November 10, 1995. South Lamar Field,
Millport. Game Conditions: Heavy rain, very
windy Game Temperature: 56 Wind: W
/ NW 20 - 35
In
a game which could best be described as being played in monsoon
conditions as a vicious November cold front sank down into
Alabama, the South Lamar (County) Stallions, primarily on the legs
of 19-year-old running back Tim Hamilton's 205 yards in the muck,
withstood several Trojan scoring opportunities and held on for a 6
- 0 first round playoff victory in the first ever meeting in any
sport between the two schools.
The hard steady rain began about three hours before game time and
continued well into the second half without abating. Moving
the ball was tough at best, but Saint James managed to enter
Stallions territory on their first drive before turning the ball
over on downs. After that, neither team could move the ball
with any consistency in the first half, and punts into the wind
were lucky to clear ten yards net. Rain beat down the even
wind-aided punts as well.
The Stallions were stopped on their opening drive of the second
half, but Hamilton's massive punt of 67 yards went far through the
endzone, giving the Trojans possession at their own 20.
After a first down, a personal foul penalty after a seven yard run
by Mark Berry gave the Trojans the ball at midfield. Three
plays netted only five yards, and an into-the-wind punt traveled
only 13 yards. South Lamar was held to six yards on three
plays, and somehow despite the wind advantage, a miskicked punt
spun backwards to be downed at the Stallion 30. On first
down, Sequon Herring found Jason Smith for a 13 yard first down
catch and run. On the next play, Saint James went for broke
but the Herring pass intended for Will Webber was intercepted in
the endzone.
Two plays later, however, Lucas Harris returned the favor and
returned a Stallion interception 16 yards to the South Lamar 11
and it appeared someone would finally score. Three plays
netted only two yards, and Saint James lined up for a 26 yard
field goal into the wind. The Trojans attempted a fake and
it went nowhere except backwards as Herring was downed at the
Stallion 21. However, with only 23 seconds remaining in the
third period, Saint James would have the wind advantage in the
final quarter and theoretically the advantage they needed.
However, they would trail on the scoreboard. For the first
and only time in the game, Hamilton took a handoff and broke
through the Trojan defense as he scampered down the sidelines for
a 79 yard touchdown run as the third quarter clock expired.
The extra point failed, but the Stallions had the first, and what
would be the only score of the game on their side.
The Trojans were stopped three and out on their first fourth
quarter drive, but just missed recovering a fumble on the punt
return. The Stallions kept the ball on the ground and ate
clock. A clipping penalty cost the Stallions a valuable
first down, but by the time they had punted only 6:32 remained on
the clock. Saint James picked up two first downs and got
back into South Lamar territory. However, three plays of
little or no gain led to a fourth down and 9 at the Stallion
42. A play somewhat similar to the fake field goal, a
reverse, was attempted, and was just as futile as it lost 13
yards.
Saint James had to use all three timeouts on the next three
rushing plays, on which South Lamar gained 6 yards. The
fourth down play just barely made enough yardage for the first
down, according to a dubious measurement, with just over a minute
remaining. A fumbled snap on first down by the quarterback
gave everyone on the Stallion sideline a scare, but the time taken
to unload the pile and to run the next two plays were more than
enough time for South Lamar to claim the victory, and the laundry
staffs were rewarded with the thankless job of removing all that
Lamar County mud from the jerseys as Saint James ended another
season in the first round playoffs on the road.
SIDELINE
STATISTICS - GAME ELEVEN (not yet available)