Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but unfortunately for The Tolman Tigers, they weren't the ones who walked away with it. They and Johnston were almost perfectly matched up on Friday, but Tolman suffered an agonizing 35-34 loss. Tolman's defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
When it comes to explaining why Tolman lost, one person who can't be blamed is Darren Valentin. Despite the final result, he rushed for 233 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 9.7 yards per carry, and also caught a touchdown. Valentin really tore up the turf during one magnificent 77-yard run.
Even if they lost, Tolman's defensive line sure didn't make it easy: Johnston's QB was sacked six times before it was all said and done. Johnston's QB won't forget Joseph Pimentel anytime soon given Pimentel sacked him twice.
Tolman's loss dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Johnston, their win was their fifth straight at home , which pushed their record up to 7-2.
Tolman will head out on the road to face off against Ponaganset at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Rhode Island (Ponaganset is ranked 20th, while Tolman is ranked 24th). As for Johnston, they will take on Middletown at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Middletown will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
