Rhode Island

What an amazing Saturday of high school championship action across RI! Here’s what to know

Published

3 weeks ago

June 2, 2024

What an amazing Saturday of high school championship action across RI! Here’s what to know

Saturday was a day for the record books — many times over.

High school championships were decided on the track, softball diamond, lacrosse field and tennis court, and The Providence Journal’s award-winning Sports staff — writers Bill Koch, Eric Rueb and Jacob Rousseau, photographers Kris Craig and David Delpoio, and freelancers Will Geoghegan and Emma Marion — was everywhere.

So if you missed the history that was made across Rhode Island on a pristine spring Saturday, don’t sweat it. We’ve got you covered.

Here’s a look at one of the busiest days of the high school sports calendar:

BOYS LACROSSE

∎In Division I, the La Salle Rams did was the La Salle Rams do — win boys lacrosse titles. This one marked the 12th straight championship for La Salle, who stormed to a 19-1 final over Moses Brown at Stevenson Field at Brown University. The Rams scored the most goals in a state championship game and had the largest margin of victory in the season’s final game. The Rams had tallied 15 goals, the previous high, in 2017 and 2022.

∎In Division II, the Prout Crusaders grabbed some redemption, as most of the lacrosse players were on the hockey team that still tasted the one-goal, double-overtime Frozen Four defeat this winter. But on Saturday afternoon at Brown, Prout proved its championship pedigree, beating Pilgrim, 13-8, for the program’s fifth overall Rhode Island Interscholastic League crown.

∎Division III has gone to the Dogs … again. Westerly’s Bulldogs captured their second consecutive Rhode Island Interscholastic League title by besting Smithfield, 8-6. Westerly goalkeeper Ryder Casady described it this way: “It’s been a roller coaster this year of highs and lows. But overall, we put it together and the feeling is just amazing to go back-to-back.”

∎North Smithfield was playing with fire — tempting the fates by having championship hats ready to go. But after heartbreaking losses in 2021 and 2022, nothing was going to stop these Northmen from finishing the job. No. 1 North Smithfield (16-1) built its advantage in the third quarter and weathered second-seeded Lincoln’s late push for a 5-3 triumph in the Division IV championship.

BOYS TENNIS

∎The lights went out at Slater Park, but it was the Barrington duo of Garrett Meehan and Justin Kuo who turned the lights out on La Salle’s three-year title streak in Division I. It was the third straight season that the Eagles and Rams battled for the state title. This time, undefeated Barrington finished the job, with the No. 3 doubles team winning the final points.

∎The crowd had shifted over to watch East Greenwich’s David Levy play North Kingstown’s Owen Tegan. What’s already been an incredible debut season for Levy got better Saturday. Levy came out strong in the first set, looked ready to roll in the second but had to withstand an impressive comeback from Tegan before grabbing the win, giving East Greenwich a 4-3 win and the Division II title.

∎Finishing the year unbeaten and hoisting the championship trophy is no easy feat. But North Smithfield did just that — in the same way the Northmen won every match this season, by relying on every person in the ladder. On Saturday, North Smithfield completed a 4-0 win over Cranston East and put the finishing touch on the Northmen’s undefeated championship season.

GIRLS TRACK

Providence’s Conley stadium saw records being smashed and helping to lead the way to an outdoor track team title were West Warwick sisters Lisa Raye and Xenia Raye. The Wizards totaled 76 points, bettering runner-up Cranston West’s total of 59 and adding to what is becoming a crowded shelf of accolades. Lisa Raye set new state marks in three events and collected four gold medals while Xenia Raye set a new meet record while capturing the 400 meters.

BOYS TRACK

Barrington’s roots in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League date to the league’s founding in the 1930s. But Saturday was a first for Eagles — a boys outdoor track state championship. While Bishop Hendricken and La Salle offered plenty of fight, the Eagles were left standing tall at Conley Stadium — three gold medals, nine other top-3 finishes and 120 team points.

SOFTBALL

∎How’s this for a day’s work: Cranston East freshman pitcher Isabella Sousa struck out 16 Pawtucket batters, her defense made just one error behind her, and in the fifth inning, after failing to get a bunt down, Sousa smashed a grand slam that had the undefeated Thunderbolts dancing their way to a 10-1 victory at Rhode Island College and the school’s first-ever Division III fastpitch softball championship.

∎There were only two starters back from last year’s title-winning Central Falls team, but it didn’t take long for Chloe Acosta and Arghennis Disla and their classmates at Blackstone Valley Prep to mesh with their new co-op teammates. This special season ended with a 12-8 comeback victory over the Providence co-op of Times 2 Academy/Paul Cuffee and a Division IV title. Said coach Selena Martinez: “We really built it. It’s a great achievement to go back-to-back. It was basically a brand new team.”

MORE ON TAP

Today, four girls lacrosse championships will be decided at Brown University:

Division IV: Tiverton vs. North Smithfield, noon

Division III: Narragansett vs. Westerly, 2 p.m.

Division II: Chariho vs. North Kingstown, 4 p.m.

Division I: La Salle vs. Moses Brown, 6 p.m.

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Rhode Island

Gas prices continue downward trend in Rhode Island, but demand heating up

Published

3 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

Gas prices continue downward trend in Rhode Island, but demand heating up

PROVIDENCE — Gas prices are down again for a sixth straight week, but the trend is likely coming to an end as both temperatures and demand continue to heat up.

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Rhode Island

Christian McCaffrey and fiancé Olivia Culpo jet off to Rhode Island ahead of wedding

Published

11 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Christian McCaffrey and fiancé Olivia Culpo jet off to Rhode Island ahead of wedding

The countdown is on!

Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey took off for Rhode Island in a private jet Monday as they get ready to tie the knot.

“Let it begin 👰🏻‍♀️🤍🥹,” the former beauty queen captioned an Instagram post, which included pics of the soon-to-be newlyweds holding hands and standing in front of a private jet and life-size letters that read, “Mr & Mrs.”

The carousel of pics also included shots inside the plane. The floor of the jet was sprinkled with white petals and a tablet showed a gallery of Culpo and McCaffrey’s pics together over the years.

For the wedding flight meal, the couple could choose from chicken lettuce wraps, ahi sushi bowls, summer strawberry crunch salad and several breakfast dishes.

The “Culpo Sisters” star, 32, and the San Francisco 49ers player, 28, could then enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries and espresso martinis for dessert.

One last shot featured the happy couple — who were accompanied by their pup, Oliver Sprinkles — sharing a sweet kiss while holding hands across the small aisle.

For the romantic trek, the reality star was dressed in an all-white linen look while her beau looked comfy in a gray T-shirt, blue sweatpants and white sneakers.

Culpo and the NFL star are reportedly set to exchange vows in Rhode Island, where she was born and raised.

In April 2023, the former Miss Universe announced she was engaged to McCaffrey after nearly four years of dating.

“♾️4.2.23♾️,” she captioned a slideshow of photos on Instagram of the running back getting down on one knee.

“We tried to keep this quiet for as long as possible but apparently word travels fast. I’m marrying my best friend. I love you so much, fiancé,” she added on her Instagram Story.

Culpo previously revealed that she plans to try to start a family “immediately” after they get married.

“I feel like the day after my wedding, I’m just gonna rip out my IUD and start trying immediately,” she said in an October 2023 TikTok video.

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Rhode Island

Bad polling news for Governor McKee, and President Biden – The Boston Globe

Published

18 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Bad polling news for Governor McKee, and President Biden – The Boston Globe

The online and text message survey of 1,450 likely Rhode Island voters was conducted June 5 to June 14 by Embold Research.

You can read the full survey here, and below are five key takeaways.

Bridge trouble for Governor McKee

This is the first public polling we’ve seen that asks a specific question about the failure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge, and McKee takes a hit. Only 29 percent of likely voters said they approve of his handling of the bridge, while 59 percent said they disapprove. The poll also showed 60 percent of likely voters think the state is on the wrong track. McKee’s 36 percent overall job approval is below US Senator Jack Reed (58 percent), US Representative Seth Magaziner (51 percent), US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (48 percent), US Representative Gabe Amo (42 percent) and Biden (42 percent).

The Kennedy factor

Rhode Island probably isn’t going to decide the presidential election, but four years after Biden earned more than 59 percent of the vote against Trump, only 40 percent of likely voters say they’re sticking with the incumbent president. Two concerns for Biden: RFK Jr. has 12 percent among likely voters, and 17 among independents, and only 72 percent of Democrats said they are voting for Biden (by comparison, Trump commands the support of 87 percent of Republicans).

Whitehouse, Magaziner, and Amo are heavy favorites

Reed, the most popular politician in the state, doesn’t face reelection until 2026. But the poll shows Whitehouse, Magaziner, and Amo appear well on their way to breeze past their Republican opponents in the November election. Whitehouse was at 48 percent compared to 34 percent for whichever Republican he faces (state Representative Patti Morgan or Ray McKay). Magaziner leads little-known challenger Steve Corvi 47 percent to 33 percent, and Amo has a 50-percent to 29-percent lead over perennial candidate Allen Waters.

Sabina Matos’ uphill battle

It’s not easy to build your profile as lieutenant governor, and Sabina Matos has the added challenge of dealing with a voter signature scandal that rocked her campaign for Congress last year. Now she finds herself at 27 percent approval and 39 percent disapproval in job performance. The bright side for Matos is that 35 percent of voters said they weren’t sure, but this poll isn’t likely to curb talk of a Democratic primary challenger for Matos in 2026.

Everyone wants an inspector general

Except the people who could make it happen. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all expressed overwhelming support for a Republican-led proposal to create an independent inspector general’s office to investigate waste and fraud in government. Among likely voters, 73 percent said they support an inspector general, while just 8 percent oppose.

This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.