Follow us on social media:
Rhode Island
Rhode Island FC’s scoring struggles continue in loss to Birmingham
Watch: Khano Smith speaks with media after the loss to Birmingham
Watch as Khano Smith speaks with media after the loss to Birmingham Legion FC on May 2.
PAWTUCKET — Rhode Island FC was under pressure at the start of both opening whistles.
Goals in the fourth and 48th minute doomed the home side against Birmingham Legion FC. The visitors halted Rhode Island’s recent success in USL Championship and tournament play.
The 3-1 loss saw Birmingham score twice over the final 45 minutes in front of 7,596 at Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday, May 2. Rhode Island (2-3-2) attempted to change its tempo with a triple substitution in the 66th minute. But it was too late against the two-goal deficit.
Rhode Island returns to Pawtucket on May 9 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Start time is slated for 7:30 p.m.
“I thought we started the game poorly,” RIFC coach Khano Smith said. “We worked our way back into the game and I thought we were the team with the intensity to close out the first half. And then the second half, just for me, it’s a couple of moments of ill-discipline. If you do that at this level, you get punished. If we want to be an elite team in this league, we cannot concede three goals at home.”
Rhode Island’s backline was leaky from the start as Dawson McCartney’s cross from the left side curled its way through the defense and Sebastian Tregarthen buried it to the far post for Birmingham. And in the 12th minute, before Rhode Island answered, Hamady Diop was stripped on the back line and Ronaldo Damus hit the post to nearly double the advantage on the sequence.
Birmingham’s second goal came off a set piece from the top of the box. It was punched away initially by Koke Vegas, but fell to Phanuel Kavita for an easy rebound score that proved to be the eventual winner.
“I’m sure we’ve made mistakes in games in the past,” Smith said. “And tonight we were just punished. We made mistakes on the second goal and the third goal. We talked about how we want to press on goal kicks, and that was not a goal-kick pressing structure.”
Damus’ goal in the 57th minute forced Vegas to rally the group at midfield. It’s an uncharacteristic loss for Rhode Island, which entered with just nine goals conceded on the year.
“There’s one thing we always talk about, it’s the intensity between the defense, midfield and forwards,” RIFC forward Leo Afonso said. “Everyone has to match the same intensity, and I think tonight it wasn’t matched between the three groups.”
The Ocean State club scored seven goals across its last two USL Championship games, with a penalty-shootout win over Hartford Athletic in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. The offensive side showed that confidence as Leo Afonso equalized Birmingham in the 17th minute. Clay Holstad carried possession up the middle before dropping off to Afonso for a right-footed shot to the near post.
JJ Williams had scoring chances in the second half and Rhode Island held a 19-11 shots margin and finished with 61% of the game’s possession. The three substitutions added Zach Herivaux and Dwayne Atkinson to the midfield and Nick Scardina to the defense as Smith tried to spark the back line.
“It felt like we came off on the back foot a little bit,” Afonso said. “The rotation last week, most of the starting 11 didn’t start. So, I think maybe a little flat-footed from the beginning of the game and letting in easy goals that we were blocking in games before.”
“Just everybody has to be better,” Smith said. “Coaches need to be better. Players need to be better. We’re gonna have off nights. It’s normal. We had a fantastic night last time we were here … but just gotta get back to work.”
WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — A police situation at a West Warwick hotel briefly closed part of I-95 South on Saturday afternoon.
Dozens of officers responded to the SpringHill Suites by Marriott off Route 2 around 3 p.m. Police cruisers blocked a nearby exit ramp, causing the closure.
According to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, travel lanes on I-95 South at Exit 24A were blocked for about 45 minutes before reopening.
Our 12 News crew on the scene reports that most of the police presence, including SWAT, cleared the area just after 4 p.m.
An ambulance was later seen leaving, and a car was towed from the back of the hotel. It’s unclear if anyone was taken into custody or where the investigation stands.
12 News has reached out to police for more information and will bring you updates both online and on WPRI-12.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
A stray cat that bit a person in Burrillville, Rhode Island, tested positive for rabies, health officials said Saturday.
The person received post-exposure treatment meant to prevent them from contracting rabies, which is fatal once a person begins showing symptoms, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.
The person was bitten on Wednesday, and the cat was found under a home’s deck on Whippel Road.
Anyone who came into contact with the cat was urged to call the department’s Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology (at 401-222-2577 on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or 401-276-8046 at other times) so they can be assessed in case they need treatment.
Cats, dogs and pets being kept as pets are required to be vaccinated against rabies in Rhode Island, but anyone who thinks their pet may have come in contact with the stray cat was urged to contact the Department of Public Health, local animal control and the animal’s veterinarian.
A Rhode Island teenager who was out on bail for a gun charge was charged Friday in connection with the stabbing of three people as hundreds of teens crowded the beach
Willy Medina, 18, was identified as a suspect in the stabbing that broke out at Narragansett Town Beach just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Narragansett Police Department.
Medina is accused of slashing three beachgoers as the rowdy crowd went into a frenzy, according to video obtained by WJAR.
The three victims were hospitalized with minor stab wounds.
The Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Medina in his hometown of Pawtucket and charged him on one count of felony assault, Chief Kyle Rekas said.
Medina was arraigned Friday in the 4th District Court and held on a bail violator. He was also ordered to have no contact with minors, WPRI reported.
Officials did not release a motive in the stabbing, as the investigation is ongoing.
Medina was out on bail at the time for a shooting in Pawtucket back in April.
Police allege Medina and another 18-year-old were part of a larger crowd when a disturbance broke out and a gunshot was fired off, striking a parked car, according to WJAR.
Medina was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, firing in a compact area, vandalism and disorderly conduct.
In the aftermath of Tuesday’s stabbings, Narragansett Police arrested two men in the public beach’s parking lot on charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.
Hours before the stabbing, 20 miles away in Middletown, RI, approximately 1,200 teens overran Second Beach on the Sachuest Bay, the Middletown police said.
Several people between the ages of 17 and 19 were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer.
Ronan Pinkham, an 18-year-old from Massachusetts, was arrested after he allegedly struck a Newport police officer with his car in the parking lot as he attempted to flee.
Pinkman admitted to driving under the influence before he was arrested and charged with felony assault and DUI.
Illegal teen takeovers have plagued popular shopping centers and beaches in several states in the weeks leading up to Memorial Day Weekend.
Several hundred teens and young adults illegally took over a popular boardwalk in Long Branch, New Jersey, on Tuesday, leading to several arrests of out-of-towners.
Police in Delaware arrested four Delaware State University students for leading a booze-fueled takeover of Rehoboth Beach that prompted a heavy police presence in the popular Atlantic town.
Xander Nicholl, 19, Angelin Clauvil, 21, Eric Barnett, 21, and 22-year-old Keyon Scott are all facing charges relating to facilitating a riot, as well as conspiracy in the second degree.
-
Oklahoma3 minutes agoGame Four Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
-
Oregon9 minutes ago‘Resources were protected’: Salem firefighters respond to blaze at Oregon State Fire Marshal warehouse
-
Pennsylvania15 minutes agoIn drive to turn Pennsylvania blue, Gov. Josh Shapiro faces a critical test
-
Rhode Island21 minutes agoPolice surround hotel in West Warwick
-
South-Carolina27 minutes agoAt least 19 injured in suspected stampede at South Carolina’s Atlantic Beach: officials
-
South Dakota33 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for May 23, 2026
-
Tennessee39 minutes agoHow Karen Weekly’s bold infield change sent Tennessee softball back to WCWS
-
Texas45 minutes agoPaxton supporters look beyond his troubles, want a fighter in Texas Senate seat in Republican battle against Cornyn
