BALTIMORE, Md. - The Army Black Knights' fight for the right to end the longest losing streak in Army-Navy football history will wait until 2015.
The 17-10 Navy victory - the Midshipmen's 13th straight win against their service foe - featured 100 combined rushing attempts while the service teams racked up 403 yards via the run.
Bolstered by a first quarter blocked punt which resulted in a Cadet touchdown, the Black Knights pounced to an early lead yet watched Navy execute a two-minute scoring drive to end the first half. A final quarter quarterback sneak resulted in the Naval Academy's second TD Dec. 13 at Baltimore's M&T Stadium.
"We are certainly disappointed that we lost the game," Army Coach Jeff Monken said. "I thought our guys fought tremendously hard, and I am really proud of their effort. We just didn't make enough plays to win the football game and credit Navy, they are a really good football team and such a well-coached football team. They made the plays when they needed to, to win the football game."
Yet Navy's two scores came from a first-half ending nine-yard pass from Middie quarterback Keenan Reynolds to wide receiver Jamir Tillman and a quarterback 1-yard keeper by Reynolds that put Navy ahead 17-7 in the fourth quarter.
Army found a quick burst of energy which sustained the Knights for a good chunk of the first half. Following a blocked punt deep in Navy territory by Cadet Josh Jenkins, fellow Army special teamer Xavier Moss scooped up the loose ball and ran seven yards for the score. Just 5 and a half minutes into the 115th meeting, Army led 7-0, but that touchdown would be Army's only TD of the afternoon.
"We had a play called up to 10-man block, and we just went in there," Jenkins said of the play which put Army ahead. "I was put in a great position. I just did my job and watched everyone else make a play after."
Army senior running back Larry Dixon closed out his career with a 14 rushes good for 90 yards against the Midshipmen.
Game notes: In the second half, the 2014 Army-Navy Blood Drive Challenge results were announced on the M & T Bank Stadium field.
The Navy won the blood drive competition by over 100 donors - 733 to the Army's 623. The overall Army base winner was Fort Belvoir with 91 units while Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall was second with 83.
For more photos from this event, visit us online at: www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh.
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