GAME 7:   ST. JAMES 39, @ St. Jude 0

October 6, 1989   Carver Junior High Field   Game Conditions:  Clear, low humidity  Game temperature:  70  Light wind

St. James nearly matched their total point output of the first six games combined, 42, in a demonstrative rushing display.  The Trojans possessed the ball twice as long as the undermanned St. Jude Pirates, whom they defeated 39-0 at St. Jude's home stadium, the Carver Junior High Field.

Even though St. James had great field position on their first possession, the Trojans fumbled the ball away on their fourth play at the Pirate 37.  However, the Pirates could only pick up 3 yards of their own, and a tremendous punt rush forced the St. Jude punter to badly shank his kick out of bounds, with the ball ending up 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage.  From the Pirate 35, it took the Trojans only 4 plays to capitalize.  After a 3 yard run by Jeff George, Will Parker carried three consecutive times for 8, 13, and 11 yards for the first touchdown of the game.  Scott Berger, the kickoff specialist taking over place-kicking duties for the injured Gabe Harris, booted his first extra point of the year for a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

St. Jude's best drive of the night followed, buoyed by a first down on a fake punt.  On fourth down from the Trojan 38, a reverse play which apparently had gone the distance for a touchdown was called back by a clipping penalty, forcing the ball back into St. Jude territory.  The Pirates never seemed to recover from losing their score.  A good punt pushed the ball back to the Trojan 21, but eight running plays later, St. James was once again in the endzone.  Sean Kennedy was moved off the line and rewarded with a running back jersey, # 41, to replace his # 61.  His 33 yard carry on the first play of the second quarter advanced the ball to the St. Jude 25.  Five plays later, Amp Lee called his own number from the quarterback slot and carried in 4 yards for the touchdown.  Berger again drilled his kick, and the Trojans were up 14-0.

The Pirates fumbled the ensuing kickoff return at their own 18, leaving St. James with another quick chance to score.  However, from the 11 on fourth down, confusion on an attempted trick play led to a 7 yard loss.  The Pirates converted one of their three game first downs on an 18 yard pass, but later punted back to St. James just across midfield with two minutes remaining in the half.  A 19 yard run by George was followed by a clipping penalty.  However, George converted a fourth and 3 with a 10 yard run to the 18 yard line with 54 seconds remaining in the half.  The Trojans lost 3 yards on the next two plays, and Berger's 38 yard field goal attempt failed from the dirt softball infield of Carver stadium.

The Pirates tried another trick play but fumbled with St. James recovering, but the clock ran out during the scrum for possession leaving the Trojans, who had dominated all phases of the game, with a tentative 14-0 lead.

St. Jude fumbled again on the first scrimmage play of the third quarter, and the Trojans would strike quickly.  After penalties by each side, Parker ran in from the 12 yard line for a touchdown.  The extra point snap was bobbled, and a desperation run for two failed, but St. James was up now by 20.

The fourth lost fumble for St. Jude, the second such on a kickoff return, gave the Trojans the ball on the Pirate 37 after a penalty.  Lee's 9 yard run gave St. James a first down, and two plays later Parker carried in from 19 yards through the tired Pirate defense.  Berger's extra point was blocked, but the Trojans were now safely ahead 26-0.

During the next drive, the desperate Pirates, with a floundering kicking game, decided to go for a first down on fourth and 13 from their own 18 yard line, but the pass completion only netted 2 yards.  St. James marched 20 yards in 5 plays, with George being rewarded with the 6 yard touchdown run.  Another botched snap led to a failed extra point, but the third touchdown run of the quarter gave the Trojans a 32 point lead.

The unlucky Pirates followed up a 30 yard pass completion with consecutive sacks of 21 and 8 yards before the third quarter expired.  An 11 yard punt kept the ball in Pirate territory, where it was almost exclusively during the second half, but the Trojans fumbled on the St. Jude 23.  The next Pirate punt traveled to the St. James 48, and the Trojans used up nearly half of the final quarter clock time to drive for their final touchdown, a 9 yard scamper by George.  Berger converted his final extra point attempt, and the scoring was finalized at 39-0.

St. James blocked a St. Jude punt in the last minute of the game, but Matt Thomas was called in to run the clock out on the final two plays of the ballgame, and the Trojans left with a much-needed win, despite being over an undermanned opponent.