2021 -
GAME 11
SAINT JAMES 28, Anniston 26
STJ
7 7
7 7
28
SCORING SUMMARY
ANN (1) 7:30 Sandlin 1
run
(run failed) 0
- 6
STJ (1) 1:05
Jackson 2
run
(Huff
kick) 7 - 6
STJ (2) 9:33
Thomas 84 fumble
return
(Huff kick) 14 - 6
ANN (2) 9:04 Kite 80 pass from
Sandlin
(Sandlin run) 14 - 14
ANN (3) 5:48 Sandlin 16
run
(pass failed) 14 - 20
STJ (3) 2:15 Beard
23 pass from
Jackson
(Huff kick) 21 - 20
STJ (4) 8:55
Jackson 1
run
(Huff kick) 28 - 20
ANN (4) 5:07 Sandlin 10
run
(run failed) 28 - 26
November
5, 2021 Carlisle Field Game
Conditions: Mostly cloudy, cool,
breezy Game Temperature:
54 Wind NE 5 - 10
Saint James made great use of big plays - an 84 yard scoop and
score touchdown by Bradley Thomas, a blocked punt which led to a
touchdown, and three holds on two point conversion attempts were
big - but an absolutely amazing K.J. Jackson to Cooper
Wright throw and catch to secure the final first down of the game
and allow the clock to expire helped lead the Trojans to a 28 - 26
defeat of the visiting Anniston Bulldogs in the first round of the
2021 4A State Playoffs.
Anniston won the opening coin toss and elected to receive.
After a Jake Huff kick to the endzone, the Bulldogs marched down
the field 80 yards in 12 plays for the first score.
Quarterback Kamron Sandlin dominated on the drive with running
plays and mostly short passes, although a 38 yard completion to
University of Alabama signee Antonio Kite moved the ball to the
Trojan 2, where on second down Sandlin called his own number for
his first of three touchdown runs, a 1 yards. A two point
conversion run failed, but Anniston had a 6 - 0 lead early.
The Trojans responded with their own 12 play drive to take the
lead. A short kickoff was fielded by Bradley Thomas at the
42. K.J. Jackson picked up the initial Saint James first
down with a 14 yard scamper. Four consecutive Cosner
Harrison carries followed, the fourth converting a fourth down and
2 with just enough yardage. A 12 yard pass to Ethan Beard
and a 14 yard carry for Harrison gave Saint James a first and goal
at the 9. Two Harrison runs advanced the ball inside the 2,
and then Jackson called his own number up the middle for a 2 yard
touchdown. Jake Huff, who was perfect in extra points,
kicked his first to give Saint James a 7 - 6 lead late in a
swiftly moving opening stanza.
After another endzone kick, the Bulldogs rumbled down the field
again, and a Sandlin run gave Anniston a first down at the Trojan
24. However, on the next play, Jamarius Billingsley appeared
on his way to rushing for a first down but the ball was stripped
and the bouncing pigskin was picked up by Bradley Thomas who
avoided some early traffic and outran pursuers 84 yards for the
longest Saint James fumble return for a touchdown in school
history, breaking a record which was set exactly 22 years to the
day before by A.Z. Holloway (71 yards) in another first round
playoff game against Slocomb. Huff's extra point gave Saint
James an 8 point lead early in the second quarter.
It didn't last long at all. The ensuing kickoff was returned
by Anniston to the 25 yard line. A penalty pushed the ball
back to the 20, but then Sandlin found the speedy receiver Kite on
a short range pass and after breaking several tackles he pulled
away from chasers for an 80 yard catch and run score. The
Bulldogs, down now by 2, attempted the conversion and Sandlin ran
in to tie the score at 14 still early in the second quarter.
Each team had two more possessions before halftime without
success. Saint James moved into Bulldog territory but punted
into the endzone. Sandlin, showing his multi-talent, quick
kicked his own punt down to the Trojan 2. Trying to run out
the clock, the Trojans found themselves with an unexpected chance
to score as Harrison broke loose on a 23 yard run and a Clayton
Craft reception advanced the ball to the 40 yard line.
Jackson attempted to hit Beard on what could have been a 60 yard
touchdown, but for only the second time this season, and the first
time since the opening game, he was intercepted by Jayden Lewis at
the Bulldog 15. With just over a minute remaining,
Anniston suddenly found themselves with a chance to score as
Billingsley caught a 38 yard pass on first down. After a
short pass and a timeout, a long completed pass was negated by
both a downfield block in the back penalty and a more yardage
grating ineligible receiver penalty. The Bulldogs did not
have enough time to threaten again, and the game went to halftime
with both sides at 14.
Saint James was lucky to recover their own fumble on the second
play of the third quarter, and despite a 16 yard completion to
Houser, the Trojans still punted. Anniston took over at
their own 34 yard line, and despite four penalties on the drive
managed to march 76 yards for a go-ahead score. Javon Thomas
caught a 38 yard pass and Jaylon Cunningham ran for 30 on the next
play down to the Saint James 7. A holding penalty on the
next play just meant Sandlin had more yards to gain for the
endzone, and he did on a 16 yard score. One of the decided
edges in the game favoring the Trojans was the kicking game, which
meant the Bulldogs again attempted a two point conversion.
Sandlin was going to pass, but scrambled back as far as the 20
yard line before lofting a pass which was actually intercepted
past the endzone resulting in a non-conversion. However, the
Bulldogs had regained their early 6 point lead, this time at 20 -
14.
After Clint Houser returned the following kickoff to the Trojan
31, Saint James drove 69 yards in 7 plays to earn back a lead they
would not relinquish. Harrison converted a key fourth down
in his own territory with a 7 yard burst, and followed it up with
a 36 yard breakaway, his longest run of his 142 yard evening, to
give the Trojans first down at the Bulldog 17. After a short
loss and a penalty, Jackson found Beard with a perfect pass to the
far right corner of the endzone for a 23 yard touchdown, and
Huff's extra point gave Saint James a 21 - 20 lead late in the
third quarter.
The kicking woes struck Anniston again as a punt attempt was
smothered by Saint James and the Trojans took over on the Bulldog
34 just before the end of the quarter. Harrison, on an 11
yard pass reception, converted a huge third down and 8 giving
Saint James first down at the Bulldog 25. After Harrison ran
for 5 on first down, Saint James committed three consecutive five
yard penalties, the third being a delay of game, and what looked
like a very promising drive quickly became dubious. However,
on the next play Jackson tossed a pass which Clint Houser somehow
wrestled in while falling to the ground at the Bulldog 2.
After a one yard defensive penalty, Jackson called his own number
from 1 yard out and Saint James had an 8 point lead in the final
quarter.
The Bulldogs marched down the field, almost exclusively on the
persistent hard running of quarterback Sandlin, and consecutive 20
and 10 yard runs led to Anniston's fourth touchdown. Down by
two points again, Sandlin tried to rush for the two point
conversion but the Trojan defense made their biggest goal line
stand of the season as the line teamed up to keep Sandlin out of
the endzone and Saint James in the lead at 28 - 26 with still 5
minutes remaining in the game.
Saint James' main objectives were gain yardage, run clock, and
force Anniston to use their remaining time outs. Jackson
picked up 5 yards on a keeper and third and four deep in Trojan
territory for a first down. Two Harrison runs netted 11
yards and another first down to the Bulldog 41. Anniston was
forced to use timeouts as nearly 40 seconds were evaporating each
snap. The Bulldogs called their last time out with 90
seconds remaining and Saint James facing a third down and 6.
An incomplete pass, which the two quarterbacks combined to throw
only two the entire game (one each), would give Anniston a free
time out. Jackson looked to pass and was forced to scramble
toward the Saint James sideline. At the last moment - he
somehow managed to direct a low pass between defenders to Cooper
Wright who made an unbelievable catch of an equally unbelievable
pass for a 12 yard completion and the biggest first down of the
season. Two victory formation snaps later, the Trojans had
won their tenth game in a row for the first time in the 21st
century and only the second time in school history, and celebrated
as they would learn the Jackson Aggies, another first time
football opponent, would be calling on Carlisle Field one week
later.
SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME ELEVEN
SAINT
JAMES RUSHING 37
attempts 158 yards
2 TDs (4.27
yards per carry)
5
Harrison
28 / 142 1
Jackson 9 /
16 (2 TDs)
PASSING
8 completions 10 attempts 1 INT 135
yards 1 TD
1
Jackson
8 - 10 - 1 135 yards 1 TD
RECEIVING
7
Houser
2 / 49 2
Beard
2 / 35 (1 TD)
12
Wright 2 / 28
23
Craft
1 / 12 5
Harrison 1 / 11
TOTAL
YARDS: 283
KICKS: XP 4 / 4
FG 0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 5
(EZ,EZ,44,49,44)
PUNTS: 2 (35,21)
KO RETURNS: 5 (0,29,15,9,3)
PUNT
RETURNS: 0
FIRST
DOWNS: 18 (11 rushing, 7 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 5 / 9
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 2
FUMBLES: 1, lost 0
FUMBLE RETURNS: 1 (84TD)
TURNOVER
MARGIN: 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 7
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 5 / 25 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 25:52
ANNISTON
RUSHING 33 attempts
221 yards 3 TDs (6.70 yards per carry)
PASSING
13 completions 14 attempts 0 INTs 250 yards 1 TD
TOTAL
YARDS: 471
KICKS: XP 0 / 0
FG 0 / 0
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 1 / 4
KICKOFFS: 5
(18,42,38,38,44)
PUNTS: 2 (49,bk-8)
KO
RETURNS: 3 (9,26,16)
PUNT
RETURNS: 0
FIRST
DOWNS: 19 (11 rushing, 8 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 6 / 8
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
FUMBLES:
1, lost 0
ACCEPTED
PENALTIES: 9 / 51 yards
TIME OF
POSSESSION: 22:08
RETURN TO THE
SAINT JAMES 2021 FOOTBALL HOMEPAGE