Strong statement by Smith, Raiders
Shea prevails over Cranston East in D-1 opener, 34-31
CRANSTON – The Shea High football team edged the Cranston East Thunderbolts 34-31 in a Division I-B slugfest at Cranston Stadium Friday night.
The game was dedicated to Antonio “Tony” Centore who passed away on September 8 at the age of 90. Centore was the father of Cranston East head coach Tom Centore.
Tony coached football at Johnston High School and was a history teacher and guidance counselor at Cranston East until his retirement in 2010. He was also a Veteran of the United States Army.
Both squads gave everything they had in this one.
“Great high school football game,” Shea head coach Dino Campopiano said. “Both groups, you couldn’t have asked for anything
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more for a league opener. Very proud of my guys, right to the end. I thought we hurt ourselves at times with penalties and fumbles, but they came back and played great defense. I’m very proud of them. I thought Cranston East played awesome.”
East senior quarterback Rayven Deoliveira threw four touchdown passes, three of which went to senior wide receiver Robenson Antoine Jr., while the other went to senior wide receiver Quinn Lanigan.
‘Bolts defensive coordinator Ken Simone believes both of his receivers are phenomenal players.
“The two of those players are two of the more remarkable athletes we’ve ever had,” Simone said. “And, they have to do something this year that our skill players haven’t had to do the last few years and that’s play both ways and never come off the field. And, the plays that they make as receivers just are unbelievable. And, Robenson especially, is just a unique player, that in 26 years of coaching, I haven’t had the pleasure of coaching like this before, he’s truly special.”
Junior running back Jaylen Smith had two rushing touchdowns for the Raiders.
“Jaylen’s a great player,” Campopiano said. “He was last year as a sophomore and he’s continuing on this year and very proud of him. Proud of the whole team. It was a team effort.”
The first points of the game came with 37.8 seconds remaining in the first quarter when East senior quarterback Rayven Deoliveira had a pass picked off by Shea senior defensive back Travaughn Famogun, who returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. Following that, senior kicker Dominic Majkut added the extra point and that gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead.
Later in the half, East inherited great field position at the Raiders 23 after Shea running back Greg Williams fumbled the rock and it was recovered by East senior defensive lineman Dayshaun White. On first down from the 12, Deoliveira tossed to Antoine Jr. in the end zone and pulled the ‘Bolts within 7-6. A high snap on the point after attempt kept East from tying the score.
After stopping Shea during its next possession, East took over at its own 6.
On second down from the 11, Deoliveira threw a screen pass to Antoine Jr., who zig zagged his way past a defender, while going 89 yards down the field, and into pay dirt and giving the ‘Bolts a 12-7 advantage with 2:56 left in the first half. East tacked on a successful two-point conversion after that, which came on a rush from junior running back Andrew Amoako and extended the ‘Bolts lead to 14-7.
East would execute a squib kick to the Shea 45 following that. Then, on second down, Raiders senior quarterback Eric Palmer Jr. connected on a pass to Famogun, who took it down the sideline to the ‘Bolts 28. Next, Palmer Jr. completed a pass to Williams, who took it to the 4. Then, on second and goal, Smith rushed up the gut and into the end zone and knotted the game at 14 just before the break.
Shea’s Williams returned the second half opening kickoff to the East 40. Then, on second down, Palmer Jr. fired a dart to junior wide receiver Trentin Curry for a 60-yard touchdown. However, Majkut’s extra point sailed wide right and left Shea holding onto a slim 20-14 cushion.
Two possessions later, Shea was pushed back deep into its own territory after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put them at their own 4. Then, a low snap on fourth down, during a punt attempt, rolled through the legs of Curry, the punter, and out of the end zone for a safety and that got the ‘Bolts within 20-16.
East would also regain possession, starting from the Shea 46.
On first down from the 33, Deoliveira flung it down the field and into the hands of Lanigan, who made a slick grab while approaching the end zone, and gave East a 23-20 lead with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter.
Shea started its ensuing possession from its own 45 after a holding penalty against East. On second and 5, Palmer Jr. threw a dart through the middle to Williams and he took it through the gut, all the way to pay dirt, and gave the Raiders a 27-23 advantage with 4:17 left in the third quarter.
Shea added to its cushion with 5:21 remaining in the contest when on second down from its own 26, Smith sprinted up the middle 74 yards and into the promise land and made it 34-23.
East struck back with 3:27 left, though, when Deoliveira heaved a 35-yard pass to Antoine Jr. for a touchdown and got the ‘Bolts within 34-29. East also added the two-point conversion on a keeper from Deoliveira and inched within 34-31.
East was able to keep Shea off of the scoreboard during its next possession and took over at its own 43 with 52. 6 seconds remaining.
The ‘Bolts would get as close as the Shea 26, but a long field goal attempt from junior kicker David DaSilva fell just shy with 1 second remaining.
“I don’t think we can fault the effort,” Simone, East’s defensive coordinator said. “They have nothing left in the tank and I know Shea doesn’t either. It’s like that when we played them when we were both in Division II, it’s like that when we used to coach at Johnston and played them, this is how these games always go. And, they ultimately made one more play, but as far as the effort of our guys, I couldn’t be prouder.”
Shea moves to 1-0 in Division 1 and plays its next game Friday night at Max Read Field against St. Raphael Academy.
East falls to 0-1 in the league and heads to Portsmouth on Friday night.