Army Football Rallies But Falls to Boston College

WEST POINT – The Army West Point football team (2-3) fell to Boston College (3-3), 27-24 in a wet and rainy, non-stop downpour at Michie Stadium.

Army erased a 10-point halftime deficit of 13-3 to take its first lead of the game, 24-20 with 11:43 left in the fourth quarter. Army scored touchdowns on each of its first three drives to start the second half. However, Boston College’s QB Thomas Castellanos’ 142 rushing yards and four touchdown performance was too much for the Black Knights to overcome.

Receiving the opening kickoff, Boston College managed just 15 yards on six plays on its first drive, with the lone first down coming via penalty. Army’s first drive resulted in a three-and-out, with RB Tyrell Robinson logging a seven-yard carry in his first play back from injury since October of last season.

Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos ran for a 20-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter, the first points that the Army defense has given up in the first quarter all season. The Eagles took advantage of a short field following a 16-yard punt by Army.

Army Sophomore DL Jack Latore recorded his first career sack on the last play of the first quarter, bringing down Castellanos for a loss of five. A few plays later, DB Quindrelin Hammonds picked off Castellanos, his first career interception to set the Army offense up with great field position.

QB Bryson Daily then connected with Robinson for a 21-yard gain down to the BC eight-yard line to set up a first and goal. K Quinn Maretzki eventually knocked in a 22-yard field goal which put Army on the board and made it a 6-3 game.

The Eagles were then able to march down the field on a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive which burned 8:44 off the clock. Castellanos found pay dirt on a four-yard touchdown run with 1:24 to go in the half. The PAT was converted by Liam Connor to make it a 13-3 contest.

With rain pouring down in the closing moments of the half, Army was unable to move across midfield and punted for the fourth time in the game to go into the half trailing by ten.

On the opening kickoff of the second half, Zach Mundell broke off a 55-yard return from the Army 10-yard to the Boston College 37. It marked the first kickoff return of Mundell’s career and the longest kickoff return in the Jeff Monken era at West Point.

Daily broke off a 14-yard run on the first play of the drive, with a Robinson five-yard carry getting Army into the red zone for the second time on the afternoon. Getting down to the ten-yard line, RB Tyrell Robinson took a handoff up the middle for his first touchdown of the season and 12th overall of his career which cut the deficit down to three after a Maretzki PAT.

Boston College answered Army’s score by marching 75 yards on six plays which was capped off by a 10-yard touchdown run by Castellanos, his second of the game to extend the BC lead, 20-10.

Trading blows, the Army offense marched eight plays, 69 yards that featured a 23-yard run by QB Bryson Daily and a 17-yard pitch and catch from Daily to WR Noah Short in which RB Hayden Reed pounded in a touchdown run from six yards out to again make it a three-point game, 20-17. For Reed, it was his second touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career.

After a big stop by the Army defense, Army scored on its third consecutive possession of the second half to take its first lead of the afternoon, 24-20 when Daily connected with TE Tyson Riley on a nine-yard touchdown pass. On the drive Daily hit WR Casey Reynolds for a gain of 27 yards to set the Black Knights up with good field position.

Army would get a critical play overturned when looking to extend its lead, when Daily pitched the ball to Reed in which he ran 50 yards for a touchdown, but it was called an illegal forward pass and Army was forced the punt.

On the ensuing drive, Boston College drove 12 plays, 62 yards in which Castellanos scored his fourth rushing touchdown, as the Eagles took the lead 27-24 with only 25 seconds left on the clock.

With only a few ticks remaining Army fumbled in its last chance desperation to get into field goal range. Castellanos finished with a game-high 142 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns for the Eagles. RB Patrick Garwo also had an 100-yard performance, totaling 111 yards on 14 carries.