ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy sprint football team (4-1, 3-0 CSFL South) used a strong second half performance to post a 31-0 victory over Chestnut Hill (2-3, 2-1 CSFL South) on Friday night at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Midshipmen's defense held the Griffins scoreless and did not allow a first down in the second half, holding the visitors to 31 yards of total offense in the final two quarters.
 
"It was a slow start, and obviously not how we wanted to come out of the gates," Major Jason Dewald, USMC said after the game. "I am extremely proud of our seniors. Getting a good win for them is what was most important to us today. Defense held strong for us. I was happy to see them get points on the board for us. Offense, continued to grind and get some tough yards for us. Chestnut Hill is a good team. They are no one to sleep on. It was a good game all around."
 
Navy led 7-0 at halftime, but Chestnut Hill had a 123-to-115 advantage in total yards, outgaining the Mids 82-39 in the air. The Navy ground game tallied 35 more yards (76-41) than Chestnut Hill in the first half, despite recording just 16 yards on the ground in the first quarter.  
 
In the second half, the Midshipmen began to click. The defense completed the shutout, holding Griffins' defense to just 31 total yards and no first downs. Senior Dean Rye (Fairfax, Va.) scored a defensive touchdown intercepting a Chestnut Hill pass and taking it 35 yards into the checkerboard end zone. All three sacks by Navy came in the fourth quarter as senior Gavin O'Donnell (Greenfield Township, Pa.) led the charge with 2.5 sacks for 15 yards. O'Donnell finished the game with the team lead in tackles with nine, including 3.5 tackles for loss. Senior Mason Hooten (Orlando, Fla.) had a tackle for loss, led the team with a pair of pass breaks ups, and joined Rye with an interception. Rye and senior captain Sheppard Wilson (Charlotte, N.C.) each recovered fumbles in the game.
 
Offensively, Navy tallied three rushing touchdowns, while also converting a field goal. Quarterback Braydan Chmiel (Warrenton, Mo.) led the team with 85 rushing yards and a pair of scores. Caleb Champion (Milton, Fla.) was second on the squad with 53 yards on the ground and Kaleb Bodily (Logandale, Nev.) also found the end zone. In the passing game, Chmiel finished 9-for-17 with an interception, connecting with five different receivers. Four different Mids finished with two receptions with Stefano Saragusa (Haines City, Fla.) and Jared Wiltshire (Elizabethton, Tenn.) leading the way with 41 and 34 yards receiving, respectively.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Navy was able to find the end zone in the second quarter, taking a 7-0 lead. Chmiel capped off a four-play 48-yard drive with a 15-yard scamper into the end zone to break the scoreless tie.
 
The turning point came on a goaline stand by Navy as Chestnut Hill looked to tie the game late in the second quarter. A pass interference penalty in the end zone against the Midshipmen set the visitors up with first and goal at the two yardline with under five minutes to play in the half. The Mids defense held on first and second down, surrendering just one yard. On third and goal from the one, the Griffins fumbled the handoff on a rush attempt and Rye jumped on the loose ball at the two yardline. Navy was able to run out the clock and led 7-0 at halftime.
 
Navy received the second-half kickoff and proceeded to march the ball down the field for a touchdown on a five-play, 56-yard drive punctuated with a one-yard Chmiel plunge into the end zone. The drive was highlighted by a pair of 20-yard completions from Chmiel to senior captain Dane Livengood (Treynor, Iowa) and Saragusa to set up the rushing score. After forcing a three and out, the Midshipmen offense tallied 66 yards before ending the drive with a 30-yard field goal by Jared Swenson (Seymour, Wis.).
 
In the fourth quarter, Rye started the scoring for Navy, picking off a Chestnut Hill pass and taking it 35 yards into the end zone for the touchdown. With just over two minutes remaining in the game, Bodily took the handoff nine yards into the end zone for his first TD of the season.
 
Navy returns to action on Friday, Oct. 26, as the Midshipmen travel to Philadelphia, Pa. for a CSFL South Division showdown with Penn. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.