2016 -
GAME 10
SAINT JAMES 33, @ Trinity 21 
TPS
0 7
7 7
21
SCORING SUMMARY
STJ (1) 10:58 S. Sadie 65
run
(Kim kick) 7 - 0
STJ (1) 5:06 Garnett 1
run
(Kim kick) 14 - 0
TPS (2) 10:29 Kelly 2 run
(Cowart kick) 14 -
7
TPS (3) 8:31 Kelly 1
run
(Cowart kick) 14 - 14
STJ (3) 3:46 Underwood 9
run
(Kim kick) 21 - 14
STJ (3) 1:37 Amerson 29
run
(kick failed) 27 - 14
TPS (4) 11:51 Trotman 36
run
(Cowart
kick) 27 - 21
STJ (4) 5:03 Duncan 52
interception return
(run
failed) 33 - 21
October 21, 2016. Boykin Field. Game
Conditions: Clear, cool, breezy Game
Temperature: 63 Wind: NW 5-10
Finally, after 10 years, Saint James managed to find a way to
shake off some demons and equal their best ever regular season
record at 9 - 1 as the Trojans traveled to Boykin Field and
defeated the homestanding Trinity Wildcats 33 - 21 to complete a 6
- 0 region record. Four different Trojans scored on running
touchdowns, but it was the defense of Colin Duncan which would
have certainly earned him player of the game with his three
interceptions, the third being returned for a 52 yard touchdown to
seal the victory.
Despite losing the coin toss, Saint James earned the first
possession via a Trinity deferment. The first two offensive
plays were not productive - a minimal gain on a sweep and a deep
pass which fell incomplete. However, on third down, Stephen
Sadie took a rare handoff and found an uncommon hole in the
Trinity defensive line and was quickly into the secondary.
By the time the defenders had what looked to be a tackling angle,
Sadie was past them and raced 65 yards for a touchdown. Jin
Kim's extra point gave the Trojans a 7 - 0 lead just 62 seconds
into the ballgame.
Saint James maintained momentum as Colin Duncan intercepted his
first of three passes on the night on the Wildcats' third play
from scrimmage, and Saint James once again drove the length of the
field, this time 52 yards. Quarterback Josh Garnett
converted a key fourth down on a keeper, and Tony Amerson and
Blake Underwood - Saint James' dual-headed rushing monster - kept
piling up the yards. Garnett, again on a keeper, scored from
one yard out. Kim's extra point doubled the Trojan lead to
14 - 0 with still over five minutes remaining in the opening
quarter.
Trinity moved into Trojan territory on their next drive, but once
again Duncan intercepted a deep pass from Charlie Trotman, and
Saint James started their third drive from their own 9 yard
line. Strange things began happening. Amerson picked
up five yards on the first down carry. An illegal motion
penalty was called on the following play. The penalty was
marked off, and then suddenly was marked off again despite howls
of dismay from the Trojan sideline. For whatever reason, the
officials seem to have forgotten the 5 yard running play, and
marked the yardage off from the drive beginning line of scrimmage,
which moved the ball back to the 4 yard line instead of the
correct 9. The following two plays did not approach the
first down marker, and on the last play of the first quarter,
despite a significant tailwind, the first Trojan punt of the game
was shanked and went out of bounds at the 30 yard line, giving
Trinity excellent field position.
On third down from the Trojan 28, a long pass was lofted toward
the far sidelines from Trotman to James Wilder just short of the
goal line. Everyone could tell the ball had been caught, but
not whether he had been in bounds or not. One of the
referees responsible for the play was out of place, and both
involved watched to ensure the catch was made, not the placement
of the feet. No call was made for several seconds, but
credit for the catch was given. In the confusion, Bryce
Kelly took the handoff and easily walked into the endzone from 2
yards out. Ben Cowart's extra point quickly cut the Trojan
lead in half early in the second quarter.
Each team had a long drive following, although there was no more
first half scoring. A dubious chop block was called on a
Trojan pass play which picked up almost 20 yards, leading to their
punt, and Trinity was stopped just across midfield before punting
to pin the Trojans. A face mask penalty at the end of the
return gave Saint James some thought of trying for a late score,
but consecutive false start penalties ended that conversation as
soon as it started, and Saint James would be content taking its 14
- 7 lead into halftime.
The Wildcats moved down the field masterfully to start the third
quarter on a drive of 75 yards. Kelly was the workhorse, but
Wilder picked up 15 yards on a reverse play and Luke Hufham, on a
rare carry, broke loose for a 42 yard scamper down to the Trojan 3
yard line. Two plays later, Kelly scored from less than a
yard out and Cowart's kick had tied the game at 14 early in the
third quarter.
Saint James responded almost immediately, driving 67 yards
themselves for a go-ahead score. Garnett converted another
crucial fourth down play with a quarterback keeper, and then found
Colin Duncan, the defensive hero, on the waiting end of a 20 yard
catch and run down to the Wildcat 35. A 12 yard run by
Underwood and a 9 yard keeper by Garnett on a planned pass play
put the ball in the Trinity red zone, and three consecutive
Underwood carries, the third from 9 yards out, put the Trojans in
front to stay after Kim's extra point gave the Trojans their 7
point lead back.
The Trojans would increase that lead little more than two game
minutes later. T.R. Robinson intercepted a Trotman pass at
the Wildcat 42. Two plays later, Amerson found another rare
hole up the middle and charged 29 yards for a touchdown. The
extra point was missed, but Saint James was up 27 - 14 with still
time remaining in the third quarter. It may have provided
the incentive Trinity needed as they scored quickly on a five play
drive. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Trotman,
for the second time in the drive, declined a pass option and kept
the ball, this time turning the corner and outracing Trojan
pursuers 36 yards for a touchdown. Cowart's extra point cut
the lead back to 6, and no doubt the Trojan sidelines faced
concerns.
Moreso after the next drive was a three and out, partially because
of an untimely delay of game penalty. However, after a
decent into the wind punt, Trinity was stopped and opted to punt
back themselves on fourth and four despite being in Trojan
territory. The strategy seemed to work as the Wildcat
defense held Saint James to another three and out, although
valuable time was being run off the clock. An even better
into the wind punt rolled dead at the Wildcat 27. After no
gain on first down, Trotman fired a pass to the far
sidelines. Duncan darted in front of the pass for his third
interception of the night, the fourth overall, and made his way
down the sidelines. He wiggled his way through three
potential tacklers at about the 40 yard line, and then broke into
ihgher gear, screeching down the sidelines to complete a 52 yard
pick six touchdown. After celebration, a two point run
attempt came up just short, but Saint James had victory in their
sight with a 12 point lead with just over 5 minutes remaining.
A 10 yard sack of Trotman on first down was almost overcome by
gained yardage on the next two plays, but on fourth and 11 Trinity
opted to punt with the wind and hopefully pin the Trojans.
However, this punt was shanked and went out of bounds at the Saint
James 41 with still 3½ minutes on the clock. However, a
first down gain of 14 by Underwood and a 26 yard run by Amerson
several plays later changed field position, and Saint James was
allowed to run out the clock to celebrate their undefeated
regional season, a tie for their best regular season ever at 9 -
1, and above all, the end of the 10 year domination by their
near-cross-town rival. Saint James prepared for a week off
before the start of the 2016 playoffs were to begin.
SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TEN
SAINT
JAMES RUSHING 47 attempts
314 yards 4 TDs
(6.68 yards per carry)
21 Amerson
15 / 124 (1
TD) 1
Underwood
24 / 105 (1 TD)
23
Sadie
2 / 69 (1 TD)
14
Garnett
5 / 15 (1 TD)
4
Woodson
1 / 1
PASSING
2 completions 5 attempts 0 INTs 27 yards
0 TDs
14
Garnett
2 - 5 - 0 27 yards
RECEIVING
5
Duncan 1
/ 20
1
Underwood
1 / 7
TOTAL
YARDS: 341
KICKS: XP 3 / 5
FG 0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
KICKOFFS: 6
(53,52,34,36,OB,49)
PUNTS: 4 (22,24,34,38)
KO RETURNS: 4 (14,9,17,10)
PUNT
RETURNS: 1 (5)
FIRST
DOWNS: 15 (14 rushing, 1 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 4 / 11
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 2
FUMBLES: 0
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 4 (0,0,0,52TD)
TURNOVER
MARGIN: + 4
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 20
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 7 / 50 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 29:12
TRINITY
RUSHING 34 attempts 201 yards 3
TDs (5.91 yards per carry)
PASSING
5 completions 11 attempts 4 INTs 46 yards 0 TDs
TOTAL
YARDS: 247
KICKS: XP 3 / 3
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 4
(40,39,44,34)
PUNTS: 3
(36,16,29)
KO
RETURNS: 5 (15,16,-1,12,20)
PUNT RETURNS:
2 (0,18)
FIRST
DOWNS: 12 (9 rushing, 3 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 6 / 11
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
FUMBLES:
0
ACCEPTED
PENALTIES: 2 / 20 yards
TIME OF
POSSESSION: 18:38
RETURN TO THE SAINT JAMES 2016 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE