St. Ray's stomps East Providence in Division I football

Saints score 34 first-half points en route to victory

By Mike Rego
Posted 9/24/16

PAWTUCKET — For the second time in as many Division I games the East Providence High School football team found itself on the losing end of a lopsided score as the Townies suffered a 41-14 setback …

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St. Ray's stomps East Providence in Division I football

Saints score 34 first-half points en route to victory

Posted

PAWTUCKET — For the second time in as many Division I games the East Providence High School football team found itself on the losing end of a lopsided score as the Townies suffered a 41-14 setback to host St. Raphael Saturday afternoon, Sept. 24, at Pariseau Field/McCoy Annex.

The contest was pretty much determined after the teams exchanged scores over a roughly two minute span mid-way through the first quarter, the host Saints sandwiching a pair of touchdowns around one for the Townies.

Following a St. Ray's interception of E.P. quarterback Ryan Ellinwood deep in Townies' territory, Saints' QB Xavier Torres called his own number twice en route to the end zone. He carried once for 23 on the first play of the series then covered the final nine to touch. The first of Chace White's five point-after kicks put St. Ray's on top, 7-0, with about eight minutes to go in the opening period.

The Townies next did the Saints one better, scoring on the first play of their ensuing series. E.P. was flagged for a motion penalty, making it first-and-15 from the Townie 30. Ellinwood then ran a QB draw to the left, sprinting through the gap created by center Robert Conti, guard Garret Olbrych and tackle Justin Viscolosi almost untouched for the 70-yard TD. Warren Smith's kick for point knotted the score at 7.

That tie, however, last about 15 seconds, or as long as it took Saints' returner Alvin Johnson to take back Smith's kickoff. The Saints' senior co-captain corralled the ball at his own 18, ran up the middle for a bit before breaking free down the right sideline to pay dirt. White's PAT made it St. Ray's 14, E.P. 7 with just over six minutes remaining in the first.

From there, it was all Saints. The hosts forced the Townies into a three-and-out and a punt, then needed only three plays of their own to capitalize. Torres connected with Trevante Jones on a 28-yard throw-and-catch to help St. Ray's build a 21-7 lead.

The Saints later needed six plays to reach the end zone, doing so on Deandre Babbitt's eight-yard run a few minutes into the second quarter. Later, E.P.'s Cameron Greene recovered a Torres fumble at the St. Ray's 30, but the Townies couldn't make use of the great field position. And instead saw the Saints respond almost immediately when Torres threw a quick slant to Jaylen Encarnacion, who sliced the E.P. defense for 82 yards and a touchdown. White missed the point-after, but St. Ray's now held a commanding 34-7 edge it would take into the break.

After a scoreless third quarter both teams tacked on touchdowns in the fourth. Saints' defensive lineman Shaun Laliberte scooped up a fumble by E.P. back-up QB Aaron Parson and returned it 12 yards to the end zone nine seconds into the final period. Sophomore running back Dion Hazard later did most of the work on the ground before Parson kept it for the final 10 yards with just over four minutes to play. Smith's kick accounted for the final points of the afternoon.

St. Ray's improved to 1-0 in the league with the win. The Townies, who lost their opener the week prior to Hendricken, dropped to 0-2. East Providence remains on the road to face Woonsocket Saturday afternoon, Oct. 1, at 1 o'clock.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.