Sports
Army beats Navy 20-17 in double overtime; first OT game in series history
From staff and wire reports
December 10, 2022
It took overtime to decide the Army-Navy game for the first time in the 123-year history of the classic rivalry.
In the end, Army survived 20-17 in double OT at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Black Knights recovered an Anton Hall Jr. fumble just short of the goal line in the second overtime. Quinn Maretzki kicked a 39-yard field goal to clinch the win.
“Somehow, the ball got loose, and we hit that thing when we needed to,” Army coach Jeff Monken said.
Hall dropped to the ground as the kick sailed through the uprights, and he was consoled by teammate Amin Hassan. But the fullback’s fumble forced by Austin Hill and recovered by defensive lineman Nate Smith will forever be etched on the highlight reel of game-changing plays in the series.
Army Academy kicker Quinn Maretzki kicks a field goal during the Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field stadium on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army won 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
“The game is not lost with him. That could happen to anyone that was carrying the ball on that one play,” Navy QB Xavier Arline said. “They made a good play. That’s football. That’s life. The game was not lost within that one play.”
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo stood hunched on the sideline and could not watch the final field goal.
“What do you tell them when you get your heart broken,” Niumatalolo said. “We were in the driver’s seat. We were feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, the game slipped out of our hands.”
Army running back Braheam Murphy (8) is knocked out of bounds during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy QB Xavier Arline (7) fakes a handoff to slotback Maquel Haywood (24) during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's offensive line is set for the snap as Army's defensive linemen prepare to pounce during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army quarterback Tyhier Tyler tries to find a hole to run through deep in Army territory during first quarter play in the annual Army-Navy matchup in Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
The ball bounces off Navy's Will Harbour (54) as he defends against a pass to Army's Jemel Jones (7) during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy quarterback Xavier Arline (7) runs with the ball as he tries to evade Army defensemen Austin Hill (52) and Camden O’Gara (54) in first quarter play of the annual Army-Navy game played in Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army running back Braheam Murphy gets some open field to run during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy slotback Maquel Haywood (24) takes a handoff from QB Xavier Arline (7) during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
It was a classic struggle between the historic rivals, if not a work of art. But there were a handful of big plays, particularly in overtime.
On the first play of the first OT, Army’s Markel Johnson sprinted 25 yards for a touchdown.
On the second play of the first OT, Navy’s Arline found Maquel Haywood for a 25-yard touchdown pass, Arline’s first completion of the game.
During regulation it was back and forth.
Navy led 3-0 until late in the first half. But then, it looked as if Army might have taken control of the game with a special teams stunner.
The Midshipmen set up to punt at their 31 with just 1:16 to go in the second quarter, and Army made the biggest play of the half. Defensive back Noah Short switched from one side to the other in the backfield before the snap, then came streaking through, untouched, to block Riley Riethman’s punt. The ball skidded into the end zone where it was recovered, then dropped and recovered again inches from the end line, by Nathaniel Smith.
Navy Midshipmen pursue in vain as Army running back Markel Johnson runs in for a touchdown in overtime to give the Black Knights the lead during the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. After Navy tied the score 17-17 with their own touchdown, Army went on to beat Navy 20-27 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy Midshipmen kicker Bijan Nichols kicks an extra point to tie the score at 17 during overtime play in the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army went on to win the game 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy fans celebrate after the Midshipmen scored a touchdown during overtime play in the 123rd Army-Navy game played Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. An extra point moments later tied the game at 17. The Army Black Knights went on to win 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy Academy Midshipmen raise a cheer for their team during a timeout in the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army Black Knights kicker Quinn Maretzki kicks a field goal during the 123rd Army-Navy football game held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field stadium on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy’s Nicholas Straw (51) consoles a teammate moments after Army’s Black Knights beat the Midshipmen 20-17 in double overtime in the 123rd Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Two Army Academy cadets hug in celebration moments after the Black Knights won the 123rd Army-Navy football game, defeating the Midshipmen 20-17 in double overtime at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
All of a sudden Army, which had done nothing offensively in the first half — 33 total yards and one first down — led 7-3.
Navy regained the lead with just over four minutes left in the third quarter when Hall broke free for a 77-yard touchdown run.
Hall’s run followed a mini-Army meltdown: A block in the back nullified a touchdown, a couple of false-start penalties and a mishandled snap moved the Black Knights from the Navy 21 back to their own 46. Instead of a touchdown and a 14-3 lead, Army punted. Navy took advantage.
Actor Mark Wahlberg joins Navy Academy Midshipmen in the stands prior to the start of the annual Army-Navy football game at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field stadium on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army Academy cadets march onto Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia during Army-Navy pre-game activities on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime in the 123rd meeting of the two rivals. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's drum team performs at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, prior to the start of the annual Army-Navy football game, which Army went on to win 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
The Army Academy’s mule mascot salutes during the playing of the National Anthem at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where the annual Army-Navy game was played on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army won 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
A Navy parachutists with an American flag trailing behind floats down from the sky prior to the start of the 123rd Army-Navy football game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, during pre-game activities at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
A Navy parachutists with an American flag trailing behind floats down from the sky prior to the start of the 123rd Army-Navy football game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, during pre-game activities at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Neither team delivered much on offense: Navy tallied 286 total yards; Army gained only 153. The teams combined for only 53 yards passing.
“This team never stopping fighting, they never stopped believing,” Monken said. “Somehow, some way, we found a way to get it done tonight. It was an epic battle. It was one I’ll remember for a long time, probably forever.”
Navy still leads the series 62-54-7.
Navy will wrap up a third straight losing season (4-8) under Niumatalolo, and — even worse — has lost five of the last seven games against Monken and the Black Knights (6-6).
A group of Army Academy cadets have some fun prior to the start of the 123rd Army-Navy football game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, during pre-game activities at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Navy Academy Midshipman celebrate in the stands before the start of the annual Army-Navy football game played at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field stadium on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army beat Navy 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
The A-Man, Army Academy sophomore Dylan Carmoey, flexes some muscles during the annual Army-Navy football game played in Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Army won 20-17 in double overtime. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Just before the start of the 123rd Army-Navy football game, four Army helicopters performed a flyover of the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia, where 69,117 people were in attendance on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
A brigade of Navy bagpipers parade across Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field prior to the start of the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army Academy cadets salute during the playing of the National Anthem at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where the annual Army-Navy game was played on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy awarded to the winner of the three games played among Army, Navy and Air Force hasn’t been docked in Annapolis since 2019.
Air Force (9-3) claimed this year’s CIC trophy. The Falcons beat Navy 13-10 on Oct. 1 and Army 13-7 on Nov. 5.
The series, though synonymous with Philadelphia, is hitting the road starting with next season’s game in Foxborough, Mass. The 2024 game is at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.; 2025 is at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore; and 2026 is at MetLife Stadium, the New Jersey home of the Jets and Giants just west of New York City. The game returns to Philly in 2027.
Contributing: Associated Press; Tribune News Service.