Air Force Downs Army

Nov 9, 2002

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Air Force got its running game back at just the right time.

The Falcons rushed for 380 yards, scored on nine of their 10 possessions and snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating Army 49-30 on Saturday.

"I think it's a huge win," Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge said. "We've been kind of down the last couple of weeks."

Air Force (7-3) is flying again. Leotis Palmer ran for a touchdown and threw for another on a halfback option pass as the Falcons earned their sixth straight Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Joey Ashcroft added field goals of 38, 38, 41 and 30 yards, setting a career high and tying a school record for most field goals in a game.

"The train now is back on track," Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said. "The whole focus was to come and play well here and win the trophy."

Leotis Palmer was a part of two touchdowns -- one through the air and one on the ground.

Carlton Jones had touchdown runs of 4 and 2 yards for Army (0-9), which extended the nation's longest losing streak to nine games.

It was another disappointing defeat in a dismal season for Army. The Black Knights are one loss away from joining the 1973 team, which finished 0-10, as the only two in school history to begin the season with 10 straight losses.

"The sad thing about it is we're not really a bad football team," Army coach Todd Berry said. "We just play bad."

Air Force used a variety of formations to keep the Black Knights off balance and rejuvenate its own ground game. Known primarily as an option team, the Falcons lined up in the I-formation for many of their plays in an effort to confuse the Black Knights.

Air Force, the nation's second-best rushing team with 290.6 yards a game, averaged 41 points and 339.2 yards rushing in the season's first six games.

In losses to Notre Dame, Wyoming and Colorado State, the Falcons averaged 17 points and 139.3 yards rushing. On Saturday, four players gained at least 66 yards. Anthony Butler led the Falcons with 84 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown.

"Our thought was we were going to be a little more hodgepodge," DeBerry said. "We got them out of position a few times, we showed them some new formations they hadn't seen. They had a lot of adjustments to get used to."

Despite the Falcons' dominating performance on the ground, Army stayed in the game late into the third quarter.

Josh Holden, who rushed for two touchdowns, scored from 22 yards out to cut Air Force's lead to 32-24 with 7:18 left in the quarter.

The Falcons came right back as Harridge threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Adam Strecker 1:17 later to make it 39-24.

"We were able to answer any time they looked like they were going to get back in the ballgame," DeBerry said.

In the first half, Air Force looked poised to take control several times. Each time, however, Army seemed to make a play that kept it close. After Palmer - who was a high school quarterback - hit Joe Schieffer with a 23-yard touchdown pass to put the Falcons up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game, the Air Force defense quickly forced a three-and-out.

But Palmer fumbled on the punt return and Army recovered at the Air Force 29, leading to Jones' first touchdown. The Black Knights gave the lead back when Nevels tripped in his own end zone for a safety, making it 9-7.

Air Force never trailed after that, as Palmer ran for a 27-yard score and Steve Massie later added a 1-yard touchdown run.

By CONNOR ENNIS
Associated Press Writer

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