By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

CRANSTON – Missed opportunities is the cross Tolman High bears after the Tigers let numerous golden chances to put points on the scoreboard slip through their grasp.
That, in a nutshell, is a large reason why South Kingstown High wakes up this morning a two-time Division II champ. The Rebels cashed in on the slim chances they were presented, resulting in a 14-6 overtime victory Monday night at bone-chilling Cranston Stadium. Rebels running back Tim Hazard single-handily delivered the repeat bid for SK, scoring on the first play of OT from 10 yards out. The MVP of the Super Bowl added a little extra frosting, rushing in on the two-point conversion.
While South Kingstown (11-2) emerged as the victor, the truth is that the outcome was very much Tolman’s for the taking. The Tigers racked up more first downs than the Rebels (14-5), but the trouble laid in head coach Dave Caito’s crew and its inability to pick up some timely yards.
Instead, the Tigers watched as potential scoring bid after potential scoring bid grinded to a halt, the most disheartening coming in the fourth quarter with the two teams deadlocked in a 6-6 stalemate.

Like they had done virtually the entire game, the Tigers were able to move the ball freely on the Rebels’ defense. However, when the field size shrunk, so too did yardage totals. Tolman (7-6) was presented three chances to pick up two yards that would have moved the chains, the ball on the SK 8. The Tigers got just one. The fourth down sequence saw Jordan White get stacked upright at the point of contact.
Though the outcome wouldn’t be decided until later, it seemed the wind was taken out of Tolman’s sails. The Tigers ran nine plays following White getting stopped in his tracks, picking up eight yards.
Summing it up perfectly, Caito said “You can’t expect to win when you don’t punch it in against a good team.” Caito gave some thought about sending out the field goal unit, but ultimately decided to see if his club could pick up that missing yard.
“We should have gotten three yards off (White’s carry), but we didn’t,” said Caito. “I tip my hat to South Kingstown.”
Leaving points on the field was a disturbing trend that didn’t take long to develop. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 50 yards on 11 plays. Tolman got as close as the South Kingstown 21, but found the sledding tough from that point. The final two plays of the drive saw Tolman go backwards and lose five yards.
The second quarter saw the Tigers threaten again, but quarterback Jordan Johnson overshot his intended target, Allens Etienne, in the back if the end zone. Another bullet was dodged for South Kingstown, which took over at its own 14.
Even though Tolman was enjoying advantages in the yardage department, it was South Kingstown taking a 6-0 lead into halftime. Not known as a throwing bunch, the Rebels struck when quarterback Ben Hamill found Kane Noka from six yards out, the touchdown coming at 3:49.
Tolman’s defense was able to combat South Kingstown’s Wing-T formation as Caito opted to load the box with nine defenders. Daring the Rebels to throw, Hamill finished 6-of-11 for 55 yards. Hazard, who ran for just under 1,400 yards during the regular season, managed only 64 yards on 15 carries.
The Tigers got the defensive stand they were seeking to begin the second half, forcing the Rebels into a three-and-out. Once again, the Tigers’ offense went to work, moving the ball at will. Tolman ran off 14 plays in the third quarter compared to just seven for SK.
The third also saw Caito make a switch at quarterback. With Johnson nursing an ankle sprain, the Tigers turned to junior Jahmel Bowman, who missed most of the season due to academic troubles.
Bowman, who didn’t even a handful of snaps during the season, found himself in a tough spot: entering a title game with his team trailing. Fortunately for the Tigers, Bowman’s play didn’t match the frigid conditions. Bowman ended up guiding Tolman to its lone scoring drive, racking up 78 total yards from scrimmage.
“He stepped in like he had been there all year,” said Caito. “The kid was ready to play.”
“I wanted to go in and help the team, that’s all I cared about,” said Bowman.
The lone time Tolman made the most of a red zone chance came early in the final quarter. Bowman hit Etienne on a fourth-and-short play that saw Etienne get tackled right at the goal line the play covering 12 yards. Following a block from senior William Summerly, Bowman tied the game. Tolman missed the two-pointer when a bad snap chased Bowman 10 yards in the wrong direction.
It didn’t take the Rebels long to assert their might in overtime as Hazard beat everyone to the left side. The drive started out at the 10, which is the starting point for overtime according to Interscholastic League rules.
Tolman’s chance for force a second overtime didn’t get off to a promising start. A sack of Bowman and a block in the back penalty placed on the ball on the 35. The Tigers missed their three remaining cracks, all Bowman incomplete passes.       
“It’s a shame because theses kids were good kids as well as good athletes,” said Caito. “There was no superstars out there, but they played as a team and liked each other. You want to win for kids like that.”

S.KINGSTOWN, 14-6 (OT)
Tolman 0 0 0 6 0 – 6
South Kingstown 0 6 0 0 8 -- 14
SK – Kane Noka 6 pass from Ben Hamill (pass failed)
T – Jahmel Bowman 1 run (pass failed)
SK – Tim Hazard 10 run (Hazard run)

T  SK
First downs  17  5
Rushes-yards  39-100  28-114
Passing  11-21-1 6-11-0
Sacks by  2-9  2-10
Net passing  146  46
Punts-avg.  2-15.5  3-31.3
Fumbles-lost  0-0  2-2
Pen.-yards  4-35  6-57
***
Individual leaders
Rushing: T – Jordan White 12-36, Jason Lafond 4-22, Ousmane Samb 4-24, Jordan Johnson 10-(-18), Jahmel Bowman 9-36; SK – Tim Hazard 15-64, Kane Noka 5-32, Patrick Franco 6-27, Ben Hamill 2-(-9).
Passing: T – Jordan Johnson 7-11-0-114, Jahmel Bowman 4-10-1-42; SK – Ben Hamill 6-11-0-55
Receiving: T – Jordan White 3-71, Allens Etienne 3-34, Jared Coyle 4-46, Ousmane Samb 1-5; SK – Kane Noka 4-56, Justin Favreau 2-(-1).