GAME 9:  @ Brantley 24, St. James 20

St. James attempted a valiant comeback, scoring two touchdowns in the last half of the final quarter, but a late Brantley score in between thwarted the effort.  The longest winning streak in the AHSAA remained intact (at 16) as the defending 1A state champion Bulldogs earned revenge from their last defeat (the 1998 loss to St. James) - a hard fought 24-20 victory over the Trojans.

Each team punted after their first drives, but St. James took an early lead with an impressive 11 play 77 yard drive, capped by a fourth and eight 30 yard touchdown pass from running back Matt Grooms (after a pitch) to a wide open Josh Thomas down the sidelines.  Nigel Guntharp's extra point was good, and the Trojans had a 7-0 lead with 1:38 to go in the first quarter.

After another Brantley punt, the Trojans were driving again.  On fourth and 7 from the Bulldog 38, punter Nigel Guntharp floated a fake punt pass just out of the reach of a wide open Trojan receiver which would have continued perhaps another scoring drive.  On the first play after the resulting change of possession, Brantley star running back Bo Daniels broke loose for his first of two 51-yard runs on the night.  However, the Trojans held, and Gregory Daniels was called in to convert a 22 yard field goal, which he did - closing the gap to 7-3 early in the second quarter.

Neither team threatened to score again before halftime, although a long pass by St. James' Ryan Sexton was intercepted on the Bulldog 7, by Gregory Daniels, on the last play of the half.

Brantley started the third quarter with the ball, the determination, and soon after the momentum.  The Bulldogs' first drive registered 65 yards in 9 plays - the final 3 on a Bo Daniels TD run, and Brantley had a lead they would never relinquish at 10-7.

Sexton was again intercepted on the next drive, but Brantley was stopped by a clipping penalty and a botched punt snap.  As the Trojans were moving again, Bo Daniels intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the Trojans 14.  He scored two plays later from 10 yards out, and the Bulldogs had a 17-7 lead nearing the end of the third quarter.

The teams traded punts in the opening six minutes of the fourth quarter as the defense appeared to be in control for both teams the rest of the way, but an offensive explosion supercharged the final six minutes.  With 6:22 to go in the game, Guntharp returned a punt to the Trojans 49.  Four plays later, Sexton hooked up with Thomas on a beautiful 35 yard TD pass, his second TD catch of the game.  Following the extra point, the Trojans had closed to within 3 at 17-14 with 5:07 to go.

After a pooch kickoff was fair caught at the 35, Daniels broke loose on the first play for his second 51 yard run of the game.   Several infractions on this particular play seemed to have been 'missed' - to the point of multiple flags being thrown and the Brantley offense trudging back down the field after the long run aware of their own multiple errors.  However, after a discussion among the referees - the flag turned out to be merely a 5 yard face mask against St. James.  Instead of potential offsetting penalties, the ball was placed at the Trojans 9 after the accepted penalty, and three plays later Darrell Owens carried in from a yard out.  The extra point put the lead back at 10 with 3:21 to go, and the late Trojan rally seemed to sputter.

For one play only.  After the kickoff was returned to the 28, Sexton found a surprisingly wide open Guntharp past the Brantley secondary and connected for a 72 yard TD.  Guntharp, perhaps winded from his immediately recent jaunt outrunning chasing defenders, missed the extra point - and the score was Brantley 24, St. James 20 with still an ample 2:57 remaining.

The Trojans attempted an onside kick which failed.  However, with the benefit of an offensive holding penalty and two time outs, Brantley was forced to punt with time on the clock.  Bo Daniels, not only the talented running back (202 yards on the night), displayed his punting skills as well - with a deep punt down to the 5 yard line leaving the Trojans to traverse 95 yards in 87 seconds.

St. James did convert one first down and moved the ball out to their 20, but Brantley intercepted its fourth pass of the night down the near sidelines and then ran out the clock, victorious in a very entertaining game.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME NINE

ST. JAMES      RUSHING   37 attempts  102 yards  0 TDs  (2.76 yards per carry)

                          1   McDonald      16 / 76       21   Grooms       5 / 23          20  Melton    10 / 22
                        33   Snipe                1 /  9         2   Guntharp     1 / - 2         17   Sexton    4 / - 26

                        PASSING      10 completions  23 attempts  4 INTs  245 yards  3 TDs  (3 sacks of, - 25 yards)

                        17   Sexton            9 - 21 - 4   215 yards   2 TDs  (3 sacks, - 25)
                        21   Grooms          1 -   1 - 0     30 yards   1 TD
                          2   Guntharp        0 -   1 - 0

                        RECEIVING

                        32   Thomas          4 / 121  (2 TDs)         2   Guntharp          4 / 100  (1 TD)
                        44   Salvia              1 /  13                       1   McDonald         1 /  11

                        TOTAL YARDS:   347

BRANTLEY     RUSHING   43 attempts  245 yards  3 TDs  (5.70 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      3 completions  9 attempts  0 INTs  24 yards  0 TDs  (no sacks of)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  269