Published: November 14, 2008 11:59 pm      

Titans jump to second round of playoffs, 48-0

MIDWEST CITY — Altus forced a three-and-out on the Titans’ initial drive, but Carl Albert came back to score on its next five drives of the opening half to lead 35-zilch at intermission en route to a 48-0 first-round playoff victory over the Bulldogs Friday night at Harris Field. The Titans will host Bixby next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the semifinals, a team that eliminated Carl Albert in the second round last season.

Bulldog punter Wade Wanke pinned the Titans at their own five-yard line, but No. 2 Carl Albert dug into the brisk north wind to score the first touchdown of the game when JT Realmuto rolled right and ran toward the goal line. But he pulled back and dropped off a pass to tight end Christian Smith for an eight-yard TD and a 7-0 lead.

On the 95-yard drive, the Titans took advantage of an early late hit for a 15-yard penalty and a first down. Going into the wind, Carl Albert would have been facing a fourth-and-one deep in its own territory.

Titan senior Daytawion Lowe stepped in at tailback and broke free for back-to-back runs of 19 and 13 yards and teammate David Oku came back in to break off a 10-yarder on the drive. Lowe also had a 17-yard run on a reverse going left to set up the TD pass to Smith. Lowe ended the half with 52 yards on just four attempts and Carl Albert held a mammoth yardage advantage at halftime of 317-24.

On Carl Albert’s third possession, Wanke again hit the coffin-corner and forced the Titans to begin their drive on the four.

But after getting a little breathing room, Oku took the breath out of the Bulldogs when Realmuto looked right and then came back to Oku in the left flat. Oku sidestepped one tackler, ran upfield and then turned it loose up the left sideline 81 yards for a 14-0 lead to conclude a 96-yard drive. Oku ended the game with the 81-yard TD reception and ran for 89 yards on just 14 attempts coming out midway through the third period. Before coming out in the third, Oku had a nine-yard touchdown rush called back due to a penalty, but on the next play he got into the end zone from 14 yards away for a 41-0 cushion.

Senior Ozell Littleton set up the Titans’ next score by reaching out and snatching an interception with his left hand running back. He returned the ball three yards after the splendid one-handed grab to the Altus 32. Closing out the scoring in the first half, Littleton hauled in a 21-yard Realmuto pass for a score and the 35-0 lead at the break.

Littleton’s interception set up Lowe’s touchdown catch over the middle. In the center of the field, Lowe jumped up and brought down the pigskin in the numbers between a pair of Bulldogs. He shook free of both defenders and then another to gallop 28 yards for the TD and a 21-0 lead. Lowe also had a 22-yard punt return he took down to the Altus 29 in the third stanza.

Realmuto, who passed for four scores and 204 yards on 7-of-11 attempts without a pick, scored the remaining TD for the Titan starters out of the shotgun running in from five yards away. He rushed eight times for 42 yards and also connected with Markell Walker for 35 yards, Zach Aylor (23) and Sterling Wright (8).

Carl Albert outgained the Dogs 482-78 and reserve Tyree LeBlanc came in to run for 55 yards on nine carries and fellow Titan backup Taylor Hawkins scored Carl Albert’s fourth-quarter touchdown on a two-yard run. Kicker Austin Manger booted home 6-of-7 extra points.

Defensively, 5-4, 166-pound defensive tackle James Davis had a minus-17 sack while Aylor and Kenton Whittington combined on a minus-11 sack.

Mario Dillard grabbed an interception at the Altus 49 and Titans DeMarkus Vorise and David Harrison got together for a tackle in the backfield for a loss of a yard.

The Titan defense did not surrender a first down in the second half until the 4:06 mark in the final stanza.