H A
0 21
9
0 30
August 25, 1989
Westgate Park, Dothan. Game Conditions: Cloudy, hot,
hazy, very humid, no wind Game Temperature: 90
Houston Academy's
Aaron Jones scored touchdowns in three different ways, a pass
reception, a run, and a long interception return just before halftime,
to lead the Raiders to a season-opening 30-8 victory over the Trojans
at Dothan's Westgate Park.
The Raiders moved
the ball down the field on their opening drive, thanks in big part to
passes from Blake Daughtry to Curt Stuckey for 36 yards on the first
scrimmage play and a 9 yard completion to Fred Marshall several plays
later. However, the drive stalled inside the Trojan 10 yard line
and a 21 yard field goal attempt was wide left.
St. James could
only gain 1 yard before two incompletions, and punted. After a 25
yard run by Jamey Ormond on first down, the Raiders again stalled and
punted into the endzone, giving the Trojans the ball on the 20 yard
line for their second consecutive series. Again, though, St.
James only netted one yard and punted again. A shanked punt out
of bounds gave HA the ball on the Trojan 48. However, the Trojans
once more stopped the Raiders drive as Stephen Woodry intercepted a
Daughtry pass at the 20 yard line.
The Trojans again
failed to convert a first down and the Raiders blocked the drive ending
punt, downing the ball on the Trojan 5 yard line. Two plays
later, Fred Marshall carried in from the 2 yard line for the first
score of the year. Matt Johnson's extra point, the first of four
consecutive, gave HA a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
St. James again
failed to gain a first down as a penalty and a sack forced them
backwards. A clipping penalty on the Raider punt return pushed
the ball back to their own 37 yard line, but Daughtry completed a 10
yard pass to Stuckey, Marshall ran for 26 yards, and 2 plays later
Daughtry completed a 40 yard pass to Aaron Jones for his first
touchdown of three. The extra point doubled the lead to 14-0 late
in the second quarter.
After a 20 yard
Jeff George kickoff return, the Trojans finally ventured into Raider
territory on a 30 yard completion from Wade Hartley to Stephen
Woodry. However, a sack on fourth down again stopped another St.
James drive. The Raiders could only complete 1 of 6 passes on
their next drive, turning the ball back over to the Trojans with 101
seconds remaining in the half. Woodry took the ball on a reverse
for a 17 yard gain, then Sean Kennedy, normally an offensive lineman,
was lined up at the fullback spot and surprised everyone by taking a
handoff up the middle for 30 yards to the Raider 15 with 49 seconds
remaining. Two consecutive sacks pushed the ball back to the 28,
and on 3rd down, a screen pass was well read and intercepted by Jones
at the 39, and he easily outraced defenders 61 yards to the endzone
just before halftime for a crushing touchdown. The extra point
gave Houston Academy a three touchdown halftime lead.
The Trojans' bad
luck continued as a snap was launched over the punter's head on the
first series of the third quarter. Mickey Pittman was lucky to
fall on the ball in the endzone to prevent a touchdown, merely giving
the Raiders a safety. However, after the ensuing free kickoff and
a 19 yard return, the Raiders moved down the field in 8 plays to score
again. A pass interference penalty on fourth down midway through
the drive helped HA later set up Aaron Jones' 9 yard touchdown run, the
game clincher which gave HA a 30 point lead.
St. James was not
convinced it actually was a game clincher, as on the first play from
scrimmage, Hartley connected with a wide open Billy Byrd for a 67 yard
touchdown. Hartley also threw a 2 point conversion pass to Gabe
Harris and the lead was immediately back down to 3 possessions, at 30-8.
The Trojans set up
for an onside kick and executed it almost too well. The line
drive kick hit a Raider upman, but bounced directly off him past the
Trojan onrushers, and the Raiders recovered the ball 4 yards behind
where it had been kicked from. However, after onefirst down, the
Raiders again gave the ball up on downs at the Trojan 22.
St. James turned
over the ball promptly on downs themselves, but on the first play of
the fourth quarter HA fumbled at the Trojan 27. St. James
traveled most of the field, in big part due to a 58 yard catch and run
from Hartley to Byrd down to the Raider 4. However, a fumbled
snap on first down forced the ball back 8 yards, and three incompleted
passes turned the ball over again. From there, the Raiders took
to the ground and the heat and humidity and constant pounding wore down
the Trojans during a 9 minute plus drive. St. James forced a
fourth down fumble at the Raider 24 with only 20 seconds remaining, but
could only gain 26 yards on one pass completion before time expired on
the season opening defeat.
SIDELINE STATISTICS - GAME ONE
ST. JAMES RUSHING: 14 carries 10 yards 0 TDs (< 1 yard per carry)
61
Kennedy 1 /
30 17
Woodry 1 /
17
34
Parker
3 / 3
28
George 2
/ 2 33
Thomas 3 /
2
10
Hartley
9 / - 42
PASSING: 21 attempts 6 completions
1
INT 196 yards 1 TD (6 sacks of, 35 yards)
10 Hartley
6
- 21 - 1 196 yards 1
TD 1 INT
RECEIVING:
80
Byrd
5 / 166 (1
TD)
17
Woodry
1 / 30
TOTAL YARDS: 206
HOUSTON AC
RUSHING 36 attempts 133 yards 2 TDs
(3.69 yards per carry)
PASSING 20
attempts 9 completions 1 INT 125 yards 1
TD (3 sacks of, 10 yards)
TOTAL YARDS: 258