Panthers’ offense unable to keep up with Quakers

Joe Russo
Posted 10/8/15

Even though the Johnston football team lost to the defending Division II Super Bowl champion Moses Brown Quakers 21-0 last Friday night at home, it perhaps played its best defensive game of the …

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Panthers’ offense unable to keep up with Quakers

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Even though the Johnston football team lost to the defending Division II Super Bowl champion Moses Brown Quakers 21-0 last Friday night at home, it perhaps played its best defensive game of the season, as it gave one of the state’s best offenses all it could handle on a wet and windy night.

The Quakers, who improved to 3-0 in league play, had scored 87 points in their last two games. Johnston, now 0-4 in Division II-B, had given up 88 points in its last two games but managed to keep the high-powered Moses Brown offense in check for the majority of the game.

“We hung with one of the best teams in the state,” Johnston head coach Joe Acciardo said. “I’m proud of our guys, we have come a long way.”

The weather conditions played a major role in the play of the game as Moses Brown turned the ball over four times while Johnston did so three times. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Quakers would capitalize on their fumble recoveries while the Panthers would come up empty on theirs.

Johnston got off to a rough start on its opening possession when quarterback Kyle Nelson was intercepted by Jakub Witczak at the Panthers’ 20-yard line. The Panthers’ John Bucci made two big tackles after the Quakers had a first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Evan Pennacchia would recover a Moses Brown fumble at Johnston’s 10 to end the drive.

When Moses Brown got the ball back, it would get inside the 10-yard line again and would turn the ball over when the ball slipped out of the hands of quarterback Adam Romano. John Bonilla recovered the loose ball at his own 11 but the Panthers would return the favor when they put the ball on the ground at their own 11-yard line.

Spencer Penny pounced on the ball and Moses Brown would cash in on the Panther miscue, as Romano connected with Cristos Argys for an 11-yard touchdown at the 3:28 mark of the first quarter to make it 7-0.

Johnston’s Nassir Vasquez almost intercepted Romano late in the first quarter as the Panthers’ defense continued to put the pressure on the 6-foot-4, 200-pound signal caller. After a poor Quaker punt, the Panthers would drive down to the visitors’ 20-yard line as the second quarter began only to turn the ball over on downs.

After a Moses Brown punt, JHS traveled to the Quakers’ 28, but a halfback option pass by Joe Turchetta fell incomplete. Bucci continued to pile up the tackles as the JHS defense held once again. Vasquez almost intercepted Romano for the second time in the game, which could have been a game-changer as there was nothing but daylight in front of him.

“We had some pick sixes that could have changed things around, but it did not happen but we will make it happen next time,” Acciardo said.

The Panthers trailed 7-0 heading into the break.

Moses Brown doubled its lead with 3:55 left in the third quarter when Romano and Argys hooked up for the second time in the game. Romano faked a screen pass to the right side and found his receiver in the middle of the field for a 55-yard catch-and-run scoring play, breaking tackles along the way. Romano was 12-for-18 in passing for 152 yards and now has eight touchdown passes on the year. The Quakers would get an insurance score when Rodger Brown scooped up a Panthers’ fumble and ran 50 yards to the end zone.

“The most important thing is that we can walk out of here with pride,” Acciardo said. “The last couple of games we were not proud of the effort, but tonight we proved that we can play with some better teams. Week after week we are getting better, that is what we are looking for. We have had some tough opponents in the front end of the season, but we are healthy and sticking together and will move on from here.”

Tyler Nasisi led JHS in rushing with 61 yards while Turchetta added another 55 yards on the ground.

The Panthers will visit Maznicki Field in West Warwick on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. game with the 3-0 Wizards. The two teams rekindled their long-time rivalry last year after a 20-year break. The rivalry will be even more interesting as former Tolman and JHS Hall of Fame football player Dave Caito is now the head coach of the Wizards.

Before the game Friday night, a moment of silence was held in honor of Gary Mazzie, who passed away at the age of 69 last week. Mazzie was a Johnston High School teacher, coach, athletic director and friend to all whose vision in creating a Johnston High School Hall of Fame became a reality in June 2011. Over 130 former JHS athletes were inducted into the newly formed hall of fame which Mazzie worked on extremely hard as he tracked down people spanning five decades.

“He was a great guy, I never heard anyone say anything bad about him and his heart was always in the right place,” an emotional Acciardo said after the game. “What Gary did with the hall of fame was very unselfish, he did it for all the former athletes. He put a lot of work tracing people down and he was diligent and committed. I have nothing but admiration for him and every time you saw him he was upbeat and happy and that is the way you have to live, you have to take a page out of his book. I’m just glad I got to know him.”

“It was very sad to see the passing of Gary Mazzie,” said Cranston East head football coach and JHS Hall of Famer Tom Centore. “His devotion to Johnston High School while he taught there and coached there was amazing. His dream of creating an athletic hall of fame and preserving its rich athletic tradition is something all student athletes who ever walked the halls of Johnston High School will cherish forever.”

“Gary Mazzie was so passionate about everything he did, and his enthusiasm was contagious,” said JHS Hall of Famer Carolyn Thornton Iannuccilli, who serves on the hall’s selection committee. “He impacted so many lives as a teacher and a coach. In his later years through his work with the Johnston Athletic Hall of Fame, Mr. Mazzie succeeded in uniting generations of athletes, and it is thanks to his many hours of research that the high school’s rich athletic tradition has now been preserved. His family should be so proud of all the wonderful contributions that he has made.”

Mazzie’s legacy in the Johnston school system and in Johnston athletics will last forever thanks to his love and devotion in teaching and coaching. He was a good friend and always took the time to help others, whether it was in academics or sports. He will be missed tremendously.

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