Lancers Stave Off Titans 27-13
ALEXANDRIA, VA - In the final Patriot District regular season game of the season on Saturday afternoon, the two teams engaged in the contest - the R.E. Lee Lancers and the TC Williams Titans - each faced important ramifications on the outcome. Lee had already sown up entry into next week's Northern Region post-season tournament, but their seeding was in question. Coming into the game, the Lancers sat in the #2 position, and a loss would drop them to #3. Either way, they would garner a 1st round home game on Friday night. The Titans, however, faced a much more daunting situation. Win and they capture the #6 seed in the Division 6 side of the tournament, and would travel to play #3 Lake Braddock. Lose, and their season would be over. So the pressure was squarely on the home team Titans.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Parker Gray Memorial Stadium, senior Titans were honored before the game, making the day even more special, and the home crowd packed the stadium to loudly support their team on their quest for their first post-season playoff berth since 1990.
The energy of the atmosphere, and so many important implications on the line made the story more exciting than the game actually started out being. Although both offenses were able to move the ball fairly efficiently, once they moved towards their opponent's Red Zone they would stall. In fact, it was the defense that would score early. With over half of the 1st quarter already gone, and the Titans seemingly on the move deep in Lancer territory, Lee LB Jake Byrd tipped QB Joe Hargrove's screen pass attempt at the line of scrimmage, and safety Walter Lavorski caught the ball and raced 71 yards for the Lancer touchdown. The extra point attempt sailed wide left, and the six points held up as the only tally of the frame.
The 2nd quarter was much like the 1st, with untimely penalties and miscues halting both offenses. But with the final minutes ticking away in the half, Lee started moving yet again. This time, QB Greg Lopez capped a 6-play drive with a 43-yard touchdown connection to Aaron Jackson. This time, CJ Lewis' extra point was true, and the Lancers increased their lead, and went into the locker room at the half with the 13-0 lead.
Neither team scored in the 3rd quarter, although Lee's Idreis Augustus' 62-yard apparent touchdown run was called back for yet another Lancer penalty. But the Lancers drew 1st blood in the 4th quarter. Marching down the field on a 13-play drive, mixing in quick screens and employing an effective jet sweep, RB Jazmier Williams broke to the edge on one such sweep call, and after being hemmed in by a swarming Titans pursuit, broke to the inside, shedding would-be tacklers, and trotted into the endzone from 21-yards out, making the score 20-0, and the home crowd started to sense that whatever playoff hopes they had at the start of the game was starting to fade away.
But just when anyone thought the Titans were done, the offense started to click. Midway through the stanza and TC Williams driving, Hargrove threaded the needle between two Lee defenders, and hit WR Will Rossi in the back of the endzone from 21 yards out. The extra point failed, however, but the Titans started to show signs of life, now down 20-6. The TC defense took the stage next, and forced Lee to punt on their next two possessions. It was Do-Or-Die time for the Titans now, with just 4-minutes left to play, and Hargrove and the offense responded. Again managing to move the ball down the field, and down to the Lee 16-yard line, Hargrove duplicated his earlier fete, in almost identical fashion, hitting Rossi yet again, throwing a dart between two defenders in the endzone. This time Manuel Benites' extra point was good to narrow the margin to 20-13, and hope remained alive.
Once again the defense held, and the Lancer offense was forced to punt the ball, and now TC Williams stood just 70 yards away from at least tying the game. But on 3rd and long, Hargrove, after being blitzed and in the grasp of 3 defenders, was flagged for Intentional Grounding. That penalty wouldn't be so bad, however back-to-back Personal Fouls - one for Unnecessary Roughness, and the other from the bench for Unsportsmanlike Conduct - pushed the Titans back to their own 10-yard line, and were forced to punt the ball back to the Lancers. With the ball resting near midfield, it took Lee just 4 plays to drive the final nail in the gate. On 3rd and 6-yards to go for a 1st down, Augustus got the call again. With a burst of speed through left the left tackle hole, he made a quick change of direction, and raced 20-yards into the endzone for the touchdown to give the Lancers the 27-13 lead that would eventually be the final score, and the TC Williams Titans' playoff hopes were now dashed for another year.
With the win, Lee will now be the #2 seed in the Northern Region Division 5 playoffs, and will host #7 McLean on Friday night. Kick-off is slated for 7:30pm.
PLAYMAKERS OF THE GAME
Presented By: PlaymakerRecruitingReport.com
Konbeh Koroma - Junior DE, Lee Lancers
Koroma was a "Beast" on defense for the Lancers on Saturday afternoon. When he wasn't disrupting pass plays by relentlessly blitzing the Titan's quarterback, registering 4 sacks, he was also dropping Titan running backs either for significant losses in the backfield, or getting to the edges to make sure they wouldn't get upfield.
Will Rossi - Junior WR, TC Williams Titans
Rossi stepped up for the Titans when they really needed him, after other receivers were simply dropping balls all afternoon. Rossi's two touchdown catches pulled the Titans to with a touchdown of tying the game late in the 4th quarter. He ended the day with four catches for 69 yards.
