CEN 0 6 0 14 20
September 7, 2001 Lions Field, Mosses. Weather: Partly cloudy, humid Game Temperature: 84 Negligible wind
St. James overcame a sluggish first half with three big third quarter scores and started off the 2001 4A Region 3 campaign successfully with a 45-20 win over the Central-Hayneville Lions in Mosses.
After the Lions shanked the opening kickoff out of bounds, the Trojans drove methodically down the field. Bolstered by several defensive offside penalties and a nice pass from Alan Craft to Coe Baxter, the Trojans moved the ball down to the Lions 8. However, a loss on a fumble led to an early field goal attempt from 30 yards, which was long enough but wide right.
Central could not move the ball as penalties hampered them as they did all night. The Trojans took over on the Lions 41 after a punt. Another Craft to Baxter connection, several runs by Nathan Yates, and three 5 yard runs by Ted Brewer gave the Trojans the ball on the 1, where Craft snuck over. The extra point attempt was blocked, but the Trojans had a 6-0 lead just before the end of the first quarter.
After a Central punt, the Trojans turned the ball over on a fumble at their own 16. Despite two major penalties by St. James (including pass interference on an endzone interception), it took 9 plays, but the Lions managed a one yard TD run. (No roster was provided, so Lion names were not available.) As was the first conversion, the Lion extra point was blocked and the score was a perhaps surprising 6-6.
A clipping penalty negated most of a 67 yard kickoff return by Yates, but a 5 play drive highlighted by a 17 yard scamper by Craft led to his throwing a TD pass to an absolutely uncovered Alex Howell. This time Marshall Darneille's kick was good, and the Trojans led 13-6 with 3:23 remaining in the half.
The Lions fumbled on their next drive, giving the Trojans a chance for a late first half score. With 1:20 to go and 56 yards to make up, St. James executed the two minute offense brilliantly. Three completions to Yates and a 20 yard pass to Josh Thomas set the Trojans up on the Lion 19. Craft lofted a beautiful pass to Thomas in the back of the endzone for his second TD toss. The extra point was wide, but St. James had a 19-6 lead and momentum at the end of the half.
After a Lion fielded the second half kickoff with a knee on the ground, penalties marched Central back to their own 1. A deep pass attempt was intercepted by Matt Debardelaben and returned to the Lion 14. Alex Howell again went out completely uncovered on the very next play, and Craft found him for a 14 yard TD pass. The kick was again missed, but the Trojans pushed the lead to 25-6.
Seventeen seconds later, the lead was upped. A fumble on the kickoff return and a 19 yard run by Yates gave the Trojans a 32-6 lead after a second point try was good after a roughing the kicker penalty.
Less than four minutes later, the Trojans added another score. An interception by Baxter was returned to the Central 41. It was time for the second string offense to shine. Highlighted by a Bennett James 25 yard run on the first play of the drive, with 8 yards added by a personal foul, the Trojans overcame a holding penalty and Brett Gantt tossed his first Trojan varsity completion for the distance, a 9 yard pass to Debardelaben. Darneille's successful conversion gave St. James a 39-6 lead with still 5:39 remaining in the third quarter.
After the Trojans' first punt of the game on the first play of the final quarter, Calhoun managed a drive against second and third string defensive players, concluding in a 40 yard touchdown pass. An unsuccessful 2 point conversion made the score 39-12. After a Trojan fumble on the first play of the next drive, Central scored two plays later on a 27 yard TD run and a two point run closed the gap to 39-20.
Perhaps as a wake up call to the second stringers, the first stringers came back to the field for one last mini drive. After a failed onside kick attempt, a Yates run for 26 yards and an ensuing Ted Brewer run for 23 gave St. James the final margin of victory at 45-20, as neither team threatened thereafter.
GAME TWO SIDELINE STATISTICS:
ST. JAMES RUSHING 32 attempts 162 yards 3 TDs (5.06 yards per carry)
34
Yates
8 / 66 (1 TD) 42
Brewer 9 / 57 (1 TD)
3 James 4 / 52
17 Debardelaben 3 /
6
10 Craft 5 / -1
(1 TD) 7 Thomas 2 / - 4
8
Pappas 1 /
- 14
PASSING 11 completions 13 attempts 0 INTs 140 yards 4 TDs (no sacks of)
10
Craft 10 - 12 -
0 131 yards 3 TDs
6 Gantt
1 - 1 -
0 9
yards 1 TDs
RECEIVING
19 Baxter 3
/
43
34 Yates
3 / 17
7
Thomas 2 /
39 (1 TD)
11 Howell 2 /
32 (2 TDs) 17 Debardelaben 1
/ 9 (1 TD)
TOTAL YARDS: 302
KICKS: XP 3 / 7
FG
0 / 1 (30 missed)
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 8 (50,50,36,48,51,36,53,11) PUNTS: 1
(32)
KO RETURNS: 2
(49,0)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (0)
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 2 (24, 27)
FIRST DOWNS: 20 (10 rushing, 8 passing, 2
penalty)
FUMBLES: 3, lost 2
TURNOVER MARGIN: + 2
PENALTIES: 8 / 64 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 23:49
CENTRAL
RUSHING 19 attempts 112 yards 2
TDs (5.89 yards per carry)
PASSING 6 completions 20 attempts 2
INTs 97 yards 1 TD (no sacks of)
TOTAL YARDS: 209
KICKS: XP 0 /
1
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 1 / 2
KICKOFFS: 4
(25,45,8,9)
PUNTS: 3 (35,35,37)
KO RETURNS: 7 (13,16,28,0,10f,8,17)
FIRST DOWNS: 11 (6 rushing, 3 passing, 2 penalty)
FUMBLES: 2, lost 2
PENALTIES: 17 / 84 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 24:11