Army edges VMI, 22-17, to snap 3-game skid

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news/2009/11/ap_army_football_vmi_111409

The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Nov 14, 2009 16:06:01 EST

WEST POINT, N.Y. — Patrick Mealy ran 16 times for 136 yards and a touchdown to lead Army to a 22-17 victory over Virginia Military Institute on Saturday.

Alejandro Villanueva caught seven passes for 119 yards and a TD in front of 32,109 at Michie Stadium.

Army lost four of its five fumbles, including one when Trent Steelman mishandled a snap on the VMI 27-yard line with 2:47 remaining and the Black Knights clinging to their 22-17 lead.

The Keydets drove to the Army 34 with less than 25 seconds remaining, but couldn’t get any closer.

The Black Knights (4-6) ended a three-game skid and reached four wins in a season for the first time since they went 4-7 in 2005.

Howard Abegesah led VMI (2-8), a Football Championship Subdivision squad, with 24 carries for 111 yards and a score. The Keydets entered with the second-ranked rushing offense in the former Division I-AA.

Steelman went 11-for-14 passing for 174 yards and a touchdown for Army.

Backup quarterback Cameron Jones ran three times for 100 yards for VMI and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tim Maypray.

The Keydets came back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to take a 17-16 lead when Abegesah broke through for a 44-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

But Army went in front again on Mealy’s 17-yard TD run with 8:58 remaining — Steelman’s run on the conversion attempt came up short. Mealy’s score came one play after Villanueva caught a 22-yard pass from Steelman that officials originally ruled out of bounds before a review determined Villanueva kept a foot inbounds.

VMI had just scored its first touchdown — cutting Army’s lead to 10-7 — when Damion Hunter returned the ensuing kickoff 12 yards before losing the ball on a hit. Julian Bowers pounced on it at the Army 27. The Keydets turned that turnover into a 28-yard field goal by Jeff Sexton, tying it with 9:07 left in the third.

Alex Carlton kicked field goals of 41 and 37 yards to give Army a 16-10 advantage before Abegesah’s scoring run.

Craig Ruttle / The Associated Press Army quarterback Trent Steelman, right, rushes for a first down as Virginia Military Institute's Juan Thrasher chases during the second quarter of the teams' game Nov. 14 at West Point, N.Y. Army won, 22-17.