2008 - GAME 9

@ Ashford 19, Saint James 6

STJ          0       0       0       6            6
 
ASH        12      7       0       0          19

SCORING SUMMARY: 

ASH  (1)   9:07   Pope 17 run                                   (kick failed)    0 -   6
ASH  (1)   1:07   Condrey 54 pass from Pope         (pass failed)    0 - 12
ASH  (2)   7:00   Anderson 6 run                       (McInnish kick)   0 - 19
STJ   (4)   6:51   Dean 10 run                                    (kick failed)   6 - 19
October 24, 2008   W.H. Brown Field   Game conditions:  Drizzle, damp, cool, breezy   Game temperature:  60  Wind:  NW  3 - 7

The Saint James offense was limited to a season low 92 total yards, their lowest total yardage in a game since 1991.  Despite a fine second half defensive effort, the Trojans could not recover from three Yellow Jacket touchdowns in the first 17 minutes of the game, as Ashford defeated Saint James in their home stadium for the first time in four attempts, 19 - 6.

Ashford earned nearly as many yards on their first drive, 83 after a first play penalty, as Saint James did on the entire evening.  Charlton Pope completed a pass to Jeremy Enfinger for 58 yards on the first scrimmage play, which would have been a touchdown if not for a fine catch-up tackle by Wade Norwood.  Four plays later, on fourth and two, quarterback Pope bobbled the snap which threw off the called play and defense as well.  He picked up the bobble, swept around right end through several tackles, and snuck into the endzone for a touchdown.  The extra point attempt went wide left, but Ashford had a 6 - 0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game.

A holding penalty slowed Saint James on their initial drive, and a deep pass was intercepted by Mike Ray at midfield and it was nearly returned for a touchdown as well, if not for a fine tackle by quarterback Matt Dean at the Trojan 12.  A touchdown run on the first play was negated by a chop block penalty, and the Yellow Jackets drive stalled.  A 37 yard field goal attempt came up well short and way right, and Saint James had held off the scoring threat.

The Trojans again failed to move the ball, as they did for a majority of the first three quarters, and a Ray punt return gave the Yellow Jackets the ball at their own 44.  Two plays later, Pope tossed a short pass to Ladarius Condrey, and he smartly shifted between tacklers and snuck into the endzone for the Jackets' second touchdown in the first quarter.  A two point conversion pass attempt was completed but the receiver was tackled short of the goal line, and Ashford had doubled their lead to 12.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty applied to the kickoff should have led to excellent field position for Saint James, but they could only advance a muffed kick to their own 34.  After a huge quarterback sack on the first play of the second quarter, Saint James punted again, and Ashford took over on the Trojan side of the field.  A key pass from Pope to Terry White for 21 yards moved the ball down to the Saint James 6, and Malvin Anderson carried in on the next play for another touchdown.  This time, the extra
point kick by Jeremy McInnish was boomed with the wind through the goalposts, and Ashford was up 19 - 0 not even midway through the second quarter.

Saint James fumbled on their next possession, but neither team seriously threatened again in the first half.  The Trojans could not pick up a first down on their initial second half possession, but the punt pushed the ball inside the Jacket 10.  Ashford used up most of the third quarter clock driving, but eventually a pass was intercepted by Norwood to stop that threat.  A penalty after the return forced Saint James back inside their own 10, and the next three possessions ended up in punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter.  Chase Christian intercepted a Pope pass and returned it to the Ashford 41.  After a Dean quarterback run of 11 yards and a personal foul penalty, the Trojans were threatening to score for the first time in the game.  And they did, as two plays later Dean called his own number from 10 yards out for the touchdown.  B.J. Weldon's kick was wide left, but at least the Trojans had something to cheer about finally in the cool drizzle as they had avoided a shutou, keeping their scoring streak alive at 25 games.

Ashford did well to recover a particularly bouncy onside kick, and they managed to run nearly 3 minutes off the clock despite a Trojan time out and no first downs.  Saint James took over on the Jacket 33, and converted two first downs on 12 yard passes from Dean to Chase Eley.  However, the remaining attempts were incomplete and the Trojans turned the ball over on downs.  Ashford was able to convert several first downs and exhaust the clock on the way to their third victory of the season.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME NINE

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING    21 attempts  30 yards  1 TD  (1.43 yards per carry)

                              20   Slayton        6 / 21     32   Christian      9 / 19      14   Dean          6 / - 10  (1 TD)

                              PASSING    6 completions  25 attempts  1 INT  62 yards  0 TDs  (2 sacks of, - 26 yards)

                              14   Dean             6 - 22 - 1  62 yards   1 INT  (2 sacks, - 26 yards)
                                6   Ketzler          0 -   2 - 0
                              32   Christian        0 -   1 - 0

                              RECEIVING

                                4   Eley             2 / 24          20   Slayton         2 / 16
                              45   Baker           1 / 14          32   Christian       1 /  8

                              TOTAL YARDS:   92

                              KICKS:  XP  0 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:   2  (44,21)                                         PUNTS:   6  (41,31,26,42,39,39)
                              KO RETURNS:   4  (11,1,15,28)                            PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0fc)
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (7,5)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   8  (4 rushing, 4 passing)
                              FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:   0
                              POINTS OFF OF TURNOVERS:  6
                              PENALTIES:  5 / 50 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  19:01

ASHFORD           RUSHING    42 attempts  224 yards  2 TDs  (5.33 yards per carry)
                              PASSING     7 completions  15 attempts  2 INTs  153 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of) 
                              TOTAL YARDS:   387

                              KICKS:  XP  1 / 2                FG  0 / 1    (missed 37)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (45,52,43,47)                                   PUNTS:  2  (36,32)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (3,0,17,0)                                   PUNT RETURNS:  0
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1 (38)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   15  (12 rushing, 3 passing)
                              FUMBLES:  3, lost 0
                              POINTS OFF OF TURNOVERS:  0
                              PENALTIES:  8 / 105 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  29:59

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