ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy sprint football team (4-0) relied on its running game and a solid second-half defensive performance to post a 28-17 victory over Chestnut Hill (3-2) on Friday evening at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Running back Hunter Gennicks rushed for 276 of the Midshipmen's 313 rushing yards, while the defense posted a second-half shutout, forcing four turnovers in the final two quarters.
 
"We knew we were going to need to run the ball tonight," head coach Major Carter Reading, USMC said after the game. "We knew that we would have success running the ball, but I don't think we were expecting it to be as good as we saw. We trusted our runs. We trusted our calls. Mike Whitehouse was calling the runs and Hunter did exactly what we needed him to do."
 
Gennicks rushed for a career-high 276 yards, finishing just 15 yards shy of the all-time record for yards in a game of 291 set by David Williams against Army on Nov. 4, 2011. The junior running back finished with three rushing touchdowns, finding the end zone on 16-, 2-, and 72-yard runs. In addition, Gennicks caught a pass for five yards for his fourth touchdown of the game.
 
Broderick Freeman added 38 yards on the ground, while Luke O'Connell added a five-yard rush.
 
"Our defense stepped up," Reading added about the Mids' second-half defensive performance. "All season long, the defense has preached turnover, turnover, turnover. If one guy has their player wrapped up another is coming for the ball. That is what we preach. It is what Coach Verducci preaches. We are going to keep battling for that ball until the very end."
 
The Navy defense finished the game with five takeaways, including four in the second half. The Midshipmen recovered four fumbles and intercepted a pass. Jake Wolinski led the team with 13 tackles with a tackle for loss, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Mick Tabor, who notched eight tackles, led the team with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and two fumble recoveries. Christian Conley added a sack and a forced fumble, finishing with nine total tackles. Seamas Carrasco and Owen Erker forced fumbles with Jensen Boyt recovering a fumble. Jake Frazier intercepted a Chestnut Hill pass, returning it for 28 yards. It was the first INT surrendered by the Griffins this season.
 
Navy was the first team to score as Gennicks capped a five-play, 63-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown rush on the opening drive of the game. Chestnut Hill countered with a TD drive of its own, taking five plays to cover 71 yards with Anthony Cancellare rushing 28 yards for the game-tying score. The Midshipmen methodically marched down the field in an 11-play drive that spanned 68 yards that ended with Gennicks walking untouched into the end zone from two yards out to take a 14-7 lead.
 
The Griffins knotted the game at 14-14 in the second quarter. The visitors used a 14-play drive to march down the field 73 yards in just under nine minutes (8:41). Xavier Limehouse scored on a five-yard run to close out the drive. Chestnut Hill took the lead with five ticks remaining on the first-half clock as Brady Reynolds converted a 32-yard field goal attempt to give the Griffins a 17-14 advantage.
 
Chestnut Hill received the second-half kickoff. The Griffins were driving, driving 54 yards on nine plays before Erker forced a fumble that was recovered by Wolinski. On the ensuing Navy possession, Gennicks broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run to put the Midshipmen in front 21-17. The first play of the Griffins' next drive saw Carrasco force a fumble that Tabor jumped on for the second takeaway of the second half. The Mids missed a 39-yard field goal attempt on the ensuing drive, but the Navy defense were able to get a fourth-down stop to regain possession with 37 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
 
With a short field, Navy needed six plays to cover 31 yards to push the lead to 28-17. O'Connell connected with Gennicks for a five-yard touchdown pass two and a half minutes into the final quarter of play. The Midshipmen defense used an interception by Frazier and a sack fumble by Conley that was recovered by Tabor to thwart any chance of a Chestnut Hill comeback attempt.
 
Up next, Navy remains at home to take on Molloy on Friday, Oct. 24 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game will be live streamed on the Navy Athletics YouTube Channel and live stats will be available.