NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Apprentice School football team made a fourth quarter rally, but a late touchdown put any hopes away as Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham knocked off the Builders 28-14 on Homecoming at Apprentice Field.
The visiting Devils scored first after taking advantage of a short field. After gaining possession on the Builder 39, they marched in six plays to score the first touchdown as Bayshawn Wells scored on a three-yard run. Travis Mullen's extra-point put the visitors ahead 7-0 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
Apprentice School's defense put the first points on the board for the hosts on Saturday as sophomore Marlon Lane stepped in front of a Matt Jeffers pass and ran 75 yards for a touchdown with 9:01 left in the half. Nick Foor hit the extra-point attempt to tie the game 7-all.
The Builders then pinned the Devils on their 29 with 71 seconds left in the half. Jeffers engineered a 71-yard scoring drive connecting with Joe Tauriello for a 20-yard scoring pass with 24 seconds left to put the visitors ahead 14-7 heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Devils took advantage of a short field again to score on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jeffers to Andrew Scamporino with 6:36 left. The scoring drive took 94 seconds in five plays as the extra-point attempt hit the upright for a 20-7 FDU lead.
Apprentice School cut the lead to 20-14 as freshman Trey Tillman threw his first collegiate touchdown pass hitting senior Bryan Cain on a 55-yard scoring strike with 4:27 remaining. Tillman, who came in relief of starter Bryan Shahlamian, was 6-of-12 for 84 yards passing.
The defense of the Devils provided the final margin as Joe Pivinski caught a deflected pass of Tillman in the end zone for a touchdown with 2:01 left. Ryan Cushman converted the two-point attempt for the 28-14 lead and eventual win.
Sophomore Aaron Finley spearheaded a Builder defense as he recorded nine tackles and had a fumble recovery. Senior Ramone Jones added eight tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Freshmen Brock Bullock, Kyell Collins and sophomore Johnathan Jones had seven tackles apiece. Collins had four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Apprentice School now starts Atlantic Central Football Conference action on October 2 when they host Salisbury University in a 1:30 pm kickoff at Apprentice Field.
FDU-FLORHAM 28, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 14 FDU-Florham 7 7 6 8-- 28 Apprentice 0 7 0 7-- 14 First Quarter FDU-Wells 3 run (Mullen kick), 1:35 Second Quarter APP-Lane 75 interception return (Foor kick), 9:01 FDU-Tauriello 20 pass from Jeffers (Mullen kick), :24 Third Quarter FDU-Scamporino 14 pass from Jeffers (kick failed), 6:36 Fourth Quarter APP-Cain 55 pass from Tillman (Foor kick), 4:27 FDU-Pivinski 0 interception return (Cushman run), 2:01 Att: 703 FDU APP First Downs 22 6 Rushes-Yds 48-189 24-(-4) Passing Yds 201 122 Att-Cmp-Int 34-17-1 23-10-2 Return Yds 71 204 Punts-Avg 4-37.2 9-25.3 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-0 Penalties-Yds 4-45 5-35 Time of Possession 36:00 24:00 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: FDU, Griffin 18-61; Jeffers 8-50; Cushman 5-35; Wells 8-26; Norton 7-23; Team 2-(-6). Apprentice, Fedd 9-13; Roundtree 8-10; Tillman 2-(-13); Shahlamian 5-(-14). PASSING: FDU, Jeffers 17-34-1-201; Apprentice, Tillman 6-12-1-84; Shahlamian 4-11-1-38. RECEIVING: FDU, Scamporino 5-59; Grey 4-49; Van Orden 3-16; Reed 2-41; Tauriello 1-20; Fruncillo 1-17; Griffin 1-(-1); Apprentice, Cain 5-90; Johnson 2-23; Little 2-7; Roundtree 1-2.