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Blitz Breakdown: Who could go to RI high school football super bowl?
RI Blitz Breakdown, a Providence Journal WPRI partnership, takes a look at the big plays, games and all things high school football.
Someone call the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. Reach out to all the football-playing schools in Rhode Island.
I’ve figured out the perfect fix for the upcoming realignment and there won’t have to be 20 unnecessary meetings to rule on it.
There’s been plenty wrong with the last few realignments, but in the advent of the RPI era – something that’s not going away – it seems easier than ever to fix. Doing that requires more common sense and less formulas based on bad math (and tears from big schools that carry weight in these meetings) and ideas from someone who actually cares about high school football.
While the math is confusing, the RPI has changed how the regular season runs for the better while making absolutely no sense as far as the playoff goes.
With the Rueb Plan – patent pending – we’re going to fix that and have a realignment that forces teams to play exactly where they should.
First, we’re ditching the divisional playoffs and having actual State Championships. Since every state that uses RPI also uses a classified postseason, that’s what we’ll do. The four categories are obvious – Private, Large, Medium and Small. You’ll compete for titles against like competition. Now the onus is on you to win.
We’re not going to use a formula to figure out the divisions. We’re going to use this thing called common sense.
That means in Division I we’ll let Barrington and Burrillville drop, replaced by schools that are twice as big (if not more) than both – East Providence and Pawtucket. Don’t like it? Then fix the culture in your communities.
Division II will see a few new faces – Johnston is trending up and needs to be here; Classical is forever a D-II.5 team, so it’s up; and Cranston East is moving to D-II because a school that size should be embarrassed to be in D-III.
Who are the newcomers in D-III? Toll Gate is moving up because it’s too big to be in D-IV and hopefully it passes on this and does what the community wants – joining forces with Pilgrim to form a Warwick co-op.
Lincoln is moving down only because Sean Cavanagh deserves a regular season where he doesn’t have to try to win games just by out-coaching people. Middletown’s also moving down strictly on school size. We’ll move Davies up because it’s becoming an elite program and Smithfield is moving up because it should have done so two years ago.
Division IV will be reserved for small schools and programs that can’t get off the ground. The small schools will get to play like competition while still getting a chance to play in the postseason. Larger schools in the division will get a chance to win some games, but making the playoffs will prove to be difficult because of how the RPI works.
Why will this plan work? Because it gives teams a chance to win titles that actually matter. If you go undefeated and win a title below Division I, did you really win a championship? Or were you just placed in the wrong division in the right year?
Trust the plan. It will work – and I should know because I’ve never been wrong.
Speaking of that, let’s get on to the picks.
I’ve been in Pawtucket the last two Thursdays, decided to not go for the hat trick this week. I’ll handle tennis playoffs and soccer and will let Jake Rousseau handle this low-scoring affair.
THE PICK: Rebels
Ready for the easiest advertising partnership of all time? Every time the Northmen put a 40-burger up on the scoreboard, Beef Barn gives away a burger to fans at the game. I swear I need one of these school districts to hire me as a marketing director.
THE PICK: Northmen
Plenty of public school coaches worry about playing games at private schools and losings kids after they see their campuses and facilities. This might be the only case where it’s the opposite.
THE PICK: Townies
You want to get crazy? If the Middletown concession stand is going to have fried turkey on Thanksgiving, I’m there. No questions ask (don’t tell my wife, she’ll be angry).
THE PICK: Warriors
The fact not a single breakfast joint in Johnston town limits has offered Nate Della Morte and Nick Testa an NIL deal is insane. They might be the most popular 1-2 punch in all of high school football and the O-linmen are more than deserving of a “pancake deal” somewhere.
THE PICK: Panthers
Michael Tuorto has quietly become one of the state’s great coaches. It’s not always about Xs and Os. He understands how to market his program – last week’s Gold Rush uniforms were insane – and it has made football as popular as its ever been.
THE PICK: Panthers
Maybe not the game I would have chosen to open up my brand new field to the community, but sometimes the schedule takes decisions like that out of people’s hands.
THE PICK: Skippers
I can already see Henry Cabral telling his team that nobody’s thinking about Davies, everybody’s in on North Smithfield and Narragansett and in a month we’re going to be wondering how the Patriots went back-to-back.
THE PICK: Patriots
Everything that could have gone wrong for the Clippers has and while coach Matt LaRoche is doing a great job in his rookie season, it’s also clear that replacing Josh Lima isn’t going to be as easy as some of the people in the town thought it would be.
THE PICK: Saints
If this game was at 6 p.m. I would have been there only because my daughter swears up and down that the cinnamon sugar pretzels at EG’s concession stand are the best thing she’s ever eaten.
THE PICK: Avengers
Parents, if your kid does something that draws a flag because it’s against the rules and your instinct is to DM The Journal reporter and say “well this kid from another school did it and he didn’t get a penalty” then I’ve got bad, bad news for you – you’re not doing your job as a parent. Accountability matters in sports and in life.
THE PICK: Villa Novans
I just need everyone to remember that Jake Rousseau is beating me in The Journal picks competition because he picks against Rhode Island schools because he doesn’t like them while I’ve been picking every RI team when they play out-of-state opponents out of sheer loyalty to the Ocean State.
THE PICK: Rams
Thing to keep an eye out for – had one coach tell me “if there’s a team nobody wants to see in the playoffs, it’s Exeter-West Greenwich.” I’m not leaning on the Scarlet Knights this week, but don’t be shocked if they catch someone lacking.
THE PICK: Sentinels
After this week the Wizards will be 0-3 against teams with a winning record and 4-0 against teams with a losing record and I’m still struggling to figure out what that means but we’ll find out in the season finale on Halloween.
THE PICK: Wizards
This is my favorite game on the calendar. Two communities that love high school football and have no business playing in the divisions they’re in while much larger schools falter in lower divisions. Every community should strive to be this.
THE PICK: Bulldogs
Somehow the Mariners lost to North Smithfield but remained ahead of them in the standings, which means Narragansett will be going up against North Smithfield or Davies in the Super Bowl.
THE PICK: Mariners
The grass at Kickemuit Middle School looked OK in Week 1 but I can’t imagine what it’s like now – and I’m guessing that’s OK for the team that’s playing on it.
THE PICK: Huskies
How this game goes down depends on the Knights. If Central shows up trying to build momentum for the Consolation Playoffs that will help the team get some steam heading into 2026, it wins big. If the Knights are mentally checked out, the Falcons will roll.
THE PICK: Knights
This is the game that could ultimately cost the Patriots a chance to host a playoff game. Portsmouth would almost be better off letting the Chargers win in order to help their win percentage.
THE PICK: Patriots
I’m covering six cross country meets on Saturday but I’ll be damned if that’s going to stop me from covering a Super Bowl rematch between two undefeated teams. French fries at concessions better be ready to go.
THE PICK: Purple
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Indivisible R.I. is holding a rally on Sunday as part of the “ICE Out for Good” demonstrations taking place this weekend nationwide.
The rally is in response to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
In a release, the organization said the rally will “honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE`s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”
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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 10, 2026, results for each game:
05-19-21-28-64, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
17-24-36-38-43, Lucky Ball: 17
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Midday: 6-3-1-0
Evening: 3-7-1-4
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
10-13-27-37-38, Extra: 19
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.
Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.
McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.
A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.
Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?
GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026
No public events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
2:00 PM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.
LOCATION:
RI State House Rotunda
82 Smith Street
Providence, RI
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026
No public events.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026
No public events.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026
9:30 AM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.
LOCATION:
Cross’ Mills Public Library
4417 Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026
11:00 AM
Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.
LOCATION:
CIC Providence
225 Dyer Street
Providence, RI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
No public events.
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