2018 -
GAME 5
SAINT JAMES 27, Dadeville 14 
STJ
7 14
0 6
27
SCORING SUMMARY
STJ (1) 9:35 Amerson 3
run
(kick failed) 6 - 0
STJ (2) 10:10 Amerson 6
run
(Amerson run) 14 - 0
DAD (2) 9:52 Nelson 88 kickoff
return
(Holley run) 14 - 8
STJ (2) 6:33 Amerson 62
run
(Harrison kick) 21 - 8
DAD (3) 10:12 Nelson 52
run
(pass
failed) 21 - 14
STJ (4) 3:45
Amerson 41
run
(kick failed) 27 - 14
September 21, 2018
HOMECOMING @ Carlisle Field Game
Conditions: Variably cloudy Game
Temperature: 85 Wind: little if any
Tony Amerson continued his record-smashing
season by scoring 26 of Saint James' 27 points - 4 touchdowns and
a 2 point conversion run - but it was Bennett Blankenship who
turned in the defensive play of the year so far as his blitz,
quarterback sack, forced fumble, and recovered fumble prevented
Dadeville from threatening with a tying and or go-ahead score as
the Trojans celebrated Homecoming 2018 by shouting "Aloha!" in its
first ever meeting with the Tigers as they won 27 - 14.
As had been the case in the previous four games, the Trojans took
first possession and as had been the case more often than not, the
Trojans scored on their first possession. After Alex
Whisenhunt returned the kickoff to the 28 yard line, Tony Amerson
ripped off a 47 yard carry on first down. He followed up
with a 21 yard run on the next carry on his way to a 284 yard
rushing performance. A penalty, of which Saint James
committed a season high 10 on the evening, slowed the procession
but two plays later Amerson carried in from 3 yards out. Jan
Wachowitz, sidelined by an injury, was replaced in the place
kicking duties by Holt Harrison. His first extra point
attempt drifted wide, but the Trojans were up 6 - 0 early.
After a short kickoff and a quick first down by the Tigers, the
defense stiffened and forced an attempted punt. A bouncing
snap was fielded, and then dropped by the punter and fallen upon
by Saint James. A defensive pass interference penalty for a
first down was quickly offset by a holding penalty, but a 20 yard
pass completion from Colin Duncan to Michael Shalayda advanced the
ball to the Dadeville 22. A four yard pass completion on
fourth down was not enough to convert a fourth down, and the
Tigers took over. A running into the kicker penalty gave
Dadeville one first down, but they were still forced to punt as
the first quarter ended. On third down and 11 from their own
45, Duncan lofted a long pass which was pulled down by Gavin
Austin between two defenders at the Dadeville 6. On the next
play, Amerson found a hole up the middle for his second touchdown
of the game. His two point conversion picked up earlier
missed points and the Trojans were up by two touchdowns early in
the second quarter.
Not for long. For the second week in a row, the Trojans
allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown, this one on a nifty
change of direction by Christian Nelson, who reversed field at his
own 25 and beat pursuers to the sidelines as he raced for an 88
yard kickoff return touchdown. Javauntae Holley found a hole
and scored a two point conversion, and suddenly the lead was
closed to six.
It took Saint James only four plays to respond. After Duncan
made an amazing play on a quarterback scramble to avoid a
potential 20 yard loss, he handed the ball off to Amerson who
found a hole off right guard and managed to hold off defenders for
a 62 yard touchdown run. This time Harrison's kick was true,
and Saint James had regained their two touchdown lead at 21 -
8. Dadeville ate up most of the second quarter clock with a
13 play drive including penalties from both sides, but an
incompleted pass on fourth down from the Trojan 17 prevented
another second quarter score. Each team had possessions
before halftime, but neither team could convert a first down prior
to the clock expiring.
Shelby Craft was crowned as the 2018 Homecoming Queen in a
halftime promenade with her Court ceremony, giving players and
fans a chance to rehydrate, regroup, and relive days of past
before the start of the third quarter.
Dadeville took the second half kickoff and drove for a score even
more quickly than Saint James had to start the game. Nelson
returned the kickoff to the Tiger 29. On third down, Slade
McCullers lofted a pass to Thomas McKinley for 21 yards to the
Tiger 48. On the next play, Nelson parlayed his kickoff
return skills into running back skills as he took a simple handoff
past left tackle and found a hole in the Trojan defense as he
raced for a 52 yard touchdown. A two point conversion pass
was incomplete, but the Tigers had again closed the gap to one
touchdown, at 21 - 14. Fortunately for the Trojans,
Dadeville would not dent the scoreboard again.
Neither team could generate much offense in the third
quarter. Dadeville did not convert another first down in the
third quarter. Saint James converted several, including a 30
yard pass completion from Duncan to Bennett Blankenship, but
penalties slowed down Trojan drives as well. Early in the
fourth quarter, Dadeville advanced the ball to the Trojan 30, but
an illegal forward pass on fourth down resulted in a penalty and
loss of down, and the Trojans took over at their own 35.
Amerson converted first downs on both the ground and through the
air on a 14 yard pass reception. The drive stalled at the
Tiger 14, and a field goal attempt was no good, giving Dadeville
yet another chance for a touchdown tying or go ahead drive.
Cameron Tai pulled down a 29 yard reception on first down to move
the ball just short of midfield. On the next play, Bennett
Blankenship almost self-handedly turned in the defensive play of
the year for Saint James thus far. He blitzed quarterback
McCullers from behind and hit him from behind, knocking the ball
loose. He outmuscled another Tiger to recover the fumble at
the Tiger 41 and Saint James was in business. One play
later, Saint James was in the endzone, as Amerson found a hole and
raced 41 yards for a quick Trojans score. The extra point
was just wide, but the 13 point lead was considerably more
comfortable.
The Tigers were lucky to recover a short kickoff which was muffed,
but four consecutive incomplete passes gave Saint James the ball
back with 3:10 remaining on the clock. A pair of first down
runs by Amerson gave the Trojans enough time to exhaust the
remainder of the clock, and the Trojans took home a victory for
the eighth Homecoming in a row. Saint James finished their
four game homestand with four victories, earning a week off to
rest and recover and retool before three straight regional road
games to start off with the other two (at the time) undefeated
regional opponents - Pike Road and Beulah, looming large in
October.
SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME FIVE
SAINT
JAMES RUSHING 49 attempts
293 yards 4 TDs
(5.98 yards per carry)
2
Amerson 28 /
284 (4 TDs)
3 Gavin
13 / 28
4
Whisenhunt
3 /
5
5
Duncan
5 / -24
PASSING
5
completions 11 attempts 117 yards 0
INTs 0 TDs
5
Duncan
5 - 11 - 0 117 yards
RECEIVING
3
Gavin
1 /
49
21
Blankenship 1 /
30
87
Shalayda
1 /
20
2
Amerson
2 / 18
TOTAL
YARDS: 410
KICKS: XP 1 / 3
FG 0 / 1 (31 missed)
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 1 / 1
KICKOFFS: 5
(24,48,48,50,22)
PUNTS: 4
(37,41,37,32)
KO RETURNS: 3 (22,7,17)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (0fc)
FIRST
DOWNS: 17 (11 rushing, 4 passing, 2 penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 7 / 13
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 2
FUMBLES: 1, lost 0
FUMBLE RETURNS: 3 (0,0,0)
TURNOVER
MARGIN: + 3
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 6
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 10 / 70 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 33:29 (greater than 8 minutes each
quarter)
DADEVILLE
RUSHING 19
attempts 84 yards 1 TD (4.42 yards per carry)
PASSING
8 completions 27 attempts 0 INTs 127
yards 0 TDs
TOTAL
YARDS: 211
KICKS: XP 0 / 0
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 1 / 2
KICKOFFS: 3
(54,38,45)
PUNTS: 3
(29,29,36)
KO
RETURNS: 5 (0,88TD,9,19,2)
PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST
DOWNS: 11 (4 rushing, 6 passing, 1 penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 3 / 11
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 1 / 5
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
FUMBLES:
5, lost 3
ACCEPTED
PENALTIES: 6 / 40 yards
TIME OF
POSSESSION: 14:31
RETURN TO THE SAINT JAMES 2018 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE