GAME 8:  ST. JAMES 34, @ Bullock County 16

STJ                   7      21      6       0          34
 
B C                   8       8       0       0          16

SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ   (1)   5:43   Freeman 17 run                                         (Hankins kick)       7 -   0
B C   (1)   5:29   Tarver 90 yard kickoff return                        (Tarver run)       7 -   8
STJ   (2)   6:04   Christian 9 run                                          (Hankins kick)     14 -   8
B C   (2)   4:17   Ellis 42 pass from Tarver         (Peebles pass from Tarver)     14 - 16
STJ   (2)   2:44   Dean 4 run                                                 (Hankins kick)     21 - 16
STJ   (2)   0:15   Freeman 11 pass from Martin                    (Hankins kick)     28 - 16
STJ   (3)   3:51   Freeman 6 run                                            (kick blocked)     34 - 16
October 19, 2007    Thorton-Foster Stadium.   Game Conditions:  Decreasing clouds   Game Temperature:  66    Wind:  Negligible

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Clinton Freeman scored three touchdowns, rushed for 230 yards, and intercepted a pass just outside of the endzone as the Trojans overcame penalties and two long plays by Bullock County while guaranteeing a chance at the 2007 Football Playoffs with a 34 - 16 victory over the Hornets in a game where the Football History page had numerous records updated.

The Trojans used up more than half of the first quarter on their opening drive by running on 14 consecutive plays.  St. James had to overcome three penalties, including two holding penalties, the second inside the Trojan 10 yard line.  However, on the fourteenth play of the drive just after that last penalty, Freeman darted in and around for 17 yards and the first touchdown of the game.  Clark Hankins' extra point gave the Trojans a 7 - 0 lead.

Only briefly.  James Tarver fielded the kickoff, headed up the field several yards, then veered toward the sideline and benefited from some dubious blocks as he cleared traffic past midfield and cruised into the endzone with the longest opponent kickoff return for a touchdown ever against St. James, a 90 yarder.  Tarver, also the Hornet quarterback, lined up and kept to the near side and just got into the endzone for a two point conversion run and Bullock County had a sudden 8 - 7 lead.

St. James, which did not punt for the second consecutive year against Bullock County, moved downfield again thanks in big part to several long Freeman runs, but the Trojans were held to a 3 yard run on fourth down and 5, turning the ball over to the Hornets.  Bullock County went three and out, but the out was eliminated when the punter was roughed.  Two plays later, one of the few successful running plays for the Hornets involved a fumbled snap and Tarver running forward to pick up the ball, and avoiding pursuers for a 17 yard first down.  Two plays later, on the last play of the first quarter, Quantrey Ellis was stopped for a 1 yard gain, but somehow as the football changed ends, a mystery 15 yard penalty gave the Hornets another first down deeper in Trojan territory.  After an incomplete pass and a 9 yard catch set up third and 1 at the Trojan 8, another fumbled snap resulted in a 9 yard loss, and a fourth down endzone toss was too far for a legal catch, allowing St. James to take over on downs.

Another penalty before the first snap pushed the ball back to the 12, but then St. James set off on an impressive 88 yard drive again exclusively on the ground.  A face mask penalty gave the Trojans their initial first down, and a 27 yard run by Blaine Joyner, his longest of the year, set up another.  Again, though, two more penalties slowed the Trojans.  From the Hornet 26, Chad Crews took a misdirection handoff for 17 yards and a first down, and on the next play Chase Christian took a handoff straight up the middle and went barely touched into the endzone for St. James' second touchdown.  Hankins' extra point put St. James back ahead at 14 - 8.

Only 93 seconds later, the Hornets were back in the lead.  Tarver went to the air and completed a 16 yard pass to Anthony Pendleton, 18 and 6 yard passes to Cedrick Peebles, and then on the next play threw for the endzone.  The pass appeared high and well short and well defended by two Trojans, but somehow Bullock County's Quantrey Ellis won a three way battle for the ball behind the defenders and cruised into the endzone for a 42 yard touchdown.  Tarver promptly found Peebles in the endzone for a second two point conversion, and the Hornets were back on top 16 - 14 with just over 4 minutes left in the first half.

After a fine kickoff return by Crews to the Trojan 45, Freeman ran for 7 on first down.  Matt Dean, who rushed for 104 yards on 16 carries himself, broke loose down the near sidelines for 34 yards.  Freeman picked up 6 on the next play, and a dead ball personal foul advanced the ball to the Hornet 4, where Dean muscled into the endzone for his first touchdown of the game.  Hankins' extra point once again gave the Trojans the lead at 21 - 16 with 2:44 remaining in the half.

This time, Bullock County was stopped three and out, and a short punt downed inside Hornet territory with 65 seconds still to play in quarter two gave St. James another scoring opportunity which they took advantage of.  A defensive offside penalty was followed by out of bounds runs of 21 and 4 yards by Freeman.  Will Martin kept from his quarterback position on a first down run to the Hornet 11.  From there, Martin would attempt his only two passes of the evening.  The first was smartly overthrown, but the second was thrown on the endzone sideline where Freeman leaped, made a fine catch, and came down with one foot just inside the endzone before being hit by a defender.  The 11 yard touchdown reception was awarded, and the Trojans had a 28 - 16 lead in a very entertaining first half.  Despite only less than 16 seconds remaining in the half, Bullock County without any timeouts actually got a 21 yard kickoff return and three offensive plays off (for only a net gain of 9 yards) before halftime.

The Hornets again used the short and intermediate passing game to attack the Trojans to start the third quarter, and were as close as the St. James 24 before a holding penalty pushed them back.  On third down and 14, a Tarver pass was intercepted by Matt Dean inside the Trojan 5, only the second interception of the year by St. James, but what would be the first of three this night.  From their own 8, St. James drove 92 yards in only 9 plays.  Freeman carried for 17 yards on third and 11 from the 7, and two plays later broke through the middle and a touchdown saving tackle by Tarver ended a 49 yard gain.  After Dean carried for 7 yards, Freeman was rewarded with three straight carries - the third going for 6 yards and his third touchdown, the second by ground.  Hankins' extra point was swatted down by a high hand, but the Trojans were up 34 - 16 with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter.  In contrast to a six touchdown first half, it would be the only score of the second half.

Freeman, playing safety on defense, stopped the next Bullock County drive with an interception once again inside the Trojan 5 yard line.  It appeared the Trojans might be on their way to another nearly 90 yard drive, but the Hornets stopped the Trojans on fourth and 1 on the Bullock County 12.  After one pass completion by Tarver, a sack and a penalty led to another short punt, and the Trojans took over on the Hornet 34.  Despite a block in the back penalty, the Trojans had an opportunity for a 35 yard field goal, but it veered wide left.  As time was running out, Dean picked off his second interception of the season and of the game on a deep Tarver pass and the Trojans had won their third region game of the season, all on the road, preparing for the last two regular season games back in the friendly confines of Carlisle Field.

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SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME EIGHT

ST. JAMES      RUSHING    58 attempts  473 yards  4 TDs  (8.16 yards per carry)

                        30   Freeman      23 / 230  (2 TDs)   14   Dean        16 / 104  (1 TD)    32   Christian        10 / 56  (1 TD)
                          9   Crews           2 /   31                 11   Joyner        2 /  29                  3   Martin             5 / 23

                        PASSING    1 completion  2 attempts  0 INTs  11 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)

                          3   Martin          1 - 2 - 0   11 yards  (TD)

                        RECEIVING

                        30   Freeman        1 / 11  (TD)

                        TOTAL YARDS:   484

                        KICKS:  XP  4 / 5                FG  0 / 1  (35 missed)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  6  (50,EZ,EZ,59,58,57)                       PUNTS:   0
                        KO RETURNS:  3  (8,7,17)                                     PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0fc)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (5,8,0)
                         FIRST DOWNS:   24  (20 rushing, 1 passing, 3 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  1, lost 0
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 3
                        PENALTIES:  11 / 95 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  28:04

BULLOCK CO. RUSHING    17 attempts  30 yards  0 TDs  (1.76 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      17 completions  29 attempts  3 INTs  209 yards  1 TD  (four sacks of, - 17 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:   239

                         KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 2
                        KICKOFFS:  3  (30,35,37)                                        PUNTS:  2  (25,20)
                        KO RETURNS:  4  (90TD,21,31,31)                         PUNT RETURNS:  0
                        FIRST DOWNS:   12  (2 rushing, 8 passing, 2 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  3, lost 0
                        PENALTIES:  8 / 71 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  19:56

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