GAME 1:   SAINT JAMES 10, Houston Academy 9

August 26, 1988   Collier Field.   Game Conditions:   Partly cloudy, low humidity  Game temperature:  unavailable

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Saint James overcame an injured quarterback and four lost fumbles while recovering a key one of their own which led to the Trojans' lone touchdown as they defeated the visiting Houston Academy Raiders 10 - 9.

Saint James controlled the ball for most of the first quarter, running 22 offensive plays to the Raiders' 6.  However, the 22nd play was a botched punt snap which gave Houston Academy the ball at midfield.  Three plays later however, Minho Chung intercepted a pass at the Trojan 22 to end the threat.  After a Trojan punt, the Raiders began their best drive of the first half, getting as deep as the Trojan 19 before losing one of their four fumbles.  Saint James was again later forced to punt, but the Raiders deep back muffed the kick and the Trojans were in business at the Raider 34 after recovering the loose ball.  However, the fumble bug hit Saint James once more three plays later.

Later, with time running down in the first half, the Raiders had driven to the Trojan 23 when a bizarre play occurred, or more accurately, did not occur.  The Raider quarterback was lined up in shotgun formation, and ran around desperately after the snap looking for a receiver.  He was grabbed and fumbled the ball.  Trojan Chance Harris picked up the fumble at the 34 and had apparently run it 66 yards back for a touchdown.  However, the officials conferenced after the play for several minutes and it was determined an inadvertent whistle, which no one on either team seemed to have heard, blew as the quarterback was being grabbed.  The referees called a replay, negating both the touchdown and the yards lost from the sack, which of course was a double whammy against Saint James.  Several plays later, a quarterback sack prevented any further Raider gain, and Saint James ran out the first half clock amidst a chorus of boos and worse to the departing referees into a scoreless halftime.

The Raiders came out strong in the third quarter, marching 68 yards in four plays.  After a 39 yard run advanced the ball to the Trojan 17, Jamey Ormond carried on the next play into the endzone.  Scott Wuertzer's extra point was good, and the first score of the season gave Houston Academy a 7 point lead early in the third quarter.

The Trojans returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 38, and after a first down, a sizable run by Bryan Skelton was called back on a clipping penalty.  However, Billy Byrd made his first catch of the year, an amazing one handed grab for 27 yards on third down and 24 to keep the drive alive.  After a short run and a defensive pass interference penalty, Saint James was threatening to score for the first time before losing yet another fumble on the Raider 25.

Houston Academy returned the favor by fumbling two plays later.  Wade Hartley, substituting at quarterback for the injured Jay Allen, completed a 12 yard pass to Skelton moving the ball down to the 15.  However, three plays netted one yard before a defensive offside penalty moved the ball five yards forward, and Saint James kicker Jay Robertson kicked a 26 yard field goal to cut the lead to four points late in the third quarter.

The key play of the game took place five plays later.  After the Raiders had made a first down, four plays later they were forced to punt from just inside midfield.  However, the punter muffed the snap and had to fall on the ball which he had inadvertently poked backwards at the Raider 26, giving Saint James a huge scoring opportunity.  Unfortunately, on the first play of the fourth quarter as Skelton was stretching the ball out for a first down, it was knocked away and pounced on by the Raiders at the eleven yard line.  As luck would have it, the snap on the next play was bobbled and kicked before being recovered by the Trojans at the Raider 14.  This time, the Trojans would not waste the gift.  On the next play, Hartley dropped back and found Billy Byrd open in the endzone for a 14 yard touchdown pass.  Robertson's extra point put the Trojans ahead for the first time by 3 points.

The ball seemed to remain slick, as after the Raiders were forced to punt after three plays, Saint James muffed the punt, giving Houston Academy a first down at the Trojan 26.  Five plays later, it was first down at the Trojan seven.  Three running plays gained a total of five yards.  On fourth down from the two, the Raiders tried a peculiar double reverse which appeared to be successful as quarterback Blake Daughtry ran into the endzone.  However, a crackback block was called and the Raiders were penalized back to the 17 yard line.  Forsaking a potential tying field goal attempt, a running play just missed doing big damage, as the Raider runner was stopped only two feet short of the endzone on fourth and 17 with just under six minutes remaining.

The Trojans picked up five yards on three rushing plays from the shadow of their own goalpost, and later decided to take a delay of game penalty and an intentional safety to run clock and maintain the lead, shaving nearly three minutes off the clock in the process.

The free kick was returned to the Raider 48.  A seven yard rush and a nine yard pass completion gave Houston Academy a first down at the Trojan 36.  A crucial holding penalty during a run moved the ball back to the 42, where on the next play Jeff George intercepted a Daughtry pass at the 28 and was one tackle away at the Raider 47 from returning it the distance.  However, with the Raiders down to a final timeout, three plays were enough for the Trojans to guard the football as neither team had been able to for most of the game and run out the clock, preserving a hard fought one point win in a somewhat sloppy, but nevertheless exciting game to start the season.

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