2021 -
GAME 3
SAINT JAMES 35, @ Alabama Christian
21 
STJ
0 7
14 14
35
ACA
0 0
14
7 21
SCORING
SUMMARY
STJ (2) 8:45
K.J. Jackson 5
run
(Redden kick) 7
- 0
ACA (3) 5:20 Hunt 1
run
(Casto
kick) 7
- 7
STJ (3) 3:55
Thomas 29 pass from K.J. Jackson
(Redden
kick) 14 - 7
ACA (3) 2:15 Stuart
21 pass from
Hunt
(Casto kick) 14 - 14
STJ (3) 0:37
Beard 58 pass from K.J.
Jackson
(Redden kick) 21 - 14
ACA (4) 11:10 Landers 2
run
(Casto kick) 21 - 21
STJ (4)
9:45 Beard 28 pass from K.J.
Jackson
(Redden
kick) 28 - 21
STJ (4)
1:20 K.J. Jackson 8
run
(Redden kick) 35 - 21
September 3, 2021 Wade Norton Black
Field Game Conditions: Partly cloudy,
comfortable Game Temperature:
84 Wind ENE 5
A vast vast majority of all high school football games, or all
games at any level, are played in two halves. These two
halves could not have been more different.
A defensive slugfest in the first half turned into a wild shootout
in the second half. However, Saint James' quarterback K.J.
Jackson was responsible for five touchdowns, three passing and two
rushing, and a huge interception by Bradley Thomas was a defining
play as the Trojans traveled to Wade Norton Black stadium and
defeated the homestanding Alabama Christian Eagles 35 - 21 giving
Saint James a crucial first win in pursuit of a region
championship.
Saint James promptly went three and out on their opening
possession. Alabama Christian took over at their own 27 and
were inches away from a touchdown on the opening play as Preston
Hicks got behind the Trojan defense and a potential 73 yard catch
and run touchdown lofted by Hayes Hunt was just off the
fingertips. Several short passes and runs primarily by Eagle
workhorse Corey Landers advanced the ball into Trojan territory,
but the defense stiffened and stopped ACA on a fourth down amd 1
at the Trojan 25. Two penalties thwarted the Trojans on
their next drive leading to another three and out. ACA used
up the first quarter on another grinding drive, but once again
Saint James stopped the Eagles on fourth and 9 deep in Saint James
territory.
The Trojan offense awakened again from their own 27. Bradley
Thomas caught a 14 yard pass from Jackson and consecutive Cosner
Harrison runs picked up 25 yards before Ethan Beard hauled in a
far sideline pass down to the Eagle 7. On third down,
Jackson carried in from the 5 for the first, and would be only,
touchdown of the opening half as Wynston Redden converted the
first of his five extra points giving the Trojans a 7 - 0
lead. A 15 yard penalty after the touchdown forced the
Trojans to kick from their own 25, but after converting one first
down, the Eagles punted for the only time in the game.
Harrison picked up several first downs, but an intentional
grounding penalty led to another punt as the half was winding
down. ACA drove as deep as the Trojan 13 with time winding
down, but a last play of the half field goal came up well short,
marking the end of a hard hitting first half.
The second half would be as, if not more, hard hitting but the
offense production on both sides skyrocketed. The Eagles
marched down the field methodically, eating up more than half of
the third quatter clock, and this time they would not be denied
the endzone. A Hunt to Garrett Weathers pass converted a key
third down to the Saint James 19. Two plays later, Weather
hauled in another 14 yarder coming up just short of the
endzone. On the next play, Hunt kept for a 1 yard touchdown
to conclude a 12 play drive. Hayden Casto's extra point tied
the game at 7.
Not for long. Beard returned the kickoff to the 37 yard
line. After a 7 yard run, Jackson found tight end Cooper
Wright on a nifty catch and run where multiple receivers were
available. His 27 yard gallop gave Saint James first down at
the Eagle 29, and on the next play a short pass to Bradley Thomas
and a deft move to break a tackle resulted in a 29 yard touchdown
catch and run. Redden's kick gave the Trojans back their
seven point advantage back at 14 - 7.
ACA started their next drive on their own 36. Three
consecutive runs by Landers picked up a net of 43 yards, part of
his game high 136. From the Trojan 21, Hunt lifted a pass
which was tipped way in the air but caught by Avery Stuart on a
dive in the endzone, and the extra point once again tied the
score, this time at 14, with still time remaining in the third
quarter. Enough for Saint James to light the scoreboard
again.
A short kickoff was fielded by Wils Johnson, and for the second
consecutive drive Saint James started at their own 37. And
for the second consecutive drive, Saint James was in the endzone
three plays later. Harrison picked up 6 yards on two
carries, and on third down Jackson tossed a short pass to Ethan
Beard, the touchdown machine, outraced a potential tackler for the
first down, picked up speed, and outraced several Eagle defenders
for a 58 yard touchdown and a 21 - 14 lead.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Stuart hauled in a Hunt
pass and broke tackles on his way to a 35 yard catch and
run. Several plays later, Hunt called his own number and was
lucky not to lose possession on a fumble at the Trojan 2.
Landers barrelled into the endzone on the next play, and once
again a touchdown ended the fifth consecutive cumulative
drives. Make it 6. After an out of bounds Eagle kick
and a 14 yard run, the Trojans were beneficiaries of a late hit
penalty resulting in a first down at the Eagle 32. Harrison,
not at full speed due to some hard hits, rumbled for four yards
and then Jackson found the touchdown machine Beard again on a nice
post pattern for a 28 yard touchdown and again a Saint James 7
point lead at 28 - 21.
It appeared the Eagles were going to make it seven consecutive
team touchdown drives.as Otasowie Deon ran for a first down on the
sixth play of the drive to the Trojan 21, After an
incomplete pass, the fourth quarter heat time out could not have
come at a better time for the Trojan defense who were collectively
visibly exhausted. However, Bradley Thomas intercepted a
tipped pass near the 10 yard line and raced it all the way out to
the 45 for the one and only turnover of the game. A
crackback block penalty erased a significant amount of the return
yardage, but Saint James had the lead and the ball and endeavoured
to run out the final 6:05 of the game. They were mostly
successful. A Harrison 11 yard run, a 5 yard keeper by
Jackson, and another Harrison run of 7 yards advanced the ball
back to the Trojan 45. On the next play, Jonathan Harris
took the handoff and executed some dazzling moves and busted his
way through the tiring Eagle defense all the way to the
endzone. However, a holding penalty downfield negated the
touchdown but Saint James was still earning first downs and
chewing up clock. Another holding penalty eventually led to
a crucial third down and 10 where Beard caught another Jackson
toss for 12 yards down to the Eagle 8. On the next play,
Jackson kept and nosed just into the endzone. Mission
complete as Redden's extra point gave Saint James the first double
digit lead of the game at 35 - 21 and only 80 seconds remaining.
ACA tried some desperation hook and lateral type plays to cut the
advantage, but all the lateraling and running ate up clock as a
fourth down could not be converted with less than a second of game
time, and Saint James executed the victory formation on the final
play of the contest to avenge the 2020 loss which eventually cost
them a region championship giving them the opening region win.
SIDELINE STATISTICS -
GAME THREE
SAINT JAMES RUSHING
27 attempts 171 yards 2 TDs
(6.33 yards per carry)
5
Harrison
20 / 108
yards
14
Harris
1 /
43
1
Jackson
6 / 20 (2 TDs)
PASSING
10 completions 12 attempts 0 INTs 209
yards 3 TDs
1
Jackson
10 - 12 - 0 209 yards 3 TDs
RECEIVING
2
Beard
4 / 127 (2 TDs)
6
Thomas
3 / 51 (1 TD) 12 Wright
1 / 27
23 Craft
1
/ 4
5 Harrison
1 / 0
TOTAL
YARDS: 380
KICKS: XP 5 / 5
FG 0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 6 (55,44,52,35,49,43)
PUNTS: 3
(35,37,23)
KO RETURNS: 3 (5,15,0)
PUNT
RETURNS: 1 (0fc)
FIRST
DOWNS: 15 (9 rushing, 5 passing, 1 penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 3 / 6
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
FUMBLES: 0
TURNOVER
MARGIN: + 1
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1 (26)
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 7
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 8 / 72 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 19:33
ACA
RUSHING 38 carries 204 yards 2
TDs (5.37 yards per carrry) 5 Landers 23
/ 136 1 TD
PASSING
19 completions 27 attempts 1 INT 219
yards 1 TD
TOTAL
YARDS: 423
KICKS: XP 3 /
3 FG 0 / 1 )30 missed)
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 4
(28,38,23,OB)
PUNTS:
1 (31)
KO
RETURNS: 6 (15,10,28,13,24,23)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (2)
FIRST
DOWNS: 23 (13 rushing, 10 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 5 / 10
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 3
FUMBLES:
1, lost 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
ACCEPTED
PENALTIES: 3 / 30 yards
TIME OF
POSSESSION: 28:27
RETURN TO THE
SAINT JAMES 2021 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE