M A 7
27 0
7 41
October 16, 1987 McLemore
Field. Game conditions: Cool, mostly
clear Game temperature 60, dropping to 45
Light Wind
The Montgomery
Academy 1987 football team, arguably the finest opponent Saint
James has ever faced and almost certainly the finest in its
first fifteen varsity seasons, scored four touchdowns in the
second quarter. Thanks in great part to the legs of Hamp
Greene, the Eagles soundly whipped the Trojans 41 - 0 at
McLemore Field at the midpoint of their eventual state
championship march.
Saint James was
stopped on their first drive, despite being able to return a
rare Greene kickoff which did not reach the endzone, but Greene
took charge on the first two Eagle plays from scrimmage, rushing
for 35 and 12 yards down to the Trojan 7. From there, the
Trojan defense stiffened, but Greene carried several potential
tacklers into the endzone on fourth down from the one. He
then booted one of his many extra points of the season to give
Montgomery Academy a 7 - 0 lead.
The Trojans
converted one first down, but punted again. Montgomery
Academy traveled 72 yards in 9 plays; the final play of the
drive was a three yard touchdown by Greene on the opening play
of the second quarter. His kick doubled the lead to 14 -
0. Saint James picked up another first down on a defensive
penalty on its next drive, but later punted once more. A 5
play 53 yard Eagle drive was aided by a Saint James personal
foul penalty. On first down from the Trojan 11, Rick
McBride called his own number from the quarterback slot and
swept the necessary eleven yards for a touchdown and a 21 - 0
lead.
The Eagles
blocked the next Trojan punt attempt and recovered such at the
Trojan seven. McBride scored several plays later from two
yards out, and the Eagles were in expected command with a 28 - 0
lead. With less than 90 seconds remaining in the half, the
Trojan effort to simply run out the clock failed, as Eagle
Robert Johnson (yes, the same one who would later become Saint
James head coach), recovered a fumble at the Trojan 19.
Greene was called in for his final non-kicking play of the game
from the five and ran for the touchdown with 26 seconds
remaining. However, he missed the extra point, a glaring
rarity for the Eagles' championship season. Nevertheless,
the lead was a comfortable 34 - 0 at halftime.
Greene, with 104
yards rushing and 31 yards on returns, was held out for the
second half, as were many of the Eagle first teamers. The
Trojans forced fumbles in Saint James territory on both of
Montgomery Academy's first drives of the second half, but could
pick up little yardage of their own.
After a short
punt, Jeffrey Brewer was the main man on a 9 play 74 yard drive
which led to the final score of the game. On third down
from the 11, Brewer scored on the third play of the fourth
quarter, and Greene's kick gave him a 23 point performance for
the game (3 touchdowns and 5 extra points), finalizing the score
at 41 - 0.
In the last
minute of the game, Saint James' Matt Thomas intercepted a pass
at the Trojan 22, but as luck would have it, a fumble on a pass
completion turned the ball back over on the next play, and the
running clock was allowed to expire as the Eagles clinched a
city championship and began their stretch run to the 1A State
Championship.
SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME EIGHT
SAINT JAMES RUSHING 29 carries 5 yards 0 TD (< 1 yard per carry)
34
Parker 9 / 24
32
Dunning 5 /
10
17 Brewster 5
/ 4
33
Freeman 2 / - 1
11
Allen
8 / - 32
PASSING 3 completions 6
attempts 0 INTs 18 yards 0 TDs (3 sacks
of, 20 yards)
11
Allen
3 - 6 - 0 18 yards
RECEIVING
33
Freeman 1 /
17
84
Nave
2
/ 1
TOTAL
YARDS: 23
MONT ACAD
RUSHING 45 attempts 319 yards 6
TDs (7.09 yards per carry)
PASSING
2 completions 4 attempts 1 INT 18 yards
0 TDs (1 sack of, 4 yards)
TOTAL
YARDS: 337
KICKS: XP 5 / 6
FG 0 / 0
KICKOFFS:
7 (52,50,EZ,EZ,EZ,50,EZ)
PUNTS: 0
KO
RETURNS: 1 (7)
PUNT RETURNS: 2 (35,8)
FIRST
DOWNS: 13 (12 rushing, 1 passing)
FUMBLES: 2, lost 2
PENALTIES:
4 / 21 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: n/y/a
RETURN TO THE SAINT JAMES 1987 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE