PREP FOOTBALL : Dorsey Gets Two Late Scores to Upset Locke

Any hopes Locke High School had of getting off to a fast start were dashed by a horrendous finish Friday.

The Saints held a 21-7 lead before Dorsey quarterback Roman Foster threw two touchdown passes in the final five minutes to rally the Dons to a 22-21 nonleague win over Locke in the season opener for both teams at Locke.

After a disappointing 4-5-1 record last year, Locke wanted to come out fast in the preseason and contend for the City 3-A title. And when Locke took a 21-7 lead with 5:26 remaining, the Saints appeared to be on their way.

But the Dons took the ensuing kickoff and Foster and junior Beno Bryant took over. Bryant, playing in his first varsity game, caught a swing pass from Foster in the right flat, broke a tackle, crossed the field and raced down the left sideline for a 71-yard touchdown pass play to pull Dorsey within 21-14 with 4:46 left.

The Dons kicked off, pinning the Saints deep in their end, and their defense pushed Locke even farther back when Frank Atkins was tackled for a 13-yard loss back to the Locke 6. A short punt gave Dorsey the ball at the Locke 33 with a minute to play.

Four plays later, facing a third- and-10 at the Locke 23, Foster threw underneath to Bryant, who used a block to turn the corner and go down the left sideline for a 23-yard touchdown pass play. That made it 21-20 with 13 seconds remaining.

The Dons went for the win, and got it, as Dimone Beckon, who had earlier dropped two sure touchdown receptions, caught a two-point conversion pass from Foster.

It was quite a turnaround for Foster, who spent most of the day running for his life as his inexperienced offensive line tried to hold off Locke’s fierce pass rush. It probably would have been a rout if Foster had time to throw, as Dorsey lost several possible touchdowns because Foster had to rush his throws.

“We did a good job of containing him (Foster) in the first half,” Locke Coach E.C. Robinson said. “In the second half, we let him go.”

Foster finished with 7 completions in 26 attempts for 207 yards with no interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown.

Locke, the Times’ No. 9 City team, lived up to its billing in the first half against No. 5 Dorsey. The Dons keyed on senior Darian Hagan, but it didn’t matter, as the two-time All-City running back rushed for 102 yards in 10 carries and 2 touchdowns in the first half.

Hagan gave Locke a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, taking a handoff, sweeping right, turning back inside, and eluding several tacklers for a 21-yard touchdown run.

After Foster scored on a three-yard run to tie the game, Hagan gave the Saints the lead back in the second quarter. It came on another sweep, as Hagan ran right, shook a tackler at mid-field, crossed the field and outran the Don defense for a 57-yard touchdown run and a 15-7 halftime lead.

After a fairly well-played first half, both teams endured a third quarter filled with penalties and turnovers. Dorsey keyed even more on Hagan, holding him to 15 yards in 13 carries. He finished with 117 yards in 23 carries.

Hagan did set up Locke’s only second-half touchdown, returning a punt 24 yards to the Dorsey 33. The Saints drove for what appeared to be the clinching touchdown, taking their 21-7 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by Dante Woodard.