GAME 8:   Montgomery Academy 27, Saint James 0

October 14, 1988   Collier Field.   Game Conditions:  Clear, cool   Game temperature:  55   Wind: Light

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Bowen Ballard, normally a reserve for Montgomery Academy, came in to replace injured Jeffrey Brewer and ran for over 100 of the Eagles' 347 rushing yards, helping control the clock as well, as Montgomery Academy limited undermanned Saint James to only eighteen scrimmage plays in the final three quarters en route to a 27 - 0 victory at Collier Field.

Things did not start out well for Saint James, as on the third play of the game, Jeff George was hit hard, injured to play only sparingly as a running back for the remainder of the game, and his fumble was recovered by Montgomery Academy at the Trojan 18.  After an 11 yard completed pass by Rick McBride, Jeffrey Brewer came in two plays later for a 3 yard touchdown run, and the Eagles were up 7 - 0 barely three minutes into the game.

The Trojans were forced to punt after three plays, but recovered a Jud Blount fumble two plays later at the Saint James 39.  With Wade Hartley the starting quarterback already out with an injury, Jay Allen was under center and threw two consecutive passes to Barry Nave for a total of 11 yards.  Two six yard runs by Will Parker gave the Trojans a first down at the Eagle 43.  Four plays later, David Berry was called in for his first carry of the season on a fourth down and 4, and caught the Eagles defense by surprise as he ripped off 17 yards to the Eagle 20.  Four plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, it was fourth down again from the 12.  After the between quarters timeout, Saint James elected to try a fake field goal, but holder Allen's pass to Nave was just incomplete at the goal line, and Montgomery Academy took possession.

From the 12, the Eagles would eat up 88 yards and nearly 8 minutes of second half clock on a 15 play drive, all on the ground with an incomplete pass tossed in.  Jeffrey Brewer, who was injured while playing defense would not return, so it was up to Blount and Bowen Ballard to carry the load.  Ballard's 33 yard run was the highlight of the drive, crossing midfield to the Trojan 30 yard line.  Later, on a second down play from the Trojan 3, Rick McBride was going to keep for the final yardage.  He was hit and the ball was knocked loose into the endzone, where a well-placed Ballard fell on it for a touchdown.  Bo Adams' second consecutive extra point gave the Eagles a two touchdown lead with about 4 minutes left in the half.

For the remaining 28 minutes of the game, Saint James would only run 17 plays from scrimmage, compared to 43 for Montgomery Academy.  Allen completed a pass to the hobbling George for 13 yards to convert one Trojan first down, but they had to punt again just across midfield.  P.J. Robertson's punt went out of bounds at the Eagle 7, and Montgomery Academy elected to simply run out the clock instead of risking giving Saint James another chance to score.

The Trojan defense stopped the Eagles a yard short of a first down on their initial second half drive, but the Trojans could gain no yards in three plays themselves.  From their own 38, Montgomery Academy embarked on another long drive of 13 plays and 62 yards.  Ballard carried five straight plays in the middle of the drive for a total of 31 yards, giving the Eagles first down on the Trojan 7.  It took all four plays, but Ballard was rewarded with the touchdown carry from the one yard line.  Adams' extra point boosted the lead to 21 with 2½ minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Saint James was stopped again on three plays.  On first down from the 33, McBride broke loose on what appeared to be a 67 yard touchdown run, but a questionable clipping penalty behind the line of scrimmage pushed the ball back to the 13.  However, on the next play, Blount carried for 45 yards and McBride completed a 13 yard pass against the tiring Trojans and Montgomery Academy was back in Saint James territory at the beginning of the fourth quarter.  The between quarter break only delayed the score briefly, as McBride called his own number again and rushed into the endzone from 29 yards out.  Saint James blocked the extra point attempt, but the Eagles were firmly in control at 27 - 0.

After a zero yard pass completion, a five yard run by Clifford Long, and an incompletion, another punt gave the Eagles the ball.  They held on for another 11 plays, exclusively runs by Blount and Ballard, before a second clipping penalty led to a long yardage situation.  A McBride pass was intercepted by Robertson at the Eagle 22.  Allen completed a screen pass to George, and he trudged along for 26 yards before finally being brought down.  However, on the next play, another Allen pass was intercepted by Blount at the Eagle 17, and it took Montgomery Academy only 6 plays to run out the clock against the exhausted defense of the Trojans.

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