Macon JV attempted a hook-and-ladder play, but the pitch from the wide receiver was mishandled and Smith picked up the loose ball and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 17-0.
Navy's offense totaled 282 yards on the day - 153 on the ground and 129 through the air. Stewart led the rushing attack with 96 yards on 15 carries with his first touchdown of the year. Last week against Catholic JV, he gained 85 yards on 14 attempts.
"Nate really hit the hole better than last week," said Jenkins. "Fatigue was not a factor for him in this heat today."
Quarterback and offensive team captain D.J. Green (Sr./Indianapolis, Ind.) 12-of-23 passes for 112 yards and ran the ball eight times for 13 yards. Wide receiver Logan Coffey (Sr./Dalton, Ga.) proved to be Green's favorite option on Sunday, as he caught five passes for 74 yards. Macedonius Melonas (Sr./Orem, Utah) and JoJo Catrini (So./Norcross, Ga.) each made three receptions for the Mids.
The Midshipmen will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 28, when they head up to Shea Stadium in West Point, N.Y., to take on Army in a non-conference game. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
