2021 - GAME 1

  @ Montgomery Academy 38, Saint James 36 
 
STJ          7      12      10        7            36

M A         7        7        6      18            38

August 20, 2021   McLemore Field   Game conditions:  Drizzly, rainy, cloudy    Game Temperature:  85 downto 75   Wind:  Variable - light to 10 MPH


Alex Kohn's 22 yard field goal with no time remaining was the exciting end to a hectic game where big plays on both offense, defense, and special teams led to several lead changes as the Montgomery Academy Eagles came from behind to beat the Saint James Trojans 38 - 36 on a wet start to the 2021 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

M A  (1)    8:11   Jamal Cooper 3 yard run                                                                     (Kohn kick)    0 -   7
STJ   (1)    7:10   Beard 71 yard touchdown pass from K.J. Jackson                       (Redden kick)    7 -   7
STJ   (2)    6:34   Huff 14 yard fumble return                                                                (kick failed)   13 -   7
STJ   (2)    6:15   Harrison 1 run                                                                                      (run failed)   19 -   7
M A  (2)    0:31   Jashawn Cooper 2 run                                                                        (Kohn kick)   19 - 14
STJ   (3)  10:06   Harrison 32 FG                                                                                                           22 - 14
STJ   (3)    5:38   Houser 55 yard touchdown pass from K.J. Jackson                    (Redden kick)   29 - 14
 M A  (3)    1:38   Jamal Cooper 35 yard touchdown pass from Lindsey                      (run failed)   29 - 20
M A  (4)    9:56   Jashawn Cooper 1 run                                                                        (Kohn kick)   29 - 27
M A  (4)    7:18   Armstrong 2 run                                                                (Jashawn Cooper run)   29 - 35
STJ   (4)    5:36   Harrison 82 yard touchdown pass from K.J. Jackson                 (Redden kick)   36 - 35
M A  (4)    0:00   Kohn 22 FG                                                                                                                 36 - 38

The Eagles took the opening kickoff and marched smartly down the field for an opening touchdown on a 8 play drive.  Consecutive runs of 9, 10, 17, and 20 yards by Jamal Cooper, quarterback Judson Lindsay, Jashawn Cooper, and Carson Springer quickly advanced the ball to the 1 yard line.  After a 2 yard loss on first down, Jamal Cooper rushed for the final 3 yards and the first touchdown of the game.  Alex Kohn's extra point gave the Eagles a 7 - 0 lead less than 4 minutes into the game.

In the 2020 matchup, Saint James failed to score a point.  It took them only two plays to erase that potential stat in 2021.  Cosner Harrison ran for 6 yards on first down from his own 23, and on the second play Ethan Beard got behind the defense down the middle of the field and was 12 yards past the defenders.  K.J. Jackson lofted a pass toward him, slightly underthrown which cut the advantage to 7 yards or so, but Beard outraced the pursuers on his way to a 71 yard catch and run touchdown.  Wynston Redden converted the extra point and the game was quickly tied at 7.

Montgomery Academy moved the ball again on its next drive.  A potential Trojan interception was wiped out by a defensive holding penalty, but the Trojan defense stalled and forced a punt down to the Trojan 9 yard line.  The Eagles defense held as well and forced a punt on the opening play of the second quarter resulting in great field position at the Trojan 39.  However, a three and out resulted in an exact duplicate play, a 32 yard punt down to the Trojan 9 yard line once more.  Saint James, which only converted five first downs the entire evening - four of those on scoring plays - was forced again to punt.  The only four punts of the game occurred on four consecutive drives in the second quarter.  Braxton Berrey's punt this time forced the Eagles to start in their own territory.  The Eagles went three and out, but on an attempted punt the snap was well over punter Carson Springer's head and rolled backwards.  It appeared Springer had recovered the ball deep in his own territory, but Jake Huff lassoed the bouncing ball just inside the Eagle 15 and raced into the endzone for a 14 yard fumble return touchdown.  The extra point failed, but the Trojans had their first lead this decade against the Eagles 13  - 7 midway through the second quarter.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, a Lindsay pass was intercepted by Granger Hicks at the Eagle 41 and returned all the way to the 2 foot line, just short of another touchdown.  Harrison was called on to bowl in from the one, and the Trojans had its second touchdown in less than 30 seconds.  A two point conversion run by Jackson came up just inches short, but Saint James now lead 19 - 7.

As Saint James was lining up for the kickoff, the first lightning bolt of the game lit up the sky and had fans scurrying for their phone weather radars.  However, the Eagles used up most of the remainder of the quarter to drive for a late touchdown.  Montgomery Academy held the ball for almost 35 minutes of the game and out first-downed Saint James 23 - 5.  A 14 play drive highlighted by several Jashawn Cooper runs eventually ended in his 2 yard touchdown run, and Kohn's extra point cut the lead to 19 - 14.  With rain and potentially dangerous lightning moving in, both teams were content to run the half out and run into the locker room for halftime, which became an extended halftime as fans were instructed to clear the field.   Fortunately only 14 minutes extra were added to halftime before the teams returned for a quick warmup and third quarter play.

Saint James quickly regained any potential lost momentum as Clint Houser broke the kickoff return for 68 yards, being brought down on a touchdown saving tackle at the Eagle 28.  Harrison picked up 10 yards on first down, his longest carry of the evening and the only Trojan first down which did not occur on a scoring play.  However, the drive could not go any further, and Harrison was called in to attempt his first career field goal - taking the reins from brother Holt of the previous season, and he converted from 32 yards extending the Trojan lead to 22 - 14.

More drizzly rain during the third quarter led to a turnover by the Eagles as Lindsay fumbled a snap which was recovered by Saint James at the Trojan 41.  Two Harrison runs netted 4 yards, and on third down Jackson executed a perfect screen pass to Clint Houser who had wide open space and outraced defenders down the sidelines for a 55 yard catch and run touchdown, his second such of the game.  Redden converted the extra point, and Saint James was up 29 - 15 midway through the third quarter.

The Eagles, after a penalty for trying to advance the kickoff after a fair catch signal, were deep in their own territory at the 8 yard line.  However, they embarked on a 10 play 92 yard drive aided by several penalties which concluded on a play which was almost a mirror image of the previous Trojan score - a 35 yard well delayed screen pass and run touchdown for Jamal Cooper.  Perhaps surprisingly, down by 9, the Eagles tried for two but Lindsay was stopped short on a run and the Trojans maintained a two possession lead at 29 - 20 late in the fourth quarter.

On the last play of the third quarter, a Jackson pass was intercepted by Kameron Tuck at the Trojan 36, and MA quickly capitalized.  Backup quarterback Thomas Woodward was called on to lead the Eagles to the score highlighted by his fourth down toss to a high rising Nigel Walker for a first down at the Trojan 6.  Jashawn Cooper barreled inside the one on the next play and he was rewarded with a touchdown run on the following.  Kohn was called on for the extra point and the Trojans' seemingly comfortable lead was down to two, at 29 - 27, with ample time remaining. 

Kohn caught the Trojan defenders napping perhaps as he executed a near-perfect onside kick which he himself recovered at midfield.  Both teams were cramping despite the relatively cool August temperatures and the moisture in the air, and Saint James having to work so many plays on defense began having increased issues.  Jashawn Cooper's 22 yard run up the middle gave the Eagles a first down at the Trojan 22, and three plays later Springer was called in for his first touchdown from 2 yards out, giving the Eagles their first lead since the opening drive of the game.  With a 4 point lead, MA opted to go for two, and this time they converted on a Jashawn Cooper run giving the Eagles a 35 - 29 lead with still more than half of the final quarter remaining.

The lead would not last long.  An endzone kickoff and a penalty pinned the Trojans.  On third down from the 18 yard line, the Trojan staff called for the old flea flicker play.  Harrison took the handoff and pitched back to Jackson, who found Harrison wide open on the right side, and his inertia and speed carried him all the way down the far sidelines for an 82 yard catch and run touchdown.  With the score tied at 35, Redden came in to attempt a critical extra point which he converted, and Saint James regained its lead at 36 - 35 with 5:36 remaining in the contest.

It was the last time the Trojans would have their hands on the football as the Eagles perfectly ran clock primarily on Jashawn Cooper runs - part of his 196 total rushing yards.  His final run advanced the Eagles down to the 5 yard line and they called a timeout with just under 2 seconds to play.  Kohn was called in and converted what appeared to be the game winning field goal, but Saint James was offside on the play which resulted in a dead ball.  The Eagles accepted the penalty yardage, moving the ball 3 yards closer and perhaps altering the kick angle, but it was no problem as Kohn boomed the ball through the uprights as time expired and Montgomery Academy took the 38 - 36 win over some tired, dejected, and crampy Trojans.  Coach Perry mentioned in his post game comments he was very proud of the team how they had shown extreme improvement over the 2020 season opener and readied them for the 2021 home opener, a tuneup against the Reeltown Rebels before region play begins the week after.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME ONE

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING  17 attempts   35 yards   1 TD  (2.06 yards per carry)

                                5   Harrison             11 / 21  (1 TD)     1   Jackson            5 / 10       3   Huff          1 / 4

                              PASSING      3 completions  6 attempts  1 INT   208 yards

                                1   Jackson               3 - 6 - 1  208 yards

                              RECEIVING

                                2   Beard                  2 / 126  (2 TDs)   5   Harrison         1 / 82  (TD)

                              TOTAL YARDS:  243

                              KICKS:      XP  3 / 4      FG   1 / 1  (32 made)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                              KICKOFFS:  7  (54,43,51,55,54,47,45)             PUNTS:  2  (30,44)
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (21,68,19)                           PUNT RETURNS:   0
                              FIRST DOWNS:   5  (2 rushing, 3 passing)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   2 / 6
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (14 TD)
                              INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (40)
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 1
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  13
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   7 / 48 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  13:05  (second lowest in team history)

MONT ACAD      RUSHING    62 attempts  286 yards  4 TDs  (4.61 yards per carry)
                              PASSING       4 completions  13 attempts  1 INT   96 yards  1 TD
                              TOTAL YARDS:  382

                              KICKS:      XP  3 / 3      FG   1 / 1  (22 made)
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 2
                              KICKOFFS:  6  (63,EZ,56,57,10on,EZ)           PUNTS:  2  (32,32)
                              KO RETURNS:  7  (16,13,17,19,37,0fc,19)     PUNT RETURNS:  2  (0fc,3)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  23  (16 rushing, 4 passing, 3 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  6 / 14
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  4 / 5
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  7
                              FUMBLES:  3, lost 1
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  3 / 15 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  34:55

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