9-22-00 ST. JAMES 27, Beauregard 6

SCORING SUMMARY:

BEA (1) :53 Hodge 46 punt return (run failed) 0 - 6
STJ (2) 2:57 Yates 1 run (Webb kick) 7 - 6
STJ (3) 3:25 Winn 22 pass from Craft (Webb kick) 14 - 6
STJ (4) 9:11 Yates 12 pass from Craft (Webb kick) 21 - 6
STJ (4) 2:13 Guntharp 3 run (kick failed) 27 - 6

September 22, 2000 Carlisle Field. Game conditions: Cloudy, muggy, occasional drizzle. Game temperature: 74 No wind

Tropical storm Helene may have battered southern Alabama during the morning, but it was a Trojan storm whose defense shone again, not allowing a touchdown, as St. James moved to 3-0 in the region (winning its 11th straight area/region game) by defeating the Beauregard Hornets 27-6 in their first football meeting since the 1991 season.

The first half was a vicious defensive battle, perhaps in part due to the wet field courtesy of the rains of Helene. Beauregard actually clicked the scoreboard first on a swift 46 yard punt return by Jermaine Hodge. He fielded a low punt and scooted virtually untouched down the Hornet sideline for a touchdown. The Hornets tried a two point conversion, but an off tackle play was stopped 4 feet short, giving Beauregard a 6-0 lead in the last minute of the first quarter.

Several drives later, the Trojan punt block team was called on. The center of the line stuffed a punt backwards 37 yards as players for both teams fought for the ball. St. James took over on the Hornet 18. After an Alan Craft quarterback sweep of 15 yards gave the Trojans a first down at the one, it took three plays to score, but Nathan Yates ran around right end for the final yard and a touchdown with 2:57 to go in the half.. The Lawton Webb extra point was good, and the half ended with the Trojans ahead 7-6 in a physical battle.

The Trojans took over on their own 36 on the second drive of the second half. During the drive, Nigel Guntharp converted two first downs with consecutive 11 yard runs. A Yates 13 yard run gave the Trojans another of their 14 first downs on the Hornet 23. Three plays later, Craft lifted a pass to a wide open Daniel Winn who had slipped behind the Hornet secondary for a 22 yard touchdown. The extra point was again good, and St. James extended its lead to 14-6 with 3:25 to go in the third quarter.

St. James took the ball over again after a Hornet punt. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Guntharp wiggled through the center and broke loose on a 47 yard run giving the Trojans first down on the Hornet 17. On fourth down from the 12, Craft broke to his left and found Yates open at the 8 yard line where he evaded tacklers and snuck into the endzone. The touchdown pass with 9:11 to go in the game and the ensuing extra point gave the Trojans a 21-6 lead.

Late in the game, as Beauregard was forced to punt again, the punter received the snap with his knee on the ground, stopping the play, giving St. James the ball on the Hornet 9. A 6 yard run by Yates and a 3 yard run by Guntharp gave the Trojans a fourth touchdown. After a penalty on the extra point, the kick was shanked wide, but the Trojans had put the finishing touch on a convincing 27-6 region win.

2 Guntharp 21 / 122 (1 TD) 34 Yates 18 / 78 (1 TD)
10 Craft 5 / 34 22 Winn 5 / 21

BEAUREGARD RUSHING   39 attempts 102 yards 0 TDs (2.62 yards per carry)
                        PASSING        2 completions 7 attempts 0 INTs 32 yards   (1 sack of, - 4 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS: 130

                        KICKS: XP 0 / 0 FG 0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
                        INTERCEPTION RETURN: 1 (0)
                        FIRST DOWNS: 6   (5 rushing, 1 passing)
FUMBLES: 3, lost 0
      PENALTIES: 8 / 80 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION: 22:42

GAME 4: ST. JAMES 27, Beauregard 6