Roosevelt, Wilson Win With Different Casts

In Theodore Roosevelt's 21-18, five-overtime victory over Central on Saturday, the Rough Riders were without kicker Obed Gomez, whose weekend job at a restaurant prevented him from suiting up.

So, he spent last week in practice tutoring a couple of teammates on kicking. Coach Daryl Tilghman wasn't convinced he had an able replacement and decided to go for two points after the Rough Riders' two touchdowns in regulation and their score in the first overtime. They missed each time.

As both teams failed to score through the next three overtime sessions ("You don't want to know why," Tilghman deadpanned), the Rough Riders, after stopping Central in the fifth overtime, faced fourth down at the 2. Wondering how much energy was left in his players, Tilghman decided to give senior running back Levite Legarde a shot at a 19-yard field goal. It sailed through, giving Roosevelt a unique victory. . . .

After two tough losses to O'Connell and Yorktown and showing a stagnant offense to open the season, Wilson found its stride last week, hammering Wheaton, 33-0. Searching for a way to jump-start his team, Tigers Coach Horace Fleming switched quarterbacks, moving junior Stacy Turner under center and shifting incumbent quarterback Jubar Knight to wide receiver.

"We thought we needed a shake-up to create a little more positive competition," Fleming said. "Jubar will probably be back there soon."

It paid off. Turner completed 5 of 7 passes and a touchdown, and senior lineman Greg Cunningham led a unit that rushed for 297 yards. Senior Brian Glover gained 143 yards and three touchdowns, and junior Rico Thompson added 80 yards and caught a touchdown pass from Turner.

The game was called with 2 1/2 minutes left after Wheaton was penalized for a late hit and some pushing and shoving ensued. With the game well in hand, Fleming said, officials decided to stop it rather than risk anything worse. Fleming said no players were injured or suspended as a result of the incident. . . .

H.D. Woodson's early-season road trip is over, and -- as often is the case with DCIAA teams traveling to schools in Ohio, West Virginia or Pennsylvania -- it's tough to tell how good the Warriors are, even though they lost their first three games, two by shutout. Before the season, the consensus opinion was that Woodson had the city's most talented roster. Now, the Warriors must show they can contend with opponents that are known quantities in the Washington area.

Woodson finally got on the scoreboard last weekend, though. It had one offensive touchdown in a 35-12 loss at St. Edwards (Ohio). The Warriors trailed by only 14-12 with nine minutes remaining in the game. According to the Woodson staff, the Warriors were assessed 19 penalties for 137 yards, while St. Edwards drew only one five-yard flag.

Woodson faces Theodore Roosevelt on Friday at 7 before ending its nonconference schedule with Coolidge and Friendship Collegiate the next two weeks. . . .

A Day in the Spotlight

H.D. Woodson 2007 graduate Eddie McGee is playing fine football for the University of Illinois. When Illini starting quarterback Juice Williams was knocked out of Saturday's game against Illinois State with a first-quarter quadriceps injury, McGee stepped in and completed 13 of 17 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown in a 45-17 Illini victory. He threw one interception and took two sacks.

The 6-foot-4 junior also rushed 18 times for 55 yards and two scores. McGee kept the ball on the option for his first TD, a 1-yarder over right tackle that gave the Illini a 14-0 lead with 3:43 left in the first quarter. He then hit receiver Chris Duvalt for a 27-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.

Unless Williams's injury is serious, McGee will probably return to the backup role when the Illini play at Ohio State a week from Saturday.