WOONSOCKET – Friday night looked the way it was supposed to for the Woonsocket football team.
And now the Villa Novans need to find out how to make it look better later on.
It’s been an interesting start to the season for Woonsocket, which has learned a little bit about itself along the way. The Novans welcomed Division III Moses Brown to town on Friday and needed less than a quarter to leave little doubt about the result before finishing off a 39-0 win over the Quakers.
“We had a great week of practice this week,” Woonsocket senior quarterback Jalil Quinones-Diaz said. “Coming out, performing great, came out with energy like we should and proceeded to win this game.”
“Last week was a bit of a slant in the hill,” Woonsocket defensive end Dan Cote said. “But we really leveled up and I’m proud of the team.”
After losing several key starters to graduation and transfer, Woonsocket was a team in search of an identity heading into the fall. Toughness isn’t something the Villa Novans have ever lacked, so it seemed success would be reliant on defense.
In Week 1 against Classical, the defense showed its teeth. Cote had a big pick-six in a win over the Purple and the Novans were riding high heading to Week 2 against Ponaganset.
A game that seemed like a slam-dunk win turned into anything but. Woonsocket struggled with its defensive discipline and couldn’t solve the Chieftains’ misdirection. Trailing in the final minutes, Quinones-Diaz took the team down the field for a score and then covered the 2-point conversion to get a win that may have changed the season.
“It took a lot of grit, a lot of focus and just staying on top of it,” Cote said. “Last week we were kind of unmotivated, but now we definitely stepped up for sure.”
“We know coming out flat will lead to a bad game,” Quinones-Diaz said. “Last week we had a mindset that this team is beatable. We came out thinking it was going to be easy and they gave us a fight.
“Coming out flat can’t happen.”
Nothing about Friday was flat.
A big kickoff return set Woonsocket up early, with Carlos Valentin punching an early ticket for a 6-0 lead. The defense came up with a stop and Valentin got the job done again.
Moses Brown – which plays in Division III – was tortured by Cote and his defensive teammates, who didn’t let the Quakers do anything with the football. When they got it back – again – Quinones-Diaz showed off his athleticism, busting out with two long touchdown runs and closed the quarter with a score that had Woonsocket up 26-0.
Seeing a quarterback gain nearly 100 yards rushing in one quarter doesn’t happen often, but Quinones-Diaz isn’t your typical quarterback. He’s played receiver his entire career, but stepped in to play under center this season to help the team.
“The team needed it,” Quinones-Diaz said. “… Being a captain, I have to step up to it. Coaches needed me at quarterback, so I’m going to be there to do that.”
Quinones-Diaz’s development is coming along. The offense remains the question mark for Woonsocket, but it’s only going to get better as he continues to develop at the position. Arm strength isn’t an issue, but his ability or read defenses and make the right throws will be crucial as the Novans start to play big games.
The coaching staff has done its part by trying to simplify his decision-making and using his athleticism to make plays outside the pocket. Quinones-Diaz has done his part by being serious about his job and trying to get better not just for him, but for the guys around him.
“When you’re a captain, you’re supposed to lead the team,” Quinones-Diaz said. “Leading a team, bring energy every day during practices, before games, during games.
“You want to lift the team up.”
The defense will be there to help. Woonsocket is athletic in the secondary, but the front seven in the crown jewel. Cote’s growth as a player is apparent and he’s playing with some serious confidence coming off the edge. He’s a game-changer – and proved it with two sacks and numerous pressures on Friday – and the defense can be too.
“I want to make sure I can help motivate my team and help them strive to be the vest version of themselves,” Cote said. “I want to make sure they work hard and get these wins.”
Three games in, Woonsocket has three of those. What comes next will depend on how the Novans grow.
The first three opponents weren’t the most challenging, but getting wins – especially in the fashion they did – has allowed the team to build confidence. That may be the most important thing as a maybe-playoff-type of team tries to establish itself as one of the best in Division II.
Week 4 will be the Villa Novans’ biggest test. They’ll be back at Dionne Field on Friday, October 2, hosting undefeated Burrillville – the preseason favorite in D-II. That’s followed by a game at at a tough West Warwick team, then matchups with Westerly, Johnston and East Providence. Those are playoff teams and if Woonsocket is going to be one, it will find out soon.
“We just have to keep working every day,” Cote said. “Every day is a grind, every day we have to make sure we pick it up.”
“This win, it was a great win, but now we have to build off this win,” Quinones-Diaz said. “All these little mistakes can’t happen in the big games.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Woonsocket football learned lessons early. Now it’s ready to win big.
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