2018 - GAME 6

For what is believed to be the first such occurrence in Trojan football history - Tony Amerson returned the opening kickoff of the game for a touchdown - 88 yards worth - and the 6 points were more than enough as the Patriots were shut out for the first time since 1933 (although it was only a 6 game scoring streak) as Saint James made its second ever appearance in a college football stadium and fared considerably better than their previous try with a 28 - 0 blanking of first time opponent Pike Road.

Pike Road did win the coin toss and elected to defer.  However, seconds later they may have been ruing their decision.  Amerson took the opening kickoff.  (It was the only chance any Trojan would have to return the kickoff because Pike Road would never kickoff again during the game).  He fielded the ball at the 12 yard line, sped forward to about the 25 and a hole opened up for him right in the middle of the field and some of the defensers overpursued allowing a pathway to open down the middle of the field.  The last line of defense turned and started chasing at about the 45 yard line and seconds later, Amerson was in the endzone and the Trojans were up by six only thirteen seconds into the game.  With the teams playing in a college football stadium, the goalposts were narrower (college width) than usual.  Jan Wachowitz, back from an injury which sidelined him in the Dadeville game, would have made his extra point kick on any high school field in Montgomery, but his try boinked the right upright and Saint James had to be content with the very early 6 point lead.

The Patriots actually followed up with their best drive of the game - the only one which remotely permitted a scoring opportunity.  The "opening" drive was loaded with major penalties on both sides.  A face mask penalty after a 20 yard run by Curtis Carter gave Pike Road first down at the Trojan 36.  After another first down, a block in the back penalty negated a short run, and after a sack a 40 yard run by former Trojan C.J. Payman was also negated by a block in the back.  Aubrey Grace was forced several plays later to attempt a 43 yard field goal.  The kick had plenty of distance but was wide right, and the Patriots wasted what would be their only scoring threat of the entire evening.

On first down, much of the yardage on a 56 yard pass play from Colin Duncan to Michael Shalayda was negated by a downfield hold.  Several plays later, Duncan pinned in Pike Road with a punt at their own 12 yard line.  A nine yard drop of Carter on the first play was followed by another negative play and a delay of game penalty forcing a punt from the Patriot 1 which reached the 41 yard line.  Five consecutive runs, the first by Gavin Austin and the others by Amerson, ran out the first quarter and gave Saint James first down on the Pike Road 13.  Three consecutive Amerson runs, of 3, 9, and 1 gave him his first rushing touchdown of the game, and fifteenth of the year.  He then promptly followed up with a two point conversion run to boost the lead to 14 early in the second quarter.

Pike Road got good field position after a Brice Kelly kickoff return, but the Patriots offense stalled.  A punt block was called for and Alex Whisenhunt got to the punt first, knocking it all the way back to the 10 yard line before it was recovered by Trojan Wilson Carter.  Once again, three consecutive Amerson runs (5,3,and 2) had Saint James in the endzone once more.  This time, the Wachowitz extra point was true, and fans on both sides of Hornet Stadium were likely shocked as Saint James was already up by 21 points less than 16 minutes into the game.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave the Patriots their only first down on the next drive, but it ended with a shanked punt traveling only nine yards.  Amerson runs of 8 and 27 yards quickly put Saint James back in scoring position, but three consecutive incomplete passes (the third headed directly for me) gave Pike Road a slimmer of hope.  They could not take advantage as another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, this one after a Patriot pass completion for negative yardage, pinned them back inside their own 15 yard line.  A punt was fielded near midfield by Saint James with less than a minute remaining in the half, and two quick plays later, including the first career pass completion by backup quarterback Drew Fett, Saint James was more than happy to take a 21 point lead into halftime.

An out of bounds kickoff and a short kickoff gave Pike Road good field position to start the third quarter, but neither team could generate significant offense on their opening possessions.  To conclude the second Patriot possession of the second half, Whisenhunt got his hand on yet another punt, which deflected forward but only 14 yards upfield.  From their own 29 yard line, Saint James embarked on an 11 play drive, including overcoming a first down and 20 due to consecutive illegal procedure penalties.  Another long pass from Duncan to a wide open Shalayda picked up 32 before the penalties, but Amerson's 22 yards on three carries after the first down and 20 kept the drive alive.  From the 12 yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter, Amerson just missed a touchdown as he was knocked out of bounds at the two foot line.  Duncan scored on the next play on a quarterback sneak, and Wachowitz's extra point all but sealed the victory for Saint James.

The Patriot offense, which may have gained 400 yards running side to side trying to find holes to turn forward, appeared to perhaps be heading toward a score as Aubrey Grace ran a fake punt for a first down near midfield, but four consecutive incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs to the Trojans.  Backup quarterback Drew Fett was in the game to relieve Duncan who provided double digit tackling on the defensive side of the ball while maintaining his offensive duties.  A surprise pass attempt to Shalayda was overthrown a bit and intercepted by J.D. Davis who returned the ball to the Patriot 33.  Carter picked up 24 yards on the second longest Patriot offensive play of the night to move the ball into Trojan territory, but a peculiar personal foul penalty where Patriots were fighting and shoving each other after quickly stalled any potential momentum.  A fourth down pass completion came up more than 10 yards short of the needed yardage, and Saint James regained possession to run out more clock.  Fett's carry on fourth and 1 came up inches short, giving Pike Road one last chance to erase the zero.  However, a long pass was underthrown and intercepted by Gavin Austin, his first such career interception, and it was returned into Patriot territory which gave Saint James a chance to run out the clock, move closer toward a 2018 playoff berth, and with the help of pesky Bullock County gave the Trojans sole possession of first place in Class 3A Region 3 as the surprising Hornet victim, Beulah, would be next on the Trojans' dossier.

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SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME SIX

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   40 attempts   168 yards   3 TDs   (4.20 yards per carry)

                                2   Amerson             30 / 164  (2 TDs)     3   Gavin                  4 / 2        8   Fett                  3 / 1
                                5   Duncan                 1 /     1  (TD)          4   Whisenhunt        2 / 0

                              PASSING      3 completions  7 attempts  72 yards   1 INT   0 TDs

                                5   Duncan                 2 - 5 - 0    68 yards
                                8   Fett                       1 - 2 - 1      4 yards

                              RECEIVING

                              87   Shalayda                2 / 68                       2   Amerson               1 /  4

                              TOTAL YARDS:  240

                              KICKS:      XP  2 / 3      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                              KICKOFFS:  7  (42,48,OB,55,OB,29,23)       PUNTS:  2  (39,32)
                              KO RETURNS:  1  (88 TD)                            PUNT RETURNS:   2 (0fc,0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   12  (10 rushing, 2 passing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   5 / 10
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1 (37)
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  0
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   8 / 66 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  24:24

PIKE ROAD         RUSHING    29 attempts  95 yards  0 TDs  (3.28 yards per carry)
                              PASSING        6 completions  17 attempts  1 INT   20 yards  0 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  115

                              KICKS:      XP  0 / 0      FG   0 / 1  (43 missed)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  1  (48)                                     PUNTS:  5  (40,bk-35,9,40,14)
                              KO RETURNS:  5  (8,27,19,9,0)                 PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  7  (5 rushing, 1 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:    2 / 13
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 3
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1 (19)
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  6 / 62 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  23:36