Oct. 15, 2010

Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - In a span of just 2:36, the Navy sprint football team scored 21 points and never looked back as it defeated Mansfield, 45-0, on Friday night at Rip Miller Field. The Midshipmen converted two turnovers on the Mountaineers' first two plays from scrimmage into 14 points in just 16 seconds. The Mids then tacked on another touchdown 2:20 later, set up by another turnover, for an early 21-0 lead that they never relinquished.

After punting on its first possession of the game, Navy set the tone for the game on Mansfield's first play from scrimmage when Cartwright Hall forced the Mountaineers' Michael Wallace to fumble. Hall recovered and the Mids went to work.

Navy took just five plays to get down the Mansfield 2-yard line where David Williams plunged in to give the Midshipmen their first touchdown of the game.

A swarming Navy defense then scored on Mansfield's next play from scrimmage when Zzmarr Stone picked off Kode Plank's pass and went 34 yards, untouched, to the end zone to double the Mids' lead with 9:32 remaining in the quarter.

The Mountaineers' misfortune continued on their next possession when they committed their third consecutive turnover on their third play from scrimmage as Plank fumbled and Navy's Emery Persinger recovered.

The Midshipmen cashed in again as they went 26 yards in five plays, capped off by 6-yard scoring run by quarterback David Lorio. Adrian Montecinos' extra point gave the Mids a 21-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game.

"When you're able to have success early like we did today, it certainly takes the pressure off the whole team," said Navy head coach Maj. Mitch Maury, USMC. "We were able to do some things that we've been working on in practice all week."

Leading 24-0 in the third quarter, the Navy defense remained relentless as a Persinger caused his second fumble of the day - leading to six more points for the Mids. Persinger hit Mansfield running back Michael Wallace in the end zone, forcing the ball loose, where Persinger recovered for the score.

The Navy defense held the Mountaineers to a total of -9 yards on the ground and a total of just one yard on 40 plays in Friday night's game.

"Our defense is a big-play defense," Maury said. "They really set up the entire team for success and that was the case tonight."

In total, Navy's defense recovered three fumbles and had three interceptions. The Mountaineers longest possession of the night came in the third quarter and lasted just five plays.

Williams got his second rushing touchdown of the day for Navy with just over four minutes left in the third quarter to help build the lead to 38-0.

Navy reserve Quarterback John-Rex Spivey ended the scoring with 11:31 left in the fourth quarter when he went 23 yards on the ground to the end zone.

Lorio started under center in place of Tyler Terronez and finished the game 5-of-15 for 52 yards and one interception.

D.J. Hooper led Navy on the ground as he carried 13 times for 82 yards.

"Both the offense and the defense were ready to play tonight," Maury said.

Navy is now 3-1 overall and 1-1 in CSFL play, while Mansfield is 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the league.

The Midshipmen will return to action next weekend when they host Princeton on Friday at 7 p.m. at Rip Miller Field.