High School: Rogers
Maybe defending Division I baseball champion Cranston West was devastated by graduation. But if the Falcons’ season opener was any indication, they’re not exactly going to fly meekly into the night.
Toll Gate led Cranston West 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth when Joe Nicolace tied the score with a single and winning pitcher Bryan Stetson (who relieved starter Rich Reo in the top of the seventh) drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run.
Still, coach Rob Malo faces a major challenge in that his complete starting lineup departed via the cap-and-gown route last spring.
What’s noteworthy about Cranston West’s success is that the Falcons have won three of the last six Division I state titles and broken the stranglehold Hendricken had on the championship trophy.
Perhaps the one team that might be favored to win the state title is North Kingstown – a feat the Skippers last accomplished 44 years ago.
North Kingstown will be led by First Team All-State third baseman Chris Hess who drove in 42 runs in 29 overall games plus first baseman Jared Habershaw who plated 41 runs and sophomore pitcher Dom Grillo who was 7-0 in his first season on the varsity.
The Skippers last season advanced to the third game of the best-of-three finals only to be torched 18-7 by the Falcons.
CLIPPERS IN SAME POSITION AS FALCONS
Cumberland’s softball team can sympathize with the Cranston West baseball team in that the Clippers annexed their first Division I state championship and then were wiped out by graduation.
Cumberland coach Marty Crowley lost a trio of All-State selections – pitcher Beth Paul, catcher Krissey Peffer and second baseman Christina Speroni.
In addition, junior All-State outfielder Bridget Connors will be sidelined for the season after suffering a knee injury.
The only senior on the team is third baseman Rebecca Geddes.
IMPRESSIVE START
Middletown’s McKenna Barlow was a one-girl wrecking crew as the Islanders blanked Rogers, 12-0, in the Division II-South opener for both teams.
Barlow not only pitched a no-hitter, replete with nine strikeouts. But she also went 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Toll Gate led Cranston West 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth when Joe Nicolace tied the score with a single and winning pitcher Bryan Stetson (who relieved starter Rich Reo in the top of the seventh) drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run.
Still, coach Rob Malo faces a major challenge in that his complete starting lineup departed via the cap-and-gown route last spring.
What’s noteworthy about Cranston West’s success is that the Falcons have won three of the last six Division I state titles and broken the stranglehold Hendricken had on the championship trophy.
Perhaps the one team that might be favored to win the state title is North Kingstown – a feat the Skippers last accomplished 44 years ago.
North Kingstown will be led by First Team All-State third baseman Chris Hess who drove in 42 runs in 29 overall games plus first baseman Jared Habershaw who plated 41 runs and sophomore pitcher Dom Grillo who was 7-0 in his first season on the varsity.
The Skippers last season advanced to the third game of the best-of-three finals only to be torched 18-7 by the Falcons.
CLIPPERS IN SAME POSITION AS FALCONS
Cumberland’s softball team can sympathize with the Cranston West baseball team in that the Clippers annexed their first Division I state championship and then were wiped out by graduation.
Cumberland coach Marty Crowley lost a trio of All-State selections – pitcher Beth Paul, catcher Krissey Peffer and second baseman Christina Speroni.
In addition, junior All-State outfielder Bridget Connors will be sidelined for the season after suffering a knee injury.
The only senior on the team is third baseman Rebecca Geddes.
IMPRESSIVE START
Middletown’s McKenna Barlow was a one-girl wrecking crew as the Islanders blanked Rogers, 12-0, in the Division II-South opener for both teams.
Barlow not only pitched a no-hitter, replete with nine strikeouts. But she also went 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
March, 22, 2012
Mar 22
3:23
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
From 1968 through 1992, Central High dominated boys’ basketball in Rhode Island.
Under coaching legends Jim Adams and Don Pastine, the Knights captured 11 of 24 state championships including seven in a row from 1968-75.
Players like Rickey Santos, Marvin Barnes, Mike Hazard and current Providence College head coach Ed Cooley became household names.
But when parochial schools like Hendricken, St. Raphael and La Salle began capitalizing on their ability to draw student-athletes from all over the state, the scales titled in their favor to the point where they annexed 16 of the last 17 titles prior to this season.
Fifth-seeded Central turned the clock back earlier this month when it beat intra-city rival/14th-seeded Hope, 66-59 behind the stellar play of Jerelle Washington.
Washington, a sophomore, tossed in 28 points – 16 in the second half which enabled the Knights to overcome an 11-point deficit and clinch their 12th state title – in the first time they’ve played the Blue Wave for the championship since 1971.
The Knights finished the season with a 19-5 overall record and broke Hope’s eight-game winning streak in the process.
Central beat ninth-seeded Rogers, 54-46, in the semifinals as Daniel Mendez scored 16 points.
The Blue Wave (14-12) advanced to the finals for the first time since 2007 by defeating second-seeded La Salle, 69-65, in overtime.
Manny Kargbo scored five of his overall 24 points at the free throw line in OT to help clinch the victory.
THREE FOR THE COURT
La Salle Academy, Narragansett and Juanita Sanchez captured the Division 1, 2 and 3 girls’ state basketball championships, respectively. But while winning titles is old news for the Rams, it made front-page headlines for the Mariners and Cavaliers.
Narragansett beat Classical, 51-40, for the Division II title – the school’s first in 18 years.
Juanita Sanchez, meanwhile, claimed the Division III crown by defeating defending champion Middletown, 49-36 – the first in the eight-year history of the program.
La Salle, not surprisingly, walked off with its ninth Division I title since the 1998-99 season by outlasting Bay View, 53-49.
Narragansett’s Mercedes Harris earned MVP honors after posting a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
The Cavaliers (23-3 overall) won more than eight games for the first time in program history.
D’Asia Allen paced Juanita Sanchez with 18 points, which helped Tyrone Dale win a state title in his first season as the team’s head coach.
The “hook” in the La Salle-Bay View game was that each team finished 18-0 in its respective division (La Salle in I-South and Bay View in I-North).
Davida Dale paced La Salle with 13 points while Vandell Andrade led Bay View with 16.
RAMS CLIMB OVER MOUNT
Maybe Hendricken won’t win a gazillion state hockey championships like Mount St. Charles has over the decades. But the Hawks will cherish their most recent title moreso than most.
Why? One reason being it snapped Mount’s current run of consecutive State Championship Division crowns at four.
Secondly, the Hawks did something few teams have been able to do when they faced Mount in the third and deciding game of a best-of-three series – win that game, in this case, 5-2.
Invariably, when the Mounties drop Game 1, the running joke is they have their opponent just where they want them – in position to be swept over the final two games.
Junior Paul Filipone etched his name into Hendricken sports lore by not only scoring in overtime to give his team a 4-3 victory in Game 1 but he also scored two of the Hawks’ first four goals in Game 3.
Filipone scored once in each of the first two periods while Justin Finan drove a dagger into the Mounties’ collective hearts with a second-period goal which produced a 4-1 lead.
Mount forced a deciding game when Brian Larence made 32 saves to backstop a 3-2 victory.
ON OTHER ICE
Don’t ask why the smallest state in the country has four state hockey tournaments.
Actually, the reason is there’s such a gap between the various schools that it’s a virtual necessity.
Moses Brown copped the Division I crown by sweeping Barrington 6-4 and 4-2.
The Quakers thus ended their hockey affiliation with the Interscholastic League in style because they’ll be playing an independent schedule commencing next season.
Junior Nathan Farrington came up big in the third period of each game by twice scoring two goals. His short-handed goal in Game 2 gave the Quakers a 3-1 lead – a margin they didn’t relinquish.
Coventry retained its Division II championship by sweeping Prout 2-0 and 6-1.
Junior Mike Presola was voted tourney MVP honors after scoring three goals and assisting on two.
During their two-year championship run, the Oakers have compiled a 33-3-0 regular-season record.
“Townie Pride” has taken a blow over the last year as East Providence has been beset with serious financial problems. But the hockey team put those woes on the back burner for a while by nipping Mount Hope, 2-1, in the Game 3 of their Division III championship series.
As a result, the Townies earned their first state hockey title in seven years.
Ryan Barry was named the tournament’s MVP by scoring one goal and assisting on five others.
CHARIHO TRACKS DOWN NATIONAL RECORD
Another of the state’s smaller schools made major waves on the national track scene at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in The Big Apple.
The quartet of Dan Kilcoyne, Bryce Kelley, Jake Kilcoyne and Mike Marsella captured the 4-x-1-mile relay in a national-record time of 17:20.20 – breaking the previous mark by 1.38 seconds.
The Chargers, who’re coached by Bill Haberek, beat out such long-time powers as Shaker High (Latham, N.Y.) and Christian Brothers (Lincroft, N.J.).
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball, football and hockey plus minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y, he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
Under coaching legends Jim Adams and Don Pastine, the Knights captured 11 of 24 state championships including seven in a row from 1968-75.
Players like Rickey Santos, Marvin Barnes, Mike Hazard and current Providence College head coach Ed Cooley became household names.
But when parochial schools like Hendricken, St. Raphael and La Salle began capitalizing on their ability to draw student-athletes from all over the state, the scales titled in their favor to the point where they annexed 16 of the last 17 titles prior to this season.
Fifth-seeded Central turned the clock back earlier this month when it beat intra-city rival/14th-seeded Hope, 66-59 behind the stellar play of Jerelle Washington.
Washington, a sophomore, tossed in 28 points – 16 in the second half which enabled the Knights to overcome an 11-point deficit and clinch their 12th state title – in the first time they’ve played the Blue Wave for the championship since 1971.
The Knights finished the season with a 19-5 overall record and broke Hope’s eight-game winning streak in the process.
Central beat ninth-seeded Rogers, 54-46, in the semifinals as Daniel Mendez scored 16 points.
The Blue Wave (14-12) advanced to the finals for the first time since 2007 by defeating second-seeded La Salle, 69-65, in overtime.
Manny Kargbo scored five of his overall 24 points at the free throw line in OT to help clinch the victory.
THREE FOR THE COURT
La Salle Academy, Narragansett and Juanita Sanchez captured the Division 1, 2 and 3 girls’ state basketball championships, respectively. But while winning titles is old news for the Rams, it made front-page headlines for the Mariners and Cavaliers.
Narragansett beat Classical, 51-40, for the Division II title – the school’s first in 18 years.
Juanita Sanchez, meanwhile, claimed the Division III crown by defeating defending champion Middletown, 49-36 – the first in the eight-year history of the program.
La Salle, not surprisingly, walked off with its ninth Division I title since the 1998-99 season by outlasting Bay View, 53-49.
Narragansett’s Mercedes Harris earned MVP honors after posting a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
The Cavaliers (23-3 overall) won more than eight games for the first time in program history.
D’Asia Allen paced Juanita Sanchez with 18 points, which helped Tyrone Dale win a state title in his first season as the team’s head coach.
The “hook” in the La Salle-Bay View game was that each team finished 18-0 in its respective division (La Salle in I-South and Bay View in I-North).
Davida Dale paced La Salle with 13 points while Vandell Andrade led Bay View with 16.
RAMS CLIMB OVER MOUNT
Maybe Hendricken won’t win a gazillion state hockey championships like Mount St. Charles has over the decades. But the Hawks will cherish their most recent title moreso than most.
Why? One reason being it snapped Mount’s current run of consecutive State Championship Division crowns at four.
Secondly, the Hawks did something few teams have been able to do when they faced Mount in the third and deciding game of a best-of-three series – win that game, in this case, 5-2.
Invariably, when the Mounties drop Game 1, the running joke is they have their opponent just where they want them – in position to be swept over the final two games.
Junior Paul Filipone etched his name into Hendricken sports lore by not only scoring in overtime to give his team a 4-3 victory in Game 1 but he also scored two of the Hawks’ first four goals in Game 3.
Filipone scored once in each of the first two periods while Justin Finan drove a dagger into the Mounties’ collective hearts with a second-period goal which produced a 4-1 lead.
Mount forced a deciding game when Brian Larence made 32 saves to backstop a 3-2 victory.
ON OTHER ICE
Don’t ask why the smallest state in the country has four state hockey tournaments.
Actually, the reason is there’s such a gap between the various schools that it’s a virtual necessity.
Moses Brown copped the Division I crown by sweeping Barrington 6-4 and 4-2.
The Quakers thus ended their hockey affiliation with the Interscholastic League in style because they’ll be playing an independent schedule commencing next season.
Junior Nathan Farrington came up big in the third period of each game by twice scoring two goals. His short-handed goal in Game 2 gave the Quakers a 3-1 lead – a margin they didn’t relinquish.
Coventry retained its Division II championship by sweeping Prout 2-0 and 6-1.
Junior Mike Presola was voted tourney MVP honors after scoring three goals and assisting on two.
During their two-year championship run, the Oakers have compiled a 33-3-0 regular-season record.
“Townie Pride” has taken a blow over the last year as East Providence has been beset with serious financial problems. But the hockey team put those woes on the back burner for a while by nipping Mount Hope, 2-1, in the Game 3 of their Division III championship series.
As a result, the Townies earned their first state hockey title in seven years.
Ryan Barry was named the tournament’s MVP by scoring one goal and assisting on five others.
CHARIHO TRACKS DOWN NATIONAL RECORD
Another of the state’s smaller schools made major waves on the national track scene at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in The Big Apple.
The quartet of Dan Kilcoyne, Bryce Kelley, Jake Kilcoyne and Mike Marsella captured the 4-x-1-mile relay in a national-record time of 17:20.20 – breaking the previous mark by 1.38 seconds.
The Chargers, who’re coached by Bill Haberek, beat out such long-time powers as Shaker High (Latham, N.Y.) and Christian Brothers (Lincroft, N.J.).
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball, football and hockey plus minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y, he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
February, 9, 2012
Feb 9
3:56
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
At the risk of using a horse-racing metaphor, Cranston West High recorded a “daily double” when Words Unlimited announced its award winners for the 2011 calendar year.
Jeff Diehl, who starred in basketball and baseball, was voted the Schoolboy Athlete of the Year while Falcons baseball coach Rob Malo was voted the Schoolboy Sports Coach of the Year.
Diehl, a senior, led the Falcons to the first-ever Division I basketball championship in school history.
Then, in the spring, he hit .537 with six home runs and 27 RBI as the Falcons compiled a 13-5 regular-season record. His production was a major reason why Cranston West won the Division I state championship.
When June rolled around, Diehl was selected in the 23rd round by the New York Mets.
Malo replaced veteran and eminently successful coach Chuck Jones in 2007 – two years after the Falcons won their first Division I state baseball title since 1975.
The Falcons finished the 2011 season on top of the Division I pile as they spotted North Kingstown a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals and won the next two games to capture the state championship.
On the distaff side, La Salle’s twin sisters Madison and McKenzie Meehan were voted co-Schoolgirl Athletes of the Year while Barrington cross-country coach Annmarie Marino was named the Schoolgirl Sports Coach of the Year.
Last fall, Madison Meehan led the country in assists with 44 while McKenzie led the nation in scoring with 80 goals as the Rams won their fourth consecutive Division I state soccer championship.
Each Meehan also earned All-State honors the previous winter as the Rams annexed their fifth straight state indoor title.
Marino guided the Eagles to both the Class A and State championships. The state title was the first in school history since 1994.
Words Unlimited is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
Jeff Diehl, who starred in basketball and baseball, was voted the Schoolboy Athlete of the Year while Falcons baseball coach Rob Malo was voted the Schoolboy Sports Coach of the Year.
Diehl, a senior, led the Falcons to the first-ever Division I basketball championship in school history.
Then, in the spring, he hit .537 with six home runs and 27 RBI as the Falcons compiled a 13-5 regular-season record. His production was a major reason why Cranston West won the Division I state championship.
When June rolled around, Diehl was selected in the 23rd round by the New York Mets.
Malo replaced veteran and eminently successful coach Chuck Jones in 2007 – two years after the Falcons won their first Division I state baseball title since 1975.
The Falcons finished the 2011 season on top of the Division I pile as they spotted North Kingstown a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals and won the next two games to capture the state championship.
On the distaff side, La Salle’s twin sisters Madison and McKenzie Meehan were voted co-Schoolgirl Athletes of the Year while Barrington cross-country coach Annmarie Marino was named the Schoolgirl Sports Coach of the Year.
Last fall, Madison Meehan led the country in assists with 44 while McKenzie led the nation in scoring with 80 goals as the Rams won their fourth consecutive Division I state soccer championship.
Each Meehan also earned All-State honors the previous winter as the Rams annexed their fifth straight state indoor title.
Marino guided the Eagles to both the Class A and State championships. The state title was the first in school history since 1994.
Words Unlimited is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
January, 12, 2012
Jan 12
6:53
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
Those of a certain age remember the slogan for Timex watches: “They take a licking and keep on ticking.”
The same could be said of the St. Raphael Academy boys’ basketball team.
Defending CIAC Class L champion New London smacked the Saints upside the head last Saturday en route to a 66-55 victory at the CCRI Knight Campus Fieldhouse.
With the memory of that loss still fresh in their minds, the Saints took the floor Tuesday night for a key, early-season game against Central.
The Saints edged the Knights, 57-54, and remained atop the Interscholastic League’s new Power Points Standings with a 6-0 record (SRA is 9-1 overall).
Leading the way was SRA’s 1-2 punch of Charles Correa and Cesar Mejia.
Correa, who struggled to score 15 points against New London, led both teams with 19 points while Mejia chipped in with 18 (before the game, Mejia was honored for having scored his 1000th career point earlier in the season).
Granted, the game was marked by a series of turnovers. But when clutch time rolled around, SRA held Central (5-1, 5-2) to four free throws in the final minute.
Conversely, while the Saints were soaring, perennial state power Hendricken High’s Hawks were floundering. At the moment, the Hawks are 1-4 and rank 33rd in the Power Points standings.
Given the new rules changes imposed for this season, one of which requires a team to win at least 40 percent of its league games to qualify for post-season play, the Hawks could be in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in decades.
The top 32 teams qualify.
Hendricken absorbed a brutal 55-53 loss at the hands of arch-rival La Salle on Jan. 3, which did zero to bolster the team’s confidence.
Among other things, a lack of offense has been the proverbial Achilles’ heel for the Hawks who’ve been minus their top returning player, Lee Messier, who’s been sidelined with a sprained ankle.
The same could be said of the St. Raphael Academy boys’ basketball team.
Defending CIAC Class L champion New London smacked the Saints upside the head last Saturday en route to a 66-55 victory at the CCRI Knight Campus Fieldhouse.
With the memory of that loss still fresh in their minds, the Saints took the floor Tuesday night for a key, early-season game against Central.
The Saints edged the Knights, 57-54, and remained atop the Interscholastic League’s new Power Points Standings with a 6-0 record (SRA is 9-1 overall).
Leading the way was SRA’s 1-2 punch of Charles Correa and Cesar Mejia.
Correa, who struggled to score 15 points against New London, led both teams with 19 points while Mejia chipped in with 18 (before the game, Mejia was honored for having scored his 1000th career point earlier in the season).
Granted, the game was marked by a series of turnovers. But when clutch time rolled around, SRA held Central (5-1, 5-2) to four free throws in the final minute.
Conversely, while the Saints were soaring, perennial state power Hendricken High’s Hawks were floundering. At the moment, the Hawks are 1-4 and rank 33rd in the Power Points standings.
Given the new rules changes imposed for this season, one of which requires a team to win at least 40 percent of its league games to qualify for post-season play, the Hawks could be in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in decades.
The top 32 teams qualify.
Hendricken absorbed a brutal 55-53 loss at the hands of arch-rival La Salle on Jan. 3, which did zero to bolster the team’s confidence.
Among other things, a lack of offense has been the proverbial Achilles’ heel for the Hawks who’ve been minus their top returning player, Lee Messier, who’s been sidelined with a sprained ankle.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
December, 16, 2011
12/16/11
12:55
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
And you wonder why coaches become prematurely gray and develop ulcers?
Just ask Hendricken coach Keith Croft and Chariho coach Mike Kelly.
Each coach reached for something to soothe their stomachs after his team won its respective Super Bowl.
Hendricken retained its Division I title by upsetting previously-undefeated La Salle, 17-14, while Chariho won the Division II title – the first state football championship in school history – by edging Central, 26-25.
How each team won was the stuff of legend.
La Salle led 14-10 with 55 seconds left in regulation when Laionel Cintron caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Brannigan which helped avenge a 39-14 pasting the Hawks suffered at the hands of the Rams in September.
The championship was the eighth in school history for the Hawks. And, ironically, the reception only was Cintron’s 13th of the season for the run-oriented Hawks.
Chariho trailed 25-20 with four minutes left on the clock thanks to a second touchdown run by Central’s Mike Washington. But on the ensuing kickoff, Colton place caught the ball on his two and sprinted 98 yards for arguably the biggest touchdown in Chariho history – one that produced the 26-25 victory.
The other two Super Bowls had less dramatic finishes but were just as important to the respective victors.
Rogers, which at one time dominated Division I, beat Middletown 27-7 for the Division III title while Mount Pleasant captured its second consecutive Division IV Super Bowl title by outlasting Central Falls, 22-13.
Senior Reeyon Watts helped the Vikings avenge a loss in the 2010 Super Bowl to the Islanders by rushing for 170 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries.
The title was the first as a coach for Rogers’ alumnus Frank Newsome who played on three Division I Super Bowl teams from 1988-90.
Emmanuel Marsh caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Dunlap and scored on a four-yard run to pace the Kilties.
In addition, Marsh played a solid game at safety – a position he had not played before the Super Bowl because coach Paul Rao felt he would best fit in a Cover-3 defense.
Just ask Hendricken coach Keith Croft and Chariho coach Mike Kelly.
Each coach reached for something to soothe their stomachs after his team won its respective Super Bowl.
Hendricken retained its Division I title by upsetting previously-undefeated La Salle, 17-14, while Chariho won the Division II title – the first state football championship in school history – by edging Central, 26-25.
How each team won was the stuff of legend.
La Salle led 14-10 with 55 seconds left in regulation when Laionel Cintron caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Brannigan which helped avenge a 39-14 pasting the Hawks suffered at the hands of the Rams in September.
The championship was the eighth in school history for the Hawks. And, ironically, the reception only was Cintron’s 13th of the season for the run-oriented Hawks.
Chariho trailed 25-20 with four minutes left on the clock thanks to a second touchdown run by Central’s Mike Washington. But on the ensuing kickoff, Colton place caught the ball on his two and sprinted 98 yards for arguably the biggest touchdown in Chariho history – one that produced the 26-25 victory.
The other two Super Bowls had less dramatic finishes but were just as important to the respective victors.
Rogers, which at one time dominated Division I, beat Middletown 27-7 for the Division III title while Mount Pleasant captured its second consecutive Division IV Super Bowl title by outlasting Central Falls, 22-13.
Senior Reeyon Watts helped the Vikings avenge a loss in the 2010 Super Bowl to the Islanders by rushing for 170 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries.
The title was the first as a coach for Rogers’ alumnus Frank Newsome who played on three Division I Super Bowl teams from 1988-90.
Emmanuel Marsh caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Dunlap and scored on a four-yard run to pace the Kilties.
In addition, Marsh played a solid game at safety – a position he had not played before the Super Bowl because coach Paul Rao felt he would best fit in a Cover-3 defense.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
November, 30, 2011
11/30/11
6:50
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
It didn’t require the second coming of Bill Belichick to foresee that two best teams in Division I would meet in the Super Bowl.
After all, La Salle was the only team in the state to finish with an undefeated league record. And Hendricken’s only loss was to the Rams by a 39-14 score way back on Sept. 16.
This dream – and unique – matchup was determined when La Salle routed East Providence, 41-14 and Hendricken emulated the Rams by hanging a 42-14 loss on South Kingstown in the semifinals.
Ironically, in the 39 years that the Rhode Island Interscholastic League has held Super Bowls, the Rams and Hawks have yet to meet in the championship game.
The Hawks will be making their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl and will get a chance to defend their title due in large part to the play of their defense against the Rebels and the play of quarterback Ryan Brannigan.
After spotting the Rebels a 7-0 lead, on Garrett O’Dowd’s 72-yard punt return, Hendricken slammed the door and held South Kingstown to a paltry four years in total offense in the team’s first four possessions.
Brannigan, meanwhile, scored on a pair of one-yard runs and threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Webb.
The Rams hardly broke a sweat while dispatching the Townies for the second time in six days.
After romping to a 34-13 victory in their annual Thanksgiving Day clash, the Rams bolted to a 34-0 halftime lead which rendered the remaining 24 minutes as football’s equivalent of garbage time.
Josh Morris, who may be the best back in the state, accounted for 117 yards and one touchdown on eight carries, and also caught five passes for 92 yards and three more scores.
Now, check this out.
Since dropping a non-league game to Bridgewater-Raynham, the Rams have reeled off five consecutive victories during which they’ve outscored their opponents by combined margin of 181-61.
After all, La Salle was the only team in the state to finish with an undefeated league record. And Hendricken’s only loss was to the Rams by a 39-14 score way back on Sept. 16.
This dream – and unique – matchup was determined when La Salle routed East Providence, 41-14 and Hendricken emulated the Rams by hanging a 42-14 loss on South Kingstown in the semifinals.
Ironically, in the 39 years that the Rhode Island Interscholastic League has held Super Bowls, the Rams and Hawks have yet to meet in the championship game.
The Hawks will be making their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl and will get a chance to defend their title due in large part to the play of their defense against the Rebels and the play of quarterback Ryan Brannigan.
After spotting the Rebels a 7-0 lead, on Garrett O’Dowd’s 72-yard punt return, Hendricken slammed the door and held South Kingstown to a paltry four years in total offense in the team’s first four possessions.
Brannigan, meanwhile, scored on a pair of one-yard runs and threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Webb.
The Rams hardly broke a sweat while dispatching the Townies for the second time in six days.
After romping to a 34-13 victory in their annual Thanksgiving Day clash, the Rams bolted to a 34-0 halftime lead which rendered the remaining 24 minutes as football’s equivalent of garbage time.
Josh Morris, who may be the best back in the state, accounted for 117 yards and one touchdown on eight carries, and also caught five passes for 92 yards and three more scores.
Now, check this out.
Since dropping a non-league game to Bridgewater-Raynham, the Rams have reeled off five consecutive victories during which they’ve outscored their opponents by combined margin of 181-61.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
October, 20, 2011
10/20/11
1:34
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
Call it the calm before the proverbial storm as far as Rhode Island Division I football teams were concerned.
First-place La Salle (4-0, 5-1) absorbed its first loss of the season as the Rams bowed, 27-16 to Bridgewater-Raynham in a non-league game Saturday.
As for the three teams that are tied for second place, Hendricken (3-1) and Cranston West (3-1) were idle while East Providence (3-1, 5-1) beat Mount Hope, 36-20, in a non-league game.
That was a good news-bad news scenario as far as the Townies were concerned.
The good news was that quarterback Brandon Peters ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Moreover, it was the second straight impressive game for Peters who ran for two touchdowns and threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Victor Adewusi in a 27-19 win over Cranston East on Oct. 7.
The bad news was that the Townies were penalized an unbelievable 16 times for 128 yards against the Huskies.
But at the mid-point of the season, the best is yet to come.
Following is a list of games that could (should?) have a bearing on who wins the regular-season title and earns the No. 1 seed in November’s tournament:
The Hawks (4-1 overall) may have the division’s best running game led by Lou Falcone and Ryan Brannigan.
Heading into the East Providence game, Falcone has carried the ball 52 times for 386 yards (a 7.4-yard average) and eight touchdowns, while Brannigan has ran 55 times for 385 yards (7.0-yard average) and four scores.
Cranston West plays a non-league game Friday at Dennis-Yarmouth and the Dolphins may regret scheduling this contest because the Falcons are still seething after their first loss of the season – 40-7 to South Kingstown.
When all is said and done, that upset could wind up biting the Falcons where it hurts the most.
First-place La Salle (4-0, 5-1) absorbed its first loss of the season as the Rams bowed, 27-16 to Bridgewater-Raynham in a non-league game Saturday.
As for the three teams that are tied for second place, Hendricken (3-1) and Cranston West (3-1) were idle while East Providence (3-1, 5-1) beat Mount Hope, 36-20, in a non-league game.
That was a good news-bad news scenario as far as the Townies were concerned.
The good news was that quarterback Brandon Peters ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Moreover, it was the second straight impressive game for Peters who ran for two touchdowns and threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Victor Adewusi in a 27-19 win over Cranston East on Oct. 7.
The bad news was that the Townies were penalized an unbelievable 16 times for 128 yards against the Huskies.
But at the mid-point of the season, the best is yet to come.
Following is a list of games that could (should?) have a bearing on who wins the regular-season title and earns the No. 1 seed in November’s tournament:
- October 21 – East Providence at Hendricken.
- October 28 – Cranston West at La Salle and Barrington (3-2) at East Providence.
- November 4 – Cranston West at Hendricken.
- November 24 (Thanksgiving Day) – La Salle at East Providence.
The Hawks (4-1 overall) may have the division’s best running game led by Lou Falcone and Ryan Brannigan.
Heading into the East Providence game, Falcone has carried the ball 52 times for 386 yards (a 7.4-yard average) and eight touchdowns, while Brannigan has ran 55 times for 385 yards (7.0-yard average) and four scores.
Cranston West plays a non-league game Friday at Dennis-Yarmouth and the Dolphins may regret scheduling this contest because the Falcons are still seething after their first loss of the season – 40-7 to South Kingstown.
When all is said and done, that upset could wind up biting the Falcons where it hurts the most.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
February, 24, 2011
2/24/11
1:59
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
Instead of calling it the Rhode Island interscholastic League Boys’ State Swimming Championships, perhaps the event should be re-named “The Hendricken Invitational.”
Coach Dave Hansen’s Hawks splashed their way to a mind-boggling 21st consecutive state title on February 20 – and it wasn’t even close. The Hawks amassed 314 points as compared with second-place Barrington who swam home with 194 at the University of Rhode Island.
What made this latest championship even more noteworthy was the fact Hendricken failed to win a single individual event. Hansen needed points from only eight swimmers to cop the school’s latest title. And the Hawks did their most damage by winning two relays. Ian Dinwoodie and Andrew Robinson swam in the meet’s final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, while Mike Fedorenko, Alex Powers, Dave Evans and Jack Kilpatrick each were on one championship relay (the other was the 200-yard medley).
Hendricken earned 40 points by winning the 200 medley relay and recorded 54 points in the first individual event, the 200-yard freestyle. By the time the latter ended, the Hawks had a commanding lead.
Coach Dave Hansen’s Hawks splashed their way to a mind-boggling 21st consecutive state title on February 20 – and it wasn’t even close. The Hawks amassed 314 points as compared with second-place Barrington who swam home with 194 at the University of Rhode Island.
What made this latest championship even more noteworthy was the fact Hendricken failed to win a single individual event. Hansen needed points from only eight swimmers to cop the school’s latest title. And the Hawks did their most damage by winning two relays. Ian Dinwoodie and Andrew Robinson swam in the meet’s final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, while Mike Fedorenko, Alex Powers, Dave Evans and Jack Kilpatrick each were on one championship relay (the other was the 200-yard medley).
Hendricken earned 40 points by winning the 200 medley relay and recorded 54 points in the first individual event, the 200-yard freestyle. By the time the latter ended, the Hawks had a commanding lead.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
November, 17, 2010
11/17/10
2:31
PM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
St. Raphael Academy bused to Johnston High on Nov. 12 for a football game and a basketball game broke out.
How else to explain the fact SRA out-gunned the Panthers, 56-50 –- in overtime, no less?
First, as a means of explanation.
Due to the quirky nature of Rhode Island Interscholastic League football, the top four teams in Division II-A and II-B commenced quarterfinal play last weekend -- while teams in the other three divisions were still jockeying for berths in their respective tournaments.
Quarterback Trevor Vasey, son of one-time SRA head coach Todd Vasey, did his best Tom Brady impersonation as he riddled the Panthers for 295 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite his aeronautic proficiency, the Saints trailed 42-28 in the fourth quarter before Andrew Pognon forced overtime by reeling off a 36-yard touchdown run.
Johnston quickly went four-and-out before SRA won it on a 12-yard run by Charles Correa.
The Saints thus advanced to the semifinals on Nov. 30 against cross-town rival Tolman.
The Tigers, who captured the II-B title with a 7-0 record, eked out a 6-0 victory over Westerly on a 35-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joselito Knapp in the fourth quarter.
Woonsocket, who finished second to Tolman, maintained its chances of retaining the Division II championship by beating Central, 34-14.
The game wasn’t anywhere near as close as the final score might indicate because Woonsocket built a 27-0 lead after three quarters on a 35-yard touchdown run by Jalen Evans, a 37-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Reyes to Jesse Charette, a 39-yard run by Orlan Thomas and a 35-yard run by Edwin Jones.
Woonsocket will tackle Chariho in the other semifinal game on Nov. 30.
The Chargers beat Mount Hope in the teams’ quarterfinal game as Coltan Place ran for touchdowns of 22 yards in the first quarter and 21 yards in the fourth.
EXTRA POINTS
Hendricken’s Hawks displayed the mettle last week that, again, stamped them as the team to beat in the Division I Tournament.
The fact Hendricken belted Barrington, 38-14, to clinch its first undefeated league record in 15 years at 8-0 (the Hawks are 10-0 overall but play a non-league game against Toll Gate on Thanksgiving), only told part of the story.
Head coach Todd Croft missed virtually all of practice leading up to the Barrington game because his four-month-old son was recuperating from brain surgery.
In addition, Hendricken was minus All-State running back Ethan Ferreira whose season came to an end the previous week when he fractured a leg.
Quarterback Mike Maloof gave the Hawks a lead they wouldn’t relinquish when he threw first-half touchdown pass of nine yards to Zach Pacula and 45 yards to Rob Manning.
The Eagles, who captured the 2009 Division I Super Bowl, could be on the outside looking in since they also lost their previous game 28-21, to East Providence as Townie quarterback Rob Delgado accounted for three touchdowns.
Barrington (5-3) has completed its league season while the Townies (5-2), who belted winless South Kingstown 28-7 last Saturday (Delgado ran for 135 yards and two scores, has its Thanksgiving Day clash against La Salle (4-3) remaining.
Should La Salle win, it would create a three-way tie for the last two playoff berths in Division I, which means tiebreakers will determine which teams will join Hendricken and Portsmouth (6-2) in the tournament.
Elsewhere:
Barrington, Smithfield and Classical emerged as the state’s three boys’ soccer champions.
The Eagles captured the 11th Division I title in school history by edging Shea, 2-1, on a pair of goals by Jeff Craven. Despite the loss, the season was memorable for the Raiders who were playing for the first time in the state’s top division.
East Greenwich entered the Division II finale riding a 38-game unbeaten streak which dated back to the 2008 season. Smithfield made that streak history by edging the Avengers, 3-2, behind the play of tourney MVP Alex Bedrossian who scored two goals.
Classical capped a season for the ages by beating Exeter/West Greenwich, 3-1, due in large part to the play of defender Jose Zarraga who was voted the tournament’s MVP. En route to winning their first state title since 1984, the Purple compiled an 18-1-1 overall record.
All wasn’t lost for the Scarlet Knights since their girls’ team nipped Lincoln, 2-1, for the Division II crown – the first in the 19-year history of girls’ soccer at the school.
Freshman Kara Shaw scored with barely eight minutes left in regulation to give EWG the title.
La Salle maintained its dominance in Division I by blanking East Greenwich, 1-0, in the finals – Mackenzie Meehan scoring the game’s lone goal with two minutes left in regulation.
For the Rams, this was their third consecutive Division I state title as well their eighth in the last 10 years.
Narragansett, meanwhile, won its first state title since 1988 when it annexed the Division II crown by blanking Middletown, 1-0, in the Division III finals. Carla Porras’ goal midway through the second half proved to be all the scoring the Mariners would need.
RUNNING WILD
Cranston West’s Bob Allen wrote his name in the Interscholastic League’s record book by posting a cross-country version of a “double double.”
Allen captured the state championship on Nov. 7 by touring the 3.1-mile course at Ponaganset High in 15:30.86.
In the process, Allen became only the second runner (male or female) in school history to win the state cross-country title.
Then, one week later, Allen journeyed to Thetford, Vt..and won the New England Championship in a time of 16:28.5.
La Salle’s Molly Keating retained her title in the girls’ state championship race.
Hendricken’s boys won a third consecutive team title while the Rams extended their streak of consecutive team titles to four.
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball and hockey and minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y., he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame, which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
How else to explain the fact SRA out-gunned the Panthers, 56-50 –- in overtime, no less?
First, as a means of explanation.
Due to the quirky nature of Rhode Island Interscholastic League football, the top four teams in Division II-A and II-B commenced quarterfinal play last weekend -- while teams in the other three divisions were still jockeying for berths in their respective tournaments.
Quarterback Trevor Vasey, son of one-time SRA head coach Todd Vasey, did his best Tom Brady impersonation as he riddled the Panthers for 295 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite his aeronautic proficiency, the Saints trailed 42-28 in the fourth quarter before Andrew Pognon forced overtime by reeling off a 36-yard touchdown run.
Johnston quickly went four-and-out before SRA won it on a 12-yard run by Charles Correa.
The Saints thus advanced to the semifinals on Nov. 30 against cross-town rival Tolman.
The Tigers, who captured the II-B title with a 7-0 record, eked out a 6-0 victory over Westerly on a 35-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joselito Knapp in the fourth quarter.
Woonsocket, who finished second to Tolman, maintained its chances of retaining the Division II championship by beating Central, 34-14.
The game wasn’t anywhere near as close as the final score might indicate because Woonsocket built a 27-0 lead after three quarters on a 35-yard touchdown run by Jalen Evans, a 37-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Reyes to Jesse Charette, a 39-yard run by Orlan Thomas and a 35-yard run by Edwin Jones.
Woonsocket will tackle Chariho in the other semifinal game on Nov. 30.
The Chargers beat Mount Hope in the teams’ quarterfinal game as Coltan Place ran for touchdowns of 22 yards in the first quarter and 21 yards in the fourth.
EXTRA POINTS
Hendricken’s Hawks displayed the mettle last week that, again, stamped them as the team to beat in the Division I Tournament.
The fact Hendricken belted Barrington, 38-14, to clinch its first undefeated league record in 15 years at 8-0 (the Hawks are 10-0 overall but play a non-league game against Toll Gate on Thanksgiving), only told part of the story.
Head coach Todd Croft missed virtually all of practice leading up to the Barrington game because his four-month-old son was recuperating from brain surgery.
In addition, Hendricken was minus All-State running back Ethan Ferreira whose season came to an end the previous week when he fractured a leg.
Quarterback Mike Maloof gave the Hawks a lead they wouldn’t relinquish when he threw first-half touchdown pass of nine yards to Zach Pacula and 45 yards to Rob Manning.
The Eagles, who captured the 2009 Division I Super Bowl, could be on the outside looking in since they also lost their previous game 28-21, to East Providence as Townie quarterback Rob Delgado accounted for three touchdowns.
Barrington (5-3) has completed its league season while the Townies (5-2), who belted winless South Kingstown 28-7 last Saturday (Delgado ran for 135 yards and two scores, has its Thanksgiving Day clash against La Salle (4-3) remaining.
Should La Salle win, it would create a three-way tie for the last two playoff berths in Division I, which means tiebreakers will determine which teams will join Hendricken and Portsmouth (6-2) in the tournament.
Elsewhere:
- Division III champ Rogers (7-0, 8-1) tuned up for the playoffs by routing Division I North Kingstown, 34-6, thanks to three touchdowns by Chris Savage.
- Mount Pleasant (8-0) clinched the Division IV title by beating Exeter/West Greenwich, 43-23 behind Tevin Dale’s 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Barrington, Smithfield and Classical emerged as the state’s three boys’ soccer champions.
The Eagles captured the 11th Division I title in school history by edging Shea, 2-1, on a pair of goals by Jeff Craven. Despite the loss, the season was memorable for the Raiders who were playing for the first time in the state’s top division.
East Greenwich entered the Division II finale riding a 38-game unbeaten streak which dated back to the 2008 season. Smithfield made that streak history by edging the Avengers, 3-2, behind the play of tourney MVP Alex Bedrossian who scored two goals.
Classical capped a season for the ages by beating Exeter/West Greenwich, 3-1, due in large part to the play of defender Jose Zarraga who was voted the tournament’s MVP. En route to winning their first state title since 1984, the Purple compiled an 18-1-1 overall record.
All wasn’t lost for the Scarlet Knights since their girls’ team nipped Lincoln, 2-1, for the Division II crown – the first in the 19-year history of girls’ soccer at the school.
Freshman Kara Shaw scored with barely eight minutes left in regulation to give EWG the title.
La Salle maintained its dominance in Division I by blanking East Greenwich, 1-0, in the finals – Mackenzie Meehan scoring the game’s lone goal with two minutes left in regulation.
For the Rams, this was their third consecutive Division I state title as well their eighth in the last 10 years.
Narragansett, meanwhile, won its first state title since 1988 when it annexed the Division II crown by blanking Middletown, 1-0, in the Division III finals. Carla Porras’ goal midway through the second half proved to be all the scoring the Mariners would need.
RUNNING WILD
Cranston West’s Bob Allen wrote his name in the Interscholastic League’s record book by posting a cross-country version of a “double double.”
Allen captured the state championship on Nov. 7 by touring the 3.1-mile course at Ponaganset High in 15:30.86.
In the process, Allen became only the second runner (male or female) in school history to win the state cross-country title.
Then, one week later, Allen journeyed to Thetford, Vt..and won the New England Championship in a time of 16:28.5.
La Salle’s Molly Keating retained her title in the girls’ state championship race.
Hendricken’s boys won a third consecutive team title while the Rams extended their streak of consecutive team titles to four.
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball and hockey and minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y., he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame, which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
October, 20, 2010
10/20/10
10:26
AM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
Maybe it didn’t have all the glitz and glamour of the games Rogers High played against Division I rivals like La Salle, Hendricken and East Providence in the 1970s and 1980s. But the Vikings’ 7-0 victory over Aquidneck Island rival Middletown High on Oct. 15 put coach Frank Newsome’s team in a place that it’s seldom been over the last decade and a half -- first place in Division III.
Under the legendary John Toppa, Rogers won five Division I championships from 1973 through 1978 and five more from 1985 through 1990. But entering this season, the Vikings had posted only two winning records in the last nine years (5-4 in 2000 and 6-4 in 2005).
Moreover, the program hit rock bottom from 2006 through 2009 when Rogers compiled a painful 9-23 record.
One reason for the Vikings’ decline didn’t require a Bill Parcells to decipher: A lack of talent brought on by the exodus of talent from Newport as families moved from the City by the Sea. Or in the case of Navy personnel, men and women were transferred and, of course, their children went with them.
As a result, Rogers dropped all the way down to Division III this season - something which would have been unthinkable as recently as the 1990s.
Middletown, meanwhile, primarily has played in Division III but has spent time in each of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s four divisions. But the only time the Islanders played for the Division I state championship was in 1980.
After the Vikings’ conquest of Middletown, they had sole possession of first place at 4-0 (6-1 overall) while Middletown and Moses Brown were tied for second at 3-1.
Understandably, Newsome isn’t about to “request” that playoff tickets be printed. But this latest victory gives the Vikings a better shot at qualifying for the playoffs than might have been the case if they had remained in Division I.
The game’s only score came in the third quarter when quarterback Cody Platt threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Morgera, and Damion Rodrigo kicked the extra point.
Defense was the key for Rogers –- especially when it came to stopping Middletown’s All-State running back Rico McCray.
McCray stepped on the field have scored 14 touchdowns and a total of 88 points in Middletown’s four overall games.
Against Rogers, not only was he held scoreless but he also was held to less than 100 yards rushing which was well below his per-game average.
Barring an upset between last weekend and Oct. 30, Rogers can take a major step toward clinching the regular-season title -- plus the top seed in the playoffs -- by beating Moses Brown in Providence.
EXTRA POINTS:
A list of other recent football highlights:
To say North Providence’s Alex Gallo was disappointed in his performance in the New Balance Ocean State Invitational in late September would be a major understatement.
The Cougar standout placed a lackluster (by his standards) 67th – one reason being he slipped and fell on the Goddard State Park course in Warwick.
Gallo ran more like he usually does on Oct. 16 in the 28th annual Brown University Cross Country High School Invitational.
He outdistanced his other Rhode Island rivals by placing eighth in the Boys’ Championship Race with a personal-best time of 15:31 – a race that featured just over 100 of the Northeast’s top runners.
Gallo’s performance may have stamped him as the runner to beat in the class and State championship meets.
WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT
Dick Magarian, who built Coventry High into one of New England’s top interscholastic wrestling programs, recently announced his retirement as the Assistant Executive Director of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.
The 70-year-old Magarian was named to the position in 1996. When he steps down officially in January, it will mark the first time in 48 years that he won’t be involved in education as a teacher or an administrator or as a coach.
ENTER THE HALL
One-time East Providence High basketball star Kenny Bliss has been tabbed for induction as part of the Class of 2010 for the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Bliss played in 96 games for the Anchormen and scored 1,311 points. That total ranked 10th all-time in school history upon his graduation in 2001.
He earned First Team All-Little East Conference honors as a senior after earning honorable mention accolades as a junior.
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball and hockey and minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y., he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame, which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
Under the legendary John Toppa, Rogers won five Division I championships from 1973 through 1978 and five more from 1985 through 1990. But entering this season, the Vikings had posted only two winning records in the last nine years (5-4 in 2000 and 6-4 in 2005).
Moreover, the program hit rock bottom from 2006 through 2009 when Rogers compiled a painful 9-23 record.
One reason for the Vikings’ decline didn’t require a Bill Parcells to decipher: A lack of talent brought on by the exodus of talent from Newport as families moved from the City by the Sea. Or in the case of Navy personnel, men and women were transferred and, of course, their children went with them.
As a result, Rogers dropped all the way down to Division III this season - something which would have been unthinkable as recently as the 1990s.
Middletown, meanwhile, primarily has played in Division III but has spent time in each of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s four divisions. But the only time the Islanders played for the Division I state championship was in 1980.
After the Vikings’ conquest of Middletown, they had sole possession of first place at 4-0 (6-1 overall) while Middletown and Moses Brown were tied for second at 3-1.
Understandably, Newsome isn’t about to “request” that playoff tickets be printed. But this latest victory gives the Vikings a better shot at qualifying for the playoffs than might have been the case if they had remained in Division I.
The game’s only score came in the third quarter when quarterback Cody Platt threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Morgera, and Damion Rodrigo kicked the extra point.
Defense was the key for Rogers –- especially when it came to stopping Middletown’s All-State running back Rico McCray.
McCray stepped on the field have scored 14 touchdowns and a total of 88 points in Middletown’s four overall games.
Against Rogers, not only was he held scoreless but he also was held to less than 100 yards rushing which was well below his per-game average.
Barring an upset between last weekend and Oct. 30, Rogers can take a major step toward clinching the regular-season title -- plus the top seed in the playoffs -- by beating Moses Brown in Providence.
EXTRA POINTS:
A list of other recent football highlights:
- Barrington continued to fare well against its parochial school rivals by blasting La Salle, 27-7, on Oct. 8, which helped the Eagles tie for second place in Division I. Jack Ryan, who was Barrington’s No. 2 quarterback last season, threw touchdown passes of 35 yards to Vin St. Angelo and 22 yards to Alex Spiess, and also ran 60 yards for a fourth-quarter score.
- Chariho (3-1) handed Johnston (3-1) its first loss in Division II-A by posting a 21-14 victory on October 15 as Joe DiSpirito ran six yards for a key fourth-quarter touchdown.
- Brent Champagne was a one-man wrecking crew for Cranston West as he ran four touchdowns of 42, 32, 45 and 58 yards in a 39-13 romp over St. Raphael in a non-league game.
- Tevin Dale returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown and then returned an interception 50 yards for another score as Mount Pleasant blanked North Providence, 34-0, in Division IV action.
- Exeter-West Greenwich’s Al Georgio continued to slice and dice Division IV defenses as he ran for 328 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 26-22 victory over North Smithfield on Oct. 15. The victory enabled the Scarlet Knights to remain undefeated at 5-0 – and in first place, one-half game ahead of Mount Pleasant (4-0).
To say North Providence’s Alex Gallo was disappointed in his performance in the New Balance Ocean State Invitational in late September would be a major understatement.
The Cougar standout placed a lackluster (by his standards) 67th – one reason being he slipped and fell on the Goddard State Park course in Warwick.
Gallo ran more like he usually does on Oct. 16 in the 28th annual Brown University Cross Country High School Invitational.
He outdistanced his other Rhode Island rivals by placing eighth in the Boys’ Championship Race with a personal-best time of 15:31 – a race that featured just over 100 of the Northeast’s top runners.
Gallo’s performance may have stamped him as the runner to beat in the class and State championship meets.
WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT
Dick Magarian, who built Coventry High into one of New England’s top interscholastic wrestling programs, recently announced his retirement as the Assistant Executive Director of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.
The 70-year-old Magarian was named to the position in 1996. When he steps down officially in January, it will mark the first time in 48 years that he won’t be involved in education as a teacher or an administrator or as a coach.
ENTER THE HALL
One-time East Providence High basketball star Kenny Bliss has been tabbed for induction as part of the Class of 2010 for the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Bliss played in 96 games for the Anchormen and scored 1,311 points. That total ranked 10th all-time in school history upon his graduation in 2001.
He earned First Team All-Little East Conference honors as a senior after earning honorable mention accolades as a junior.
Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball and hockey and minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y., he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame, which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.
New England Roundup: Rhode Island
August, 25, 2010
8/25/10
8:25
AM ET
By Mike Scandura | ESPNBoston.com
Realistically, Rhode Island and Kentucky have very little in common.
But that changed dramatically a few days ago when the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s Principals Committee on Athletics voted that one – repeat, only one – boys’ basketball team will wear the title of state champion next March.
The Bluegrass state is the only other state in the country with a similar format, since Indiana several years ago went the way of the multi-state champion (or to put it another way, forget about the Hickory High Huskers and coach Norman Dale).
“I would say it’s a pilot program,” said RIIL Executive Director Tom Mezzanotte. “At the end of the season, we’ll sit down as a committee and ask if it met our expectations and if it was good for the sport. Based on the feedback from our member schools, we’ll either go forward or not.
“But, obviously, it’s not a one-shot seal. That’s the bottom line. This is a four-year alignment. We will reassess the teams in each division after two years.”
But that changed dramatically a few days ago when the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s Principals Committee on Athletics voted that one – repeat, only one – boys’ basketball team will wear the title of state champion next March.
The Bluegrass state is the only other state in the country with a similar format, since Indiana several years ago went the way of the multi-state champion (or to put it another way, forget about the Hickory High Huskers and coach Norman Dale).
“I would say it’s a pilot program,” said RIIL Executive Director Tom Mezzanotte. “At the end of the season, we’ll sit down as a committee and ask if it met our expectations and if it was good for the sport. Based on the feedback from our member schools, we’ll either go forward or not.
“But, obviously, it’s not a one-shot seal. That’s the bottom line. This is a four-year alignment. We will reassess the teams in each division after two years.”
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Scott Barboza
Scott Barboza joined ESPNBoston.com as a high schools editor/reporter in May 2010. He spent the previous three seasons working in the New England Patriots media relations department after a stint at the Taunton Daily Gazette, where he covered everything from Little League baseball to the Boston Red Sox. The Fall River native is a graduate of Emerson College. He can be reached at sbarboza@espnboston.com.
Brendan Hall
Brendan Hall joined ESPNBoston.com as a high schools reporter/editor in May 2010, after four years covering high schools for The Boston Globe. The Westminster, Mass. native also served on the Globe's Bruins beat last season. Hall is a graduate of UMass Amherst. He can be reached at bhall@espnboston.com.
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