After allowing an early score in the first quarter, things were looking for Covenant to win its second game of the year and its first on the road against Virginia Episcopal. Yet, while the second quarter was kind to the Eagles, the second half was even more unkind as the Bishops were able to rally ahead of Covenant in the fourth quarter.
In the end, it was late 2-point conversion that decided the game, After Lee Coppock hit Sam Patterson for a 30-yard touchdown reception to make a 2-point game, the Eagles were unable to tie the game up, as VES held on tightly for a 35-33 win.
The Bishops got on the board early, but Covenant responded to the game’s first touchdown with four of their own to answer back with 26 unanswered points after missing a PAT and having another blocked to go up by 20. In that stretch Coppock threw for three touchdowns, a 1-yarder to Alex Payne, and 3-yard and 10-yard strikes to Patterson. Sandwiched intbeween the two Patterson scores was a defensive touchdown by Jesse Getchel who recovered a fumble and returned it for 30 yards.
VES began its rally late in the last seconds of the second quarter when Daniel Alexander found Zack Jones on a 6-yard pass to make it a 13-point hole. Alexander put the Bishops on his back, running for his team’s next touchdown, converting a 2-point play by himself immediately after, and then hitting Jones for another score followed by another successful convert. Early in the fourth Alexander uncorked another touchdown pass, this time finding Jeff Rowe for 25 yards and put VES up by eight points.
Patterson put the Eagles in a position to tie the game on his third touchdown reception with 1:46 to play.
For Covenant, Coppock went 13 for 18 passing with 200 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Chris Shifflett ran 18 times for 58 yards. Patterson had five catches for 85 yards and three touchdowns.
Alexander threw for 224 yards while also rushing for 105.
Covenant (1-6) faces a showdown with archrival St. Anne’s-Belfield on Friday at 3 p.m.
