The T.C. Williams football team, in search of its first playoff berth since 1990, ended its season with a 27-13 loss to Robert E. Lee on Saturday at Parker-Gray Stadium.
The T.C. Williams offense was limited to 130 total yards and was held scoreless until the fourth quarter. The Titans fell behind 20-0 before mounting a late rally. Quarterback Joe Hargrove connected with Will Rossi for a pair of touchdown passes to pull T.C. Williams within seven, but Lee put the game away with an Idreis Augustus 19-yard touchdown run in the final minute.
The Titans entered the game winners of two in a row and three of their last four, but buried themselves in too deep of a hole. T.C. Williams finished the 2009 season at 5-5 --- the program’s first five-win season since 1996. The Titans have not had a winning season since 1995 --- their only winning season in the last 19 years.
“I’m really at a loss for words,” T.C. Williams head coach Dennis Randolph said. “This is really disappointing. I never thought for a minute we were going to lose to them because our kids were playing really well. I think we’re all a little bit shocked.”
Hargrove returned to action Oct. 24 after missing seven weeks with a fractured right, non-throwing wrist. The senior quarterback gave T.C. Williams a boost, breaking the school record for passing yards in a game with 297 in a win over West Potomac. He also tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game with four. The following week against South County he completed only 6 of 20 passes, but his presence on the field made the Stallions respect the pass and helped the Titans to victory.
On Saturday Hargrove completed 10 of 33 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. Lee’s Walter Yavorski snagged one of the interceptions off a deflection and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown.
Hargrove rallied the offense for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough.
“We could have pulled it out,” Hargrove said. “Two back-to-back touchdowns, I thought we had it.”
Rossi caught five passes for 68 yards.
Lee’s Jazmier Williams rushed 21 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Augustus carried 19 times for 117 yards and a score.
Lee (7-3) enters the playoffs having won two in a row after dropping three straight.
Robert E. Lee 27, T.C. Williams 13
Lee 0 13 0 14 ---27
T.C. Williams 0 0 0 13 ---13
Second Quarter
L --- Walter Yavorski 70 interception return (kick failed), 10:40
L--- Aaron Jackson 43 pass from Greg Lopez (C.J. Lewis kick), :20
Fourth Quarter
L --- Jazmier Williams 21 run (Lewis kick), 11:53
TC --- Will Rossi 25 pass from Joe Hargrove (kick failed), 9:52
TC --- Rossi 16 pass from Hargrove (Benites kick), 5:37
L --- Idreis Augustus 19 run (Lewis kick), :42
Team Statistics
L TC
First Downs 18 9
Rushes-Yards 56-210 28-19
Comp-Att-Int 5-10-0 10-33-2
Passing Yards 95 111
Total Yards 305 130
Fumbles-Lost 6-3 1-0
Turnovers 3 2
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Robert E. Lee: Williams: 21-119; Augustus 19-117; Lopez 15-(minus 22); Donovan Taylor 1-(minus 4). T.C. Williams: Robert Carter 16-34; Hargrove 6-(minus 4); Charles Garner 4-(minus 17); Cortez Taylor 2-6.
PASSING: Robert E. Lee: Lopez: 5-10-0 95. T.C. Williams: Hargrove: 10-33-2 111.
RECEIVING: Robert E. Lee: Eric Wright 2-43; Augustus 2-9; Jackson 1-43. T.C. Williams: Rossi: 5-68; Tyrell Sitton: 2-23; Kyle Whitehead 1-16; Aziz Coker 1-8; Taylor 1-2; Carter 1-(minus 6).