Warriors keep on rolling along, this time over EWG/Prout Co-op, 52-14
WEST GREENWICH – The Central Falls football team understands they have a target on their back this year in Division III. When it came time to print up their annual team shirts, they decided to fully embrace that fact.
“Every year we make up t-shirts,” head coach Jeff Lapierre said after his team moved to 3-0 with a 52-14 win over Exeter/West Greenwich on Saturday. “They say Warrior Football on the front and some mantra on the back. This year it's just a bull's-eye. In 2016 we went to [the quarterfinals]. Last season, we went to [the semifinals]. We hope this year is the big one.”
They're only three games into their quest, but so far so good. After dispatching Hope and Smithfield by identical final scores of 51-6, the Warriors dominated the Scarlet Knights, coasting on the back of a 39-0 halftime lead to win their third straight.
“Once again, it was a complete team victory,” Lapierre said. “It feels great to empty the sidelines. It feels great to have the comfort to do that.
“I've been on the opposite side. Central Falls has taken some beatings. I want to win with class. We've unfortunately had to lose with class before. Some of my starters want to stay in … they are stat-hungry if you will. They also understand that it's a complete team.”
Dutchie Arroyo started the game off with a bang, returning an EWG punt for 50 yards and a score. Leading 6-0 before their offense had even taken the field, the Warriors then scored on their first play from scrimmage, a catch-andrun by the speedy Leonardo Da Veiga.
The offensive starters only played the first half plus the first series of the second, which allowed six different Warrior players to break into the end zone. Arroyo was the only player to score twice, notching a receiving touchdown with five seconds to play in the second quarter to go along with his special teams score.
Da Veiga, Jordan Alvarado, Jaquell Christal and Erickson Da Veiga all scored on offense, while Warren Smith scooped up a fumble in the end zone for the sole defensive score on the day. EWG struggled mightily with their snaps, fumbling the ball at least once on every first half possession.
“Try our best to keep balanced,” on offense, said Lapierre. “Coach [Anthony Ficocelli] is of that exact mindset. Keep it balanced. Keep other teams off-balance. They don't know if we're going to come after them with pass or run. That makes us more dangerous.”
Alvarado handled most of the rushing duties in the win. With so many talented players on offense, the Warriors even have a host of options at the quarterback position. Luis Gonzalez was under center for most of the first-team snaps, but passes were also completed by Arroyo and Leo Da Veiga.
“Louie G, as a junior, we're trying to get him to control the game,” Lapierre said.
“His passing game is not like last year's with [Sergio Velez]. We're trying to give him more of the dink-and-dunk style. Dutchie and Leo are doing the rest. That's nice when you can pass for 10 [yards] and get 60.
“Louie G is a tough kid. He listens, he's coachable.”
The second-team defense conceded a pair of second half touchdowns to the Knights, but the final result was never in doubt - running clock went into effect starting in the third quarter. Lapierre and his players know that there will be steeper challenges ahead, and that starts with a game against Pilgrim (2-1 overall, 1-1 league play) next week.
“This is beautiful, this is nice, this is comfortable, but you're going to get pushed back next week,” Lapierre said. “Pilgrim is a bigger school. They're gonna swing at us. What do you do when that happens? It has been – the wrong word is easy – but it's been comfortable. What happens when we're not comfortable? What happens when we have to play four [quarters]? Do you have it in you?
“I know they're going to come after us with blitzing. They're going to load the box. Jordan Alvarado ran the ball like a champ today. If they do [blitz a lot], we're going to try and open up the passing game.”