Hillburn, N.Y. – The St. Thomas Aquinas College Sprint Football team fell to the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen, 55-7, in the team's 2021 season opener at the Torne Valley Sports Complex in Hillburn. 
 
Navy (1-0) took a 10-0 first quarter lead on the strength of a Mychal Golden 35-yard field goal and a Alex Totta five yard pass from quarterback Brandon Atwood, but a pair of quick Midshipmen (2-0) scores in the third quarter proved to be the difference.

Matthew McGee would add to the Midshipmen lead on an eight yard scamper into the endzone, to make it 17-0 Navy. St. Thomas Aquinas would get themselves on the scoreboard for the first time in the new season, as Elizah Gordon would score on a 15-yard run, making 17-7. Jake Smith wrapped up the first half scoring, catching a 12-yard strike from Brandon Atwood to extend the Navy lead to 24-7, as the teams would head to their respective locker rooms.

The visitors from Annapolis would rattle off 31 straight points in the second half to take a commanding lead. Third quarter scores by Andrew Margiotta on 58-yard and 56-yard passes from Brandon Atwood and a Marco Pezzini 10-yard pass from backup quarterback William Leong put Navy up 45-7 through 45 minutes of play.

In the fourth quarter, a Stephen Copeland 47-yard run into the endzone made it 52-7, before Mychal Golden would close out the scoring with 37-yard field goal to give Navy the 55-7 victory.
 
The Midshipmen totaled 549 yards of total offense compared to Spartan's 133. St. Thomas Aquinas turned the ball over five times, while Navy turned it over three times.

STAC HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

• Freshman Hassan Blakney led the way with 73 yards receiving on 5 catches, including a career-long 45-yard reception.
• Elizah Gordon reeled in his first touchdown of the season with a 15-yard touchdown run. Gordon finished the day with four carries for a total of 19 yards.
• Tyreke Smith registered 11 tackles, including 2.0 for a loss of four yards.
• Christopher Jones picked up his first interception of the season, returning a Brandon Atwood pass 31-yards.
• Starting quarterback Dennis Riordan completed 9 of 26 passes, for 107 yards and throwing two interceptions on the afternoon.

UP NEXT
St. Thomas Aquinas (0-1) looks to get their first win of the 2021 campaign next Friday when the Spartans travels to Bonnel Field on the campus of James Caldwell High School to take on Caldwell University in its first CSFL North division contest. Kickoff is slated for 7pm in West Caldwell, NJ.