Clayton State Holds Off Westgate 43-37

ELLENWOOD, Ga. – The Clayton State Lakers improved to 4-0 in dramatic fashion Saturday, holding off a furious second-half comeback by Westgate Christian University to secure a 43-37 victory.

Westgate struck first in spectacular fashion when Ravens wide receiver Jayir Nelson returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, giving the visitors an early 7-0 advantage.

The Lakers quickly responded behind quarterback Jeremiah Mallory, who found Dekari Carter on a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie the game before Clayton State took control following an interception by Jackson. The turnover led to another scoring strike as Mallory connected with Savion West on a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Clayton State continued its offensive explosion throughout the second quarter. Mallory added a 1-yard touchdown run, Ashton Gochett scored from 3 yards out, and Mallory connected with Moxey for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Michael Kraskoukas capped the first-half scoring with a 34-yard field goal, giving the Lakers a commanding 31-7 lead.

Westgate refused to go away. Quarterback Jared Guter found Jayir Nelson for an 8-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 31-13 heading into halftime.

The third quarter belonged entirely to the Ravens. Westgate’s defense slowed the red-hot Lakers offense while its offense mounted an impressive comeback. Guter powered in for two 1-yard touchdown runs and connected with Jayir Nelson on a 7-yard scoring pass. The Ravens successfully converted all of their two-point attempts and eventually tied the game at 37-37 early in the fourth quarter.

With momentum swinging heavily toward Westgate, the Lakers delivered one final answer.

Mallory stepped up once again, connecting with West for a 60-yard touchdown pass that proved to be the game-winner, sealing another thrilling Clayton State victory.

The win keeps CSU’s record unblemished at 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play while Westgate moves to 1-4 and 0-1.

By the Numbers

Clayton State Lakers

  • Jeremiah Mallory: 13-of-19 passing, 348 yards, 4 passing touchdowns
  • Rushing: 2 carries, 32 yards, 1 touchdown
  • Total Offense: 464 yards

Westgate Christian Ravens

  • Total Offense: 397 yards

Next Up

The Lakers will look to remain unbeaten when they travel to face NAIA opponent Andrew College on Saturday, October 3.

Story and photo courtesy Clayton State Football

Builders Battle Back But Fall Short, 27-22, Against Methodist

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Apprentice School football team showed off its offensive firepower and never stopped fighting in a hard-nosed battle Saturday at home against the Methodist University Monarchs.

Down 21-9 in the third quarter, the Builders answered with a statement in a single play: quarterback Trevon Griffin connected with Baker Green on a electrifying 79-yard touchdown strike, the longest offensive play of the game. Griffin finished the day with 216 passing yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball to six different receivers, while Green hauled in two catches for 81 yards.

The Builders weren’t done. Two possessions later, Tali Burgess capped a gritty six-play, 59-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, and Apprentice School had claimed a 22-21 lead. Burgess led all rushers with 31 yards on 12 carries and was a workhorse on both sides of the ball, chipping in on returns as well. Harrygan Kelly also punched in a rushing score in the second quarter on a 9-play, 69-yard drive, part of an Apprentice ground game that outgained Methodist 65-29 for the day.

Statistically, the Builders controlled much of the afternoon. Apprentice School out-gained Methodist 281-137 in total offense, piled up 67 plays to Methodist’s 53, and held a commanding 34:24 to 25:36 edge in time of possession. The Builders also finished a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone and converted a fourth-down try to keep drives alive.

Defensively, Emmanuel Patterson paced the Builders with eight total tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry, while Leslie Hines, Breiden Lowery, and Cameron Bassani each notched seven stops. Lowery added two tackles for loss, and the Apprentice front consistently pressured the Methodist passing attack, recording two sacks.

Story courtesy Apprentice Sports Information; photo courtesy DeMetri Washington @pixxbydk

Lakers Shut Out Gordon State 23-0

BARNESVILLE, Ga. – The Clayton State Lakers put together a complete team effort Saturday, defeating rival Gordon State 23-0 behind a balanced offensive attack and a suffocating defensive performance.

The Lakers struck first early in the second quarter when kicker Michael Kraskoukas connected on a 32-yard field goal to give Clayton State a 3-0 advantage. Later in the quarter, quarterback Jemeriah Mallory found wide receiver DJ Walton streaking downfield for a 49-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 9-0 after the extra point attempt was blocked.

The third quarter belonged to the Lakers’ ground game. Running back Ryan Webster consistently moved the chains with key runs of 19 and 21 yards before capping the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. Webster’s scoring run pushed the Clayton State lead to 17-0 and gave the Lakers full control of the contest.

The defense put the finishing touches on the victory in the fourth quarter when Savion West stepped in front of a Gordon State pass and returned the interception 66 yards for a touchdown, sealing the Lakers’ commanding 23-0 shutout victory.

Clayton State showcased a balanced offensive attack, totaling 357 yards of offense, including 174 rushing yards and 183 passing yards. Mallory efficiently led the offense, completing 14 of 20 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown. Walton provided the big-play threat, hauling in four receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Lakers delivered one of their most impressive performances of the season, holding the Highlanders to a season-low 155 total yards. Safety Charles Gordon led the defensive effort with nine tackles and one pass breakup, helping anchor a unit that kept Gordon State off the scoreboard from start to finish.

With the victory, the Lakers improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in NSAC play while Gordon State drops 2-1 and 0-1. CSU now turns its attention to a pivotal conference matchup as it hosts Westgate on Saturday, September 26, in Morrow, Georgia. The Highlanders host Louisiana Community Christian on September 27.

Story and photo courtesy Clayton State Football

Builders Roll Past Fork Union Behind Big Plays on Both Sides of the Ball

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School football team put together its most complete performance of the season Saturday, cruising to a 27-7 win over Fork Union Military Academy in front of their home crowd. The Builders scored on offense, defense and special teams while limiting Fork Union to just 68 rushing yards on 36 attempts all afternoon.

Quarterback Trevon Griffin was the catalyst, accounting for a pair of Builder touchdowns. He capped a 7-play, 26-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, then found Keyvon McCloud for a 46-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Griffin finished the day 9-of-12 passing for 166 yards and a touchdown, adding 8 rushing yards on the ground.

McCloud led all receivers with three catches for 78 yards while Baker Green added two grabs for 49 yards. On the ground, Bradley Hebb paced the Builders with 48 yards on 11 carries, and Tali Burgess chipped in 31 more.
Kicker Logan Eastman was money all afternoon, connecting on two field goal attempts (39 and 33 yards) and going 3-for-3 on extra points.

The defense set the tone early. Safety Noah Huff turned in the defensive highlight of the game, picking off a Fork Union pass and returning it 57 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter to put the Builders on the board first. Brandon Church added a interception in the fourth quarter, returning it 20 yards to help seal the win. Up front, Cameron Bassani was a force, racking up 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks, while Chase Johnson terrorized the Fork Union backfield with two sacks of his own. As a team, the Builders defense sacked Fork Union quarterbacks five times and held the visitors to a paltry 1.9 yards per carry.

Special teams played a role too, with Aiden Gerda booming kickoffs for an average of 57.3 yards, pinning Fork Union deep and limiting their return opportunities throughout the game.

The Builders’ offense was efficient all afternoon, averaging 5.5 yards per play compared to Fork Union’s 2.6, and controlled the game with a balanced, explosive attack through the air and on the ground.

With the win, Apprentice School improves to 2-2 on the season, while Fork Union Military Academy falls to 2-2.

Story courtesy Jacob Mullins/Apprentice Athletics; Photo courtesy DeMetri Washington @pixxbydk

Clayton State Lakers Dominate Talladega, 24-9

ELLENWOOD, Ga. – The Clayton State Lakers won in impressive fashion Saturday with a commanding 24-9 victory over Talladega, fueled by a high-powered passing attack and a dominant defensive performance.

Quarterback Jeremiah Mallory led the way for the Lakers, completing 16 of 28 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns. Mallory consistently stretched the field and delivered big plays when the offense needed them most.

The Lakers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Mallory connected with Moxey on a 10-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter to give Clayton State an early lead.

In the second quarter, the Lakers struck again through the air when Mallory found Jaylen Jackson for a 53-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 14-0. Dega U capitalized on a Lakers fumble late in the half and scored to trim the deficit to 14-7 heading into halftime.

Clayton State regained momentum in the third quarter behind the leg of kicker Michael Kraskouskas, who drilled a 32-yard field goal to push the lead to 17-7.

The Lakers sealed the victory in the fourth quarter when Mallory connected with Walton on a 47-yard touchdown strike, putting the game out of reach and securing the 24-9 win.

While the offense delivered explosive plays, the Lakers defense was the story of the night. Clayton State forced three turnovers and held Talladega to just 124 total yards of offense. The defense consistently controlled the line of scrimmage and limited scoring opportunities throughout the contest.

Gerald Brown III led the defensive effort with eight tackles, helping anchor a unit that set the tone from start to finish.

With a balanced offensive attack and a suffocating defensive performance, the Lakers showcased why they will be a team to watch this season. The victory moves CSU to 3-0 on the season and provides strong momentum as Clayton State looks ahead to conference play against home state rival Gordon State.

Story and photo courtesy Clayton State Football