GAME 6:   ST. JAMES 55, Central-Coosa 0

Brett Gantt was responsible for six touchdowns and again threw for well over 200 yards as the Trojans shut out Central-Coosa for the second consecutive year, although the margin was considerably more comfortable.  The Trojans followed up a 3 - 0 victory in 2002 with a 2003 55 - 0 thumping of the visiting Cougars.

The Trojans punted on their first drive, but the Cougars committed their first of four turnovers with a lost fumble on the Trojan 35.  However, St. James could gain no yardage and punted again.  Matt Ward returned Coosa's ensuing punt to the Cougar 40.  Gantt completed five passes on the next drive, and overcame one of three illegal blocks charged to the Trojans on the night.  After a 15 yard run by Ted Brewer, Gantt's first touchdown pass was a four yarder to Taylor Nelson.  Will Stansfield kicked the first of 7 extra points, but the score was still a cozy 7 - 0 at the end of the first period.

The Cougars advanced the ball to the Trojan 31, but failed on fourth down and ten.  The Trojans began a series of long yardage few play drives.  They travelled 69 yards in 5 plays.  Brewer runs of 8, 28, and 15, a 5 yard completion to backup quarterback Tyler Murphy, and a 13 yard pass to Chris Roberts had the ball in the endzone again for a 14-0 lead.  The Cougars went three and out and St. James moved 59 yards in 7 plays.  Brewer ran twice for 31 yards, Gantt once for 6 yards, and Gantt completed a pair of passes, the second a 14 yard touchdown hookup to Nelson.  The kick boosted the score to 21 - 0.

Matt Ward had another sizable punt return two minutes later.  A 16 yard Gantt to Greg Aitken pass, a 14 yard pass and self-recovered fumble to Roberts, and a 6 yard keeper by Gantt finished the scoring in the second quarter as Stansfield's only miss of the night came up a bit short, but the Trojans had a 27 - 0 lead going into halftime.

The Cougars' most adept drive took place after the second half kickoff.  On fourth down from the Trojans 20, Donald Smith completed a short pass to Jermain Maxwell for the apparent first down, but he was stuck hard by a Trojan tackler who knocked Maxwell to the ground and the ball into the hands of Trojan Leigh Cumbie.  Maxwell was down on the field for a while, but was helped off, yet unable to return.  This seemed to deflate the Cougars, who generated little offense thereafter.  From their own 15, St. James took only 6 plays to reach the endzone again.  Gantt lifted a pass down the near sidelines which Chris Roberts and two defenders tipped several times before Roberts came down with the pass behind the defenders and cruised into the endzone for a 55 yard touchdown and a 34 point lead.

The Trojan punt block team deflected the next Cougar punt and recovered on the Cougar 24.  From there, the Trojans overcame two penalties, but Gantt led the team down a short field for his final time in the game, connecting again with Roberts from seven yards out for his fifth touchdown pass and a 41 - 0 lead.

After a Cougar fumble and a Trojan punt with many reserves in the game, the defense added to the scoring barrage.  Matt Ward intercepted a desperation pass at the Cougar 31 and cruised into the endzone untouched for the game's seventh touchdown.  After another nearly blocked punt, Tyler Murphy completed four short passes enroute to a six yard touchdown pass to Josh Varner for the game's final score and the 55 - 0 margin of victory.

GAME SIX SIDELINE STATISTICS:  

ST. JAMES      RUSHING   26 attempts  145 yards  2 TDs  (5.58 yards per carry) 

                        42   Brewer           15 / 132  (1 TD)     8   Varner             1 / 17
                        30   Ward                1 /  10                44   Krothapalli       2 /   1
                        34   Thrasher           1 /  - 2                10   Gantt              5 / - 6  (1 TD)
                          9   Murphy            1 /  - 7

                        PASSING   23 completions  30 attempts  0 INTs  278 yards  6 TDs  (2 sacks of, - 24 yards)

                        10   Gantt           18 - 24 - 0    231 yards  5 TDs  (new school record) (2 sacks, - 24)
                          9   Murphy         5 -   6 - 0      47 yards  1 TD

                        RECEIVING

                          6   Roberts             8 / 139   (3 TDs)   3   Nelson            3 / 35  (2 TDs)
                        88   Burke                4 /  27                23   Aitken             2 / 25
                          8   Varner               2 /  19   (1 TD)   19   Manasco         1 / 13
                        11   Holcomb            1 /   8                 95   Gibson            1 /  7
                          9   Murphy             1 /   5

                        TOTAL YARDS:   423

COOSA            RUSHING   35 attempts  102 yards   (2.91 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      6 completions  16 attempts  1 INT   83 yards  (1 sack of, - 9 yards)
                         
                        TOTAL YARDS:  185

                        KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  1 (52)                    PUNTS:  6  (26,27,17,29,8,25)
                        KO RETURNS:  9  (9,36,24,4,9,0,5,16,16)     PUNT RETURNS:  3  (1,-8,37)
                        FIRST DOWNS:  9  (5 rushing, 3 passing, 1 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  5, lost 3
                        PENALTIES:  2 / 10 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:34