2008 - GAME 10

  Faith Academy 40, Saint James 28  

F  A           0     14     12     14         40
 
STJ            7       0       7     14         22
SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ  (1)    4:57   Christian 10 run                                               (Eley kick)    7 -   0
F A  (2)   10:45   Collier 27 run                                             (kick blocked)    7 -   6
F A  (2)     2:27   Collier 5 run                        (Thomas pass from Alterio)    7 - 14
STJ  (3)     8:01   Slayton 4 run                                                  (Eley kick)   14 - 14
F A  (3)     5:34   Collier 5 run                                              (kick blocked)   14 - 21
F A  (3)     1:44   Collier 23 run                                                (pass failed)   14 - 26
F A  (4)   10:54   Walker 4 run                                              (Moore kick)    14 - 33
STJ  (4)    8:15   Eley 9 pass from Dean                               (Slayton run)    22 - 33
F A  (4)    2:40   Roberts 25 pass from Drinkard                 (Moore kick)    22 - 40
STJ  (4)    0:55   Wachs 20 pass from Dean                            (pass failed)    28 - 40

October 31, 2008   Carlisle Field   Game Conditions:   Clear, cool    Game Temperature:  54  Wind:  Negligible

Justin Collier scored four rushing touchdowns in the first three quarters as the Faith Academy Rams completed their first season in the Alabama High School Athletic Association successfully with a 40 - 28 victory over the homestanding Trojans.

The Rams moved the ball into Trojan territory on their opening possessions, despite two of their fourteen game penalties.  On third down from the Saint James 28, Ram quarterback Pat Alterio lofted a pass downfield which was intercepted by Chase Christian and returned to the Trojan 23.  Saint James could not convert a first down on their opening drive; the Rams did on their next drive but another penalty and a short punt gave the Trojans a second chance from nearly where they started their first drive.  This one would be far more successful.  Brandyn Baker caught a 14 yard pass from Matt Dean on first down, and then Dean broke through the line and into the secondary for his longest run of the year, 54 yards, before being brought down by the last possible tackler at the 10 yard line.  Christian on the next play broke through a hole on the right side and scored from 10 yards out.  Chase Eley's first extra point attempt of the season was successful, and gave the Trojans a  7 - 0 lead in the first quarter.

The Rams drove as far as the Saint James 31 before turning the ball over on downs.  Christian caught a 21 yard pass, but Saint James could drive no more.  On the second play of the second quarter, Alterio completed a 29 yard pass to a wide open Mitchell Lucas, and on the next play Collier scored the first of his four touchdowns, this one from 27 yards out.  The extra point was blocked, so the Trojans maintained a slim one point lead early in the second quarter.

Neither team did much offensively for the next three possessions.  On first down from his own 47, Alterio completed a 32 yard pass to Darien Thomas, and a personal foul penalty pushed the Rams down to the Trojan 10.  Three plays later, Collier carried in from the five, and Thomas caught a two point conversion pass giving the Rams their first lead of the game at 14 - 7.  The Trojans would drive as deep as the Ram 20, before Sidney Madise intercepted a Dean pass in the endzone late in the first half.

Saint James started the second half on their own 17 yard line after a short kickoff return, but their ensuing 83 yard drive was a thing of beauty.  Eley caught a 17 yard pass for a first down, and two plays later John Slayton picked up 22 yards and another first down.  After a 2 yard run by Dean, Slayton broke off another long run of 14 yards.  He was rewarded with three more consecutive carries, for 7, 3, and 4 yards,  the final four into the endzone for a touchdown.  Eley's extra point tied the score at 14 early in the third quarter.

And the momentum stayed with the Trojans as Weldon again perfectly executed an onside kick to himself at the Ram 49 yard line.  However, three plays netted only five yards, and a fake punt attempt did not work out well.  From the Ram 44, Collier carried for 50 yards on first down, lucky to be stopped on the sidelines before reaching the endzone.  The Rams were lucky to recover a fumbled quarterback snap on the next play, and then Collier carried out from 5 yards for this third touchdown of the night.  A bad snap on the extra point led to another kick being blocked, but the Rams were back on top 20 - 14.

A muffed kickoff return forced the Trojans to start within their own 10 yard line.  A punt four plays later was fielded on the ground by a Ram at the Trojan 45, and it took the Rams only four plays to score again, three of those on Collier runs, the third for 23 yards and his fourth touchdown of the night.  A two point conversion pass failed, but now Faith Academy was up by 12, at 26 - 14, late in the third quarter.

The Trojans were moving the ball again, but on the second play of the fourth quarter, Josh Moore intercepted a Dean pass and returned it to the Saint James 41.  Collier picked up 31 on the next play, which would be his last carry of the night totalling 243 yards.  From there, Justin Walker's fresh legs took over, as he carried for 6 yards, and then 4 yards for a touchdown.  This time, despite a penalty, Moore finally got a kick through, and the Rams appeared to have a comfortable lead at 33 - 14.

However, the Rams helped Saint James out immensely on the next drive with 35 yards in penalties.  From the Ram 9, Dean tossed a touchdown pass to Chase Eley, and John Slayton followed up with a two point conversion run, and suddenly the lead was not so comfortable at 33 - 22 with still more than 8 minutes remaining in the game.

Weldon attempted a line drive onside kick, hopeful to bounce off an upman, but the kick was speared by Munchie Roberts at the Ram 48, and he even managed to pick up 6 yards on a return.  From there, mostly on the legs of Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Williams, the Rams moved down the field.  On fourth down and 14 from the 25, Ram backup quarterback Charles Drinkard tossed a pass toward Roberts who outjumped the defender and caught it for a 25 yard touchdown.  Moore's extra point gave the Rams a 40 -22 lead with less than three minutes remaining.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the kickoff back to the 25, and Weldon's return was to near midfield.  From there, Dean completed three passes, the third in the corner of the endzone to Taylor Wachs, who made his first career catch as a varsity Trojan for a 20 yard touchdown.  A two point pass was incomplete, but Saint James had made the score quite respectable at 40 - 28 in the last minute of the game.  A third onside kick try by Weldon bounced out of bounds short of midfield, and Faith Academy merely ran out the clock as they ended their season at 5 - 5 and enjoyed a happy ride back to Mobile as the 2008 Saint James season came to a too abrupt end.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TEN

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING    30 attempts  162 yards  2 TDs  (5.40 yards per carry)

                              20   Slayton     10 / 74  (1 TD)     14   Dean            9 / 56
                              32   Christian   10 / 33  (1 TD)       4   Eley             1 / - 1

                              PASSING   14 completions  32 attempts  2 INTs  195 yards  2 TDs  (1 sack of, - 6 yards)

                              14   Dean           14 - 32 - 2   195 yards   2 TDs   (1 sack, - 6 yards)

                              RECEIVING

                                4   Eley           5 / 63  (1 TD)     32   Christian       4 / 61
                              45   Baker         4 / 51                  10   Wachs           1 / 20  (TD)

                              TOTAL YARDS:   357

                               KICKS:  XP  2 / 2                FG  0 / 0
                               2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                               KICKOFFS:   5  (49,50,11,12,9)                              PUNTS:   5  (30,35,36,20,31)
                               KO RETURNS:   7  (3,4,3,2,15,27,16)                    PUNT RETURNS:  0
                               INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (15)
                                FIRST DOWNS:   20  (8 rushing, 9 passing, 3 penalty)
                               FUMBLES:  0
                               TURNOVER MARGIN:   - 1
                               POINTS OFF OF TURNOVERS:  0
                               PENALTIES:  3 / 21 yards
                               TIME OF POSSESSION:  24:00

FAITH ACADEMY  RUSHING    41 attempts  289 yards  5 TDs  (7.05 yards per carry)    (Justin Collier  16 / 243)
                               PASSING     10 completions  14 attempts  1 INT  181 yards  1 TD  (1 sack of, - 9 yards)
                               TOTAL YARDS:   470

                               KICKS:  XP  2 / 4                FG  0 / 0
                               2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                               KICKOFFS:  7  (48,32,46,53,50,53,39)                    PUNTS:  2  (19,37)
                               KO RETURNS:  3 (22,19,6)                                     PUNT RETURNS:  4  (3,6,20,0)
                               INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (0,8)
                               FIRST DOWNS:   17  (11 rushing, 6 passing)
                               FUMBLES:  4, lost 0
                               POINTS OFF OF TURNOVERS:  7
                               PENALTIES:  14 / 149 yards
                               TIME OF POSSESSION:  24:00

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