No. 1 Warriors focused on task at hand
Central Falls expects improved Pilgrim today at Cranston Stadium
“I hope it helps the boys understand how much this means to the school, to the city, to their families and, obviously, themselves.”
– CF coach Jeff Lapierre
CENTRAL FALLS – If coach Jeff Lapierre has been preaching anything to his Central Falls High players this week in preparation of their R.I. Division III Super Bowl showdown against Pilgrim, slated for today at 4 p.m. at Cranston Stadium, it’s this:
Forget the past. It means nothing.
Here’s why: Back on Friday night, Sept. 29, his Warriors bused down to Don Mezzanotte Field to take on the Patriots, and they returned with a lopsided 36-6 victory. The CF triumph helped set the tone for the rest of the campaign, one in which Lapierre’s squad outscored eight of their nine opponents by an average cushion of 39.4-13.4, and one those happened to be a 34-27 defeat to Plainfield, Conn.
CF, which if not for a forfeit against Narragansett, would have finished its league slate unbeaten, will take an 8-2 overall mark into the finale.
“I’ve told the kids that it has nothing to do with this game, that it’s in the rear-view mirror,” he stated after a recent practice. “The thing is, they’re vastly improved. In that game, they didn’t have their regular quarterback (junior Mike Borges) because he was out with an injury; they played (sophomore Souksakhone Xayapanya) instead.
“Plus, in that one, we started slow, had a hard time running the ball at first,” he added. “In fact, their first kickoff was a squib and we did a poor job of getting on top of it; they recovered, but they didn’t score. That’s a reflection of how that day went. Actually, our defense kept us in the game until we got the offense going.”
This will be the Warriors’ first Bowl appearance since 2011, which resulted in a defeat to Mount Pleasant, so Lapierre admitted the school atmosphere has been buzzing.
“It’s very exciting; the boys are extremely motivated and ready to go,” he offered. “Myself and Fic (athletic director Anthony Ficocelli) have spoken to the principal about putting together a pep rally (for the day before the title clash), and I hope it helps the boys understand how much this means to the school, to the city, to their families and, obviously, themselves.
“I’ve often told them that championship game is a lot more than just about them,” he continued. “The alumni have reached out to Fic and I to express their support, and the city has offered us a fan bus for anyone
who wants to go to the game. This is a community coming together to support these kids.”
As for the contest itself, Lapierre explained he’s seen the Pats’ game film of its semifinal victory over Tolman last week; and their earlier tilts opposite Ponaganset and Narragansett.
“When I scouted them originally in September, they had a very fast and aggressive defense, especially the linebacking corps,” he noted. “That was a concern then, and it’s a concern now. They have a kid, No. 61 (senior John Achille), who’s a force to be reckoned with as a tackle, and the rest of the line just flows to the ball.
“Defensively, they run a variation of the 4-3, but against Tolman they were switching it up,” he added. “If we can get our passing game going, get the ball to guys beyond those blitzing linebackers, I think we can be dangerous out in space.”
The reasons: Standout senior pass catchers Dutchie Arroyo and Leonardo DaVeiga.
When asked if he thinks CF has a speed advantage, Lapierre hesitated, then said, “I believe we do.” And for good reason: The Warriors can fly in all three phases.
As for Pilgrim’s offense, Borges is back, and he proved to be a thorn in the Tigers’ side in the semifinal, a 3014 verdict. But he isn’t alone, as junior backs Demitri Ayres and Erthan Laramee provide a solid 1-2 punch out of the backfield.
“They run out of an ‘I’ formation primarily, but they’ll slip in some Wildcat, or they’ll spread you out a bit, but they’d rather run than pass because they’re so good at it,” he stated. “Ayres is their top dog, slippery-fast. From the time we played them, and from seeing films since then, it seems he’s gotten even better at hitting the holes, and then he disappears.”
Part of the reason for that: He’s perhaps 5-5, but Lapierre insisted “he’s got the heart of a lion and is tough to bring down. He does a lot for that team, as he punts as well, and Laramee is another valuable piece in that offense.
“How we stop it? Discipline,” he continued. “We cannot over-pursue them, pursue with blinders on. We’ve got to keep our heads on swivels and keep both eyes on what they’re doing at all times. If you don’t, they’ll kill you. We also can’t give up our pass coverage to try to cover the run. We can’t come up quick expecting that because they’ll drop a pass right behind you.”
Finally, when asked what it will take to win its first crown since 2005, Lapierre offered this: “It’s very, very simple. It sounds elementary, but I told the guys this right after practice, ‘If we tackle the way we should, the way we’re capable, we can slow down or stop their running game. That would force them to pass, and they don’t look overly comfortable throwing the ball.
“I know they want to burn the clock by running it, and they can do that if they jump out to a lead; they want you to play catch-up. What we’ve got to do is start fast and make them play catch-up. We’re a passing team, so if we all do our jobs the way we have been, we should be OK.”