Rhode Island

Saturday’s loss to Delaware hurts Rhode Island football’s ranking; where the Rams sit now

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2024

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Saturday’s loss to Delaware hurts Rhode Island football’s ranking; where the Rams sit now

The end of a football winning streak for the University of Rhode Island led to a drop in the FCS polls.

The Rams suffered a defeat at Delaware on Saturday and slipped four spots to No. 15. The release on Monday morning still left URI among the four Coastal Athletic Association teams inside the national elite.

The Blue Hens built a lead thanks to 17 unanswered points and held on for a 24-21 victory, finally slowing the Rams after seven straight victories. That was their longest stretch of success since 1985, which was also the last time URI reached the FCS playoffs. The Rams still have real hopes of ending that drought entering their last two games, including Saturday’s home matchup with Albany.

“We wanted that game and we thought we had opportunities to win it,” URI coach Jim Fleming said during a Monday conference call. “We just weren’t able to get it done. We took it pretty hard.”

Delaware enjoyed a 203-89 advantage in rushing yards and took the lead for good on a Nate Reed field goal with 0:23 left in the first half. Jake Thaw’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Nick Minicucci late in the third quarter made it a 24-14 game, and URI couldn’t make up the difference. Hunter Helms threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Greg Gaines with 6:23 left, but the Rams came no closer.

“They know we’ve got to bounce back and go to work,” Fleming said. “When you really look at it, all of our games have been tight. They could have gone one way or the other based on a couple of plays.”

The Rams played the majority of their matchup against the Blue Hens without quarterback Devin Farrell, who finished just 2-for-4 passing and left in the first quarter. Fleming declined to specify Farrell’s injury but said he would be day to day leading into the 1 p.m. kickoff against the Great Danes at Meade Stadium. Helms came off the bench to go 15-for-23 and toss a pair of touchdown passes.

“He got a little banged up,” Fleming said. “We went through some medical stuff on Saturday and thought it was best just to keep him out.

“He’s day to day. We think he’s probable for the weekend.”

URI (8-2, 5-1 CAA) will honor its 22 pending graduates prior to the game against Albany (3-7, 1-5). Fleming made an appeal for a fifth sellout in six home dates this season, with the Rams playing in front of a full house in each of their last three. URI hasn’t won as many as nine games in a season in 39 years and has never won more than five CAA games since joining the league in the 2000s.

“It means an awful lot,” Fleming said. “It’s something we’ve been chasing since I walked on campus here 11 years ago.”

No. 9 Villanova, No. 11 Richmond and No. 16 Stony Brook were also included in this week’s rankings. The Spiders lead the CAA race at 6-0, one game ahead of the Rams, Wildcats and Seawolves. Delaware is also 5-1 against CAA opponents but is ineligible for a playoff berth or league title due to its ongoing transition up to the FBS ranks.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island AG to unveil long-awaited report on Diocese of Providence clergy abuse

Published

10 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island AG to unveil long-awaited report on Diocese of Providence clergy abuse

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will release on Wednesday findings from a multiyear investigation into child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

According to the attorney general’s office, the report will detail the diocese’s handling of clergy abuse over decades.

While the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island is home to the country’s largest Catholic population per capita, with nearly 40% of the state identifying as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center.

Neronha first launched the investigation in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found more than 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s. The 2018 report is considered one of the broadest inquiries into child sexual abuse in U.S. history.

Neronha’s investigation involved entering into an agreement with the Diocese of Providence to gain access to all complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy dating back to 1950. Neronha’s office said in 2019 that the goal of the report was to determine how the diocese responded to past reports of child sexual abuse, identify any prosecutable cases, and ensure that no credibly accused clergy were in active ministry.

Rhode Island State Police also helped with the investigation.

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Rhode Island

St. Patrick’s Day 2026: Your Guide To Fun In Rhode Island

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

St. Patrick’s Day 2026: Your Guide To Fun In Rhode Island

Rhode Islanders who plan to join in the global celebration of Irish culture can choose from big and small events, including a parade in Providence.

The March 17 holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, and many big events will be held the weekend of March 14-15. Originally a modest, religious feast day honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day today is a vibrant, boisterous holiday observed by millions of people regardless of their heritage.

The Providence parade is March 21.

We’ve rounded up 10 more events to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But first, are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

Here’s your guide to St. Patrick’s Day fun in Rhode Island:

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Rhode Island

Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Married couple from R.I. identified as victims in fatal Swansea crash

Local News

The two victims were identified as a husband and wife from Rhode Island, local officials said.

A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.

Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.

Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.

At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.

The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said.

Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.

Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.