WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Apprentice School found its offensive stride on Saturday putting up 22 points in a frantic fourth-quarter rally, but it was too late as Catholic University held on for a 42-32 victory at Cardinal Stadium.

Catholic opened the scoring with a pair of touchdowns in a 1:45 span.  Quarterback Greg Cordivari connected with Alonzo Cooke on a 31-yard scoring pass to finish a three-play, 56-yard scoring drive for a 7-0 advantage.  On Apprentice School ensuing possession, Mike DeAngelis stepped in front of a Bryan Shahlamian pass and returned it 26 yards to put Catholic up 14-0 with 3:23 left in the first quarter.

The Builders scored their first offensive touchdown on the year with one second left in the first quarter as Shahlamian found senior Bryan Cain for a 25-yard scoring pass to finish a four-play, 44-yard scoring drive.  Nick Foor's conversion made the score 14-7 after the first quarter.

In the second, the Cardinals' fast-break on turf offense took into gear outscoring the Builders 21-3.  Cordivari found Mike Smith on a six-yard scoring pass, Mike Pitsenberger on a five-yard scoring strike and Cooke again on a seven-yard touchdown to put the hosts up 35-10 at halftime.  Foor connected on a 21-yard field goal for the Builders to cap a nearly five minute scoring drive.  That was the longest scoring drive by either team as no other drive took longer than two minutes.

In the third quarter, the hosts struck quickly on its first possession as Cordivari found Cooke for a 59-yard scoring pass to lead 42-10 with 10:18 left in the third.  For the day, Cordivari was 21-of-27 for 304 yards and five touchdowns.  Cooke was his favorite target catching nine balls for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

The fourth quarter saw the Builders erupt for 22 unanswered points.  After holding the Cardinals and forcing a punt, the Builders took over on their 14.  Shahlamian ran for nine yards on the first play before connecting with senior Bryan Cain on a 77-yard scoring pass.  The two-point conversion pass found Tyler Johnson cutting the deficit to 42-18 with 9:50 left.

After sophomore Marlon Lane picked off a Chris Gazda pass on the Catholic, 38, the Builders scored quickly as Shahlamian scampered in from the four.  He connected with Al Little on the two-point conversion pass for a 42-26 deficit with 6:39 left.

Apprentice School forced another Catholic punt before taking over on its 26 with 4:17 remaining.  They covered 74 yards in just under two minutes as Shahlamian found sophomore Tyler Johnson for a 26-yard scoring pass.  This time the two-point conversion pass failed and the Builders trailed 42-32 with 2:18 remaining.

The onside kick attempt didn't work and Catholic was able to run out the clock and hold on for the 42-32 victory.

Shahlamian completed 23-of-36 for a career best 330 yards and three touchdowns.  He also was the leading rusher with 37 yards and one touchdown.  The 330 yards was the second most yards passing in a game since 1986, only topped by a 388-yard performance from Phil Caralla against Lake Erie College in 2008.  Cain hauled in a career-best 158 yards on seven receptions and two touchdowns.  The 77-yard scoring connection was the longest scoring pass in the coaching tenure of Apprentice School Head Coach Michael Vite.  The 158 yards by Cain was the most receiving yards in a Vite coached game for the Builders.

Defensively, sophomore Johnathan Jones paced the team in tackled for the second straight game with nine.  Lane had seven, one tackle for a loss, one interception and a pass breakup.  Sophomore Robert Balarabe added seven solo tackles as well.

The Builders now will play their next three games at Apprentice Field starting with a 1 pm kickoff on September 18 against Greensboro College.  This game will be taped for television by Newport News Public Schools TV and will be shown the following week.

CATHOLIC 42, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 32

Apprentice         7              3              0              22--        32

Catholic                14           21           7              0--          42

First quarter

CUA - Alonzo Cooke 31 yd pass from G Cordivari (Connor Maloney kick), 5:08

CUA - Mike DeAngelis 26 yd interception return (Connor Maloney kick), 3:23

NNA - Bryan Cain 25 yd pass from Bryan Shahlamian (Nick Foor kick), :01

Second Quarter

CUA - Mike Smith 6 yd pass from G Cordivari (Connor Maloney kick), 13:26

NNA - Nick Foor 21 yd field goal, 8:23

CUA - M Pitsenberger 5 yd pass from G Cordivari (Connor Maloney kick), 5:27

CUA - Alonzo Cooke 7 yd pass from G Cordivari (Connor Maloney kick), 1:49

Third Quarter

CUA - Alonzo Cooke 59 yd pass from G Cordivari (Connor Maloney kick), 10:18

Fourth Quarter

NNA - Bryan Cain 77 yd pass from Bryan Shahlamian (Tyler Johnson pass from B. Shahlamian), 9:50

NNA - Bryan Shahlamian 4 yd run (Al Little pass from B. Shahlamian), 6:39

NNA - Tyler Johnson 26 yd pass from Bryan Shahlamian (Bryan Shahlamian pass failed), 2:18

Att.—894

                                                NNA       CUA

First Downs                           18           24

Rushes-yards (net)              21-60     42-133

Passing yds (net)                 329         308

Passes Att-Comp-Int           38-24-2  30-23-1

Return Yards                         157         125

Punts (Number-Avg)           5-29.4    3-25.3

Fumbles-Lost                       1-1          1-0

Penalties-Yards                   7-91        6-61

Possession Time                 25:16      34:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Apprentice, Shahlamian 8-37; Roundtree 5-20; Virgin 2-4; Stacy 1-0; Fedd 5-(-1); Catholic, Pitsenberger 28-123; Zentz 8-21; Gazda 2-(-2); Cordivari 4-(-9).

PASSING: Apprentice, Shahlamian 23-36-1-330; Tillman 1-2-1-(-1); Catholic, Cordivari 212-7-0-304; Gazda 2-3-1-4.

RECEIVING: Apprentice, Cain 7-158; Little 7-82; Gilmore 5-32; Johnson 4-58; Fedd 1-(-1); Catholic, Cooke 9-211; Smith 4-42; DeSimone 4-33; Pitsenberger 2-9; Cortese 1-7; Gibbs 1-5; Keefe 1-4; Longley 1-(-3).