GAME 8: @ Trinity
30, St. James 14
STJ
0
0 8
6 14
TRI
9 7
0 14
30
SCORING SUMMARY:
TRI (1) 8:08 Safety - runner
tackled in endzone
0 - 2
TRI (1) 4:35 McKean 1 run
(T. Hooper kick) 0 - 9
TRI (2) :29 McKean 1 run
(T. Hooper kick) 0 - 16
STJ (3) 1:59 Ward 16 pass from Gantt
(Thrasher pass from Gantt)
8 - 16
TRI (4) 7:40 Farrior 10 pass from McKean
(T. Hooper kick) 8 - 23
TRI (4) 4:14 Trott 19 pass from Farrior
(T. Hooper kick) 8 - 30
STJ (4) :18 Nelson 34 pass from Gantt
(kick failed) 14
- 30
October 17, 2003, Boykin
Field. Game conditions: Cloudy, some drizzle earlier.
Game temperature: 64 Wind NNE 5-10
The Trinity Wildcats clinched their third consecutive
region title as they scored early and often on the arms and legs of
Rory McKean while withstanding a second half St. James rally, and then
pulled away
at the end to defeat the Trojans for the third consecutive year in a
30-14
intra-city contest.
St. James, which had not committed a turnover in the three previous
games, gave up the ball on a fumbled snap on the fifth scrimmage play
of the game. The Wildcats, who took over at the Trojan 24, were
forced back by a
penalty and a sack and opted to punt and pin the Trojans deep.
They succeeded mightily, downing the ball on the one yard line.
Two plays later, a wide sweep was called for but the back could
not escape the endzone and Trinity was awarded a safety nearly 4
minutes into the game.
After the free kickoff, Trinity began moving the ball with relative
ease. McKean ran for 28, 4, and 7, and completed passes to Thomas
Hooper and Coleman Farrior for 17 and 18 yards. During the drive,
the Wildcats overcame a holding penalty on a sack, and later from the
one yard line McKean snuck in for the touchdown. The extra point
gave the Wildcats a 9-0 lead late in the first quarter. St. James
moved the ball well on their next drive, aided in great part by three
defensive penalties. However, the Trojans were stopped at the
Wildcat 18 and a 35 yard field goal attempt failed wide right.
Matthew Tapley picked up 42 yards on the next play from scrimmage and
Trinity was quickly threatening again. However, the Trojans held
and
on the first play of the second quarter Trinity tried their own 39 yard
field goal, which came up just short. The Trojans offense for the
most part was stymied in the second quarter, with three consecutive
three
and out series. However, Trinity did not benefit from the first
two
as Will Thrasher intercepted a McKean pass to end one drive, and a
fumble
stopped the next drive. After the third St. James punt, the
Wildcats
took over on their own 39 with less than 3 minutes remaining in the
half.
After a three yard run by Tapley, McKean attempted eight
consecutive
passes, completing five of them, four for first downs, including a key
third
and ten pass to Jack Bartlett. McKean snuck in from the one on
the
eleventh play of the drive with less than 30 seconds remaining, and
Trinity
took a comfortable 16-0 lead to halftime.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Trinity appeared to be heading
for the clinching score early. However, Chris Roberts intercepted
a McKean pass at the goal line and returned it to the Trojan 28.
The
Trojans did manage a first down, but once again punted. Trinity
this
time however was stopped for negative net yardage and punted
themselves.
Matt Ward took the punt return into Wildcats territory and was
awarded
extra yardage on a face mask call. From the Wildcat 40, the
Trojans
overcame a sack and two penalties of their own while benefiting from
the
third defensive pass interference penalty called on Trinity during the
game.
On second down from the Wildcat 16, Brett Gantt connected on a
wide
flair pass to Matt Ward who was aided by several blocks downfield, and
he
zipped into the endzone on the near sideline giving St. James their
first
score. The Trojans opted for two, and a Gantt pass was complete
to
Will Thrasher who outjumped double coverage for the conversion.
Suddenly,
the margin was down to one possession and the St. James sideline was
active
and excited again.
The momentum increased as Taylor Thompson wrestled away a pass
reception for an interception at the Trojan 42 late in the third
quarter. However, a holding penalty wiped out a first down run
and the Trojans were later forced to punt. Matt Tapley took
charge on the ensuing drive for Trinity, an eleven play drive where
Tapley ran six times for 51 yards, and had another 31 yard carry
negated by a penalty. On third and goal from the 10, McKean
appeared to be running but at the last moment popped a short pass to
Coleman
Farrior who carried several Trojan tacklers into the endzone for a
touchdown.
The 71 yard drive deflated the Trojans and boosted the Wildcat lead to
15
points with less than eight minutes remaining.
A holding penalty on the kickoff return backed the Trojans up, and St.
James turned the ball over on downs at their own 16, giving the
Wildcats a very short field. Despite another holding penalty in a
penalty-laden game, the Wildcats came up with a new way to score.
McKean lifted what
appeared to be a forward pass to Farrior, although still behind the
line
of scrimmage, and then he rared back to find a wide open Tommy Trott in
the endzone for the touchdown. The conversion gave Trinity their
thirtieth
point.
St. James fumbled on the first play following the ensuing kick return,
but the Trinity reserves could not earn a first down and turned the
ball over at the Trojan 15. St. James did manage a late 85 yard
drive in the last two minutes of the game, boosted by Ted Brewer runs
of 23 and 22 yards, and a nice deep touchdown pass from Gantt to Taylor
Nelson of 34 yards.
After a wide conversion attempt, Trinity took the kickoff and ran
out the clock. The Wildcats clinched the region championship and
the
associated home playoff game in the first round, the Capital City
Conference Championship, and their 29th consecutive regular season win
with the victory.
GAME EIGHT SIDELINE STATISTICS:
ST. JAMES
RUSHING 28 attempts 54 yards 0 TDs (1.93
yards per carry)
42 Brewer 15 / 111
30 Ward 1 / - 4 10 Gantt
12 / -
53
PASSING 12 completions 22 attempts 1 INT
130 yards 2 TDs (5 sacks of, - 36 yards)
10 Gantt 12
- 21 - 1 130 yards 2 TDs (5 sacks,
- 36)
3 Nelson 0 -
1 -
0
RECEIVING
6 Roberts 5 / 52
3 Nelson
4 / 48 (1 TD)
30 Ward 2 / 27
(1
TD) 42 Brewer 1 / 3
TOTAL YARDS: 184
KICKS: XP 0 /
1
FG 0 / 1 (35 missed)
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 1 / 1
KICKOFFS: 4
(62,52,31,45)
PUNTS: 5 (45,30,27,33,34)
KO RETURNS: 3
(30,16,16)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (10)
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 3 (0,28,0)
FIRST DOWNS: 11 (4 rushing, 4 passing, 3
penalty)
FUMBLES: 3, lost 2
TURNOVER MARGIN: + 1
PENALTIES: 8 / 64 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 22:42
TRINITY
RUSHING 50 attempts 243 yards 2 TDs
(4.86 yards per carry)
PASSING 14 completions 21 attempts 3
INTs 173 yards 2 TDs (1 sack of, - 6 yards)
TOTAL YARDS: 416
KICKS: XP 4 / 4
FG 0 / 1 (39 missed)
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 5
(EZ,52,EZ,50,46)
PUNTS: 2 (32,44)
KO RETURNS: 4 (19,40,12,0fc)
PUNT
RETURNS: 1 (0)
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1 (0)
FIRST DOWNS: 20 (11 rushing, 9 passing)
FUMBLES: 1, lost 1
PENALTIES: 14 / 127 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 25:18
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