Army-Navy outlasts Patrick Henry for football playoff win

by Breven Honda

CARLSBAD – Two years ago, Army-Navy lost in the CIF-San Diego Section Division 5-AA championship.

Flash forward 24 months, the Warriors are in the Division 3 playoffs for the second consecutive season, this time as the No. 2 seed and with only one loss on their record.

Army-Navy scored two third-quarter touchdowns, leading to a 28-19 home playoff victory in the quarterfinals over No. 10 Patrick Henry.

“I think it’s special,” said Warriors coach Nehemiah Brunson, who has just 28 players on his roster. “The number one thing is they’re showing some grit and determination.

“We’re showing a lot of these schools what small-school football is about.”

Fueling the Warriors’ three second-half touchdowns was their defense. Jonah Tua came up with a clutch interception and a 40-yard return, setting up the offense.

“My job was to always keep an eye on the running back,” Tua said. “As soon as I see him leak out, I jumped it. Once I got the pick, I’m not going to lie, I had tunnel vision, so I was moving a little slow. I felt like I was in a dream.”

On the sixth consecutive rushing play, Landon Schrom then punched it in from three yards out to give Army-Navy (9-1) its first lead of the night, 14-13, with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter.

“It built the momentum so much it really took the pressure off the offense,” quarterback Judah Bogard said of the turnovers as Army-Navy totaled three interceptions. “With the pressure off, it made us sit a little easier. We were able to perform.”

The Warriors’ defense continued to step up, forcing Patrick Henry (6-6) to turn the ball over on downs.

That turnover led to running back Vincent Leatherwood finding room and busting out for a 25-yard touchdown run.

“The young man is a grinder,” Nehemiah said of Leatherwood, who recorded 13 carries for 91 yards. “Vincent has come a long way since his freshman year. To be a junior and a stud running back for us, I can’t wait to see what he’s got to do next week.”

After the Patriots responded with a touchdown, fueled by a long kickoff return by senior Calvin Glenn, the Warriors punched back.

Bogard capped off an eight-play, 65-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run up the middle to give the two-seeded Warriors a nine-point lead.

“The young man has come a long way being with our guys,” Brunson said of Bogard, who completed 13 of 20 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score. “He’s starting to understand our concepts and what Warrior grit and brotherhood is about.”

Glenn paced the Patriots with nine carries for 38 yards and a touchdown as well as a team-high seven receptions for 100 yards and a receiving score from 25 yards out with 2:30 left in the first quarter.