Handley used a huge running attack, racking up nearly 400 yards rushing including three touchdowns of 40 yards or greater, while limiting St. James to two second quarter touchdowns as they wrapped up runner-up status in region play by ruining St. James' homecoming with a 34 - 15 pasting.

On the first game play from scrimmage, an Alan Craft pass was battled for between receiver and defender before Tim Sutton got credit for the interception.  From the Trojan 35, the Tigers managed one first down but had to settle for a 37 yard field goal attempt which fell short.

St. James managed two first downs on its next drive but had to punt.  On second down from the Trojan 24, quarterback Cedrick Harrison swept around end and turned on the afterburners, outracing the St. James secondary for a 76 yard touchdown burst.  The extra point was wide, but Handley had an early 6-0 lead with 4:23 remaining in the first quarter.   The Trojans were 3 and out, and on second down on the ensuing drive, fullback Gus Jones burst up the middle on a trap play for 65 yards and another long touchdown.  Harrison converted on a run for two points, and the score was 14-0 Handley still in the first quarter, matching the total output the Trojans had allowed in its first seven first quarters of the year.

The Trojans rebounded with two runs by Ted Brewer totalling 44 yards, and a quarter-ending pass from Craft to Coe Baxter gave St. James first and goal on the 8.  Three plays later, Nathan Yates ran around right end for the final 5 yards and a touchdown.  The extra point snap was high, but Craft corralled it and lofted a floating pass into the endzone which was caught by Josh Thomas, and the lead was closed to 6 at 14-8 with nearly 11 minutes remaining in the half.

Handley responded with a strong 8 play 69 yard drive, the key play being a 45 yard run by Jones which took the ball to the 5 yard line.  After a loss of 2 and an incompletion, Harrison cut through the middle on a counter for 7 yards and another Tiger touchdown.  He added a second two point conversion run on exactly the same play and a 22-8 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Trojans had their best drive of the night, eating all but the final 8 seconds while traveling 80 yards.  A Nathan Yates 16 yard run and a Baxter catch of 8 yards got them moving, and after a Yates run of 3 moved St. James to the Tiger 38, a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty back to back carried the ball down to the 12.  A roughing the passer call on an incomplete third down pass gave St. James another life at the Tiger 4, and it took 4 plays to score, but Yates took a wide handoff and managed the final yard.  Marshall Darneille's extra point was good, and St. James was within 7 at 22-15.  The final play of the half, like the previous week, was interesting.  Darneille tried an onside kick and recovered it himself seemingly 12 yards down the field, but the ball was mysteriously spotted only 9 yards down the field, giving possession to Handley, effectively ending the half.

Handley fumbled on their fourth play of the second half giving St. James new life, but a Craft pass was intercepted by two way player Harrison at his 4 yard line.  Neither team threatened to score in the third quarter, but Handley wrapped up the first drive of the final quarter with a quarterback sneak touchdown by backup Adrian Trammell one play after Harrison was shaken up.  The extra point was wide, but the Tigers had a 28-15 lead with 6:56 remaining.

St. James converted a fourth and 11 with a 25 yard Craft to Alex Howell pass, but could not convert a fourth and ten, ending their next drive.  Handley took over at their own 37 and began running out the clock.  Fullback Jones took a handoff straight up the middle from the Trojan 40 and outraced two defenders into the endzone with 81 seconds remaining for the final margin of 34 - 15.

GAME NINE SIDELINE STATISTICS:

ST. JAMES      RUSHING   40 attempts  215 yards  2 TDs  (5.38 yards per carry)

                        42   Brewer      16 / 114                     34   Yates     15 /  92   (2 TDs)
                          7   Thomas       6 /  23                     10   Craft        3 / -14

                        PASSING     4 completions  13 attempts  2 INTs  59 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 14 yards)

                        10   Craft          4 - 13 - 1      59 yards  (1 sack, - 14)

                        RECEIVING

                        11   Howell        2 / 34                        19   Baxter       2 / 25

                        TOTAL YARDS:   274

                        KICKS:  XP  1 / 1                  FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:    1 / 1
                        KICKOFFS:  3 (43,9,27)                               PUNTS:  3 (21,32,27)
                        KO RETURNS:  5 (13,10,3,12,11)                 PUNT RETURNS:   0
                        FIRST DOWNS:   18  (12 rushing, 3 passing, 3 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  0
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   - 1
                        PENALTIES:  7 / 30 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:   24:38

HANDLEY       RUSHING   44 attempts  390 yards  5 TDs  (8.86 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      1 completion  3 attempts  0 INTs  7 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 2 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:   397

                        KICKS:  XP  0 / 3                FG   0 / 1   (37 missed)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 2
                        KICKOFFS:  6 (47,40,34,52,60,44)                PUNTS:  1  (28)
                        KO RETURNS:  2  (14,9)                              PUNT RETURNS:  1 (0)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (0,0)
                        FIRST DOWNS:  16  (16 rushing)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                        PENALTIES:  7 / 51 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  23:22

RETURN TO THE STJ 2001 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE