For the first time in its 124-year history, the America Game is happening in New England.
The game which is traditionally played by Navy midshipmen versus Army cadets, will commence at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
For the past few decades, this game has brought another tradition with it. That tradition is the ball run. Navy midshipmen and Army cadets run the ball from their schools to the game location.
Army cadets left West Point in New York at 6 a.m. Friday because of a much shorter trek. They traveled through Connecticut on Thursday and Friday.
Navy midshipmen had a much longer journey. The runners left the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on Tuesday.
It was a long and cold run for them as they ran through Connecticut early Friday morning.
“It was a lot colder than I thought it would be,” said Tony Cervini, a midshipman at the Naval Academy and runner. “I mean from Annapolis to Boston, that’s quite a distance – 456 miles.”
Cervini handled a 14-mile run from Southbury to Naugatuck, along with some of his friends and colleagues.
They were greeted in Naugatuck by two parents from Shelton whose son attends the Naval Academy.
John and Marie Niski were cheering and holding encouraging signs to help motivate the runners.
“Really great right now. Excited for the runners. Excited for the game. Excited for Connecticut,” John Niski said.
The runners switched up in Naugatuck with the next runners heading to Cheshire. They were greeted by a group of students and veterans, and Dunkin Donuts and coffee.
“We feel really good. This is like 36 completed out of 48. We’re almost to Boston and we’re excited to beat Army,” said Hannah Lankford, a runner from the Naval Academy.
The runners continued from Cheshire to Meriden, then from Meriden to Willimantic. The journey will continue until they reach Gillette Stadium.
America’s Game kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.
