More than a few fans leaving Garrison Stadium on Saturday could be heard mumbling, "It was ugly, but it was a win." They could not have been more right. In a game which saw four fumbles, five interceptions, two blocked punts and less than 300 yards of combined total offense, Chowan College improved to 3-0 by outlasting Newport News Apprentice School (0-4), 21-20.

Apprentice dominated the first half of play holding the ball for over 23 minutes and more than doubling the number of plays run by Chowan. On their opening drive, the Builders marched down the field on nine minute drive covering 62 yards on 13 plays. They capped the drive when Aaron Adams found Ramon Jones in the back of the end zone for a four-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

Lamont Boone got the Braves on the board with 5:04 left in the first half when he scored on a two-yard scamper. The Builders answered right back when they scored on the next possession, this time on a four-yard run by Sinque Holmes to put the on top, 14-7. Holmes enjoyed a big day for Apprentice, carrying the ball 28 times for 125 yards and two scores.

Chowan tied the score at 14 early in the third quarter when a shanked punt set them up at the Apprentice 23. Facing a fourth-and-two at the Builder 15, Tim Mitchell found Jeremy Forbes on a slant down to the one. Two plays later, Boone ran it in from four yards out. After the Braves defense forced the Builders into a punting situation, Chowan's Tony Peed blocked David Yerbey's punt which rolled out of bounds at Apprentice 11. Three plays later Mitchell found Devin Vincent for a five-yard score and the Braves first lead of the game, 21-14.

Chowan appeared to have the game in hand, holding the Builders to just 29 yards in the fourth quarter. Taking over on downs with 1:51 left in the game and a 21-14 lead, Chowan was content to just hand the ball off and run out the clock. That changed when Boone fumbled on the Chowan 14 yardline, putting Newport News right back in it. Holmes ran it in from one-yard out and Builder's coach Aubrey Kelly was faced with a difficult decision - go for one and the tie or two and the win?

After a Builder time out, the verdict was in – go for two and the win. Holmes got the call up the middle, but the Braves defense held, stopping him one yard shy of the end zone. Danny Inscoe recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and the Braves ran out the clock and found themselves 3-0 for the first time since the early 1980's.

Mitchell completed eight of 14 passes for 87 yards and one touchdown, while Boone led the ground attack, rushing for 43 yards and two scores.