BALTIMORE, MD. – Freshman Jodey McNeil ran for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Apprentice School defeated Coppin State 60-7 on Saturday on a stormy afternoon at Coppin Athletic Complex.
The home standing Eagles scored on their first possession as they went 73-yards in 12-plays covering 5:07. Dorian Bostic ran eight yards down to the Builder one before fumbling into the end zone where Jamell Mason recovered for the touchdown. The extra-point attempt put Coppin State ahead 7-0.
After holding the Builders on their first possession, Coppin State took over and the fumble bug struck for the Eagles as Bostic fumbled on the Coppin 35 which was picked up by Marlon Lane who returned it for the first touchdown for the Builders. Nick Foor hit the extra-point attempt to tie the game 7-7 with 7:23 left.
Apprentice School closed the quarter scoring twice in a span of 2:33 as McNeil capped an eight-play, 66-yard drive with a four-yard run at the 2:50 mark. Following a short punt by Coppin State, the Builders marched 25-yards in four plays with Jonathan Whelan finishing with a one-yard plunge to give the Builders a 21-7 lead after one quarter.
The running back tandem of McNeil and Chris Virgin put up the touchdowns in the second quarter as McNeil ended a five-play, 51-yard drive with a four-yard run with 12:05 left to lead 28-7. Virgin gave the Builders a 35-7 advantage as he broke through on a 43-yard scoring jaunt with 3:35 left in the first half.
In the third quarter, Foor hit a 24-yard field goal on the first possession for the Apprentice School to lead 38-7. After recovering a fumble, the Builders were stopped on the one-yard line but recorded a safety on Coppin State's second play to lead 40-7 with just under 10 minutes left in the third.
Apprentice School special teams got into the scoring act as a Coppin State punt attempt went over the punters head before TaMichael Fedd recovered in the end zone to put the Builders ahead 47-7 after three quarters.
The defense recorded a second touchdown early in the fourth as Reginald Huff picked off a pass at midfield and returned it 50-yards for a touchdown with 12:06 left to lead 53-7. After a 30 minute delay for lightning, freshman Ralick Lockett closed out the scoring with a 31-yard scoring run with six minutes left. Lockett covered all 47 yards on the two-play scoring drive.
McNeil's 147 yards was the most for the Builders in the last three years as Chris Virgin ran for 157 against George Mason University in 2009. The Builders on the game ran for 259 yards and threw for 74 as Whelan was 7-of-12 on the day. Virgin was next in line on rushing with 73 on 12 carries.
Defensively, Ty Washington topped the team in tackles with seven. Izhia Roundtree and Jovan McCamey had six each as the Builders held Coppin State to 196 yards of total offense. Foor tied the school record for most extra-points made in a game with seven sharing the mark with Matt Edelen who hit seven against Chowan to close out the 2007 season.
Apprentice School now goes south heading to Greensboro, NC to face the Pride of Greensboro College in a 1 pm kick on September 15 at Jamieson Stadium.