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Wake Forest avenges regular-season loss to Navy

Dec 21, 2008 - 2:22 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Riley Skinner made amends for the worst performance of his career.

Skinner tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Wooster with 7:52 remaining for the go-ahead score as Wake Forest defeated Navy, 29-19, Saturday in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl.

The first bowl game in the 48-year-old history of RFK Stadium attracted a sparse crowd of under 29,000.

Playing in a third straight bowl game for the first time in school history, the Demon Deacons (8-5) avenged a 24-17 regular-season loss to Navy on September 27.

In the earlier contest, Wake Forest committed six turnovers, including four interceptions by Skinner, who called the performance the most disastrous of his career.

However, the junior quarterback was flawless Saturday, completing all 11 of his passes for 166 yards, helping the Demon Deacons rally from a 13-0 deficit in the first half. He also connected on a two-point conversion pass following Wooster's TD.

Early on, it appeared turnovers would again make the difference for the Midshipmen, who suffered their third straight bowl loss and concluded coach Ken Niumatalolo's first season at 8-5.

Corner back Rashawn King's 50-yard fumble return for a touchdown gave Navy a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

"From the beginning, just being back with the guys was the biggest thing," said King, whose father died two days before the Army-Navy game. "Coming out of the locker room for the last time, that was really exciting. It was a heartfelt moment. Getting the fumble, just being able to contribute was huge."

After Matt Harmon's 47-yard field goal made it 13-0, the Midshipmen appeared to increase their lead on an apparent 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

However, the TD was erased following a video replay as the officials ruled that Kevin Harris was down before fumbling.

It was a huge turning point as Wake Forest drove 98 yards in 12 plays to close within 13-7 at the half on Josh Adams' 4-yard TD run with 36 seconds left in the second quarter.

Wake Forest grabbed a 14-13 lead on Adams' second TD - a 5-yard run with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter - before Navy went back ahead, 19-14, on quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada's 2-yard TD run with 12:30 remaining in the contest.

However, Wake Forest responded with a nine-play, 80-yard drive to take the lead for good. Skinner's 44-yard completion to Chip Brinkman on 3rd-and-7 from the Demon Deacons' 45-yard line set up the winning score.

Wake Forest put away the contest on Rich Belton's 35-yard TD run with 54 seconds remaining.

"It was a bunch of plays that we didn't make and they did," Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada said. "You can tell the mistakes that we made offensively. If we can sit back in the middle of the play and point out the person who's messing up, there's nothing else you can say about that. You know who's messing up. It's ridiculous that we can't execute."

Kevin Harris paced the Demon Deacons' effective ground attack by rushing for 136 of the Demon Deacons' 239 yards. In the earlier meeting, Wake Forest ran for only 43 yards.