2011 - GAME 6

SAINT JAMES 40, @ Headland 8 
 STJ            6      21      7       6         40
 
HEA           0       0       8       0           8

SCORING SUMMARY:

STJ  (1)   7:09  Duncan 1 run                                       (kick failed)      6 - 0
STJ  (2)   9:22  Jabour 15 pass from Duncan          (Meadows kick)    13 - 0
STJ  (2)   3:58  Duncan 16 run                                (Meadows kick)    20 - 0
STJ  (2)   0:02  Jabour 14 pass from Duncan          (Meadows kick)    27 - 0
STJ  (3) 10:33  Jabour 82 pass from Duncan             (Newton kick)    34 - 0
HEA (3)  1:19  Sanders 2 run                                      (Wesson run)    34 - 8
STJ  (4)   2:07  Haveard 5 run                                      (kick failed)    40 - 8

September 30, 2011.
  J.J. Yarbrough Stadium.  Game Conditions:  Clear, cool, breezy  Game Temperature:  72  Wind  NW 3 - 12



The Dothan Eagle may have had the perfect headline in their coverage of this game.  "Saint James Rams Headland".  C.J. Duncan threw for three touchdown passes, all to Jake Jabour, and ran for two more himself as the Trojans ruined another team's Homecoming ceremonies for the second consecutive week.  Saint James' first ever football visit to Headland's J.J. Yarbrough Stadium was a huge success as the Trojans cruised to a 40 - 8 victory over the homestanding Rams in Saint James' 400th varsity football game of all time.

The Trojan defense held the Rams on an opening three and out, and drove 66 yards for an immediate touchdown.  Duncan picked up 17 yards on a run to move the ball near midfield, and then connected with his first of six completions to Jake Jabour for 21 yards.  Two plays later, Frank Moody rushed for 24 down to the Headland 1.  After no gain on first down, Duncan called his number off left guard and scored.   The extra point was wide left, but the Trojans were up 6 - 0 midway through the first quarter.

Neither team could get much accomplished on their next possessions, but Headland was threatening before Walker Woodson made a huge defensive play on a fourth down to negate a potential Rams touchdown pass, giving the ball back to the Trojans on their own 27.  Haynes Litchfield caught a 13 yard pass just before the quarter change. amd then Woodson added his own 13 yard reception on the first play of the second quarter.  Three plays later, Jabour added a 17 yard reception as the Rams were allowing receivers to get open, especially towards the sidelines.  After Duncan advanced a fumbled snap for two yards, he found Jabour again for 15 yards and a touchdown.  Austin Meadows kicked the extra point into the huge tree overhanging the eastern end of Yarbrough Stadium, and the Trojans were up 13 - 0 early in the second quarter, quieting the raucous Ram crowd.

After an endzone kick, Headland began making some headway thanks to the running of Adrian Galloway and some pesky Trojan penalties.  However, from the Saint James 38, the ball was ripped away from Galloway on a carry and the Trojans took over at their own 34.  After a 9 yard pass to Wilson Adams, Duncan broke away again for his longest carry of the game, a 28 yarder.  Two plays later, the Rams returned the favor by giving Saint James a free first down on an offsides penalty.  On the next play, a toss to the endzone was intercepted, but out of bounds.  Duncan was again looking for the endzone on the next play but he kept the ball himself and dove into the endzone after a 16 yard touchdown.  Meadows again converted the kick, and Saint James was up 20 - 0 with less than 4 minutes remaining in the half.

The Rams converted one first down, but had to punt and Jabour returned the kick to the Trojan 45.  With 2:03 remaining, Saint James executed the two minute drill to perfection.  (Well, one second extra, actually.)  After two plays gained no yards, Duncan picked up 11 on third down.  After a sack and a 12 yard run, Saint James had third down and 5 at the Ram 37.  Walker Woodson was the deft recipient of a 21 yard pass and Saint James had first down at the Headland 16 with 15 seconds remaining.  Duncan scrambled but could find no open receivers and ran out of bounds at the 14 with 8.3 seconds remaining.  He then began scrambling again, and with mixed cries from the bench of "throw it away" or "run out of bounds", he found Jabour at the goal line.  The bullet pass was gathered in for a touchdown and the extra point gave Saint James a commanding 27 point lead at halftime.

Everyone knew it was going to be a long night for Headland, and nothing proved truer than when the stadium sprinkler system kicked on just as the Ram band was preparing to begin their halftime presentation.  Supposedly, unconfirmed, the shower was part of a Senior Homecoming prank.  Fortunately, no band members or instruments were damaged in the process, and likewise fortunately the water was stopped before it had a chance to saturate the playing field.

Emphasis on the Trojan sidelines prior to the second half was not to let up, and Saint James did not.  After a 65 yard endzone kickoff by Headland, Saint James appeared to be sputtering as they lost two yards net on the first two plays.  However, on third down, Duncan found Jabour on the far sidelines.  He wove in front of a potential Ram interceptor, made the catch, and accelerated to outrace two pursuing defenders on his way to the third longest touchdown reception in Saint James history, an 82 yarder.  Coach Rudd could breathe a sigh of relief as his two long touchdown passes from 1980 (of 85 and 84 yards) remained atop the list.  This time Riley Newton kicked into the tree successfully, and the Trojans were up 34 - 0 and some of the stunned Rams fans began leaving their friendly confines for other destinations.

The Rams finally moved the ball into serious scoring position, mostly on the fresh legs of Joseph Wesson.  However, with fourth down from the Trojan 6, a pass into the endzone fell just incomplete and Saint James took over on downs.  Cal Cherry picked up his first career pass reception and withstood a smack from a Ram defender to convert a key third down.  But the drive stalled and a punt went out of bounds at the Ram 48.  This time, Headland would finally reach the endzone after repeated frustration.  Quarterback Aaron Sanders, who had been quiet for most of the game, lifted a pass which was caught on a marvelous dive by Yorey Collins at the two yard line.  On the next play, Sanders called his own number for the initial Headland score of the game.  Wesson added a two point conversion, and as the end of the third quarter neared the Rams had finally dented the scoreboard, but still trailed 34 - 8.

Kyle Harp recovered an onside kick for the Rams, but they failed to make any headway before the end of the quarter, and an endzone punt finished the 'drive'.  On the first play, Frank Moody broke loose for a 44 yard gain which was bolstered by a 15 yard face mask penalty.  The advance stalled at the 30, and Newton was called in to attempt a 46 yard field goal, which just missed to the left.  By now, both teams were using reserves and basically trying to run out the clock.  The Trojans were driving but lost a fumble on the Ram 21.  However, three plays later, Kane Davenport intercepted a pass and ran it back 35 yards to the Headland 11.  Three consecutive runs by Tyler Haveard, of 2, 4, and 5 yards led to his first career Trojan touchdown.  Matt Alter was called on to attempt the extra point but a fieldhouse window was the final target of his just wide left kick.  With just over 2 minutes remaining, however, Saint James had sewn up a convincing regional road victory and began to look forward to their only city and regional rival the following week as they would hit the road for a third straight Friday night, to Alabama Christian.



GAME SIX SIDELINE STATISTICS

SAINT JAMES    RUSHING   42 attempts  210 yards  3 TDs  (5.12 yards per carry)

                          5   Duncan       19 / 93  (2 TDs)    20   Moody       6 / 68    44   Haveard       7 / 33
                          4   Woodson       7 / 13                 36   Cherry        1 /  7     12   Slater           1 / - 1
                        30   Jabour           1 / - 3

                        PASSING   11 completions  16 attempts  0 INTs  226 yards  3 TDs  (1 sack of, - 7 yards)

                          5   Duncan       11 - 16 - 0   226 yards  3 TDs  (1 sack, - 7 yards)

                        RECEIVING

                        30   Jabour         6 / 160  (3 TDs)     4   Woodson     2 / 34    27   Litchfield     1 / 13
                        36   Cherry         1 /  10                   2   Adams         1 /  9

                        TOTAL YARDS:   436

                        KICKS:  XP  4 / 6                FG   0 / 1  (46 missed)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 0
                        KICKOFFS:  7 (52,52,EZ,58,44,51,49)        KO RETURNS:  0
                        PUNTS:  2  (31,24)                                    PUNT RETURNS:   2  (0fc,7)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   20    (10 rushing, 9 passing, 1 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  2, lost 1

                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   + 1
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1 (35)
                        POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  13
                        PENALTIES:  6 / 30 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  26:38

HEADLAND    RUSHING    37 attempts  145 yards  1 TD  (3.92 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      6 completions  17 attempts  1 INT  81 yards  0 TDs  (3 sacks of, - 14 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  226

                        KICKS:  XP  0 / 0                FG   0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                        KICKOFFS:  2  (65EZ,16)                          PUNTS:  4  (45,31,30,47)
                        KO RETURNS:  6  (18,23,18,21,10,9)        PUNT RETURNS:  1  (28)
                        FIRST DOWNS:  14  (9 rushing, 2 passing, 3 penalty)
                        FUMBLES:  3, lost 1
                        POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:  0
                        PENALTIES:  5 / 35 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  21:22


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