The Toll Gate Titans were blanked by the Central Falls Warriors, 22-0, at Vets on Friday night. Central Falls’ junior quarterback Dutchie Arroyo rushed seven times for 115 yards and two touchdowns and passed for another to wide receiver Leonardo Da Veiga.

Toll Gate starting quarterback Anthony Vann was expected to start, but was scratched prior to game time. Titans head coach James Stringfellow said that the senior was not cleared this week by his doctor, but that he will be cleared next week and ready to go when they travel to Tiverton on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Central Falls used two quarterbacks for most of the first half before going with Arroyo the rest of the way. The team started the game with sophomore Luis Gonzalez, but said that they decided to go with the backup for this game for matchup reasons.

Toll Gate’s best chance to score came just before halftime when the Titans had the ball at the Central Falls 1, but the time expired on freshman quarterback Greyson Pasquina before he could get off a play.

“Our freshman quarterback, he had the play, he just didn’t run it in time,” Stringfellow said. “It comes with experience. If Vann was in there we would have gotten the play off, and we possibly would have scored. Freshman quarterback never put in that situation before, kind of nervous. You’ve got to roll with it.”

After the teams jockeyed for field position for the first frame, Central Falls put together a 92-yard scoring drive midway through the second quarter. The drive was highlighted by a 17-yard rush on second down by junior running back Jordan Alvarado that would move the chains to the Central Falls 25. After that, Arroyo ran a 7-yard keeper and wide receiver Jason DePina followed it with a 4-yard rush to give the Warriors another first down at their own 37. Then, Alvarado ran up the middle for an 18-yard gain before he was brought down by Toll Gate senior Anthony Calise at the Titans’ 35. A few plays after that, Arroyo connected on a 35-yard toss to a wide open Da Veiga, who took it to the house and gave Central Falls a 7-0 edge with 6:07 remaining in the first half.   

After a Titans’ three-and-out, Central Falls struck again, starting from its own 36. On first down, Alvarado rushed up the middle for a 6-yard gain. On second down, Arroyo kept it and ran 57 yards down the field, weaving in and out of defenders before taking it to the house and increasing Central Falls’ lead to 13-0 with 3:04 left in the first half. Central Falls added the 2-point conversion after that and made it 15-0, a lead it would take into halftime.  

Toll Gate looked good on its first series, when it started from its own 11. Running back Kenny Morel took it 13 yards on second down. On the next play, Negri rushed 22 yards down the sideline for a first down at the Toll Gate 40. Then, Morel rushed 11 yards to the Central Falls 49 and moved the chains again. However, the Titans struggled to move the ball on its next three plays, and on fourth-and-9, Pasquina was sacked by Central Falls linebacker Jonathan Acosta, turning the ball over to Central Falls at the Toll Gate 45.

On first down, Arroyo ran a keeper left for 10 yards before he was chased out of bounds. Two plays later, Arroyo ran another sneak 27 yards to the 7. Then, on third-and-goal, Arroyo scrambled left and brought it into pay dirt, giving Central Falls a 22-0 lead with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors would hold that lead the rest of the way to earn the victory.