Johnston rolls past Woonsocket, prepares for league opener

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Bolstered by a stingy second-half defense, Johnston High’s football Panthers opened the season by beating back Woonsocket High’s Villa Novans, 40-19, Saturday at sun-covered Barry Field.

Armed with that impressive come-from-behind win and a spirited squad that features offensive speed and defensive toughness, the Panthers will officially open their Rhode Island Interscholastic League season tomorrow night vs. the visiting Coventry High Knotty Oakers. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Mayor Joseph M. Polisena Stadium.

The Panthers will be led by captains Evin Califano, Ty Harriel, Benjamin Budway, Elijah Burgess and Dylan Lavoie.

In Saturday’s non-league season opener at Woonsocket, Burgess was the game’s top offensive performer. He scored four touchdowns during an impressive performance and carried the pigskin 22 times while racking up 155 yards.

Califano, meanwhile, had 12 rushes for 68 well-earned yards, his longest run being a 13-yard scamper, and he added two touchdowns to the Panthers’ offensive output.

“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half,” Joe Acciardo, the Panthers’ veteran head coach, told reporters of Johnston falling behind, 13-7, before taking a 21-19 halftime lead. “I told the kids at halftime we did some good things, but needed to cut down on mistakes that cost us in the first half.”

Meanwhile, as Acciardo later said: “We had a good feeling about the direction where we were going in the first half, but we needed to make some adjustments and straighten out other stuff in the second half.”

So, it’s the home opener and aspirations are running high for a successful season in the RIIL’s Division II-A.

Califano, who takes over the quarterback slot left vacant by the graduation of the talented Kyle Nelson, who is helping with the Panthers coaching staff and attending the Community College of Rhode Island, is armed with the ability to sustain Johnston’s offense via the run and pass.

Against Woonsocket Saturday, Califano completed five of nine, passing for 49 important yards, his long completion being a 30-yard strike. The Panthers’ offense was also aided by solid efforts from receivers James Baccala and Harriel.

The 2017 Panthers are: Isaac Samayoa, Bianca Robbins, Johnny Bonilla, Danny Ramirez, James Cardenas, Nate Vasquez, Joe Patterson, James Baccala, Dylan Lavoie, Justin Alexander, Brandon Privitera, Evin Califano, Nick Butler, Justin Spinella, Alexis Rodriguez, Ty Harriel and Nick Saker.

Also, Elijah Burgess, Daryl Harley, Justin Powell, Kalexis Roper, Lucas Correia, David Conti, Angel Flores, Kyro Monteiro, Ben Budway, Spencer Dunham, Rob McGurl, Nick Guenette, Zakary Rogala, David Pingitore, Brand Privitera, Manny Lourenco, Lee Ray, Cam Sonner and Jesse Vigeant.

The Panthers’ complete schedule is: tomorrow, Coventry, 7 p.m.; Sept. 22, at Cranston West, 7 p.m.; Sept. 30, at Moses Brown, 1 p.m.; Oct. 6, Mount Pleasant, 7 p.m.; Oct. 13, at Pilgrim High, 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 21, Westerly, 7 p.m.; Oct. 27, at East Greenwich, 7 p.m.; and Nov. 3, West Warwick, 7 p.m.

All Johnston home games are played at Joseph M. Polisena Stadium located adjacent to the high school.

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