2023 - GAME 7

  SAINT JAMES 42, @ Alabama Christian 20
  STJ           7      14        7      14           42
 
 ACA          7        7        6        0           20

October 6, 2022   John Mark Stallings Field (home of Faulkner University)  Game Conditions:  Cloudy, breezy, cool  Game Temperature:  71  Wind:  NW 10 - 15
 

In the past 53 weeks, Saint James has traveled to three college stadiums to play high school football.   First, it was in 2022 going to Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy where the results wasn't so favorable.  Then, on December 1 in Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, the result could not have been possibly more satisfying as the Trojans captured their first state football championship defeating Piedmont 45 - 28.  On this night, they traveled to the home of the Faulkner Eagles where Saint James scored a touchdown on every drive except for the final one which ended in a victory formation kneeldown as the Trojans moved into position for another possible Region Championship with a 42 - 20 victory over Capital City Conference foe Alabama Christian.

SCORING SUMMARY

ACA  (1)    8:24   Walters 3 run                                       (Summers kick)     0 -   7
 STJ   (1)    5:06   Conner 2 run                                               (Huff kick)     7 -   7
ACA  (2)    7:00   Walters 1 run                                       (Summers kick)     7 - 14
 STJ   (2)    2:47   Conner 2 run                                               (Huff kick)   14 - 14
 STJ   (2)    0:41   Offord 39 pass from Jackson                     (Huff kick)   21 - 14
 STJ   (3)    7:20   Offord 41 pass from Jackson                     (Huff kick)   28 - 14
ACA  (3)    1:23   Snipes 1 run                                            (kick blocked)   28 - 20
 STJ   (4)  10:42   Conner 2 run                                               (Huff kick)   35 - 20
 STJ   (4)    9:18   Offord 28 pass from Jackson                     (Huff kick)   42 - 20 


The game did not start off favorably for Saint James as the Eagles executed an onside kick which Darrius Gardner successfully recovered at the 46 yard line.  Four plays netted only six yards, but A.C. Walters from punt formation found plenty of run down the near sidelines and picked up 31 yards to extend the opening drive.  Several plays later, Walters was rewarded with a 3 yard touchdown carry and ACA was on top 7 - 0 less than 4 minutes into the game.

A second onside kick was attempted but this time it was Carter Carroll for the Trojans who recovered at the 46.  Jake Huff caught an 11 yard pass from K.J. Jackson on first down.  Two plays later, Jackson looked for Huff again on the end of a flea flicker and got the ball to him but he could not hang on as he fell in the endzone.  It would be the only incompletion Jackson would throw.  Jackson, who arguably had his finest rushing game as a Trojan, scrambled for 23 yards and a first down.  Cole Anderson and Jackson rushed for a net of 14 yards, and then Pruitt Conner powered in from two yards out and Jake Huff's extra point tied the score at 7.

After an endzone kick, the Eagles embarked on a drive which would take 10 minutes off the Faulkner stadium clock.  Walters caught two midrange passes from Christian Snipes near midfield, and a holding penalty was offset by a horsecollar tackle penalty on a third down to keep the drive alive.  Nine plays into the second quarter, on a grinding drive, Walters picked up his second rushing touchdown, this time from one yard out, and ACA was back on top 14 - 7.

Another short kickoff was fielded by Paxton Wingard at the 45 yard line.  Jackson tossed passes to four different receivers on the drive for positive yardage, and a 2 yard face mask penalty after the final catch by Huff advanced the ball down to the Eagle 2, where once again Conner, on his second carry of the game, picked up his second two yard touchdown.  Huff's extra point retied the game at 14 where neither team had yet been stopped on offense.

Until this drive.  An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the Eagles back and forced the first punt of the day which was fair caught by Ziggy Holloway at the Trojan 31 with 81 seconds remaining until halftime.  Three plays and half of the clock time later, Saint James had its first lead.  Jackson rushed for 24 on first down and connected with Wingard for 6 yards on the next play.  From there, Jackson found Tabor Offord open in the ACA secondary and he split and outraced potential tacklers on a 39 yard catch and run touchdown.  Huff's extra point gave the Trojans a 21 - 14 lead after ACA decided to simply allow the clock to run out for halftime.

The Eagles were stopped on a three and out to start the half, and Saint James marched down the field 70 yards for another touchdown.  On the sixth play of the drive, Jackson found Offord once more, this time for a 41 yard touchdown, and Huff's extra point doubled the lead to 28 - 14.  ACA would eat up most of the remaining third quarter on a grinding drive which ended in a Snipes 1 yard touchdown run.  Caden Anderson blocked the extra point, so Saint James retained an 8 point lead as the third quarter ended.

The first play of the fourth quarter appeared controversial, but it was a rule correctly applied although a different rule is in place for college and professional football.  On fourth down and four from the ACA 49, Saint James elected to go for the first down.  Jackson could not find an open receiver, so he elected to run.  The ball was knocked out of his hands and bounced forward off of an Eagle leg going out of bounds at the 43.  The spot of the fumble was at the 46, where in college and pro the ball would have been placed.  However, in high school, there is no such rule - a fumble is placed at the spot where the ball goes out of bounds, whether favorably or disfavorably.  An extended discussion between the referees and at times both coaching staffs ensued, but Saint James retained possession.  Several plays later, Jake Huff caught another pass for 31 yards down to the Eagle 2, where, you guessed it, Conner got his third carry of the game, and got his third two yard touchdown run.  Huff's extra point gave Saint James a 15 point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Alabama Christian was again stopped on a three and out, and after another punt Saint James took over on their own 48.  Two plays later they were in the endzone once more.  Jackson rushed for 24 yards on first down, and then found Offord for his third touchdown catch of the evening, this one for 28 yards which would be the final score of the evening after Huff's extra point.  The Eagles drove methodically down the field, but used up a valuable 6 minutes of clock in doing so, before being stopped at the Saint James 13 on downs.  From there, the Trojans converted enough plays to run out the clock clinching their 21st consecutive region victory as the region championship game loomed one week away against the visiting Trinity Wildcats.

SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME SEVEN

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   30 attempts  190 yards   3 TDs  (6.33 yards per carry)

                                1   Jackson           10 / 113 yards      21   Anderson    17 / 71      16   Conner        3 / 6 yards  (three 2 yard TD runs)

                               PASSING     12 completions  13 attempts  0 INTs   225 yards  3 TDs

                                1   Jackson              12 - 13 - 0     225 yards   3 TDs

                              RECEIVING

                              10   Offord              4 / 122 yards  (3 TDs)    3   Huff          3 / 51      6   Holloway     2 / 21
                                5   Richardson       1 /   13                          16   Conner     1 / 12     11   Wingard       1 /   6

                              TOTAL YARDS:  415
                              KICKS:      XP  6 / 6      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  7  (EZ,EZ,46,55,EZ,50,55)               PUNTS:   0
                              KO RETURNS:  3  (-4f,0,0)                                   PUNT RETURNS:  2  (0)
                              FIRST DOWNS:   20  (9 rushing, 10 passing, 1 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   3 / 5
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                              FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                              TURNOVER MARGIN:  - 1
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:   5 / 46 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  16:36

ALA CHRISTIAN  RUSHING   43 attempts  193 yards  3 TDs  (4.49 yards per carry)
                              PASSING         9 completions  16 attempts  0 INTs  57 yards  0 TDs
                              TOTAL YARDS:  250

                              KICKS:      XP  2 / 3      FG   0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS:   0 / 0
                              KICKOFFS:  4  (13,14,15,15)                                 PUNTS:  3  (42,52,27)
                              KO RETURNS:  4  (11,16,12,17)                           PUNT RETURNS:  0
                              FIRST DOWNS:  19  (11 rushing, 5 passing, 3 penalty)
                              THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS:   3 / 9
                              FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS:  3 / 4
                              FUMBLES:  0
                              FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (0, recovered muffed onside kickoff)
                              POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  7
                              ACCEPTED PENALTIES:  4 / 32 yards
                              TIME OF POSSESSION:  31:24

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