October 10, 2003 Carlisle Field HOMECOMING Game Conditions: Rain early, soggy field Game temperature 66 degrees Wind E 10
St. James held visiting Tallassee to minus 6 yards passing and only 16 yards rushing while grinding out over 400 yards themselves, and for the third straight game avoided their own turnovers, forced several visitor turnovers, and overcame numerous penalties. A soggy, miserable evening turned into a (Lisa) Bright Homecoming (Queen) as the Trojans held the Tigers without an offensive touchdown for the third consecutive season in a 41 - 7 win.
St. James punted after a penalty on their first drive, but held Tallassee and deflected their punt attempt. From the Tigers 45, it took the Trojans only 4 plays to score. A Brett Gantt 19 yard run was followed up two plays later by a brilliant quarterback scamper which finally led to a touchdown pass to a wide open Chris Roberts in the endzone for 22 yards. Will Stansfield's first of five consecutive extra points gave the Trojans a 7-0 lead halfway into the first quarter.
On the next drive, Tallassee committed their first of four lost fumbles and St. James scored quickly on a short 15 yard field. Ted Brewer scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 10 yard run and the extra point boosted the score to 14-0 late in the first quarter. As the rain continued to pour throughout the first half, Tallassee could only manage two first downs in the first half, both on running into/roughing the kicker penalties. After a Tiger punt on the final play of the first quarter had the Trojans at their own 26, a 41 yard scamper by Gantt, a 24 yard pass from Gantt to Roberts, and a 9 yard run by Brewer had the scoreboard flashing three plays later and St. James 21 points ahead less than 13 minutes into the game.
Tallassee lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, but after a penalty wiped out a 23 yard touchdown run, St. James turned the ball over on downs at the Tiger 26. The teams traded punts again, but after the Trojan punt, Tiger Demond Washington caught the high ball at his 36, veered to the far sidelines and avoided early traffic. He cleared the final tacklers at the Trojan 20 and dashed into the endzone. Tallassee's extra point suddenly shifted the momentum as the gap was only 21-7 with 4 minutes remaining in the half. This touchdown marked the fourth Tiger touchdown in the past 3 years against the Trojans, but none of them the offensive way (a kickoff return, two interception returns, and a punt return). St. James picked up several first downs on the last drive of the half, but turned the ball over on the Tiger 32 with 4 seconds left and St. James was satisfied with the two touchdown margin at halftime.
Tallassee's first drive of the second half ended in a punt, a fine punt return by Matt Ward, and a late hit penalty which put the ball on the Tigers 40. The Trojans drove to the Tiger 15, but a 32 yard field goal attempt came up short. Tallassee picked up two first downs but had to punt again and with 2½ minutes left in the third quarter, they were hanging in with St. James. A two play 71 yard drive may have stifled any Tiger chances. Matt Ward took a sweep handoff on his only carry of the game for 58 yards down the sidelines on the first play, and Ted Brewer bowled up the middle for the final 13 and his third touchdown of the game. The extra point extended the lead back to 21. The next Tallassee drive was extended by a fourth down and long yardage personal foul penalty, but after another punt and a short return, the Trojans tallied with another long yardage two play drive of their own. From the Trojan 20, Brewer carried for 4 yards and then the same sweep play was called, but this time the ball was handed off to Will Thrasher for his only carry of the game. He outran two defenders on the near sidelines and cruised 76 yards for St. James' longest touchdown run of the year thus far. The extra point boosted the score to 35-7.
Tallassee fumbled again
two
plays later, after their only completed pass of the game
went for
negative yardage, but the Trojans later punted into the
endzone.
After a 5 yard offensive
penalty from the 20, Tallassee fumbled on the first play
afterwards.
The
ball was kicked and bobbled around toward the endzone
where it was
fallen
on by Trojan lineman Ethan Whittington for the final
touchdown of the
game
and the final score of 41-7 as a happy, but drenching,
Homecoming 2003
went
the way of the Trojans.
GAME SEVEN SIDELINE STATISTICS:
ST. JAMES RUSHING 35 attempts 320 yards 4 TDs (9.14 yards per carry)
42 Brewer
12 / 81 yards (3 TDs) 10 Gantt
14 / 74 yards
34 Thrasher 1 / 76
yards
(TD) 30 Ward
1 / 58 yards
9 Murphy 4
/ 25 yards
44
Krothapalli 3 / 6 yards
PASSING 7 completions 16 attempts 0 INTs 85 yards 1 TD (3 sacks of , - 18 yards)
10
Gantt 7 - 16 - 0
85 yards 1 TD (2 sacks, - 12)
9 Murphy 0 -
0 -
0
(1 sack, - 6)
RECEIVING
6 Roberts 4 / 69 (1 TD)
3 Nelson
1 / 6
9 Murphy 1
/ 5
23
Aitken
1 / 5
TOTAL YARDS: 405
KICKS:
XP 5 /
6
FG
0 / 1 (32 missed)
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS:
7
(57,34,38,42,32,37,OB)
PUNTS:
3 (44,47,40)
KO
RETURNS: 1 (30)
PUNT RETURNS: 5 (8,19,19,2,0fc)
FUMBLE RETURNS: 2 (2, 0TD)
FIRST
DOWNS: 16 (12 rushing, 3 passing,
1 penalty)
FUMBLES:
1, lost 0
TURNOVER
MARGIN: + 4
PENALTIES:
13 / 122 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 22:37
TALLASSEE
RUSHING 36
attempts 16 yards 0 TDs
PASSING
1 completions 8
attempts 0
INTs minus 6 yards 0 TDs (2 sacks of, -
12 yards)
TOTAL
YARDS: 10
KICKS:
XP 1 /
1
FG
0 / 0
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS:
2
(52,45EZ)
PUNTS:
7 (30,41,23,38,40,34,39)
KO
RETURNS: 6
(12,6,7f,13,7,15)
PUNT
RETURNS: 1 (64TD)
FIRST
DOWNS: 6 (2 rushing, 4 penalty)
FUMBLES:
7, lost 4
PENALTIES:
6 / 40 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 25:23