Archive - Sep 28, 2011 - Sports Article
NORTH SMITHFIELD — Jen Brodeur had one of those seasons that doesn’t come around too often for a first-year coach.
Inheriting a strong nucleus of players from previous years, the North Smithfield coach watched her Northmen lose just one league match en route to capturing the Division III state championship.
Eight senior starters have since graduated from that squad. While she wouldn’t label it a rebuilding year, Brodeur wasn’t expecting a similar scenario this season.
Blame it on the rain? Tough early-season matchups? Injuries? Turnovers?
Whatever the reason, 70 percent of the Blackstone Valley’s teams that played last weekend lost, and four of those seven losing teams were badly beaten by 27 or more points.
But while the negatives outweighed the positives last weekend, this is a new week. And while not a lot of matchups stand out, there are a pair to highlight, but you will have to wait until Saturday afternoon to see these duels featuring Blackstone Valley opponents.
