GAME 1:   SAINT JAMES 20, Thorsby 6

September 7, 1990   CARLISLE Field.   Game Conditions:  Hot, hazy, humid.  Game Temperature:  92

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Saint James overcame sloppiness on offense and special teams, but the defense caused just as much trouble for Thorsby as Wade Hartley began his final Trojan campaign with two touchdown passes to fellow senior Billy Byrd while leading the Trojans to a season-opening 20 - 6 victory over the visiting Rebels.

The season started inauspiciously at renamed Carlisle Field as the opening kickoff went out of bounds only 16 yards downfield.  Thorsby began a drive of all running plays, predominantly by senior running back Ricky Burch.  The Rebels recovered two of their own fumbles on the eleven play drive, and actually converted a fourth down on one of them.  However, on a later fourth down from the Trojan 29, Burch was stopped for a one yard loss and Saint James was on offense for the first time after the first of the newly instituted "heat timeouts", well deserved on this hot evening, took place.  The heat timeout, one in the middle of each quarter to provide additional breaks to those at the end of periods, especially during the early season hot games as determined by the state referees on site, would become a fixture in both health-related and game-planning issues.

Saint James picked up two quick first downs, as a Jeff George nine yard run was more than doubled by a defensive unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  Robert Enslen carried for thirteen on the next play.  Two plays later, another George run was negated by a clipping penalty.  However, another two plays later, on a fourth and 14 from the Rebel 38, an incomplete pass was wiped out by a personal foul penalty and the drive remained alive.  Two plays later another thirteen yard run by Enslen gave Saint James a first and goal from the Rebel eight.  After two short runs and a quarterback sack lost a net of three yards, Wade Hartley found Billy Byrd in the endzone for a fourth down touchdown completion.  Gabe Harris' extra point was good, and Saint James had its first score of the season, up 7 - 0 late in the first quarter.

Thorsby, exclusively on the ground on their opening eleven play drive, mixed up pass and run to move to the Trojan 35, but again a fourth down run was stopped a yard short of a first down and Saint James took over.  After a loss of five on the first play, the Trojans opted for a reverse play which was blown up by a blitzing Rebel.  He knocked the ball loose and backwards, and it was picked up by Montez Atchison at the Trojan 17 who waltzed untouched into the endzone for a Thorsby touchdown.  The extra point failed, but the lead was suddenly cut to one point early in the second quarter.

The teams traded punts on their next drives, and the Trojans had driven to midfield before they lost another fumble.  In the last four minutes of the half, each team had two chances to score, but sacks, incomplete passes, and punts gave neither team a real chance to capitalize.

Saint James again failed to move the ball on their first drive, but Atchison fumbled on Thorsby's first scrimmage play of the second half, giving Saint James great field position at the Thorsby 39.  Once again though, sacks and incomplete passes resulted in no first down and another punt.  Thorsby had another chance to go on fourth and short from their own 26, but opted to punt again.  Saint James rushed the punt and deflected it sideways.  Just several yards past the line of scrimmage, Enslen picked up the loose ball and carried it 32 yards into the endzone on a great return for a touchdown.  Harris kicked another extra point, and the Trojans were up by eight in the latter half of the third quarter.

Several plays later, Stefan Delahay intercepted a pass at the Trojan 29 after a good kickoff return had set Thorsby up in excellent field position.  However, a sack and a short punt gave the ball back to Thorsby just outside midfield.  On third down, the quarterback was rushed and the ball was knocked out of his hands bouncing backwards.  It was piled on by several Trojans at the Thorsby 22 yard line.  A holding penalty on first down was offset by a 16 yard rush by Enslen.  Two plays later, Hartley called the same play as the earlier fourth down touchdown, and again he found Byrd in the endzone for a 20 yard reception for another score.  This time, the extra point failed, but Saint James was up by two touchdowns with just over a quarter to play.

After Thorsby returned the kickoff to their own 47, they began to steadily advance.  Three runs netted 14 yards and a first down, and after an offensive penalty, a defensive pass interference penalty gave the Rebels first down at the Trojan 29.  Despite a sack, two more completions of 14 and 6 yards moved the ball to the Saint James 14.  However, the defense stiffened and after a one yard loss and two incomplete passes, a fourth down incompletion turned the ball back over to Saint James with under seven minutes remaining.

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