Archive - Nov 15, 2011 - Sports Article
NORTH SMITHFIELD — The playoffs for Division IV begin Nov. 29 with a pair of semifinal contests.
Right now, one of the hottest team heading into the postseason just be North Smithfield.
After falling to Smithfield back on Sept. 30, the Northmen have won five straight games, mostly against the upper-echelon of divisional squads.
En route to its current 5-2 mark, one that ties the local gridders with the Sentinels for second place in the league, N.S. has knocked off two undefeated teams (Exeter/West Greenwich, Mount Pleasant) and two others with winning records (Smithfield, Central Falls).
It's often said that passion in athletics among our youths has been lost. With all the distractions that kids have nowadays, such as video games, computers and iPods, the younger generation has been more inclined to sit down and punch keys or work a remote than dedicate themselves to a sport (or sports).
The decline in roster numbers and the empty fields and basketball courts on a daily basis has proven that some of that is true.
But the passion hasn't disappeared completely. There is still that urge to test one's strength to its physical and mental limits among some of our youths.
For Rhode Island high school football teams, playing on Thanksgiving is hailed as one of those holiday traditions you can’t live without, it’s so-called importance ranking up there with the Macy’s Day Parade, awkward dinner-time conversations and endless turkey leftovers.
