GAME 10:  Highland Home 41, St. James 24

H H               14      20       0       7         41
 
STJ                  7       3     14       0         24

SCORING SUMMARY:

H H  (1)  10:12  Harris 9 run                                            (Tucker kick)      0 -   7
STJ   (1)   6:48  Christian 3 run                                      (Hankins kick)      7 -   7
H H  (1)   4:03   Harris 1 run                                            (Tucker kick)      7 - 14
STJ   (2)   6:55   Hankins 47 FG                                                                10 - 14
H H  (2)   4:47   Harris 2 run                                            (Tucker kick)    10 - 21
H H  (2)   2:57   Harris 1 run                                            (Tucker kick)    10 - 28
H H  (2)   0:13   Merriweather 6 pass from Sankey             (kick failed)    10 - 34
STJ  (3)   9:03   Dean 33 run                                           (Hankins kick)   17 - 34
STJ  (3)   0:13   Dean 18 run                                           (Hankins kick)   24 - 34
H H  (4)   2:58   Harris 20 run                                           (Dickey kick)   24 - 41
November 2, 2007.  Carlisle Field.  Game Conditions:  Mostly clear   Game Temperature:  68  Wind:  Negligible

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Arlco Harris scored five touchdowns, all on the ground, three of them within the last five minutes of the first half, helping Highland Home build a lead which was threatened but never overcome as the Flying Squadron prepared for the playoffs with a 41 - 24 defeat of the Trojans who were celebrating Senior Night at home and playing their final game of the 2007 season.

The Squadron, which picked up over 360 yards of offense in the first half, moved the ball down the field with ease on their opening drive.  Harris, who played quarterback on the first two series (and several other times later), started the barrage with a first play 42 yard completion to Anthony Merriweather.  Three plays later, Deymond Sankey carried for 29 yards down to the 9, and Harris kept off left end on the next play for the touchdown.  Kyle Tucker's extra point gave the Squadron a 7 - 0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game.

The Trojans responded nearly as quickly.  Seven straight running plays, including 18 and 21 yard carries by Chase Christian, and a defensive penalty moved the ball downfield.  Christian was rewarded with the final 3 yards for the touchdown, and Clark Hankins' extra point tied the score at the halfway point of the first quarter.

On the second play of the next drive, Cordell Thomas broke loose for a long Squadron gain of 52 yards, but the ball was wrestled away from him on a touchdown saving tackle by Chad Crews, and was recovered by the Trojans' Blaine Joyner at the Trojan 21.  However, three plays later, the ball was popped loose on a quarterback sack and Highland Home was back in business at the Trojan 9.  Alex Tindal carried for nearly 8½ yards on first down, and Harris picked up the remainder on the next play.  Tucker's extra point gave Highland Home their 7 point lead back with still over 4 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

A major penalty and a sack forced the Trojans to punt deep from their own territory, allowing the Squadron to take over on the St. James 39.  A block in the back penalty slowed early progress, but Harris picked up yardage on several runs, including 6 on the final play of the first quarter setting up Highland Home at the Trojan 1.  A false start penalty pushed the ball back 5 yards, and then Harris' endzone pass was tipped and intercepted by Chase Eley in the endzone as the Trojans overcame a serious threat.

St. James picked up one first down on a Matt Dean run, but relied on a Dean punt to push the Squadron back.  On the second play of their drive, Harris fumbled, one of five game fumbles for the Squadron, and it was recovered by St. James at the Highland Home 26.  Two plays netted a loss of 4 yards, but Clark Hankins was called in to attempt a 47 yard field goal (a career high), and his line drive cleared the crossbar by a yard or so, giving him the fifth longest field goal in St. James history, while cutting what could have easily been a 14 point lead to only 4.

However, the Squadron offense clicked with big help from the Trojans the final 6+ minutes of the first half.  Kylen Grace caught a 36 yard pass from Sankey, and a 15 yard penalty was tacked on.  Harris ran for 11 yards down to the Trojan 4, and three plays later he scored from 2 yards out, pushing the lead to 11, at 21 - 10.

The Trojans had the ball knocked out on the kickoff return, and it took Highland Home only 5 plays to score.  Harris picked up his fourth touchdown of the first half on a one yard run and the Tucker kick bumped the lead to 28 - 10 with still nearly 3 minutes to go in the half.

St. James could not again pick up a first down, and despite Highland Home being pushed back by 25 yards in penalties to their own 10 with 77 seconds remaining in the half, they drove 90 yards for a backbreaking touchdown.  Thomas caught a pass for 24 yards and Tindal followed it up with a 28 yard reception.  Sankey ran for 7 yards, and then tossed a 31 yard touchdown pass to Merriweather for a 4 play 90 yard drive in less than a minute.  Tucker's extra point attempt was wide, but the Squadron had a commanding 34 - 10 lead headed into halftime.

The Trojan seniors came out for their last half of football and they were ready to play.  But it was underclassmen Clinton Freeman and Matt Dean doing most of the ground work.  Dean broke loose for a 33 yard touchdown, one play after Highland Home called a timeout to try and awaken the slumbering defense.  Hankins' kick cut the lead to 17 points.  On the third (and what would be the last of the quarter) scrimmage play for Highland Home, Harris tossed a pass and Freeman made a terrific interception on the far sidelines giving the Trojans the ball and momentum.  They would capitalize on a tedious drive.  Will Martin completed a first down pass to Wes Davis to get the drive going, but Martin was knocked out for several plays after a hard hit on a quarterback keeper.  Matt Dean took over and himself converted a crucial fourth down.  Christian later converted another fourth down giving the Trojans first down at the 18.  Back in the backfield, Dean was given a handoff and broke through several tackles and wriggled into the endzone for a touchdown.  Hankins' kick suddenly cut the very safe lead to 10 with still over a quarter remaining and the Trojan sideline was jubilant.

Suddenly the Squadron seemed confused, as after the third quarter expired, they had to waste a time out before running a single play.  And then, Kylen Grace caught a short pass from Sankey but the ball was knocked loose and recovered by St. James at the Highland Home 42, and the team and fans were really fired up.  St. James did manage one first down, but later two consecutive sacks cost the Trojans 21 yards.  A punt pinned the Squadron deep, at their own 13, but time was running out.  And Highland Home used up nearly 5 minutes of valuable clock time travelling 87 yards in 9 plays.  A 31 yard run by Kincaid highlighted the drive, but it was Harris who earned his fifth touchdown of the night on a 20 yard carry to seal the victory.  The extra point led to the final score of 41 - 24.  St. James drove as close as the Squadron 18 before failing to convert a fourth down and 3 in the final minute of the game, and the Squadron prepared to march on to the playoffs, as St. James players wrapped up a 3 - 7 season.

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SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME TEN

ST. JAMES      RUSHING    53 attempts  182 yards  3 TDs  (3.43 yards per carry)

                        32   Christian      14 / 80  (1 TD)    14   Dean     10 / 73  (2 TDs)    30   Freeman            8 / 58
                        11   Joyner           3 / 15                  9   Crews      1 / - 1                  3   Martin             17 / - 33

                        PASSING    5 completions  11 attempts  0 INTs  63 yards  0 TDs  (7 sacks of, - 55 yards)

                          3   Martin           5 - 10 - 0     63 yards
                        14   Dean             0 -   1 - 0       0 yards

                        RECEIVING

                          8   Dubois          2 / 37                 7   Davis         2 / 16               14   Dean             1 / 10

                        TOTAL YARDS:   245

                        KICKS:  XP  3 / 3                FG  1 / 1  (made 47)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:   5  (53,54,48,43,52)                           PUNTS:   4  (28,38,32,39)
                        KO RETURNS:   6  (18,5,23f,12,17,21)                  PUNT RETURNS:  0
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (0,0)
                         FIRST DOWNS:   19  (16 rushing, 3 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  4, lost 2
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 3
                        PENALTIES:  6 / 50 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  31:08

H HOME          RUSHING    30 attempts  243 yards  5 TDs  (8.10 yards per carry)
                        PASSING     10 completions  16 attempts  2 INTs  219 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)
                        TOTAL YARDS:   462

                         KICKS:  XP  5 / 6                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  7  (48,48,46,43,51,51,20ob)                 PUNTS:  0
                        KO RETURNS:  5  (11,23,22,19,25)                        PUNT RETURNS:  2  (-5,1)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   15  (10 rushing, 5 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  5, lost 3
                        PENALTIES:  6 / 50 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  16:52

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