After a crushing defeat last year at the hands of Central in the Division II quarterfinals, many observers thought that the Johnston football team would not qualify for the playoffs this year with 23 seniors gone to graduation.
The Panthers proved their doubters wrong by posting a 6-1 league record and finishing as co-champion with Woonsocket in Division II-A. They had won six consecutive league games heading into another D-II quarterfinal on Friday night, but saw the No. 3 Rogers Vikings put an abrupt end to their season with a 28-14 victory at the Ralph aRusso Complex. The loss marks the third time in four seasons that the Panthers have exited the Division II playoffs in the quarterfinals.
“All the coaching staff are proud of these guys,” Johnston head coach Joe Acciardo said. “Without a doubt they gave it their all. It did not work out our way tonight but for the most part we have no complaints on the season. No one thought we would come this far and we made a mark on history and will get a banner for being co-division champs. Not too many teams can say they were co-division champions.”
The Panthers got off to a good start Friday, scoring just 1:55 into the contest. Leading rusher Marc Conte broke several tackles and out-ran the Viking defense en route to a 40-yard touchdown run and a 6-0 lead.
Rogers answered that score as Liam Leys bolted up the middle for a 35-yard touchdown run at the 7:14 mark of the first quarter. Dan Henriques gave the visitors the lead with the extra point.
The Panthers would retake the lead as they put together a good drive that started at their own 13-yard line. First down runs by Conte and Curtis Mathieu got the Panthers into Viking territory. Co-captain Joe Peters’s 31-yard touchdown run and Conte’s two-point conversion gave Johnston a 14-7 lead with 2:43 left in the first quarter.
But once again, Rogers answered – and this one was even quicker. Just 22 seconds later, Leys showed his quickness on a 68-yard touchdown dash, cutting the JHS lead to 14-13. A missed extra point had the Panthers clinging to a one-point lead.
“We knew Leys was fast but we did not realize he was that fast,” Acciardo said. “You get near him, he disappears.”
Rogers would take the lead at the 4:31 mark of the second quarter when Panther quarterback Mark Breton's pass went off the hands of his intended receiver, Devin Leary, and into the waiting hands of the Vikings’ Lamont Scott, who ran 35 yards into the end zone. Leys converted the two-point try to make it 21-14.
A good run-back by Johnston's Tyler Nasisi on the ensuing kickoff gave the Panthers good field position at the Viking 45 yard line. But with 1:36 left to play in the half, Breton fumbled the snap from center and the Vikings recovered, putting an end to the drive and preserving a touchdown lead at the break.
As the third quarter began, Rogers controlled the ball for more than seven minutes thanks to hard running by Leys and Blake Anderson. On fourth-and-goal at the JHS 1, Rogers quarterback Quraan Bostic called his own number and gave Rogers a two touchdown lead at 28-14.
It was the largest deficit that the Panthers had faced all season, but they did their best to keep it from growing. Rogers threatened to score again later in the third quarter, but Breton intercepted his counterpart at Johnston’s 1-yard line. The Vikings forced a JHS three-and-out and had great field position on the Panther 36 after a punt. But as the fourth quarter began, Breton intercepted Bostic again at the 1-yard line, keeping it a two-score game.
The only downside was that both interceptions left Johnston pinned at its own 1-yard line.
“We had two interceptions, his feet landed on the 1 and not in the end zone for a touchback,” Acciardo said. “We did not have very good field position in the second half. It was one of those games where things did not go our way and you have to give credit to Rogers. They are the reason why things did not go our way.”
After the second pick, with only 8:27 left to play in the game, Conte ripped off an 18-yard run, getting the Panthers out of the hole. Breton then connected with Aaron Perfetto, who flipped it back to a trailing Conte on a hook and ladder play that gave JHS a much-needed first down. Breton hit Alex Tenerella to get the Panthers inside the Viking red zone for the first time in the second half. Breton tried to connect with Tenerella again after that, but was picked off in the end zone, ending any hopes of a Panther come back. The Vikings and Anderson would go on to run out the clock in the final quarter, leaving JHS with only 38 seconds and no timeouts. Rogers celebrated the victory soon after.
For Johnston, while the early exit was disappointing, the season as a whole was a major success.
“Last year when we lost, people said we would not win one game this year and we tied for the division title,” Acciardo said. “These kids worked hard for every little thing and they had a lot of heart and character and learned valuable lessons. People said it was going to be a rebuilding year, and it was but we were winning and getting better each and every week.”
Rogers will go on to face the No. 1 seed in Division II-B, West Warwick, in the semifinals this weekend. Division II-B teams won each of the four playoff quarterfinal games over their II-A counterparts.
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