Seeing the light

Toll Gate football may be on the brink of a return.

After a tough 2022 and 2023, a span in which the Titans won only one game, the team was bumped down to Division IV this fall and has already benefitted from the move.

After dropping a tough – but competitive – opening day decision to Sanchez Complex/PCD, the Titans earned their first win against Hope last week in a 14-0 battle.

New Toll Gate quarterback Nicholas Bruner got the Titans on the board when he hit Jonah Matiello on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Shane Moro would put the finishing touches on the win as he rushed for a touchdown to go along with over 100 yards on the ground to pace the Toll Gate offense.

Toll Gate head coach Jim Miceli enters his third year leading the way and has been encouraged by what he has seen in his junior-heavy lineup.

“It really is a young team, the majority of our juniors were on JV last year but had some success. It’s been an interesting three years, but this is the first year that we are playing in a division where we should be in every game. This is a team that should be an extremely competitive team,” said Miceli, who has relied on his small senior core to make its mark on the youngsters. “I’m expecting them to do what a senior should do. Every day they’re out there should be the best they can give, and for the most part they’ve been doing that.”

Moro has emerged as a two-way standout for the Titans and figures to remain the engine on offense. Last season, he received the club’s Most Improved Player Award, and Miceli has been impressed by his further growth this year.

“He’s a guy that has just gotten better every year, a little bit bigger every year. He was our most improved player last year and he took that and improved even more this year. We knew he’d play on defense, but on offense, we didn’t know. We had a bunch of running backs, there was very little experience, but he’s emerged as the guy,” said Miceli.

Toll Gate will next take on Smithfield this Friday for its first away game of the fall. Although there is still work to be done, Miceli and the team believe that they are on the verge of a breakout year in DIV, and are excited to finally get Toll Gate football back on track.

“They see light at the end of the tunnel. I think the coaches see it and they see it as well,” Miceli said.