GAME 2:  @ Highland Home 27, Saint James 21

STJ          0       7     14       0          21
 
H H         0     13       8       6          27

SCORING SUMMARY:  (some Highland Home names not yet available)

H H   (2)   9:50   Foster 58 punt return                                  (kick good)      0 -  7
H H   (2)   1:06   Moore 14 pass from Olive                          (kick failed)     0 - 13
STJ    (2)   0:13   Smith 28 pass from Olsen                          (Horn kick)      7 - 13
STJ    (3)   9:45   Cole 9 pass from Olsen                               (Cole kick)    14 - 13
H H   (3)   5:44   Foster 10 pass from Olive           (# 26 pass from Olive)    14 - 21
STJ    (3)   5:29   Smith 90 kickoff return                              (Horn kick)    21 - 21
H H   (4)   0:12   # 26 4 pass from Olive                                (kick failed)    21 - 27

September 13, 1996.  Highland Home Field.   Game Conditions:  Partly Cloudy  Game Temperature:  68  Wind:  negligible

Mike Olive's 4 yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Foster with 12 seconds remaining in the game was enough to give the Highland Home Flying Squadron a six point victory over the visiting Trojans, 27 - 21.

In a game where the teams fumbled a total of ten times (and lost half of them), Saint James began the fumble party by coughing up the ball on the fourth scrimmage play and the Squadron took over on their own 43.  However, they could not convert a first down and the Trojans took over after a punt at their own 21.  Jake McMillan's run for eight yards gave Saint James a first down, but after a penalty slowed the drive, the punter muffed the snap and Highland Home recovered on the Saint James 19.  On the next play, the Squadron were lucky to recover a fumbled pitch, and several plays later a fourth down incompletion turned the ball back over to the Trojans.  Once again, the offense stalled and after a punt was returned to the Trojan 43, it appeared the Squadron would be poised to score first.

Such was the case, but not the way predicted as the second quarter began.  After a 12 men on the field negated a fabulous Squadron punt, they nevertheless pinned the Trojans at their own 23.  An ineligible receiver penalty on the first play pushed the ball back to the 18, and despite a 13 yard completion from Alan Olsen to Jay Robertson, the Trojans again were forced to punt.  Jermaine Foster took the punt at his own 42, broke traffic near midfield, and pulled away for a punt return touchdown, the first score of the game.  The extra point by mysterious # 6 was good, and Highland Home had a 7 - 0 lead early in the second quarter.

The running of Jason Smith pushed the Trojans up past midfield, but he was stopped for no gain on fourth and three from the Squadron 45.  The teams then traded punts, with Highland Home taking over on their own 46 with just under three minutes remaining until hafltime.  It appeared Foster had taken the handoff on first down and run 54 yards for a touchdown, but a clipping penalty at the Trojan 41 negated the score.  # 26 (another mysterious player) and Foster did advance the ball on double digit runs down to the Trojan 19.  After a 5 yard gain, Olive found Robert Moore in the endzone for a touchdown reception even though two Trojan defenders had interfered with him.  The extra point this time failed, but the Squadron appeared to be going to the halftime break with a 13 point lead.

It didn't happen that way.  Smith returned the kickoff to his own 34, and later caught a 29 yard pass and run from Olsen on first down.  He picked up nine on a run on the next play and Saint James called timeout with 32 seconds remaining.  After an incomplete pass intended for Robertson, Smith broke open down the middle on a post pattern for a 28 yard touchdown reception.  Kieth Horn's extra point was good, and the lead was cut to six with 13 seconds remaining.

Saint James had a chance for free points before halftime because Lee Murphy recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.  With one last chance, Olsen's pass attempt to Smith for a 31 yard touchdown was incomplete.  Some suspected the clock should have been stopped in time for one more play, but the referees left the field and the players followed suit as halftime arrived.

The Squadron returned the second half kickoff to their own 35, but a lost fumble on first down was recovered by Jason Smith and Saint James was in business at the Highland Home 38.  Rick Fidel appeared to have picked up a sizable chunk of yardage on a screen pass on first down, but a confusing illegal procedure penalty was called.  Two plays and 8 positive yards later, Robertson picked up a first down on a 14 yard reception.  Smith ran for 12 on the next play to the Squadron 9.  After he caught a pass for no gain, Olsen found Rob Cole for a 12 yard touchdown catch, and Cole himself was called upon to kick the extra point, which he did, and Saint James had their first lead of the game at 14 - 13.

An unfortunate kick out of bounds gave Highland Home the ball at their 35.  To avoid fumbling for the third consecutive play, Olive went to the air and found (# 6) for a 38 yard pass on the first play.  The Squadron took the ball to the ground for the next nine plays, overcoming a pair of minor penalties.  On second and goal from the Trojan 10, Foster hauled in a 10 yard pass for his second touchdown of the evening.  A two point conversion pass to # 26 was good, and Highland Home was back on top 21 - 14.

Briefly.  Jason Smith fielded the ensuing kick at his own 10 yard line and slithered through Squadron pursuers up to the 45 yard line where he broke through and zoomed into the endzone with the longest kickoff (at that time) in Trojan history, a 90 yarder.  Jason Horn came back in to convert the extra point and the score was tied at 21 midway through the third quarter.

It appeared disaster would strike a second time as on the first play after another out of bounds kick, a defensive pass interference penalty gave the Squadron first down at midfield.  Two plays later, Olive cut the needed yardage in more than half with a keeper down to the Trojan 24.  However, two plays later, Foster fumbled and Olsen recovered for Saint James at the 17 yard line.  Overcoming a holding penalty, the legs of Smith and the receptions of Robertson moved the ball into Squadron territory before the fourth quarter dawned.  Several plays later, Smith converted a third and 10 with a 15 yard run down to the Trojan 14.  However, mysterious # 26 struck again for Highland Home as he intercepted an Olsen pass in the endzone on the next play.

The Squadron drove as far as midfield, but had to punt.  Unfortunately, two plays later, the Trojans lost a fumble and Highland Home was in business at the Trojan 33 with just over 4 minutes remaining in regulation.  However, two plays later, Robertson was the receiver on the defensive side of the ball as he intercepted a pass and returned it to the Saint James 28.  The Trojans tried to move the ball, using their timeouts in the process, but could not garner a first down and a punt was downed at the Trojan 42 with exactly 2½ minutes remaining.  Olive was the primary ball carrier, and tried several passes as well, all of which were incomplete.  On what appeared to be the Squadron's last chance, fourth and 12 from the Trojan 32, another mysterious player (# 25) made a fantastic catch on a poorly thrown pass for 17 yards and a first down.  A lineman injury on the play gave both teams a chance to rest and recover, and Highland Home had four fresh downs at the Trojan 15 with 40 seconds remaining.  The Squadron were more than fortunate on the next play as a pass reception was fumbled but recovered inbounds by # 25 at the 9 yard line.  After a timeout, Foster ran for 5 yards and Highland Home called their final timeout with 18 secnds remaining.  On first and goal, Olive found # 26 for a touchdown, the game winner.  The extra point failed, but Highland Home led by 6 with only 12 seconds left in the game.

Saint James did return a pooch kickoff to their own 39, but a desperation long pass from Olsen to Cole fell incomplete, and the blue-clad Squadron celebrated with their second win of the season as the Trojans marched off the field with a hard-fought second loss.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TWO

SAINT JAMES   RUSHING    37 attempts  129 yards  0 TDs  (3.48 yards per carry)

                            7   Smith         26 / 131            19   McMillan      7 / 10           2   Somerville         1 / 0
                          21   Harris           1 /   0             32   Meadows      1 / - 2         63   McIntyre        1 / - 10

                          PASSING    11 completions  21 attempts  1 INT  134 yards  1 TD

                          17   Olsen        11 - 21 - 1   134 yards  1 TD

                          RECEIVING

                            7   Smith           4 /  65            44   Robertson      5 / 53         12   Cole                1 / 12  (TD)
                          32   Meadows      1 /   4

                          TOTAL YARDS:   263

                          KICKS:  XP  3 / 3                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                          KICKOFFS:   4  (36,46,OB,OB)                             PUNTS:   4  (33,27,32,37)
                          KO RETURNS:   4  (11,5,90TD,4)                         PUNT RETURNS:  4  (3,5,5,8)
                          INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (6)
                           FIRST DOWNS:   11  (8 rushing, 2 passing, 1 penalty)
                          FUMBLES:  3, lost 2
                          TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 1
                          POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                          PENALTIES:  7 / 45 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  25:41

H HOME            RUSHING    39 attempts  170 yards  0 TDs  (4.36 yards per carry)
                          PASSING       7 completions  16 attempts  1 INT  97 yards  3 TDs  (no sacks of)
                          TOTAL YARDS:   267

                           KICKS:  XP  1 / 3                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                          KICKOFFS:  5  (33,44,44,50,30)                             PUNTS:  4  (34,29,22,30)
                          KO RETURNS:  2  (8f,21)                                      PUNT RETURNS:  3  (14,58TD,-1)
                          FIRST DOWNS:   13  (10 rushing, 2 passing, 1 penalty)
                          FUMBLES:  6, lost 3
                          POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                          PENALTIES:  5 / 35 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  22:19

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