GAME 1:  Maplesville 22, St. James 7

MAP               6       0       0     16         22
 
STJ                 0       0       7       0           7

SCORING SUMMARY:  (Maplesville player names not yet available)

MAP (1)  3:59   # 27 58 fumble advance from # 10                 (run failed)      0 -   6
STJ   (3)  1:44   Pappas 17 interception return              (Armstrong kick)      7 -   6
MAP (4)  6:36   # 27 44 run                                                      (# 10 run)      7 - 14
MAP (4)  2:35   # 27 30 run                                                      (# 10 run)      7 - 22
September 2, 1994.  Carlisle Field.   Game Conditions:  Mostly Cloudy, some drizzle   Game Temperature:  80  Wind WNW 5

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Mysterious # 27 scored three touchdowns, one on a peculiar pass reception, fumble, scrum, and run play, and the Maplesville defense handled well the Trojan offensive effort as the Red Devils came to town and opened the season with a 22 - 7 win over the homestanding Trojans to start the 1994 season.

St. James appeared to have the momentum early, as a deep pass on the first play from scrimmage was intercepted by the Trojans at the 29 yard line.  Then, after only gaining one yard on three runs, a punt was muffed but recovered by Maplesville.  The teams traded punts again, but the Red Devils were gradually winning the field position battle.  On fourth and 14 from their own 42, a short pass from (#10) to (#27) was completed.  Several Trojans stripped the ball from the runner and it fell beneath the feet of a scrum and continued to bounce around for several seconds.  The ball finally bounced backwards to (#27) who was behind the pack and he picked the ball up again and ran 58 yards for a touchdown.  The Red Devils did not have a place kicker, so they attempted a two point run, which failed.  However, late in what had been a yawnable first quarter until the strange play, Maplesville took a 6 - 0 lead.

The Trojans finally began moving the ball, as the next drive started immediately with first down runs by Cade Armstrong and Will Webber.  Four plays later, a fourth and one was converted by Webber advancing the ball to the Red Devil 39 as the opening quarter ended.  However, after an incomplete pass and two losses, the Trojans had to punt again.  Soon after, they forced another Maplesville punt which was shanked for only 4 yards.  St. James picked up one first down, but punted again as well.

It appeared the Trojans had finally caught the break they needed when Will Webber intercepted a pass at the Red Devil 26 just before he stepped out of bounds, and just before the rain began to fall.  On third down following the turnover, the Trojans fumbled a snap, and Maplesville recovered.  The Devils tried to score before halftime, but could only get as close as the Trojan 40 yard line before a penalty negated a first down run on the last play of the half.

The rain ended during halftime, but the resulting heat and humidity were oppressive, to say the least.  Neither team accomplished much on their opening second half drives, but St. James finally picked up some ground yardage on their second possession.  They got as close as the Red Devil 46 before being pushed back, but a Jason Darneille punt was nicely placed out of bounds at the Maplesville 4.  Three plays later, the defensive work finally payed off as Hunter Pappas intercepted a pass at the Maplesville 17 and returned it for a touchdown, the 17 yard return matching his jersey number.  Cade Armstrong's kick was good, and the Trojans had their first score and lead of the season at 7 - 6 late in the third quarter.

An endzone kickoff pinned the Devils deep again, and after a first down they elected to punt on a fourth and 1 from their own 41.  With a newly brisk wind at their backs, the punt travelled into the endzone, pushing the Trojans back to their own 20.  What may have been the key play of the game was a third and 1 from the 29, where Webber was stopped on a quarterback keeper for no gain, forcing another kick.  His punt was returned 21 yards to the Trojan 44, and Maplesville was in business.  Two gains of no yards were followed by a breakaway 44 yard touchdown run on third down.  The quarterback this time kept on the two point conversion and was successful, giving the Devils a 14 - 7 lead halfway through the final quarter.

St. James again failed to make a first down and punted.  A 29 yard run on first down advanced the ball to the Trojan 36.  Three plays on the ground netted 6 yards, and on fourth and 4, the Trojans were stacked up on the line of scrimmage for the stop which they needed to stay in the game, but when the runner broke through the side, there was no one to catch him on his way to a 30 yard game-clinching touchdown.  The quarterback again ran for 2, and Maplesville was up by 15 with less than 3 minutes remaining.

The Trojans got some help in their comeback effort as a personal foul penalty and a roughing the passer penalty on consecutive plays after the kickoff gave them the ball at the Devil 44.  An enraged coach for Maplesville called time out to straighten out his players and they responded.  A 10 yard quarterback sack was too much for the Trojans to overcome, and they turned the ball over on downs.  A 14 yard run on second down was all the Devils needed to run out the clock and preserve their opening victory on the road.

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SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME ONE

ST. JAMES      RUSHING    40 rushes  64 yards  0 TDs  (1.60 yards per carry)

                        12   Armstrong     22 / 26         21   Webber      9 / 22
                        17   Pappas            5 / 14         35   Berry         4 /  2

                        PASSING      1 completion  9 attempts  0 INTs  9 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 10 yards)

                        21   Webber        1 - 9 - 0   9 yards  (1 sack, - 10 yards)

                        RECEIVING

                        30   Perelle            1 /  9

                        TOTAL YARDS:   73

                        KICKS:  XP  1 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:   2  (28,EZ)                                         PUNTS:   8  (26,34,27,25,21,44,36,29)
                        KO RETURNS:  4  (16,14,24,20)                            PUNT RETURNS:  1  (0)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (-1,0,17TD)
                         FIRST DOWNS:   8  (7 rushing, 1 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 3
                        PENALTIES:  1 / 5 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:24

MAPLESVILLE   RUSHING    36 attempts  239 yards  2 TDs  (6.64 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      2 completions  7 attempts  3 INTs  65 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  304

                         KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  2 / 3
                        KICKOFFS:  4  (52,47,51,40)                                 PUNTS:  4  (40,4,28,53)
                        KO RETURNS:  1  (2)                                           PUNT RETURNS:  4  (0,17,21,0fc)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   8  (7 rushing, 1 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1
                        PENALTIES:  7 / 75 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  21:36

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