On-Field Celebration After Army-Navy Made For Unforgettable Moment

FOXBORO, Mass. — The Cadets stormed the field in waves.

The first group of West Point students were forced to retreat due to a last-second review from officials. The Cadets didn’t let it ruin their mojo, though. With the outcome all but determined, it only added to the excitement. The next wave stormed the field just a minute later when Army’s 17-11 victory over Navy was confirmed.

The jubilation from Black Knights players and their classmates at Gillette Stadium on Saturday was everything that’s right about sports. And the disappointment of the Navy Midshipmen and the silence from their U.S. Naval Academy peers showcased everything you need to know about America’s Game.

Being on the field and watching it up close was a surreal moment.

Then came the traditional sign of mutual respect. Midshipmen players stood in front of their classmates to sing “Navy Blue and Gold,” the Naval Academy’s Alma Mater. Black Knights players and the Cadets who stormed the field stood behind them. They sang together.

And then Army got exactly what it wanted: Win first, sing second. The Cadets rushed over to the opposite corner of Gillette Stadium and sang the “West Point Alma Mater” in front of the hundreds of classmates and fans in the stands.

After a down-to-the-wire game that ended with Army’s goal-line stand, the two rivals came together as they always do. While they fight to win between the lines, they have a mutual respect given the position they are in. They’ll be playing for the same team in the near future, of course.

It was a moving experience to see all those gray coats singing in celebration.

You can watch the on-field festivities here, captured by NESN’s Christopher Rusk and Ronny DiMasi.

Black Knights took pictures with their fellow Cadets on the field at Gillette Stadium, with Robert Kraft’s new-and-improved Jumbotron broadcasting the final score behind them. Because while the Cadets wanted to rush onto the field after the final whistle, neither they or the Black Knights wanted to rush off of it.

It made for an incredible event, and one that should return to Gillette Stadium.