VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- The Bridgewater College football team finished out the 2022 season with a 38-28 loss to Apprentice in the Neptune Bowl played at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex on Saturday afternoon.
In the second rendition of the postseason bowl game, the Builders improved to 9-1 on the year and finish the season with a 4-0 mark against schools at the Division III level after wins against Averett, Christopher Newport and Brevard earlier on the schedule. The Eagles see their five-game winning streak come to an end and close out the campaign with a 9-2 record.
The first quarter came and went without a score before Apprentice opened the scoring with a 54 yard run from Curtis Green as the Builders covered 78 yards in just three plays with 11:39 left in the first half. Bridgewater was able to get the score back nearly 10 minutes later as Viante Tucker grabbed a deep pass from Malcolm Anderson and went 35 yards for the score. The Eagles finished a 10-play, 89-yard drive after starting off the series with a holding call to push back good starting field position off a punt.
The school from Newport News didn't go away as it got back into the end zone just before halftime, driving 75 yards in just 1:39 to take a 14-7 lead with five seconds left in the opening 30 minutes.
The Builders started to take over in the third quarter as Mason Tatum went 25 yards for a rushing touchdown to put his side up 21-7, followed by a 31 yard field goal to go up 24-7.
The Eagles got the ball at the start of the fourth quarter and quickly moved down field and saw a one-yard quarterback keeper from Anderson to cut the lead down to 24-14, but the Builders used the next six minutes to move 65 yards and tack on another touchdown, 31-14.
Montez Green made a terrific grab in the end zone to give the Eagles another touchdown on a 27 yard pass from Anderson as BC was within 10 points once again at 31-21, but Apprentice responded quickly with a 38-yard touchdown run from Tatum to take a 17-point lead once again at 38-21.
After a targeting call put the Eagles inside the 10 yard line, Anderson found Derrick Jenkins from six yards out to set the score at 38-28 with 28 seconds left in the game. An onside kick was unsuccessful as the Builders held on for the win
Anderson led the way offensively going 19-for-28 for 276 yards and three touchdowns, while Jaylen Wood added five completions for 35 yards. The duo was sacked five times on the day, including Anderson who was dropped four times. For Apprentice, Tatum went 16-for-29 for 209 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground, Albert Mensah led the Eagles with 41 yards on eight carries, while Anderson pitched in 39 and a score and Ronald Robinson, Jr. carried the rock seven times for 37 yards. Wood ran five times for 24 yards, as well. The balanced rushing attack from the Builders saw Green go for 165 yards and a touchdown, while Tatum finished with 96 yards on the ground and two scores. Lawrence Reed also scored once and carried the ball 10 times for 52 yards.
Green completed his freshman season with five catches for 72 yards and a score, while Tucker had three catches for 50 yards. Tyler Gilliam, Jenkins, Dylan Maclachlan, Freddie Watkins, Robinson Jr., Jamel Johnson, Jordan Hughes and Cameron Williams all had at least one catch in the loss. Meanwhile, Ta'Kevion Petty had six grabs for 131 yards and a touchdown, while Nick Pierce also had six catches.
Defensively, Aaron Nice led the game with 10 tackles, including four solo stops, while Aaron Moore ended with nine. Val West recorded a sack and 2.0 TFL for seven total tackles with six of those solo stops. Tucker Harris and Shawn Harris registered six and five tackles, respectively, and Noah Hines and Tristan Gordon each had three. Daniel Santos also recorded a sack in the loss.