Averett spoils Builders’ opener
Cougars erase 14-7 deficit with 27 consecutive points
An improved Averett team gained payback against Apprentice School, defeating the Builders 34-14 Saturday in Newport News on a day of season openers.
Trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, the Cougars scored 27 unanswered points against a team that beat them 27-14 last season in Danville. Dreylan Martin (18 carries for 162 yards) and Isaiah Lytton (13 for 71) each ran for a touchdown.
Lytton’s 16-yard run with 7:22 left in the third quarter put the Cougars ahead 17-14.
Apprentice’s Kamron Jackson ran for 115 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, but Averett’s defense harassed quarterback Mason Tatum into a miserable day. He had 14 carries for 42 yards and a TD but completed just 3 of 18 for 21 yards and was intercepted once.
The Builders have as many losses this year as they did in 2022 (9-1).
Liberty 34, Bowling Green 14: Kobe Singleton’s pick-six highlighted a five-interception day by the Liberty defense, Kaidon Salter threw two touchdown passes and the Flames won in Lynchburg.
Singleton’s 36-yard return of a Connor Bazelak pass helped stake Liberty, which has moved to Conference USA this year, to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. Brylan Green and Quinton Reese also intercepted Bazelak in the second quarter.
Camden Orth was picked off twice in the second half by linebacker Jerome Jolly Jr. after the Falcons cut the deficit to a touchdown. Bowling Green had two quick touchdowns to pull to 24-14 — a 14-yard run by Ta’ron Keith and BG Simms’ 76-yard return of a field-goal attempt blocked by Dontrez Brown 20 seconds before the half.
Air Force 42, Robert Morris 7: Zac Larrier ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, leading Air Force against an FCS opponent in Colorado. Air Force has won 16 straight season openers. the nation’s third-longest active streak, behind Ohio State (23) and Alabama (21).
The Falcons led 28-0 at halftime. Larrier only threw three passes, all in the first half, completing two, including an 84-yard score to a wide-open Jared Roznos over the middle. Larrier also had a 26-yard rushing touchdown and added a 4-yard score in the third quarter before giving way to four backups.
VMI 12, Davidson 7: Collin Ironside’s 25-yard TD pass to VJ Johnson with 51 seconds left in the game lifted the Keydets in Lexington. giving Danny Rocco a dramatic victory in his debut as coach.
The winning 12-play, 85-yard drive included three third-down conversions, including a 28-yard pass to Aidan Twombly on thirdand-20.
Grant Swinehart’s 14-yard touchdown run put VMI ahead 1:11 before halftime.