High school football scene and heard: Army-Navy brings unique perspective to playoff game

CARLSBAD — There’s no doubt Patrick Knight is an Aussie. The accent’s a dead giveaway.

Abraham Drame was born in Washington, D.C., but India is home. His mother is a U.S. diplomat.

Two hours before Army-Navy Academy kicked off Friday night against Christian High School in the CIF San Diego Section Division 3 semifinals, Knight and Drame shared what life is like as students at the military prep school.

One day a week, reveille blares across campus speakers at 6:30 a.m. Three days a week, the bugles blast at 6:30. One day, the students can sleep in, reveille not sounding until 7:30.

Drame, though, must rise much earlier. As a company commander, he’s often up by 6, assigned to check cadets’ rooms, making sure they’re awake.

The Warriors march at least twice a week for an hour. There are ROTC classes.

Both student-athletes say they like the structure and discipline Army-Navy has instilled in them.

“I really like it because it keeps you focused on your work,” said Drame, a sinewy outside linebacker. “School overseas wasn’t as structured. My grades weren’t as good.”

“It’s a very surreal experience here,” said Knight, a 6-foot, 302-pound two-way lineman. “They preach on building young virtuous men. The discipline helps build us up for success in the future.”

Word from the wise

When Knight and Drame headed toward the locker room before kickoff, they were offered advice from Bert Ford, the former Army-Navy head football coach (2005-2010). Ford drove 500 miles from Sierra Vista, Ariz., for the game.

Said the 70-year-old Ford, who played at Army-Navy: “Get after their ass and stay after their ass. If that happens, no matter what you can walk out with your head held high.”

Ode to Maffucci

John Maffucci, 94, served Army-Navy for 59 years, 43 of them as athletic director. Coaching a variety of sports, Maffucci posted 750 wins, including 339 in basketball.

Ford credits Maffucci for saving his life. Ford was working as a firefighter in Las Vegas when he got trapped in an apartment blaze.

“He taught us to never, ever lose your composure,” said Ford. “I was on the ragged edge of panic when I heard his voice. Then I heard my training officer’s voice kick in. But I heard John Maffucci first.”

Ford said he was stuck by a part of afallen roof, but escaped after dislodging his air pack.

“I’m telling you,” said Ford, “John Maffucci saved my life.”

Day/night dreamer

Christian’s Kaleb Runkle is one of the section’s most talented and often overlooked quarterbacks. Coming into the game the junior had completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,249 yards with 20 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also led the Patriots with 408 yards rushing.

He tossed 20 touchdowns with just one interception as a sophomore.

Sitting on the Christian bench 90 minutes before kickoff in sweats and Birkenstocks, Runkle said mental reps and visualization are keys to his success. He said he might wake up from a scary dream – “Getting hit when I’m not expecting it” – and begin visualizing the way a play should unfold.

With headphones in one hand, Runkle said his favorite pregame music is reggae.

Passing by Runkle, head coach Patrick Bugg said: “I could have guessed 20 music genres for him, and I’d have never guessed that.”

Army-Navy led at halftime 10-6, highlighted by the Warriors’ Landon Schrom’s 96-yard kickoff return.

Show me the rings

Christian has won 10 section football titles, but the drought has reached 11 years, the last one coming in 2014. Zane Coffman played on the 2011 and ’13 championship teams and coached on the 2014 squad.

His championship rings once were on display in a shadow box in his parents’ living room. Living on his own now, they’re stuffed in a sock drawer.

Said the 30-year-old Coffman, “You pop ’em out every once in a while just to remind yourself.”

Not cheap

Army-Navy tuition for an international boarding student: $68,250. Cost for a domestic boarding student: $60,750. Cost for a domestic day student: $41,800.

Small numbers

Enrollment at Army-Navy, which is for seventh through 12th graders, is 235. Of those, 184 are high school students. Of the high school students, 161 are boarders, 23 are day students.

The Warriors suited up 28 players, but head coach Nehemiah Brunson said that only 22 would play.

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