Presenting the 2023 Providence Journal All-State Football Defense and Special Teams
The All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the player of the year nominees for Football, Defense and Special Teams. The winners will be announced during the live show on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium.
During the live show, athletes of the year in 29 sports will be honored. In addition, top teams, coaches and overall athletes will be honored as will a Courage Award winner. Nominated athletes who RSVP will receive a complimentary ticket to the event thanks to sponsors. Details on how additional tickets can be obtained will be available soon.
For more information about the show and to opt into email updates, visit the website and you can also follow it on Facebook.
The All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country. This year, one school from the area will win a $1,000 donation to its school’s athletic department through our School Spirit Contest. Details on how to vote for your school will be coming soon.
2023 Providence Journal All-State Football Defense
First Team
Marcus Almada
Hendricken, Junior
Defensive line
Almada started his career as a quarterback, but soon grew out of the position and his impressive leap forced the Hawks to rearrange their plans on the defensive line. Few defensive linemen this fall possessed the blend of power and speed of Almada, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. Almada has one year left at Hendricken and it’s scary to think what he’ll look like coming back as a senior.
Ian Bing
St. Raphael, Junior
Defensive line
Bing showed off his potential as a sophomore, earning Second Team honors, but his game took off during his junior season. The 6-foot-2-inch, 175-pound edge was as pure a pass rusher as there was in Rhode Island. His length, speed and strength made life impossible for opposing quarterbacks and Bing finished his year with a St. Raphael school record of 19 sacks.
Marcus Sukkar
Hendricken, Senior
Defensive line
Sukkar was the most versatile lineman in the state and with the emergence of All-State teammate Marcus Almada, made the switch from end to nose to give the Hawks the best defensive line the state’s seen in a while. At 6 feet 5 inches and 250 pounds, Sukkar plugged holes and could get after the quarterback with ease. He is verbally committed to play football at Brown next fall.
Rushaune Vilane
Hendricken, Senior
Defensive line
When it comes to the state’s most feared defensive players, Vilane was one of the first players to come to mind. It’s his second-straight First Team selection and it shouldn’t be a surprise — the 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound defensive end was the most complete edge in the state. He dominated in the state Super Bowl, helping keep North Kingstown’s offense at bay in the Hawks’ victory.
Terrence Campbell
La Salle, Junior
Linebacker
There wasn’t a better two-way player in the state as Campbell could lay claim as RI’s top running back and linebacker. At 6 feet 1 inch and 225 pounds, Campbell was the type of linebacker offenses avoided at all costs. His athleticism allowed him to do whatever the Rams needed — coverage, run support, pass rush — and his play all season was mmm-mmm good.
Ronjai Francis
Hendricken, Senior
Linebacker
Francis gained attention for his ability to close games at running back for the Hawks, but he was part of a linebacking crew that was the state’s best. When Francis caught you, it wasn’t a good time and when it came to stopping the run, there weren’t many who did it better. Francis was a leader on defense as well and his cool head helped Hendricken win the state title this fall.
Trent Sterner
North Kingstown, Senior
Linebacker
It wasn’t hard to find Sterner on the field — wherever the ball was, the Skippers’ senior was near it. Few players went as hard as Sterner did for the Skippers this fall; he was the centerpiece of North Kingstown’s defense and finished the season with 121 tackles, four interceptions, four sacks and a touchdown. In North Kingstown’s Super Bowl loss to Hendricken, Sterner gave it his all, finishing with 16 tackles.
Michael Toure
Central, Senior
Linebacker
Toure has come a long way in his four years for the Knights, developing from an undersized linebacker into one of the most feared hitters in all of Rhode Island. Toure’s vision was impeccable and he was often in on plays before the offense realized what they were doing. He was a leader on the field and helped changed expectations for football at Central High School.
Mitchell Ivatts
Barrington, Senior
Defensive back
While the Eagles’ offense got the headlines, the defense dominated and Ivatts’ play at safety was huge in its success. Ivatts was around the football more often than not, coming in hard on run support, including on Barrington’s goal-line stands in the Super Bowl. Ivatts was often asked to cover Division II’s best receivers and his success there also led to a touchdown of his own.
Andrew Nocera
Cumberland, Junior
Defensive back
Nocera was the definition of a ball hawk, using his offensive skill set to make plays for the Clippers all season. His athleticism allowed Cumberland to use him as a cornerback, but his vision allowed him to be a game-wrecker at safety. He left it all out on the field in the Super Bowl, catching three passes for 93 yards and a score as well as an interception in the loss to Barrington.
Demetrius Outland
Central, Senior
Defensive back
Outland was the prototypical safety, a player with all the tools who knew how to use them. Outland, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds, used his speed and All-State high-jump skills to create a no-fly zone on whichever side of the field he was on. Outland also was unafraid to get in the mix and was one of the Knights’ best tacklers against the run.
Herlin Perry
La Salle, Junior
Defensive back
As a sophomore, Perry was near the top of the leaderboard in interceptions, and earned Second Team honors. This past season, he had only one, but that will happen when teams refuse to throw in your direction. Herlin Island was a thing and with the perfect blend of confidence, talent and technique, Perry was the best man-to-man corner in the state and should wear the crown again next fall.
Special Teams First Team
Liam Kennett
North Kingstown, Junior
Kicker
Kennett made his impact in the kicking game felt early in the season, burying a 47-yard, game-winning field goal in the Skippers’ Injury Fund game against Westerly. He was money for the rest of the season, hitting 37 of 38 extra points and 9 of 11 field goals and Kennett really showed off his leg strength on kickoffs, eliminating returns with touchback after touchback.
Max Wallace
La Salle, Junior
Punter
While many teams send their best athlete back and hope they can get a punt away, the Rams didn’t need to deal with that stress. Wallace is pure as a punter, blessed with a strong leg but also the touch to pin teams deep when the situation calls for it. La Salle longed for consistency in the kicking game and Wallace has gone above and beyond in providing it.
Cooper Berthelot
North Kingstown, Sophomore
Returner
Berthelot was a maintstay in the Skippers’ offense this fall but became a game-changer in the return game. Teams kicked to him early, but that changed as the season went on as Berthelot finished his year with more than 500 total return yards as well as a touchdown and another in which a teammate’s foot was the only thing that kept him out of the end zone.
Timoy Stitchell
La Salle, Junior
Returner
When it comes to big-play talent, nobody was better than Stitchell this season. Paired with Donald Young as returners, kickers were faced with an impossible choice. Stitchell’s play late in the return game showed how devastating he could be and served as a reminder that kicking out of bounds sometimes is a good idea.
Ben Tilton
Hendricken, Senior
Specialist
With plenty of stars all over the field, Tilton made a name for himself on special teams for the Hawks. The fullback did whatever Hendricken needed this fall and that meant spending another year as a core specialist on the best special-teams unit in the state. Tilton’s play didn’t garner headlines, but his efforts will take him to St. Anselm to play next fall.
Colin Roche
East Providence, Junior
Long snapper
Roche was a versatile player as a linebacker and H-Back for the Townies this fall, but he really made a niche for himself as a long-snapper. When the Townies scored, they knew Roche was good for the first leg of the operation and when the offense faltered and needed to punt, Roche was perfect with snaps and ready to make a play on every return.
2023 Providence Journal All-State Football Defense Second Team
DL — Anthony Cemin, Central, Senior
DL — Will Creed, North Kingstown, Senior
DL — Alex Herrera, Woonsocket, Senior
DL — Kobe Mwah, La Salle, Junior
LB — Michael Cinquantini, Woonsocket, Senior
LB — Tyler Durang, Lincoln, Senior
LB — Caleb Florendo, Middletown, Senior
LB — Tyler Stanton, Exeter-West Greenwich, Senior
DB — Drew Bozek, Westerly, Senior
DB — Damien Ocampo, St. Raphael, Junior
DB — Jack Majcher, Cranston West, Senior
DB — Grover Moran, La Salle, Senior
2023 Providence Journal All-State Football Special Teams Second Team
K — Scot Belford, Hendricken, Junior
P — Dylan Pichel, Cumberland, Senior
Returner — Donald Young, La Salle, Sophomore
Returner — Amani Boamah, South Kingstown, Senior
Specialist — Clarence Iluonokhalumhe, Hope, Junior
LS — Matt Zimmerman, Barrington, Junior
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island High School Football All-State Defense and Special Teams for 2023
