Section: NAS

Confident Mids do it again, trip Fighting Irish

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Navy's victory celebration wasn't as emotional and raucous as the last time it beat Notre Dame here. The Midshipmen ran onto the field and exchanged hugs and handshakes pretty much the way they do after every win.

When Navy knocked off Notre Dame in 2007 it was stunning and historic. The Midshipmen snapped a monumental 43-game losing streak in the annual series, prompting the players and coaches to react with ...

Mids shock Irish again

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Navy went 43 years without beating powerful Notre Dame in football. Now the Midshipmen have accomplished the remarkable feat twice in three years.

Fullback Vince Murray and quarterback Ricky Dobbs led an impressive offensive performance while linebacker Ram Vela and cornerback Blake Carter anchored a gutsy defensive effort as Navy upset 19th-ranked Notre Dame, 23-21, yesterday.

Navy sealed the victory by recover...

Mids adjust, but Irish don't

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00

SOUTH BEND, IND. - Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis bragged last week about how his defense "dominated" and "mauled" the Navy offense in last year's meeting between the schools.

Weis got his come-uppance yesterday as the Midshipmen and their dangerous triple-option offense made a proud Fighting Irish defense look silly.

Quarterback Ricky Dobbs and fullback Vince Murray led the way as Navy rolled up 348 ya...

Notre Dame QB living up to hype

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Jimmy Clausen is one of the most celebrated recruits to commit to Notre Dame. For the most storied program in college football history, which annually signs a slew of Parade All-Americans, that is really saying something.

Clausen announced he was choosing Notre Dame over USC on April 22, 2006 at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., arriving in a stretch Hummer limousine and stating that his goal was to win four nationa...

Extended stretch taking a toll on Midshipmen

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Navy cornerback Blake Carter has come out of games lately feeling as though he's been involved in a traumatic accident. "After every game it feels like I was in a car crash, or maybe even a plane crash," he said.

Navy has played nine games without a week off and won't get one until Nov. 21 - after 11 games have been played. Just about every other college football team in the country has received a bye by this point in ...

Navy remains charged up about end to historic skid against Irish

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00

For a brief moment, linebacker Ram Vela didn't know how to react after Navy ended more than four decades of frustration by beating Notre Dame on Nov. 3, 2007.

The Midshipmen completed a wild 46-44 upset in triple-overtime when senior linebacker Irv Spencer and a host of teammates hit Fighting Irish tailback Travis Thomas behind the line of scrimmage on a two-point conversion attempt.

"When we got the stop, I actually paus...

Irish to put skid-busting Mids to test

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Navy's football team has done a remarkable job of not losing consecutive games over the last seven years. Since 2003, the Midshipmen are 20-6 in contests following a loss. That proven ability to bounce back will be challenged this Saturday. Coming off a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Temple, Navy must travel to South Bend, Ind., to take on 19th-ranked Notre Dame.

"As good as Temple was - and I think our guys understand they ...

Navy Men's Soccer Roundup

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Navy sophomore midfielder Sam Miller was voted to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic District 2 second team. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).

Miller has tallied one goal for two points this year, coming in a come-from behind win over Temple on Sept. 18. For his career, he has played in 31 games in two years, scor...

Mids need to get past loss, focus on Irish

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Football is usually won in the trenches. That is exactly where Temple beat Navy on Saturday.

The Owls controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that performance in the most basic element of football was enough for them to overcome numerous mistakes.

A Temple offensive line that averages 310 pounds per man mauled Navy and paved the way for freshman tailback Bernard Pierce to rush for 267 yards and two touchdown...

Navy bowled over by Owls

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Navy got beat at its own game yesterday by a vastly improved Temple team that came to Annapolis hungry to achieve some major program goals and highly motivated to avenge a devastating defeat in last year's matchup between the teams.

Navy is known for using a punishing rushing attack to pound opponents into submission. Yesterday, the Midshipmen found out what it feels like.

Freshman tailback Bernard Pierce rushed for a career-h...

Navy struggles with third-down efficiency

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

For the past seven years the Navy football team has made a living out of averaging 3- and 4-yards per play, steadily churning out the first downs and marching down the field.

So it was surprising to see the Midshipmen consistently get into third-and-short situations yesterday and not pick up the first down. Navy, which came into the contest ranked ninth nationally in third down efficiency, went just 7-for-17 in that category in sufferin...

Accomplished freshman lifts Owls

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Temple freshman running back Bernard Pierce received quite a surprise upon entering the locker room after yesterday's win over Navy.

After his 267-yard, two-touchdown performance, Temple's all-time freshman rusher eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

"I actually didn't know it until someone told me in the locker room. It's a great accomplishment," he said.

Pierce is the first Navy opponent t...

Navy women suffer rare setback in league soccer play

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

American scored three times in the second half and became just the fourth team all season to hold Navy without a goal in a 3-0 shutout victory yesterday afternoon in the Patriot League finale for both teams.

With the loss, just its second in conference play over the last two seasons, Navy (13-4-2, 4-2-1 PL) finishes the year at 4-2-1 in the Patriot League and will now carry the No. 4 seed into next weekend's conference tournament.

Temple wants to settle score with Navy

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Owls' loss in '08

was hard to take

Temple blew a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter and wound up losing to Navy in overtime last year. It was a devastating loss that cost the rebuilding Owls a .500 record and possibly a bowl berth.

Temple head coach Al Golden reminded his players about that game throughout the offseason in hopes it would serve as a lesson. The Owls (5-2) get a chance to avenge that disappointing def...

Secondary figures second to none in Navy lore

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00

When Chris Lepore received the letter of notification that he'd been selected to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial All-Stadium team as one of eight defensive backs, his wife was very excited.

"You'll get to meet Roger Staubach," she said, incorrectly thinking that all the Navy greats would be honored at the same time.

"No, actually I'll get to meet Chet Moeller, and for a defensive back that is even better,...

Blue and gold stays out of the red

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00

The pack of TV cameras and satellite trucks, the big-name corporate sponsors, a brilliant video scoreboard and all the glitz of the renovated Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium may suggest that these are prosperous times for Navy football.

And win-wise, that stands true. But even the 6-2 team has had its share of economic hardships this year, just like every other college athletic program across the country.

"There are a lot ...

Doom, gloom removed from Temple

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Al Golden took over a Temple football program that struggled to compete in the Big East Conference and was embarrassingly booted out of the league for not meeting attendance and stadium requirements.

Former head coach Bobby Wallace had tried the quick-fix method toward the end of his tenure and brought in a slew of transfers from junior college or other Division I schools.

Incidents of bad behavior plagued the Owls program.

Golden,...

Navy picks up basketball rallying cry

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00

No respect! Navy men's basketball player and coaches could be repeating that line made famous by comedian Rodney Dangerfield after being picked second-to-last in the Patriot League preseason poll.

Navy has posted winning records and finished in the upper tier of the eight-team league in consecutive seasons, but apparently is still viewed as a bottom feeder by the other head coaches and sports information representatives.

Surprisingly...