Tolman overcomes Cougars
jbaker@pawtuckettimes.com play, they make it.
“I’m most pleased about how this team has come together,” he added. “We’ve had two tough, tough years (without winning a league game in Division I), an the guys could have quit at any time. But my eight seniors, those guys who went through all those rough moments, stuck with it every step of the way, and now they’re here for the good times.”
Next on the Tigers’ list is an appearance in the D-III semifinals against No. 3 Pilgrim at Johnston High School.
As for the game against NP, Klemanchuck succeeded on just five of 18 tosses, but that quintet went for 180 yards and two TDs. (In addition, he was picked off once, while the Cougars sacked him twice for a minus-16).
Klemanchuck also utilized his quickness and shifty nature to hustle for 61 yards and two more touchdowns on 13 carries. Junior Jeremiah Edwards chipped in 49 yards on nine handles and classmate Cute Today another 45 on five.
Klemanchuck’s favorite targets? Prince snared three for 142 yards, and senior Devin Marabello one for 29 to pace the victors.
For the visitors, Estrela went 12-of34 for 178 yards and two paydirts with an interception, and finished second on his club’s rushing list with 65 on nine keepers. Fellow senior Luciano Zenteno contributed 79 more on nine, while Lennox Estrada added another 42 on five.
Vidal hauled in three passes for 69, while senior Eric Corwin snagged three for 34 and Estrada another three for 16.
At game’s start, Tolman forced a “three-and-out,” but then looked outof-sorts on two straight missed aerials. Yet on a third-and-10 from its own eight-yard line, Klemanchuck delivered a stellar pass over the middle to a wide-open Prince, who galloped the remaining yards to complete a TD toss of 92 yards.
Today swept around the right side for the two-pointer to give the Tigers an 8-0 lead with only 2:11 elapsed.
NP immediately moved 21 yards to the THS 37, yet a mixup in the backfield caused Estrela to fumble, and freshman Antonio Soler recovered at his own 45.
That went for naught, and the Cougars took quick advantage, as Zenteno capped a five-snap 66-yard drive with an easy 11-yard jaunt off right guard with 2:46 left in the opening period. Because the Tigers had taken an 8-0 lead on its first possession, NP went for two, but Tolman stuffed Zenteno on the same play and remained in front.
It appeared NP might collect the go- ahead score on its first drive of the second quarter when it took the ball to the Tolman 28. On the next snap, though, Klemannchuck picked off Estrela and moved it 23 yards back to his own 44.
After finding Marabello on a 29yard gain on the right hash, he finished it off with a three-yard plunge with 3:59 remaining before the break. (Prince dropped his aerial in the left flat, but he’d make up for it later).
Exactly 1:33 later, the Tigers regained possession at their own 41 after a 16-yard punt. Thanks to freshman Matt Patenaude’s outstanding nineyard “catch-and-run,” Klemanchuck was able to find Prince open for a 38yard TD toss with 56 tick left.
On the play, at least two defenders hit him at about the 18, but he spun around them, cut outside and sprinted inside the right pylon.
NP sacked Klemanchuck on the two-point try to leave the halftime score at 20-6.
The Tigers had won the pre-game coin flip and deferred, but did nothing with the second half’s opening possession. Williams’ crew responded in style, matriculating 52 yards on six snaps ending on Estrela’s 12-yard pass to Vidal in the middle of the end zone.
Muccio drilled the extra point with 7:22 remaining in the third to slice it to 20-13.
That’s when Tolman maneuvered it to the NP 15 but came up empty, and the Cougars came ever-so-close to knotting it at 20-all.
Twice in the final moments, the visitors had a chance to tie it. On the last, sophomore Leandro DePina’s 35-yard punt (his best of the evening) pinned the Cougars deep at their own eight. Estrela did managed to complete a 41-yard toss down the right sideline to Vidal, that over Klemanchuck, yet the defense forced four straight incompletions to close it.
“I knew he’d make a play (after he missed the pass breakup),” DeLawrence said of his star signal caller/ corner. “When push comes to shove, Klem’s always there; he’s always producing. The kid’s tough as nails.
“Even when he makes a mistake and I yell at him, he doesn’t get down but responds.” North Providence Tolman
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60 8 12 13 0 0 – 19 6 – 26
TOL – Isai Prince 92 pass from Justin Klemanchuck (Cute Today run)
NP – Luciano Zenteno 11 run (run failed)
TOL – Klemanchuck 3 run (pass failed)
TOL – Prince 38 pass from Klemanchuck (run failed) NP – Omar Vidal 12 pass from Zach Estrela (Tyler Muccio kick)
NP – Vidal 16 pass from Estrela (kick failed)
TOL – Klemanchuck 2 run (pass failed)