Titans hoping to make a deep playoff run

Matt Metcalf, Sports Editor
Posted 4/9/15

After compiling an 8-5 record last spring, the Toll Gate boys’ lacrosse team feels like they’re ready to take the next step this season.

If that’s what the Titans intend to do, they’re …

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Titans hoping to make a deep playoff run

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After compiling an 8-5 record last spring, the Toll Gate boys’ lacrosse team feels like they’re ready to take the next step this season.

If that’s what the Titans intend to do, they’re certainly heading in the right direction.

At the top of the Division III standings early are the Titans with no one above them, as they defeated Cranston East in a lopsided affair, before edging Chariho on Monday.

The 2-0 start was exactly what head coach Mike Vadney was looking for.

Toll Gate will now look to sustain its impressive play to achieve its ultimate goals.

“We always have high expectations for our program,” Vadney said. “Firstly, we want to have a winning season and, secondly, make it deep into the playoffs and finish the season playing at Brown.”

To do that, the Titans will have to make it at least to the D-III semifinals, which should certainly be an attainable goal.

The three players that will lead the Titans’ offensive surge will be Jack Sullivan, Anthony Ottone and Andrew Zelano – three senior captains.

According to Vadney, all three were extremely productive last year, and have picked up right where they left off.

At midfield, William Patenaude, Jake Moran, Moses Brown transfer Jarod Drury, Sean Vittum, Kyle Palumbo and Mark Ramsey are all set to be key contributors for the Titans.

Vadney noted that Patenaude improved tremendously in the off-season and will provide an additional scoring threat.

Moran has been dominant on face-offs and Ramsey, a first-year player who has primarily been a soccer player, will provide some speed in the middle.

At defense, Nolan O’Brien, Dan Johnston, Kevin Villa and Xavier Acosta will see a bulk of the minutes and will provide some experience in front of senior goalie Cam Vickers, who is inexperienced, but is seeing the ball well and playing well thus far.

A handful of soccer players came out for the team this spring and should provide some added quickness and agility for the Titans.

“We’re pretty deep in most positions, especially on the offensive end,” Vadney said. “I think that we’re going to achieve our goals.”

Vadney knows that it won’t be a walk in the park, though, acknowledging that Middletown, who dropped down from Division II, Tiverton – the defending D-III champion – and Smithfield, in-particular, will be tough challenges this season.

Not to mention the addition of Pilgrim, who will be playing its first season in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.

“We’re excited about the addition of another Warwick school,” Vadney said. “There’s nothing like a cross-town rivalry.”

Toll Gate was supposed to play at home against Westerly on Wednesday, but the game was postponed.

The Titans’ next scheduled game is set for Monday at home against Burrillville/North Smithfield Co-op at 3:30 p.m.

It’s still early and the Titans will get a better feel for where they’re at when the thick of the schedule rolls around, but for now, everything is looking good.

“I see us stacking up pretty well,” Vadney said. “After playing some of the tougher teams, we’ll see where we stand.”

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