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Armwood 26, Tampa Bay Tech 0

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Matthew Postins/The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

TAMPA - Local knowledge got Tampa Bay Tech as far as the Armwood 21 on its opening drive of the game.

It got the Titans almost nowhere after that.

Tampa Bay Tech (4-2, 1-1 Class 4A-District 11) missed what would be its best opportunity to score until the game's final possession on that first drive, and Armwood (6-0, 1-0) used it as a catalyst for a 26-0 district victory at Titan Stadium on Friday.

Torrential rain throughout the game made the contest a ground-based affair, which Armwood proved better equipped to handle. The Hawks, playing their district opener, didn't commit a turnover and outgained the Titans 280-121.

Armwood preserved the shutout with a goal-line stand after a botched punt lost the Hawks 30 yards and set the Titans up at the Hawks 9. The Titans had eight plays to score - a fresh set of downs came on a roughing-the-passer penalty - but couldn't push the ball into the end zone.

"They punch that in and it could have taken some wind out of our sails," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We work so hard at that stuff, and if they had been able to push it in or if something crazy had happened, it would have hurt us."

Tech endured its own disappointment on the opening drive. Titans coach C.C. Culpepper - a former Armwood assistant - knew just what to do as the Hawks broke in new middle linebacker Leon Johnson, taking the place of the injured Jamiel Smith.

The Titans ran right at Johnson, and on that first drive it worked. Burly fullback Maurice Hagens - who rushed for 82 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury - broke through the Armwood defense for a 32-yard gain on the game's opening play.

Callahan admitted Culpepper's knowledge of the Armwood defense helped.

"He ran plays that the middle linebacker had to make plays on - I can't blame him," Callahan said. "It took [Johnson] a while to settle in."

The drive sputtered at the Hawks 21, as Armwood sacked Titans quarterback Mario Tucker for a 5-yard loss on fourth down. From there, Armwood had control.

"It is what it is," Culpepper said about the first drive. "We missed an opportunity."

Armwood scored on the ensuing possession on a 3-yard touchdown run by Rashyied Melvin with 1:51 left in the first quarter.

Armwood sprinkled ball-control offense with punishing defense after that, as the Titans' average field position in the first half was their own 13-yard line. Tucker gained just 9 yards on 19 carries and his three passes fell incomplete.

Meanwhile Armwood quarterback Mywan Jackson and running back Eric Smith combined for 243 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

The Titans host Lennard in a non-district matchup next Friday, giving Culpepper an opportunity to prepare for two key district road games that will determine his team's playoff hopes.

"We were really out of sync tonight," Culpepper said. "We have two district games left. We'll be all right. This was a measuring stick game for us. I don't think we're a 26-point [loss] team."

A-Melvin 3 run (Williams kick)

A-Safety, Tucker tackled in end zone

A-FG Williams 29

A-Smith 1 run (Williams kick)

A-Jackson 45 run (Williams kick)

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