UMS 7 14 0 7 28
November 17, 2000. Ervin S. Cooper Stadium, Mobile. Game Conditions: Cloudy, drizzly Game Temperature: 54 Wind N 8
The St. James Trojans concluded their varsity football season by taking a long playoff trip to Mobile, erasing a 14 point halftime deficit but not converting on two favorable possessions late in the fourth quarter, as the UMS-Wright Bulldogs literally scampered off with a 28-21 victory.
The Trojans opened the game with two first downs on their initial possession but were forced to punt. On the Bulldog's first scrimmage play, a pass was completed for 9 yards but the ball was stripped from the UMS receiver on the sideline and recovered by St. James at the Bulldog 32. On first down, Alan Craft lifted a slightly underthrown pass into a steady wind, and two defenders fought for it. The ball was tipped twice, directly into the hands of Nigel Guntharp who had snuck behind the defense, and he trucked the remaining yards into the endzone. This deflected touchdown pass, one of three in this game, was reminiscent of a near touchdown pass by Daleville the previous week. Lawton Webb's extra point was good, and St. James had a 7-0 lead midway through one. Unfortunately, this would be their last lead of the season.
On the next drive, UMS back Brent Vegliacich took command. After opening the drive with an 18 yard run, he carried 9 more times, including a lateral on a hook and ladder pass play. However, the Bulldogs were faced with a fourth and 5 on the Trojan 13. UMS quarterback Barry Ballard lofted a pass across the middle which was deflected twice by Trojan defenders, each time changing directions; yet similar to the previous touchdown, the ball found the hands of Matt Pierce, the Bulldogs' leading receiving threat, and he dashed into the endzone. The extra point was good and the score was 7-7 with 2:23 to go in the first quarter.
The next three drives resulted in punts. A nice punt return allowed the Bulldogs to set up shop on the Trojan 42. After a 4 yard run and 16 and 18 yard receptions by Pierce, Vegliacich took the ball up the middle for the final 4 yards and a touchdown. The extra point gave UMS its first lead at 14-7 with 4:00 remaining in the half.
A clipping penalty on the kickoff return gave the Trojans bad field position, and after one first down, they had to punt back to the Bulldogs. On first down from their own 27, the Ballard to Pierce connection worked again, for 53 yards - a great touchdown saving tackle by Coe Baxter delaying the score. On the next play, Ballard connected to Curran Foose for 15 down to the Trojan 5. On second down, Ballard snuck over from the 1. The extra point was good and UMS-Wright had all the momentum going into halftime with a 21-7 lead and rain threatening at any time.
However, it was the Trojans who would roar out in a dominating third quarter. Despite a failed onside kick to begin the half, on UMS' third play, Nigel Guntharp picked off a Ballard pass and returned it to his own 49. Six plays later, on third and 9 from the Bulldog 37, Craft lifted a pass which was again deflected, this time into the hands of Nathan Yates who had cleared the defense, and he marched into the endzone. Webb's extra point closed the gap to 7 with 7:54 to go in the third quarter.
The Trojans promptly stopped the Bulldogs 3 and out, and took over on their own 44. Three runs later, Yates for 37, Brewer for 7, and Yates for the final 12, and another Webb extra point, St. James had roared back to tie the shocked Bulldogs at 21 with 4:38 to go in the third.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs tried a Tennessee Titan 'Miracle in Music City' play, but both a forward 'lateral' and a clipping penalty negated a long return. After converting one first down, they were forced to punt. As St. James prepared to drive for the lead, the third deflected pass was not a charm - it was intercepted by Bulldog back Ty Bullard. However, a dead ball personal foul moved the ball back 15 yards, and set the tone for a rather ugly fourth quarter.
UMS-Wright was forced to punt, but the Trojans muffed it and gave the ball right back - the first lost fumble by the Trojans in 14 quarters. However, after one first down, the Trojans held at the 15, and a field goal attempt from the far right sideline was hooked too far left keeping the game tied at 21.
The Trojans were then held three and out, and the Bulldogs took over on the Trojan 47. Four runs netted 20 yards, and then Ballard connected with a slick deep middle pass to Pierce for the 27 yard touchdown. The extra point gave UMS a 28-21 lead with 4:25 to go.
However, the Trojans failed to surrender. On a drive bolstered by a third down defensive holding penalty, St. James had the ball on the Bulldog 29. On a carry which would have gained a first down, the Trojans fumbled and UMS had the ball back with 90 seconds to go. Fortunately, the Trojans had all three of their timeouts left. On second down, after the play was over, a UMS Wright player was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. When he objected loudly, he was flagged again. Seconds later, a third penalty was called on the same player and an ejection resulted. Three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties not only stopped the clock for free for the Trojans, but moved the ball back from the Bulldog 30 to the 4. After the second timeout was called on a short gain on third down, the Bulldogs punted from their endzone, and St. James had one last chance with 1 timeout left from the UMS 37, and 58 seconds left.
On first down, Craft completed his only pass of the game which did not go for a touchdown, to Yates for 13 and out of bounds. From the 24, the Trojans tried a running play to catch a potential sleeping Bulldog defense. It gained 3, and the final timeout was used. The next play was bizarre. A pass completion from Craft for nearly 10 yards and a certain first down was negated by a inadvertent whistle from a referee as the pass was in midair. Time was restored to the clock, and on third down Craft was sacked. With the clock running, a fourth down desperation pass was incomplete, but an unnecessary late hit on Craft gave St. James a gift first down, and yet another life, from the UMS 13 with only 11 seconds remaining. An incomplete pass, and a sack on the final play ended the Trojans' season, sorrowfully, but a successful season nevertheless, with an indeed gutsy effort turned out by the St. James Trojans this night.
GAME TWELVE SIDELINE STATISTICS:
ST. JAMES RUSHING 37 attempts 158 yards 1 TD (4.05 yards per carry)
34
Yates
14 / 104 (1
TD)
2 Guntharp
6 / 41
42
Brewer 13 /
27
10
Craft
4 / - 14
PASSING 3 completions 13 attempts 1 INT 82 yards 2 TDs (2 sacks of, - 13 yards)
10 Craft 3 - 13 - 1 82 yards 2 TDs (2 sacks, - 13)
RECEIVING
34 Yates 2 / 50 (1 TD) 2 Guntharp 1 / 32 (TD)
TOTAL YARDS: 240
KICKS: XP 3 /
3
FG: 0 / 0
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 4 (40,9,42,31)
PUNTS: 6 (29,29,30,44,38,32)
KO RETURNS: 4 (13,22,20,9)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (1f)
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1 (8)
FIRST DOWNS: 13 (8 rushing, 3 passing, 2 penalty)
FUMBLES: 2, lost 2
TURNOVER MARGIN: - 1
PENALTIES: 4
/ 32 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 23:38
UMS-WRIGHT RUSHING 34
attempts 80 yards 2 TDs (2.35 yards per carry)
PASSING 12 completions 19 attempts
1
INT 182 yards 2 TDs (2 sacks of, - 17 yards)
TOTAL YARDS: 262
KICKS: XP 4 /
4
FG: 0 / 0
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1 (0)
FIRST DOWNS: 15 (8 rushing, 7 passing)
FUMBLES: 2, lost 1
PENALTIES: 10 / 98
yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 24:22