Vann is the secret to Toll Gate’s success going forward

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 9/29/16

I have said on plenty of occasions that Toll Gate football will live and die with junior quarterback Anthony Vann, and nowhere was that more evident than Friday night. The Titans cruised to a 36-14,

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Vann is the secret to Toll Gate’s success going forward

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I have said on plenty of occasions that Toll Gate football will live and die with junior quarterback Anthony Vann, and nowhere was that more evident than Friday night.

The Titans cruised to a 36-14, emotionally-charged victory over Scituate on the road, and Vann was accountable for three touchdowns. He rushed for two while throwing to tight end Rory Dobbins from 20 yards out for another.

Vann has displayed his ability to chuck the football throughout the preseason and in small samples during league play. He led a last-minute drive against Pilgrim during Injury Fund with his legs and his arm, despite the Titans coming up just short in an 8-0 loss.

He showed flashes in the second half versus North Providence, completing third-down throws to advance crucial drives and keep Toll Gate in the game despite a scoreless first half.

It was all preamble to his breakout performance against the Spartans.

This is the Vann that Toll Gate needs down the stretch. He is the factor that can separate it from the rest of the teams in Division III-B. The remaining schedule is a gauntlet, and mixing up the playbook with one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league could be beneficial to the Titans’ playoff hopes.

Toll Gate tangles with Burrillville, the reigning Division IV runner-up and previous champion, on the road this Saturday afternoon. The Broncos beat East Greenwich, which inhabits Division II now after winning D-III last year, in non-league action earlier this year.

The road ahead doesn’t get easier with a trip to Central Falls coming next week. The Warriors have gotten off to a fast start as the only team in D-III with a 3-0 record. Those games have only been decided by a touchdown on average, with the Warriors scoring as many as 45 points and as few as seven to come out on top.

Down the road will be Tiverton and Smithfield, but for now the Titans have to game plan for some of the toughest teams their subdivision has to offer.

Trying a more pass-heavy offense could work for a couple of reasons. Most obviously, it opens up the ground game tremendously, which allows sophomore Michael Negri, freshman Kenny Morel and senior Anthony Calise to find holes when the defense is off guard. Secondly, Toll Gate has weapons on the outside. Aidan Estrella and Jarry Berrio can win jump balls, while Dobbins has made his presence known as Vann’s favorite weapon.

From the preseason, I liked seeing what Vann’s arm could do. He had some accuracy issues, and he is still working on those. He needs a trial-by-fire scenario to help him improve. He’s made some remarkable throws so far this year, one being a perfectly-placed ball to Qyon Pichardo against North Providence that brought the Titans to the edge of the red zone when they needed it most.

The run game is crucial, too, and Toll Gate has four guys who can get the job done. Fortunately, one of those players can also heave passes downfield. The domino effect will set in for Negri, Calise and Morel if Vann is allowed to play more loosely with the football. Runs on third-and-long won’t get the job done usually, so give the captain a chance to find a throwing lane.

Vann displayed some of this innate throwing skill last year, too. I remember against Narragansett, in the Titans’ league opener, he dropped a rainbow to Joe Gasbarro for a touchdown. It was one of his best throws, and he made it as just a sophomore.

Now, he continues to make strides. He could be a full-fledged star by his senior campaign, but this is a pivotal year. He needs to keep cultivating confidence in the pocket, and chucking the ball more can do just the trick.

If he can’t find anyone open, the extra blocking and confusion upfield can allow him to scamper. He has the ability to vex defenses, just ask Scituate.

Toll Gate has one of the best arsenals at its disposal in D-III, but to make a run towards the postseason, it will need to get the best out of its signal-caller.

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