2016 - GAME 2

  Montgomery Academy 21, Saint James 12   
M A         0       0     15       6          21
 
STJ          0     12       0       0          12
SCORING SUMMARY

STJ   (2)    9:23   Underwood 3 run                                                (kick failed)    6 -  0
STJ   (2)    0:33   Cherry 8 pass from Garnett                                (run failed)  12 -  0
M A  (3)    8:22   Paymon 2 run                                                     (kick failed)   12 -  6
M A  (3)    2:03   Safety, punt blocked out of endzone                                        12 -  8
M A  (3)    0:46   Doh 38 run                                               (Westhauser kick)   12 - 15
M A  (4)    9:06   Meacham 12 pass from Lindsey                       (kick failed)   12 - 21
August 26, 2016  Carlisle Field.  Game Conditions:  Mostly clear, hot   Game Temperature:  88  Wind:  Negligble
 

The Saint James defense extended its scoreless streak to six quarters during the first half thanks in part to some excellent red zone stops, but lack of offense and crucial special teams errors led directly to second half Montgomery Academy points as the Trojans lost their home openter to the visiting Eagles 21 - 12.

The Trojans, unlike the previous week, failed to net positive yards on their first drive of the game.  A punt gave the Eagles good field position at their own 44 and they used up almost the entire nearly 8 minutes on their opening drive, almost exclusively on the legs of Keefe White.  Montgomery Academy converted two fourth downs into first downs on the drive, but upon reaching the Trojan 20, a third try at conversion was unsuccessful as a Trey Lindsey pass fell incomplete and Saint James took over.

This time the Trojans would drive 80 yards for the first score of the game.  T.R. Robertson caught a 13 yard pass and Blake Underwood ran for 11 yards, both earning first downs, before the end of a scoreless first quarter.  Robertson was the recipient again on the first play of the second quarter of a 37 yard pass from Josh Garnett, setting up Saint James at the Eagle 13.  After a short Underwood run, the teams traded dead ball five yard penalties, and then Underwood broke loose down to the 1 yard line on a gain.  After yet another false start penalty by the Trojans, two consecutive runs of three yards by Underwood had Saint James in the endzone.  The extra point attempt failed, but Saint James had a 6 - 0 lead early in the second quarter.

Montgomery Academy's next drive was bolstered by two major distance Trojan penalties, an unsportsmanlike conduct foul and a defensive pass interference penalty, and the Eagles were quickly nearing scoring territory again.  However, once reaching the 20 yard line once more, Saint James would hold on fourth down, as a Keefe run was stopped in the backfield for a yard loss.

With 4:40 remaining in the half, the Trojans wisely used up over four minutes of clock, this time to travel 79 yards for their second touchdown of the game.  A 31 yard carry by Tony Amerson was the highlight of the drive, moving the ball down to the MA 32.  On the next play, Wes Cherry was lucky to recover a forward fumble by Underwood, picking up 5 extra yards in the process.  Four plays later, he was rewarded with an 8 yard touchdown toss in the near corner of the endzone from Garnett for a second score.  A two point conversion run was attempted, but Underwood was stopped behind the line of scrimmage in trying.  However, Saint James had doubled their lead to 12 - 0 in the waning moments of the second quarter.

The Eagles merely ran out the clock to end the half, which featured a moving ceremony for the recently deceased John Tatum, who had coached and taught at Montgomery Academy for several decades before moving to Saint James to become high school principal for several years.  Players and choirs from both schools joined the Saint James band in musical tribute after comments from Saint James head of school Larry McLemore, STJ athletic director Gerry Browning, and MA athletic director Anthony McCall among others before the Trojan band entertained with part of their 2016 program.

MA returned the second half kickoff to their own 29 yard line, and proceeded to march smartly down the field 71 yards for their first score of the evening and the first points allowed by Saint James in over seven quarters.  A Lindsey pass down the middle to a wide open Landon Crane for 56 yards gave the Eagles a first down at the Trojan 5.  It took three plays,. but finally former Trojan C.J. Paymon cashed in with a two yard touchdown run.  The extra point attempt was wide, but the Eagles had quickly cut the Trojan lead in half, at 12 - 6.

An out of bounds kickoff game the Trojans good field position at their own 35, but on fourth and 1 from the 44, Underwood was gang tackled in the backfield on risky fourth down attempt, giving the Eagles wonderful field position at the Saint James 38.  White galloped for two plays later, but the Trojan defense would hold yet again in the red zone as a White run on fourth down and four came up about four feet short, and Saint James took over deep in their own territory at their own 9 yard line.  Three plays gained only seven yards, and the Eagles sent everyone after a Garnett punt which was blocked and, fortunately for Saint James, went through the back of the endzone.  A confused referee called a touchback, but everyone on both sides of the field knew the play resulted in a safety, two points for the Eagles, and a free kick from the 20 yard line from Saint James with still 14 minutes remaining in the game.

White returned the free kickoff to the 50 yard line, but was injured on the play and came out for a while.  This gave Lindsey a chance to convert a 16 yard pass to Nate Meacham for a quick first down.  After a loss and an incomplete pass, MA shocked most everyone on the Trojan defense with a conservative counter draw play to the fresh legs of Kevin Doh on third down and fourteen.  He burst through several tacklers and could not be caught by a pass-expecting secondary as he vaulted 38 yards for the Eagles' second touchdown.  This time the extra point by Brad Westhauser was good, and Saint James trailed for the first time all season, down to MA 15 - 12, with still time remaining in the third period.

Saint James again failed to make any headway, and another crucial special teams mistake occurred when the snap back to punter to Garnett went through his legs.  He managed to recover the football himself, but all the way down at the Trojan 17 setting up the Eagles with even better field position than before.  On third down and 5, Lindsey targeted the wide open option of Nate Meacham in the endzone and found him for a 12 yard touchdown catch.  After a 5 yard penalty, the extra point again was wide, but the MA lead was now a two possession one, at 21 - 12.

A short kickoff was returned to the Trojan 40, and Robertson converted one first down with a 12 yard catch on third and 10.  However, two consecutive losses afterwards forced a Trojan punt, and the Eagles merely ran clock in a fast moving fourth quarter.  Saint James would get one more possession with about 3½ minutes remaining, and Wes Cherry converted one first down with a 16 yard catch, but losses afterwards led to a desperation fourth down pass which fell well incomplete, and the Eagles had to only run two kneeldowns to clinch their second straight victory over Saint James, albeit in a four season interval.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TWO

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   32 attempts   67 yards   1 TD   (2.09 yards per carry)

                              21   Amerson               5 / 50            1   Underwood       14 / 46  (1 TD)        15   Atchison           1 /    6
                              23   S. Sadie                 2 /  0             5   Duncan               1 / - 4                     14   Garnett             4 / - 31

                              PASSING      7 completions  13 attempts  0 INTs  102 yards  1 TD

                              14   Garnett               7 - 13 - 0       102 yards      1 TD

                              RECEIVING

                              12   Robertson             3 / 62          16   Cherry                 3 / 33  (1 TD)          5   Duncan               1 /   7

                              TOTAL YARDS:  169

                              KICKS:      XP  0 / 1      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (48,53,48,fk48)                     PUNTS:  4  (31,bk-16,40)
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (2,14,11)                          PUNT RETURNS:   0
                              FIRST DOWNS:   10   (6 rushing, 4 passing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   2 / 8
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  1, lost 0                     
                              FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (5)
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  0
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   6 / 50 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  22:57

MONT ACAD        RUSHING    43 attempts  120 yards  2 TDs  (2.79 yards per carry)
                              PASSING       5 completions  9 attempts  0 INTs   100 yards  1 TD
                              TOTAL YARDS:  220

                              KICKS:      XP  1 / 3      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (37,OB,39,31)                    PUNTS:  1  (38)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (17,19,17,18)                PUNT RETURNS:  0
                              FIRST DOWNS:  12  (6 rushing, 4 passing, 2 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  4 / 10
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  3 / 5
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  2 / 10 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  25:03

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