Cavaliers motivated after last season’s loss
PROVIDENCE – It comes as no surprise that the Juanita Sanchez/PCD/Wheeler Co-op squad fashioned the spectacular season it did, and as a result is returning to the Division III Super Bowl.
Given the way the Cavaliers lost an emotionally-draining 7-6 decision to Burrillville last December 4 at Cranston Stadium, you knew head coach Steve Nadeau and his staff would use that as an impetus this time around.
Here’s why: JS/PCD/Wheeler held a 6-0 cushion with under two minutes left in regulation and seemed destined to notch a win, but – for virtually the first time all game – Burrillville suddenly found a way to move the ball against the stout Cavs’ defense.
With 12 ticks left, Zach Lefebvre threw a two-yard TD pass to Nick Deering in the front right corner of the end zone to knot it, and Darren Jenks converted the PAT to nail down the victory.
“What propelled us this season was the pain we felt last year,” stated Nadeau, a Pawtucket native and North Smithfield resident. “I have to tell you I spent a lot of time trying to console kids after the game because of the suddenness of it. They put so much effort and hard work into last season, and the way it ended, it was heartbreaking.
“That (result) provided a lot of motivation this year; you have to understand, two-thirds of the kids who played in that game are back this season,” he added. “It wasn’t a mission we were on, but we certainly wanted to get back to the Bowl this year.”
JS captured its second regular-season championship with a 7-0 record, and will bring an 11-1 overall mark into this title tilt against familiar foe Burrillville (also 11-1). The contest is slated for 3:30 p.m., Sunday, back at Cranston Stadium.
And it wouldn’t be unfair to say the Cavs may have entered this game unbeaten if Nadeau hadn’t chosen not to play his starters at all in the annual Thanksgiving clash against Johnston. He had good reason – to keep his standouts fresh.
Anyone who has seen Nadeau’s bunch play this fall knows that what makes his club tick is senior quarterback/safety Elijah Matthews, an absolute master of jitterbugging and jukes, someone who can leave his fastest foe spikesless.
“Obviously, Elijah is a very talented ball carrier and thrower, and he’s what makes us move, but we have other guys who can hurt a defense, too,” he said, referring to senior receiver/defensive back Dennis Gastel (also a premier kicker and punter); classmate and running back/linebacker Odarlin Garo; senior back/defensive end Juan Hernandez; sophomore back Collin Hall; senior receiver Geordany Ramos; and junior end Jose Tejada.
They nevertheless are just as good defensive- ly.
“I was talking to our defensive coordinator (Norm Hardecker) last week, and he was saying out main defensive group had only given up, to his knowledge, four touchdowns all season,” Nadeau noted. “Obviously, we’ve had some big leads in a lot of our games, so our starters may only play a half or so, then we put in our younger guys.”
When asked what it’s going to take to level a talented squad like Burrillville, he didn’t mince words.
“We’ve got to be consistent and limit the big plays,” he said. “Basically, I’d like to keep our offense on the field to keep theirs off it. We just can’t allow them big chunks of yardage.
“Burrillville is Burrillville. They do a lot of the same things they did last year, and they do them well,” he continued. “They’ve had the same coaching staff over the years, and they’re well-coached with Gennaro at the helm. They’re very aggressive offensively and very creative on defense; they have a handful of really good athletes.”
He mentioned junior signal caller Jake Gelinas, who broke the school record of TD passes in a season with 30, and isn’t done yet; twin senior receivers Nick and Brandon Deering; junior end Ryan Lockwood; senior wideout Josh Newell; senior tailback Christian Bouvier; and junior back Marcus Audet, to name more than a few.
“Their quarterback is a quick kid; he can get to top speed right away and he throws a good ball,” Nadeau stated. “They’ve got a couple off tall kids with good hands in the Deerings; Nick is dangerous, and the kid Lockwood is a big target.
“Like I said, earlier in the year, our goal was to get back to the Bowl game,” he added. “That was not the goal last year; we just wanted to improve our positioning in the playoffs, but we ended up winning III-A and ended up in the Super Bowl. I know we surprised a lot of people, came really close to winning it.
“What we want to do is try to win it. We’re proud to have gotten back there, but Burrillville has a long history of winning championships. This is their fourth straight (appearance). I know our kids are looking forward to it.”