2014 - GAME 5

  Park Crossing 24, Saint James 7 
P  C          0     10     14       0          24
 
STJ          7       0       0       0            7
SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ  (1)    2:49   Robinson 6 run                                              (Taylor kick)    7 -   0
P  C  (2)    4:58   Booker 65 pass from Cunningham                (Lane kick)    7 -   7
P  C  (2)    0:00   Lane 39 FG                                                                              7 - 10
P  C  (3)  10:39   Booker 75 pass from Cunningham                (Lane kick)    7 - 17
P  C  (3)    6:35   Hodges 34 pass from Cunningham                (Lane kick)    7 - 24

September 26, 2014.  Carlisle Field, Montgomery  Game Conditions:  Mostly cloudy, breezy  Game Temperature:  80  Wind:  E  10 - 15
 

Saint James used good field position to drive for an early touchdown, but Park Crossing scored ten second quarter points and two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to virtually put a close game out of reach as the 4A Trojans ventured into 6A varsity football territory for the first time ever and fought hard but fell in defeat to the Thunderbirds 24 - 7 in a game eerily reminiscent of the preseason scrimmage between the two teams.

The Trojan defense was stellar in the first quarter, holding the Thunderbirds to no first downs on any of their possessions.  However, the Trojans could garner little more until a short punt gave them possession at midfield.  Consecutive Jonathan Robinson runs totaling 13 yards was followed up by a dart of a 24 yard pass from M.J. Melendez to Whit Powell moving the ball to the Park Crossing 13.  Robinson carried three more times, for 4, 3, and 6 yards on third down for the Trojan touchdown.  Coleman Taylor gave Saint James a 7 - 0 lead late in the first quarter.

After another Thunderbird three and out, Saint James embarked on a 12 play drive which was eventually slowed by a penalty and a sack, but a Melendez punt seemed to pin Park Crossing in at their own 7 yard line.  However, as was the case in the earlier Catholic game, the results of a great punt do not guarantee great results on the ensuing drive.  On third down from the 11, quarterback Malik Cunningham ran for 7 yards and the initial Thunderbird first down of the game halfway into the second quarter.  With some room to work, Cunningham completed a pass to Tarrance Scott on the next play for 17 yards.  After no gain on first down, Cunningham looked deep, and after being unsuccessful with several earlier throws deep, he found the tall and speedy Jahod Booker down the sidelines past his defender who caught his toss and sped 65 yards for the first Thunderbird score.  Jake Lane's extra point tied the game at seven with about five minutes remaining until halftime.

Melendez picked up a rushing first down on the Trojans' next drive, but a sack led to a punt and Park Crossing set up shop on their own 25 as the half waned.  Cunningham connected on several short passes and ran several times as well to move down the field, and the Thunderbirds called their last time out of the half with under three seconds remaining on the clock and fourth down at the Trojan 23.  Jake Lane was called in to attempt a field goal with a significant cross wind and slightly into his face, but with the kick placed down just short of the 30 yard line, his attempt was straight and snuck over the crossbar by several feet, giving Park Crossing momentum with a 10 - 7 lead as halftime struck.

The Thunderbirds had won the opening coin toss and elected to defer, so they promptly began a second consecutive possession to start the third quarter.  A holding penalty wiped out a good chunk of the kickoff return, but it still took Park Crossing only three plays to score.  On third down from the 25, Cunningham duplicated the play he had called searching for Booker once more, and he towered above the Trojan defender to pull down the football and run the remainder of a 75 yard pitch and catch into the endzone.  Lane's extra point gave the Thunderbirds a quick ten point lead to start the second half.

Robinson picked up 11 yards on the first play of Saint James' opening second half possession, but they could not advance much further.  On the next drive, Booker picked up part of his 174 receiving yards on the evening on a 24 yard catch, and several plays later Cunningham found yet another receiver, Steven Hodges, open on the opposite side of the field for a 34 yard touchdown.  Lane's kick gave Park Crossing a seemingly safe 24 - 7 lead midway through the third quarter on what would be the final score of the game.   On the next drive, Melendez tossed a pass over the middle which was double deflected but caught by Trojan Atchison Hubbard for a 33 yard pick up, and on the next play Jalen Harris caught a nice 17 yard pass over the middle giving the Trojans first down at the Thunderbird 23.  On third down, Melendez tried to connect with Harris in the endzone, but the pass was intercepted by Kavaris Thomas at the seven yard line and he headed toward the sidelines where a hole opened up and he maneuvered through and around potential tacklers on his way to what appeared to be a 93 yard touchdown return.  However, the hole had opened up via an illegal block in the back, and the touchdown and a majority of the return yardage was negated, but the last real scoring chance for Saint James had failed.

On the next Saint James possession, Robinson picked up 17 yards on a nifty screen pass on the final play of the third quarter.  However, two plays later, another interception stopped a Trojan drive near midfield.  After a holding penalty several plays later, Hodges caught a 30 yard pass on third down and long to convert, and Park Crossing was nearing the Trojan red zone.  On third down, for one of the few plays on this evening, the Trojans pressured Cunningham into throwing a hasty and wobbly pass which was intercepted by Coleman Taylor to thwart a potential scoring drive.  Dozier Dean picked up 18 yards on a toss from Melendez, and quarterback compadre Connor Collier, nursing a minor injury, picked up 12 on a carry.  A personal foul penalty after the next play gave the Trojans the ball at the Park Crossing 34, but four plays could not make up 10 yards and the Thunderbirds took over possession with nearly 7½ minutes still remaining on the clock.  They managed to nurse the entire remainder of the clock with various running backs and their own benefit of a personal foul face mask penalty.  Upon reaching the Saint James 10, Park Crossing merely opted for the victory formation and sealed their third win in five opportunities in their first season of varsity competition.  The Trojans meanwhile would have to shake off the loss as they would now return to region play and defend their co-first place standing at 3 - 0 as the longest road trip of the regular season loomed, a journey to Headland the following week.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME FIVE

 SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   35 attempts   102 yards   1 TD   (2.91 yards per carry)

                                1   Robinson        21 / 83  (1 TD)    12   Collier          4 / 19
                                2   Melendez          8 /   0                   6   McCoy         2 /  0

                              PASSING   9 completions  19 attempts  2 INTs  122 yards  0 TDs

                                2   Melendez        8 - 15 - 2    120 yards        
                              12   Collier             1 -   4 - 0       2 yards

                              RECEIVING

                              10   Dean                 4 / 24                 43   Harris            2 / 24            15    Hubbard            1 / 33
                                9   Powell              1 / 24                   1   Robinson       1 / 17

                              TOTAL YARDS:  224

                              KICKS:      XP  1 / 1      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:   2  (55,45)                             PUNTS:  5  (24,27,29,38,31)
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (18,28,22)                   PUNT RETURNS:   0
                              FIRST DOWNS:   16   (10 rushing, 5 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   3 / 11
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:   - 1
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (0)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   3 / 16
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  23:46

PARK CROSSING  RUSHING    45 attempts  103 yards  0 TDs  (2.29 yards per carry)
                              PASSING       15 completions  24 attempts  334 yards  (school opponent record)  1 INT  3 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  437

                              KICKS:      XP  3 / 3      FG   1 / 1   (39 made)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (EZ,46,57,43)                 PUNTS:  4  (22,28,34,25)
                              KO RETURNS:  2  (20,13)                      PUNT RETURNS:  2  (0,0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  16  (7 rushing, 8 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   6 / 15
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  1, lost 0
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (24,2)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  10 / 91 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  24:14

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