2023 -
GAME 1
SAINT JAMES 49, Montgomery Academy 13
M A 7 6 0 0 13
STJ 14 21 7 7 49
Friday, August 25 7:00 PM Carlisle Field
Game Conditions: Very Hot / Mostly Clear Game Temperature: 93 Winds Variable 5 MPH
SCORING SUMMARY
STJ (1) 11:00 Cole Anderson 46 run (Huff kick) 7 - 0
M A (1) 4:57 Hardin 14 fumble return (Ashworth kick) 7 - 7
STJ (1) 1:52 Jackson 37 run (Huff kick) 14 - 7
STJ (2) 8:45 Huff 77 pass from Jackson (Hines kick) 21 - 7
M A (2) 5:58 Whisenhunt 46 fumble return (pass failed) 21 - 13
STJ (2) 5:41 Cole Anderson 80 run (Huff kick) 28 - 13
STJ (2) 0:10 Jackson 17 run (Huff kick) 35 - 13
STJ (3) 8:23 Cole Anderson 70 run (Huff kick) 42 - 13
STJ (4) 4:36 Perry 5 run (Hines kick) 49 - 13
Saint James won the opening coin toss of the season and elected to receive. 60 seconds and 2 scrimmage plays later the Trojans were in the endzone. Clint Houser returned the opening kickoff to just short of midfield. Cole Anderson ran for 5 yards on first down, and then on second down found running room on the far sidelines for 46 yards and his first of three lengthy touchdown scampers of the game. Jake Huff kicked his first of five extra points, and Saint James was quickly up 7 - 0.
A muffed kickoff return gave Montgomery Academy poor field position at their own 6 yard line, but Parker Cook converted several first downs on passes, primarily to his top target D.J. Vinson. However, the drive stalled near midfield and a punt backed the Trojans up to their own 13 yard line. K.J. Jackson carried two consecutive plays for 3 and 12 yards to give the Trojans some breathing room, but on Jackson's first pass attempt of the season he was sacked and the ball was knocked loose. William Hardin picked up the loose ball and scampered into the endzone untouched for a 14 yard fumble return. Rob Ashworth's extra point suddenly tied the game at 7.
Another fine Houser kickoff return gave Saint James good field position at the 39. Houser held on to a 15 yard pass despite being flipped after the catch to advance into Eagle territory, but later the Trojans would commit penalties on back to back plays resulting in a second down and 19 from midfield. Saint James completed seven passes in this game - to seven different receivers. Ziggy Holloway caught his pass for 13 yards to set up a manageable third down, and Jackson called his own number but was unable to find an open receiver so he took off running - hit the near sideline - and raced 37 yards for a touchdown as he dove and hit the pylon for the score. Huff's extra point returned the Trojans lead to 7 with still time left in the first quarter.
The Eagles had their best offensive drive of the night, getting as deep as the Trojan 23 before a fourth down incomplete pass turned the ball over. One play later, Saint James was in the endzone again. Jackson hit Jake Huff on a perfect slant pass over the middle, and he only had one defender, Chance Wilson to beat. Wilson, who may not have been full speed after an injury on the first Eagle offensive drive, tried several times to tackle the elusive Huff but was unable, and Huff raced the rest of the 77 yards into the endzone for a touchdown. He was so exhaused the backup place kicker Dylan Hines was called on to convert the extra point, which he did, and Saint James could breathe again with a 21 - 7 lead early in the second quarter.
Montgomery Academy was held to a three and out, and a nice punt return by Houser gave Saint James first down on the Eagles 46. Two Anderson runs netted 7 yards, but on third down a brisk Eagle rush interfered with the handoff to Anderson - the ball came loose and went backwards toward the goal line. David Whisenhunt picked up the ball at the Trojan 46 and carried the ball in for a second fumble return touchdown. Saint James, a team which only gave up a total of 19 points off turnovers in the 2022 season had now given up 13 in less than one half in the first game. A two point pass conversion attempt was complete but came up short of the goal line, so the Eagles were down by 8 as the second quarter "heat timeout" was in effect.
However, after an endzone kickoff, Anderson got a chance to redeem himself from the previous play and boy did he! The Trojan offensive line opened up a massive hole up the middle, Anderson turned on the afterburners, and 80 yards and 17 seconds later he was in the scorebook again. Huff's kick gave the Trojans a 28 - 13 lead in what had become a frenetic, albeit slow timewise second quarter.
Once again the Eagles drove into Trojan territory but a fourth down incompletion gave Saint James the ball with just under 2 minutes remaining at their own 36. Anderson caught his only pass of the night and galloped 9 yards for a first down. Tabor Offord followed up with a 7 yard reception on the sidelines to preserve clock time, and Montgomery Academy committed three consecutive penalties - an encroachment, a defensive pass interference penalty on a desperation short pass to Anderson, and a second encroachment penalty moved the ball down to the 19 yard line. Anderson ran for 2, and then with time running short Jackson called his own number again up the middle diving into the endzone with just 10 seconds remaining Huff's extra point gave Saint James a 35 - 13 lead as halftime finally gave everyone a chance to hydrate and catch breath in the stifling heat and humidity.
Vinson caught a 22 yard pass on the first scrimmage play of the third quarter, but the Eagles could not convert a second first down, and a punt return by Houser advanced the ball to the 30 yard line. Another one play touchdown drive as Anderson broke loose again, this time for 70 yards, and with only 10 carries (including losing 25 yards on the wild fumbled handoff), he had racked up over 200 yards and three long touchdowns. Huff's extra point gave the Trojans a 42 - 13 lead and it was the end of the night for the first offense. For most of the rest of the game Saint James substituted regularly, especially on the defense, but still held the first string Eagle offense well away from a scoring threat. Backup quarterback Chase Perry lead a 54 yard drive in the fourth quarter. D.J. Pollard took over the majority of the carries, but Miles Zukowski broke loose for 18 yards on his only handle giving the Trojans first down at the Eagle 12. Three plays later Perry would keep off of left end for 5 yards and what would be the final touchdown of the game. Hines came back in to convert his second extra point, and several minutes later Trojan fans were celebrating on Carlisle Field as the Trojans' win streak extended to 10, the second longest in school history, and the amazing scoring streak of 31 points extended to 9 games (every game except the late season 1 - 0 forfeit) as Saint James would soon look forward to its first visit to Roanoke, Alabama in over 20 years to face off against the mighty Handley Tigers - one of only two teams to deliver a loss to Saint James in the magical 2022 season.
PRESS BOX STATISTICS - GAME ONE
SAINT JAMES RUSHING 32 attempts 351 yards 6 TDs (10.97 yards per carry)
21
Anderson
10 / 215 (3
TDs)
1
Jackson
6 / 62 (2 TDs)
8
Pollard
8 / 30
30
Zukowski
1 /
18
15
Perry
4 / 11 (1 TD)
35
Williams
2 / 10
31
Phillips
1 / 5
PASSING
5 completions 8 attempts 0 INTs 141
yards 1 TD
1
Jackson
4 - 6 - 0 126 yards 1 TD
15
Perry
1 - 2 - 0 15 yards
RECEIVING
3
Huff
1 / 77
(TD)
7
Houser
1 /
15
12
Craig
1 / 15
6
Holloway
1 /
13
21
Anderson
1 /
9
10
Offord
1 / 7
4
Johnson
1 / 5
TOTAL
YARDS: 482
KICKS: XP 7 / 7
FG 0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 7
(54,EZ,55,55,54,OB,EZ)
PUNTS: 1 (41 EZ)
KO RETURNS: 2 (38,17)
PUNT RETURNS: 3 (20,7,0fc)
FIRST
DOWNS: 11 (8 rushing, 1 passing, 2
penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 3 / 6
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
FUMBLES: 2,
lost 2
TURNOVER
MARGIN: - 2
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 6 / 55 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 18:54
MONT
ACAD RUSHING
23 attempts 33 yards 0 TDs (1.43 yards per
carry)
PASSING
14 completions 25 attempts 0 INTs 175
yards 0 TDs
TOTAL
YARDS: 208
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
KICKOFFS: 4 (39,39,EZ,EZ) PUNTS: 5 (43,42,41,31.46)
KO RETURNS: 4 (10,22,14,20) PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST DOWNS: 9 (2 rushing, 7 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 10
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 3
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 13
FUMBLE RETURNS: 2 (14TD, 46TD)
FUMBLES: 2, lost 0
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 8 / 65 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 29:06