Builders Win Senior Day Showdown Against Keystone

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School football team used all three phases of the game to take down Keystone Saturday afternoon, 45-21, on Senior Day.

With the win, the Builders send their record above .500 for the first time this season. They also stretch their winning streak against teams from Pennsylvania to two games.

Keystone took the opening kickoff but couldn’t do anything with their drive as the Builders forced a punt. Baker Green took that punt and returned it 84 yards down the sideline and put the Builders on the board. After the Giants’ offense fumbled on their next drive, Apprentice got deep into Keystone territory before the drive stalled, allowing Logan Eastman to hit a 20-yard chip shot to push the lead to 10-0.

The Giants answered with an eight play drive that spanned 70 yards to cut the lead to 10-7, but just 16 seconds after giving up a touchdown, the Builders hit one of their own as Kendall Hunt found T.K. Petty for a 68-yard strike to push the lead back to 10. The 68-yard passing score was the second longest offensive play this season. Then, 17 seconds after Petty’s score, Keystone’s quarterback dropped back to pass and threw an interception to Jabari Anderson that was returned to the house, pushing the score to 24-7 with 4:14 to go in the first.

After trading possessions, Keystone got back to work, putting together an 11-play drive that took over five minutes off the clock, scoring on a 5-yard pass to trim the lead down. The Giants then got an interception and put together a nine play drive that resulted in a touchdown, cutting the lead to 24-21 with 5:07 to go until half. The Builders missed a field goal on their ensuing drive, giving Keystone a chance to get points before halftime. After driving down deep into Builder territory, Keystone looked as if they were going to score again, but Anderson stepped in front of another pass and had no one in front of him for a 93-yard pick-six to take a 31-21 lead into halftime. That marks the second longest interception return in program history.

The Builder offense then controlled the tempo the rest of the day, scoring on a Hunt 27-yard run and a Tyreon Taylor 5-yard run in the third quarter to get to the final score.

Hunt finished the day 15-of-23 for 182 yards and a touchdown. He added 96 rushing yards on 13 carries.

The Builders will jump back into New South Athletic Conference play next week for a North Division matchup with Barber-Scotia. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Story courtesy of Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/@shotsbyk8lyn

Apprentice Lights Up Scoreboard in NSAC Win Over Lighthouse

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Apprentice School football team jumped out to a 24-0 lead on their way to a New South Athletic Conference win over Lighthouse Christian Saturday afternoon, 60-33, at Cottrell Field at The Burial Grounds.

With the win, the Builders are now 3-3 and 2-0 in conference play. It is also the first time that Apprentice has won a game in the Peach State. The Makos fall to 5-1 and 1-1 in the NSAC.

Apprentice got things started late in the first quarter, scoring a pair of touchdowns with Alvin Hicks punching it in from a yard out before Kendall Hunt linked up with T.K. Petty for a 32-yard passing score. After Logan Eastman drilled a 45-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, Tyreon Taylor got a touchdown of his own to push the score to 24-0.

Lighthouse finally broke through as Jamarkus Jefferson caught a 9-yard touchdown from Chase Ray, but the Builders scored less than a minute later as Hunt found Petty again, this time for 33 yards. The Makos answered right back when Troy Medlin caught an Ashton Nunes pass to trim the lead down, but Eastman got one more try as time expired in the second quarter, hitting a 29-yarder to make it 34-13 at intermission.

The teams traded blows all throughout the second half as the Makos scored first, but Hunt linked up with Bradley Hebb and Petty on back-to-back drives to stretch the lead to 46-20. Colby Messe finished off the 21-0 run for the Builders with a 1-yard rushing score after the Makos made a special teams miscue on a punt. Lighthouse scored on the final play of the third quarter, but Apprentice got one more score as Bryce Davis linked up with Kyle Musselman for a 24-yard passing score.

Hunt finished the day 16-of-25 for 278 yards and four touchdowns, while Petty had eight catches for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Caleb Davidson had six tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.

Story courtesy of Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy of Kaitlyn Olson/shotsbyk8lyn

Makos Run Wild in 55–14 Victory Over Gordon State

GULF BREEZE, Fl. – On a breezy, balmy Saturday afternoon at Gulf Breeze Stadium, the Lighthouse Christian College Makos welcomed the Gordon State Highlanders for a matchup that promised excitement—and the game did not disappoint. In a dominant 55–14 win, the Makos combined offensive precision with defensive power to put on a complete team performance.

The Makos’ offense was electric from start to finish, scoring seven total touchdowns. Brenden Hall, Kobe Donnally, Jaxson Fillmore, Jamarkus Jefferson, Kemontre Current, Isaiah Gildersleeve, and Deonte Reinhardt each added a touchdown. Reinhardt’s touchdown came on a thrilling kickoff return that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Kicker Logan Roberts was flawless, converting all seven PATs and tacking on two field goals to cap off the offensive fireworks.

Defensively, Lighthouse was relentless. The unit piled up nine sacks, including one each from Jaden Stuckey, Javontae Walton, Terrance Battles, and Taj Bickham; two from Bryce French; and an incredible three from Paul Gatley—one of which resulted in a key tackle for loss. The secondary was just as fierce, recording five interceptions courtesy of Aarion Riley, Javontae Walton, Justin Burks, Camelus Colley, and Tarik Thomas. Special teams even got in on the action when Kabron Purifoy blocked a field goal attempt and recovered the fumble, keeping momentum firmly in the Makos’ hands.

With another commanding win under their belts, the Makos now turn their focus to their next challenge. On Saturday, October 11, they’ll travel to Lumpkin County High School in Dahlonega, Georgia, to face The Apprentice School Builders from Newport News, Virginia. It’s shaping up to be a battle of determination and grit—but if the Makos’ latest performance is any indication, they’re more than ready to rise to the occasion.

Story and image courtesy Lighthouse Athletics

Westgate Falls Short at Austin 38-21

SHERMAN, Tx. – The Austin College football team toppled visiting Westgate Christian University 38-21 on Saturday evening at Jerry E. Apple Stadium, with Zyan Stewart rushing for 222 yards to lead the way while Jermiah Johnson had a kick return touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the game.

Austin College piled up 342 rushing yards as a team, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, with Stewart running 31 times to get his 222 yards with a score, while Jon Rawles Thompson rushed 14 times for 70 yards and Jaylon Talton added 54 yards and a score on eight attempts. Talton also completed 5-of-9 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard strike to Johnson and a 63 yard score to Michael Cress, who led the ‘Roos with 76 yards on three receptions.

Westgate got on the board first with an eight play, 75 yard drive capped by an eight yard touchdown run from Jonathan McCoy on the opening drive for the Ravens, but Johnson responded with a 90 yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff. Westgate went on top 14-7 early in the second, but Johnson hauled in his 41 yard touchdown pass late in the quarter and Cress caught his long score with 1:18 left in the half.

Stewart capped a 12 play, 79 yard drive to open the second half with a one yard touchdown run to make it 28-14, before the Ravens answered with a touchdown reception by Daylin Robinson from Allen Rainey to make it 28-21 at the end of the third. Talton put the ‘Roos up 35-21 early in the fourth with a six yard touchdown run, and Caleb Balderas finished off the scoring with a 20 yard field goal to make it 38-21 with 4:13 left to play.

Austin College outgained Westgate 469 to 374, and Cam Hammond led the ‘Roos defensively with nine tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Pablo Cantu added nine tackles, and Evan Dennis and Eazy Robertson each had an interception for the ‘Roos. AJ Scott led Westgate defensively with 13 stops, while McCoy ran 15 times for 122 yards and two scores while Trey Williams connected on 7-of-12 passes for 96 yards and added 118 yards on 10 carries.

Story and image courtesy Austin College Athletics

Builders Second-Half Comeback Falls Just Short at Methodist

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Down 20-0 at halftime, The Apprentice School football team stormed back in the second half, scoring a touchdown with 18 seconds left to pull within a point, but the two-point conversion to win fell to the ground as Methodist hung on for a 20-19 win Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, the Builders fall to 1-3 overall for the 10th time since 2000. They also finish the season series against USA South opponents 0-3.

After an Apprentice fumble on the opening drive of the game, Methodist methodically marched down the field, going 45 yards in 11 plays to score on a fourth down passing play from Ty Little to Tyrone Atkinson for the game’s first points. The Monarchs then forced an interception and went 83 yards in 13 plays on their next drive to score on a Little 1-yard run to push the score to 13-0 after the missed PAT.

The two teams traded punts on their next drives before Methodist forced another interception that led to another Little rushing touchdown, capping an 8-play, 58-yard drive that gave them a 20-0 lead that would go to halftime.

The Builders woke up in the second half, blocking a field goal attempt from inside the 10 on the first drive of the second half and immediately turning it into points as Kendall Hunt found Isaiah Townsend for a 72-yard touchdown, the longest play of the season, to cut the lead down to 20-6 after a blocked PAT. After forcing a punt, the Builders drove right down the field again, looking for more points, but this time it was Methodist who blocked a field goal attempt from inside the 10-yard line to keep the score at the 14-point margin.

Apprentice answered right back, though, forcing a three-and-out to allow Hunt to find T.K. Petty down the sidelines for a 29-yard touchdown that trimmed the lead to seven. The two sides traded punts and the Builders got the ball back with 5:30 to go on their own 19-yard line.

The Builders marched down the field, taking up over five minutes of game clock to 14 plays, setting up Hunt to again find Petty for a 3-yard passing score on fourth-and-goal that brought the Builders to within one. Apprentice elected to go for two on a fake PAT, but the pass fell to the ground in the endzone and Methodist recovered the ensuing onside kick to hold on for the win.

Hunt finished the day 18-for-32 for 251 yards and three touchdowns, linking up with seven different receivers on the day.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn