Team Stebbins shuts out Team Toppa 10-0 in Senior Bowl

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 6/30/16

The annual Senior Bowl at Johnston High School was a grinding, defensive battle with an edge, as Team Stebbins defeated Team Toppa 10-0.

The two sides were named after legendary coaches, Edward …

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Team Stebbins shuts out Team Toppa 10-0 in Senior Bowl

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The annual Senior Bowl at Johnston High School was a grinding, defensive battle with an edge, as Team Stebbins defeated Team Toppa 10-0.

The two sides were named after legendary coaches, Edward “Ted” Stebbins and John Toppa. Stebbins coached at Cranston East for 21 years, bringing a championship to the school in 1987 with an upset of then-undefeated Rogers. Among Toppa’s career highlights were 11 state titles as the head coach at Rogers, as well as a field named in his honor at Freebody Park in Newport.

“Honestly, although we lost, it was fun,” Pilgrim linebacker John Pierce said. “I got to meet a lot of new people, lot of great people. Honestly, I’m just glad I could go out with a bang. I’m happy with the four years I had.”

Both sides struggled to find pay dirt throughout the afternoon, but Team Stebbins broke through late in the first quarter for the difference-maker. On the first play of Team Toppa’s second drive, La Salle quarterback Jace Pena coughed up the football on a botched run play. Shea’s Jeovon Fortes fell on the fumble, allowing Team Stebbins to take control at the Toppa 12-yard line.

A defensive pass interference call on third down would put Team Stebbins in prime position with first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. Anderson carried the rock for four yards to the goal line to give his side a few chances to punch it in. Cranston West quarterback and Stebbins offensive MVP Ryan Marsella would take it in himself for the game’s only touchdown.

From that point until the end of the half, each side had chances to either extend the lead or level the score. After a bad punt from Pena, Stebbins would take over at the Toppa 24 on its next drive. The squad couldn’t get a first down, though, and turned it over after Marsella’s keeper was stopped short of the line to gain.

Team Toppa got the ball back at its own 15 and embarked on a nearly 20-play drive to the other end of the field, draining the rest of the second quarter. An unsportmanslike conduct call, one of 11 total in the game, would eventually set Team Toppa up with first-and-goal at the 5.

“So many schools coming together, different rivalries across the state,” Toll Gate kick returner and running back Alex Mowry gave as a reason for the intensity between both teams throughout the game.

Team Stebbins’ defense stood up, though, led by strong performances from West’s Drew Watts and Kerwins Pinthiere. A couple failed keepers, a short run from Bishop Hendricken running back Jake Derderian and a delay of game would eventually give Toppa a third-and-goal on the Stebbins 12 with just more than a minute to go in the half.

Cumberland quarterback Jake Salisbury’s keeper provided no wiggle room on third down, making it fourth-and-goal with 18 seconds left. Salisbury would find Classical’s Gbatoh Browne in the end zone, but he caught it just outside the boundaries to turn the ball over on downs.

“It felt great just to be with kids [from] all over the state,” Cranston native Derderian said. “After the two weeks, you just really connect with them.”

Team Stebbins got the ball out of halftime and used an 11-play drive to build its lead. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and 20-yard reception from West Warwick’s Avery Williamson gave Team Stebbins a first down at the Toppa 25 right out of the gate.

“It feels good to come out and represent my school,” Mowry said. “Do it one last time. I loved it, honestly. I loved every minute of it.”

Marsella would slash his way for a key nine yards, setting up a 26-yard field goal for Shea’s Leandro DeBrito to bump the score to 10-0.

Team Toppa would drive twice more deep into Stebbins territory, once up to the 12 and up to the 32. Those rallies stalled, though, as Team Stebbins’ defense locked down on the passing game. Midway through the fourth quarter, Salisbury uncorked a pass down the sideline in the opposing red zone, but Stebbins defensive MVP Bryan Blackmore (Scituate) picked it off.

Classical’s Jarrell De Los Santos was Team Toppa’s offensive MVP, while Cumberland’s Andre Bibeault was the defensive MVP.

Also representing Warwick were Pilgrim offensive lineman and linebacker Peter Johnston, who contributed to a strong Toppa front line, and Bishop Hendricken wide receiver/defensive back/punt returner Brett Langlais.

“It was a great experience,” Toll Gate wide receiver and defensive back Zack Pona said. “To be able to get a chance to play the favorite thing that I love was a big thing for me. Even though it’s over, I’m kind of excited for the future, but coming back and being able to play football again with this coaching staff and all these kids from different cities was a great thing.”

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