Navy has Amry’s number and now it’s 13

BALTIMORE — After the Corps of Cadets paraded onto the field more than two hours before the 115th playing of the Army and Navy game, the Brigade of Midshipmen, which paraded on first and had taken their seats in the stands, shouted “13 more years” in anticipation of extending the longest streak in the series’ storied history.

Navy can start thinking about making it 14 straight.

Keenan Reynolds ran for one touchdown and threw for another in leading Navy to a 17-10 victory over Army, the 13th straight win for the Midshipmen in the series, in front of 70,935 at M&T Bank Stadium.

Reynolds’ one-yard plunge for a touchdown, which was upheld by review, gave Navy a 17-7 lead with 12:07 remaining in the game. The score capped a 15-play, 69-yard drive that milked 7:49 off the clock.

After the teams traded turnovers, the Black Knights got a career-long 52-yard field goal from Dan Grochowski to cut the deficit to 17-10 with 1:51 remaining.

The ensuing onside kick by Mitchell Howard bounced twice before it was corralled by Navy’s Thomas Wilson.

“It is a heck of a run and you have to give credit to a lot of players and coaches,” emotional Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said in referring to the streak.

“It is hard to do. We don’t talk about the streak and our approach has always been about the game.”

Reynolds rushed for 100 yards, reaching the century mark for the 14th time in his career, and his rushing touchdown was his 62nd, extending his NCAA record for a quarterback.

“We understand the streak is there and we know the magnitude of the game,” Reynolds said. “But it is still a football game and how we prepare for it is much like the 11 previous games. The difference is all the external factors.”

Austin Grebe drilled a career-long 45-yard field goal with 9:43 remaining in the third quarter give to Navy (7-5) its first lead of the game, 10-7.

Ryan Williams-Jenkins set up the score when he returned the second half kickoff 41 yards to the 50-yard line.

Army (4-8) had a chance to pull even on the ensuing possession, but Grochowski was wide left on a 49-yard field goal attempt with 4:56 remaining in the quarter.

“I am certainly disappointed to play as hard as we did and for our guys not to be rewarded,” said firstyear Army coach Jeff Monken, who along with Niumatalolo was an assistant at Navy from 2002-07 under current Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson.