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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, November 4, 2007

Navy ends 44 years of futility

By Tom Coyne
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Navy quarterback Kaipo Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (10) and his teammate celebrate after defeated Notre Dame, 46-44, in triple overtime yesterday.

MICHAEL CONROY | Associated Press

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — It took 44 years and three overtimes for Navy to beat Notre Dame again.

The Midshipmen snapped an NCAA-record 43-game losing streak to the Fighting Irish yesterday with a 46-44 victory in triple overtime.

Kapolei High alum Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada from Hawai'i threw a 25-yard TD pass to Reggie Campbell on the first play of the third overtime, then found him again in the end zone for the 2-point conversion.

Notre Dame (1-8) cut the lead to two on a 5-yard TD run by Travis Thomas. But after a pass interference call gave Notre Dame a second-chance at the 2-point conversion, defensive lineman Michael Walsh and linebacker Irv Spencer tackled Thomas well short of the end zone.

It was the first time Navy (5-4) beat Notre Dame since a 35-14 win in 1963 when Roger Staubach was quarterback for the Midshipmen.

"Wow, what a game," Navy coach Paul Johnson said. "I'm so happy for our players. Now they will have that they are the class that broke the streak and they won't have to hear any more about it."

For Notre Dame, it was its school-record fifth straight home loss, another low point in a season of lows.

"We lost the game. The streak doesn't mean anything to me," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said.

Kaheaku-Enhada scored the 2-point conversion to give the Midshipmen a 28-21 lead after Chris Kuhar-Pitters returned a fumble 16 yards for a score in the third period.