GAME 1:  Maplesville 22, Saint James 7

MAP          6       0       0     16         22
 
STJ            0       0       7       0           7

SCORING SUMMARY:

MAP (1)  3:59   Morrow 58 fumble advance                   (run failed)      0 -  6
STJ   (3)  1:44   Pappas 17 interception return      (Armstrong kick)      7 -  6
MAP (4)  6:36   Morrow 44 run                                 (Colburn run)      7 - 14
MAP (4)  2:35   Morrow 30 run                                 (Colburn run)      7 - 22
September 2, 1994.  Carlisle Field.   Game Conditions:  Mostly Cloudy, some drizzle   Game Temperature:  80  Wind WNW 5

Brandon Morrow, who would eventually become the 1994 Alabama Sports Writers Association class 1A Player of the Year, started his season off in a good way by rushing 15 times for 195 yards and scoring three touchdowns.  On the other side of the ball, the Maplesville defense solidly curtailed the Trojan offensive effort as the Red Devils came to town and opened the season with a 22 - 7 win over the Trojans to start the season.

Saint James appeared to have the momentum early, as a deep pass on the Devils' first play from scrimmage was intercepted by the Trojans at the 29 yard line.  Then, after only gaining one yard on three runs, a punt was muffed but recovered by Maplesville.  The teams traded punts again, but the Red Devils were gradually winning the field position battle.  On fourth and 14 from their own 42, a Red Devil short pass from quarterback Larry Colburn to Morrow was completed.  Several Trojans converged to strip the ball from the runner and it fell beneath the feet of a scrum and continued to bounce around for several seconds.  The ball finally bounced backwards out of the pile to Morrow who was behind the pack and he picked the ball up again and ran 58 yards for a touchdown.  The Red Devils did not feature a place kicker, so they attempted a two point run, which failed.  However, late in what had been a yawnable first quarter until the weird scoring play, Maplesville took a 6 - 0 lead.

The Trojans finally began moving the ball, as the next drive started immediately with first down runs by Cade Armstrong and Will Webber.  Four plays later, a fourth and one was converted by Webber advancing the ball to the Red Devil 39 as the opening quarter ended.  However, after an incomplete pass and two rushes for losses, the Trojans had to punt again.  Soon after, Saint James forced another Maplesville punt which was shanked for a net of only 4 yards.  Saint James picked up one first down afterwards but punted again as well several plays later.

It appeared the Trojans had finally caught the break they needed when Will Webber intercepted a pass at the Red Devil 26 just before he stepped out of bounds, and just before the heaviest rain of the game began to fall.  On third down following the turnover, the Trojans fumbled a snap, and Maplesville recovered.  The Devils tried to score before halftime, but could only get as close as the Trojan 40 yard line before a penalty negated a first down run on the final play of the half.

The rain ended during halftime, but the resulting heat and humidity were oppressive, to say the least.  Neither team accomplished much on their opening second half drives, but Saint James finally picked up some ground yardage on their next possession.  They got as close as the Red Devil 46 before being pushed back, but a Jason Darneille punt was nicely angled out of bounds at the Maplesville four yard line.  Three plays later, the special teams and defensive work finally paid off as Hunter Pappas intercepted a pass at the Maplesville 17 and returned it for a touchdown, the 17 yard return matching his jersey number.  Cade Armstrong's kick was good, and the Trojans had their first score and lead of the season at 7 - 6 late in the third quarter.

An endzone kickoff pinned the Devils deep again, and after a first down they elected to punt on a fourth and 1 from their own 41.  With a newly brisk wind at their backs, the punt traveled into the endzone, pushing the Trojans back to their own 20.  What may have been the key play of the game was the third and 1 from the 29, where Webber was stopped on a quarterback keeper for no gain, forcing another kick.  His punt was returned 21 yards to the Trojan 44, and Maplesville was in business.  Two gains of no yards were followed by Morrow breaking away for a 44 yard touchdown run on third down.  Colburn this time kept on the two point conversion and was successful, giving the Devils a 14 - 7 lead halfway through the final quarter.

Saint James again failed to make a first down and punted.  A 29 yard run on first down advanced the ball to the Trojan 36.  Three plays on the ground netted 6 yards, and on fourth and 4, the Trojans were stacked up on the line of scrimmage for the stop which they needed to stay in the game.  However, when Morrow broke through the first line of defense, there was no one to catch him on his way to a 30 yard game-clinching touchdown.  Colburn once again ran for 2, and Maplesville was up by 15 with less than 3 minutes remaining.

The Trojans got some help in their comeback effort as a personal foul penalty and a roughing the passer penalty on consecutive plays after the kickoff gave them the ball at the Devil 44.  An enraged coach for Maplesville called time out to straighten out and calm down his players and they responded.  A 10 yard quarterback sack was too much for the Trojans to overcome, and they turned the ball over on downs.  A 14 yard run on second down was all the Devils needed to run out the clock and preserve their opening victory on the road.

SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME ONE

SAINT JAMES   RUSHING    40 rushes  64 yards  0 TDs  (1.60 yards per carry)

                          12   Armstrong     22 / 26         21   Webber      9 / 22
                          17   Pappas            5 / 14         35   Berry         4 /  2

                          PASSING      1 completion  9 attempts  0 INTs  9 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 10 yards)

                          21   Webber        1 - 9 - 0   9 yards  (1 sack, - 10 yards)

                          RECEIVING

                          30   Perelle            1 /  9

                          TOTAL YARDS:   73

                          KICKS:  XP  1 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                          KICKOFFS:   2  (28,EZ)                                         PUNTS:   8  (26,34,27,25,21,44,36,29)
                          KO RETURNS:  4  (16,14,24,20)                            PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0)
                          INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (-1,0,17TD)
                           FIRST DOWNS:   8  (7 rushing, 1 penalty)
                          FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                          TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 3
                          PENALTIES:  1 / 5 yards
                         TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:24

MAPLESVILLE  RUSHING    36 attempts  239 yards  2 TDs  (6.64 yards per carry, # 27 Morrow 15 / 195)
                         PASSING      2 completions  7 attempts  3 INTs  65 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)
                         TOTAL YARDS:  304

                           KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 3
                          KICKOFFS:  4  (52,47,51,40)                                 PUNTS:  4  (40,4,28,59)
                          KO RETURNS:  1  (2)                                           PUNT RETURNS:  4  (0,17,21,0fc)
                          FIRST DOWNS:   8  (7 rushing, 1 passing)
                          FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                          PENALTIES:  7 / 75 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  21:36

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