Titans' season ends with 18-13 playoff loss at Fairfax
Alpha Jalloh accounts for both TDs in first-round defeat
Alexandria City’s football season ended Friday night with an 18-13 loss to Fairfax in the first round of the Region 6C playoffs.
The fifth-seeded Titans turned the ball over on downs with three minutes remaining, allowing fourth-seeded Fairfax to run out the clock from its own 45-yard line, according to MaxPreps play-by-play.
Sophomore quarterback Alpha Jalloh accounted for both Alexandria City touchdowns — a 62-yard pass to Kevin Coates on the opening play of the third quarter and a 1-yard run late in the second quarter.
Neither team scored in the first quarter. Fairfax took a 6-0 lead on a 75-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter before Jalloh’s 1-yard run made it 6-6 at halftime. The Titans missed the extra point.
Jalloh’s touchdown pass to Coates gave Alexandria City its only lead at 13-6. Fairfax answered with rushing touchdowns by Branden Duffie (7 yards) and Jashon Payne (5 yards). Both two-point conversions failed.
Jashon Payne intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble for Fairfax. Davon Tolson Jr. had a sack and multiple tackles for loss.
The loss was Alexandria City’s second to Fairfax this season. The Lions won 14-7 on Oct. 17 in Alexandria.
Alexandria City opened the season 5-0 before losing five of its final six games. The Titans outscored opponents 249-189 for the season, though 32 points came via forfeit against Lake Braddock.
Fairfax advances to face top-seeded West Springfield in the regional semifinals.
Jalloh accounting for both TDs kept the Titans competitve despite the outcome. The turnover on downs late in the game was tough timing. Playoff football comes down to those critical moments and execution under presure.