Tigers still unbeaten
Tolman makes quick work of Pilgrim
WARWICK — Undefeated Tolman trounced Pilgrim, 42-18, Friday night to remain in first place in Division III along with neighbor
Tolman senior quarterback Justin Klemanchuck led the way with two touchdown passes and two rushing scores.
“That’s just what he does,” Tolman coach Jason DeLawrence said. “He’s been doing that all year for me. He is my leader. He’s the one that I can always trust. If there’s a big play to be had, I’m putting the ball in his hands.”
DeLawrence was happy his team was able to perform the game plan that they had prepared during practice.
“I’m just excited they were able to execute what we talked about all week,” DeLawrence said. “I knew Pilgrim was going to be a tough team. They’re probably going to be a playoff team. We’re probably going to see them again. And we were able to just pull away with some big plays at the end of the second quarter.”
Tolman got on the scoreboard during its first possession when on a third-and-8 from the Pats 48, Klemanchuck heaved a 10yard pass to junior wide receiver Daniel Akinsheye, who brought it the rest of the way, into pay dirt, and put the Tigers on top 6-0 with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter. Tolman came up short on the twopoint conversion attempt when Klemanchuck’s pass to freshman wide receiver Antonio Soler fell incomplete.
The Tigers added to their lead when they drove 75 yards down the field during their next possession.
On first down, Klemanchuck connected with senior wide receiver Devin Marabello for a 35yard pass completion that brought the ball to the Pats 42. Next, Klemanchuck ran a keeper 45 yards, and in for the score, and upped the Tolman edge to 12-0 with 3:20 left in the opening frame. During the two-point conversion attempt, Klemanchuck lobbed it over the top to junior wide receiver Sulayman Faal and extended the Tigers’ lead to 14-0.
Pilgrim got on the board during its next possession after starting from its own 46.
On a fourth-and-4 from midfield, Pilgrim executed a fake punt and junior running back Demitri Ayres passed up the middle to junior wide receiver Dylan Gallagher for a 43-yard pickup to the Tolman 7. Then, on second down, Pilgrim junior quarterback Mike Borges pretended to handoff to Ayres before taking it himself up the gut 12 yards and into pay dirt while pulling the Pats within 14-6.
Then, with 2:33 remaining in the first half, Klemanchuck mimicked a handoff to the running back, Jeremiah Edwards, before sprinting himself, 99 yards down the field and into the endzone. Following that, Klemanchuck found Soler for the two-point conversion which upped the Tigers lead to 22-6.
With 23 seconds remaining in the half, Pilgrim pulled within 10 points when Borges completed a pass to junior Nick Kirejczyk for a 3-yard touchdown.
Tolman answered immediately when Akinsheye returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown with 13 seconds left and gave the Tigers a 28-12 lead.
“I’ve got good athletes,” DeLawrence said. “And he was able to make a cut. That boy has been waiting to get a touchdown for a couple games, so he got his touchdown and it was just a good move.”
Next, Jeremiah Edwards, the running back, took it up the gut for the two-point conversion and increased the Tolman advantage to 30-12 heading into halftime.
The Tigers got the ball to begin the second half and started from the Pats 46. On first down, Klemanchuck rushed right 27 yards while moving the chains. Next, junior running back Cute Today rushed up the gut 19 yards and in for the score and extended Tolman’s lead to 36-12 with 11:22 to play in the third quarter.
Tolman added to its cushion early in the fourth, driving 80 yards for the score. That drive was capped by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Klemanchuck to Soler, which ballooned the Tigers advantage to 42-12.
Pilgrim answered that by driving 64 yards down the field for a touchdown. That drive was headlined by a flea flicker on second down, which saw Borges hand off to Ayres, before the running back, bombed it into the endzone to an open Petrozzi while pulling the Pats within 42-18.
Tolman has settled in nicely since moving from D-I to D-III this season. The Tigers improve to 3-0 in the division and 3-1 overall. The team is reveling in their recent success after some tough years in D-I.
“It feels real good,” DeLawrence explained. “We’re competing against teams that have the same issues that we have; the same size, 30- or 40-man rosters. They’re just excited to be winning games. I’ve been with these guys for three years and D-I was tough. But, they stuck together and now they’re feeling it and excited.”
Tolman plays next on Saturday afternoon against Central Falls in the Warriors’ Homecoming game at Max Read Field.
“It’s a big game,” DeLawrence said. “Tolman and CF. They’re right there next to each other. A lot of these kids played for the CF Panthers or they played against them, so they know each other. So, it’s going to be big for the Blackstone Valley.”