NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Quarterback Ed Russ ran for a touchdown and passed for two more scores as LaGrange rolled past Apprentice 36-8 on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon. The Panthers (3-5) broke a three-game losing skid, while the Builders fell to 2-6.

Russ ran for a career and game-high 116 yards on 22 carries in the game. He broke the school rushing record for a quarterback in a game for the third time this season. Russ only completed three passes but two went for touchdowns to Devin Billings.

The Panthers had 211 yards rushing in the game. Aaron Duncan followed Russ with 65 yards on six carries and a touchdown. Kent Gibson added 38 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.

Billings had the three catches for 48 yards and the two touchdowns. He added 15 yards rushing on three carries.

Andre Carter had seven tackles and a fumble recovery for the defense, which held the Builders to 124 yards of total offense, all on the ground.The 124 yards was the fewest allowed by the Panthers since holding Principia to 111 in 2008.

The Builders attempted only one pass in the game. It is the second time the Panthers have held an opponent to zero yards passing in a game, the last time was against Blackburn in 2008.

The Panthers did all of their scoring in the first half. The 36 points scored were the most in a half since scoring 34 against McMurry in 2009.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard in the first quarter as Thaddeus Greenaway blocked a punt by Blake Penix. The ball went out of the endzone for a safety and a 2-0 lead for the Panthers. The safety was the first one recorded by the Panthers in the program's six-year history.

The Panthers built a 15-0 lead with two short scoring drives. Russ finished a 40-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown strike to Billings. The pair hooked up on the Panthers' next drive with a 19-yard scoring play with 4:22 left in the quarter.

Apprentice cut the deficit to 15-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Builders went 73 yards in four plays with Chris Virgin capping the drive with a 24-yard touchdown run.

The Panthers broke the game open with three touchdowns in the second quarter.  Gibson scored from the 10 to finish a 7-play 46-yard drive. Russ finished a short two play drive with a 16-yard run and  Duncan ended the Panthers' scoring with a 3-yard run after a seven-play 84-yard drive.

The only scoring of the second half came on a safety by the Panthers for the 36-8 final.