2009 - GAME 2

ST. JAMES 30, @ Bullock County 12

STJ              22       8       0       0        30
 
B C                6       0       6       0        12

SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ   (1)  9:17   Slayton 43 run                                                   (Weldon kick)      7 -   0
B C   (1)  7:49   Baldwin 62 run                                                  (kick blocked)      7 -   6
STJ   (1)  6:33   Ostrye 1 run                                                      (Weldon kick)    14 -   6
STJ   (1)  3:35   McCabe recovered bad snap in EZ                      (Ketzler run)    22 -   6
STJ   (2)  5:24   Slayton 5 run                                   (Baker pass from Ketzler)    30 -   6
B C   (3)  9:25   Baldwin 74 run                                                     (pass failed)     30 - 12
September 4, 2009  Thorton-Foster Stadium   Game Conditions:  Partly/Mostly Cloudy, humid   Game Temperature:  84   Wind:  none

John Slayton rushed for over 170 yards, a majority of that in the first quarter of play including one long touchdown run and a similar run to set up another touchdown, and the Trojan defense overcame two long runs by Hornet quarterback Ladarion Baldwin in a game with exactly the same final score as the previous week, but with the good guys on top this time, as St. James defeated Bullock County for the fifth time in six tries, 30 - 12.

Two plays after a pooch kickoff by St. James, Forrest Taylor picked off an underthrown Hornet pass at the Trojan 28.  After an encroachment penalty, Slayton carried for 13 yards and a first down.  Two plays later, B.J. Weldon picked up 10 yards on a reception from Lee Ketzler.  On the next play, Slayton broke through the middle of the line and outraced Hornet defenders to the endzone for a 43 yard touchdown.  Weldon's kick gave St. James an early 7 - 0 lead.

It did not take long for the Hornets to respond.  After a fair catch on another short kickoff, Hornet quarterback Ladarion Baldwin kept 12 yards for a first down.  Two plays later, on third and long, Baldwin broke loose on a quarterback scramble and outraced the Trojan defenders similarly for a touchdown of 62 yards.  The extra point was blocked, but Bullock County had cut the lead to 1 still early in the first quarter.

After an out of bounds kick, Slayton broke loose on the first play for a 55 yard carry down just short of the Hornet 10.  On his first three carries, Slayton had already amassed 111 yards rushing.  Ketzler picked up 9 yards two plays later, and a half the distance offside penalty gave St. James first down inside the one yard line.  Nick Ostrye took the handoff up the middle on first down for the touchdown.  Weldon's extra point increased the Trojan lead to 14 - 6 with still more than half of the first quarter left.

Bullock County was slowed by penalties and a quarterback sack on their next drive.  On fourth down and long from their own 29, a punt snap went well over the head of the punter and dribbled back into the endzone, where Mason McCabe fought for and won the ball on the ground for another Trojan touchdown.  After a penalty on the extra point attempt, St. James decided to attempt a two point conversion, and Ketzler kept untouched for a successful try, giving the Trojans a 22 - 6 lead still in the first quarter.

(Editors note.  Originally, this touchdown was incorrectly credited to Mason Handey.  My apologies.  Mason Handey more than made up the difference the following Tuesday night in the Junior Varsity game against Alabama Christian, where his 97 yard interception return with 1:44 remaining in the game helped the Trojans overcome a 14 point halftime deficit to take a 21-14 lead.  Then, his nifty interception inside the Eagle 25 with less than 15 seconds remaining stopped a potential Eagle tying or winning score.  My apologies, and congratulations, to both Masons.)

Another Trojan sack by Cal Cherry forced the Hornets to punt, but the Trojans were stopped on downs near midfield to begin the second quarter.  Bullock County returned the favor, failing to convert a first down, and St. James embarked on a 61 yard touchdown drive.  On first down, Ketzler connected over the middle with a wide open Drew Brantley and he rumbled down the field before being tackled at the Hornet 10.  A potential Hornet interception in the endzone was negated by a pass interference penalty giving St. James a first down at the 5.  After a blocking below the waist penalty, Ostrye picked up 9+ yards and Slayton picked up the remaining 5 on second down for the Trojans' fourth touchdown of the half.  Being on the east end of Thorton-Foster stadium, where balls kicked far enough could easily be lost, the Trojans again opted for a two point conversion, and Brandyn Baker was wide open on the receiving end of a Ketzler pass.  St. James had a 30 - 6 lead midway through the second quarter.

Bullock County threatened, driving as close as the Trojan 9, but a pass completion (one of only two on the evening for the Hornets) on fourth down lost yardage, and St. James held.  They ran off most of the clock, but Baldwin returned a Trojan punt to the Trojan 15 with 2 seconds remaining, giving Bullock County one late chance.  However, the pass attempt fell incomplete and the Trojans carried their 24 point lead to halftime.

St. James started on their own 35 after an out of bounds kick to begin the third quarter, but could not convert a first down.  Bullock County started on their own 31.  After two plays lost five yards, again it was Baldwin on an impressive quarterback scramble, breaking several tackles and just outrunning defenders to the endzone for a 74 yard score.  A two point pass fell incomplete, but the Hornets had very quickly cut the lead to 30 - 12.  That would be the eventual final score, but the Trojans were awakened.
After again failing to convert a first down, penalties really hurt the Hornets.  On first down, it appeared tailback Laxavier Youngblood had rushed for a 52 yard touchdown, but an unnecessary block in the back penalty at the 2 yard line erased the touchdown and pushed the ball back to the Trojan 12.  Two plays gained 8 yards, and on third down another potential touchdown run by Malik Franklin was negated by a holding penalty.  After a 7 yard loss on another quarterback scramble, a long fourth down pass attempt was deflected and then fell harmlessly incomplete.  St. James took over, but a dead ball penalty pushed them back to their own 10.   Consecutive runs of 14 by Slayton and 19 by Ketzler gave the Trojans breathing room.  However, Ketzler was injured on his run and left the game not to return.

From there, Taylor Poe was brought in to direct the Trojans.  Another 17 yard run later by Slayton allowed St. James to run out the third quarter clock.  Slayton picked up 16 yards on a pass reception from Poe on the initial play of the fourth quarter before the Hornets finally held on the 32 yard line.  Backup punter William Olsey executed a nice punt down to the 10 yard line, and the rested Trojan defense allowed only two yards before a Hornet punt.  With 8:32 remaining in the game, starting from the Hornet 38, the Trojans ground game of Slayton, Ostrye, and Poe, ground the ball and decimated the clock, driving as deep as the Hornet 5 before several penalties pushed the ball backwards.  When the Trojans were finally stopped on downs inside the Hornet 10, there were only 16 seasons remaining in the game.  Jeffery Scott picked up 28 yards on the final play of the game before being shoved out of bounds, and the Trojans evened their overall record at 1 - 1 and opened region play with a well-earned victory.

SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME TWO

ST. JAMES      RUSHING    41 attempts  202 yards  3 TDs  (4.93 yards per carry)

                        20   Slayton       19 / 171  (2 TDs)      19   Ostrye       10 / 27  (1 TD)
                          6   Ketzler         7 /  16                    14   Poe            5 / - 12

                        PASSING    6 completions  9 attempts  0 INTs  107 yards  0 TDs  (2 sacks of, - 14 yards)

                          6   Ketzler        4 - 6 - 0    87 yards    (1 sack, - 9 yards)
                        14   Poe             2 - 3 - 0    20 yards    (1 sack, - 5 yards)

                        RECEIVING

                        88   Brantley        1 / 51                     45   Baker         1 / 26
                        20   Slayton         1 / 16                       1   Weldon       3 / 14

                        TOTAL YARDS:   309

                        KICKS:  XP  2 / 2                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 2
                        KICKOFFS:  5  (18,34,28,22 OB)                             PUNTS:  4  (34,36,35,22)
                        KO RETURNS:  1  (0)                                             PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0fc)
                        FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (0TD)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1 (0)
                         FIRST DOWNS:   15  (9 rushing, 4 passing, 2 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 0
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 2
                        PENALTIES:  8 / 55 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  27:59  (18:32 second half)

BULLOCK CO RUSHING    33 attempts  258 yards  2 TDs  (7.82 yards per carry)  (Baldwin 13 carries, 144 yards)
                        PASSING      2 completions  8 attempts  1 INT  minus 1 yard  0 TDs  (2 sacks of, - 14 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:   257

                         KICKS:  XP  0 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                        KICKOFFS:  3  (OB,OB,33)                                     PUNTS:  2  (23,26)
                        KO RETURNS:  4  (0,0fc,0fc,14)                             PUNT RETURNS:  2  (23,0)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   8  (8 rushing)
                        FUMBLES:  1, lost 1
                        PENALTIES:  10 / 56 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  20:01

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