Division I Semifinal Preview

'Bolts look to hand Rams first loss in semis

Matt Metcalf, Assistant Sports Editor
Posted 11/20/14

If you were to ask anyone around the Cranston East High School football team four weeks ago whether or not a playoff bid was still in the picture, the majority of responses likely would’ve been …

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Division I Semifinal Preview

'Bolts look to hand Rams first loss in semis

Posted

If you were to ask anyone around the Cranston East High School football team four weeks ago whether or not a playoff bid was still in the picture, the majority of responses likely would’ve been cautiously optimistic at best.

But after a number of things bounced in East’s favor, the ‘Bolts have climbed all the way back, improving their once 1-4 record to 4-4, which was good enough to sneak into the fourth and final playoff spot in Division I.

Going into last Friday night’s game against Barrington, East not only needed a win, but it also needed a La Salle win over Cumberland as well.

Two Marquem Monroe touchdowns and a sparkling defensive effort led East past the Eagles, 13-7, while La Salle put the finishing touches on its undefeated regular season with a 35-20 win over the Clippers.

And just like that, the ‘Bolts were in.

“We have an opportunity,” head coach Tom Centore said. “It’s more than we thought we’d have a few weeks ago. We’re excited to have a chance.”

Their reward? A date at undefeated, top-seeded La Salle this Friday at 7 p.m. Centore acknowledges that the semifinal match-up is certainly no easy task.

“They’re probably one of the most versatile teams I’ve ever seen,” Centore said. “They can throw or run it on you successfully at any time. They’re a tremendous football team and their physicality and size, especially in the running game, can wear on you.”

East dropped its regular season game at La Salle, 31-14, in October. But the score is a little bit deceiving. East had the Rams on the ropes early, on two highlight-reel touchdown catches by Monroe. La Salle battled back to tie the game, 14-14, just before halftime. Still in a good spot, the ‘Bolts came out and played one of their worst halves of football of the season, turning the ball over three times in the third quarter alone, en route to the 17-point loss.

“We had a lot of success with Marquem in the passing game in our first match-up,” Centore said. “But in the second half, they started to smother him and double-team him. We need to find a way to get the ball in his hands on Friday night.”

Monroe felt that his team’s second half against La Salle in the regular season was sub-par and that it will need to bring much more to the table if it wants to win this time around.

“Give more heart and effort,” Monroe said what East needs to do differently this time around. “A lot more effort. I think we came out in the first half and played really well, but in the second half were flat and kind of gave up. We need a much better effort when we go into La Salle in a playoff game and try to get into the championship.”

However, East will be in a familiar spot against La Salle. Just a season ago, East earned a four-seed heading into the playoffs and after dropping a tough regular season game at Barrington, the ‘Bolts went into enemy territory and knocked off the top-seeded Eagles, 46-13, in the semifinals.

Although some key players have departed from last year’s squad, a good amount still remain, and the outcome of last November’s game certainly has to inject some confidence into Centore’s current team.

“It can definitely play a role,” Centore said. “There are a lot of guys from last year’s team on this team that had some success in a similar situation.”

Darrio Carter started at quarterback in East’s regular season game at La Salle, but went down with an injury a week later against Cumberland. In Carter’s absence, the ‘Bolts are 3-0 with John Anderson under center. However, Carter is now healthy and both quarterbacks are expected to contribute in Friday night’s game.

“I think it’ll be a mix of the two quarterbacks,” Centore said. “They both offer different things that can help our football team.”

Anderson’s unblemished 3-0 record as the starter stands out, but Carter did encounter some success the first time around against the Rams. He threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone in the team’s 31-14 defeat. Clearly, there is an argument to made for either player.

And at the end of the day, a win for East would put the ‘Bolts back in the Super Bowl for the second straight season, as they fell to Hendricken, 45-34, in the championship a season ago.

But first they’ll set their sights on undefeated La Salle.

There are no teams hotter in Division I than the Rams and the ‘Bolts.

They’ll collide with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line on Friday.

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