Archive - 2010 - Sports Article
November 2nd
Familiar area rivals like Cumberland, Lincoln, Smithfield and recently Mount St. Charles have consistently sent teams to the state championships and in some cases have done well.
Back in 2004, Cumberland shocked pre-race favorite Bishop Hendricken for the boysâ state crown. Last year, Mount St. Charles made big strides in its program by placing seventh among the 18th schools. In 2005, the Cumberland girls qualified for the New England Championship by finishing sixth, a point ahead of Lincoln.
November 1st
WOONSOCKET â For Lincoln High, Mondayâs task was as straightforward as youâll get. A win against Woonsocket High meant the Lions would clinch no worse than a share of the Division II-North crown.
Mission accomplished as Lincoln, buoyed by two goals from Jillian DeSimone, took care of business with a 4-0 win over Woonsocket at Barry Field. The Lions finish the regular season 12-1-5. The Villa Novans completed their first â and possibly last â in Division II with a 1-17 mark.
Ponaganset football coach Brian Gendreau has developed a good perspective on two of the toughest teams in Division II this season â unbeaten Tolman and once-beaten Woonsocket. His Chieftains have lost to both Super Bowl contenders.
âTolman is the fastest team in the league,â Gendreau admitted on Sunday, âbut I would say Woonsocket is more balanced. They can run and throw the ball. You can see why they played a 6-0 game earlier this season. Both teams have great defenses.â
October 30th
WOONSOCKET --- Woonsocket High is back in the Division II playoffs, but before the defending state champions could stamp their return ticket to the postseason on Saturday afternoon, they needed to overcome their worst half of football against a tough opponent in Mount Hope High.
Quarterback Kevin Reyes threw three touchdown passes, including a 43-yarder to Jessie Charette with 2:08 to play in the third quarter that snapped a 14-14 tie, and the Novansâ defense ruled the entire second half in a 34-14 triumph before an energetic Homecoming Day crowd at Barry Field.
BURRILLVILLE -- Burrillville Highâs high-scoring offense has received plenty of credit for the teamâs strong run in the Division III ranks this season, but on Saturday morning, it was the Broncosâ defense that led the way to a very impressive Homecoming Day victory over Narragansett High.
The Broncosâ âDâ forced five turnovers and limited the Mariners to 145 yards of offense en route to a 33-0 shutout before a big gathering at Alumni Field that moved Burrillville one win away from its first playoff berth since 2006.
PAWTUCKET â Fourth-seeded Bay View repeated as Division I state champions on Saturday afternoon at Slater Park, defeating third-seeded Mount St. Charles in the finals for the second year in a row.
The Bengals won the match by a 4-1 margin. Mount led in the other two matches at the time Bay View scored its clinching point.
October 29th
PAWTUCKET â North Smithfield completed its rise from a two-win team in 2009 to the Division III state champion on Friday with a 4-3 comeback victory over Rogers.
No. 4 singles player Megan Mandeville scored the decisive team point, rallying to defeat Sydney Harris in three sets, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Mandeville trailed 3-0 in the third set before winning the final six games.
NORTH SMITHFIELD â In a grinding, back-and-forth game that produced little offense, North Smithfield came up with just the kind of big plays it needed to make its Division IV Homecoming contest with visiting North Providence a successful one.
And after Friday nightâs 14-6 victory over the Cougars, the Northmen are now just a single win away from securing their first playoff berth in the schoolâs history.
Thereâs no quarterfinals. Thereâs no semifinals.
The postseason for the cross-country season begins today when runners statewide congregate at Ponaganset High School for their respective class meets. The following Sunday, Nov. 7, qualifying teams and individuals are back at the Chieftainsâ âCovered Bridge Trailâ for the state championships.
All the league meets. All the invitationals â in-state and beyond â are all geared for these final two meets.
October 28th
PAWTUCKET â âIt never gets old,â stated a clearly relieved Richard Lawrence moments after Mount St. Charles secured a spot in the Division I finals for the fourth consecutive season.
By no means was Thursdayâs 4-3 semifinal triumph over La Salle a walk in the (Slater) Park. With the Mounties, seeded third, and the No. 2 Rams tied at 3-3 and the chance to advance to the championship hanging in the balance, MSCâs fourth singles, senior Lauren Porcaro, defeated her opponent in three sets, a win that solidified the all-important fourth team point.
