Air Force beats Navy 14-9 to get jump on Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy competition

Air Force Academy, Colorado (AP) — In a preliminary match for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy competition, Air Force emerged victorious over Navy with a score of 14-9 on Saturday. Liam Szarka played a pivotal role in the win by rushing for two touchdowns and contributing both offense and defense. The first half saw Szarka score on a 1-yard run, extending Air Force’s lead to 14-3.

The sophomore’s performance included an 8-yard touchdown late in the first half, setting up his fourth-down, 23-yard pass to Simon Kibbee, which sealed the 14-3 lead. Navy managed to score with a field goal by Nolan Bartley and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Gutierrez to Truman Brasfield in the third quarter, but it was not enough to overcome the Falcons.

A failed 2-point conversion left Navy trailing by five points. The Midshipmen’s final four possessions resulted in a combined 19 yards and a 1-of-11 conversion rate on third downs. While Szarka rushed for 81 yards and passed for 82, he was intercepted twice. Gutierrez completed 10 of 14 passes for 140 yards and added 33 yards on the ground.

The Air Force cadets were addressed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prior to the game. The Falcons will face Army next Saturday, while Navy takes on Army on December 12 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Air Force has claimed the trophy 21 times, most recently in 2022, while Navy has managed 18 victories, and Army has won 10.