Portsmouth scores 3 times in second half for Homecoming win

Patriots defeat Townies, 35-19

By Mathew Galvao
Posted 10/29/17

PORTSMOUTH — Coming off of a loss to Division I leader Bishop Hendricken, the Portsmouth Patriots varsity football team got itself back in the win column with a 35-19 victory over the East …

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Portsmouth scores 3 times in second half for Homecoming win

Patriots defeat Townies, 35-19

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Coming off of a loss to Division I leader Bishop Hendricken, the Portsmouth Patriots varsity football team got itself back in the win column with a 35-19 victory over the East Providence Townies during the school’s Homecoming celebration Saturday.


MORE HOMECOMING FUN: View photos of the PHS Homecoming parade that preceded the football game.


“I think that we came out efficient. I was really proud of our kids with the adversity that showed and how we handled it after they (East Providence) made it a two-point game,” Portsmouth head coach Ryan Moniz said. “We put together a good drive and then ended the game with three straight touchdowns.” 

Portsmouth’s defense got off to good start when Peyton Robinson recovered a fumbled snap from East Providence’s Justin Pena, setting the Patriots up deep in Townies territory. Quarterback Kyle Bicho put up the first points of the game as he rushed in for a three-yard score, making it 7-0 at 6:48 in the first quarter.

With under a minute to go in the second quarter and Portsmouth facing a third-and-23, Bicho connected with Peyton Robinson, who ran 20 yards downfield to set up the Patriots in scoring position. 

Bicho threw a near-interception in the end zone as he tried to find tight end Nicolas Amaral, but then the Patriots hit pay dirt as Robinson took the ball across the goal line to make it 14-0 heading into halftime.

Townies answer back

Sophomore running back Juan Diaz took over the start of the third quarter for East Providence with three different rushes over 10 yards in the visitors’ opening drive. Junior back Dion Hazard would give the Townies their first score of the game, running 12 yards to the house to cut the lead to 14-6 after a missed extra point.

“We ran the ball all over on them. They couldn’t stop it. They’re two really good running backs,” said East Providence head coach Jay Monteiro.

After a Portsmouth three-and-out, East Providence struck again as Hazard took the ball for a one-yard TD run, putting the Townies within two, 14-12, after a missed two-point conversion. 

Portsmouth answered on the following drive, however, when Bicho took it himself for 30 yards to put Portsmouth up 21-12 entering the final quarter of play. 

“He’s a good player,” Mr. Moniz said of his starting quarterback. “The thing I love most about him is I can get on him and he responds. He made his fair share of mistakes in the first half but rebounded like great players do.”

A blocked punt by the Patriots put them at the Townies’ nine-yard-line, and Bicho scored his third touchdown of the game on a quarterback sneak through the Townies’ line, putting Portsmouth up 28-12 with 8:23 left in the game. 

Brian Hamilton extended the lead when he caught a Bicho pass and took it 24 yards to the end zone, giving his team a 35-12 advantage with 4:33 left to play in the game.

“Mistakes again. We had a fumble, they scored on it. We had a blocked punt, they scored on it. We just make too many mistakes and bad penalties,” said Mr. Monteiro. “It seems like this whole year we have stupid mistakes on our part, and penalties at the wrong time.” 

East Providence blocked a punt of their own as sophomore Kaleb Almeida ran it back to the Portsmouth four-yard-line. Diaz added to his impressive day, pounding it in for the score which ended the game at 35-19. 

Portsmouth moves to 5-1 on the year and into second place in Division I, while East Providence falls to 2-4.

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