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Top returning girls volleyball players? Here are 10 to watch this fall

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Top returning girls volleyball players? Here are 10 to watch this fall


The Rhode Island high school girls volleyball season is nearly upon us.

Teams have worked their serve/receives all summer and it will all be on display as games start in earnest on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The sport was reduced to three divisions this season with movement across the board.

We know that there will be at least two new champions this fall after East Providence was bumped up to Division I. The Townies raced to an undefeated season last fall and captured the D-II title. And in D-III, Burrillville edged Tolman in five sets, but the Broncos are off to the state’s second league.

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More: Why Barrington girls volleyball has a near-perfect championship blueprint to follow

North Kingstown seeks its third straight title in D-I, but there are competitors lurking at everywhere and the Providence Journal is excited to get to the action.

For now, here are 10 girls volleyball players to keep an eye on this fall.

Lyla Auth, Middle blocker

Westerly, Junior

Auth certainly has the size at 6-foot-1 to warrant attention. But it’s the combination of size and hit power in the middle that stands out for the Bulldog. Westerly went 10-5 last season and should duplicate that success again this season.

A quick look at the 2024 RIIL girls tennis season – plus 10 players to watch for this fall

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Sofia D’Agostino, Libero

La Salle, Junior

D’Agostino led the Rams to a 10-6 mark last year and a spot in the Final Four. La Salle was ultimately upended by North Kingstown in straight sets, but the specialist garnered recognition for her play by making the Providence Journal All-State second team.

Kayleigh Garrepy, Middle blocker

North Kingstown, Sophomore

Garrepy, daughter of Skippers’ coach Brian Garrepy, landed on the All-State second team as a freshman and enters the 2024 campaign as one of the top players in the state. North Kingstown won its second of back-to-back championships last fall and should threaten to make it a dynasty.

More: Here are 10 RI high school boys soccer players to keep an eye on this season

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Sydney Henson, Setter

North Kingstown, Senior

Part of the reason North Kingstown enters as a way-too-early favorite is Henson. The senior is tabbed to replace the 2023 Gatorade player of the year, Ella Maack, at setter for the Skippers. Henson was already an all-stater at libero last year (181 digs to go with 54 assists) but transitions to lead NK’s potent offense.

Hailey Labonte, Outside hitter

Portsmouth, Senior

Labonte led the Patriots in kills and digs and was just behind Caitlin Mediate in aces last fall. Behind the two seniors, Portsmouth could reach the D-I playoffs for the third straight season.

Tessa LaFrenier, Outside hitter

North Kingstown, Senior

LaFrenier is one of the top hitters in the state and will demand attention at the net. North Kingstown has a long lineage of stars and the senior could be next up on that list.

Emma McCrann, Outside hitter

Barrington, Junior

Morgan Martin, Libero

Barrington, Senior

Barrington was close to pulling off the semifinal upset against East Providence last year. The Eagles dropped the fifth set, 16-14, but almost every team goes through heartbreak before winning. Need proof? The Barrington boys lost in similar fashion in 2023 before winning the title last spring. McCrann, now a junior, earned D-II second-team honors from the league’s coaches last year. Martin, now a senior, joined her on that team.

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Caitlin Mediate, Setter

Portsmouth, Senior

The Patriots earned the four seed in D-I last fall and took No. 5 La Salle to five sets before falling, 15-13, in the final set. If not for NK’s Ella Maack, Mediate would have been the ProJo’s first-team All-State setter. But she’s back for another season with the Patriots and is one to watch this fall.

Keira Mullen, Rightside hitter

East Providence, Junior

Mullen is the only All-State hitter returning after graduation losses last year. The Townies dropped to D-II last season and went undefeated, winning the title in straight sets. They’re in D-I this season with the junior leading the way.

India Vaughn-Hallene, Middle hitter

South Kingstown, Senior

The Rebels halted North Kingstown’s reign in the fall of 2021 with a 25-17, 14-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-9 win in the semifinals. They then topped Prout for the program’s first state championship. SK reached the finals again the following year, but was undone by the Skippers. A potential return to the pinnacle would be aided by Vaughn-Hallene at the net.

jrousseau@providencejournal.com

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On X: @ByJacobRousseau





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Rhode Island

Ferrari stolen during RI armed home invasion tracked down in Florida; 2 suspects arrested

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Ferrari stolen during RI armed home invasion tracked down in Florida; 2 suspects arrested


A Ferrari that was stolen during an armed home invasion in Cranston, Rhode Island, three days ago, has been recovered in Florida, where authorities said they took one of two suspects into custody Tuesday. The second suspect was later arrested in Rhode Island.

Cranston police say this whole ordeal started Saturday, when patrol officers were dispatched around 3:20 a.m. to 66 Crest Drive. The residents told officers that two masked men armed with handguns got into the house through an unlocked door and demanded the keys to a 2018 Ferrari Spider convertible that was parked in the garage, as well as a Chevy Corvette.

According to police, it was clear that the suspects had intimate knowledge about the home and the vehicles they were seeking, saying this was not a random act.

The residents of the home, who were targeted, police say, did turn the keys to both vehicles over to the suspects, who left in the Ferrari. The Corvette was found undisturbed nearby, where the owner had parked it.

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A Cranston Police Flock camera located the stolen Ferrari in Cranston the day after the incident, but responding officers were unable to find it Sunday.

Detectives were able to identify two suspects, however, one of whom police say had an indirect connection to one of the residents, Cranston police said. He had previously been inside the Crest Drive home and knew where the keys to both vehicles were stored.

Police then issued a bulletin about the stolen Ferrari to surrounding police departments, and several agencies became involved.

A Rhode Island state trooper saw the vehicle and attempted to stop it Monday evening, but the driver led several troopers on a high-speed chase that traversed Rhode Island and Connecticut, before law enforcement eventually lost sight of it.

Later Monday night, New York State troopers pursued the Ferrari, but again the driver evaded capture.

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Also Monday night, Cranston police obtained arrest warrants for 20-year-old Jonathan Costa, of Cranston, and 18-year-old Logan Slezak, of Pawtucket, for breaking and entering with felony intent, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence and conspiracy.

Cranston detectives partnered with the state police violent fugitive task force and U.S. Marshalls to work toward apprehending both suspects.

Tuesday afternoon, the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said that deputies were searching for the stolen Ferrari, with Florida registration CCC1, that led authorities on a pursuit on I-95 in Flagler County. The driver was said to be armed and dangerous, and wanted in reference to the out-of-state crime.

Pedro Menendez High School and Southwoods Elementary were briefly put on lockdown as a precaution during the search, but class has since resumed.

Shortly after 2 p.m., sheriffs from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Department in Florida spotted the stolen Ferrari after receiving an alert from a license plate reader. The driver refused to stop for law enforcement and sped away.

A helicopter unit was utilized to track the Ferrari, and though the suspect was able to initially evade capture, he was later tracked to a residence on Royal Palm Lane, where the Ferrari was recovered unoccupied and hidden under a tarp.

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There was a heavy law enforcement presence in the area, and people were asked to avoid it.

Sheriffs surrounded the home and were able to take Costa into custody immediately, police said. The second suspect, Slezak, was determined not to have been in the vehicle and was not believed to be in Flagler County.

Cranston police said later Tuesday that Slezak had been taken into custody in Rhode Island.

“This was a difficult case in order to apprehend the suspects because of their reckless disregard and dangerous high speeds over 130 mph to evade capture, putting all law enforcement and the innocent motoring public at risk, along with being armed and dangerous,” Major Todd Patalano said in a press release. “The Cranston Police also thanked the residents and neighbors for their cooperation and patience in assisting us to bring this to a quick conclusion.”

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It was not immediately clear if Costa or Slezak had obtained an attorney, when they’re due to make their first court appearances or if additional charges are possible. Further information has not been provided at this time.





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The Voice star Billy Gilman marries boyfriend Anthony Carbone on 45-acre horse farm on Rhode Island

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The Voice star Billy Gilman marries boyfriend Anthony Carbone on 45-acre horse farm on Rhode Island


Wedding bells rang in Rhode Island for The Voice alum Billy Gilman and his groom, Anthony Carbone.

The pair tied the knot in their home state on a 45-acre horse farm.

For Billy, 36, the venue reminded him of childhood visits to his grandparents’ horse farm – while Anthony, 32, also spent time growing up on a horse farm, further telling People that the site ‘just felt like home.’

Both shared a simple vision for the occasion, as Billy described: ‘All we said was, “We want good people, great food and great music.” That’s it. What else do you need?’

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Anthony stressed that their wedding was ‘not about the pomp and the fuss of everything – but about what it all means to us.’ 

The Voice alum Billy Gilman, 36, and his beau, Anthony Carbone, 32, tied the knot in their native Rhode Island on a 45-acre horse farm

After rising to country-music fame in his early teens, Billy went on to appear on Season 11 of The Voice, ultimately coming in as the runner-up

After rising to country-music fame in his early teens, Billy went on to appear on Season 11 of The Voice, ultimately coming in as the runner-up

The lovebirds said ‘I do’ in front of an intimate crowd of 115 guests, mostly family and very close friends. 

Billy’s best friend of two decades, Kim Bruna, served as the officiant.

Music is a big part of the couple’s lives, and accordingly the playlist was meticulously curated. 

For cocktail hour, they mixed ‘very European jazz fusion music’ with ‘Motown and feel-good music’ and some country – the latter being Billy’s own métier.

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After dinner, they switched to a lively party vibe with hits like Cha Cha Slide and The Jackson 5’s I Want You Back.

Billy, who launched his career as a tween with the hit country single One Voice in 2001, sweetly serenaded his husband with a rendition of My Love, as heard on the TV series Star. 

The two men first crossed paths in 2022 in a Providence bar, introduced through mutual friends during a night out before Thanksgiving. 

They ‘hit it off’ right away and, from there, ‘life just kept bringing us together again and again,’ Anthony said. 

The duo said 'I do' in front of an intimate crowd of 115 friends and family members

The duo said ‘I do’ in front of an intimate crowd of 115 friends and family members

Billy and Anthony clicked instantly after meeting at a Providence bar the night before Thanksgiving of 2022

Billy and Anthony clicked instantly after meeting at a Providence bar the night before Thanksgiving of 2022

The two got engaged in September 2023 after seeing a Pam Tillis concert

The two got engaged in September 2023 after seeing a Pam Tillis concert

The next time Billy and Anthony encountered one another, the former decided to make a move.

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‘We met up again and that’s when I said, “I got to follow my heart.” I said [to Anthony], “Would you want to go on a first date?”‘

Billy added: ‘[We’ve] been inseparable ever since, leading up to this one getting on his knee.’

Anthony chimed in, adding: ‘We got really close, really fast … We’ve had relationships before and dated other people, but we just really couldn’t be a day apart.’

The two got engaged on a rainy night in September 2023, after seeing a Pam Tillis concert in Rhode Island with Billy’s parents.

The visual of Anthony getting down on one knee in the rain and proposing was ‘like a perfect movie scene,’ Billy said.

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‘I was sobbing – but he couldn’t tell with the rain,’ he added.

After rising to country-music fame in his early teens, Billy went on to appear on Season 11 of The Voice.

He was paired with Adam Levine and ultimately placed as the runner-up of the competition.



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Everything Rhode Island H.S. football: Here is your one-stop shop for the 2024 preseason

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Everything Rhode Island H.S. football: Here is your one-stop shop for the 2024 preseason


We don’t want you to miss any high school football preseason news.

Each story, player, coach and everything in-between deserves its own spotlight, so we put together this page that neatly wraps every football story posted this preseason. Dive into every feature you missed, or reread the ones you enjoyed, because Week 1 is nearly here.

We will keep this page updated as more news comes about, so bookmarking for future reference isn’t a bad idea.

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Now onto the stories!

Rhode Island high school football preseason news

⚫ Rhode Island H.S. football schedules? Week-by-week slates for every team in the state

⚫ RIIL rolling out new RPI-based plan in the fall. Here’s why it doesn’t do enough

⚫ Cranston East hopes alum James Cook can turn around its struggling football program

⚫ Legendary Aquidneck Island football coach Arthur Bell dies at 63 after long cancer battle

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⚫ High school football scheduling taking on a whole new look; what’s going on

⚫ Why Nae’shaun Montgomery chose Florida wasn’t a surprise. His path from RI to Gainesville was.

Preseason coverage

⚫ The 2024 Providence Journal Preseason All-State Football Team offense

⚫ The 2024 Providence Journal Preseason All-State Football Team Defense and Special Teams

⚫ The 2024 Rhode Island HS football fan’s choice for preseason player of the year

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⚫ Vote! What is the best Rhode Island high school football rivalry? You decide

⚫ Excited for Week 1 of high school football? Here’s five opening weekend games to watch

Players to watch

⚫ Top 10 players up next

⚫ Quarterbacks

⚫ Running backs (coming soon)

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⚫ Receivers and tight ends (coming soon)

Divisional previews

⚫ Division I (coming soon)

⚫ Division II (coming soon)

⚫ Division III (coming soon)

⚫ Division IV (coming soon)

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