2011 - GAME 7

SAINT JAMES 27, @ Alabama Christian 24 
 STJ              7     10     10       0           27
 
ACA           14       0     10       0           24
SCORING SUMMARY:

ACA  (1)  9:26   Madison 1 run                                (Stroud kick)      0 -   7
STJ    (1)  6:24   Woodson 59 pass from Duncan  (Meadows kick)      7 -   7
ACA  (1)  4:12   Madison 2 run                                (Stroud kick)      7 - 14
STJ    (2)  6:56   Duncan 16 run                            (Meadows kick)    14 - 14
STJ    (2)  0:21   Newton 20 FG                                                         17 - 14
STJ    (3)  9:47   Duncan 15 run                               (Newton kick)    24 - 14
ACA  (3)  9:33   Madison 97 kickoff return              (Stroud kick)    24 - 21
STJ    (3)  8:27   Newton 37 FG                                                         27 - 21
ACA  (3)  0:08   Stroud 42 FG                                                           27 - 24

October 7, 2011.  Wade Black Norton Field.  Game Conditions:  Clear   Game Temperature:  68  Wind:  NE 10, decreasing


C.J. Duncan looks to avoid potential Eagle tacklers as he rushes for a big chunk of his 105 yards agsinst Alabama Christian.
(Photo courtesy of David Bundy, The Montgomery Advertiser)

Blackout II was not nearly as successful for the homestanding Alabama Christian Eagles as it had been two years previously, as Saint James weathered two very early touchdowns and one very long kickoff return for another before gaining and maintaining control through most of the second half in a thrilling game between two regional and Capital City Conference rivals.  The Trojans won 27 - 24.

After Saint James began the game with an endzone kickoff by Riley Newton, the Eagles surprised most everyone with a deep pass attempt on the first scrimmage play.  Ricky Solar's pass was completed to Jarrod Jones for a 39 yard gain which almost went the distance.  Amazingly, it would be the only completed pass for positive yardage for the Eagles all evening.  The next play was nearly as surprising as Malik McMullen took his only handoff of the evening and broke loose for 34 yards down to the Trojan 7.  Three consecutive runs by fullback Dean Akin moved the ball to just outside the one yard line, and on fourth down Danny Madison got his first touch and made it count for a one yard score.  Alex Stroud's extra point was good, and the Eagles were up very quickly 7 - 0.

It didn't take much longer for the Trojans to even the score.  Jake Jabour returned the kickoff to the Trojan 17.  C.J. Duncan ran for 13 yards on two plays, and Walker Woodson ran for four.  On third down, Duncan completed a 7 yard pass to Jabour for a first down.  After Duncan failed to gain on the next run, he tossed a pass toward Woodson who made a great catch in front of a defender just a half second late, and he raced down the far sidelines 59 yards for a touchdown.  Austin Meadows kicked the extra point and even though nearly half of the first quarter had expired on the clock, it seemed as if the game had just started and it was already tied at seven.

Not for long.  After another endzone kickoff, Madison took the handoff on first down and broke away for 74 yards, and Saint James was lucky to bring him down short of the goal line.  It took four plays, but on fourth down from the two Madison earned the touchdown, and Shroud's extra point gave the Eagles a 14 - 7 lead still in the first quarter.  The Eagles had 160 yards of offense in their first two drives.  They would only earn a net of 49 positive the remainder of the game.

For the first time in the game, a team was stopped and it was the Trojans, going three and out, and after Madison returned the punt 25 yards they were near midfield.  However, this time the Saint James defense stiffened, especially on a 9 yard loss on a Madison run, and they took over after a punt on their own 39.  After two plays gained no yardage, a Duncan pass over the middle found its way directly into the surprised arms of Dean Akin, and he rumbled 38 yards with an interception return down to the Trojan 15.  After an illegal procedure penalty, Madison took the handoff but someone popped the ball out directly into the waiting arms of Trojan Haynes Litchfield, who returned the freebie nine yards to the Trojan 27, amazingly still with time remaining in the first quarter.

Two plays later, on the first play of the second quarter, Duncan ran for 12 and a first down.  On third and nine, Frank Moody caught a key 15 yard pass, and a personal foul afterwards doubled the gain.  Four plays later, Duncan converted a fourth down and one to the Eagle 16.  His gain of two on first down was offset by a loss of two on the next play.  However, on third down, he was looking for endzone receivers before pulling the ball down and running toward the near sidelines where he dodged a potential tackler at the three before entering the endzone.  He was hit well after crossing the goal line, which resulted in a penalty on the following kickoff.  Meadows' extra point tied the game at 14 early in the second quarter in a game with a blazing pace.

Reaching the endzone on a 45 yard kickoff was no problem for Newton, but earning a first down for the Eagles was as they could not convert a first down.  Neither could Saint James, despite good field position, and their return punt put the Eagles at their own 18.  A holding penalty and a sack led to another punt which Jabour fielded at the Eagle 39.  Jabour caught a 17 yard pass on the second play of the drive, and Graham Norwood, making his triumphant return, caught a nine yarder on the next play.  Duncan's three yard run gave Saint James first and goal right on the 10 yard line.  Jabour on a counter play picked up seven on first down, but a no gain run and an incomplete pass left the Trojans with fourth down and the second quarter nearly expired.  Newton came in to attempt a chip shot 20 yard field goal, virtually the same as an extra point, which he made, and Saint James had its first lead of the game at 17 - 14 with 21 seconds remaining in the half.

With the big plays of the first half, Alabama Christian legitimately thought they had enough time to score again.  Madison picked up 17 yards on first down, and after a spike, Chandler Taylor lofted a pass toward him which sailed out of bounds as the halftime buzzer sounded.  I think everyone on both sides and sidelines were ready to catch their breaths after a high octane first half.

The second half started similarly to the first.  Jabour returned the Eagle kickoff to the Trojan 35.  On third down, Duncan found Wilson Adams well past his defender for a 40 yard completion down to the Eagle 23.  Woodson caught a pass for eight yards on the next play, and from the 15, Duncan called his own number and was thrown into the endzone after being grabbed at about the three yard line.  Newton's extra point was good and the Trojans had built a 10 point lead barely two minutes into the third quarter.

It would not last long.  If Newton could not get his kick into the endzone, he made sure to keep it away from the dangerous speedster Madison.  His kick was fielded at the three by Jarrod Jones, who ran laterally and handed the ball to Madison for all to see.  Despite the change of direction, no Trojans were fooled, but no Trojans could tackle him either.  After several chances near the far boundary, he broke loose for his second kickoff return touchdown in two years against Saint James.  This one was a school record for any opponent, a 97 yarder.  Stroud's extra point cut the lead back to three, at 24 - 21, still very early in the third quarter.

The quick scores continued.  The Eagles were offside on an onside kick attempt, which was recovered by Saint James' Jake Sharp anyways. The rekick went to Jabour and he deftly returned it up the middle 57 yards down to the Eagle 20.  However, three plays combined lost one yard, and Newton was called in to kick another field goal.  His kick from 37 was good, and Saint James was up by six now, 27 - 21, with still nearly 8½ minutes remaining in the third quarter.

After another Newton endzone kick, Madison ran for 24 yards on first down.  However, after a penalty and a 9 yard loss on a pass completion, the Eagles were forced to punt.  The dropping football hit Trojan Kane Davenport right on the back of his shoulder pads and popped way up into the air where it was finally caught by Eagle Jamie Boyd.  He advanced the ball several yards, but because the punt was "muffed", no advance was permitted.  Still, the Eagles were down to the Trojan 36.  On the very next play though, Solar tried the same play as the first play of the game, but this time it was intercepted by a waiting Jabour who returned it to the Trojan 18. 

Once more Saint James was forced to punt in a game with numerous possessions on each side.  Madison returned the punt 22 yards and the Eagles were again in Trojan territory.  After first down runs by Akin and Madison, the drive stalled at the Saint James 26.  Stroud was called in to attempt a 42 yard field goal.  The high kick hit the inside of the left upright and wobbled through, and with 8.3 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Alabama Christian was back within three points at 27 - 24.  No one could have possibly imagined those would be the last points scored in this game, but they were.

Finally the defenses showed up.   Saint James could only earn two first downs in the fourth quarter, while Alabama Christian could not make any.  Five consecutive possessions ended with punts before the Eagles took over on their own 37 with just over two minutes remaining.  Madison lost five yards, and appeared to lose the ball on the first play, but the Eagles retained possession even though Trojan Forrest Taylor had the football in his arms.  Solar was stopped for a loss of one on the next play, and then he telegraphed a pass to the sideline which was intercepted by Haynes Litchfield just across midfield.  Two Duncan runs and two Eagle timeouts later, Saint James had third and 11 from their own 46.  Duncan broke loose on a run down to the Eagle 28, but a personal foul penalty was called on Saint James, the only penalty against them the entire game.  The 15 yards moved the ball back to the Eagle 47, but the first down had been earned prior to the penalty.  After the Eagles' final time out, and an offside penalty on the defense to stop the clock, Duncan finally kneeled down to seal the victory for the Trojans, their fifth of the season.

GAME SIX SIDELINE STATISTICS

SAINT JAMES  RUSHING   42 attempts  141 yards  2 TDs  (3.36 yards per carry)

                          5   Duncan       24 / 105  (2 TDs)   4   Woodson       9 / 15     20   Moody         7 / 13
                        30   Jabour           1 /    7               36   Cherry          1 /   1

                        PASSING   7 completions  18 attempts  1 INT  155 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)

                          5   Duncan       7 - 18 - 1  155 yards  1 TD

                        RECEIVING

                          4   Woodson       2 / 67   (1 TD)     2   Adams           1 / 40     30   Jabour          2 / 24
                        20   Moody          1 / 15                11   Norwood        1 /   9

                        TOTAL YARDS:   296

                        KICKS:  XP  3 / 3                FG   2 / 2  (20, 37 made)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  6  (EZ,EZ,45EZ,47,57,EZ)     KO RETURNS:  5  (16,26,23,57,33)
                        PUNTS:  6  (43,28,37,16,27,26)                  PUNT RETURNS:   3  (0,0F,8)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   13  (8 rushing, 5 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 1
                        FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (9)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (7,0)
                        POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  7
                         PENALTIES:  1 / 15 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:08

A C A               RUSHING    32 attempts  183 yards  2 TDs  (5.72 yards per carry, 1 Madison  20 / 125, 74 one carry)
                        PASSING      3 completions  10 attempts  2 INTs  26 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 4 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  209

                        KICKS:  XP  3 / 3                FG   1 / 1  (42 made)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  5  (59,59,48,42,56)                PUNTS:  5  (18,33,27,32,23)
                        KO RETURNS:  2  (13,97TD)                    PUNT RETURNS:  3  (25,22,0)
                        FIRST DOWNS:  9  (8 rushing, 1 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (38)
                        POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                         PENALTIES:  7 / 48 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  21:52

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