Silverdale, Wash. –
The regional Navy flag football team suffered a heartbreaking loss to Army in their 23rd annual flag football game, losing 35-28 in a thrilling, triple overtime tilt at Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s Cowan Stadium Dec. 8.
The sole representative on the field for Trident Refit Facility, Bangor, was Machinist’s Mate (Auxiliary) 1st Class Scott Drake, the team’s wide receiver.
Drake embraced football from an early age. His hometown, Diboll, Texas gave him plenty of athletic opportunities. At Diboll High School, Drake played football, basketball, golf, tennis, track and cross country.
“I have participated in athletics for as long as I can remember,” said Drake. “I continue to play soccer, flag football and basketball.”
But ask any Texan and they’ll tell you, football is the most popular sport in Texas. “Texas Monthly” magazine jokingly stated in a 2021 article that, “Texas’s state bird is the mockingbird, its state food is chili, and its state religion is football.”
It should come as no surprise that the lone TRFB representative on team Navy, Drake, is a native of the Lone Star State.
Drake became interested in flag football in 2022 when, after a shoulder injury, he was not able to play for the regular Navy regional football team.
“I heard about this opportunity from one of the coaches (to try out for the Navy regional team) in 2022 and planned to try out then,” said Drake.
But when Drake’s injury made him ineligible for the regular Navy football team, he quickly landed a spot on the Navy flag football team.
Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are all eligible to try out for the Navy team, while the Army team is comprised of both Army and Air Force. Currently, the regional Navy team is comprised only of Sailors.
“Playing flag football for the command, gives me the opportunity to interact with Sailors from other commands,” said Drake. “It really builds camaraderie.”
Despite the Navy team’s best efforts, Army defeated Navy in triple overtime to make it three in a row for the Army team, made up with players from JBLM.
Navy never trailed in the game until the final score, and nearly won it in the first overtime.
“At the beginning of the first quarter, the NAVY was up 7-0 after a pick six,” said Drake. “By the end of the first quarter the Army had tied things up.”
Navy took a 14-7 lead into the half. At the end of the third quarter Army had once again tied things up 14-14.
At the end of the fourth quarter Navy had a 21-14 lead but Army scored to tie things up in the closing minutes of regulation.
In the first overtime, Army turned the ball over with an interception, and all Navy needed was a field goal for the victory. But a costly false start penalty on their field goal attempt set them back five yards, which proved to be costly as they missed the kick wide-right by mere inches.
The teams traded touchdowns in the second overtime, setting up the dramatic finish in the third overtime.
In the third overtime, the rule called for each team to have a one-play possession, which the Army capitalized on for a touchdown. Navy’s one-play possession resulted in an incomplete pass.
Though Drake won’t be representing TRFB next year, he transfers in six months, he said he hopes to continue to play for other commands.
“Some steps I will take to prepare for next year are that I will stay healthy and work on strength and speed,” said Drake.
The Army-Navy flag football series started in 2000 to coincide with the Army-Navy college football game. Navy still leads the flag football series 14-9.