CCC FOOTBALL: Montgomery Academy wallops St. James
MA’S Braden Gordon runs for yardage in the Eagles’ win over St. James on Friday. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
If the St. James Trojans didn’t know Braden Gordon before Friday’s game, the Montgomery Academy sophomore edge rusher offered a rude welcome to the Trojans.
Gordon sacked Trojan quarterback Chase Perry five times, recorded a career-high 10 tackles and added a pair of touchdown receptions for good measure as the Eagles defeated St. James 35-8 at McLemore Field on Friday night.
“I’m not sure on the number of sacks for Braden or the pressures, but it was insane,” MA coach Ethan McBride said. “I’ve been telling anybody that would listen that this kid is special. But also, it’s hats off to a really good job of coverage as well, to give him time to get there. It really was a team defensive effort and they all played well together.”
While the game was a showcase for Gordon and his defensive teammates, it was another sub-par performance for the Trojan offense, which managed just 8 rushing yards against Catholic last week and had minus 15 rushing yards against Montgomery Academy.
“We’re not blocking very well,” St. James coach Aubrey Blackwell said. “I’m going to take over the offensive line and take full responsibility from here on out starting on Monday.”
The Eagles took advantage of the Trojans’ aggressive defense with a play-action pass from Reid McBride to DJ Vinson on the first play from scrimmage. Vinson was all alone down the right sideline and gathered in McBride’s throw to complete a 63-yard sprint to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
“There’s not many times you can get DJ wide open,” Ethan McBride said. “Hats off to (coordinators) Coach (Jeremy) Arant and Coach (Brad) Parker for making that a reality and hats off to the freshman quarterback, Reid McBride, for executing it when it’s wide open.”
The first quarter featured 16 combined passes between the two teams, but it remained a 7-0 game until Grant Phillips rushed in and blocked Reid McBride’s punt three plays into the second quarter. Jacob Caddell recovered the loose ball in the end zone and St. James added a two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead.
Montgomery Academy responded with a pair of touchdowns for a 21-8 halftime lead, using a 20-yard bootleg by McBride and a 48-yard interception return by Jarrett Friendly to take control of the game. The Eagles ended any thoughts of a Trojan rally with their first possession of the second half as Gordon took a fourth-and-one pass from McBride the final 10 yards for the first of two touchdown receptions by the sophomore.
“Coach told me at halftime I was going to get more touches because of the way they were playing DJ because he’s so good and Jarrett,” Gordon said. “So I got it and I scored. With us (Gordon and Friendly) being out there, it takes so much pressure off of DJ. When they come to us, he’s going to get the ball and when they go to him, we’re going to get the ball.”
St. James managed just 38 total yards in the second half and never threatened to score.
“We personally felt we could dominate them up front and that’s how we knew we were going to win the game,” Gordon said. “Sometimes it was me, sometimes it was my teammate, but it was just a team effort and that’s what we preached all week, that if we want to win, the O-line and the D-line has to work.
“We prepared. We’re not surprised because we prepared. When you put in the work, this is the result you get.”
Offensively, Vinson had four receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown, Gordon had three catches for 35 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Mac Benefield had 15 carries for 69 yards, but the story continued to be Reid McBride, who was 9 of 15 for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his second-ever varsity start, along with five carries for 52 yards and a touchdown.
“I think the leash is as long as he allows it,” Ethan McBride said. “I know how cerebral and intelligent he is and that’s what people are starting to see. In the fourth quarter, on a third and nine, he went to the third read to get a first down. How many ninth graders do you know that have that ability? So we open it up as he allows us.”
Defensively, the story was Gordon, who recorded 37 yards in losses with five sacks.
“He’s really athletic,” Blackwell said. “He’s a really good player, long and twitchy and we couldn’t keep up with his speed on the end tonight.”
Knox Wingate added eight tackles, followed by Graham Martin with five tackles and David Whisenhunt, Friendly and Vinson with three tackles each.
Play was halted on virtually every down in the second half, either for penalties (the two teams combined for 215 penalty yards) or cramping players.
“The new IV rules are tough,” Blackwell said. “When you only play about 16 kids and you can’t get an IV before the game to keep a kid from cramping, it’s hard. But we’re going to follow the AHSAA guidelines. When you’re going to play 150 snaps as a high school kid in a football game, it’s tough. To not be allowed to have an IV to protect your body, it’s hard.”
Montgomery Academy (2-0) remain home to play Houston Academy in the 3A Region 2 opener for both teams next Friday, while St. James (0-2 for the first time since 2015) returns home to play Bullock County in the 4A Region 3 opener at Carlisle Field.