SCORING SUMMARY:
D C (1) 8:12 Lyons 23 run
(Chamberlain kick) 0 - 7
D C (1) 0:54 Browder 9 run
(Chamberlain kick) 0 - 14
D C (3) 9:17 Jones 3 run
(kick failed) 0 - 20
D C (3) 3:50 Lyons 34 run
(Browder
run) 0 - 28
D C (4) 8:17 Lyons 12 run
(kick failed) 0 - 34
STJ (4) 0:05 Howell 19 pass from Gantt
(kick failed) 6 -
34
November 8, 2002 Martin Field,
Plantersville Game
Conditions: Clear Game Temperature:
54
Negligible wind.
The Dallas County Hornets broke open a closer than
expected by most game by scoring touchdowns on their first three second
half possessions, and
holding the Trojans scoreless for 47:55, as they moved on to the second
round
of the AHSAA playoffs by eliminating St. James, 34-6.
After the Trojans were forced to punt on their first possession, the
Hornets took over at the 20. Two plays, including a recovered
fumbled pitch, actually lost 9 yards, but on third down from the 11,
Donovon Dixon connected for one of his only two pass completions of the
night to Randell Browder on a short out pass, and he broke away for a
64 yard scamper down the sidelines to the Trojan 25. Two plays
later, Clifford Lyons
carried down the same far sidelines from 23 yards out for a touchdown.
The extra point was good and Dallas County had an early 7-0 lead.
The teams then traded punts, but St. James came up just short on a
fourth and 3 from their own 42. From there, it took the Hornets
six plays to score, with Browder carrying for the final 9 yards and the
touchdown. The extra point again was good, and Dallas County was
up
14-0 with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter.
The teams traded punts again early in the second quarter, but St. James
drove down the field thanks to five consecutive completed passes by
Brett Gantt. However, a sack and an incomplete pass stymied that
drive as well. A succeeding Hornet punt, one of several which was
nearly blocked by Trojan defenders, took a great bounce and was downed
at the 1. St. James managed to make a few yards, but had to punt
back and Dallas County got the ball late in the first half at the
Trojan 30. After a completed pass went backwards for 10 yards, a
40 yard touchdown pass was called back on a holding penalty, and the
Hornets simply ran out the clock with a mere 14 point advantage.
Dallas County started the second half with a 6 play 64 yard drive
capped off by a 3 yard touchdown run by James Jones. The extra
point was wide, but the lead jumped to 20-0 with over 9 minutes
remaining in the third quarter. The next Trojan drive was the
Alex Howell show as he caught 4 passes for first downs from Gantt for
16, 12, 15, and 12 yards and added a 10 yard run down to the two yard
line. However, two plays later, a nemisis from the Montgomery
Academy game struck again, as St. James fumbled the ball away at the
Hornet 1, thwarting a score which would have seriously closed the score
gap.
The ensuing 99 yard drive, which took only 4 plays, basically sealed
the Hornet victory. A 58 yard run by Dixon was followed two plays
later by a 34 yard touchdown run by Lyons. Browder ran in a 2
point conversion to raise the score to 28-0 with 3:50 remaining in the
third
quarter.
A deep pass was later intercepted by Dallas County, and they moved
73 yards in a time consuming 13 play drive, with the final 12 yards a
third touchdown run by Lyons, who scored on three of his eight game
carries. The extra point was wide again, but the Hornets were up
34-0.
Late in the game, with under a minute to go, the Trojans held the
Hornets on fourth down at St. James' 42. Determined to score,
they moved
quickly and efficiently down the field. Taylor Nelson caught a
pass
for 13 yards, which was followed up by a Chris Roberts reception for 25
yards. From the 19 yard line, Gantt lofted a pass to Alex Howell
which was caught in the back of the endzone with only 5 seconds
remaining,
and the Trojans avoided their first shutout in six years. The
extra
point was wide, but at least there were a few smiles thanks in big part
to
the late score. The Trojans finished the season against four
teams
with a combined regular season record of 35-5, and suffered their first
four
game losing streak since 1996. However, it was a sixth
consecutive
winning season, a tenth consecutive playoff appearance, and a
2003
season with 8 games in the city of Montgomery to look forward to and a
host
of returning starters on both sides of the ball.
GAME ELEVEN SIDELINE STATISTICS:
ST. JAMES
RUSHING 21 attempts 31 yards 0 TDs (1.47
yards
per carry)
11 Howell 5 / 15
10 Gantt 11
/ 14 42 Brewer
5 /
2
PASSING 17 completions 35 attempts 1
INT 185 yards 1 TD (1 sack of, - 8 yards)
10 Gantt 17 - 34 - 1
185 yards 1 TD (1 sack, - 8)
11
Howell 0 - 1 - 0
RECEIVING
11 Howell 6 / 71 (1 TD)
6 Roberts
5 / 59
3
Nelson 4 / 43
4 Joyner
2 / 12
TOTAL YARDS: 216
KICKS: XP 0 /
1
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS:
2 (42, 27)
PUNTS: 4 (34,38,22,25)
KO RETURNS: 6 (8,19,11,24,8,27) PUNT
RETURNS: 0
FIRST DOWNS: 15 (2 rushing, 11 passing, 2
penalty)
FUMBLES: 1, lost 1
TURNOVER MARGIN: - 2
PENALTIES: 2 / 6 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 19:04
DALLAS CO. RUSHING 54
attempts 349 yards 5 TDs (6.46 yards per carry)
PASSING 3 completions 5
attempts 0
INTs 71 yards 0 TDs (1 sack of, - 4 yards)
TOTAL YARDS: 420
KICKS: XP 2 /
4
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 1 / 1
KICKOFFS: 6 (42,54,53,51,34,52) PUNTS:
3 (24,19,46)
KO RETURNS: 2 (18,0)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (0)
INTERCEPTION
RETURN: 1
(11)
FIRST DOWNS: 19 (16 rushing, 2 passing, 1 penalty)
FUMBLES: 3, lost 0
PENALTIES: 5 / 68 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 28:56