Fleet Activities Okinawa commanding officer Capt. Robert ''Stormy'' Weathers performs pushups, one for every point Navy scored, after a touchdown during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Fleet Activities Okinawa commanding officer Capt. Robert ''Stormy'' Weathers performs pushups, one for every point Navy scored, after a touchdown during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Tyron Francis looks for running room against Army's Will Arnell on a two-point conversion attempt during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy running back Ricky Luttimore tries to elude Army defenders Justin Morton, from left,, Ryan Ashazahur, Jonathan Greathouse and Thomas Kerfoot during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Army's Jamaal Williamson looks for running room after intercepting a Navy pass during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Tyron Francis exults after scoring a two-point conversion during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Antoniio Johnson, left, tries to recover a ball he knocked loose from Army's Brian Arthur during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. The play was ruled a safety, cutting Army's lead to 3-2, and it proved to be the turning point as Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy quarterback Robert Trisby looks to throw as Army defender Justin Morton gives chase during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Trisby was named the game's Most Valuable Player and Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Donald Dudley has a pass fall just out of his reach as Army's Jonathan Greathouse defends during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Trenton McKibben ries to fall on a loose ball on the opening kickoff during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Army coach Lawrence Occomy gathers his charges for a pep talk just before Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Torii Station's 10th Support Group commanding officer Col. Lance Koenig and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Austin pay respect to the colors and the joint service color guard before Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Terry Woodcock sings the national anthem before Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
The joint-service color guard parades the colors onto the field before Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
A huge ''Go Army Beat Navy'' sign is draped over the south wall of the Torii Station fitness and sports center during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy quarterback Robert Trisby feigns gunfire at his Army opponents during lineup introductions prior to Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Army charges onto the field prior to Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
To the victors go the spoils. Navy team members, including coach Kevin Davis (2) and Fleet Activities Okinawa commanding officer Capt. Robert ''Stormy'' Weathers (80, with football) celebrate after Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Micheal Prendergast snags a pass just out of the reach of Army defender Jamaal Williamson during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Prendergast was ruled out of bounds on the play, but earned Offensive Player of the Game honors as Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
A ''Go Navy, Beat Army'' pennant is on display at Navy's VIP section during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Navy's Quentin White thumps his chest in trumph after catching a 35-yard touchdown pass from Robert Trisby during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Army running back Joseph Smallwood tries to avoid the flag tackle of Navy's Antonio Johnson during Saturday's Army-Navy flag football game at Torii Field, Torii Station, Okinawa. Navy broke a six-year losing streak in the 21-year-old series, beating Army, 27-3. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
TORII STATION, Okinawa – Defense supplied the fireworks. Quarterback Robert Trisby lit the match. And then came a long-delayed celebration for Navy’s flag football team in the Commander’s Trophy series.
Fleet Activities Okinawa on Saturday intercepted six Torii Knights passes, and Trisby threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the sailors routed the soldiers, 27-3, for their first Army-Navy flag-football victory since 2003. Army still leads the series 16-5.
“The feeling is unbelievable. You can’t describe it in words,” Trisby said. “It (Commander’s Trophy) is going to its rightful home, CFAO.”
“Unbelievable. Defense came out to play today,” lineman Tyron Francis said. “Six interceptions, I can’t believe how many sacks, the pressure was unbelievable. Total team effort by Navy. Six years no more.”
The annual rivalry game was played before more than 1,500 fans at Torii Field, site of a series begun in 1990.
Fans ringed the field, some decorated in Army black and gold and Navy blue, waving pompons and flags, partaking of the many food booths around the field and taking in the pomp and pageantry.
Cheerleaders from the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and the presence of the 296th Army Band out of Camp Zama gave the game a stateside flavor. Each team had their own cheerleaders supporting them. There was even a halftime passing contest with $10,000 at stake.
The command’s top officers and enlisted men, Col. Lance Koenig and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Austin of Torii’s 10th Support Group and CFAO commanding officer Capt. Robert “Stormy” Weathers and Command Master Chief Petty Officer John Toomer presided over the pregame ceremonies.
“It’s tradition. We battle hard on the field, but we battle together off it when it’s over,” Koenig said.
Well, not in all respects. His Navy counterpart reminded him that the Navy team visited his home earlier Saturday and “decorated” the front yard. “It was well done,” Koenig said, tongue in cheek.
Koenig praised the presence of the Colts cheerleaders. “For them to leave in the middle of the (NFL) season and come to this game, it shows the American people are behind their deployed forces and we really appreciate it.”
So, too, did the cheerleaders, said the group’s representative Theresa Pottratz. “It’s been a wonderful experience,” she said of a tour of Okinawa that began Wednesday and ends Monday. “Short trip, but it’s worth it.”
Will Arnell’s early field goal gave Army a 3-0 lead 1 minute, 43 seconds into the game, but from there, it was all Navy. The turning point came 3:25 into the quarter when Antonio Johnson stripped Army running back Justin Morton of the ball in the end zone for a safety.
Antonio Houston and Luke Hicks each intercepted Army quarterback Adam Edmonds twice and Duane Dillard was picked off once each by Jonathan Porter and Phillip Bull. Trisby threw touchdown passes of 1 yard to Frank Bryant, 35 yards to Quentin White and 19 yards to Charles Taggart.
