Room to grow
That’s the general takeaway after SRA defeated Tolman, 14-0
PAWTUCKET — The blocking sleds could be in big trouble this week during Tolman High’s football practice sessions.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Tolman coach Jason DeLawrence said following Friday night’s 14-0 loss to St. Raphael Academy. “We didn’t block anybody. What can we do to fix it? We have to go back to the drawing board.”
This non-league season opener between two Division I teams featured over 20 penalties, many of them typical of an opening game … illegal procedure, illegal motion, 12 men on the field (one for each team) … and so on.
“We made enough mistakes to keep both teams in the game,” Saints coach Mike Sassi said while wearing a rueful smile on his face. “This was an ugly game.”
How ugly was it? Well, Tolman’s first two running plays from scrimmage lost five yards apiece as SRA’s defensive line just pushed the Tolman O-Line backwards. On third down, Tigers QB Justin Klemanchuck dropped back to pass, turned around
to throw and found three defenders in his face, forcing a hurried incompletion.
The Saints had received the opening kickoff and fumbled the ball on their first play from scrimmage, with Klemanchuck recovering. The second SRA possession ended in an interception by Tolman defender Ryan Moore. Klemanchuck and Moore are two pretty good football players.
When Klemanchuck dropped back to pass on first down following the turnover, he was greeted by Saints defensive linemen Albert Guwoe, Tyree Martin and Thomas Arsenault (grandson of former Pawtucket Mayor Henry Kinch). All three are underclassmen, which bodes well for the future.
“We only have 31 players dressed tonight,” Sassi admitted. “Next week, we hope to get De’Andre Babbitt back on the field. He could be our best defensive player.”
Both defensive units played respectable football on Friday night. Offensive execution usually takes longer to develop in the preseason and often into the season opener. This game was no exception, although the Saints did take a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter, moving 64 yards on three running plays, the last a 48-yard run off a jet sweep by sophomore halfback Braxton Fontaine, who looks like a playmaker.
“Braxton made a terrific cut on that run,” Sassi admitted. “He has some talent. And we got a great job from our offensive line on that play.”
On Tolman’s next series, a first-down pass was nearly intercepted by SRA junior Pride Clark. Klemanchuck lost six yards on second down when he was chased down in the backfield by Andru Stephens. A third-down completion of 15 yards to Nathaniel Pona came up just short of a first down. Moore came in and punted deep into SRA territory.
The Tigers’ defense then made a nice stand, stopping SRA on fourth down. Tolman took over and moved quickly to the Saints’ 18-yard line before a 15-yard penalty stopped the momentum. Fontaine then picked off Klemanchuck’s pass (intended for Moore) at the 30 to end the Tigers’ only serious threat of the first half.
SRA’s next offensive series lasted 10 plays. Three false starts hindered progress and finally the Saints were again stopped on fourth down, this time at Tolman’s 31-yard line by a Tigers defense that more than held its own in this game.
A holding penalty thwarted Tolman’s next drive. Moore punted to the Saints’ 40 and SRA went on a 60-yard scoring drive, sustained by a key offsides penalty on fourth-and-six at the 20. QB Devin O’Malley completed three short passes on this drive, including a seven-yarder to Stephens that put the ball at the 8-yard line. One play later, Clark scored from five yards out for a 12-0 lead with 57 seconds remaining in the first half.
Not much happened in the second half except for a safety midway through the third quarter when Klemanchuck got sacked by Arsenault and a couple of his friends. That accounted for a 14-0 lead that would hold up through the final gun.
The game was played before a good crowd (roughly 800 people) that nearly filled the bleachers at Pariseau Field. This one-time Thanksgiving rivalry still retains interest among older alumni who remember the glory days when Saints vs. Tolman drew thousands of fans to McCoy Stadium. Former players still return to watch. SRA alumnus Robert Williams was spotted tailgating with friends.
Henry Kinch, a proud grandfather, stood outside the end zone in the second half and recalled playing on the same offensive line at Tolman as Gerry Philbin, who went on to fame as an All-Pro defensive end with the New York Jets.
“Gerry fell on my knee and now I have a knee replacement,” Kinch said with a smile. “That was nearly 60 years ago.”
Tolman will visit South Kingstown and the Saints host Rogers on Friday night as the Division I schedule gets under way. Both Pawtucket teams need to get better quickly if they hope to compete in the state’s toughest division.
St. Raphael 6 –6 – 2 – 0 – 14 Tolman 0–0–0–0–0 SRA – Braxton Fontaine 48 run (run failed) SRA – Pride Clark 5 run (run failed) SRA – Safety, Klemanchuck tackled in end zone