ANNAPOLIS, MD. - The University of Pennsylvania sprint football team will play for a chance to defend its 2016 Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) championship following a come-from-behind, 28-23 win at Navy Friday night to clinch the league's South Division title. The Quakers out-gained the Midshipmen 283-159 in the contest, while also causing five turnovers on defense to keep their season alive.

HOW IT HAPPENED
*Navy took the early advantage in the game after blocking Penn's first punt of the night following a three-and-out, setting up the Mids on the Penn 21 yard line. However, the Quaker defense held its ground, forcing a 37-yard missed field goal. However on the ensuing play, Quaker quarterback Eddie Jenkins was intercepted, resulting in a Braydan Chmeil touchdown pass to Austin Rodgers to open the scoring.

*On the next Penn drive, the Quakers turned the ball over yet again, and the Mids capitalized to take a 14-0 lead on an eight-yard rushing touchdown from Mac Lavis.

*Following another Penn punt, Quinn Karam forced a Lavis fumble on a run to the right edge that was scooped up by Sam Smallzman as the Quakers took over at the Navy 24 yard line. Despite being stopped on three straight goal-to-go plays, Theodoros Papazekos converted on a field goal, but a personal foul for running into the kicker on the play was called to set Penn up with a fresh set of downs at the Navy two-yard line. On first & goal, Jenkins scampered into the end zone on the option keeper to make it a one-score game.
           
*In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Navy blocks its second punt of the night, this time setting them up with first & goal at the Penn nine-yard line. The Midshipmen capitalized on the miscue via a Jared Swenson 25-yard field goal.

*Penn's 11-play, 63-yard drive in the closing minutes of the half was halted by a forced fumble at the Navy 17, but Mateo Murgia got the ball right back in the offense's hands with a fumble recovery on a botched pitch at the Navy ten.

*Jenkins responded with a perfectly-placed ball to Marcus Jones on a fade route to the corner of the end zone from five yards out to make it a three-point game at 17-14, Navy.

*With under a minute to play in the second quarter and Navy driving, Smallzman made a stop on fourth & one from the Navy 29 with the Midshipmen poised to add to their lead before the break.

*The two sides traded scoreless possessions all throughout the third quarter, but the Quakers were able to take their first lead of the night at 21-17 when Jenkins found Jones in the end zone for the second time on the night, this time for a nine-yard touchdown to cap off a six-play, 35-yard drive.

*With about five minutes remaining in the one-score game, Jake Klaus put all doubts to rest with a 15-yard run to the house - his first of the game - to extend the lead to 28-17.

*The Quakers benefited from two key defense stops in the closing minutes, as Tracey Woods Jr. intercepted a pass on ensuing Navy drive before Murgia stepped up on fourth & one on the Penn 28 to stop the Midshipmen from inching closer to a comeback attempt late in the fourth quarter - while also allowing Penn to run out the remainder of the game clock.

*Murgia led the defense with eight tackles and one sack on the night - a unit that held Navy to just 76 yards in the second half -  while Jenkins was 15-of-21 for 131 yards and two touchdowns and Klaus rushed for a game-high 74 yards.

WHAT'S NEXT
Penn (5-1, 3-0 CSFL South) hosts Mansfield in its final home contest of the season Friday night at 7 p.m. The Quakers will then make the trek to West Point to take on the North Division Champion Black Knights in the inaugural CSFL title game the following weekend in a week three rematch.

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