on 09-06-2010 00:41

By BRENDAN McGAIR

Sports writer

For Jamie Silva, now comes the hard part. The East Providence native knows he’s staring at a lengthy rehab, one that figures to test his fighting spirit in more ways than one.
That hasn’t prevented Silva from daydreaming about the 2011 NFL season. Surgery on the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee – an injury suffered during the second half of the Indianapolis Colts’ first preseason game last month – was labeled a success. Now the time is at hand to invest energy and do everything humanly possible to get back to the player he was prior to writhing in pain on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf.
“I’m trying to get this thing better so I can eventually get back on the field and play next year,” said Silva, speaking from Miami, the site of his surgery last Monday. “The tough part is watching your team play, even if it is preseason, and you’re not being there.”
A player who prides himself in playing with great intensity and determination, Silva knows he must adhere to what is mapped out for him. He plans to return to Indianapolis in the coming weeks, where the real work in restoring strength and mobility to his right knee can commence.
“Just going to rehab every day and doing what (the medical personnel) say, even if it hurts or is still sore, that won’t be too hard,” said Silva, 25. “If I start doing what I think, then that’s not the most productive way to get back on the field.”
Now in his third pro season after going undrafted out of Boston College, Silva had his sights set on once again playing a prominent role on special teams while backing up at free safety.
 Last year, Silva appeared in 14 regular season games and all three of the Colts’ playoff games, including the Super Bowl loss to the New Orleans Saints. His 15 special-teams tackles in the regular season were second on the team.
With one play, Silva’s desires of contributing in 2010 were shelved. Football injuries are a common problem because of the violent nature of the sport. Silva can now attest to such a claim.
Silva came across more like a football coach than someone beset by a cruel twist of fate when retracing the events that led to his season being short-circuited.
“I was man-to-man on the tight end. It was first-and-10 and I was backed up quite a ways,” Silva began. “The ball was run my way, so I was coming down. The running back kind of bounced out a little bit to the outside. I planted off my right foot and was kind of angling left. As I did that I got hit up top. It was pretty evident in the video that my foot stayed straight up while the rest of my body went down to the ground.”
What soon followed was a scene reminiscent of when Patriots wideout Wes Welker suffered a debilitating knee injury last January. Like Welker, cameras captured Silva concealing his anguish and disappointment by blanketing his face with a towel.         
“I heard crunching and knew it wasn’t good. Right on the field (the trainers) said that I was probably done for the season,” Silva said. “I threw the towel over my head when I was getting carted off because it was sad. I worked all year and over the past decade to play in the NFL. Then something like this happens, in the first preseason game, and it’s not what you expect. It hurts.”
Silva is in the final year of the original three-year rookie contract he signed in 2008. Asked if the timing of the injury could impact his free agent status, the long-locked safety downplayed the notion.
“Hopefully I’ll get re-signed, but I have no control over that,” Silva said.
Silva went about finding a surgeon in a calculating manner, soliciting the opinions of four doctors. One of the questions Silva had for each doctor he consulted was their history operating on athletes who had sustained a similar injury. He also sought out Colts teammates who had suffered torn ACLs, among them receivers Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez.
“It was a promising deal,” said Silva about settling on a Miami-based surgeon, one whose track record includes operating on NFL stars/ACL patients Willis McGahee and Sean Merriman.
There’s one facet of rehabbing that has already given Silva fits, and it has nothing to do with visiting the doctor. Watching the Colts from his couch has, putting it mildly, proven to test his patience. 
“I’m cheering them on, but sometimes I want to turn down the volume,” Silva said about his watching habits. “If something happens on a play and somebody messes up, usually they [the TV commentators] point fingers at the wrong person. I actually know what’s going on, especially when we’re on defense.”
Placing a strict timetable on his return doesn’t seem fair, Silva rationalizes. For someone who has never been through the rehabbing ringer, it’s best to place faith and be guided by those in the know.
“I’ve got to put my trust in the doctors in Miami and Indianapolis in order to get better, and obviously they know what’s best,” said Silva, listed under the injured reserve portion of the Colts’ roster.
Rest assured Silva has plenty of supporters firmly in his corner.
“As agents and as friends we are truly sad and disappointed for Jamie for this season,” wrote Shawn Smith in an email. Smith is based out of X-A-M Sports, the agency that represents Silva. “However, we know Jamie will be 110 percent when he can return. We’ve learned never to underestimate Jamie Silva.”
Said East Providence head football coach Sandy Gorham, “I saw the play and was heartbroken. It’s a shame. He’s a tough kid and he’ll bounce back. Never count Jamie Silva out, I’ll tell you that.”     

on 09-06-2010 00:40

By BRENDAN McGAIR

Sports writer

CRANSTON – Bring on the regular season. That was the verdict rendered by East Providence High and St. Raphael Academy after taking part in Injury Fund scrimmages Saturday afternoon at sun-splashed Cranston Stadium, which appeared no worse for wear after the flameout that was Hurricane Earl.
The Townies, a likely contender in Division I this season, received two rushing touchdowns from quarterback Robbie Delgado in a 20-7 manhandling of Coventry High. Meanwhile St. Raphael left the door open for improvement after a 16-6 setback to Cranston East High. Sophomore Charles Correa was the Saints’ bright spot, scoring from 18 yards out two plays after galloping for 39 yards.
“I think our offense will be efficient this year. I won’t say explosive, but we’re a veteran group that has had a lot of time together,” stated E.P. head coach Sandy Gorham. “I was happy with the way they were able to read a five-man [defensive] line. Woonsocket [E.P.’s draw this Saturday at Barry Field] in the past has run a five-man line, so this was a good opener for us.”
Said SRA head coach Mike Sassi when asked for his interpretation on how things went during the two-quarter contest, “I think we showed our inexperience. Some guys weren’t ready to step up just yet. Hopefully they get this out of their system this week. We’ve got a tough game against Hendricken [Friday at Pariseau Field].” 
The Townies wasted no time taking it to the Knotty Oakers. East Providence stuffed its opponent on four consecutive runs, resulting in E.P. taking over at the Coventry 34. Delgado took care of the rest, breaking off a 29-yard jaunt followed by a five-yard scamper and a 6-0 Townie lead.
A fumble recovery by E.P.’s Buddy Poole provided Delgado and the offense with excellent field position once again. Two carries totaling 10 yards by Jalin Braxton and one for five yards by Victor Adewusi helped set up Delgado’s second score of the first quarter, this one from 15 yards away.
“The game has finally slowed down for Robbie. He’s a three-year starter and is much more confident,” Gorham said. “He always felt he had to win the game himself and do way too much. All I tell him is to manage the game and react to what you see.”
The Oakers showed an offensive pulse in the second quarter, piecing together a 60-yard drive that featured three first downs and a five-yard score by Wesley Purks. The lengthy march came after the Townies surrendered just eight yards over six plays, four of which produced no yards while another was an interception by senior Joseph Faria.
“We have a lot of new kids (on defense), especially our linebacking corps,” pointed out Gorham. “We had our starting nose tackle and middle linebacker out, but I thought they did well.”
One Townie who drew praise from Gorham was junior Corey Agin, listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds.
“He’s got long arms and is very aggressive out there. He’s got a good motor,” Gorham said. “We moved Dana Andrade from our strong side [on the defensive line] to our weak side. That’s how much I think of Corey’s potential.”
Trevor Vasey, St. Raphael’s senior quarterback, was flushed out of the pocket on just about every snap. Sassi expected as much going in, which is why the Saints went exclusively with a shotgun setup. Vasey’s final totals – 3-for-9 for nine yards and an interception – spoke volumes about the lack of protection he received rather than the player’s individual effort.
“They came with heat on every single play, which is why we needed to get our screen package going,” Sassi said. “On the interception we had somebody run the wrong route. If he did run the right route, than (Cranston East safety Justin Smith) wouldn’t have been there.”
The lone time SRA had success through the air, it was negated. Vasey found a wide-open Alex Collette for a 58-yard catch-and-run, but the play was (allegedly) blown dead after Cranston East was called for encroachment. No one on the Saints heard the whistle, hence why Vasey continued to proceed with the play.
“Tough break. If it’s going to happen, I’d rather have it happen during a preseason game,” said Sassi. “I would tell the guys to move on and let it go.”  
Defensively the Saints were exposed due to some shoddy tackling. Often times multiple Purple & Gold jerseys would appear in the vicinity of the Thunderbolts’ ball carrier, but SRA struggled when the time came to wrap up. It was a flaw that helped Cranston East surge out to a 16-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
“We did a terrible job of tackling,” was how Sassi assessed the unit’s play.
Correa, a Pawtucket native, needed just three plays to put the word out regarding his capability of making something special happen every time he cradles the pigskin. A 44-yard kickoff return gave way to a lengthy jaunt down the far sideline, one that featured Correa shedding one tackle. Correa would have probably scored on the play had he not tripped on his own feet. No matter. After initially bobbling the handoff from Vasey, Correa booked it toward the left side for SRA’s lone score.           
“His big thing is that he’s got to get his nose in the playbook,” said Sassi. “He can be an explosive player for us. I think he’s a kid who can clear the field as they say.”
With double sessions and scrimmages now in the rear view mirror, teams now find themselves tackling a new beast, that of preparing for the regular season.
“It was a good start,” said Gorham.
“Hopefully we take (Saturday) and build upon it and learn from the mistakes,” said Sassi.
***
Coventry          0-6 – 6
East Providence        13-7 – 20
EP – Robbie Delgado 5 run (kick failed)
EP – Delgado 15 run (Dominic Leonardo kick)
EP – Victor Adieus 2 run (Leonardo kick)
C – Wesley Purks 5 run (run failed)

St. Raphael    0-6 – 6
Cranston East    7-9 – 16
CE – Stalin Mejia 2 run (Ahmed Barro kick)
CE – No. 88 16 pass from Robert Reardon (kick failed)
CE – Barro 26 field goal
SRA – Charles Correa 18 run (run failed)
 

on 09-03-2010 03:49

By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

CUMBERLAND – There were some shining moments, but there was also plenty of times when things seemed out of sync.
That about summarizes what transpired during a pair of Injury Fund clashes at Tucker Field Thursday night.
In the opener of the two-quarter non-leaguers, defending Division II state champion Woonsocket High had two big offensive plays that paved the way to a 15-0 win over Div. III newcomer Lincoln. Tolman took the second game of the night, outlasting fellow Div. II foe Cumberland, 7-0.
Woonsocket wasn’t flawless by any means in its contest. The Villa Novans had a few meaningless penalties, including one that negated a touchdown on a long 40-yard kickoff return by Jesse Charette. But they did look impressive with their physical play against the Lions and on their two scoring drives, both coming in the first quarter.
“As I’ve been saying, we need to find out who we are and what we do well,” said WHS head coach Carnell Henderson. “I think we did some things well. Our discipline, at times, wasn’t good, as evident by the penalties. I thought they came out here and gave an effort. We had our younger guys in after the first couple of series.”
Lincoln had its troubles at the beginning of the game. On the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Ryan O’Dell had his pass intercepted by Woonsocket’s Jerome Robinson.
After the Villa Novans were stopped in their initial series, Lincoln fumbled the ball on its own two-yard line after a bad snap. On the next play, Woonsocket defense mucked running back Jamal Tavares in the end zone for a safety.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Villa Novans hiked the score to 8-0 when Charette returned the ball for a 60-yard touchdown and Thongsavone Souriyavong booted the extra point.
“Jesse Charette’s a very skillful athlete,” Henderson said. “He was running for us as a tenth-grader. Last year he would have played but he broke his collar bone in a scrimmage. He’s a talented athlete. I think you’ll get a chance to see that this year.”
Another long play in the quarter would finalize the score. On a second-and-8 from their own 48, quarterback Kevin Reyes tossed a screen pass to senior Gabriel Myers near the left sideline and Myers broke loose for a 52-yard TD run.
“I think we have good team speed,” Henderson said. “(on that play) the quarterback made a great play at first and they got a little leakage. He gave us a chance to get it out. He gave us a chance to take it outside…It was a good play all around.”
Lincoln did prevent the talented Novans from finding the end zone the remainder of the game by picking up its defensive effort in the second quarter and showing some spurts of quality offense. But the early mistakes certainly prevented them from trying to earn a ‘W’
“Our timing was way off,” said Lincoln coach Dave Waycott. “It’s a young team. They just need the repetitions a little more…This is what we saw in the last two scrimmages that we’ve had. We came out flat, but it’s a scrimmage with game uniforms. We learned a lot and we’ll be fixing it.
“It’s all timing. The big thing I am seeing now is our timing is way off. The best way to fix that is repetition. That’s what we are going to be focusing on, just tidying and cleaning things up.”
The Tigers scored their lone touchdown versus the Clippers just under four minutes into the first quarter. Tolman got the ball to the Clippers’ 21 after a nice five-yard sprint from running back Elvis George. On a third-and-1 situation, George then broke free to the right sideline and into the end zone for the score. Shane Taylor converted on the PAT.
“(George) is a beast,” Tolman coach Dave Caito said. “He runs like a man. I can’t say enough about all our running backs. They all ran outstanding tonight.”
Caito had high praise from his troops, particularly the players in front that stopped some Cumberland attacks past midfield.
“Our defense stepped up,” he said. “You can’t test your defense when they are on your 30, but you can when they are on our 20. That was a good test for our defense. The great part is they are all sophomores and juniors. We only have three seniors that are playing
Cumberland proved to be its own worse enemy, particularly in the first quarter when it had two fumbles.
“We just were sloppy,” said Cumberland coach Chris Skurka. “We didn’t take care of the football. You can’t turn the ball over twice in the half and expect to be ahead. It is what it is. You can’t play the way we played and make mental mistakes. We are a young football team. We have Cranston West next week. We have a lot of work to do.”
***
EXTRA POINTS: Shea and Central Falls were supposed to play in the opener of the Injury Fund contest. That game was cancelled due to an incident at Central Falls.
***
Lincoln 0 0 – 0
Woonsocket 15 0 – 15
W – Safety
W – Jesse Charette 60 kickoff return (Thongsavone Souriyavong kick)
W – Kevin Reyes 52 pass to Gabriel Myers (kick blocked)

Tolman 7 0 – 7
Cumberland 0 0 - 0
T – Elvis George 21 run (Shane Taylor kick)