GAME 3:  ST. JAMES 25, Holtville 7

HOL               0       0       0       7          7
 
STJ               13       6       6       0        25

SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ   (1)  9:10   Webber 10 run                                    (Darneille kick)     7 - 0
STJ   (1)  4:45   Armstrong 4 run                                      (kick failed)   13 - 0
STJ   (2)  3:28   Pappas 2 run                                           (pass failed)    19 - 0
STJ   (3)  6:09   Berry 1 run                                               (run failed)    25 - 0
HOL (4)  6:43   Woodfin 25 fumble return                  (Marshall kick)    25 - 7
September 16, 1994.  Carlisle Field.   Game Conditions:  Cloudy, rain and drizzle  Game Temperature:  n/a  Wind:  Variable

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St. James counted on a stingy defense and its time-consuming and yard-consuming running game as the Trojans defeated the visiting Holtville Bulldogs 25 - 7 for their second consecutive win of the young season.

The Trojans began the opening drive at their own 32 and marched 68 yards in 8 plays.  Hunter Pappas had runs for 25 and 20 yards as part of his 116 yard performance to lead the way.  On third and 6 from the 10, Will Webber took a pitch and carried it in for the first score of the game to conclude a solid drive.  Marshall Darneille added the extra point and St. James was up early 7 - 0.

St. James promptly benefited from a Bulldog error, as the defense held Holtville to a three and out and the punter mishandled the snap, forcing him to run and picking up only one yard on fourth and 12.  From the Bulldog 27, it took only 5 plays for St. James to pick up another touchdown.  From the 4, Cade Armstrong called his own number for the touchdown.  The extra point this time failed, but St. James was up 13 - 0 with still plenty of time left in the first quarter.

Again the Bulldogs were held to three and out with a nine yard quarterback sack moving the ball further back toward the Bulldog endzone.  Another short punt gave the Trojans the ball on the Holtville side of the field, but a fumble on the first play moved the Trojans back into their own territory.  For the first time, the Holtville defense prevented any first downs, and on the first play of the second quarter they took over after a punt on their own 28.  Despite picking up 15 yards on 5 plays, a major penalty pushed Holtville back to where their possession started.  Several plays later, a short punt gave St. James the ball on the Holtville 43.

This time they would not be denied.  A nine play drive exclusively on the ground, as was the entire St. James offensive attack save one play (at the end of this drive), included a fourth down conversion by Pappas.  His 6 yard run gave St. James a first down on the Holtville 2, and he was rewarded on the next play with a carry up the middle for St. James' third touchdown.  A two point pass (the solitary Trojan pass attempt of the game) fell incomplete, but the Trojans were up by 19 with just over 3 minutes remaining in the first half.

Holtville finally moved the ball into St. James territory for the first time, but with only one time out left in the half the Bulldogs had problems with clock management which led to several sacks and incomplete passes, the final of which resulted in a turnover of downs with 20 seconds remaining, allowing St. James to kneel and retain their 19 point lead.

Similarly to the two previous scoring drives, St. James earned a short field when a Holtville toss part of a toss sweep went awry and Bo Wills recovered the fumble on the Bulldog 23.  It took the Trojans 8 plays, the final play being a fourth and goal from the 1, but fullback Mark Berry busted his way into and through the line for a touchdown.  A two point run was attempted, but the ball came loose short of the goal line.  However, St. James had an impressive 25 - 0 lead midway through the third quarter.

Another lost Bulldog fumble gave St. James the ball at their own 43.  However, a sizable Webber run was negated by a clip, and a shanked punt gave the Bulldogs their best field position of the game at the Trojan 45.  An 18 yard run on third and 8 gave Holtville hope for a score at the Trojan 15 as the third quarter ended, but a block in the back penalty two plays later cost the Bulldogs a precious 15 yards.  On fourth and 13 from the 18, a Justin Perelle interception and return to the Trojan 10 prevented any score.

As the field by now was soaked and maintaining a dry ball was difficult, St. James turned the ball back over on a fumble two plays later at the Trojan 37.  Two consecutive completed passes of 13 and 5 yards were followed by a Brian Brown interception at the 8, Holtville's fourth turnover of the game.  The Trojans hoped to use the ground game to run out the clock, but three plays later, the ball was knocked loose from quarterback Armstrong and picked up by Bulldog Ernie Woodfin at the Trojan 25 and he dashed untouched into the endzone for a Holtville defensive touchdown.  Reggie Marshall converted the extra point, and Holtville was finally on the board, trailing 25 - 7, with less than 7 minutes remaining in the game.

Holtville tried an onside kick without success, and the Trojans were able to run off more than half of the remaining clock time before being stopped at the Bulldog 27 on downs.  A Holtville sack and a fumble on another sack eventually led to a fourth and 26 deep in their own territory, which they were not available to convert, and St. James wrapped up their victory by running out the final 103 seconds of the game.

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SIDELINE STATISTICS  - GAME THREE

ST. JAMES      RUSHING    50 attempts  208 yards  4 TDs  (4.16 yards per carry)

                        17   Pappas           17 / 116  (1 TD)    12   Armstrong          13 / 45  (1 TD)     32   Jinks            6 / 27
                        69   Berry               5 /   26  (1 TD)    42   Somerville            1 /  1                  21   Webber        7 /  0   (1 TD)
                        20   Searcy              1 /  - 7

                        PASSING      0 attempts  (no sacks of)

                        TOTAL YARDS:   208

                        KICKS:  XP  1 / 2                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 2
                        KICKOFFS:   5  (46,43,38,49,45)                            PUNTS:   2 (34,20)
                        KO RETURNS:  2  (23,0)                                       PUNT RETURNS:  1  (-2)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  2  (4,0)
                         FIRST DOWNS:   14  (14 rushing)
                        FUMBLES:  3, lost 2
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:  + 2
                        PENALTIES:  1 / 16 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:50

HOLTVILLE    RUSHING    32 attempts  59 yards  0 TDs  (1.84 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      5 completions  12 attempts  2 INTs  51 yards  0 TDs  (4 sacks of, - 32 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  110

                         KICKS:  XP  1 / 1                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  2  (31,12)                                           PUNTS:  2  (35,16)
                        KO RETURNS:  5  (14,6,15,16,18)                          PUNT RETURNS:  1  (13)
                        FUMBLE RETURNS:  1  (25TD)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   5  (3 rushing, 2 passing)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 2
                        PENALTIES:  4 / 50 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  21:10

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