9-20-02 ST. JAMES 46, Beauregard 36

SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ (1) 9:32 Howell 1 run (Nelson kick)    7 - 0
BEA (1) 8:41 Thomas 58 run (kick failed)    7 - 6
STJ (1) 4:28 Roberts 9 pass from Gantt (Nelson kick) 14 - 6
BEA (1) 0:13 Webb 1 run (Webb run)    14 - 14
STJ (2) 11:14 Gantt 6 run (pass failed)    20 - 14
STJ (2) 7:28 Winn 22 run    (pass failed) 26 - 14
BEA (2) 1:50 Tate 8 run    (Horky kick) 26 - 21
STJ (2) 1:34 Thompson 64 pass from Gantt (pass failed) 32 - 21
BEA (2) 0:11 Myhand 7 pass from Webb (Webb run) 32 - 29
BEA (3) 6:09 Tate 5 run (Horky kick) 32 - 36
STJ (4) 10:19 Howell 23 run (Nelson kick) 39 - 36
STJ (4) 5:31 Brewer 6 run    (Nelson kick)    46 - 36

September 20, 2002 Carlisle Field, Montgomery Game conditions: Cloudy, muggy Game Temperature: 74 Variable south wind

In clearly one of the most entertaining Trojan varsity football games of all time, a free-for-all scoring first half was balanced out by a ball control and turnover-oriented second half, but it was the Trojans who controlled the ball effectively in the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind 46 - 36 victory over the visiting Beauregard Hornets.

St. James drove down the field with assistance from the penalty flag on their first drive. Two consecutive pass interference penalties on the third and fourth plays of the drive gave the Trojans the ball on the Hornet 28. Three plays later, a Ted Brewer run of 17 yards came up just short of the endzone, but Alex Howell took the handoff on first down for the final yard and the touchdown. Taylor Nelson's extra point was good, giving the Trojans a 7 - 0 lead 2½ minutes into the ballgame.

It took the Hornets less than a minute to respond. After an offside penalty and a short gain, Charles Thomas broke through the line and raced down the middle of the field 58 yards for a touchdown. The Beauregard extra point hit the upright, and St. James maintained a narrow lead at 7 - 6.

The next St. James drive was stopped by an interception deep in Hornet territory. However, Beauregard returned the favor with a fumble after a short pass reception. Will Thrasher picked up the ball at the Hornet 34 and avoided a few potential tacklers before being just caught at the 9 yard line. On the next play, Brett Gantt hooked up with Chris Roberts for the 9 yard touchdown pass. Nelson's extra point gave the Trojans a 14 - 6 lead with still 4½ minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

Beauregard running back J.R. Tate, who carried the ball 26 times for 123 yards, carried the ball several times on the next drive, including first down runs of 14 and 32 yards. However, it was quarterback Laderius Webb who snuck in from the one for the touchdown. He also swept for a two point conversion tying the score at 14 with 13 seconds remaining in the quarter. But the first quarter offense was far from done. After a kickoff into the endzone, Gantt hooked up with Alex Howell down the sidelines for a 70 yard wide open catch and run to end the quarter. On third down from the 6, Gantt called his own number on the counter and bolted into the endzone. Taylor Nelson tried a two point conversion pass on the swinging ladder extra point set up, but his pass was incomplete, and the score was 20 - 14 St. James early in the second quarter.

Following a low, short, Beauregard punt, St. James only had to drive 45 yards for their next score. Two runs by Howell moved the ball down to the Hornet 22. From the 22, number 22, Daniel Winn, was called in on for his first carry of the season, a flanker reverse of sorts, and he ditched several potential tacklers as he stormed (thankfully not literally) into the endzone. A second two point pass attempt was intercepted, but the Trojan lead was 12 at 26 - 14 with still 7½ minutes remaining in the half.

After the teams traded punts, three touchdowns were scored in the final two minutes of the half. Beauregard moved 43 yards in 5 plays; Tate ran the final 8 yards for the touchdown. Beauregard kicked the extra point and closed the gap to 5, at 26 - 21, with 1:50 left until halftime.

Ted Brewer returned the ensuing kickoff 21 yards to the Trojan 36. On first down, Gantt reared back and threw to Taylor Thompson on the far sideline who got past his defender, caught a wonderfully thrown pass, and outran the chasers for a 64 yard touchdown. A third two point conversion attempt pass was incomplete, but St. James had their fifth touchdown of the first half and a 32-21 lead. However, Beauregard struck again. After a pooch kickoff, on first down, a Hornet pass was intercepted by Winn on the sidelines, but the referees were shielded from the play and did not see his feet in bounds, calling the play incomplete. A 20 yard run by Ron Gartrell and two passes from Webb to Cornelius Myhand, a 29 yarder and a 7 yarder for a touchdown and a Webb two point run closed the gap to 3, ending the scoring in an extremely entertaining, yet draining, first half. Beauregard only trailed 29 - 32 at halftime.

They would take their only lead of the game on a ball control drive of nearly 6 minutes to start the third quarter. After an onside kick attempt was touched by the Trojans before it traveled 10 yards, the Hornets took the ball on the Trojan 49. An eight play drive, aided by two five yard face mask penalties, concluded with a 5 yard Tate touchdown run. The extra point kick appeared wide but was called good, and Beauregard had their first, and only lead, at 36 - 32.

A tipped Trojan pass was intercepted to stop the next drive, but Beauregard themselves were stopped on fourth down at the Trojan 23. The final three plays of the third quarter were a 12 yard and a 7 yard run by Howell and a 16 yard run by Brewer. Another 20 yard run by Brewer placed the ball on the Hornet 22. On third down and 11, Howell took the handoff and broke several tackles as he dashed for the endzone from 23 out. Taylor Nelson kicked the extra point giving the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish, 39 - 36, with over 10 minutes to go.

Beauregard fumbled on the second play of their next drive, with Winn again a big playmaker recovering the ball. A deft 21 yard run on fourth down and 7 by Gantt kept the drive alive, and Brewer on the next play went 6 yards for the twelfth and final touchdown of the game. Nelson's extra point gave St. James a 46 - 36 lead with 5:31 to go. Trojan Michael Harmon intercepted a pass on the first play of the next Hornet drive, but the Trojans returned the ball three plays later on a fumble. Seven plays later, Matt Ward sealed the victory with an interception and a 40 yard return deep into Hornet territory, allowing the Trojans to run out all but the last 15 seconds of the clock and claim a huge region win.

42 Brewer 17 / 89 (1 TD) 11 Howell 10 / 56 (2 TDs)
10 Gantt 13 / 52 (1 TD) 22 Winn 1 / 22 (1 TD)

                        KICKS: XP 4 / 4                 FG 0 / 0
                    2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 3
                        KICKOFFS: 8 (25,47,52,60,24,9,15,52) PUNTS: 1 (36)
                        KO RETURNS: 5 (8,9,21,18,-1)               PUNT RETURNS: 1 (0)
                        FUMBLE RETURNS: 1 (25)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 2 (5,40)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   22 (15 rushing, 5 passing, 2 penalty)
                        FUMBLES: 2, lost 1
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 1
                        PENALTIES: 5 / 45 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION: 19:48

BEAUREGARD RUSHING   50 attempts 295 yards 4 TD (5.90 yards per carry)
                        PASSING    13 attempts 5 completions 2 intercepted 86 yards 1 TD (no sacks of)
                        TOTAL YARDS: 381

                        KICKS: XP 3 / 4                FG 0 / 0
                              2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 2 / 2
                      KICKOFFS: 6 (32,41,60,45,50,33)           PUNTS: 2 (22,15)
                        KO RETURNS: 6 (12,22,0,0,0,20)          PUNT RETURNS: 1 (19)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 2 (-3,13)
                             FIRST DOWNS: 22 (16 rushing, 4 passing, 2 penalty)
                        FUMBLES: 4, lost 2
                        PENALTIES: 3 / 29 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION: 28:12

GAME 4: ST. JAMES 46, Beauregard 36