GAME 7:  SAINT JAMES 19, @ Keith 14

STJ          7       6       6       0         19
 
KEI          8       0       6       0         14

SCORING SUMMARY:   (names of Keith players not available)

STJ  (1)   1:39   Armstrong 25 run            (Darneille kick)     7 -  0
KEI  (1)   0:30   # 37 9 run                                  (# 7 run)     7 -  8
STJ  (2)   0:39   Pappas 2 run                        (kick failed)    13 -  8
KEI  (3) 11:46   # 14 82 kickoff return            (run failed)   13 - 14
STJ  (3)   5:18   Pappas 1 run                         (run failed)    19 - 14
October 14, 1994.   Keith Field.   Game Conditions:  not yet available

The Trojans overcame some mistakes and some missed referee calls in the kicking game by dominating time of possession and keeping the ball out of the hands of the dangerous Bear runningbacks as Saint James clinched a playoff spot with a 19 - 14 area road victory over first time opponent Keith of Orrville.

Saint James was stopped on its first possession and a short punt gave Keith good field position at its own 45.  However, six plays later on fourth and 2 from the Trojan 33, the defense held and gave the ball back to Saint James to begin one of their several extended drives of the game.  Cade Armstrong picked up 12 yards on the first third down of the drive, and a seven yard offside penalty on third and four gave Saint James another first down in Bear territory.  The sideline markings and hashmarks were not well constructed, so ball and yardage location was never precise according to the field markings.  Five plays later, on third and six from the 25, Armstrong called his own number and evaded Bears up on the line, breaking away for a touchdown and the first score of the game.  Despite a nearly flagrant defensive holding call on the extra point which was declined because Jason Darneille converted the kick, Saint James took a 7 - 0 lead late in the first quarter.

It would not be the last score of the opening stanza.  On three consecutive plays from their own 19, (# 14) ran for 14 and 58 yards, and then after a hasty Trojan timeout, (# 9) carried in on the next play for a 9 yard touchdown.  A quarterback keeper by (# 7) on a two point conversion gave Keith the lead at 8 - 7 with 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, an Armstrong pass was intercepted by (# 57) at the Trojan 48 and returned for 11 yards, giving Keith excellent field position.  A holding penalty pushed the Bears back, and on fourth down the only "attempted" punt by Keith during the game was blocked and picked up by Armstrong at midfield and returned for an apparent touchdown.  However, strangely, a running into the kicker penalty was called despite the block, and a 15 yard penalty was assessed, giving the Bears a first down at the Trojan 30.  Three plays netted a loss of four yards, and on fourth down, Brian Brown intercepted the first of three passes for Saint James on the Trojan 18.  With 7:36 left on the second quarter clock, the Trojans grounded the ball for nearly 7 of those minutes.  A 15 yard face mask penalty after a Mark Berry run resulted in significant yardage, and an offensive holding penalty was later negated by the only Saint James pass completion of the night, a 22 yarder to Hunter Pappas from Armstrong on third and 23.  Berry barreled for two yards on the next play for the first down, and he and Pappas shared carries for the next eight plays, with Pappas scoring from the Bear 2 with 39 seconds remaining in the half.  The extra point was no good, but Saint James regained the lead at 13 - 8, and Keith did not have sufficient time to mount a threat before halftime.

However, the lead would not last long.  On the opening kickoff, (# 14) took the ball at the 18 and returned virtually untouched into the endzone.  The Trojans had enough  time to recover to stop a quarterback sweep from reaching the endzone for a second two point conversion, but Keith was back on top by a point, 14 - 13.

The Trojans did not deviate from what had been working.  Again, a sustained drive of 78 yards consumed 13 plays and 6½ minutes off the clock, including a Keith time out midway through.  Pappas was rewarded for his hard work on the drive with the final yard for the touchdown.  The Trojans tried for two with a bit of trickery on a pitch to John Searcy, but he was stopped short of the goal line.  Yet, Saint James was back on top 19 - 14 with over 17 minutes remaining in the game.

The Bears nearly broke another kickoff for a touchdown, but a saving tackle at the Bear 43 prevented another immediate lead change.  On first down, an illegal block in the back on a busted play pushed Keith back nearly 20 yards, and two plays later Armstrong intercepted a deep pass at the Saint James 33.  He was slung down by the face mask, giving Saint James an extra 15 yards and a chance to perhaps salt the game away with another long drive.

It appeared the Trojans were on the way to do so as Pappas converted a third and ten with an 18 yard run down to the Bear 22 on the last play of the third quarter.  Two plays later, an 8 yard run by Berry gave the Trojans first and goal at the 7.  But the Bear defense stood tall, keeping the Trojans out of the endzone on fourth down from the Keith 3.  A personal foul penalty after the change of possession gave Keith some breathing room at their own 18.  However, two plays later the Bears fumbled and the Trojans were 20 yards away from a score.

Six plays later, on another fourth down, what appeared to be a touchdown reception by Searcy was ruled out of bounds (again thanks to the poorly and unevenly marked field),  but the Trojans had run off all but five minutes of the fourth quarter clock on their unsuccessful drives.  Keith, starting from their own three, generated minimal offense and actually failed on fourth down from their own 11.  Saint James tried to run out the clock, not overly eager to score, but left 29 seconds on the clock when they turned the ball over again at the Keith five.  However, on the Bears' final scrimmage play, Mark Berry shone defensively, picking off the third Keith pass of the evening at the 23, allowing the clock to run out and granting Saint James the chance to actually win an area championship for the first time in nine seasons with a victory over Catholic in two weeks.

SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME SEVEN

SAINT JAMES   RUSHING    62 rushes  280 yards  3 TDs  (4.52 yards per carry)

                          17   Pappas         29 / 159  (2 TDs)     12   Armstrong       13 / 60  (1 TD)      69  Berry         11 / 42
                          21   Webber          4 /  13                   20   Searcy              5 /   6

                          PASSING     1 completion  4 attempts  1 INT  22 yards  0 TDs  (no sacks of)

                          12   Armstrong     1 - 4 - 1     22 yards

                          RECEIVING

                          17   Pappas          1 / 22

                          TOTAL YARDS:  302

                          KICKS:  XP  1 / 2                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                          KICKOFFS:   4  (46,24,42,47)                                PUNTS:   1  (17)
                           KO RETURNS:  3  (15,5,-3)                                   PUNT RETURNS:  0
                          INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (0,0,0)
                           FIRST DOWNS:   20  (18 rushing, 2 penalty)
                          FUMBLES:  0
                          TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 3
                          PENALTIES:  4 / 40 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  33:46

KEITH               RUSHING    18 attempts  117 yards  1 TD  (6.50 yards per carry)
                           PASSING      1 completion  7 attempts  3 INTs  8 yards  0 TDs  (no sacks of)
                           TOTAL YARDS:  125

                           KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                          KICKOFFS:  3  (44,29,35)                                     PUNTS:  0
                           KO RETURNS:  4  (5,8,82TD,30)                          PUNT RETURNS:  0
                          INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (11)
                          FIRST DOWNS:   5  (4 rushing, 1 penalty)
                          FUMBLES:  1, lost 1
                          PENALTIES:  8 / 82 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  14:14

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