Back Home, Titans Taken by Surprise

The T.C. Williams football players' chant of "Whose house? Our house!" before yesterday evening's home game against Mount Vernon was not just the usual pregame woofing. Because of construction of their new stadium, the Titans were playing their first game on home turf in four years.

As darkness crept in on the light-less field, however, their house had an unwelcome visitor. Mount Vernon senior quarterback Brian Green sneaked through the front door on a 10-yard option keeper on his team's first play in overtime to usher the Majors to a 23-20 season-opening nondistrict victory.

T.C. Williams senior Bryan Franks had kicked a 19-yard field goal on his team's overtime possession for a fleeting 20-17 lead. A 27-yard Franks field goal with 3 minutes 27 seconds left in regulation had forced the extra period.

The Titans, many of whom dropped to their knees in disappointment after Green's run, were keying on senior running back Kyle Ricks on the decisive play. Green, who had fumbled twice in the first half, diagnosed the defense perfectly.

"Read and pull option, baby," he said with a grin. "That's what we run. A lot of people key on me, but they didn't key on me on that play."

"Kyle had done such a great job for the whole game when he was carrying the ball that when Brian rode him and pulled [the ball] late, there was nothing that defense could do," Mount Vernon Coach Tom Glynn said. "He just walked into the end zone. I don't think anybody else knew he had the football until he held it up and gave it to the back judge."

Green and Ricks combined for 172 rushing yards and all three Mount Vernon touchdowns on 39 carries. In the first half, the Majors fumbled twice on the Titans 10-yard line.

T.C. Williams did not pick up a first down until the second half, and the Titans, young on the offensive line, committed 17 penalties for 128 yards. They also dropped several passes, including a couple of would-be touchdown throws.

Except for spurts in the second half, T.C. Williams never got its spread offense into rhythm.

"When you run that kind of offense, your skill players have to produce," Titans Coach Dennis Randolph said.

Given the Majors' grind-it-out style, they are more than willing for a game to come down to needing to pick up 10 yards for a victory.

"With what we do and the way I am? Yeah, we'll take that," Glynn said.

Mount Vernon 23, T.C. Williams 20 (OT) Playing Keepaway: Including offensive and defensive penalties, Mount Vernon's first possession covered 23 plays and took almost eight minutes, but resulted in no points. T.C. Firsts: Senior quarterback Zach Goehler picked up the Titans' first first down on the new home field on an 11-yard keeper on the first play of the second half. Senior running back Abu Kamara scored both touchdowns.