Navy marches past Army

With President Bush in attendance, the Midshipmen easily won 42-13.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- All that was missing from the patriotic fervor of the traditional rivalry between Army and Navy was competition.
Aaron Polanco threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, leading Navy to a 42-13 victory over Army on Saturday in the 105th meeting between the service academies.
"This is the game, the biggest game of the year for Navy, no question," Navy coach Paul Johnson said.
President Bush attended the game for the first time since 2001 at Veterans Stadium, taking part in the coin toss by flipping a commemorative coin sent from the Iraqi city of Fallujah.
Bowl-bound Navy (9-2) hadn't won nine games since Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach quarterbacked the Midshipmen to a 9-1 record in 1963.
Navy has won five of the last six meetings to tie the overall series at 49-49-7. The Midshipmen have outscored Army 134-31 in the last three games.
Kyle Eckel had a career-high 179 yards rushing and a TD for Navy. Carlton Jones ran for 98 yards and Zac Dahman threw two TDs for Army (2-9).
"I wouldn't say we've won handily," Eckel said. "I got hit in the ribs and I'm still hurting."
A spirited atmosphere
One of the most storied rivalries in college sports, the game was even more significant this year because of the ongoing war in Iraq. A moment of silence was held before the game for all deployed military forces.
About a dozen parachuters descended onto the field, with one member from the Army's Golden Knights and another from the Navy's Leapfrogs delighting the sellout crowd of 67,882 at Lincoln Financial Field by landing at midfield.
Four fighter jets and seven helicopter gunships roared over the stadium just before Bush walked out to midfield for the coin toss. Earlier, Bush spoke to both teams in their locker rooms and later took a picture with both cheerleading squads.
"It's very disappointing," Army coach Bobby Ross said. "We didn't convert in critical down situations. Our effort was good. Defensively, we did some things well, but we had some breakdowns each half and the type of offense Navy has, it's going to hurt you."
Instant offense
After a scoreless first quarter, Navy found the end zone twice in the next four minutes.
Polanco's 10-yard TD run gave the Midshipmen a 7-0 lead. A 44-yard run by Eric Roberts gave Navy a first down at Army's 22. Two plays later, Polanco ran in for his 13th rushing TD this season.
After Army went three-and-out, Navy took over at its 47. One play after Polanco completed a 6-yarder to Jason Tomlinson on a fourth-and-5, Eckel burst up the middle for a 23-yard TD run to make it 14-0.
Josh Smith returned an interception 67 yards, giving Navy a 21-0 lead later in the second quarter. Dahman eluded a sack, started to scramble, stopped and tossed the ball into Smith's hands. "I saw a guy behind me so I figured I better jump up and block it or he's going to get a lot of yards," Smith said.
After a 12-yard TD pass from Polanco to Mick Yokitis put Navy ahead 28-0, Dahman connected with Jeremy Trimble for a 6-yard TD pass to make it 28-7 in the final minute of the first half.