SPORTS
February 1, 2016
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 7
Asians in American sports w Asian Americans in world sports
Niumatalolo will keep delivering wins to Navy
COACHING EXCELLENCE. Navy head coach
Ken Niumatalolo directs his players during a National
Collegiate Athletic Association football game in
Annapolis, Maryland, in this file photo. The only Asian
head coach in college football, Samoan Niumatalolo
has excelled at Navy, and has also become the
winningest head coach in Navy history. (AP Photo/
Patrick Semansky, File)
By Mike Street
Special to The Asian Reporter
avy had a close call in December,
but not on the field, where coach
Ken Niumatalolo led his team to
two big wins in the Midshipmen’s best
season ever. The only Asian head coach in
college football, Samoan Niumatalolo has
excelled at Navy. The team has become
dominant, not only against the military
academies, but also against other
formidable college teams. Navy nearly lost
Niumatalolo to one of those daunting
opponents, even as the team’s wins against
Army and Pitt also set several individual
and team records.
Army has not been much of an opponent
against Navy lately, enduring a 13-game
losing streak to their bitter rivals. Eight of
those wins have come since Niumatalolo
became head coach, part of his own success
story with the Midshipmen.
In December of 2007, Niumatalolo
replaced Paul Johnson when the latter
departed for Georgia Tech just before
Navy faced the Utah Utes in the Poinsettia
Bowl. The Midshipmen lost a squeaker in
that game, 32-35, a deceptively weak
beginning to Niumatalolo’s strong
coaching career.
Since that first defeat, Niumatalolo has
become the winningest head coach in Navy
history, piling up a 66-37 record heading
into the latest Army-Navy game. Among
other milestones, he is the first Navy coach
to go to a bowl game in his first three
seasons, the first to win the Commander-
in-Chief’s trophy (signifying wins against
both the other academy teams) in his first
two seasons, and the first to win his first
seven Army-Navy games.
In the latest battle against the Black
Knights of Army, Niumatalolo ran that
string of wins to eight. The 2-9 Black
Knights took an early lead on a field goal,
and the teams alternated touchdowns
until halftime, when Army continued to
cling to its three-point lead. Navy took the
lead in the third quarter with a quick-
strike touchdown from Keenan Reynolds
to Jamir Tillman.
Though he has a good arm, Navy
quarterback Reynolds is better known for
his footwork. He scored two rushing
touchdowns in the first half, setting a new
Division I record for career rushing
touchdowns. Army had chances to narrow
the gap, but they missed a field goal from
the Navy 12 yard line early in the fourth
quarter, and then they fumbled on their
next possession on the Navy 38 yard line.
Two more interceptions sealed the game’s
outcome, 21-17.
Still hanging over Navy’s head, how-
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ever, was Niumatalolo’s future. Earlier in
the month, Brigham Young University
(BYU) head coach Bronco Mendenhall
announced he would resign to accept the
head coaching position at Virginia.
Though several schools had courted
Niumatalolo, BYU was “different” to him.
That’s because he’s a devout Mormon, and
BYU is a Mormon university.
Niumatalolo visited the BYU campus
and met with the school’s officials while
Navy anxiously awaited his response.
After
“agonizing”
contemplation,
Niumatalolo chose to remain with the
Midshipmen. “I’ve been here 18 years and
given everything I have for Navy football,”
he said. “… What we decided as a family is
that we’re happy where we are right now.”
Reassured in their mutual relationship,
Navy faced the Pittsburgh Panthers two
weeks later in the Military Bowl. Ranked
21st in the nation, Navy entered the game
with a 10-2 record, while the unranked
Panthers had an 8-4 record. The first half
reflected this mismatch, though not with-
out an early scare for the Midshipmen.
Pittsburgh’s Quadree Henderson took
the opening kickoff from goal line to goal
line to give the Panthers the initial lead.
But the advantage didn’t last long, as the
Middies marched 75 yards down the field,
scoring on a Reynolds one-yard run. On
Navy’s next possession, Reynolds took his
squad 86 yards and ran for another
touchdown.
Pitt threatened twice more in the half,
missing a field goal from the Navy 12 and
then throwing an interception at the Navy
16. After the pick, Reynolds again led Navy
to the end zone, this time passing to Tyler
Carmona to widen the lead to 14. A fourth
touchdown and a field goal gave Navy a
31-7 lead midway through the third
quarter.
Then the Panthers came roaring back.
Pitt’s offense scored its first touchdown of
the day on an 85-yard drive. Later the
defense added a score of its own when
Navy coughed up the ball and Jordan
Whitehead scooped it up and galloped into
the end zone. With their lead now down to
just 10 points, Navy scored another
touchdown, converting two fourth downs
on the way, but Pitt replied with a score of
its own.
Niumatalolo and Reynolds came
together to clinch the game for Navy. A
75-yard drive culminated with Reynolds’
third rushing touchdown of the day and
the 88th in his career. This latter mark
was the most for any player in Football
Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history. Reynolds’
530 career points are also a FBS record,
and his 4,559 rushing yards are a record
for a FBS quarterback.
His score also put the game out of Pitt’s
reach, delivering the victory to Navy,
sealing its first 11-win season in its
136-year history. Niumatalolo also became
the first Navy coach to win three straight
bowl games. Next year will be a different
story, since Reynolds will have graduated,
and Niumatalolo will have to find a new
field general. Whoever that quarterback
might be, Asian sports fans will root for
their Samoan hero to continue his run of
excellence.
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Notice is hereby given that Vancouver Housing Authority will
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These units are designated for the chronically mentally ill. Applicants
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Income limit qualifications range from $25,750 for a family of one
to $29,400 for a family of two.
Applications will be available online only starting at 9:00 am
February 10, 2016 . To apply, visit our website at www.vhausa.com.
Only online applications will be accepted. If you do not have internet
access, a number of local agencies have agreed to provide computer
access. A list of addresses and open hours are available on our website
at www.vhausa.com or at our office located at 2500 Main St.,
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applicants by lottery. For more information visit our website at
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Equal Housing Opportunity
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