2025 -
GAME 9
Tallassee 13,
Saint James 7
TAL 0 7 6 0 13
STJ 0 0 0 7 7
Friday, October 17, 2025 Carlisle Field Game Conditions: Partly Cloudy, comfortable Game Temperature: 81 Wind: negligible
SCORING SUMMARY
TAL (2) 11:39 Love 55 pass from Morris (Johnson kick) 0 - 7
TAL (3) 6:25 Gordon 20 pass from Morris (kick blocked) 0 - 13
STJ (4) 1:14 Phillips 36 pass from Craig (Hines kick) 7 - 13
COMPLETE GAME RECAP
Tallassee won the coin toss and chose to possess first. They converted one first down on a quick pass by Trent Morris to Cortland Roberts, but later punted and pinned the Trojans at their own 19 yard line. Saint James picked up two first downs, but two penalties stalled the drive and the punt was returned. The two teams would trade three and outs to virtually end a scoreless quarter which produced little offense. Things would change quickly in the second quarter. On first down, Tallassee's Morris rushed for 11 yards but a majority of that was wiped out by a holding penalty. From the Tiger 45, Morris looked over the middle and found Hamp Love about 10 yards downfield. He snatched the pass between two potential tacklers, escaped them, and outran the remainder of the secondary for a 55 yard catch and run touchdown. Channing Johnson's extra point was good, and the Tigers led 7 - 0 early in the second quarter.
The Trojans would then embark on a drive which ate up 8:25 of the second quarter. After a Miles Zukowski run for a first down, quarterback Mason Craig pitched back to running back Grant Phillips who tossed a pass to Craig who had returned to his wide receiver status, and he turned a short pass into a 35 yard catch and run for a nifty first down. Andrew Yancy later added a 16 yard run, and Saint James tried the pitch play to Phillips again but this time the pass intended for Zukowski fell incomplete. The Trojans drove as close as the 5 yard line, but were fortunate to recover a fumble near the goal line. However, a holding penalty in essence wiped out that play, and a 32 yard field goal attempt drifted wide left, and Saint James remained behind by 7.
In the last minute of the half, Morris would connect on a pass to his focus receiver Jaiden Gordon for 37 yards down to the Trojan 22, but a 39 yard field goal attempt failed and the score remained 7 - 0 Tallassee at halftime.
Saint James went three and out to start the third quarter, and Tallassee went on what would be the game clinching drive. Eight plays, highlighted by Morris passes to Roberts for 30 yards, and to Morris for 12 and 20 yards, the second for a Tiger touchdown, gave Tallassee a 13 - 0 lead as a high snap on the extra point led to a blockd kick.
A dubious intentional grounding penalty stalled the next Trojan drive, but after a defensive three and out the Trojans took over to end the third quarter. That drive fizzled, as did the next Tiger drive. Saint James appeared to be driving with some momentum but a lost fumble gave the ball back to Tallassee with less than 5 minutes remaining. The Tigers ate up two minutes off the clock, forcing the Trojans to start using timeouts. After a punt, Saint James took over on their own 36 yard line with less than three minutes remaining. Benton Offord caught a 12 yard pass to convert a fourth down. Later, a roughing the passer penalty gave Saint James first down at the Tiger 36, and two plays later Craig lofted a desperation pass to the endzone which was wonderfully hauled in by Phillips, and for really the first time in the entire game, the Saint James sidelines had their cheer on. Hines' extra point cut the lead to 6, and the Trojans at least had a chance to attempt an onside kick.
Hines lined up for the kick, but Ford Bass actually connected with the kick which was smartly contained by a Tiger, and after a first down was converted two kneel downs were all the Tigers needed to complete the victory and their playoff ticket. Saint James, which lost its fourth region game of the year - an equal amount to the previous nine years combined - was officially eliminated from the playoff picture with one week and one game remaining, a 2025 Senior Night game at home against Munford.
PRESS BOX STATISTICS - GAME NINE
SAINT JAMES RUSHING 40 attempts 145 yards 0 TDs (3.63 yards per carry)
30 Zukowski
14 / 53 yards 1
Bass 5 /
32 6
Phillips 5 / 24
7
Craig
11 /
21
13 Yancy 5 / 15
PASSING 5 completions 14 attempts 0 INTs 102 yards 1 TD
7
Craig
3 - 11 - 0 54 yards 1 TD
6
Phillips 2
- 3 - 0 48 yards
RECEIVING
6
Phillips
1 / 36 yards (1 TD) 7
Craig 1 /
35 9
Hines 1 / 13
2
Offord
1 /
12
16 Williams 1 / 6
TOTAL
YARDS: 247
KICKS: XP 1 / 1
FG 0 / 1 (32 missed)
2
POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 2 (EZ,10)
PUNTS:
6 (44,35,41,43,35,51)
KO RETURNS: 3 (15,18,23)
PUNT RETURNS:
3 (14,0fc,0fc)
FIRST
DOWNS: 13 (8 rushing, 4 passing, 1
penalty)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 3 / 13
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 2
FUMBLES: 2,
lost 1
TURNOVER
MARGIN: - 1
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 8 / 55 yards
TIME
OF POSSESSION: 24:04
TALLASSEE
RUSHING 24
attempts 64 yards 0 TDs (2.67 yards per
carry)
PASSING
12 completions 17 attempts 0 INTs 245
yards 2 TDs
TOTAL
YARDS: 309
2 POINT CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
KICKOFFS: 3 (52,57,45) PUNTS: 6 (39,32,41,31,23,23)
KO RETURNS: 1 (0) PUNT RETURNS: 0
FIRST DOWNS: 10 (2 rushing, 8 passing)
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: 2 / 9
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS: 0 / 0
FUMBLES: 1, lost 0
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: 0
ACCEPTED PENALTIES: 5 / 40 yards
TIME OF POSSESSION: 23:56