Davis Catches and Kicks, And Suitland Advances

Suitland tight end Yanni Davis comes down with a deflected pass for a touchdown in the second quarter, the first of two he had in the game. (By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)

He had played defensive end on junior varsity, but when Yanni Davis prepared to join Suitland's varsity football team this fall, his role was clearly defined: He would be the Rams' place kicker.

"I'm not going to lie," Suitland Coach Nick Lynch said. "That was it. But he made a commitment to himself: 'I'm not just going to be the kicker this year. I'm going to get involved.' "

In the biggest game of the season yesterday, Davis was much more than just involved. From his tight end position in the second quarter, Davis caught a deflected pass for a touchdown, and kicked the extra point. Then, in the closing minutes of the game, he made a terrific nine-yard touchdown catch and kicked the decisive extra point as 19th-ranked Suitland defeated seventh-ranked C.H. Flowers, 14-13, in the Maryland 4A South Region final before a capacity crowd of 2,500 in Springdale.

It was a frantic fourth quarter. Suitland's defense held in its own territory, setting up a 79-yard drive that took 7 1/2 minutes. The Rams (11-1) converted twice on third down and once on fourth down. Then, on third and four from the 9, quarterback Carlos Fields was chased to the right by defenders but saw Davis come open near the goal line for his second touchdown of the game, and third of the season.

"I saw Yanni out of the corner of my eye and I took a shot. The shot went through," Fields said, calling the moment "the best feeling in the world."

The touchdown tied the score at 13, and as Suitland lined up for the extra point, Lynch noticed Davis breathing hard and screamed for a timeout, walking farther and farther onto the field to no avail as the play went off without a hitch.

"I thought he was too jacked up," Lynch said. If a timeout had been called, "I probably would have frozen my own kicker and I'd be cursing myself."

Trailing for the first time all season, Flowers (11-1) drove to the Suitland 22-yard line with 1 minute 30 seconds left. But after two incompletions and a sack, the Jaguars were stopped short on fourth and 13, and the Rams advanced to the Maryland 4A semifinal for the second time in three years. Suitland won the state title in 2004.

This victory "ranks up there at the top," Lynch said. "It will never match the Damascus win [in the 2004 state final], winning our first state championship, but it's right up there pretty close."

No. 19 Suitland 14 No. 7 C.H. Flowers 13 Somewhat Special: After Suitland tied the score at 7 in the second quarter, Joseph Medley returned the kickoff 99 yards to put Flowers ahead 13-7. However, Suitland's Delano Hall blocked the extra point, which ended up being the difference in the game. Up Next: Suitland will host Broadneck in a Maryland 4A semifinal on Saturday at 1 p.m.