2024 -
GAME 11
W.S. Neal 16, Saint James 6
WSN 0 0 0 16 16
STJ 0 0 6 0 6
Friday, November 8 7:00 PM Carlisle Field Game Conditions: Overcast, warm Game Temperature: 75 Wind: Negligible
SCORING SUMMARY:
STJ (3) 1:22 Corley 35 interception return (pass failed) 6 - 0
WSN (4) 10:33 Clark 6 run (Howard run) 6 - 8
WSN (4) 7:49 Mackey 41 pass from Crook (Howard run) 6 - 16
COMPLETE GAME RECAP
To say the first half of this game provided virtually non-existant offense would not be fair, so we'll say both teams played excellent defense as between the two sides a total of three first downs were converted, all of those by the Blue Eagles. W.S. Neal won the opening coin toss and elected to receive and earned two of their first downs on the opening drive, one of those on a running into the kicker penalty on an attempted punt. However, an offensive personal foul penalty eventually led to the first punt of 12 in the first half. The teams continued to trade punts throughout the first half. Midway through the second quarter, the Trojans had benefited from a short punt and had the ball as deep as the Eagle 34, but a fourth down run was not successful. Punts continued to be swapped including on the last play by W.S. Neal, and the teams went to the locker rooms scoreless.
The Trojans, who netted 14 yards of offense in the entire first half, began the second half with a kickoff return to the 40 yard line and an immediate gain of 25 yards on a pass from Chase Perry to Mason Craig for 25 yards. However, Saint James could not convert another first down and Dylan Hines was called in to attempt a 48 yard field goal, which came up short, and the Eagles took over on their own 20.
Three more punts followed, and the second Eagle punt was very short, giving Saint James the best field position of the game at the Eagle 21. A 16 yard pass play on first down was negated by offsetting penalties, and a 5 yard sack on third down gave Hines another chance for a field goal. This time the kick was long enough, but was wide right, and the score remained scoreless toward the end of the third quarter.
The Eagles picked up a first down on a 14 yard run on the first play, but several plays later a razzle dazzle trick play pass turned into disaster as the pass was batted high up into the air and caught by Saint James' Braylen Corley, who returned the interception 35 yards untouched down the near sidelines for the first score of the game. Hines was called in to attempt an extra point kick, but the snap was poor and it turned into an impromptu two point conversion pass. The pass was completed, but came up a yard short of the endzone; thus a failed conversion. Nevertheless, the scoreless tie had been broken and Saint James was up 6 - 0 late in the third quarter.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Eagle quarterback Jarrod Crook found Jabrei Mackey for a 31 yard pass completion to give W.S. Neal their best field position at the Trojan 20. Three plays later, Samorion Clark was on the end of another reception - this one of 13 yards giving the Eagles first down at the Trojan 6. On the next play, Clark was rewarded with a carry and he rumbled 6 yards for the first W.S. Neal score. The Eagles do not traditionally kick extra points. They line up 275 pound lineman Kevin Howard in the backfield. He took a shotgun snap and could not be denied the endzone for a two point conversion and the Eagles had an 8 - 6 lead early in the fourth quarter with the first offensive touchdown of the evening.
Saint James could not convert a first down on their drive by throwing an incomplete pass on fourth down and giving the ball back to W.S. Neal at the Trojan 49. On fourth down from the 41, quarterback Crook saw and targeted a completely uncovered receiver Mackey, and he raced away for a 41 yard catch and run touchdown. Howard again rumbled for a two point conversion, and the Eagles had a two possession lead at 16 - 6 midway through the final quarter.
The next two Trojan drives unfortunately ended in interceptions, and Saint James only had one more chance late in the game which was stopped on fourth down as the Eagles prevailed and would advance to the second round of the playoffs, ending the Saint James season. However, as some may have doubted early in the season, the Trojans finished with an overall winning record (6 - 5), technically finished tied for a region championship with a 6 - 1 record, although they lost the top "seed" via tiebreaker, and managed to be productive despite season-ending injuries to several key players. Saint James has the same schedule, in reverse home and away, to look forward to in 2025.
PRESS BOX STATISTICS - GAME ELEVEN
SAINT JAMES RUSHING 18 attempts 16 yards 0 TDs (< 1 yard per carry)
6
Phillips 9 / 37
yards 13 Bass 1 /
0 15 Perry 8
/ -21
PASSING 6 completions 27 attempts 2 INTs 61 yards 0 TDs
15
Perry
6 - 26 - 2 61 yards
3
Corley 0
- 1 - 0
RECEIVING
7
Craig 2 /
31 3
Corley 2 / 13
13
Bass 1 /
14 12
Hassell 1 / 3
TOTAL
YARDS: 77
KICKS: XP 0 / 0
FG 0 / 2 (missed 48,43)
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
KICKOFFS: 2 (30,28)
PUNTS: 6
(38,54,32,44,41,33)
KO RETURNS: 3 (8,13,7)
PUNT RETURNS: 1 (0fc)
FIRST
DOWNS: 5 (2 rushing, 2 passing, 1
penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 11
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 3
FUMBLES: 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 6
INTERCEPTION RETURN: 1 (35TD)
TURNOVER
MARGIN: - 1
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 10 / 60 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 15:45
W.S. NEAL
RUSHING
48 attempts 106 yards 1 TD (2.21 yards per
carry)
PASSING
12 completions 17 attempts 1 INT 109
yards 1 TD
TOTAL
YARDS: 215
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 2 / 2
KICKOFFS: 3 (28,11,36) PUNTS: 10 (42,35,35,39,20,34,26,6,33,30)
KO RETURNS: 2 (-4,6) PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST DOWNS: 9 (5 rushing, 3 passing, 1 penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 17
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 3
FUMBLES: 1
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:
INTERCEPTION RETURN: 2 (0,24)
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 13 / 99 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 32:15