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Apprentice School Releases 2009 Football Schedule
The Apprentice School released its 2009 football schedule on Tuesday with basically the same look as 2008.
With four nationally-ranked teams from 2008, the schedule will be a challenging slate for second-year coach Michael Vite. NAIA 24th-ranked Malone University will be the season opener on September 5 in Canton, Ohio in a matchup played at Fawcett Stadium - located beside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The home opener for the Builders will be September 19 against George Mason, while October will see the Builders host two home games with Lake Erie College (Oct. 10 - Trades Day) and Wesley College (Oct. 17 - Homecoming).
Those home dates sandwich a road game to Babson Park, Florida where the Builders will face NAIA Webber International on October 31 before hosting Frostburg State (Nov. 7) and the annual Oyster Bowl (Southern Virginia - Nov. 14) to close out the season.
All home games kickoff at 1 pm.
Sept. 5 at Malone University 1 pm Canton, Ohio
This is the first-ever matchup with the Pioneers of the Mid-States Football Association. These teams were to have faced each other in Newport News last September but the game was cancelled due to the impending Tropical Storm Hanna. Malone was 6-4 and finished the season ranked 24th in NAIA.
Sept. 12 at UVA-Wise 1:30 pm Wise, Va.
This will be the first Apprentice School trip to Wise County, Virginia since 2001 when the Builders fell 45-2 to the Cavaliers. UVA Wise went 8-3 last season and finished ranked 19th in NAIA.
Sept. 19 George Mason 1 pm Newport News
The Patriots return the game from last season as it will serve as the 2009 home opener for the Builders. Apprentice School used two second-half touchdowns as they pulled away from George Mason 28-10 in Fairfax last September.
Sept. 26 at Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham 1 pm Florham, NJ
This marks the second straight year that the Builders will travel to Florham, N.J. to face the Devils of Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham. Apprentice School lost a tough 23-21 contest to FDU-Florham last season in the first-ever football meeting between the schools.
Oct. 3 at Salisbury 1 pm Salisbury, Md.
The third meeting with a nationally-ranked team from 2008 sees the Builders travel up the Eastern Shore to face Salisbury University. The Sea Gulls, who finished 24th in NCAA Division III, were 9-2 last season and won an ECAC Bowl Game.
Oct. 10 Lake Erie College 1 pm TRADES DAY
The NCAA Division II Storm surges into Newport News for the annual Trades Day game. Lake Erie defeated Apprentice School last season in a 47-38 shootout in Painesville, Ohio. This is the second year that Lake Erie has varsity football after finishing 3-8 last year.
Oct. 17 Wesley College 1 pm HOMECOMING
The four-time defending Atlantic Central Football Conference champions come to Newport News for Homecoming. Wesley, who finished the year ranked 13th in NCAA Division III and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, ended with a 9-2 record.
Oct. 31 at Webber International 1 pm Babson Park, Fla.
The first ever Apprentice School football game in the state of Florida is a rematch of an overtime victory by Webber International last October 13-10. The Warriors finished 3-9 playing a NAIA/NCAA Division II based schedule.
Nov. 7 Frostburg State 1 pm Newport News
The Bobcats come to Newport News to close out the ACFC schedule for the Builders. Frostburg State knocked off the Builders 20-7 in Frostburg, Md. last season and finished with a 3-6 record.
Nov. 14 Southern Virginia 1 pm OYSTER BOWL
The U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association rivals close out the season in the annual Oyster Bowl game. Last year the Builders knocked off the Knights 37-14 to close out the season 2-7. Apprentice School has a 6-0 record all-time against Southern Virginia.
