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