ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy sprint football team (5-0, 3-0 CSFL-South) posted a 16-7 victory over Penn (3-2, 1-1 CSLF-South) to claim the Collegiate Sprint Football League South Division title for the second consecutive season. With the win and an Alderson Broaddus loss, the Mids advance to the CSFL Championship game in back-to-back seasons.
"This was a total team win – offense, defense, special teams,"
Major Jason Dewald, USMC said after the game. "Not one individual carried the team; it was a total team effort. They played for all four quarters, not stopping, believing in what we can do. We went up against a staunch Penn offense. We were able to tighten up on them and play our game, which is what we wanted to do going into this game. I am so proud of what this team has done so far this season with our continued success."
Offensively, Navy outgained Penn, 269-222 in total offense. The Mids rushed for 168 yards compared 106 yards on the ground by the Quakers. Penn had a slight 116-101 advantage in the passing game. Navy was led by
Caleb Champion (Milton, Fla.) who finished the game with 99 total yards. The senior running back tallied 65 yards on the ground to go with one pass completion of 34 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
Braydan Chmiel (Warrenton, Mo.) finished the game with 73 rushing yards to go along with 67 passing yards. Senior captain
J.T. Thompson (Stratham, N.H.) led the team with three receptions for a team-high 62 yards and Mids' lone touchdown.
Defensively, the Midshipmen finished with 68 tackles, including 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. The defense intercepted two passes, forced a fumble, and tallied three pass breakups.
David Postma (Bellevue, Wash.) led the team with 10 tackles, while
Trey Ogden (Chesapeake, Va.) and
Luke Kustra (Vienna, Va.) added eight stops apiece. Ogden finished with a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss, including a sack, while Kustra was also credited with a sack.
Pat Guinan (Elmhurst, Ill.) and
Luis Castillo (Mason, Texas) each picked off Penn passes in the game.
On special teams,
Jared Swenson (Seymour, Wis.) finished the game with 10 points. The senior drilled three field goals, including a season-long boot of 48 yards. Swenson also drained a 45-yard kick, while adding a 32-yard field goal. In addition, he was true on his one PAT attempt. Swenson also successfully recovered an on-side kick attempt.
In the first quarter, Navy took a quick lead. After a 42-yard kickoff return by
Terry Totta (Kanas City, Kan.) on the opening kickoff set the Mids up with excellent field position, Swenson put the home team on the scoreboard with a 45-yard field goal.
Penn answered with a nine-play 67-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown for the Quakers. The visitors capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run by Laquan McKeever.
The score remained 7-3 until a minute remaining in the first half. Champion took a pitch from Chmiel and heaved it to a wide-open Thompson down the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown score, putting the Midshipmen in front 10-7 at the half.
Navy added to its lead in the fourth quarter with a pair of Swenson field goals. The Mids closed out an eight-play 52-yard drive with career-long 48-yard field goal by Swenson. With 6:05 to play, Swenson split the uprights from 32 yards out to push the advantage to 16-7.
Navy returns to action on Friday, Oct. 25, as the Midshipmen step out of divisional action with a road game against Cornell at 7:00 p.m. in Ithaca, N.Y.
