Titans’ experience could spark run in D-III

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 8/30/16

The Toll Gate football team found itself in the playoff hunt for most of the season, and the altered Division III landscape should be auspicious for the steadily improving Titans. They rebounded from a 1-6 season

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Titans’ experience could spark run in D-III

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The Toll Gate football team found itself in the playoff hunt for most of the season, and the altered Division III landscape should be auspicious for the steadily improving Titans.

They rebounded from a 1-6 season in 2014 to finish 3-5 last year, staying in the postseason picture up until the final weeks. Now, with experience on both sides of the ball to provide leadership for some fresh faces, Toll Gate can take advantage of the new alignment.

The Division III mainstays play just one former rival, Hope High School, while the other six opponents they face are from the now-defunct Division IV. Granted, the Titans will have to face D-IV runner-up Burrillville and champion Smithfield, but competition against tougher squads for the past several years should give Toll Gate an edge.

“One game at a time,” Toll Gate head coach Jim Stringfellow said of the upcoming schedule. “We don’t look at the past, if it was a win or a loss. Every week’s going to be different and we’re just going to take one game at a time.”

The Titans met up with some of that former competition on Saturday afternoon. They opposed East Greenwich, which was elevated to D-II this offseason, in a scrimmage to smooth out their game before an Injury Fund matchup with Pilgrim on Thursday.

Unlike their crosstown rivals, the Titans have no question who will be under center for Week 1.

Anthony Vann, who has started since his freshman year, was taking snaps against the Avengers to shore up any lasting concerns before the season begins. Vann has improved his deep accuracy, and both he and Stringfellow are confident in the bolstered offensive line.

“We have a new line coach this year, Chris Torem, and he brought over his son, Emerson Torem, and Matt Raso is our line coach, and they’ve been working them since Day 1 for the past 2 1/2 weeks,” Stringfellow said. “Leaps and bounds from last year.”

The junior quarterback came up short on a couple of targets, but effective play from their veteran can have the Titans competing for a Super Bowl title.

“Running over plays, we have a lot of new players, so we run a lot of plays to get it in their heads and get it right during the games,” Vann said of the offense’s progression. “Still have a lot to work on. Our line’s gotten better, so I think we should be able to run the ball a lot and pass. We’ll be good this year. I still have a lot to work on myself.”

The rest of the offense is looking to fill the shoes of Toll Gate’s two biggest threats last year, running back Alex Mowry and wide receiver Joe Gasbarro. On the ground, junior Sean Devlin and sophomore Michael Negri can pick up yardage this year.

Freshman back Kenny Morel also took some carries against the Avengers, and Stringfellow said he can factor into the running game as well.

Through the air, Vann will have a couple of basketball players to help him out. Senior Jarry Berrio and Aidan Estrella will line up on the outside when they aren’t playing defensive back.

Stringfellow also plans to see contributions from senior tight end Rory Dobbins and dynamic junior wideout Qyon Pichardo to help expand Vann’s options across the field.

“We’ve got a good shot, everybody’s battling,” Stringfellow said. “We’re looking forward to seeing what we’ve got. Hopefully we can get a rotation.”

Despite minimal losses, Toll Gate’s defense features the most significant void on the team. Senior captain and linebacker Jake Stachurski constantly motivated his side of the ball last season, and was the Titans’ most dominant force in the front seven.

Stringfellow said he is “looking for somebody to step up” to replace his leadership, seeking veterans like 3-year player Nick Kazandjian and newcomers like Barrio and Estrella to be the glue of the defense.

“I have high expectations for Nick Kazandjian taking that role,” Stringfellow said. “Jarry, Estrella, [Teagan] Stringfellow. Any of those guys, even though Stringfellow is a sophomore, he knows the defense inside and out.”

All of those players showed their abilities on Saturday, most notably Estrella. After the Toll Gate secondary was beaten back on a drive late in the afternoon, East Greenwich set up near the goal line to punch it in. Estrella read the pass perfectly, though, picking it off and scampering 10 yards before the play was whistled off. If he was allowed to go, he most likely would have found pay dirt.

Kazandjian and Barrio also had some pass breakups on a largely rough day for the Toll Gate pass defense.

In the trenches, Toll Gate has a young gauntlet that could give fits to its opponents this year if their development continues. Sophomore Michael Negri, who missed some games last season because of injury, showed flashes of the agility and power he displayed early in 2015. He’s vocal on and off the field and could find himself in a leadership position at some point.

“He came back strong, came back knowing the offense and he’s going to be a huge asset for this year and the upcoming years,” Stringfellow said of Negri.

Brandon McNeil stood out, quite literally, on defense as well. The freshman towered over the line at 6-foot-3 and got to the quarterback on a few occasions early in the scrimmage, when some of EG’s best players were receiving reps.

He may not be on the field for every snap this season, but McNeil showed promise for increased playing time to round out his game.

“He’ll see some varsity time,” Stringfellow said. “He’s raw, but by his junior season he should be decent if he continues to grow.”

The Titans could have someone this year that few teams across the state have, no matter the division: A reliable kicker. Junior Datyn Deasley, who is also playing soccer, will be offering his duties again this season. Stringfellow said he was hitting attempts from as far as 45 yards, which could make the difference in close matchups.

Toll Gate’s schedule begins with a home game against North Providence (6-2) on Sept. 16 before embarking on a 3-game road trip. The Titans will encounter Scituate (2-6), Burrillville (7-1) and Central Falls (3-5) along the way.

The Titans will play their final three league games at home, including its only contest against a former D-III team. Tiverton (4-4) and Hope (2-6 in D-III) come to Warwick before a senior night duel with D-IV champion Smithfield (8-0).

The records seem imposing, but Toll Gate has been battle-tested against some of D-III’s best to prepare for this year. In the new alignment, and with its multifaceted talent on the field, the Titans could find themselves in the postseason and beyond.

“Hopefully we’ll make it to the playoffs, and hopefully a Super Bowl this year,” Vann said of Toll Gate’s potential.

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  • Littleleague

    Good luck

    Tuesday, September 6, 2016 Report this