The Pilgrim football team rolled past visiting Toll Gate 34-8 on Thanksgiving to win its third straight Beacon Bowl while extending its streak over the Titans to five games.
The Pats got on the board in the first quarter when Colin Burke recovered a Toll Gate fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Jacob Soulliere and Hunter Schobel would score touchdowns in the second quarter to make it 20-0 at the break.
Luka Ruscio extended Pilgrim’s lead on a rushing touchdown in the third, but Toll Gate would snap the shutout bid when freshman Knol Martin broke off a 63-yard rushing score to get the Titans on the board.
Burke went on to haul in a highlight reel touchdown pass from Carter Clifton in the fourth quarter to set things at 34-8 and wrap up the win.
“This team, these coaches, they mean the world to me and we’re one big family. I was glad to be a part of it and to make an impact. All of our guys, we really focused this season. We had a game plan and we stuck to it,” said Burke after the win.
Several games throughout the state were moved to Wednesday night to avoid the storm that touched down on Thursday morning. Pilgrim elected to play the game as scheduled and had no regrets at the end of the day.
“It was tough weather, but we have really tough practices, we lock in. I have to thank the coaches for that, they really prepare us,” said Burke.
Schobel added: “It’s always fun to play in a mud game. A lot of people throughout the state, a lot of people in the city wanted to move the game to Wednesday night. We wanted to stick to tradition and I’m glad we did.”
It was also the final game to be played on Pilgrim’s historic Morry Field, which has been the Pats’ home since 1963. The team will be playing at nearby Warwick Veterans Middle School in the 2025 season as the two new high schools are set to be built.
The seniors used Morry as a rallying cry this season and enjoyed it as one of the state’s best home field advantages.
“Just to send off the Morry in this fashion is unbelievable for the seniors. We put in so much work this season, it has been our home for four years, so we are glad to send it off the right way,” said Schobel.
The Thanksgiving win wraps up a big 2024 season for Pilgrim, who surprised many folks by reaching the Division III Semifinals after surging in the second half of the regular season.
“All the accomplishments we made. We weren’t supposed to be here, we were doubted before the season and we stepped up and proved people wrong. It’s a great feeling,” said Burke.
Schobel will miss his fellow seniors and was proud of the heart they displayed the past four years on the field.
“The resilience that we had, the ups and downs and how we fought through everything. That’s what I’ll remember about these seniors,” said Schobel.