2016 - GAME 3

  SAINT JAMES 35, Catholic 7    
CAT         7       0       0       0            7
 
STJ          0     14       7     14          35
SCORING SUMMARY

CAT  (1)    1:45   Ferrall 1 run                                                     (Davis kick)     0 - 7
STJ   (2)    9:10   Harrison 3 yard blocked punt return              (Kim kick)     7 - 7
STJ   (2)    3:45   Underwood 4 run                                               (Kim kick)   14 - 7
STJ   (3)    8:00   S. Sadie 30 pass from J. Garnett                      (Kim kick)   21 - 7
STJ   (4)    9:05   Underwood 31 run                                             (Kim kick)   28 - 7
STJ   (4)    8:40   Jones 42 interception return                             (Kim kick)   35 - 7
September 2, 2016  Carlisle Field.  Game Conditions:  Partly cloudy  Game Temperature:  87  Wind:  NNE 5
 

Saint James shook off the doldrums from the second half of last week's game, overcame an early score, and used special teams and turnovers to their huge advantage as the Trojans started off the 2016 4A Region 2 season with an impressive 35 - 7 victory over the Catholic Knights, picked by many as the favorite to win the region this season.

For the third straight game this season the Trojans won the coin toss and received the opening kickoff.  Blake Underwood responded with the longest return of the year, 57 yards, setting Saint James up in great field position at the Catholic 37.  The Trojans went for a touchdown on the first play as Josh Garnett sought out Atchison Hubbard in the endzone, but they could not connect.  Several plays later, Underwood was stopped a yard short on fourth down, and the Knights took over at their own 28.  Hunter Ferrall completed several passes in the opening drive, including a 31 yarder to Trey Downes which turned around the field, and suddenly Catholic was threatening to score.  However, a loss and a delay of game penalty forced the Knights to punt and pin Saint James deep at its own 6 yard line.  Again Saint James failed to convert a first down, and would not do so until midway through the second quarter.  A short punt was downed at the Trojan 36, and it took Catholic only seven plays to travel the needed yardage for the first touchdown of the game.  Catholic was lucky to recover a fumble at the 8 on first and goal.  Two plays later, Ferrall called his own number on a quarterback sneak from the 1 and pushed bodies into the endzone for a Knight touchdown.  Josh Davis kicked the extra point, and the Knights were up 7 - 0 late in the first quarter.

Few thought those would be the last points scored by Catholic on this night.  The Trojans were lucky to recover their own fumble at the end of the ensuing kickoff return, but a holding penalty and a sack led to yet another Trojan punt early in the second quarter.  Catholic had good field position again at their own 46.  However, on first down the ball was snapped past quarterback Ferrall and he fell on the ball 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage.  A sack and a short pass completion only netted four yards in the next two plays, and the Trojan punt block was called for.  Davis' punt was not only blocked by Josh Harrison, but he picked up the loose ball at the Knight 3 and carried in to the endzone for a Trojan touchdown.  Jin Kim's extra point, his first of five on the evening, quickly tied the game at 7 still early in the second quarter.

The Knights were still reeling after the quick score, and Saint James audibled into an onside kick with Kim executed with great skill.  The ball traveled about 15 yards and several players for both teams had a touch, but it was Kim the kicker himself who fell on the ball and Saint James was back in business at the Knight 44.  The Trojans finally picked up their initial first down of the game as Underwood ran for 7 yards on fourth down and 2.  A pair of short passes from Garnett to T.R. Robertson gained five yards each, and Underwood and Tony Amerson basically alternated runs down the field.  On the tenth play of the drive, Underwood took the handoff up the middle for a four yard touchdown.  Kim's kick gave the Trojans a 14 - 7 lead with under four minutes remaining until halftime. 

Catholic threatened to tie up the score before halftime.  Ferrall completed 4 of 6 passes and the Trojans helped out with back to back encroachment penalties.  However, on fourth and 7 from the Trojan 18, a Ferrall pass was intercepted in the endzone by Amerson and Saint James elected to run out the clock maintaining their precious touchdown lead.

The Knights had some momentum after the second half kickoff and a 19 yard catch and run from Ferrall to David Poole.  However, on the next play a Poole carry up the middle went awry as the ball was knocked loose and fallen upon by Saint James.  The Trojan offensive line began creating some holes as Underwood ran twice for 10 yards, Amerson ran once for 10 yards, and Stephen Sadie ran once for 11 yards giving the Trojans a first down on the Knight 30.  Two receivers were single covered on the next play as Catholic may have expected more pounding running.  However, Garnett sent Stephen Sadie on a post pattern and perfectly executed the throw for a 30 yard touchdown.  Kim's extra point gave Saint James a two touchdown lead.

Catholic was stuffed on their next possession, and a Shaw Woodson punt return of 13 yards gave Saint James possession in Knights territory yet again.  Underwood picked up 5 and 22 yards on his first two carries, but a holding penalty several plays later stalled the drive, and a fourth down desperation pass fell incomplete, returning possession to Catholic.  The Knights benefited by a Trojan personal foul penalty, but on the next play a costly holding penalty netting a minus 16 yards cancelled out the gain.  Another good Woodson punt return of 12 yards gave Saint James the ball on their own 40 just as the fourth quarter was about to start.  Both Underwood and Sadie converted third downs with nice runs, and then Underwood broke through the middle of the Knight line and dashed almost untouched into the endzone for a 31 yard touchdown run.  Kim's extra point left most Trojans fans confident a three touchdown lead would be enough to hold with just over 9 minutes remaining.

The lead increased on the next offensive play as a Ferrall pass was well read and intercepted by Sterling Jones at the Knight 42.  With some momentum and a semi-convoy of blockers, Jones was able to dive through potential tacklers inside the five yard line into the endzone for a defensive touchdown.  The Kim kick ended the scoring at 35  - 7.

The Knights threatened to score once more, mostly on the legs of quarterback Ferrall who ran for a 31 yard gain.  However, on fourth down from the Trojan 30, Ferrall threw his third interception of the night, this one caught by Collin Duncan just outside of the endzone.  Saint James moved from their 1 out to only their own 32, but used up half of the fourth quarter doing so.  By now, both teams were substituting liberally.  A shank punt gave Catholic a chance to score in the last minute, but their second string offense never really threatened and they simply ran out the clock allowing the Trojans to celebrate, if not an unexpected, but perhaps an unexpectedly comfortable victory and a great start in their 2016 region race.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME THREE

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   43 attempts   209 yards   2 TDs   (4.86 yards per carry)

                                1   Underwood       22 / 156  (2 TDs)        23   Sadie              9 / 37         21   Amerson         7 / 32
                              13   Kim                     1 /  - 3                       14   Garnett          4 / - 13

                              PASSING      4 completions  6 attempts  0 INTs  49 yards  1 TD

                              14   Garnett               4 - 6 - 0       49 yards      1 TD

                              RECEIVING

                              23   Sadie                  1 / 30  (TD)              12   Robertson       2 / 10        16   Cherry               1 / 9

                              TOTAL YARDS:  258

                              KICKS:      XP  5 / 5      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  6  (16,47,39,EZ,51,OB)             PUNTS:  3  (23,27,14)
                              KO RETURNS:  2  (57,13)                            PUNT RETURNS:   2  (13,12)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   12   (11 rushing, 1 passing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 7
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 3
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (0,42TD,0)
                              FUMBLES:  1, lost 0                     
                              BLOCKED KICK RETURNS:  1  (3TD)
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 4
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  21
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   7 / 61 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  28:18

CATHOLIC            RUSHING    23 attempts  45 yards  1 TD  (1.96 yards per carry)
                              PASSING     14 completions  22 attempts  3 INTs   119 yards
                              TOTAL YARDS:  164

                              KICKS:      XP  1 / 1      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  2  (54,40)                                PUNTS:  4  (40,bk-27,37,46)
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (18,17,24)                      PUNT RETURNS:  0
                              FIRST DOWNS:  10  (4 rushing, 5 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  2 / 9
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  1, lost 1
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  3 / 26 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  19:42

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