In a game which featured seemingly futile offenses, punts, and seven major distance penalties (5 of those stepped off against the St. James in a relatively short period of time in the opening half), the two Trojan touchdowns were recorded in different, but rather unusual ways for a typical high school game.

The action started off on the opening kickoff, as the Trojan special teams jarred the ball loose from a Trinity returner and St. James took over immediately on the Wildcats 30.  A key fourth down conversion on a pass from Ryan Sexton to Speed McDonald, the only Trojan scrimmage pass completion of the entire game, gave St. James a first down on the Wildcats 10.  On first down, Matt Grooms drove around right end for an apparent touchdown, but a holding penalty pushed the ball back.  After three consecutive losses, the Trojans were forced to punt.  The remainder of the quarter featured punts and three more major distance penalties against St. James - a defensive personal foul giving Trinity its only first half first down, a clipping call on the next offensive drive, and a similar clipping foul on a punt return.  As the Trojans began the second quarter, a holding penalty shortened another drive and the Trojans punted once more.  On second down from Trinity's own 14, Matt Salvia blitzed the Wildcat quarterback attempting to pass, causing him to fumble backwards into the endzone.  Zack Smith dove on the ball giving the Trojans their first defensive score of the year, and the first score of the game with 8:21 to go in the half.  A bad snap on the extra point attempt kept the score at 6-0.

St. James got as close as the Trinity 34 on their next drive, but a 10 yard loss on a third down fumble recovery ended that drive; neither team threatened thereafter for the remainder of the first half.

Some on the sidelines discussed St. James using their option to kick off to begin the second half to perhaps pin Trinity again deep in their endzone and command early field position.  Fortunately that option was discarded.  Matt Grooms received the Trinity kickoff at his own 8 yard line and met resistance led by Trinity star tackler Bret Eddins near the 20.  However, Grooms shook off several tackles, wound his way through more potential tacklers, and had clear sailing in the 'secondary' by the time he hit the 35.  He managed to outrace the Trinity pursuers all the way to the endzone - a 92 yard kickoff return (second longest in school history) and quickly snatched the second half momentum for the Trojans.  After missing the early extra point, St. James opted to go for 2 and Sexton delivered with a fine pass in the right flat to Nigel Guntharp - giving the Trojans a 14-0 lead just 20 seconds into the half.

The remainder of the half was basically uneventful on the offensive front.  St. James could only manage two first downs, while Trinity could only manage three themselves, and only once (in the last minute of the game after St. James turned over the ball on downs) were the Wildcats in Trojan territory.  An Ashley Snipe interception on second down of that drive halted Trinity's only remote scoring threat of the evening.  In the entire second half, only three plays (2 by STJ, 1 by Trinity) gained over 6 yards.  Trinity punted on all of its 7 second half possessions except for their final drive - the interception.  St. James punted three times, had a deep pass intercepted, and turned the ball over on downs twice on its six second half possessions after the kickoff return before the final two plays of the game.

Despite the lack of offense - the Trojan defense once again held its opponent to minimal yardage, 37 officially, after yielding a net of minus 6 yards in the first half.  The Trojans have shut out 3 of their last 4 regular season opponents, and have not allowed an offensive touchdown by a Capital City Conference opponent in 4 games (last year's Trinity game).

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME THREE

ST. JAMES      RUSHING   49 attempts  122 yards   0 TDs  (2.49 yards per carry)

                        17  Sexton         1 - 6 - 1        15 yards   0 TDs   (2 sacks, - 6 yards)

                        RECEIVING

                          1  McDonald   1 / 15

                        TOTAL YARDS:  165