MIKE DONNELLY / L’Observateur / September 21, 1998

AMITE – The St. James Wildcats overcame three fumbles and 112 yards inpenalties to defeat Amite for the second time in two years, 28-20, Friday night.

Chad Jasmin led the way for the Wildcats (3-0) with 174 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Chad Smith added 16 yards as the Wildcatsrushed for 200 yards. Corey Webster completed 4-of-8 passes for 63yards as the Wildcats ran up 273 yards in total offense.

Dedrick Butler led the Warriors (1-2) with 77 yards on 20 attempts.

Brandon Wagner completed 8-of-20 passes for 130 yards but was intercepted three times. The Warriors also had 263 yards in total offense.The game was marked by yellow flags. St. James was penalized nine timesfor 112 yards while Amite was flagged 10 times for 90 yards.

Jasmin got the Wildcats on the board first, scoring on a 56-yard run. AlvinBartholomew added the extra point, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead at the 10:13 mark of the first quarter.

Philip Jessie added to that lead minutes later on a 1-yard run. The extrapoint was blocked but St. James led 13-0 with 6:49 left in the openingquarter.

Amite got on the board as Wagner scored from 7 yards out. DameonThompson added the extra point, cutting the deficit to 13-7 with 2:41 left in the first quarter.

The Warriors went ahead three seconds into the second quarter on a 1- yard run by Dorsett Buckels and the kick by Thompson. St. James wouldregain the lead at the 5:30 mark on a 1-yard run by Jasmin and Bartholomew’s extra point. Jasmin added a 5-yard run with 32 secondsleft in the first half.

Patrick Edward brought the Warriors to within 28-20 with 1:27 left in the third quarter by returning a fumble 17 yards for the score.

Amite drove to the St. James 22-yard line with 1:04 left in the game. Butafter a timeout and an incomplete pass, Wagner was sacked for an 18-yard loss on fourth-and-five.

“The thing I am most happy about is that we did not play our best but we still found a way to win,” St. James coach Rick Gaille said. “We probablyoverworked them and under-prepared them during the week so they were too tired. We have got to do a better job of coaching and a better job ofpreparation for next week.

“We made decent yardage on first and second down and being in that critical call range and then made a mistake. A good team is going to makeyou do that and they are going to exaggerate the mistakes you make.

“Usually the road to New Orleans goes through Tangipahoa Parish. It is notgoing to be any different this year with these two teams.”Amite coach Donald Currier agreed, saying that the Wildcats’ defense made the difference.

“We came up short but we can build from this,” Currier said.

“We rose to a level tonight. There were situations where you have tothrow and don’t want to throw against a St. James defense that is thisoutstanding.”St. James hosts West Jefferson Friday.

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