GAME 8:   @ Montgomery Academy 20, St. James 12

October 13, 1989   McLemore Field   Cloudy, drizzly (offshoot of Tropical Storm Terry), minimal wind  Game Temperature:  68

The Trojans needed a win to retain a chance to enter the 1989 State Football Playoffs, but distant Vaughn Road neighbor Montgomery Academy was not hospitable as St. James was stopped four times in opposing territory in the fourth quarter, allowing Montgomery Academy to hold on to a 20-12 city and area victory.

St. James' passing game was in rare form on their first drive.  After Jeff George returned the opening kickoff to the Trojan 29, it took St. James only 7 plays to score.  Four minimal runs were offset by Amp Lee passes of 11 yards to Billy Byrd, 41 yards to Barry Nave, and a drive-concluding 28 yard screen pass to George for a touchdown.  The kick failed, but St. James was up to perhaps a surprising early 6-0 lead on the road.

The Trojans knocked the ball loose from Eagle runningback Jeffrey Brewer on MA's third play and almost recovered deep in Eagle territory, but forced a punt instead.  St. James promptly punted back to the MA 40.  The Eagle running game kicked in, using up the final half of the first quarter on 11 consecutive rushes.  Trey Sippial carried to the 1 on the final play of the quarter, and after the long field of play switch, Jud Blount plowed in from four feet out on the first play of the second quarter.  However, the Eagle extra point also failed, and the score was tied at 6-6.

The Trojans were 3 and out, but a fine punt with no return pushed the ball back to the Eagle 25.  However, Montgomery Academy embarked on a nearly 9 minute drive, again exclusively on the ground, 17 plays worth.  Sippial took the ball on second down and 1 from the 9 into the endzone against a weary Trojan defense for the touchdown.  Chip Martin's kick was good, and the Eagles had a 13-6 lead with less than 2 minutes remaining in the half.

The Trojans only gained 8 yards on one run and two incomplete passes, giving MA another chance to score.  However, another deep non-returnable punt by Mickey Pittman pushed the Eagles well back.  Thankfully.  On the last play of the half, Blount had broken loose and a touchdown-saving tackle 35 yards downfield prevented a devastating late first half score.  Montgomery Academy rushed 35 times in the first half for a dominating time of possession and 168 total yards while maintaining a touchdown lead preparing to most certainly receive the second half opening kickoff. 

They did, and MA began another long drive of 8 consecutive runs.  However, from the Trojan 15, a perhaps drizzly ball was knocked from Brewer's hands and recovered by a group of Trojans at the St. James 20.  The Trojans' ground game was basically shut down the entire game, and a 5 yard penalty offset a 5 yard gain, leading to no net yards on the drive.  However, Pittman boomed another 50 yard punt which was not returned.  The Eagles fared similarly, as two of their only four attempted game passes fell incomplete, and a short punt gave St. James the ball just inside midfield.

However, on the second play, Lee fumbled while attempting a pass.  Frank Thomas returned the fumble 33 yards to the Trojan 12.  Three plays later, Brewer carried in from the 4 yard line for the Eagles' third touchdown.  Martin's kick again was true, and the Eagle lead was up to two touchdowns.

Lee, still trying to shake off the hit several plays earlier, returned the ensuing kickoff 26 yards to his own 36 before being tackled hard again.  The coaching staff got together and pulled Lee off the field not realizing at the time he had broken a bone in his foot, calling a reverse pass play with William Richardson, flanker back, doing the tossing.  He found fullback Sean Kennedy wide open 20 yards down the middle of the field, and the few mystified Eagle tacklers who could reach him merely bounced off him as Kennedy bolted the remaining of 64 yards for a quick touchdown.  Lee came back into the game to author a two point attempt, but could not find an open receiver, nor the endzone as he tried to run in himself.  However, St. James had quickly regained momentum and were within one possession at 20-12, much to the surprise of the Eagle faithful, and perhaps the Trojan faithful as well.

The momentum carried on as Will Parker intercepted a Brewer pass and returned it to the Eagle 28 in the last minute of the third quarter.  St. James picked up 5 yards on three plays and decided to try a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.  However, the Eagles rushed in to block the attempt out of bounds.  From the 20, the Eagles were able to pick up a first down before Brewer fumbled again at his own 34.  Richardson completed an 8 yard pass to Nave, and then a defensive pass interference penalty gave the Trojans first down at the Eagle 13.  However, the next pass attempt was intercepted in the endzone by Laurens Smith, ending a second threat.

After an Eagle three and out, it would be Smith again to save the day for MA, as he intercepted his second pass in as many Trojan drives at the St. James 43 with less than 6 minutes remaining.  However, after an 11 yard scamper by Brewer, Blount fumbled the ball away again, giving the Trojans amazingly another chance.  Three plays netted only 7 yards and an incomplete pass on fourth down turned the ball back over with four minutes remaining.  MA ate up most of the remaining clock, but was not nearly as effective as they could have been, with several running plays out of bounds preserving precious Trojan timeouts, as they drove down to the Trojan 17 before trying a game-clinching field goal.  The kick was blocked, and St. James recovered on their own 23 with 61 seconds remaining.  Richardson's first down pass to Byrd went for 32 yards, and quickly the Trojans were in Eagle territory.  However, after an incomplete pass, Charles Reed intercepted a pass just across the line of scrimmage to end the fourth unsuccessful foray into Eagle land during the fourth quarter, and one kneel down by MA was enough to run out the clock on a hard fought, albeit slippery, game.