PAWTUCKET – You have to give credit to the defense for pitching a shutout, but it was the speed that killed.
It was the speed of quarterback Jordan Johnson and running backs Jason Lafond and Ousmane Samb that made the difference in Tolman High’s 29-0 shutout over Cumberland in the Division II semifinals Tuesday night at Max Read Field. The terrific trio combined for 273 of the Tigers’ 310 rushing yards (370 total) in the game, keeping the Clippers’ defense busy all night.
Based on his team’s practices leading up to the postseason tilt, CHS head coach Rick Reetz had an inkling that his Clippers would have some problems with the Tigers’ fleet-footed players.
“We focused on it all week in practice,” he said. “We would simulate it in practice and we seemed like we were a step behind. We weren’t prepared for how quick they were. Thirty-three (Lafond) caught us on a few. They took us out of our game-plan.”
“That’s our niche. That’s what we like to do,” said Tolman coach Dave Caito, about the running game. “Whatever defense (a team) give us, we like to exploit it.”
On the very first play of the contest, the Tigers sent a message to the Clippers. Lafond, who finished the game with 102 yards on just 10 handles, took the opening kickoff 32 yards. Although the drive would end quickly with the Tigers mustering just four plays before Cumberland’s Jeff Whitcomb intercepted a Johnson pass near midfield, it still set the stage and gave the visitors in blue a preview of a coming distraction.
Lafond, who had to leave the game after scoring the Tigers’ last touchdown with 8:18 left in the third quarter after twisting his left ankle, felt his opening kickoff gave his squad an emotional boost.
“It seemed when that happened the whole team felt relieved,” he said. “It told us that we can come and take this game.”
Tolman’s running game on Tuesday night was unlike what was on display in an embarrassing 39-6 loss to Shea on Thanksgiving Eve. In that contest, the Tigers finished with just 74 rushing yards. Lafond and Johnson were the top ground-gainers against the Raiders with 33 apiece. “I don’t know, it seemed in that game we didn’t want it as much,” Lafond said. “Today we came out and we were ready to play. We had to beat them at the running game and use our speed.”
Only a sophomore, Samb had 100 yards against Cumberland as opposed to zero (three carries) on Turkey Day. Samb nearly scored in the third quarter when he broke free for a 57-yard run, but he was tackled by a diving Taylor Dougan at the 18.
If there was an MVP trophy to be distributed, it more than likely would have landed in the hands of Johnson. Even though he had two interceptions, the junior QB tossed for a pair of touchdowns and also ran for another.
Johnson, who rushed for 71 yards and passed for 60, perhaps put the exclamation point on the Tigers’ win with his second TD pass of the night. With 6:30 remaining in the second quarter, he capped off an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a nifty 30-yard aerial to senior teammate Allens Etienne to give Tolman a 22-0 advantage. Utilizing his quickness, Johnson scrambled away from a heavy rush by the Clippers and lofted the ball to a leaping Etienne in the left corner of the end zone. It was the second time the two players hooked up in the game.
“That was the back-breaker,” Reetz said. “That kind of hurt us. That was a phenomenal play by Johnson.
“That was nice,” Caito said. “That was the icing on the cake.”
Tolman, which finished in a five-way tie for first in II-A with a 5-2 mark (6-5 overall), will now try and earn its first Super Bowl title since winning a Class A Championship in 1971. In 2004, the Tigers defeated the Clippers, 20-19, but had to forfeit their crown due to an ineligible player.
Tolman takes on top-seed South Kingstown (7-0 in II-B, 10-2 overall) - a 34-22 winner over Toll Gate in its semifinal contest – on Monday at Cranston Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
“It feels great,” Lafond said. “We have a lot of seniors on this team. We are a senior-laden team. We have been waiting four years for this.”