Booker T. Washington Shocks Edison
By Rudy Rodriguez-Chomat
November 7, 2003

Make that three in a row for Booker T. over Edison as the Tornadoes sent the Red Raiders into the postseason again on a down note. 

The Tornadoes pulled off the upset of the season knocking off third-ranked Edison 14-7 in front of 1,500 at Traz Powell Stadium giving them a ton of momentum heading into the playoffs. The win ended Edison’s 8-game winning streak. 

With the score knotted at seven with just over five minutes to play, Booker T. linebacker LaFonzo Ruffin blindsided Edison quarterback Tino Edgecombe with a devastating hit that forced a fumble. 

Joseph Jackson recovered the fumble at the Edison 37-yard line and returned it for a touchdown untouched to give take the wind out of the Edison sails.

“We felt that if we stopped the inside run that we would be able to mix it up defensively and hit them with some blitzes. We were looking for the outside blitz from Ruffin,” Booker T. coach Tim Harris said.

Although Edgecombe was 17 for 30 for 298 yards and a touchdown, whenever Edison got close to the end zone with the exception of one drive, penalties and turnovers did the Red Raiders in.

Edison committed 17 penalties for 131 yards and fumbled three times, including once at the 7-yard line.

The Tornadoes opened up the scoring behind the ground attack of Dwayne Ireland. He accounted for 60 yards of the 19-play, 76-yard drive that ate up almost seven minutes in the second quarter. Ireland punched it in from a yard out to give Booker T. a 7-0 lead.

Ireland rushed 23 times for 128 yards and a touchdown.

But the lead was short-lived. Edison took possession with 47 seconds left to play in the half at its own 35-yard line. Five plays later Edgecombe found Balgene Chinn on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds to play in the half.

Edison had a golden opportunity to take the lead after Edgecombe found Brent Hughes up the seam for a 26-yard completion, but BTW’s Antwan Ward forced a Hughes fumble that was recovered by Booker T.s Chavez Grant at the 7-yard line.

Edison had one last chance after Booker T. took the led when Edgecombe hit Chinn for a 39-pass play that gave the Red Raiders the ball at the Tornadoes’ 19-yard line. But two incomplete passes and a 5-yard penalty had Edison looking at a fourth and 19 from the 28-yard line. Edgecombe’s pass to Jackie Chambers went over his outstretched arms at the goal line and the celebration began.

The loss put Edison in the same situation it was in last season heading into the playoffs. The Red Raiders will once again start the playoffs after a demoralizing loss to Booker T.

“It was very exciting for the kids. People said that we didn’t play anyone all year since the first game,” Harris said. “This team stepped up against an awesome team in Edison. I am very excited for the kids.”