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

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