2022 - GAME 2

  Handley 48, Saint James 35 
 
HAN         6      14      21      7            48

  STJ        14        7       7       7            35


August 26, 2022  Carlisle Field  7:17 PM (see below)   Game Conditions:  Mostly cloudy, very humid   Game Temperature:  82  Wind:  negligible

Saint James fought hard, but a number of big yardage plays ultimately proved a downfall as the Trojans were defeated by the Handley Tigers 48 - 35.


SCORING SUMMARY

STJ   (1)    6:09   Harrison 1 run                                              (Redden kick)     7 -   0
STJ   (1)    1:20   Holloway 12 pass from Jackson                  (Redden kick)   14 -   0
HAN (1)    1:08   Lewis 79 kickoff return                                   (kick failed)   14 -   6
HAN (2)    2:47   Kyles 94 run                                                     (kick failed)    14 - 12
STJ   (2)    1:26   Beard 42 pass from Jackson                       (Redden kick)    21 - 12
HAN (2)    0:00   Haynes 37 pass from Kyles                              (Kyles run)    21 - 20
HAN (3)    6:47   Haynes 2 run                                                     (Kyles run)    21 - 28
HAN (3)    4:44   Haynes 61 run                                            (Bozeman kick)    21 - 35
HAN (3)    1:21   Higgins 82 pass from Kyles                             (pass failed)    21 - 41
STJ   (3)    0:15   Jackson 42 run                                              (Redden kick)    28 - 41
HAN (4)    8:50   Lewis 27 pass from Kyles                          (Bozeman kick)    28 - 48
STJ   (4)    5:28   Jackson 4 run                                                (Redden kick)    28 - 35

After nearly a week of continuous rain prior to this game, the field was frankly soaked, and weather played a part before the game even started as a lightning delay was announced just as the Trojans were prepared to bring out the team at 6:00 PM for warmups, but thankfully no extra rain fell prior to the start of the game which was delayed until 7:17 PM.  Once Saint James did take the field, they marched with authority on their opening drive.  Cosner Harrison picked up his longest carry of the evening on his first, a 26 yarder.  Two plays after a false start, Ethan Beard caught a 14 yard pass for a first down on his way to a second consecutive 100-plus yard receiving game.  A few plays after another penalty, Harrison ran for 14 to pick up a first down at the Tiger 12.  The next snap went awry and K.J. Jackson had to fall on the football back at the 27 yard line.  Second and 25?  No problem.  Clint Houser, making his first season appearance after missing game one, caught a 7 yard pass and Beard caught a 20 yard pass coming up just inches short of the goal line.  Harrison bulled in from less than a yard out to give the Trojans a touchdown lead after Wynston Redden's extra point.

Two holding penalties on Handley's initial drive, and another penalty which was declined, pushed the Tigers well back into their own territory and forced a short punt where Saint James took over on the Handley 37.  Beard caught a pass on the second play to move the ball down to the 11, and despite another penalty, Jackson found Ziggy Holloway with a 12 yard pass in the endzone which gave the Trojans a 14 - 0 lead after another Redden extra point late in the first quarter and all of the momentum was Trojan early.

Not for long, however.  Jamerqui Lewis fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 21 yard line and appeared to be bottled up in a scrum around the 35.  However, he broke loose and veered toward the Tiger sidelines.  By midfield, he had a blocker and only the kicker could try and force him out of bounds.  No luck, Lewis ran the entire 79 yards back for a quick Handley score.  The extra point failed, but the Trojan momentum had been lessened as Handley had closed to within 8 points.

The teams traded punts for most of the second quarter; drives were stalled by what seemed an inordinate amount of holding and ineligible receiver downfield penalties on both teams.  Saint James appeared to have won the field position battle as Braxton Berrey drilled a 54 yard punt (just one yard short of a Trojan all-time top 10) which was downed at the Tiger 3.  After a 3 yard run and an incomplete pass, quarterback Cannon Kyles called his own number trying to get a first down.  However, his keeper proved much more lucrative as he broke a tackle at the first down marker and had clear sailing all the way down the far sidelines, eventually ending in a 94 yard touchdown run.  The Tigers again missed the extra point, but had cut the margin to 2 at 14 - 12 as the half waned.

Saint James responded after a fine kickoff return by Holloway.  Houser caught a 16 yard pass to enter Tiger territory at the 42 yard line.  After two incomplete passes, Jackson found Beard over the middle on a slant pattern for what appeared to be a first down, but the crafty Beard bounced off potential tacklers and weaved his way through the Handley secondary finally finding an opening and making his way all the way into the endzone for a touchdown.  Redden's kick returned the Saint James lead to two possessions, at 21 - 12, as halftime loomed.

Unfortunately, it did not loom closely enough.  In the previous week's game, a Beard punt return touchdown seconds before halftime appeared to have sealed the game and demoralized the opponents.  This week, Handley turned the table - not (yet) sealing the game but garnering all the momentum for the upcoming second half.  A hold on the kickoff return puched the ball back to the Handley 27, and the Tigers had barely over a minute to traverse the field for points.  Jamarius Haynes began showing his might as he started the drive with a 19 yard pass reception.  Another 8 yard reception and a 9 yard run by Haynes advanced the ball to the Trojan 37.  After an incomplete pass, the Tigers had time for one last play.  Haynes ran deep towards the far endzone corner and made an amazing catch in a cradled position like a baby in an old time electric swing despite coverage for a 37 yard touchdown as the clock expired.  Kyles added a two point conversion run, and suddenly at halftime Saint James led by only a tenuous one point.

The third quarter, for the most part, was heavy Handley.  The Tigers executed a drive very similar to the Trojans' first half opening drive.  Haynes again was the Headley workhorse, racking up double digit yardage on both runs and receptions.  A roughing the passer penalty was key in giving the Tigers a gift first down at the Trojan 15.  Even after a bad snap on first down led to a 14 yard loss, Haynes ran for 22 yards on the next play, and a second Saint James personal foul resulted in an automatic first down on the Trojan 3.  Consecutive Haynes runs, the second from 2 yards out, gave Handley their first lead of the game, and a Kyles conversion run made the score 28 - 21 midway through the third quarter.

The Trojans made zero headway on their opening drive, and on the first play after a punt, Haynes broke loose for a 61 yard touchdown against a perhaps unready defense.  This time Landon Bozeman connected on the extra point, and the Tigers were quickly up by a pair of touchdowns at 35 - 21.

An equally ineffective drive with no first downs forced yet another Trojan punt, which Berrey boomed down to the Tiger 15.  No matter.  Three plays later they were in the endzone once more, this time from Kyles to DeVontae Higgins, who turned a 5 yard hitch pass into an 82 yard catch and scamper touchdown.  A conversion pass attempt after a bobbled kick snap fell incomplete, but the Tigers were beginning to dominate in all game phases, boosting their lead to 41 - 21.

Saint James finally responded on their final drive of the third quarter where Jackson shined.  A 4 yard Jackson run and a 15 yard toss to Holloway moved the ball into Handley territory.  Houser caught a 6 yard pass on the next play, and then Jackson decided upon a keeper as his receivers were covered.  He broke through potential tacklers about 5 yards downfield and headed to the Trojan sidelines.  A wicked clean block by Holloway cleared the way, and with some dancing and darting around defenders, Jackson cut back toward the middle of the field and dove into the endzone concluding a marvelous 42 yard touchdown run.  Redden's extra point cut the lead to 41 - 28 and there was still an entire quarter plus to play.

An out of bounds kickoff gave Handley fine field position at their own 41 and six plays into the fourth quarter they were in the endzone once more as Lewis was on the receiving end of Kyles' third touchdown pass of the game, this one a 27 yarder.  The Bozeman extra point boosted the lead back to three possessions, at 48 - 28.

Saint James did grind out one more touchdown as the fourth quarter wore down.  Riley Britton made his first career pass reception for a 20 yard gain and a first down.  (He would add another 19 yarder on the final drive).  Jackson and Harrison ran the rest of the way toward the goal line, and on fourth down from the four Jackson called his own number and bowled in against a pass-wary defense for the final touchdown of the game.  Redden's extra point, his 11th consecutive to start the 2022 season, would complete the end scoring result of 48 - 35.

The Trojans tried an onside kick which was nearly successful, but Handley was able to run out most of the clock.  On the final drive of the game, Harrison picked up 8 yards on the final carry allowing him to again reach the magic mark of 100 plus yards in a game.  A tough loss granted, but now the Trojans had to look forward to their region schedule which would begin with a home meeting against the Prattville Christian Panthers one week away.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME TWO

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING  33 attempts  171 yards    3 TDs  (5.18 yards per carry)

                                5   Harrison             21 / 106   (1 TD)        1   Jackson       12 / 63  (1 TD)   2   Beard           1 / 2

                              PASSING    13 completions  25 attempts  0 INTs   204 yards  2 TDs

                                1   Jackson             13 - 25 - 0   204 yards   2 TDs

                              RECEIVING

                                2   Beard                 5 / 104  (1 TD)     9   Britton              2 / 39
                                7   Houser               4 /   34                  6   Holloway          2 / 27  (1 TD)

                              TOTAL YARDS:  375

                              KICKS:      XP  5 / 5      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  6  (39,34,45,39,19OB,17)             PUNTS:  4  (46EZ,54,31,42)
                              KO RETURNS:  7  (15,17,15,10,28,17,3)          PUNT RETURNS:   1  (15)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   18  (9 rushing, 8 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   7 / 14
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  0
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   8 / 75 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  29:06

HANDLEY           RUSHING    27 attempts  231 yards  3 TDs  (8.56 yards per carry) 
                              PASSING       8 completions  13 attempts  0 INTs  194 yards  3 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  425

                              KICKS:      XP  2 / 4      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 3
                              KICKOFFS:  7  (40,31,34,31,44,44,45)            PUNTS:  2  (28.34)
                              KO RETURNS:  5  (6,79TD,22,14,0)               PUNT RETURNS:  1 (0fc)
                              FIRST DOWNS:  14  (6 rushing, 6 passing, 2 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:  5 / 8
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  5 / 62 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  18:54

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