Looking back at a whirlwind of a weekend for high school fall teams as titles were earned
It was a whirlwind of a weekend as a dozen high school teams from across Rhode Island celebrated championships on Saturday and Sunday. Our writers and photographers were on the scene to record all the joy, and some heartbreak as the winners were decided in girls volleyball, boys soccer and girls soccer at Rhode Island College.
We're about to write the last chapters of the 2023 fall high school sports season this weekend and next week, as Super Bowls will decide the football champs in each division, and, of course, Thanksgiving rivalries will be renewed next week.
But before we get too far away from last weekend's winners, let's take another look at the great stories that were told about the newest high school champions.
Girls Volleyball
North Kingstown beats Coventry
Playing a team like the Skippers is a daunting task for most opponents. While some teams succeed thanks to one or two superstars, North Kingstown boasts a vast array of weapons. Up by two sets but trailing late in the third, coach Brian Garrepy called a timeout to remind his team of what got it there. Now it was time to finish the job, and that's just what the Skippers did. NK won four of the final six points to come away with a 25-22, 25-18, 25-23 win, capturing its second straight state title.
More: North Kingstown volleyball stays true to itself, and clinches second straight state title
East Providence beats Cumberland
After nearly losing in the semifinals, the Townies walked into the Murray Center focused on the first point of the match against Cumberland. When that one was over, it was on to the next. The focus never changed and EP showed that it learned a lesson in how to finish, earning a 25-22, 25-15, 25-21 win and the Division II title.
More: The East Providence girls volleyball team learned its lesson and it showed in the D-II final
Burrillville beats Tolman
In Division III, the Burrillville girls volleyball team captured the program's first title since 1990. It came in the fifth set, which has been the Broncos' best this season, against Tolman. Burrillville’s 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 16-25, 15-9 win was the second over Tolman this season.
More: How did Burrillville girls volleyball go from a winless 2022 to D-III champs? Teamwork
Providence Country Day tops Shea
The PCD girls volleyball program is a story of slow and steady improvement. It started in 2016 and by 2019, the Knights managed their first .500 season. Last year, PCD rolled through D-IV and won its first title. Things weren’t as easy for the Knights this season, but their experience paid off against Shea, winning 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23 to claim its second straight D-IV crown.
More: Here's how PCD girls volleyball earned its second straight Division IV championship
Girls Soccer
Cumberland beats Mt. Hope
Cumberland's first championship in two decades arrived in style, as the Clippers scored three unanswered goals, easing past Mt. Hope, 3-1. “All I can say is finally,” senior midfielder Ava Normandin said. “This is amazing. I’ve been dreaming of this for four years.” The Clippers last broke through for a Division II crown in 2003. The ensuing 20 years included semifinal heartbreak and three finals setbacks — the most recent came against South Kingstown in 2019.
More: Past heartbreaks aside, Cumberland girls break through and claim state soccer championship
Portsmouth beats Scituate
It was a welcomed turn of events for the Patriots, who last season walked off the field in defeat — their only loss in 2022 — after falling to Burrillville in the title match. Portsmouth wasn't about to let that happen on Saturday. The Patriots took control and scored often, easing to a 5-1 victory over Scituate. Abby Costa found the net twice, Claire Hook and Mollyana McGuire each dished out a pair of assists and the Patriots spent 80 minutes erasing the last 12 months.
More: Portsmouth girls soccer had been waiting a year to make amends; here's what they did
Westerly tops Toll Gate
The pain of last season still lingered, but the Westerly girls soccer team turned that heartbreak into motivation. Calla Bruno and Eva Intrieri scored the first two goals in a long-awaited rematch with Toll Gate, and the Bulldogs systematically broke the Titans down for a 4-0 win, and the program's first Division III title.
More: Here's how Westerly girls soccer authored a perfect season, ending with a D-III title
Rogers beats Johnston
After his first practice as head coach, Jim Kelly had one request for his players — bring a friend the following day. The Vikings needed more players if they were going to compete in Division IV. That journey ended in glorious fashion on Saturday, with Rogers posting a 3-0 shutout of Johnston, and claiming their first girls soccer title since 2006.
More: Gritty Rogers girls soccer team uses second-half surge to claim D-IV championship
Boys Soccer
La Salle beats North Kingstown
La Salle lost on the season's opening night. And then never again. The Rams' Evan Conceicao netted the only goal his team needed and La Salle extended its fascinating knack of winning championships in odd-numbered years, turning back North Kingstown, 1-0, at Alumni Stadium on Saturday.
More: La Salle sticks to its plan, and 1 goal is enough to win the RIIL boys soccer championship
North Smithfield beats Coventry
North Smithfield's recent playoff heartbreak ended on a chilly Sunday at Rhode Island College. The Northmen were pushed and tested by Coventry, but the result was the same as in every other league match this season. North Smithfield touched perfection and put its hands on a first title in 17 years thanks to a 4-2 victory over the Oakers in Division II.
More: North Smithfield boys soccer put a perfect record on the line Sunday. Here's what happened.
St. Raphael tops Ponaganset
Ponaganset struck first, and then the Saints saw their deficit double in the Division III boys soccer final. A second straight championship seemed to be slipping away. Coach Jose Escamilla knew this was something the players would have to do themselves, and they did. They needed the remainder of regulation and all but 32.7 seconds of overtime to reach the mountaintop, as Reginald Browne’s tally in the 90th minute snapped the final tie of the game and gave his team a thrilling 4-3 win.
More: St. Raphael's late comeback captures D-III boys soccer title
Mount Pleasant beats Woonsocket
It didn't feel real for Gavin Claxton, so he needed to take one last look. But the screaming section of Mount Pleasant fans confirmed it and he raised his arms. The Kilties had never brought home a boys soccer championship until Sunday, one secured thanks to his lone strike against Woonsocket. Mount Pleasant needed overtime but they claimed the Division IV crown. “It just didn’t feel real,” Claxton said. “I hit the goal, I turned around, everyone was screaming. I was like, ‘I actually did it.’
More: 'I actually did it,' says Gavin Claxton on his D-IV title-winning goal for Mt. Pleasant
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Celebrating Rhode Island high school, volleyball championships
