GAME 1:  @ Thorsby 16, St. James 0

September 6, 1991   Thorsby Field.  Game Conditions:  Cloudy, very humid, no wind   Game Temperature:  n/y/a

The St. James offense was nearly as sloppy as the recently rain-soaked field, losing more than 40 net yards, while the Thorsby Rebels took advantage of several safeties and resulting field position to capture a season opening victory over the Trojans, 16-0.

Andy Roberson returned the opening kickoff for the Trojans to their own 38, which may have been the biggest forward Trojan yardage movement of the night.  St. James picked up two first downs on the drive, one thanks in part to a defensive offsides, but a sack just over midfield forced a punt.  The Rebels tried to grind out the ball on the muddy field and picked up two first downs as well, but gave up the ball on downs on a sack at the Trojan 44.

St. James lost whatever field position advantage it had as a fumbled punt snap was recovered by the Rebels at the St. James 29.  After a sack on first down, a 35 yard touchdown run was negated by a clipping penalty.  A sack two plays later forced another deep punt into Trojan territory on the first play of the second quarter.

Two penalties and two incomplete passes led to yet another punt, and Thorsby took over on their own 47.  On a grueling drive which ate up much of the second quarter, Thorsby kept the ball mostly on the ground for 14 plays.  Another touchdown run of 16 yards was thwarted by a penalty.  After another clipping penalty, a 19 yard Thorsby pass completion gave the Rebels 4th down and 9 from the Trojan 15.  A 32 yard field goal attempt, however, was well short and the Trojans had again held.

Unfortunately, on the first play from the 20, a forced fumble on a sack was recovered by Thorsby and they scored on the next play from 15 yards out with no penalties.  The extra point was blocked, but Thorsby was finally on the scoreboard, up 6-0, with just over 3 minutes remaining in the first half.

A kickoff out of bounds gave the Trojans the ball at their own 31 yard line.  However, after a sack, a no gain on a fumble, and an incomplete pass, St. James tried to punt away to maintain a 6 point lead.  However, the ball was snapped over the head and Walter Moss was fortunate to fall on the ball in the endzone for a safety and an 8-0 lead for Thorsby with 89 seconds remaining in the half.  After St. James' free kick, a holding penalty stopped any chance of the Rebels scoring again in the first half.

Thorsby, which had won the opening game toss and elected to defer, actually elected to kick off to start the second half.  However, a medium range kickoff was returned nicely to the St. James 42 by Rhett Hooper.  The next four plays, one a penalty, netted 2 yards and the Trojans tried a fake punt pass, which was intercepted by Thorsby and returned to the Rebel 47.  The St. James defense, which was only on the field for four plays in the third quarter, held Thorsby to 6 yards, forcing a punt.  The punt was muffed, and Thorsby recovered at the Trojan 27.  However, on the next play, St. James recovered a fumbled pitch at their own 33.

The Thorsby defense was equal to the task, helping force three illegal procedure penalties and stopping Trojans behind the line of scrimmage twice.  On the last play of the third quarter, a Trojan punt was returned to the Rebel 27.  The Rebels picked up two first downs on major Trojan penalties, pass interference and roughing the passer, and had a first down at the Trojan 12.  However, after an illegal motion penalty and a sack, a 9 yard pass completion could only return the ball to the Trojan 14.  Another field goal was attempted, but aborted after a bad snap, and St. James was still amazingly within one possession with 7 minutes remaining and 85 yards to travel.

An incomplete pass, a fumbled but recovered snap, and another incomplete pass led to another punt attempt.  However, this time the ball went through the punter's hands into the endzone for a second safety when recovered by St. James, and the Thorsby lead was up to 10-0.  A pooch free kick was returned to the Trojan 34 yard line, and it took the Rebels only one play to clinch the game with a 34 yard touchdown.  A conversion run failed, but the Thorsby lead appeared to be a safe 16-0 midway through the fourth quarter.

St. James had two more chances with the ball, but could only complete one pass out of seven, and Thorsby merely ran out the clock as the fog rolled in with a season opening victory for the Rebels.