2019 - GAME 2

  SAINT JAMES 42, @ Straughn 19 
STJ         21     14       7        0           42
 
STR          0       0       7      12           19
SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ   (1)   11:47    Gavin 85 kickoff return                                       (Wachowitz kick)       7 -   0
STJ   (1)     8:59    Fett 1 run                                                              (Wachowitz kick)     14 -   0
STJ   (1)     1:25    Gavin 69 run                                                        (Wachowitz kick)     21 -   0
STJ   (2)   10:09    Woodham 36 fumble return                               (Wachowitz kick)     28 -   0
STJ   (2)     6:56    Gavin 48 run                                                        (Wachowitz kick)     35 -   0
STJ   (3)   10:38    Gavin 5 run                                                             (Harrison kick)     42 -   0
STR  (3)     8:42    Toney 71 run                                                          (Townsend kick)     42 -   7
STR  (4)   11:52    Guilford 5 run                                                                (run failed)     42 - 13
STR  (4)     4:22    Strickland 5 run                                                             (run failed)     42 - 19
August 30, 2019.   Tiger Stadium.   Game Conditions:  Clear   Game Temperature:  84   Wind:  Light, variable
 

Austin Gavin returned the opening kickoff 85 yards virtually untouched to give the Trojans an immediate lead, and then added three more touchdowns while amassing 161 yards rushing on only 9 carries as Saint James built a 42 point lead 26 minutes into the game as they cruised to a 42 - 19 victory over the homestanding Straughn Tigers.

For the second time in less than a season, Saint James was ahead by a touchdown before a scrimmage play was run.  Gavin took the opening kickoff in the center of the field at the 15 yard line and stayed between the hashmarks, virtually untouched, and pulled away from the Tiger pursuers to complete an 85 yard touchdown return.  Jan Wachowitz kicked the extra point into the sunset to give Saint James a 7 - 0 lead only 13 seconds into the game.

The Tigers had a sizable rush cancelled out by a penalty on their opening drive which led to a punt which shanked out of bounds at the Tiger 45.  On first down, Brock Woodham took a wide handoff on what would be his only offensive carry of the game - and rumbled 45 yards being dragged out of bounds just short of the goal line.  On the next play, quarterback Drew Fett powered forward for a one yard sneak touchdown, and Wachowitz's extra point boosted the lead to 14 only 3 minutes into the contest.

Straughn did move the ball on their next drive, primarily on the legs of Trey Strickland who carried the ball 35 times during the evening for 140 yards, but stalled inside the Trojan 35.  A beautifully-covered punt was downed by the Tigers at the Trojan 1.  However, this would be the start of the first of two 99 yard drives on the evening.  A costly offside penalty on third down and four gave Saint James a first down at their own 12.  Gavin picked up 2 on first down and Fett completed his only pass attempt on the next play, a 17 yarder to Alex Whisenhunt, giving Saint James some breathing room at their own 31.  On the next play, Gavin took the handoff, broke through the first line of Tiger defense and blew through the secondary on his way to a 69 yard touchdown, his first of what would be 3 for the game.  Wachowitz's extra point gave Saint James a 21 - 0 lead still late in the first quarter.

The Tigers again moved the ball into Trojan territory, but faced a fourth down and 2 at its own 45.  Needing to risk a fourth down attempt, Strickland was given the handoff directly into a pile of Trojans and the ball was ripped loose and bounced backwards.  Woodham picked up the loose ball for his only defensive carry of the game - and rumbled 36 yards in the other direction for a touchdown.  The extra point gave Saint James a 28 - 0 lead early in the second quarter.

A block in the back on the ensuing kickoff pushed Straughn back to its own 10 yard line, and several plays later another punt gave the Trojans the ball back at their own 36.  Two Gavin runs later, of 16 and 48, Wachowitz was lined up for his fifth extra point atempt of the first half, which he converted, as the Trojans built a 35 point lead before the second quarter heat timeout.

Once again Straughn was forced to punt, and the second string offense took over for Saint James.  Unfortunately, a fumble on the first snap immediately gave the ball back to the Tigers who managed to drive the ball to the Trojan 27, but a minimal gain on fourth down and 11 turned the ball over just before halftime, and Saint James took a comfortable 35 point lead into halftime.

A new quarterback took over for Straughn to begin the second half, but similar to what happened earlier, a fumbled snap was recovered by Saint James and they were immediately in great field position.  From the Tiger 25, Gavin carried the ball three consecutive plays, his final touches of the evening, and the third one went for five yards for his fourth touchdown of the night.  Holt Harrison was called in to attempt the extra point, which he converted, and it was the end of the evening for most of the Trojan starters with a 42 - 0 lead.

The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard against the Trojan defensive reserves.  While Strickland was the workhorse for the Tigers, Demetric Toney, the speed back, broke loose down the sidelines on a third down carry for 71 yards and the Tiger's first score.  The extra point converted and the possibility of shut out was eliminated.

After an onside kick was fielded by Saint James, backup quarterback Cosner Harrison took over and on his second carry he bolted 20 yards down the near sidelines for a first down.  The drive stalled, and for the first time Wilson Carter was called on to punt for the Trojans.  The snap was well over his head, but he managed to pick up the snap and get off a kick from 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage.  However, an inadvertent whistle was blown as the punt was landing, and confusion reigned afterwards.  Eventually, it was decided the ball would be declared dead at the spot it hit.  The punt officially traveled only 5 yards past the original line of scrimmage, but was in essence a near 40 yard punt where the play result could have been much more devastating for Saint James.    The Tigers would drive 61 yards, bolstered by a face mask penalty early in the drive, and on the first play of the fourth quarter "third string" quarterback Abram Guilford carried for the final five yards and the second Tiger touchdown.  A conversion run came up short, and Saint James maintained a 42 - 13 lead.

An offsetting penalty situation negated a long kickoff return by Jonathan Harris, but the Trojans had good field position nevertheless at their own 46.  Harrison carried for 13 on the first play, but Saint James could not convert another first down, and Carter punted beautifully down to the 1 yard line.  For the second time, a 99 yard touchdown drive resulted.  On second down, Toney caught a screen pass in his own endzone and was one step away from a 99 yard touchdown pass and run.  He was brought down on the sidelines near midfield to temporarily prevent the touchdown.  Several plays later, Strickland was rewarded for his yeoman's work during the game with a five yard touchdown run.  Again the conversion run failed, and the scoring for the night ended at 42 - 19 as the fourth quarter was waning.

Each team had one remaining drive, but neither proved fruitful.  However, the Trojan reserves earned plenty of valuable snaps prior to their first game coming up four days later, as Saint James looked forward to tying a 35 year-old school record, 12 consecutive regular season wins, the following week as region play opened in Union Springs against Bullock County.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TWO

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   25 attempts   230 yards   4 TDs   (9.20 yards per carry)

                                3   Gavin            9 / 161 yards  (3 TDs)     44   Woodham               1  / 44                 5   Harrison            7 / 13
                              23   Craft              6 /    7                                8   Fett                         2 /   0  (1 TD)

                              PASSING   1 completion  1 attempts  0 INTs   17 yards

                                8   Fett                      1 - 1 - 0    17 yards

                              RECEIVING

                                4   Whisenhunt            1 / 17

                              TOTAL YARDS:  267

                              KICKS:      XP  6 / 6      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:   7  (EZ,58,57,56,55,48,57)     PUNTS:  3  (5,35,44)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (85TD,0,32,9)               PUNT RETURNS:   0
                              FIRST DOWNS:   11   (9 rushing, 1 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   1 / 4
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 1
                              FUMBLE RETURNS:  2  (36TD,0)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  7
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   5 / 45
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  16:44

STRAUGHN        RUSHING    60 attempts  292 yards  3 TDs   (4.87 yards per carry)
                              PASSING       2 completions  5 attempts  0 INTs   60 yards  0 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  352

                              KICKS:      XP  1 / 1      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (45,12,46,29)                       PUNTS:  4  (28,32,37,24)
                              KO RETURNS:  6  (25,10,16,6,16,21)         PUNT RETURNS:  0
                              FIRST DOWNS:  16  (13 rushing, 2 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  8 / 14
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                              FUMBLES:  3, lost 2
                              FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (0)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  4 / 35 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  31:16

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