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Thursday, March 11, 2010 |
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Tolman wary of Shea gridders |
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Tuesday, 25 November 2008 |
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By TERRY NAU Sports editor PAWTUCKET -- The Tolman-Shea holiday football rivalry is competitive even in a down year for one of the schools – and that says a lot about the success of this relatively new scheduling arrangement.
Tonight’s 7 p.m. game inside McCoy Stadium is not expected to be a blowout, even though Shea comes in riding a five-game losing streak and Tolman has won six of its last seven games.
This holiday series, conceived in 2002 when St. Raphael Academy and Tolman ended their traditional Thanksgiving rivalry, is six years old. Each school has three wins thus far. The matchup of two public schools with similar objectives and student makeup has worked out very well indeed.
“Shea has lost five games by less than a touchdown,” Tolman coach David Caito pointed out in the days leading up to tonight’s game.
Three of those losses have come by one point (all by the same score of 27-26).
“In my 13 years at Shea, this is just our third losing season,” Raiders’ coach Dino Campopiano said. “The other two times, we were young and knew we would struggle. This team’s problems have nothing to do with age. We just didn’t come ready to play, or we didn’t play hard for four quarters. It has been a disappointing season for a lot of reasons but if we can get a win, it would be a nice way to send some of our seniors out. And we have a lot of kids coming back (next year) who would benefit from a win over Tolman.”
The Tigers, who have a Division II semifinal playoff game against Cumberland scheduled for next Tuesday evening at Pariseau Field, would seem to have other things on their mind. Not so, according to Caito.
“This game is big for us every year,” the coach said. “The players know each other. Many of them have played with or against each other in youth football leagues and then in high school. We’ll be ready to play.”
Both sides are loaded with speed in the skill positions on offense and can put points on the scoreboard.
“We’ve got to control Number 1 (Jordan Johnson) and Number 21 (Jordan White),” Campopiano said, speaking of Tolman’s quarterback and lead running back, who alternate taking direct snaps from center in the Tigers’ spread offense. “We’ve got to keep them in check.”
Tolman can also throw hard-running Jason Lafond at the Tigers. Johnson will keep Shea’s defense honest with the occasional pass to split end Allens Etienne or to one of his backs coming out of the backfield.
Shea’s offense revolves around quarterback Albert Amado, who has been spotty in his senior season, playing well in some games and disappearing in others. Amado has completed 48 of 97 passes for 791 yards and nine TDs. He has also thrown five interceptions, a low number for the amount of passes he has tossed.
Halfbacks Mark Vassallo (52 carries for 411 yards) and Malcum Moniz (45 carries for 284 yards) lead a running game that has averaged six yards per carry this year as a team.
With those kind of numbers, one wonders how the Raiders could be taking a 2-8 record into tonight’s contest. Campopiano knows why.
“We’ve been close in every game,” he said. “We’ve taken a lot of bad penalties at the wrong time in games and we haven’t played error-free. We have to go out and almost play a perfect game to beat Tolman.”
The Raiders’ fiery coach says his team has played four quarters of good football only one time this season – in a 42-20 victory over Toll Gate back in September.
Following a 27-20 loss to Cranston East a week later, Tolman beat Coventry 21-8 and then lost its next five games, beginning with a 27-26 crusher against West Warwick.
While Shea’s season was falling apart, Tolman pulled itself together and went on a winning binge beginning in early October. The Tigers also lost a one-point game to West Warwick (21-20), then beat Chariho and Woonsocket before losing 35-6 to Westerly.
A lot of teams might have reacted poorly to a crushing loss like that one. Instead, the Tigers won their final four games of the season. They did it on both sides of the football, coming together as a defensive unit to pitch shutouts in Tolman’s final two games – a 28-0 win over Mount Hope and then a brilliant 7-0 victory over Cranston East in the Division II playoff quarterfinals.
The Tigers seem to be the tougher football team, at least from the mental side. They also hold a physical edge over the Raiders, too, with a bevy of hard-nosed linemen, linebackers and defensive backs who tackle and defend with great intensity.
The two head coaches and their staffs are known for their intensity. This is a friendly rivalry between coaches who don’t like to lose. Caito and Campopiano work together as physical education teachers at Shea High, an arrangement that is just fine with both … except during rivalry week.
“We don’t talk much in the days leading up to the game,” Caito said with a laugh. “That’s the way we both want it.”
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 January 2009 )
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Saturday night I attended the semi-final girls basketball
game vs Townies Girls team as an aunt of one of the EP players. It was an exciting
all-around game for both teams, and I give credit to my niece and the Townie girls
too for a great season. <br />I just have to say though, that I was
particularly impressed with the talent, poise and unflappable playing style of this
Tolman girls team! It can only speak well of a great coaching staff, and their love
and encouragement of these talented girls. After the game, the low-key humilty that
the Tolman girls displayed, showed real sportsmanship and class. I have a feeling
that this season is the "Year of the Tiger" and hope that they go straight on to
victory in the championship. No matter what the outcome though, they've gained a new
loyal fan in me, and I look forward to following the next seasons with real
interest. This is the way that high school sports should be played! You go Tolman
girls! - Regina Orio
THANK YOU TO THE PAWTUCKET TIMES AND THE WOONSOCKET CALL
FORV THEIR GREAT COVERAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING IN YOUR PAPERS IT IS VERY MUCH APPERICATED!! A SPECIAL THANKS TO TERRY NEAU FOR HIS EXCELLENT COVERAGE OF CUMBERLAND CLIPPERS WRESTLING AND FOP ALL THE GREAT PICTURES YOU PUT IN THE CALL THEY ARE AWESOME!!!THANKS AGAIN!!! - Dawn Lariviere
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