NEW LONDON, Conn.- The Norwich Football team continued New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action, renewing pleasantries with archrival Coast Guard in the 79^th edition of the Little Army-Navy game.

After taking the opening kickoff, the Cadets were turned away on downs. The Bears took advantage of the short field, punching in the opening score minutes later. The Norwich defense came up big on a fourth-down stop by Jalen Elibert-Fowlkes (Saint-Hubert, Que.) as Coast Guard looked to extend their lead. Two plays later, Landon Beecher (Holliston, Mass.) connected with Ben Weers (Hebron, Conn.) on a 35-yard catch and run into Coast Guard territory. Another completion to Henri Bourque (Claremont, N.H.) put the Cadets in scoring range, but they were once again turned away.

Early in the second quarter, the Bears extended their lead after they jumped on a fumble forced by Jamarion Burns (Jackson, Tenn.) in the end zone, making it a two-score game. After Coast Guard mounted a third scoring drive, Norwich got on the board. The drive opened with a 24-yard Bourque reception and defensive holding on consecutive plays. Three plays later, Beecher and Bourque connected once again on a 38-yard touchdown reception, as the Cadets marched 70 yards in four plays. Coast Guard responded by returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, making the score 28-7 at the half.

The Bears scored on their first two possessions of the second half before the Cadets answered. Norwich got in striking distance on the back of two Coast Guard personal fouls and pass interference before Beecher found Weers for a nine-yard score. In the fourth quarter, Aidan Sullivan (Eliot, Maine) connected with Bourque on a 76-yard catch and run for a touchdown. Will Patenaude (Goffstown, N.H.) added a rushing score late in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring.

Norwich racked up 225 yards of offense through the air, with Beecher accounting for 144 of them, including two touchdowns while completing 69.5% of his passes. Bourque hauled in seven receptions for 156 yards and two scores, while Weers finished with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Corey Stone (Piscataway, N.J.) and Ben Primich (Yardley, Pa.) tied for the team high with 13 total tackles each, and accounted for two of the defense's four forced fumbles, with Burns and Madux McGrath (Amherst, N.H.) accounting for the others. In the sack department, Devin DeJesus (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Michael Macaione (Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.) tallied one each, with DeJesus adding a second tackle for loss.

The Cadets will return to Sabine Field next week when they host Springfield at 12:00 p.m. on Nov. 1.