ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — The Apprentice School put together a gritty road effort Saturday afternoon, but couldn't find the finishing touches in a 42-0 setback against a N.C. Wesleyan.
Wesleyan struck early and often, capitalizing on a 47-yard Nahjir Seagraves touchdown run just over two minutes into the game and building on it from there. But the Builders never stopped competing, stringing together sustained drives all afternoon, including an opening possession that saw quarterback Patrick Chewning move the offense 28 yards on nine plays.
Chewning and backup Trevon Griffin combined to keep the passing game alive, connecting seven times for 59 yards, with senior receiver Naim Sampson hauling in four catches for 35 yards to lead all Builder pass-catchers. The ground game got a boost from a balanced rushing attack, as Malachi Madden and Harrygan Kelly each broke off gains of 16 yards, showing flashes of the explosiveness Apprentice will look to build on.
Defensively, the Builders bent but rarely stopped competing, with Leslie Hines turning in a team-high 10 tackles and forcing a fumble, while Austin Moore added a sack and a tackle for loss. Emmanuel Patterson and Colton Jones each chipped in five stops as the unit battled snap after snap against a tough Wesleyan offense.
Special teams provided a bright spot, as punter Kristopher Leslie boomed seven punts for 265 yards, a 37.9-yard average that included a 55-yarder.
While the scoreboard didn't reflect it, Apprentice converted 4-of-13 third downs while grinding out 30:02 in time of possession.
The Builders will look to get back on track as they host Fork Union Military Academy on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1 PM on the Builder Athletic Complex. During halftime, The Apprentice School will celebrate the newest class of the Athletic Hall of Fame.
