JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – After last year’s thrilling 3-0 win over the Navy in the Army-Navy flag football series, the Army team looks to build on that success and start a winning streak of its own.

“First thing I’m excited about is the 3-0 win last year was the first in seven years,” said Chad Peabody, 504th Military Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, and the team’s offensive coordinator. “We will keep that momentum going on last year’s win. We put some new plays in the book, we got a lot of returning players as well, so we are looking to add to that win total.”

As the Army team practiced their plays on a cold and damp evening at Cowan Stadium at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a couple of players recall how the game went last year.

“It was a very back-and-forth defensive battle,” said Donnel Warner, from Public Health Activity-JBLM. “Our defense put up a shutout, and I think we played a pretty good game. We could have executed better on the offensive side of the ball a little bit more, but I feel like this year with the squad that we have and the work that we’re putting in, it’s going to be a very different outcome on the offensive side of the ball.”

Michael Urban, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, who accounted for all the scoring with his 38-yard field goal with just three seconds left in the game last year, gave credit to everyone on the team.

“It was a whole team effort all around as our defense held the Navy to no score; our offense on getting the field position – I was just glad to get out there and come through on that field goal,” he said.

Robert Pierce, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, is returning as the head coach this year and looks forward to another victory.

“I’m looking forward to bringing home the trophy once again,” said Pierce. “We want to increase the team’s morale, keep building the brotherhood and just come out and have fun during the game.”

Although the team was satisfied with last year’s victory, it would like to have a better offensive showing this time around.

“One of the fun things about flag football is that you can be a little wild, and we are not tied to any sort of strict playbook,” said Peabody. “So, I expect there to be some fun on the offense.”

But if the team needs another field goal for the win, their kicker will be ready.

“You bet I am,” said Urban. “Hopefully it does not come to that again, but if it does, I’ll be ready for the team.”

The Army-Navy flag football series started in 2000 to coincide with the Army-Navy college football game. Now going into its 22nd year, the Navy leads the flag football series 14-7.

This year’s game will be played on the Navy’s home turf at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor football field, 2700 Ohio St., Silverdale, Wash., Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.

“The big key to the game is that we are going to be away at the Navy’s home turf,” Peabody said. “So we need to come in non-fatigued and ready to go.”

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This piece is written by Edzel Butac from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs Office. Want to feature your story? Reach out to us at editor@sofrep.com.