CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – Leading late in the fourth quarter, Navy (3-1, 1-0 CSFL South) defensive back Seamas Carrasco picked off a Chestnut Hill (2-2, 1-1 CSFL South) pass to help preserve the Midshipmen's 17-10 victory over the Griffins on Saturday evening at A.A. Garthwaite Stadium (Conshohocken Field "A").
 
The Mids did not lead until the 5:30 mark in the fourth quarter when the Midshipmen broke a 10-10 tie with a Luke Wagner rush for a 15-yard touchdown. On the ensuing drive, the Griffins were methodically marching down the field, but Carrasco's interception with 73 seconds on the clock secured the Navy win.
 
"At the end of the day, it is a win," head coach Captain Carter Reading, USMC said after the game. "It was tough. It was hard fought. Chestnut Hill is a good team.
 
"We didn't play particularly well in the first half, but I thought we responded in the second half," Reading added. "In the fourth quarter, I think that Luke and the offense were able to take control. Seamas had a huge play at the end of the game. All of our players stepped up when we really needed them. It is that 'bend don't break' attitude and finding a will to win. They found that will to win today."
 
As a team, Navy finished the game with 20 first downs compared to 14 by Chestnut Hill. The Mids out rushed the Griffins, 249-140. The passing yards was nearly even with Chestnut Hill edging Navy through the air, 99-91. Both teams turned the ball over twice with Navy losing a fumble and throwing an interception, while Chestnut Hill tossed a pair of picks, including Carrasco's game securing INT.
 
Wagner finished the game with 130 yards rushing to go along with 91 yards through the air. The senior offensive captain scored the go-ahead touchdown – a 15-yard sprint into the end zone in the fourth quarter. Wagner completed 12 passes to eight different receivers on the night. Chris Stumpf led the team with 41 yards receiving on a pair of catches, including a long of 37. Jake Berger led the team with three catches, finishing with 14 yards. Biamungu Nkere added a pair of receptions for 12 yards. Hunter Gennicks was credited with 54 yards on the ground, while Broderick Freeman and Manny Walt added 20 and 16, respectively. Walt joined Wagner with a rushing touchdown.
 
Defensively, Jonathan Swift led the team with nine solo stops, including a pair of tackles for loss. Jake Wolinski added eight tackles with Simon Burger following with six stops and an interception. Angelo Pearson led the team with a pair of pass breakups, while Tyler Cox and Carrasco each broke up passes.
 
Jacori Sutton finished the game with a 25-yard field goal, that tied the game at 10-10 in the fourth quarter, helping Navy's come-from-behind victory.
 
Chestnut Hill was the first team to score. The Griffins used an eight-play drive that covered 70 yards to take an early 7-0 lead. The home team converted a fourth and two on the drive, rushing for 26 yards and a first down. The Midshipmen picked off a Griffin pass, but a defensive holding penalty negated the interception. On the next play, Chestnut Hill used an 18-yard touchdown run to take the first-quarter lead.
 
On the ensuing Navy drive, the Midshipmen drove down to the 12 yardline before the drive stalled. The Mids attempted a field goal, but the kick was blocked, giving the hosts the ball on the 10 yardline.
 
The Midshipmen defense forced a punt to get the ball back on the 30 yardline. The Mids chipped away with plays of five and seven yards before Wagner hit Stumpf with a 37-yard pass down into the red zone on the final play of the first quarter. Freeman gashed the defense for 14 yards, helping set up Walt's two-yard touchdown plunge to knot the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.
 
The Griffins regained the lead with a 10-play, 57-yard drive that resulted in a 20-yard field goal. Chestnut Hill connected on a 31-yard pass for a majority of the yardage and benefited from a Navy pass interference to extend the drive.
 
The two teams would trade possessions the remainder of the period with neither team being able to score to head into halftime with Chestnut Hill in front, 10-7.
 
Neither team was able to score in the third quarter, but Navy was able to knot the score at 10-10 in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter (11:33). The Mids used a 13-play drive to move down the field 48 yards, chewing up nearly eight minutes of clock before Sutton converted a 25-yard field goal to tie the game.
 
Six minutes later, Navy took its first lead of the game. On second and two, Wagner called his own number, splitting the defense for 32 yards. Gennicks followed with a 12-yard rush to the 28 yardline. Another Navy rush moved the Mids into the red zone. Walt continued the push with a five-yard rush on third down and two to give Navy a fresh set of downs at the 15 yardline. Wagner took the snap and sliced through the defense for the 15-yard touchdown rush to give the Mids their first lead of the game.
 
Following a 53-yard kickoff and an 18-yard return, Chestnut Hill began its drive at the 30 yardline. On third and long, the Griffins used a 12-yard completion for a first down. Navy forced a fourth and four, but the home team converted with a 13-yard pass. The Griffins used an 11-yard rush to move to the Mids' 25 yardline. On second and 10, Chestnut Hill threw into the end zone, but Carrasco picked off the pass, returning it for 20 yards for Navy. The Midshipmen used three rushes to gain 10 yards for a game-securing first down as the Griffins tried to get the ball back using each of their remaining timeouts. On first and 10, Wagner took a knee to allow the clock to run out and earn the Midshipmen's first South Division win of the year.
 
The Midshipmen will have a bye week before traveling to CSFL newcomer Molloy for a non-divisional game. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25. The game will be live streamed and live stats will be available.