GAME 6:   @ Trinity 47, St. James 12

October 16, 1992   Boykin Field.   Game Conditions:  Cloudy, 40% rain chance, humid   Game Temperature:  71   Wind:  negligible

Stephan Phelan ran for three touchdowns and kicked five extra points to lead Trinity to a crushing 47 - 12 victory over the St. James Trojans.

The Trojans attempted an onside kick to open the game, but the ball travelled all the way to the 37 yard line where it was fallen on by a second line defender.  From there, it took the Wildcats only three plays to score.  On third down, Phelan broke loose for 61 yards and his first touchdown of the game.  However, his extra point was short and wide leaving Trinity with a 6-0 lead just seconds into the game.

St. James was stuffed on their opening possession, as the kickoff return only advanced the ball to the 15 yard line, and three plays later a short punt wobbled dead at the Trojan 37.  From there, Matt Teague carried for 17 yards on first down, and Phelan carried for 20 on the next play, his second carry and second touchdown.  This time the point after was good and Trinity was up by 13 with still more than half of the first quarter remaining.

The Trojans reached midfield on their next drive, thanks to a 12 yard run by Brian Brown, in for one play replacing an injured Trojan, and an ensuing hit out of bounds for another 15 yards.  St. James could not manage another first down, and a clipping penalty on the Wildcat punt return pushed the ball back to their own 16.  A holding penalty in the backfield on first down pushed the ball further back to the Trojan 6.  However, Bain Chapman picked up 23 on the next play for a first down, and after two straight no gain runs, Chapman was given the ball again as St. James was crowding the line.  As he broke through, there were no deep defenders able to catch him and he coasted 71 yards for another touchdown.  Phelan's extra point gave Trinity a 20 point lead, still in the opening quarter.

Early in the second quarter, a controversial play went against St. James.  On fourth and ten from their own 20, a Trojan punt was deflected, but went well past the line of scrimmage.  A Trinity player touched the ball at the 30, but could not control it, and a Trojan fell on the ball at the 32 yard line, which should have given them the ball and a first down.  However, for whatever reason, the officials talked and ruled the ball dead at the 30 where it was first touched and Trinity was awarded the ball.   Trojan coaches, players, and fans were outraged, and several penalties probably would have been called had the referees not realized they had made an incorrect call.  Trinity was quick to take advantage of the break, as Chris McClinton, who completed his only three pass attempts of the night, found David McClinton for an 18 yard touchdown pass several plays later.  Phelan's kick and the fallout from the terrible call seemed to "put the nail" in the Trojans as the Wildcats led 27-0.

After another Trojan punt, a sizable Wildcat punt return was again negated by a clipping penalty.  Afterwards, neither team seriously threatened to score for the remainder of the half as the boos continued to rain from the Trojan faithful.

The Trojans, who made only three first downs in the first three quarters, punted again to the Wildcats.  Chris McClinton completed his remaining two passes on a four play 49 yard drive culminating in a 14 yard run by Phelan for his third touchdown, and his extra point bolstered the lead to 34-0.

Tripp Vickers, who had been quarterback on the junior varsity team previously, was given a chance to move the Trojan offense.  After completing a pass for no gain, his second attempt was intercepted by Brad Thomas and returned to the Trojan 13.  From there, fullback Matt Teague took three consecutive handoffs, for 8, 4, and 1 yards respectively, the final carry for another touchdown.  Phelan's kick meant the end of the night for the Trinity starters as the Wildcats took a 41-0 lead.

Against the Trinity defensive reserves, the Trojans finally were able to move the ball down the field.  A 14 play drive was boosted by a face mask penalty after a third down and long run came up short of a first down.  After Cade Armstrong's 15 yard run gave St. James a first down at the Trinity 2, he called his own number from 2 yards out and the Trojans had their first score of the evening.  A two point pass attempt failed, leaving the score at 41-6 early in the fourth quarter.

Trinity recovered another Trojan onside kick attempt and had a short field to travel.  Ten plays later, Brad Thomas was given the ball from the 3 yard line for Trinity's final score of the evening.  St. James was given the option of a running clock the remainder of the game, but declined it, and set out on a 79 yard drive to virtually conclude the game.  Mixing runs, incomplete passes, and time outs, a 15 yard pass interference penalty gave St. James a first down at the Trinity 25 with 39 seconds remaining.  Walter Moss, the normal backup quarterback, completed the first and only two positive yardage pass plays for St. James, an 8 yarder to Tray Ivey and a 17 yarder to Hunter Pappas for the touchdown with only 21 seconds remaining.  A conversion run failed, but the Trojans had at least reached double digits in a 47 - 12 defeat at the hands of their rival Trinity.

Time was allowed to run off after another onside kick attempt, as the Trojans lost their fourth game of the season after a 2 - 0 start.