Tigers Take Woonsocket, 35-6

In a rematch of last year’s Superbowl, the Tolman Tigers outplayed Woonsocket in all phases of the game and the Villa Novans fell 35-6 to Tolman.

The Tigers grabbed an early lead four minutes into the game on a pass play from Luis Rodrigues to Captain Darion Stubbs. The touchdown was set up by a slew of running plays in which the Tigers advanced the ball deep into Villa Novans’ territory. The extra point was good and the Tigers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead.

Tolman forced a punt from Woonsocket on the next possession, but fumbled after driving into Villa Novan territory. 

Woonsocket got a big run from William Andino, bringing the ball down to the Tolman 23-yard line to open the second quarter. But the Villa Novans’ drive ended there and they turned it over on downs.

After the fourth down stop, Tolman marched down the field with a couple of big runs from Mory Keita and Homlin Taylor. Rodrigues then found Justin Otis for a 25-yard touchdown pass. 

The Villa Novans got a 45-yard completion from Brett Bouchard to Kyle Mulvey. But their drive would again stall out and they turned it over on downs.

On the ensuing possession Keita busted a 60-yard run, bringing Tolman to the Woonsocket 25-yard line with four minutes remaining in the half. Christopher Baldwin finished off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown reception, and the Tigers led 21-0 at halftime.

Tolman controlled the tempo and dominated the second half. Homlin Taylor and Keita both scored running touchdowns in the second half for the Tigers. Keita’s touchdown was a 78-yard run and Taylor’s was a 13-yard run.

Woonsocket scored a touchdown late, but fell 35-6 to the the Tolman Tigers.

Tolman Coach David Caito said he was most impressed with the play of his team's running backs. One of Tolman’s primary ball carriers, Elvis George, went down with an injury early in the game, but Keita and Taylor stepped up to handle the load for the Tigers, both scoring a touchdown.

The Villa Novans could not stop the Tolman running attack and they could not sustain their offensive drives in the first half, leaving no doubt of victory for the Tigers.

There is a lot of growing pains that go along with having a young team, like the Villa Novan squad.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Woonsocket Coach Carnell Henderson commented.

“We do some things right,” Henderson said of his team’s successes in the first half. But the glimpses of good plays were followed by errors, “And that’s the making of a young team. That’s inexperience that has a long way to go,” Henderson said of Woonsocket's inconsistent play.