2024 -
GAME 9
@ Tallassee
31, Saint James 21
STJ 7 7 0 7 21
TAL 14 17 0 0 31
Friday, October 18, 2024 J.E. "Hot" O'Brien Stadium Game Conditions: Clear, cool Game Temperature: 60 Wind: none
SCORING SUMMARY
TAL (1) 11:37 Gordon 32 fumble return (Rodriguez kick) 0 - 7
STJ (1) 5:58 Perry 1 run (Hines kick) 7 - 7
TAL (1) 4:16 King 39 run (Rodriguez kick) 7 - 14
STJ (2) 5:16 Wright fumble recovery in endzone (Hines kick) 14 - 14
TAL (2) 5:14 McKenzie 69 kickoff return (Rodriguez kick) 14 - 21
TAL (2) 3:32 King 14 pass from Morris (Rodriguez kick) 14 - 28
TAL (2) 1:40 Rodriguez 40 FG 14 - 31
STJ (4) 10:09 Craig 12 pass from Perry (Hines kick) 21 - 31
COMPLETE GAME RECAP
Saint James won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Braylen Corley returned the opening kickoff to the 29 yard line, and controversy which would seem to permeate the entire game started on the first play from scrimmage. A simple handoff to Miles Zukowski gained three yards and progress seemed to be halted. However, the ball popped out and was picked up by Tallassee's Jaiden Gordon who promptly returned the ball 32 yards for a touchdown. An irate Trojan sideline claimed a whistle had been blown and the players had let up but the referees were having none of it. Yuren Rodriguez came out to convert the extra point and only 23 seconds into the game, without having run an offensive play, Tallassee was quickly up 7 - 0.
The Trojans responded with a methodical 13 play drive after Corley returned the ensuing kickoff to the 41 yard line. Running plays by Chase Perry and Grant Phillips and several catches by Corley, acting as the lead receiver due to the absence of injured Tabor Offord, including a 24 yarder, pushed the ball into the Tiger redzone. Perry was lucky not to lose a fumble inside the 15. Several plays later, on third and 13 from the 14, he tossed a high pass for Dylan Hines to catch, which he did just short of the goal line. However, Saint James earned a first down, and two quarterback keepers later Perry was in from inside the one yard line. Hines came back to connect on the extra point and the score was tied at 7 - 7 midway through the first quarter.
Tallassee took only five plays to respond. Quarterback Trent Morris ran for 12 yards to give the Tigers first down on the Trojan 39, and on the next play their speedster Jordan King took a handoff on a sweep, zoomed around several defenders, and raced untouched 39 yards into the endzone. The Rodriguez extra point put Tallassee back on top 14 - 7 with still over four minutes remaining in the opening period.
A holding penalty stalled the Trojans' next drive, and after a punt it appeared the Tigers were driving for yet another score. However, on the third play of the second quarter from the Trojan 18, a handoff was fumbled and fallen upon by Hines for a Saint James stop. Perry would later complete a lovely toss and run to Phillips for 27 yards to advance the ball to midfield, but the Tiger defense stiffened and forced another punt. However, it was one of the best by Hines all season and pinned the Tigers at their own 7 yard line. After two plays lost a net of two yards, a high snap into the endzone was over Morris' head. Will Wright raced in, rolled and miraculously grabbed the ball before it bounced out of the endzone giving Saint James a surprise sudden touchdown. Hines kick tied the game and negated all of the Tallassee momentum.
For one play. On the kickoff, Jaden McKenzie fielded the ball at his own 31, crossed the field, eluded tacklers near midfield, and raced down the Tiger sidelines for a 69 yard kickoff return score. Officially, the play only took two seconds to run because of some questionable clock keeping, more of which would become obvious especially during the second half. The Rodriguez extra point boosted the lead to 21 - 14 with still ample time remaining before the half.
A block in the back penalty on the kickoff return forced the Trojans into a three and out, and a badly shanked punt gave the Tigers excellent field position at the Trojan 37. After workhorse runningback Roderick Green picked up 18 and 5 yards consecutively, Morris tossed a perfect 14 yard slant to King for a quick touchdown and suddently Tallassee had doubled the lead to 28 -14.
Reminiscent of the end of the first half against Trinity earlier in the year, the end of this second quarter did not bode well for the Trojans as a Perrypass was intercepted by Rush Wright and returned to the Saint James 18. A holding penalty slowed the Tiger possession, but Rodriguez was called on to kick a 40 yard field goal. The 25 second clock had expired before the ball was snapped, but the kick was allowed and traveled like a missile, never climbing more than 10 feet off the ground. However, the kick went over the crossbar and a Trojan opponent had converted a field goal for the first time since the 2021 season, giving the Tigers a 17 point lead. Saint James was unable to gain any significant yardage at the end of the half, and the Tigers raced to the locker room with the 17 point lead.
The Tigers almost got their second kickoff return touchdown of the game to start the second half as Chase Chumley returned the ball all the way to the Trojan 37 before kicker Hines knocked him out of bounds. The first two running plays totaled 21 yards, but on third down the Tigers tried to cash in on a touchdown but it was intercepted by Perry inside the one yard line, stopping the Tiger threat. Saint James would pick up several first downs, although the clock seemed to be running more than stopped when it shouldn't be, before another punt was forced. Tallassee drove as close as the Trojan 33, but a long Rodriguez field goal attempt came up short.
Saint James needed to score often, and quickly, and they finally got back on the scoreboard with an 80 yard drive. Corley and Michael Harrell each caught passes to advance the drive, and Grant Phillips had several nice runs to end the third quarter. A defensive pass interference penalty gave Saint James a first down at the Tiger 12. Three plays netted no yardage, but on fourth down Perry sought and found Mason Craig across the middle for a 12 yard touchdown pass. Hines' extra point would cut the lead to 31 - 21 with plenty of time remaining in the final quarter.
Tallassee chewed up valuable clock time, along with some "failures to stop the clock" along the way on their next drive before turning the ball over on downs at midfield. Several Corley catches advanced the ball down to the Tiger 16, but a McKenzie interception inside the five yard line stopped a serious scoring threat, and the teams merely traded possessions without first downs the remainder of the way clinching the victory for the Tigers. Saint James would travel to Munford for the first time in school history to help determine who their first round playoff opponent would be in the final regular season matchup of 2024.
PRESS BOX STATISTICS - GAME NINE
SAINT JAMES RUSHING 30 attempts 70 yards 1 TD (2.33 yards per carry)
15
Perry 11 /
25 yards (1 TD) 6
Phillips 10 /
24 16 Conner
7 / 11
3
Corley 1
/
7
30 Zukowski 1
/ 3
PASSING 12 completions 28 attempts 2 INTs 156 yards 1 TD
15
Perry
12 - 27 - 2 156 yards 1 TD
3
Corley
0 - 1 - 0
RECEIVING
3
Corley 7 /
98
yards
6
Phillips 2 /
25 19
Hines 1 / 13
7
Craig
1 / 12
(TD)
12
Hassell 1
/ 8
TOTAL
YARDS: 226
KICKS: XP 3 / 3
FG 0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 4
(29,29,48,28)
PUNTS: 4 (36,35,8,32)
KO RETURNS: 5 (19,32,23,12,22)
PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST
DOWNS: 16 (7 rushing, 8 passing, 1
penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 4 / 11
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 1 / 2
FUMBLES: 2,
lost 1
TURNOVER
MARGIN: 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 7
INTERCEPTION RETURN: 1 (0)
FUMBLE RETURNS: 2 (0, 0TD)
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 3 / 25 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: not available
TALLASSEE
RUSHING 34
attempts 117 yards 1 TD (3.44 yards per
carry)
PASSING
6 completions 13 attempts 1 INT 58
yards 1 TD
TOTAL
YARDS: 175
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 6 (50,51,OB,48,48,51) PUNTS: 1 (25)
KO RETURNS: 4 (5,69TD,31,13) PUNT RETURNS: 2 (15, -2)
FIRST DOWNS: 10 (6 rushing, 4 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 3 / 10
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
FUMBLES: 3, lost 2
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 10
FUMBLE RETURNS: 1 (32TD)
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 2 (20,4)
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 6 / 52 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: not available