BREVARD, N.C. – A spirited comeback attempt by the Brevard College football team (0-2), including 10 unanswered points in the final 4:09 of regulation, came up just short as the Apprentice School Builders (1-0) scored a touchdown and stopped the BC offense in overtime to claim a 34-27 victory on Saturday at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
Senior defensive lineman Jerome Bass sparked the comeback attempt with a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown, capping off an impressive day for the Red Springs, North Carolina native who racked up nine tackles and three tackles-for-loss. Senior kicker Stamati Damalos enjoyed a career day with a career-long 45-yard field goal make while capping off the Tornado comeback effort with a 41-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in regulation that tied the score at 27 points.
Brevard's spirited come-from-behind effort was stifled in overtime, as Apprentice's Ricardo Corups hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Mason Tatum before stopping the Tornado offense on four consecutive plays to secure the win.
Tyler Harrison totaled a team-best 11 tackles, while veteran linebackers Toby Naylor and Steffon Canady added eight and seven tackles, respectively. Naylor forced an Apprentice fumble on a sack, while Steffon Canady recovered a fumble and had a team-best four quarterback hurries. Junior defensive back Joc Pledger recovered a fumble and had five tackles.
Sophomore quarterback Eli Carr went 20-for-33 passing while throwing for 187 yards and a pair of early touchdown passes. Brandon Norris had a team-high 64 yards receiving with a touchdown, while Zachary Orr hauled in his first career touchdown reception – a 13-yard connection with Carr.
Both sides had long interception returns for touchdowns, with Apprentice's Xavien Hunter taking a pick 90 yards in the second quarter to the end zone. The Builders were 7-of-17 on third down compared to BC's 3-of-14 mark. Apprentice slightly outgained BC, 226-197 in total offense, while the Tornado defense forced three turnovers to Apprentice's one. However, penalties cost both teams, with Brevard's 14 infractions costing 144 yards and Apprentice's nine penalties surrendering 71 yards of field position.
Apprentice won the toss and deferred, giving the Tornados the ball first. A holding call put the hosts back 10 yards before the Builders' defense forced a punt. After getting the ball at midfield, Apprentice put together a four-play, 54-yard scoring drive highlighted by a Leland Girdy 42-yard touchdown reception that gave the visitors the early 7-0 lead.
Brevard turned right around and put an eight-play, 75-yard drive together that was capped off with Norris' 19-yard touchdown drive. BC's defense then forced a fumble as Naylor stripped Tatum while Canady recovered the loose ball, setting up the Tornado offense inside the red zone. Carr found Orr on a swing pass to give Brevard the lead, 14-7.
BC's defense forced an Apprentice punt just before the end of the first quarter, but a six-play, 38-yard drive was stalled when a Carr pass was picked by Hunter and returned 90 yards, tying the contest up at 14. Damalos' career-long 45-yard field goal make handed the Tornados a three-point lead at the intermission, 17-14.
Apprentice opened the second half with an eight-play, 35-yard drive that ended with a 46-yard field goal from Jeremiah Morgan that tied the contest at 17. Morgan again connected with 2:14 left in the third quarter, drilling a 47-yarder that put the Builders back on top, 20-17.
After the fourth-consecutive Tornado drive was stalled, Apprentice strung together a pivotal eight-play, 37-yard drive ended in Tatum connecting with Ricardo Corpus for a nine-yard touchdown strike, extending the Builders' lead to a 10–point, 27-17 advantage.
With time winding down on the ensuing Apprentice possession, Bass picked off a Tatum pass and dashed 60-plus yards to pay-dirt, bringing the hosts within three points, 27-24.
BC's defense came up big, forcing a three-and-out on Apprentice's next possession. Carr and the offense drove down to the Apprentice 24-yard-line before Damalos split the uprights with a game-tying 41-yard field goal to bring the contest to a 27-27 stalemate, forcing overtime.
Tatum came through for the Builders on third down, finding Corpus wide open in the middle of the end zone for the go-ahead score that proved the game-winner. On Brevard's overtime possession, Dalton Cole was stood up on fourth-and-three by a host of Apprentice defenders, giving the Builders the overtime road win.
The Tornados return to action next Saturday, September 18 for a 12 p.m. kickoff at NC Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina – BC's first USA South Conference contest of the Fall 2021 season.
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