Home Games to be Played Indoors at St. James Sports Complex
Hunter Langley
For decades, T.C. football supporters fought to put lights around the football field. Last fall, this dream was finally achieved. The lights are scheduled to be built in the coming years, but due to the construction, the football team was left with no home field going into its 2019 campaign.
After weeks of negotiations, the athletic department struck up a deal to give Titans football a home field. This field will be the St. James, an indoor sports complex in Springfield that is 7 miles from the King Street campus. It has been used for multiple football related events, including combines, the Elite 11 Regionals, the Opening, and it serves as the home field for the D.C. Divas, the local women’s pro football team, so kicking and punting should not be an issue with the roof.
The athletic department is excited about the new partnership, and expects that it will bring “a new energy and excitement back into the T.C. athletics program,” said Athletic Director James Parker. “Not only will we be the first team in Virginia history to play our home games inside, but we get to play our games on Friday nights!”
Those interested in going to games can purchase tickets online or at the game. Season tickets can also be purchased online.
The St. James holds about 2,300 people and the athletic department expects to sell out every game now that there are Friday night games. Due to the expected interest, an agreement was made with the St. James to split ticket sales.
One reason for the interest is that T.C. had previous success in the building without pads. During the five-week regular season of the St. James 7-on-7 passing league, the Titans went 10-0 (with two games a week), including huge wins against rivals West Potomac and Lake Braddock. Wide receiver Ricardo Ross’s athleticism could not be matched by opposing defensive backs, whereas the Titans defense was strengthened with the key addition of safety Kam Scott, who played football last year for Edison. Scott said he was excited to be back with T.C., “It is amazing, such a great atmosphere. It feels great to be back surrounded by the people I grew up with.”
Last year the football team went 4-6 because of issues with special teams, defensive communication and early backfield play. By the time most of the issues were sorted out, they had a shot at the playoffs until a heartbreaking loss in week nine to rival Mount Vernon dashed any playoff hopes.
This year has proven to be a different story. The first game was a 53-point shutout against Herndon, a team that had the same record as T.C. the year before. In its second game T.C. beat the Robinson Rams 29-26, who just last year beat the team 45-12.
Leading the offense has been Anthony Eaton, a workhorse running back. Eaton has posted almost 300 yards and three touchdowns through the first two weeks of action, and plans to keep it up. “It is a good way to start the season, I plan on bringing the same intensity all year,” said Eaton.
There have been some injuries to the offensive line, most notably to Junior All-District tackle Gino Messina who is out until at least until week three with a serious knee injury. Filling his shoes is Junior Braden Porterfield, who said, “So far starting for T.C. has been a blessing. I have learned so much from the staff and my teammates– I am playing alongside the best players in the state!”
The first home game at the St. James arena is September 20 against West Springfield.
