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Suitland High School running back Keith Brown showed up just before the start of Saturday's game against Eleanor Roosevelt. He was late because he had to take the SAT exam on Saturday morning.
Roosevelt might have wished the test had taken Brown all day, because Brown and the Rams ran all over the Raiders.
Brown rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries, as the Rams cruised past Roosevelt, 25-6, on Saturday afternoon at Roosevelt High School. He had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 1-yard scoring run in the second quarter, as the Rams built a 12-0 lead. But Brown admitted he was running on empty since he hadn't eaten before taking the SAT. A quick hamburger at halftime and a 69-yard touchdown to start the second half had Brown feeling fine.
"That was all my linemen right there," he said. "Coaches got me something to eat because I had nothing in my tank in the first half."
The Rams rushed for 278 yards on 43 carries. The running attack had to carry the load since the Rams' typically potent passing game had a rough day. Quarterback Devonte' Lindsey completed just 4 of 14 passes for 34 yards and had one interception.
That gives Suitland coach Ed Shields something to talk about as the Rams get ready for the 4A South Region playoffs.
"For some reason our passing game was a little off," he said. "I am just happy that we came out and were focused. It would have been easy for us to look past this game and start preparing for the playoffs."
Suitland will have the No. 3 seed for the regional playoffs, and will travel to face second-seeded Charles H. Flowers next week. Flowers nearly overtook top-seeded Henry A. Wise by handing the Pumas their first loss of the season, 14-12, on Saturday. But Wise held on to the No. 1 spot in the 4A South Region playoff points standings by one-tenth of a point over Flowers.
Eleanor Roosevelt also turns its attention to the playoffs, but the Raiders enter the posteason in unfamiliar territory. They have lost three of their last four games and are 6-4. But coach Tom Green said his team has a good chance once the playoffs start. The fourth-seeded Raiders travel to Wise next weekend.
"I think we are kind of coming into the playoffs under the radar," he said. "Last year we entered 10-0 and we lost in the first round. That was a terrible feeling that I know we don't want to experience again.