Archive - Aug 2011 - Sports Article
CUMBERLAND â The Blackstone Valley area will be well represented on Friday night at Tucker Field with four local squads participating in a trio of Injury Fund tilts.
The two-quarter, non-league games, which begin at 6 p.m., kicks off with Central Falls battling Shea, followed by last yearâs Division II state runner-up Tolman facing Cumberland at 7 p.m.
While tomorrow nightâs game means nothing in the standings, Cumberland coach Chris Skurka will be eager to see how his club fares against the Tigers.
SMITHFIELD â Save for the inaugural event in 2001, the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Cross-Country Race/Walk has consistently drawn an average of 500 participants each year.
The potential is there for possibly double that amount on Sept. 10 when the 11th annual event takes place at the Bryant University campus.
August 30th
Asking a high school football coach to âpreviewâ his team during the final week of preseason practice is really premature. Itâs at least a week too early for that. Besides, coaches only want to talk about known commodities. Sometimes it takes half of a season to figure out the identity of these embryonic football teams.
Coaches are always willing to talk about certain subjects: veteran players, team leaders, practice schedules, lack of depth on the roster ⊠thereâs a whole litany of subjects that coaches are dealing with as the summer begins to fade away.
August 29th
The third week of preseason football practice offers high school coaches and players a chance to narrow their focus.
When Ricky Ledo reneged on his verbal commitment to Providence College back in January, the Providence native did so with the full backing of his high school coach.
Now that all signs indicate that Ledo plans to unveil his college of choice Thursday afternoon in the Capital City â sources tell Blackstone Valley Sports that Ledo will announce his intentions to become a Friar once again â this same coach believes that the ensuing months Ledo spent on the open market only aided the highly-touted recruit in researching and ultimately rendering a decision.
August 27th
CUMBERLAND â Prior to Saturdayâs race, Louis Raffetto never ran the Yo Raymond Memorial 5K. He just knew it was on an out-and-back course and, after arriving at the Cumberland event, he knew there was a challenging incline at the finish.
Raffetto had a chance to test that quarter-mile stretch from a different perspective shortly after the gun was fired at Camp Ker Anna.
âWe just flew down it,â he said. âI definitely wanted to be a little cautious coming back.â
For those who decried the Patriotsâ acquisition of Albert Haynesworth last month, repeat after me: No-lose situation.
Sure, the manâs rap sheet is as long as a grocery list, with charges ranging from speeding to sexual assault. Indeed, his on-field transgressions include stomping on the bare head of an opponent. And yes, he definitely would not have been a favorite of the late Myra Kraft, a noted humanitarian who once insisted that the Patriots cut a drafted player because of his checkered past.
Simply put, Haynesworth is not a model human being. That isnât exactly breaking news.
There are plenty of road races for runners during the summer and among them a special few that hold the potential for leaving a lasting impression on those who participate.
That was just the type of a race I found myself in last week as I headed down South Pier Road with a crowd of middle-of-the-packers. The weather was warm, a bit sticky, but not too unbearable even with the late afternoon sun shining upon us.
August 26th
Over the last five years in the Northern Division, Cumberland and Smithfield have occupied the top two slots in the standings with the Sentinels winning four of those dual-meet titles.
Joyce Bonner, who has been coaching the Cumberland girls the last eight years, envisions a little more parity this fall with at least four schools vying for the league crown. In the past, it was status quo for the Clippers and Sentinels to earn automatic berths to the state championships in early November by finishing among the top three in the division.
August 25th
WOONSOCKET â For the past few decades, Noel Wolny contributed countless hours to youth soccer in the Blackstone Valley region.
Besides coaching his passion at four different colleges and universities, Wolny offered his expertise at the high school level at North Smithfield, Blackstone Millville Regional, North Providence and most recently Mount St. Charles Academy.
Perhaps his biggest contribution to the sport was the Cracovia Soccer Club, a Woonsocket-based league he formed 31 years ago that has attracted hundreds of city youths.
