2015 - GAME 2

Elmore County 24, Saint James 17
E C           0       7       7     10        24
 
STJ           0     10       7       0        17
SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ   (2)   5:45   Oswalt 40 pass from Collier                   (Taylor kick)        7 -   0
E C   (2)   0:20   Cook 33 pass from Venable               (Stockman kick)        7 -   7
STJ   (2)   0:00   Taylor 31 FG                                                                        10 -   7
STJ   (3)   5:03   Underwood 4 run                                    (Taylor kick)      17 -   7
E  C  (3)   4:46   Floyd 76 run                                       (Stockman kick)      17 - 14
E  C  (4)   5:39   Stockman 32 FG                                                                  17 - 17
E  C  (4)   2:41   Cook 51 pass from Venable              (Stockman kick)      17 - 24

August 28, 2015.  Carlisle Field.  Game Conditions:  Cloudy, breezy, cool, minimal humidity   Game Temperature:  82  Wind E  10 - 15 mph
 

Saint James could not overcome turnovers, crucial dropped passes, and several big touchdown passes by the opponents as the Elmore County Panthers came to Montgomery and surprised the Trojans 24 - 17 in the official 2015 season home opener.

As was the case from the previous week, Saint James earned the first possession after the opponents won the coin toss and deferred.  Blake Underwood delivered the longest kickoff return of the year thus far, a 48 yarder, putting the ball on the Elmore County 48 yard line.  Mostly on the legs of Underwood and Christian Barkley, the Trojans earned two first downs but a costly holding penalty stalled the drive, and a punt forced the Panthers back to start on their own six yard line.  After one first down, a punt gave possession back to Saint James at their own 38.  After a first down, a penalty and a sack slowed yet another drive, and punter Connor Collier pinned Elmore County back again with a punt to the nine yard line.

Several plays into the second quarter and several first downs later, the Panthers were faced with a fourth and three from the Saint James 38, but failed to convert.   Underwood earned two first downs, moving the ball back into Panther territory, before yet another penalty pushed the Trojans backwards.   This time, however, Saint James would overcome the error.  A 13 yard run by Barkley more than erased the penalty yardage, and, similar to a previously unsuccessful play, Collier lifted the ball downfield on a post pattern and found Caton Oswalt among two defenders where he made the catch at the goal line and fell into the endzone for a 40 yard touchdown.  McKay Taylor's extra point finally broke the scoring drought midway through the second quarter.

A roughing the passer penalty on the touchdown made it easy for Taylor to boom his kickoff into the endzone.  The Panthers were stopped without a first down, and a semishanked punt went out of bounds inside Trojan territory.  Underwood on first down picked up his largest carry of the season thus far, 22 yards, moving the ball to the Panther 27.  However, two plays later, a chop block penalty negated a completed pass, and on the following play, a Collier pass was intercepted by Neal Cook and returned just into Trojan territory at the 49 yard line.  A holding penalty eventually led to a punt, but the potential return was muffed and Elmore County fell on the loose ball at the Saint James 39.  Three plays netted four yards, and on fourth down the Panthers were successful as Will Venable lofted a pass to Cook down the far sidelines.  He outraced his defender for a 33 yard catch and run touchdown.  Josh Stockman's extra point tied the game at 7 with only 20 seconds remaining, and it appeared the game would go into halftime deadlocked.

A pooch kickoff was fielded by Barkley at the Trojan 35 yard line.  Before the first play could be snapped, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Elmore County.  This moved the ball to midfield.  As a discussion was ongoing, yet another flag was thrown and a sideline ejection took place.  This second penalty suddenly gave Saint James a chance to score at the Panther 35 yard line.  A short pass from Collier to Dozier Dean took up nearly 10 seconds before a timeout was called.  On the next play, Collier found Ivan Villageois over the middle at the Panther 14.  He caught the ball but almost did not get down to the ground on time as tacklers working against each other held him up.  Saint James did have a timeout left, and on the last play of the half, Taylor was called in to attempt a 31 yard field goal, which he converted, and the Trojans had an unexpected 10 - 7 lead at the halftime break.

The Panthers were pinned deep early after a short kickoff return.  Venable converted one first down, but after a delay of game penalty, Elmore County punted and the Trojans took over at midfield.  Underwood carried four consecutive times, for 11, 1, 2, and 2 yards.  On fourth down from the Panther 34, the Trojans set up in punt formation but Wes Cherry was basically uncovered on the near sideline and Collier whipped a pass to him for a 22 yard gain down to the 12.  Underwood carried three more times in a row, the third carry for four yards and his second touchdown of the season.  Taylor's extra point gave Saint James what seemed to be a more comfortable 10 point lead at 17 - 7.

It would not last long at all.  Kell Floyd returned the ensuing kickoff 14 yards to the Panther 24, and on the first play he took a direct snap from center, found a hole on the right side he could run through, and turned on the afterburners as he easily outraced all available Trojan pursuers for a 76 yard touchdown run.  Stockman's kick quickly cut the lead back to three midway through the third quarter.

After an out of bounds kickoff, Saint James took over at their own 35 and four plays later were down to the Panther 38.  Penalties on consecutive plays pushed the Trojans back into their own territory, but Barkley runs of 9 and 13 gave the Trojans a shot on fourth down from the 34.  However, a fourth down pass was incomplete and the Panthers took over possession.  The teams then traded punts as the clock turned over to the fourth quarter, with Elmore County taking over on their own 23 yard line.  A deep pass from Venable to Floyd of 35 yards, plus a roughing the passer penalty, turned the field around for Elmore County.  A defensive holding penalty several plays later gave the Panthers first down and threatening at the Trojan 19.  Elmore County could only pick up three yards on four plays, but Josh Stockman was called in to attempt a 32 yard field goal, which he converted, and suddenly the game was tied at 17 with just under six minutes remaining on the clock.

Underwood returned a short kickoff to the Trojan 41, and two plays later Collier scrambled for 14 yards and a first down at the Panther 41.  After a one yard run, however, disaster struck as an attempted screen pass to Underwood was tipped and fell into the hands of Corey Boothe, who returned the ball to the Panther 46.  Two plays later, Venable searched for and found Floyd open on the far sidelines beyond Trojan defenders for a 51 yard catch and run touchdown, and Stockton's extra point gave Elmore County their first lead of the season at 24 - 17 with just under three minutes remaining in regulation.

A pooch kickoff was safely knocked out of bounds at the Trojan 25, and Cherry caught a sideline pass for 11 yards on first down to get a potential game-tying or winning drive going.  However, on the next play Collier was sacked and was nicked, requiring him to leave the game.  Villageois came in to try and lead the Trojans to another first down for two plays while Collier was recuperating and catching his breath, but a penalty and a four yard gain gave Colllier two chances.  However, both passes ended up incomplete, and Elmore County took over on downs where they ran out the clock on a surprise victory to many, and the Trojans off to an 0 - 2 start before the start of region play.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TWO

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   41 attempts   177 yards   1 TD   (4.32 yards per carry)

                                1   Underwood            28 / 140  (1 TD)      34   Barkley                7 / 19
                              12   Collier                      5 /  14                      8   Villageois             1 /  4

                              PASSING   7 completions  15 attempts  1 INT  106 yards  1 TD

                              12   Collier                     7 - 15 - 0     106 yards    (1 TD)

                              RECEIVING

                              82   Oswalt                     1 / 40  (TD)           16   Cherry                 2 / 33
                                8   Villageois                2 / 23                     10   Dean                    2 / 10

                              TOTAL YARDS:  283

                              KICKS:      XP  2 / 2      FG   1 / 1   (31 made)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  3  (45EZ,59,50)                    PUNTS:  3  (27,35,45)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (48,0,18,0)                  PUNT RETURNS:   2  (0fc,0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   15  (9 rushing, 5 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   3 / 10
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  2 / 4
                              FUMBLES:  1, lost 1
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:   - 2
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   9 / 91
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:   25:38

ELMORE CO       RUSHING    34 attempts  134 yards  1 TDs  (3.94 yards per carry)
                              PASSING       7 completions  15 attempts  0 INT   146 yards  2 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  280

                              KICKS:      XP  3 / 3      FG   1 / 1  (32 made)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  5  (56,20,OB,42,35)            PUNTS:  5  (36,25,33,31,31)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (11,39,21,23)             PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  8  (5 rushing, 2 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  4 / 12
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (23,3)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  14
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  8 / 85
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  22:22

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