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Monmouth football: No. 14 Rhode Island looms as daunting test, great opportunity for Hawks

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Monmouth football: No. 14 Rhode Island looms as daunting test, great opportunity for Hawks


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Rhode Island is embracing the “Beast of the East” moniker, with wins over Maine, New Hampshire, Brown and Holy Cross so far. The Rams, winners of six straight, sit tied atop the CAA standings, while ranking in the top-15 of both major FCS polls with a 7-1 record.

And Meade Stadium in Kingston, Rhode Island will have a sellout crowd of 6,600 on hand Saturday afternoon to greet Monmouth.

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That’s the thing about the CAA. With each disappointment, and Saturday’s home loss to Towson was just that, comes an opportunity.

A daunting one for Monmouth (4-4, 2-2 CAA), but an opportunity nonetheless as the Hawks enter a four-game season-ending stretch that continues on the road at New Hampshire, at home against No. 13 Villanova, before closing the regular season at No. 20 Stony Brook.

Opportunities, for sure. The question is whether the Hawks can take advantage.

“Our early season schedule, while it was very difficult, especially those first three games, it has prepared them in a great way for conference play,” said Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan.

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Monmouth’s best has been pretty good this season. There was the program’s first-ever win over an FBS program, taking down FIU in Miami. Dominating wins against Maine and Bryant, along with a 63-point outburst against Fordham, showed the full scope of the Hawks’ high-powered offense, ranked No. 2 nationally.

Derek Robertson, who lost to Rhode Island as Maine’s quarterback last season, is ranked No. 1 nationally in average passing yards-per-game at 322.4, having energized the Monmouth aerial attack.

“He has been very successful at both spots, and he has some great tools to work with at Monmouth,” said Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming. “I think their receivers are some of the best. They catch it, they run it, they have a big back, their numbers are staggering.”

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But Towson exposed some weaknesses in a 26-14 win, making the Hawks’ offense one-dimensional by shutting down the running game, while methodically scoring on three straight possessions to open the second half before running the final six minutes off the clock.

The Rams, whose only loss came in Week 2 at Minnesota, have only beaten one team by more than two touchdowns during their current winning streak, which includes a double-overtime win at Hampton.  

“They’re a veteran team, they’re experienced, they’re talented and they obviously know how to win tight games,” Callahan said. “You look at each of the games they’ve played, they’re not running away from people. They know how to play it tight to the vest and then pull it out at the end. We know we’ll have our work cut out for us with what looks like the best team we’ve played all year.

“They do a great job of limiting explosive plays, and they’re holding their opponents to three scores a game. They have not given up a lot of points. The other thing that jumps out is they are an excellent second half team. They have a tremendous advantage in the third and fourth quarter in games.”



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Rhode Island

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

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


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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.

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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.

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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.

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event

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Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, leaders celebrate Women’s History Month with panel event


Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday.

The event was held at the Cranston Public Library at 9 a.m.

Reed and other leaders of WFRI hosted a panel discussion with women leaders in environmental and agricultural advocacy, education, community resilience, housing, finance, workforce development, and more, officials said.

Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday. (WJAR)

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“Women have played a critical role in this process, most often without any recognition,” Reed said. “Today’s panel brings together an extraordinary group of women who are addressing the challenged of sustainability from various angles and I want to thank you all for your great efforts.”

The panelists highlighted their experiences, shared insights and tips on lifting up women’s voices, provided strategies for sparking change and more.

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According to officials, some of the panelists included Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council Nessa Richman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island College Kim Bright, Newport Housing Authority Executive Director Rhonda Mitchell and more.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.

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Man allegedly kills man in R.I. before causing car crash that killed 2 in Mass.


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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Col. Michael J. Winquist said.

A Seekonk man is accused of murder after he allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island before causing a car crash in Swansea that killed two people last week, police said.  

Demitri Sousa, 28, is charged with murder, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license, the Cranston Police Department said.

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The shooting occurred Thursday night in Cranston, police said in a press release.

That night, Sousa allegedly arrived at the Cranston home of Javon Lawson, 35. Sousa began banging on the side door of the home, police said. 

When Lawson approached the door, he was hit by gunfire from outside, police said.

First responders transported Lawson to the Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cranston police said.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, the motive is believed to be a dispute between the suspect and the victim over a mutual female acquaintance. Detectives are continuing this investigation to gain more insight, as well as to collect and analyze evidence,” Colonel Michael Winquist, Chief of Cranston police, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

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Neighbors gave police video footage that “showed a male subject wearing dark clothing and a mask walking toward the residence moments before the shooting and fleeing immediately afterward,” Winquist said.

The suspect was also seen running to a white Infiniti sedan which then drove off, the Cranston police chief said.

Shortly after the shooting, a license plate reader captured the vehicle driving southbound on Route 10, and then later in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The sedan’s license plate was registered in Sousa’s name, Winquist said.

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

Just moments later, Sousa allegedly “crashed into the side of another vehicle, a blue 2022 Subaru Ascent that had been traveling southbound on Route 136,” Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley and Fire Chief Eric Hajder said in a joint press release.

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Both vehicles had “catastrophic damage,” and the struck car was engulfed in flames, the Swansea officials said.

The driver and passenger of the hit car — a man and a woman — were declared dead at the scene, they said.

“Swansea Police had been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. However, Swansea Police were not involved in the pursuit and were not pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash,” the Swansea chiefs wrote. Swansea official have not announced charges related to the fatal crash.

Sousa had been driving the Infiniti and appeared to be suffering from serious injuries, Winquist said. Inside the car, police found a pistol and “additional .22 caliber ammunition was recovered” from Sousa at Rhode Island Hospital, Winquist said.

Police arrested Sousa and transported him to Rhode Island Hospital. Sousa is expected to survive, Winquist said. Sousa will be held in Cranston police custody until he is conscious and medically cleared, Winquist said.

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“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Winquist said.

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