If a characteristic of a great free safety is one who is in the right place at the right time, then Digital Harbor's Timmie Lee certainly qualifies.
Lee contributed two interceptions, one to kill an Edmondson scoring drive and the other a 57-yard return for a touchdown to seal the game, to lead visiting Digital Harbor (2-0, 1-0) to a 14-0 victory over Edmondson (0-2, 0-1) in the Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown.
The Rams were led by quarterback Rory Travers, who completed nine of 16 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Tyrese Kwanna was his favorite receiver, contributing 106 of the yards on four catches, including the only offensive touchdown of the game.
The game was scoreless until the final 2:42, with both teams playing just enough defense – and making just enough mistakes – to stay off the scoreboard.
Edmondson had the best chance to take the lead early in the game. On their second possession, the Red Storm drove from their own nine to the Digital Harbor 6-yard line. On a second-and-4 play,the Rams' Darnell Willis intercepted Edmondson quarterback Michael Taylor in the end zone to kill the drive.
After a three-and-out for Digital Harbor, Edmondson went to work again. Taking over at their own 47-yard line, the Red Storm drove to the Digital 20. On a third-down play, Taylor threw to the middle of the field. Lee caught the interception in stride at the 5-yard line, and returned it to his own 40-yard line.
The two teams played a field position game in the second half, and it again appeared Edmondson would take the lead. After taking over on the Digital Harbor 39-yard line, the Red Storm got the ball to the Digital 12-yard line, but came up a yard short, picking up 6yards on a fourth-and-7to turn the ball over on downs.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Rams got the ball at their own 21-yard line. Completions to Montice Stephens and Jamal Pope moved the ball the Edmondson 47, before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty two plays later moved the ball to the Red Storm 30. On the next play, Travers found Kwanna, who made a leaping catch at about the 10-yard line, and then ran untouched into the end zone. After a two-point conversion pass to Stephon Torrence, the Rams led 8-0 with 2:42 left in the game.
"I kept telling [Travers] I was open, and to get me the ball," Kwanna said. "We'd tried it a few times earlier in the game,and just didn't connect. They were playing off me on the play, and I got open."
Edmondson mounted another drive, but that's when Lee got in on the act again. On the third play of the drive, at the Digital 45-yard line, Taylor's pass missed his receiver, but landed in Lee's hands. He did the rest, scampering 57 yards down the Rams sideline to give Digital Harbor a 14-0 lead and put the game out of reach with 1:50 left.
"Coach kept telling me to be in the right place, and the opportunities will come, Lee said. "I read the coverage, and the ball was right there. I caught it and took off."
The win, following a win against Towson last week when they trailed 10-0 in the fourth quarter, are giving the Rams a reputation for the dramatic.
"We just reverted to last week [today in the fourth quarter]," Rams coach Ronald McClary said. "It was another gut check for us, and the fourth quarter is turning out to be out best quarter. That's not a bad thing."
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified a Digital Harbor player. His name is Tyrese Kwanna.