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Oct. 7, 2007

Box Score

UNION, N.J. - Navy middle linebacker Tyler Hawkins (So./Canyon Country, Calif.) spearheaded the defensive effort with a career-best 17 tackles as the Midshipmen defeated defending CSFL champion Cornell, 35-14, in Pride Bowl XXIX at Kean Alumni Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With the win, Navy improved to 3-0 on the year, 1-0 in CSFL play and recorded its 300th victory in its 62-year program history (300-62-9). The Midshipmen also maintained their perfect record all-time (7-0) in Pride Bowl play. Cornell dropped to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in league action.

"The win is rewarding, but only the first step in bringing the CSFL title back to Annapolis," stated Navy head coach Maj. Jake Jenkins, USMC. "It was a big step, but we still have half of a season's work left to do.

"As our middle linebacker, Tyler is really the motor that makes this defense tick. He made plays that he was supposed to make and some that weren't expected of him."

Navy's defense, led by Hawkins's Pride Bowl Most Valuable Player effort, held the Big Red off the board during the first-three quarters of play, limiting their offense to just 123 yards on 53 plays in that span.

The Midshipmen used big plays in the first half to forge a 14-0 lead going into halftime. Running back Richard Engel (Sr./Medford, N.J.) broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run with 1:22 left in the first quarter to put the Mids on the board at 7-0. In the middle of the second quarter, running back Nate Stewart (So./Fitzgerald, Ga.) sprinted for a 55-yard scoring scamper to make the score 14-0.

Navy put the game away in the third quarter with a pair of touchdowns within the first-six minutes of the second half. The Mids took the opening kickoff of the half and marched the ball down the field on 10 plays, capped by quarterback D.J. Green's (Jr./Indianapolis, Ind.) one-yard sneak into the endzone.

Following a Cornell three-and-out, Navy needed only three plays to travel 80 yards to push its cushion to 28-0. Green pump-faked and found wide receiver Nash Bagby (Jr./Waco, Texas) on the left sideline open for a 59-yard touchdown strike.

The Mids wrapped up their scoring on the afternoon with 14:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, as running back Steve Benson (So./Ellenwood, Ga.) worked free around the left side of the line for a 22-yard touchdown run.

Navy's offense out-gained Cornell, 470-239, despite running 10 fewer plays than its opposition. The Midshipmen held the Big Red, who entered the game averaging 201.5 yards per game, to just 105 yards on the ground.

Stewart led Navy's 280-yard rushing attack with nine carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. Engel produced 67 yards on eight rushing attempts and a touchdown, while running back Enrique Harris (Jr./Crawfordville, Fla.) churned out 50 yards on eight rushes.

Through the air, Green was an efficient 12-for-22 with 185 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Green found wide receiver Todd Barriger (Sr./Prescott, Mich.) four times for 56 yards, while fellow wide receiver Tommy Tellson (Jr./Bedford, Texas) hauled in three passes for 25 yards.

In addition to Hawkins's 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss, linebacker Emery Persinger (Fr./Cheswick, Pa.) delivered nine tackles, one for a loss and forced a fumble in reserve duty. Defensive lineman Justin Nabozna (Jr./Hershey, Pa.) made 1.5 tackles for a loss of seven yards and blocked a pass, while defensive back Jarred Tate (So./Las Vegas, Nev.) broke up three pass attempts and defensive back James Campbell (Jr./Kansas City, Mo.) picked off a pass near Navy's endzone late in the second quarter.

The Midshipmen have played in front of 7,500 fans during their last-two games, as 3,500 spectators were in attendance for the action on Sunday.

"Having 3,500 fans at the game really helps make the game that much more exciting," said Jenkins. "We are really appreciative of the support by the midshipmen, parents and fans in attendance today. We are glad to have represented the U.S. Naval Academy in front of so many people in such a positive way."

Navy will return to action on Friday, Oct. 19, when it hosts its lone home game of the year against Princeton (0-3, 0-1 CSFL). Kickoff at Rip Miller Field is slated for 7 p.m. and admission is free.