Toll Gate gears up for season with playoffs in mind

Jacob Marrocco
Posted 9/1/15

Toll Gate football hasn’t had a great deal of success in the last four years, but head coach Jim Stringfellow is confident this is the season his squad takes the school out of its postseason …

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Toll Gate gears up for season with playoffs in mind

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Toll Gate football hasn’t had a great deal of success in the last four years, but head coach Jim Stringfellow is confident this is the season his squad takes the school out of its postseason slump.

The Titans spent their first season in Division III last year after three consecutive winless campaigns in Division II. Despite only going 1-7, Toll Gate returns a great deal of talent off of last season’s roster, and it showed in a scrimmage against Division IV’s Exeter-West Greenwich.

“We’re a young team,” Stringfellow said. “We still have sophomores who were freshmen last year that are starting again this year. We have some other freshmen who are starting this year. There’ll be bumps in the road but we’ll battle through it and this year we’re still counting on playoffs. We’re a playoff team.”

If the postseason is a possibility for Toll Gate, it will have to rely on the older guys, too. Running back Alex Mowry is chief among them. The senior shined in the scrimmage for the Titans, dashing past the EWG defense for two touchdowns.

The pass rush was working well for the Scarlet Knights, so quick runs and passes helped Toll Gate matriculate the ball. After a disappointing first series for the varsity offense, the play was a little smoother. The offensive line collapsed on sophomore quarterback Anthony Vann, but after the sack was declared he was allowed to uncork a 45-yard touchdown pass to Joe Gasbarro.

“Anthony’s gonna be a great asset to this team over the next couple years,” Stringfellow said. “He started as a freshman, and we threw him into the fire as a freshman and took our licks last year. This year he gained a lot of experience over the summer in passing league and he’s gonna be a force to be reckoned with over the next three years. He’s gonna be fantastic.”

A couple plays later, Mowry zipped past the EWG secondary down the left sidelines for a 30-yard touchdown. In the final few series, it became evident that Vann and Mowry will be the most important players on the offense for Toll Gate. Vann completed screen passes and, had the line held up, would have seen some deep throws go for scores. Vann finished off the third series with a quick pass to Mowry, who again blew by EWG for his second touchdown.

“Alex is a very smart runner,” Stringfellow said. “He runs with his eyes. He’s not afraid to take a hit and he’s got that extra gear that other backs don’t. When he hits the side, he’s just gone.”

As solid as the offense looked, the defense needs some work. The Scarlet Knights’ rushing attack ran roughshod through Toll Gate’s varsity defense for most of the scrimmage. After a strong second series that culminated in Gasbarro tackling the runner for a loss, Toll Gate regressed.

Exeter-West Greenwich found pay dirt on only five plays, all rushing, during its next series. The tone was set early in the drive as the Titans’ defense wasn’t set for the first play, a 10-yard run. EWG eventually punched it in and the varsity defense was given a rest before playing a final series later in the afternoon.

“We were switching in defensive linemen and linebackers, we haven’t really set anybody in as starters,” Stringfellow said. “So we’re trying to tweak some stuff to see who we have. We lost our backup quarterback in our first scrimmage [against North Providence], he played defense. So we’re just moving people around just to find out. Then hopefully by the [Injury Fund] round robin we’ll have everybody locked in to where they’re supposed to be.”

Who stood out most, though, were Vann and Mowry. Vann has a few more years under center to learn and grow, but his play already looks improved. Mowry can be one of his best weapons as the two seem to have a strong connection on the field.

Gasbarro looks solid on both sides, too, as he could disrupt the quarterback and run game on defense while hauling in deep balls on offense.

Working in Toll Gate’s favor, too, is its scheduling. The Titans host matchups with three of the toughest D-III teams, East Greenwich (7-1), Classical (6-2) and Lincoln (5-3).

In terms of road games, Toll Gate will face one real test in Middletown, which finished undefeated and won the Division II Championship last season. Toll Gate’s other road games feature Hope and Ponaganset, both of which finished 1-7 last season. Pilgrim (4-4) is also on the away docket for the Titans, and that game could be a toss-up late in the season on Nov. 6.

The Titans have the odds stacked against them, but the fact that they retain 80 percent of their 2014-15 roster heading into a fresh season helps tremendously. As long as the offensive line provides Vann with enough time, the Titans can cause some problems.

However, Stringfellow said it’s the team’s heart and determination that sets them apart from the rest of Division III. Combined with their growth as a team, it could be enough to sneak into the postseason for the first time since 2008.

“They’re a good bunch of kids,” Stringfellow said. “A majority of the kids are returning. We have freshmen with a year under their belt that other sophomores don’t. I just think with their heart and the effort they put in over the summer, I think we should be a playoff team.”

Toll Gate will face Pilgrim and Warwick Vets in the annual Injury Fund series at Vets this Thursday starting at 6 p.m.

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