East starts strong with win over D-II Novans

Kevin Pomeroy
Posted 9/17/14

Offensively focused the past few years, the Cranston East football team showed on Friday night that it can use the other phases of the game to pace a victory.

With heavy graduation losses on the …

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East starts strong with win over D-II Novans

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Offensively focused the past few years, the Cranston East football team showed on Friday night that it can use the other phases of the game to pace a victory.

With heavy graduation losses on the offensive side of the football from last season, the ’Bolts leaned on a dominant defensive and special teams effort this past weekend to cruise past Division II Woonsocket 38-7 in its non-league opener.

East sacked Villa Novans quarterback Miguel Raymond four times and made an additional seven tackles for loss in the game. The ’Bolts forced four turnovers, and also had a punt return for a touchdown and a 62-yard kickoff return.

The offense did its part too, with quarterback Darrio Carter throwing two touchdown passes and fellow signal caller Logan McConaghy throwing one. Star receiver Marquem Monroe hauled in two of them. Senior Mike Castillo also caught a touchdown pass – and had the return touchdown – giving East a well-balanced, efficient first win of the season.

Coming off Injury Fund games two weeks ago in which the ’Bolts only beat Division IV Exeter-West Greenwich 18-8 and lost to Division II Coventry 10-7, the performance against Woonsocket was a lot more indicative of what head coach Tom Centore hopes his team will be.

“Tonight was certainly better,” Centore said.

Nick Ngourn had two of East’s sacks, while linebackers Jay Bast, Justin Silva, Max Perez and Tuti Wehjia made key plays as well. Silva had an interception and a fumble recovery, Monroe forced a fumble recovered by Malik Gavek, and Carter also had a pick.

East terrorized Raymond all night, as Woonsocket managed just 143 yards of offense – 45 in the second half. It got a 48-yard touchdown run from Malik Okjie, but other than that, was stymied from start to finish.

“We’ve got some kids who can run,” Centore said. “I think defensively that’s our strength a little bit. We can go after people. I think we’re deeper in that position, more experienced.”

The ’Bolts were in control right from the very start, as John Anderson returned the opening kickoff 62 yards to Woonsocket’s 15-yard line, and four plays later he found the end zone from a yard out. McConaghy’s extra point made it 7-0.

The offense looked different than in the Injury Fund, as Anderson slid to tailback. Carter got the start at quarterback, with McConaghy coming on in relief.

For a group still trying to find an identity, it seemed to be a better fit.

“We moved John to running back,” Centore said. “Darrio and Logan I thought did a good job, managing what we did.”

Woonsocket went backwards on its first drive before a roughing the punter call on fourth-and-18 gave it new life. But three plays later, Silva intercepted Raymond, giving East great field position again.

On the second play of the ensuing drive, Carter found Castillo open on a slant over the middle, and Castillo did the rest. He broke through two tackles, spun out of another and crossed the goal line for a 35-yard score. East led 13-0.

The ’Bolts continued their onslaught from there, with Raymond fumbling a snap on Woonsocket’s next possession and Silva recovering. That set East up deep inside Villa Novans’ territory for the third straight time, and it converted once again.

Two plays later, Carter threw up a fade pass to Monroe in single coverage on the right. Monroe easily out-jumped his defender to make the grab for a 23-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, but East led 19-0 with 2:32 still to play in the first quarter.

Woonsocket punted on its next two drives and East punted on one and came up a yard short on a fake punt run by Monroe on the other, but on its following possession, with just over three minutes left in the half, the ’Bolts offense made its best play of the night.

On a second-and-29, with McConaghy under center, Monroe ran a streak up the right side and McConaghy reached back and threw it as far as he could. Monroe separated himself from his defender, made a fingertip catch along the sideline and then accelerated, cruising into the end zone for an 84-yard score to put the ’Bolts on top 25-0.

“Darrio did some good things early, he runs the ball,” Centore said. “Logan came in, did some good things. I thought we got the most out of what we needed to get tonight.”

Woonsocket had its lone bright spot of the night on its next drive, as it took over at East’s 48-yard line and Okjie broke two tackles and took off down the right sideline for a touchdown. That made it 25-7 going into the half.

The ’Bolts extended the lead in the third quarter. On Woonsocket’s second possession, it punted from its own 15-yard line and only got the ball to the 40. Castillo was there to field it and he started left, saw it was clogged up and took back off down the right sideline. He ended up with a 40-yard touchdown return and McConaghy knocked in the extra point for a 32-7 lead.

Castillo, a senior who didn’t play last season, is a player that should make an impact all over the field this season. He did just that on Friday.

“He’s just very different,” Centore said. “He runs the football, catches the football, at defensive end, he puts so much pressure on. He’s a punt returner, kick returner. He’s just a tremendous athlete. If he stays healthy, he’s another weapon that helps Marquem.”

East’s final points of the game came on a Carter 4-yard touchdown run with 7:37 to play, which came on the drive immediately following his interception.

Monroe led all rushers for East with 34 yards, while Anderson added 29. Monroe also had three catches for 116 yards.

For all the positives that Friday showcased, East will be in for a much stiffer challenge this weekend against perennial Division I power Portsmouth.

Last season, the Patriots beat East 31-22. The previous season, East went to Portsmouth and won a shootout 51-47.

Portsmouth will also be breaking in a brand new turf field, which it debuted last week in a 39-19 non-league win over Rogers.

Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m.

“We have to continue to build,” Centore said.

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