Titans Look to Wrap Up First Postseason Berth in 22 Years

With its road win over West Springfield on Friday, the T.C. Williams varsity football team is on the verge of ending a 22-year playoff drought.

Players and others around the program took to Twitter to announce the end of the skid over the weekend, but Coach Dennis Randolph isn’t counting his chickens just yet.

The Titans (6-3, 4-2 Patriot District) currently rank ninth in the 26-team Class 6A North power rankings with one game remaining. The top 16 teams earn a berth into the postseason.   

“I would say we’re in pretty good shape,” Randolph said. “But there are so many scenarios that can happen that could impact us. The team we played six weeks ago, if they win, that could change our ranking. … Everyone wants to believe we’re in. I believe we’re most likely in, but I want to take it one game at a time. We really need to win our last game.”

Randolph and the Titans topped Lee on the final day of the 2010 season, finishing 6-4 with wins in five of their final six games. Despite the strong finish, the team’s playoff hopes were dashed when their ranking was knocked down following the outcomes of other games in the region.

The Titans’ thee losses this season have come against teams placed in The Washington Post’s Top 20 rankings—No. 2 Centreville (44-16 on Sept. 6) and Patriot District foes No. 17 South County (44-37 on Oct. 12) and No. 4 Lake Braddock (44-0 on Oct. 26).

The team has ground out some hard-fought wins throughout the rest of its campaign with a roster that's a bit deeper than in recent seasons. It includes two surefire playmakers in defensive lineman Jeremiah Clarke and linebacker/tailback Malik Carney. Both seniors are committed to North Carolina.

The Titans host West Potomac (4-5, 4-2 Patriot) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium in their final regular-season game.

Randolph believes the Titans are in better shape entering the final week of the season than three years ago, but the rivalry with the Wolverines is a heated one that has produced some memorable games—not to mention some notorious postgame celebrations—over the last several seasons.   

“It’s our biggest rival,” Randolph said. “Our players go to the same parties. … Throw out the records and who’s going to play. It’s always a dogfight, goes right to the end of the game.”

T.C. Williams Varsity Football Results and Schedule (home games in bold) 

• Aug. 30 — T.C. Williams 38, Oakton 2
• Sept. 6 — Centreville 44, T.C. Williams 16 
• Sept. 21 — T.C. Williams 13, Langley 7
• Sept. 28 — T.C. Williams 21, W.T. Woodson 14
• Oct. 4 — T.C. Williams 20, Annandale 14
• Oct. 12 — South County 44, T.C. Williams 37
• Oct. 18 — T.C. Williams 32, Lee 0
• Oct. 26 — Lake Braddock 44, T.C. Williams 0
• Nov. 1 — T.C. Williams 14, West Springfield 10
• Nov. 9 — West Potomac, 1 p.m.