JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?zNrk 2S_KKQrz]i^Rj2l0Ohkjy_'q@=JTaMv7y@p+6n(Y`1֜72mS͹0{ Q8 ʼxK*Y{خtw͎ji !g}MI=}z- \WBLg(Nm?ONi1>iw:g*e{T:d"=^SH+֤דD>X5>Q]bN5YϵU w9zvkxWA$ uk$i@c^btk[۴Qssm'U=VP*ұێ*Erj1<z5we cOԱ9=kPu#Ʉͫ;t*2ô-jH#L݈֚^OJ/:*8sE%֣q;E-; <7aË{ɘd/Y7՛mB4!@@kվ.y/irC8caS񥖣|9"g #1U)tFI#<j9PANXP dgU=KHɉzisѵcch/C7=U}kOĒ5ۂFHU elvG3ܖ7^5o5{+=NzW? $j(YtPYl+`pD^2nEE+] B;mF|'p>a>M!Sl9 g`ion-d#'J-%@7C;G j{B#;д"kmqwO pְΕq{+^-mb-'W%e%c 6wfn=Zi+,*$ے=FkeᄻVrz÷?+_-.]рIT12>uy3%} 8<?*jдfdRAL z… M&IdOJԚlU t~$ҏ{֩HY_I0a ޭ?oؤuR_] pke6f$J mϸoSʗ\+m $\ŵӚX K )N'w- BRh.6'Uk֞FhLp1\EG~,qnR9}Pj'| !L03Ys6i(:9UybqxQ?.O6Xڨٍ;=zr+u["{X׷'֮]:%x$1c8ߓ`9Zi *onOڵͼ`$-3w= xJO 1 $@sk%޽Eb&~:|u ҽJ Q_8I U+ +mFUd yu3Rݷ푚oۂ k&Kh-%O^EHb2~fw5w0wɪ^C%(9#ǎ*ՕiĀ sh֡zʚ|w15ZN6nr}* GZi:It/;DcikN4Inf|"=\TWvVKvH<Q#yv9Ih9bF឵wB5]m$L[^jxh!'"kں и!!x)v1z?-F{`Ȅǩ[z^$Xϝm`cFI ˞QwrnE&%֒ Q]< 2LsҬ<v:y| ,99qmggYF@aȫ6ա#H!\eJʷK`{_jFbǸGkXdf f披]jڥ̲clSk7~|:J*0ⱭZX[hUb#Z6ڭ&یev)`Ǹx]66u IP˟խi(3AX<[iR]Guwqӵg .$&i 8k&--r񍥛]Amo0Bz/ H8Mu:^XlI$i7vv\=< }yqi2)g:Wo/ᑁOCmi<B^]^ycoe'$eZ@Ǹ'D<}b ΃.2ۂ?*=Λm٥U uZ<9ysh3Y9'P>Kt o.SpB@5~_GOn@?9}ZDw@U2Oj^U?1SOR^gFHX8r߰ 89$꨻3xKR$rol8lD'Mu Zk`Uc^ɮ"Y]Rc4[jS: CSEHxozYDtcPOx|8Q^t+F9EWfyׇT0gե$$~ Bma mFbܚOJ6\g9r-n%]D@1<ߌW8ۖMnUqG_αv8Y?9Mm)u=/x [Nsz 6n jxaY>]MIWbSuF3tV ݸMΕ4rKS@zſ6Aʐ9\߈>oƒ#B8ɨHh~9opA6]fQ rWa>sF}FP"ss@2qK6knKUrHGٱ@-m8Q]EjOB@s۹4%$`V078eQ]L^݃01+rǩY";HYVFqstolU{9!xzU%W%8>V=n4)Kc)JBEP!}cl&` ҄AzTnV<)lGZՃ)` B+Rq$aUq@>ql\ƞb$֙xHKqwg%_}?P֢u*J wSY (B6$r9M2 379Q4Ye' [:MˌV5bgfVyᏱ=oؽL2e1rRYH/3r0WjյaHpqUN"k]jBTfiC~?ћ$?JIcia.[49.0z=Q1O_C{ml'h RegZ%RkS4]5-&ԀFAQYxaY#*e3d`~u1ةY$`Z[xTLV=սޝ(Tvaʚ Ru !fXރ޻=^r-;dEvMXF1"=\x4w 9NqҊwί]AV'MuhlK!`DLew/aq$29q/f>ck31.ɣkDsװ+}%WpAۃd2 *9u2 _b6ryBqGOANix$X$WݛL)n$6kWӬ8r@2d$zw5.H RaXW7or,;@\ҳ*+5 #2I1$J҂[[ Q#,䜖>湙nHE" MJM^?\kgpW(bItg2`[;]( yOjąNVVLc] ,1)W=o0 [( +Գc^,ا3tL׽tҼ9 edl| p;W7m%bB^ ZoXݻ` j7bhCbq(ЏO{$i# X`kjĺ@-"8%Aڶbe9~WH>rU5CA-c5Q!%SH\li!r3T5<&Y@;:)m&Isό|T8%FRs=Y?:] ђy!d :GFKAp1k~RƊǛH ǨȋsnKW: @Ms&Hv!U*ֻ2ٖ` :Ժ~ndvqJhrV swo,n|;5rLM[]WW$u#9]N7Us{Eѕrhb2ݱvኮ|/i!-QVhD TH1Tl9f|l/BO.EhHɾ QCn=m3 ȤqU湽;ez J&Lenբ;hvnKq^ZN9SARgqG)m5i|-Rhȫj%r}I%OέGZimm.fI~csU׻ Ἡ2ܒd ӏtr 7y9&Dc2Iۍ@#cXb&)=.+#06j+ kls0(s+R&fgCHZ~QXF@SLxv{i$qOʊ+t$Zh8 .ߢ(}d4PP?JWJO%y1i9jEnU dzRii0"+㞝iZh'sO A#րb(IΊQ' the weight room would come by to see what all the hootin and hollerin was about. They would stick their head in to see someone breaking a record in one of the core lifts with all his teammates surrounding him, encouraging, cheering him on, and helping him achieve his goals. To add even more to the enthusiasm, every personal record would culminate in the ringing of a special bell in the weight room, signifying that a record had been broken.<br> Because all the kids were on the same program, they all experienced the same victories and struggles, and this fostered great empathy for their teammates and great team morale, says Gorham.  Our kids are just so excited to get into the weight room every day they want to break records and keep setting new goals. In fact, during one major snowstorm that forced the weight room to close for the day, several players came up to Coach Gorham to express their disappointment they would not be able to lift.<br>Another factor that helps motivate the Townies is the desire to please their fans.  We have terrific fan support. I think people would say without question that Friday night at Pierce Field, which is where we play, is an outstanding evening. We have 150 kids in the band, we have between the cheerleaders and flag choir another 50 kids it s a big following. In addition to packing the home stands, on away games they usually outdraw the team they re playing.<br><br>The Payoff<br><br>Despite the shortage of experienced players this year, East Providence finished the regular season with an 8-2 record, which earned them a place in the playoffs. Gorham describes the semifinal game as a  good ol fashioned mud fest against St. Raphael Academy. The game was highlighted by senior fullback Jamie Silva s 173 yards and three touchdowns on the slippery turf and a 26-21 victory. Finally, they found themselves in the championship game against the number-one seed, La Salle. <br>La Salle was riding a 24-game winning streak that included two state championships. When the game began, the more than 8,000 fans in attendance saw La Salle pick apart East Providence s five-man line until the Townies found themselves facing a 21-point deficit. But the Townies conditioning came through and the defense stopped La Salle from scoring again. Likewise, the offense did its part as their spread-option attack shocked La Salle with 35 unanswered points, winning East Providence the state title, 35-21. <br>On the bus ride home, the atmosphere was electric.  On any bus ride anywhere after that kind of achievement, kids sing and chant a lot of different things, says Coach Gorham.  This year a chant came from the back of the bus that we ve never heard before. It was shouted with so much enthusiasm that you just felt the gratitude and belief the kids had in what they were proclaiming. It was the longest and loudest chant on that memorable day. It was  BFS! BFS! BFS! <br>In the post-season awards, four Townies earned first-team all-state honors, with Silva earning a full scholarship to Boston College. With all his players achievements and his own coaching success, it wouldn t surprise anyone if Coach Gorham pursued a job at the college level. But he says,  I m very happy where I am right now. I think I can have a greater impact on kids lives at the high school level than at the collegiate level. Coach Gorham enthusiastically acknowledges his players commit