It’s clear that great things are expected of the 2023 James Island Trojans football team after last season’s successful 11-win outing. On their opening night, the Trojans proved they mean business with a decisive 25-7 victory over home team Stratford.
An impressive display of footballing abilities as all three phases of the game saw points on the board for the Trojans. Senior quarterback Braxton Scott’s return to the helm of the James Island offense was a triumph, demonstrating why he is such a valuable asset, working his magic to earn a completion rate of 14 from 20 passes for 210 yards.
The first half told an especially captivating story with the Trojans outrunning their opponents, managing 25 offensive plays to Stratford’s six over two possessions. Though a field goal in the first went begging, their second drive brought fresh promise with Junior Maxwell powering his way through a 3-yard touchdown. This was only an appetizer for what is sure to be an exciting season ahead.
After an exciting 80-yard drive, Jachin Davis put Stratford back in it with a one-yard quarterback sneak to tie the game up. A 64-yard Davis run set up the score and James Island responded with a 65-yard drive of their own that culminated in Gray Dangerfield’s 30-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead.
In a 90 second span in the waning minutes of the half, the Trojans came out ahead again. A high snap sailed into the end zone, giving Davis the opportunity to recover it for a safety, making it 12-7. On the very nextplay, Jalen Brown-Singleton, a transfer from Burke, dashed 64 yards for a touchdown with less than 90 seconds left on the clock, sending Stratford into halftime with an 18-7 lead.
Trojans Quarterback Casey Scott started off his season with a bang, leading the team to a 25-7 win over Stratford on the road. Scott threw for 138 yards and 10 completions in the first half, helping the Trojans top 200 total yards before halftime.
The third quarter was no different, as Scott opened up with a 45-yard pass connection to wide receiver Austin Brown-Singleton for a touchdown. An offsides penalty on Stratford sent Scott to the endzone again with an eight-yard pass to Wushi Ravenel, putting James Island up 25-7 with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
James Island’s home opener will see them host Stall next Friday, while Stratford have a bye week before hosting Lexington on Sept. 1. Make sure to join the team for their first home game of 2017 as they look to maintain their winning momentum!