2015 - GAME 1

  Park Crossing 37, Saint James 14
STJ           0       0       7       7          14
 
P  C        14      23       0       0          37
SCORING SUMMARY

P  C   (1)    5:48    Scott 32 pass from Cunningham             (Lane kick)          0 -   7
P  C   (1)    1:43    Thomas 38 run                                          (Lane kick)          0 - 14
P  C   (2)  11:11    Cunningham 4 run                                    (Lane kick)          0 - 21
P  C   (2)    8:33    Lane 28 FG                                                                             0 - 24
P  C   (2)    3:14    Broadnax 1 run                                        (kick failed)          0 - 30
P  C   (2)    2:12    Tarver 28 pass from Douglas                   (Lane kick)          0 - 37
STJ   (3)    3:24    Underwood 1 run                                    (Taylor kick)          7 - 37
STJ   (4)    5:01    Collier 1 run                                            (Taylor kick)        14 - 37

August 21, 2015.  Carlisle Field, Park Crossing Home Team.  Game Conditions:  Cloudy, humid   Game Temperature:  88   Wind:  negligible
 

The 2015 football season for Saint James started off in an unpleasant way as they met a larger and deeper Park Crossing, playing its first ever game ever with true seniors, and the Thunderbirds scored six times in the first half on drives which all started in Saint James territory building up a huge halftime lead and cruising to a 37 - 14 victory in a home game for the Birds actually played at Carlisle Field.

Park Crossing deferred after winning the coin toss giving Saint James the first game possession.  The Trojans lost two yards on their possession and a punt gave the Thunderbirds the ball in Trojan territory at the 47 yard line.  Malik Cunningham tossed a fifteen yard pass to Steven Hodges on the first play.  After an incompletion and a penalty, a Cunningham pass was deflected and intercepted by James Walker at the 24 yard line.  The Trojans, who only managed one first down in the entire first half, could not earn one on this drive and another punt was downed at the Trojan 48.  This time the Thunderbirds would not be denied.  After a six yard pickup by Miles Broadnax, Hodges caught two short passes for a net of ten yards.  Two plays later, Cunningham found Tarrance Scott over the middle for a 32 yard catch and run for a touchdown.  Jake Lane converted the extra point and Park Crossing was up 7 - 0 midway through the first quarter.

After a pre-kickoff penalty and a decent return by Richard Williamson on a short kickoff, workhorse Blake Underwood converted the lone first half Trojan first down, giving them the ball at their own 46.  However, the next three plays only gained a total of six yards and another punt, although back inside the 10 yard line, was returned to just short of the 30.  Kavaris Thomas overcame a penalty with a 14 yard sweep along the far sideline.  Two plays later, Cunningham connected with Ladarian Fields, one of nine diferent receivers catching a Thunderbird pass, for 22 yards.  Two plays later, Thomas carried once again, this time for 38 yards just reaching the goal line before a valiant saving effort to prevent the second Park Crossing touchdown.  Lane's extra point doubled the lead to 14 late in the first quarter.

Saint James could not convert a first down, and on the opening play of the second quarter, a potential punt was blocked backwards and rolled out of bounds at the Trojan 6.  A Broadnax two yard carry and a Cunningham four yard quarterback scramble gave Park Crossing its third touchdown and Lane's extra point boosted the lead to 21 less than 13 minutes into the game.

Misplays in the kicking game cost the Trojans yet again on the next drive as punter Collier avoided a likely blocked punt by pulling down a snap and running desperately for a first down.  However, he could only reach the line of scrimmage and the Thunderbirds again had great field position at the Trojan 16.  The first play ended peculiarly.  Cunningham tossed a pass to Jahod Booker.  It appeared he would reach the endzone, but just short of the goal line he was tackled and flipped.  The ball came loose, dribbled into the endzone, appearing to possibly have gone out of bounds and then spun back into the endzone.  Booker fell back upon the loose ball and initially the play was ruled a touchdown, which would have been a one yard fumble advancement.  The officials discussed the play and with little signaling to the large Carlisle Field crowd (which occurred, or did not as the case may have been on several instances), the officials decided Booker had actually been downed just short of the goal line before the ball came loose, went out of bounds, or was fallen upon in the endzone.  A holding penalty on a quarterback sneak pushed the ball back to the 11, and three consecutive incomplete passes led to Jake Lane's attempt of a 28 yard field goal, which was good, and Park Crossing had met their scoring total of 24 in the previous game (2014) against the Trojans.

Kicking and returning issues struck the Thunderbirds as well.  After a successful Saint James punt, Kam Green fielded a punt just inside Trojan territory, but was hit and the ball came loose.  Players from both sides fell on the ball, and a Thunderbird picked the ball out of the crowd, but again no signals were made.  After each squad was waiting to see whether to put offense or defense on the field, another conference was held and the officials awarded the ball to Saint James at their own 47.  Three plays netted six yards, and on fourth down from the Park Crossing 47, Collier completed a pass to Atchison Hubbard which appeared to be close enough at least to measure for a first down, but after some more confusion the ball was marked short and Park Crossing took over on downs.  From their own 44, Kavaris Thomas took the handoff and broke through into the secondary.  He was tackled out of bounds just short of the goal line on the one, but Broadnax carried in on the next play.  Lane's extra point this time was wide, but the Thunderbirds had a safe 30 - 0 lead late in the second quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, a football which certainly appeared to be headed out of bounds seemed to die just inside the sidelines, and Park Crossing recovered their own impromptu "deep onside kickoff" at the Saint James 17.  Backup quarterback Tony Douglas had entered the game.  After a holding penalty, another strange play took place where a sizable gain by Thomas and a potential fumble recovered by Saint James was again discussed, and a "replay" was apparently called.  Again, coaches were informed but no signals were given to the confused crowd.  On the next play, Douglas lofted a 28 yard touchdown pass to Linell Tarver, and Lane's fourth extra point gave the Thunderbirds a 37 - 0 lead with just over two minutes remaining until halftime.  Saint James managed to run four plays and, with some beneficial holds on making the ball ready for play, ran out the halftime clock as well.

The Thunderbirds used primarily backups on their deep roster in the second half, and the Trojans fared considerably better, holding Park Crossing scoreless while picking up some points of their own.  The Thunderbirds had driven into Trojan territory, but a lost fumble gave Saint James the ball at their own 38 where they embarked on a time consuming 62 yard scoring drive of 15 plays, almost exclusively on the legs of Underwood and newcomer Christian Barkley.  Collier pitched in with a key first down, and on fourth down and six from the Park Crossing 10, a reverse play put the ball in Ivan Villageois' hands and legs.  He avoided tackles at the line of scrimmage and somehow managed to drag tacklers to the four yard line where the Trojans were granted yet another first down, their fifth of the drive after only one in the entire first half.   Two consecutive runs by Underwood, of 3 and 1 yards, put the Trojans in the endzone for the first time.  McKay Taylor's first career extra point cut the lead to 30. 

Saint James stopped quarterback Douglas for no gain on a fourth down just inside Trojan territory.  Into the fourth quarter, the Trojans got as far as the Thunderbird 33 before turning the ball over on downs themselves.  After three short gains, another crazy play occurred.  A snap back to the Park Crossing punter, the first attempt of the night, was bobbled and Trojans surrounded the loose ball.  However, Je'Saun Frazier managed to pick up the loose ball and heave it forward toward one of his lineman who had dropped back to help.  The lineman scooped up the ball and picked up significant yardage before being tackled short of the first down marker.   Another discussion ensued, and correctly the play was called simply as an "incomplete pass", as Frazier's heave toward the lineman, who would have been ineligible to catch the pass anyways, bounced at least once.   The ball was correctly returned to the original line of scrimmage, overruling a potential huge loss on the play, but the Trojans had possession.  On fourth down from the 35, Underwood broke loose through a tiring Thunderbird defense for 17 yards and a first down.  Yet another crazy play happened next.  Underwood took the handoff and was down to the 15 yard line when the ball was knocked loose.  Several players appeared to have a hand on the ball, but it bounced backwards to quarterback Collier.  He picked up the ball and found a running lane and was dropped just inches short of the goal line on a 14½ yard fumble advance.  Collier took the snap himself, having earned the right to, for the final foot or so for the second Trojan touchdown.  Taylor's second consecutive extra point ended the scoring at 37 - 14.

The Thunderbirds had a final scoring opportunity as Jaylon Langford broke loose for a 26 yard carry down to the Trojan 12.  Three consecutive incomplete passes led to yet a second 28 yard field goal attempt.  An offside penalty on the first attempt, which hit the crossbar, moved Park Crossing five yards closer.  However, the 23 yard attempt was blocked and the Trojans fell on the ball at their own 14.  With less than a minute remaining, the Trojans simply ran four simple plays to exhaust the clock as they would prepare for their next game, a legitimate home game against the Elmore County Panthers the following Friday night.



SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME ONE

 SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   51 attempts   145 yards   2 TDs   (2.84 yards per carry)

                                5   Underwood            29 / 111  (1 TD)       34   Barkley                 10 / 40          9   Hamilton            2 /  10
                                8   Villageois                 2 /    2                    27   Williamson              3 /  4         12   Collier               8 / -22  (1 TD)

                              PASSING   3 completions  7 attempts  0 INTs  4 yards  0 TDs

                              12   Collier             3 -  7 - 0       7  yards

                              RECEIVING

                                1   Underwood             1 / 3                        15   Hubbard                  1 / 3           10   Dean                    1 / 1

                              TOTAL YARDS:  152

                              KICKS:      XP  2 / 2      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:   3  (13,42,42)                         PUNTS:  5  (25,24,38,bk-19,32)
                              KO RETURNS:  7  (18,0,11,16,1,14,13)    PUNT RETURNS:   0
                              FIRST DOWNS:   11   (11 rushing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  2 / 13
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  2 / 5
                              FUMBLES:  3, lost 0
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 3
                              FUMBLE RETURNS/ADVANCES:  1  (11)
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (0)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  7
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   3 / 15
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  31:07

PARK CROSSING  RUSHING    25 attempts  159 yards  4 TDs  (6.36 yards per carry)
                              PASSING        12 completions  22 attempts  152 yards  1 INT  2 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  311

                              KICKS:      XP  4 / 5      FG   1 / 2   (28 made, 23 blocked)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  7  (44,40,49,46,49,43,46)      PUNTS:  0
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (9,25,19)                      PUNT RETURNS:  3  (0,19,0f)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  11  (5 rushing, 6 passing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   3 / 9
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  3, lost 2
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  6 / 40 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  16:53

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