HILLBURN, N.Y. – The Navy sprint football team (1-0) trailed St. Thomas Aquinas (0-1), 6-3, early on Saturday afternoon at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn, N.Y., but three first-half touchdown passes by senior quarterback Brandon Atwood gave the Midshipmen a lead they would not relinquish as the Mids posted a 27-14 win to start the 2023 season.
 
"We are happy to get out of here with a win," head coach Major Alfonso Meidus, USMC said at the conclusion of the game. "STAC has some dynamic athletes that create a lot of problems. They were able to hit us with some big plays, especially early. I feel our team settled in and were able to start making some plays. With that said, we had way too many penalties. We have a lot of work to do before our next game. We will address that heading into a bye next week."
 
Atwood finished the game with three touchdown passes to three separate receivers – Kai Sasaki, Tyron Francis Jr., and Andrew Margiotta. Placekicker Mychal Golden added a pair of field goals to go with his three PATs to finish with nine points in the game.
 
After surrendering an early first-quarter touchdown, the Midshipmen defense clamped down and did not allow the Spartans to score until the final minute and a half of the game. The Midshipmen defense recovered a muffed punt, while also recovering a fumble and intercepting a Spartan pass.
 
Navy was the first team to scratch the scoreboard. Golden snuck a field goal through the uprights to take an early 3-0 lead. Saint Thomas Aquinas responded on the ensuing drive, taking a handoff around the left side and scampering 63-yards into the end zone for a touchdown. The Mids' defense swarmed the PAT attempt, leaving the game 6-3. The Midshipmen regained the lead on the following drive as Atwood found Sasaki in the back of the end zone for the first touchdown of the season for Navy. The point after was true by Golden and the Mids led 10-6 through one quarter of play.
 
After STAC missed a field goal to start the second quarter, Navy methodically worked its way down the field. On third and goal from the 10-yardline, Atwood rolled to his left and hit Francis Jr. in the end zone for his second TD pass of the first half. The following Midshipmen drive saw Navy once again drive down the field, this time capping the drive with a 21-yard touchdown reception to Margiotta to push the advantage to 24-6.
 
Neither team was able to score in the third quarter. With the lead, the Midshipmen relied heavily on Tyler Massena and Victor Otero in the run game to milk the clock and shorten the game. The Navy defense stood strong in the third, causing two turnovers. David Niski recorded a strip sack, which was recovered by Major Kent to thwart a STAC drive. Later in the quarter, the home team was driving when Trent Parker was able to come away with an interception to once again stop the Spartans.
 
The Navy defense continued its strong play to start the fourth quarter. The Mids registered back-to-back sacks to hold STAC deep in its own territory. Following a punt by the home team, Navy marched down the field and capped the drive with a 36-yard field goal by Golden to open the largest lead of the game to 27-6. In the final minutes of the game, St. Thomas Aquinas capped a drive with a six-yard touchdown pass. The Spartans converted the two-point conversion to pull to within two scores, 27-14. The Midshipmen recovered the onside-kick attempt and were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
 
Following a bye week, Navy will take the field against Mansfield on Friday, Sept. 29 in the home opener for the Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.