APPRENTICE 38, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT 35
NEWPORT NEWS – In a wild-and-woolly finish, the Christopher Newport Captains almost overcame a 10-point deficit in the game’s final 2:38, but fell to the Apprentice School 38-35 in the first-ever meeting between the two teams from Newport News.
Apprentice Coach Vincent Brown
The game featured 35 fourth-quarter points, and appeared to be decided when Apprentice quarterback Mason Tatum sprinted through the middle of the Captain defense to score on a 36-yard run, pushing the Builder lead to 38-28.
“Without our offensive line, we wouldn’t be here,” said Tatum of the Builders, who have won their first three games. Speaking of the touchdown, he added, “I saw the way their defense was moving and decided to call my own number.”
Yet, the Captains (1-2), who had previously overcome a 17-7 deficit with two touchdowns, refused to back down. Matt Dzierski (15-23, 234 yards, three TD’s) found Trey Hayes for 27 yards, followed by a 12-yard completion to Colin Hart, and then a 29-yarder to Hart, capping a five-play, 68-yard drive in just 50 seconds.
“We did a better job blocking for (Tatum) in the second half,” said first-year Apprentice coach Vincent Brown.
The first onside kick, at 31-28, went out of bounds, but the Captains would get a second opportunity after Hart’s touchdown and almost grabbed the bouncing ball before it jumped out of bounds.
The two teams traded early touchdowns, with the visiting Builders scoring first. A 27-yard pass from Tatum to a wide open Ta’Kevion Petty saved the Builders drive on third-and three from the CNU 45. Three plays later, Nick Pierce caught Tatum’s pass over the middle, with Jeremiah Morgan’s extra point giving Apprentice an early 7-0 lead.
The Captains knotted the score on their next drive, with Gunner White busting through the middle for an 18-yard rushing score. White took advantage of the gaping hole left as the lone Apprentice safety slid to his right to cover a CNU receiver left wide open in the formation.
Freshman running back Willis Walton pushed the lead back to seven with a five-yard burst through the middle, and Jeremiah Morgan’s 38-yard field goal bumped the margin to 10. At 17-7, and 2:37 remaining in the first half, the Builders were threatening to take the game’s momentum into the locker room at intermission, a feeling that was exacerbated as the Captains labored on their final drive.
However, CNU quarterback Matt Dzierski, who had completed three of eight passes for a mere 18 yards, found his rhythm. With third-and-eight from the Captain 48, Dzierski found Colin Hart for a crucial 28-yard gain, and then eluded a strong Apprentice rush to find Xander Jedlick (Ocean Lakes) for a 24-yard score. Ryan Castle’s extra point ended the first half with the Builders leading 17-14.
APPRENTICE 7, 10, 0, 21 -- 38
CNU 7, 7, 7, 14 -- 35
AS – Nick Pierce 4 pass from Mason Tatum (Jeremiah Morgan kick)
CNU – Gunner White 18 run (Ryan Castle kick)
AS – Willis Walton 5 run (Morgan kick)
AS – Jeremiah Morgan 38 FG
CNU – Xander Jedlick 24 pass from Matt Dzierski (Castle kick)
CNU – Dzierski 19 run (Castle kick)
AS: Curtis Green 2 run (Morgan kick)
AS: Lawrence Reed 4 run (Morgan kick)
CNU: Trey Hayes 6 pass from Dzierski (Castle kick)
AS: Tatum 36 run (Morgan kick)
CNU: Colin Hart 29 pass from Dzierski (Castle kick)
AS CNU
First Downs 22, 19
Rush-Yards 39-166, 27-96
Pass Yards 201, 234
C-A-I 18-25-0, 15-23-1
Punts-Avg 2-22.0, 3-34.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0, 0-0
Time of Poss. 32:37, 27:23
RUSHING: AS: Tatum 9-66, Green 11-54, Reed 12-45, Walton 4-9. CNU: T. Johnson 4-53, White 11-43, Dzierski 10-5, Luncher 1 – (-2).
PASSING: AS: Tatum 18-25, 201 yds. TD. CNU: Dzierski 15-23, 234 yds. 3 TD, Int.
RECEIVING: AS: Corpus 6-66, Petty 3-52, Pierce 2-26, TD, Girdy 2-20. CNU: Hart 6-81, TD, Hayes 5-81, TD, Jedlick 2-57, TD, White 2-15.
