The Army Black Nights defeated the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday at Gillette Stadium (Photo: Army Navy Game)
For readers who missed the highly anticipated Army-Navy game on December 9, here is a recap of Saturday’s game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Army secured a 17-11 victory over Navy, marking their second consecutive win and their sixth in the last eight matchups.
This 124th Army-Navy showdown was historic as it took place at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, for the first time. The game coincided with the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.
The game unfolded in front of a crowd of nearly 66,000, with a pre-game display featuring a flyover by a CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, and a Sikorsky Black Hawk. The coin toss, won by Army, involved team captains Jimmy Ciarlo, Austin Hill, Connor Finucane, and Leo Lowin.
In the opening quarter, Army positioned themselves favorably, advancing to a first and goal inside the Navy five-yard line. Exploiting this opportunity, quarterback Bryson Daily connected with Tyson Riley for a four-yard touchdown, granting the Black Knights an early 7-0 lead.
As the game progressed, both teams engaged in a defensive battle with trading punts. Navy’s strategic move to quarterback Tai Lavatai ignited a drive culminating in a 37-yard field goal, narrowing the lead to 10-3.
The Army Black Knights demonstrated dominance throughout the game, initiating the scoring in the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown pass from Bryson Daily to Tyson Riley.
The climax unfolded in the fourth quarter when Army’s Kalib Fortner executed a game-changing play, stripping the ball from Navy’s Tai Lavatai. Fortner raced 44 yards for a touchdown, extending the Black Knights’ lead to 17-3 with less than five minutes remaining.
Responding to the intensified pressure, Navy’s offense rallied in the game’s waning moments, orchestrating a 59-yard drive that concluded with a touchdown. Despite the momentum, their two-point conversion attempt fell short, leaving them trailing by eight. After an unsuccessful onside kick, Navy forced Army to punt, providing a final opportunity to level the score with a touchdown and two-point conversion.
In a dramatic last stand, Navy maneuvered the ball 72 yards, only to be thwarted by Army’s defense on the one-foot line. With three seconds left on the clock, Navy turned the ball over on downs, ensuring Army’s victory.
The game showcased standout performances, notably from rookie Kanye Udoh, who led Army’s ground game with 88 rushing yards. Quarterback Bryson Daily contributed 84 yards on 27 attempts, including a touchdown pass. On the defensive front, Kailb Fortner emerged as a key player, recording 10 tackles and executing the strip-sack fumble recovery for a touchdown. Leo Lowin closely followed with nine tackles, contributing to the success that won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for Army for the first time since 2020.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
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