2016 -
GAME 4
SAINT JAMES 24, @ Fultondale 18 (OT) 
FUL
7 3
0 8
| 0
18
SCORING SUMMARY
FUL (1)
6:01 Jones 4
run
(Navarette kick) 0
- 7
STJ (2) 9:48 Kim
24 FG
3 - 7
STJ (2) 2:54
Underwood 9
run
(kick
failed) 9 -
7
FUL (2) 0:43 Navarette
22 FG
9 - 10
STJ (3) 9:38
Underwood 1
run
(run failed) 15
- 10
STJ (4) 9:54 Kim
24
FG
18 - 10
FUL (4) 3:55 Moore 2
run
(Jones run) 18 - 18
STJ (OT
1) Underwood 10
run
(kick failed) 24 - 18
September 9,
2016. Fultondale Field Game
Conditions: Mostly clear, warm Game
Temperature: 85 Wind: Negligible
Saint James overcame several offensive mistakes, and
occasionally some peculiar behavior from the officials, as
the Trojans scored in the first overtime and denied their
opponent likewise in a 24 - 18 victory over first time foe,
the Fultondale Wildcats.
For the first time all season the Trojans failed to win
their coin toss, but the net result was the same as
Fultondale declined their option to the second half and
Saint James took the ball immediately. After the first
of several short kickoffs and fair catch returns, the
Trojans officially turned over the ball for the first time
all season as Josh Garnett underthrew a pass which became
his first career interception snagged by Khalil Yow.
It took the Wildcats 10 plays to travel 41 yards for their
first score, including two successful third down conversions
and a fourth down conversion. On first down from the
Trojan 4, quarterback Jason Jones kept the ball, as he did
many times on this night, and raced 4 yards into the
endzone. The Bryan Navarette extra point was good, and
Fultondale had taken a 7 - 0 lead midway through the opening
quarter.
Again the Trojans were stopped on a three and out, but a
nice punt by Garnett pinned the Wildcats back near their own
20. A personal foul penalty, one of four the Trojans
would commit and each resulting in a crucial first down,
helped the drive but then the Wildcats committed a penalty
of their own and were sacked, forcing their first punt and
only their third punt overall in two plus games. The
pressure irritated the punter, and his kick went almost
straight up in the air, and then hit and bounced backwards
resulting in a net loss of three yards on the punt
play. A Blake Underwood pass reception, and an
11 yard run on the final play of the first quarter each
generated Trojan first downs. However the Trojans
could get no closer to the goal line than the Wildcat 9, so
Jin Kim was called in to attempt his first career field
goal, which he nailed from 24 yards, and Saint James had cut
into the lead at 7 - 3.
The Trojan defense stopped the Wildcats on a three and out,
and after a short punt return used up a large portion of the
second quarter to drive 59 yards for their first
touchdown. Stephen Sadie made a key 17 yard pass
reception, and Tony Amerson reminded our travel party of an
earlier day witnessed dust devil on the flood plain fields
of extreme northern Montgomery County as he twisted and
fought his way for another key first down. Wes Cherry
caught a 13 yard pass down to the Wildcat 9, and on the next
play Underwood struggled, but pulled defenders with him into
the endzone for a touchdown. The extra point was wide,
but the Trojans had their first lead of the night at 9 - 7.
After a short kickoff return, Jones released one of his few
long passes of the evening, and the only successful one for
the Wildcats, as he found Roosevelt Banks virtually
uncovered down the field for a 51 yard gain. What may
have not been noticed was that the Wildcats appeared to have
12 men on the field on that play, but what was noticed was a
questionable hard tackle on the play which resulted in a
nearly 15 yard add on to the long play giving Fultondale a
first down at the Trojan 14½ yard line. However, on
fourth and 1 from the Trojan 5, Navarette came on to the
field to kick a field goal himself, which he did, and the
Wildcats were back up 10 - 9 with less than a minute
remaining until halftime.
The Trojans allowed the half to run out. However, they
regained the momentum almost instantly to start the third
quarter. A rare longish kick was fielded by Wildcat
Austin Alexander, who handed the ball off to speedster
Starling Starks. However, Saint James' Shaw Woodson
saw the exchange, grabbed on to Starks, and literally took
the ball away from him running back toward the goal
line. He didn't get far, but Saint James was quickly
and unexpectedly in scoring position to start the third
quarter. And they capitalized, solely on the feet of
Underwood. Carries of 4 and 28 yards took him down to
the 1 yard line. It took three plays, but Underwood
finally plowed in from the one for the touchdown. This
gave the Trojans a five point lead, so they opted for the
two point conversion. Underwood was snuffed out this
time, but Saint James had regained its lead at 15 - 10 early
in the third quarter.
Fultondale was driving again, assisted by yet another major
distance penalty by the Trojans, but they were stopped on a
fourth and 5 at the Trojan 28. The Trojans again moved
the ball slowly but steadily on the tiring Wildcats.
On the last play of the third quarter, Sadie had a big run
of 14 yards down to the Wildcat 13. The drive stalled,
but Kim was called in to convert his second consecutive 24
yard field goal, which he did, and the Trojans were now up
18 - 10.
The Wildcats were again beneficiaries of a major distance
penalty as Saint James thought they had stopped another
drive on third down. However, immediately afterwards,
the Wildcats became increasingly discombobulated trying to
merely line up and call plays and used all of their second
half timeouts. One of the strangest occurrences took
place on fourth down from the Trojan 47. Fultondale
was prepared to punt to pin the Trojans deep, but only had
eight men on the field as time was draining from the 25
second clock. Suddenly a ball boy rushes in from the
Wildcat sidelines and changes ball, after the ball has been
put into play, and with the confusion the referee has no
choice but to stop the play, and the clock, very much to the
dismay of the Trojan faithful. Even more hurtful was
the result of the punt, which rolled dead inside the one
yard line. Two plays gained no yards, and on the
third play after a huge pile up a Wildcat came out of a huge
pile with the ball, and after a discussion the play was
ruled a fumble and Fultondale had possession on the Trojan
2. Derrick Moore scored easily on a handoff on the
next play, and being down by 2, Fultondale had to as well
try the two point conversion. On the quarterback
keeper, Jones found the endzone almost as easily, and very
quickly Fultondale had tied the game at 18 with under four
minutes remaining.
With neither team having timeouts left, neither team
converting a first down on their respective remaining
regulation drives (despite more clock shadiness), the clock
expired and overtime was looming for Saint James for the
first time in five seasons.
Saint James lost the coin toss, and the Wildcats opted for
defense first. The Trojans aimed for the south
endzone. Underwood was stopped on first down for no
gain, but on second down he took a handoff and went toward
the corner pylon. A pair of tacklers grabbed hold at
about the five yard line, and two more piled on about the
two, but Underwood would not be denied as he powered into
the endzone for a first possession touchdown. The
extra point was wide again, but Fultondale would now need to
convert both a touchdown and an extra point to be
victorious.
Jones' first pass attempt of the second half fell incomplete
on first down, and his keeper only picked up 3 yards on
second down. A handoff was muffed and fallen on by
Walter Blair on third down at tthe Trojan 6. On fourth
down on about the thirtieth run pass option play of the
game, Jones could not find an open receiver and tried a
similar play to Underwood's touchdown, but he was brought
down by a pair of Trojan tacklers at the four. The
Trojans started celebrating, but there was concern as if
perhaps another penalty was going to be called, extending
the game. However, when the head referee held the
football above his head, the game was officially over and
Saint James celebrated with a 24 - 18 overtime victory over
the previously undefeated Wildcats.
SIDELINE (actually, HILLSIDE for this game) STATISTICS -
GAME FOUR
SAINT JAMES
RUSHING 44
attempts 160 yards 3 TDs
(3.64 yards per carry)
1
Underwood 29 / 121 (3
TDs) 21
Amerson 10 / 29
23
Sadie
4 /
11
14
Garnett
1 / - 1
PASSING
4 completions 6 attempts 1 INT 54 yards
0 TDs
14
Garnett
4 - 6 - 1 54
yards
RECEIVING
1
Underwood 2 /
24
23
Sadie
1 / 17 16
Cherry 1 / 13
TOTAL
YARDS: 214
KICKS: XP 0 / 2
FG 2 / 2 (24,24 made)
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 1
KICKOFFS: 5
(27,39,31,40,46)
PUNTS: 3 (43,46,45)
KO RETURNS: 5 (0fc,0fc,0fc,4,0fc)
PUNT RETURNS: 1
(2)
FIRST
DOWNS: 11 (7 rushing, 4 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 5 / 12
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 1 / 1
FUMBLES: 1, lost 1
FUMBLE RETURNS: 1
(4)
TURNOVER
MARGIN: - 1
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 6
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 5 / 65 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 25:38
FULTONDALE
RUSHING 41 attempts 113
yards 3 TDs (2.76 yards per carry)
PASSING
3 completions 4 attempts 0 INTs 52 yards 0 TDs
TOTAL
YARDS: 165
KICKS: XP 1 / 2
FG 1 / 1 (22 made)
2 POINT
CONVERSIONS: 1 / 1
KICKOFFS:
4 (28,32,31,31)
PUNTS: 2
(-3,33)
KO
RETURNS: 5 (0,0,8f,13,12)
PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST
DOWNS: 10 (4 rushing, 5 passing, 1 penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 10
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 1 / 2
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 15
INTERCEPTION RETURNS: 1
(2)
FUMBLES:
1, lost 1
ACCEPTED
PENALTIES: 2 / 20 yards
TIME OF
POSSESSION: 22:22
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