2012 - GAME 6

@ Charles Henderson 36, Saint James 7 
STJ           0       0       0       7           7
 
C H        14       7       7       8         36
SCORING SUMMARY:

C H  (1)    8:06   Downing 4 run                      (Salmon kick)     0 -   7
C H  (1)    2:00   Downing 47 run                    (Salmon kick)     0 - 14
C H  (2)    1:03   Noel 30 pass from Ingram     (Salmon kick)    0 - 21
C H  (3)  10:44   Downing 2 run                      (Salmon kick)     0 - 28
C H  (4)  11:11   Downing 44 run                     (Johnson run)    0 - 36
STJ  (4)    3:57   Woodson 16 run                        (Alter kick)    7 - 36

October 5, 2012   Larry Blakeney Field, Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy.  Game Conditions:  Partly Cloudy  Game Temperature:  74  Wind:  none

Saint James improved noticeably on their two predominant faulty areas from the previous week - turnovers (none) and penalties (a mere three for eleven total yards).  However, they seemed to decelerate in nearly every other facet of the game as Charles Henderson's Courtney Downing rushed for four touchdowns leading the home team to a 36 - 7 thrashing in the first ever football meeting between the Trojans, and the Trojans.

After an endzone kickoff to start the game, Saint James could not earn a first down on its opening possession and Charles Henderson started with great field position only 46 yards from the endzone.  On the first play, Downing took the handoff and powered through a sluggish Trojan defense before pulling away for what seemed an immediate touchdown.  However, a block in the back penalty at the 11 yard line delayed the score.  Downing then gained 21 yards on four consecutive carries, part of his 196 rushing yards on the evening, 119 of those in the opening quarter, with the final four resulting in the touchdown.  Robert Salmon's extra point gave Henderson a 7 - 0 lead barely four minutes into the game.

Saint James managed several first downs on their next drive, thanks in part to two Henderson offside penalties and a 14 yard pass on a desperation scramble by C.J. Duncan to Jalen Harris.  Once again though, the drive stalled, and after the second of eight punts, Henderson took over on its own 30 yard line.  Three plays later, a 17 yard run by Downing, a 6 yard pass completion, and a 47 yard run by Downing similar to his first rush of the game, Henderson was up 14 - 0 after the extra point and it looked like a really long night for the white-clad Trojans.

Frank Moody picked up 20 yards on a carry on the next drive for Saint James, but a third punt ended the first quarter.  Finally the Trojans held as a third down wayward snap resulted in an 11 yard quarterback sack by Kane Davenport.  A short punt gave Saint James possession in Henderson territory, but they could not take advantage, later punting themselves forcing Henderson back to the 6 yard line.  Most of the quarter was used up in a very quickly paced game primarily on runs by Downing and John Johnson before the teams traded punts again.  From its own 34 with just over two minutes remaining, Johnson picked up 11 yards on a rush.  Then, quarterback Austin Ingram began connecting with various receivers on four consecutive tosses; the fourth being a 30 yard pass to an extremely wide open Josh Noel who had exposed a busted Saint James coverage for a touchdown.  The extra point gave Charles Henderson a 21 - 0 lead, and Saint James did not have enough time or yardage, even after a pooch kickoff was returned to the 40 yard line, for a scoring threat.

The second half started out nearly as disastrously for Saint James as a line drive kickoff was fielded by Courtney Hooten at the 9 yard line and he charged forward virtually untouched for what appeared to be a 91 yard kickoff return touchdown.  However, a perhaps merciful flag was thrown behind the runner at the Saint James 30 yard line for another touchdown-erasing block in the back penalty, and Henderson was relegated to begin their opening possession at the Saint James 40.  However, after a holding penalty on first down moved the ball backwards to midfield, completed passes by Ingram to Johnson for 21 yards and to Downing for 27 yards resulted in Henderson knocking on the endzone again from the 2.  Downing carried in on the next play for his third score and the extra point virtually nullified any chance of an amazing comeback for the visiting Trojans in the second half as they were now behind by 28.

Saint James again was stopped as the constant pressure on Duncan forced a sack, one of five for Henderson on the evening.  Fortunately for Saint James, they had eliminated the turnover problem which had been a serious issue the previous week and picked up one of their own on the next possession as Walker Woodson intercepted a wayward Austin pass at the Saint James 32 finally giving the Saint James fans something to cheer about.  A 25 yard pass completion to Jalen Harris over the middle highlighted the drive, but again the Henderson defense, which was now inserting backups with fresh legs, stalled the drive and forced a punt which was downed on the 9 yard line.  The 91 yard kickoff return to start the quarter was negated, but Henderson would drive 91 yards for their final score of the evening.  Downing rushed for 14 and was on the end of a 14 yard reception on consecutive plays.  Joshua Pearson rushed for 12 yards to bring the ball to midfield at the end of the quarter.  After a 6 yard pass completion, Downing was given the ball for the 21st and final time of the game and he went the distance, 44 yards, for his fourth touchdown.  After an offside penalty on the extra point, a bad snap by the center was taken by the holder Johnson, and he ran in off right end for an impromptu two point conversion, and Henderson was up 36 - 0 as the night ended for a majority of the Troy starters.

The teams traded punts once more before Saint James finally began a scoring drive, ending a serious threat of being shutout for the first time since the 2009 season.  From its own 24, Duncan found Frank Moody open for a 40 yard completion to the Henderson 36.  Walker Woodson carried three times for 14 total yards, Duncan added 6 on a keeper, and then Woodson powered in from the 16 yard line for the Saint James touchdown.  Matthew Alter's extra point cut the lead to 36 - 7 which would end the scoring.  After a Henderson fumble, Saint James had one more chance to score.  After some questionable time keeping, Saint James had 5 seconds remaining on a play from the Henderson 6 yard line, but a Duncan pass went incomplete as the clock expired, and the Saint James Trojans had questions to answer with highly-ranked Beauregard only a week away.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME SIX

SAINT JAMES   RUSHING    40 attempts  105 yards  1 TD   (2.63 yards per carry)

                            4   Woodson      13 / 51  (1 TD)     20   Moody         12 / 50          5   Duncan        13 /  4
                          44   Smith             1 /   1                   3   Robinson        1 / - 1

                          PASSING       8 completions  13 attempts  0 INTs  114 yards  0 TDs

                            5   Duncan      8 - 13 - 0     114 yards

                          RECEIVING

                            9   Harris             3 / 44                 20   Moody           1 / 40         4   Woodson       2 / 22
                            2   Adams            1 /   4                  3   Robinson        1 /   4

                          TOTAL YARDS:   229

                          KICKS:  XP  1 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                          KICKOFFS:   2  (46,43)                                         PUNTS:  8  (19,23,28,32,34,34,26,39)
                          KO RETURNS:   5  (7,28,14,21,4)                         PUNT RETURNS:  0
                          FIRST DOWNS:   11  (7 rushing, 4 passing)
                          FUMBLES:  1, lost 0
                          TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 2
                          POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                          PENALTIES:  3 / 11 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  28:09

C HENDERSON  RUSHING    43 attempts  252 yards  4 TDs  (5.86 yards per carry, 5  Downing 21 / 196)
                          PASSING     11 completions  17 attempts  1 INT  145 yards  1 TD
                          TOTAL YARDS:   397

                           KICKS:  XP  4 / 4                FG  0 / 0
                          2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                          KICKOFFS:  6  (EZ,55,56,34,58,52)                       PUNTS:  3  (24,15,21)
                          KO RETURNS:   2  (61,35)                                    PUNT RETURNS:  4 (0fc,0fc,0fc,0fc)
                          FIRST DOWNS:   21  (14 rushing, 7 passing)
                          FUMBLES:  3, lost 1
                          POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                          PENALTIES:  7 / 50 yards
                          TIME OF POSSESSION:  19:51

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