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Who are the best girls lax teams in Rhode Island? Here’s how we ranked the four divisions

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Who are the best girls lax teams in Rhode Island? Here’s how we ranked the four divisions


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As I was enjoying Southern hospitality and being a patron at that little course in Georgia, you know what message was sent to me via text, email and direct message the most?

What happened to the win-loss standings on the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s website?

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Listen, the only way the RIIL’s website would win a beauty contest would be in a game of Monopoly. But what it lacked in aesthetics, it made up for in functionality. Everything was a click away and wasn’t difficult to find.

The RPI changed that.

With the RIIL using RPI instead of wins and losses to determine playoff seeding – a decision that remains No. 1 on the most overthought and unnecessary things in the history of RI high school sports, as seen by this little lawsuit – it made the tradition win-loss standings page completely irrelevant.

The RIIL did everyone a favor in the fall and kept the page active on its website. While there was an RPI tab, the large majority of people used traditional standings to figure out how things worked. It was the same story in the winter season.

Things have since changed. The RIIL’s traditional win-loss standings are no longer being updated by their website provider, which has caused panic by those looking to find out how teams are doing – present company included.

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If you are one of the panicked, I have a solution.

My dumb brain remembered I was using the RPI Standings at the end of basketball season. While it might seem scary and confusion, trust me – it’s not.

So how do you navigate the RIIL’s standing pages now?

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Go to the website. Pick you sport, then click the giant blue “standings” button or the RPI Standings in the left tab. That’s the easy part.

When you see the standings, it provides information that’s unnecessary. There’s no explanation for what any of the letters or numbers mean, so here’s my advice – don’t worry about it.

The columns on the right tell you who teams have won and lost against and what teams are coming up on the schedule, but it’s presented in a way that makes me want to throw my laptop across a room. Ignore this stuff too.

There is a simple solution to all of this. When you’re on the RPI Standings page, just click the name of the team whose information you’re after. Once you do, it brings up everything you need to know – when and where it was played, what the score was, and whether or not it’s considered a league game or non-league, plus the future schedule.

Not every game is updated, but that’s on coaches not doing their jobs in a timely fashion. You can cross reference missing games on MaxPreps, provided you love pop-up ads and videos that play at an absurd volume.

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Do I like this change? I’m a Rhode Islander, so of course not. Is this change good? No, but only because RPI is inherently stupid and unnecessary for a state this small.

Is the website functional and the information easy to find? Yes.

And that’s what matters, at least for this column.

Now let’s get on to the rankings.

RIIL DIVISION I GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS

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1. Moses Brown (1-0)

It can be hard to get ranked first with only one game in two weeks, but when that game comes against a top five team and you win by two touchdowns it makes things easier. The Quakers beat Prout on April 9, but won’t play another RIIL team until April 21 when it hosts Portsmouth. This week MB will stay sharp with a non-league game against St. George’s Monday and a league game against out-of-state Bishop Feehan on Thursday.

2. East Greenwich (3-0)

The Avengers have come into the 2025 season ready to go and haven’t slowed down a step. Two dominant wins over North Kingstown and Chariho got Week 1 going and last week, EG took care of a tough Portsmouth team. If the Avengers have the same kind of success at Prout on Tuesday, it might be time to sound the alarm on this team’s chances of reaching the state final.

3. La Salle (5-0)

Five games into the season and the Rams have won in every possible way – blowouts, close and not-so close. La Salle has the potential to be a contender and just needs the consistency that comes with playing more games. This week the Rams only have one, hosting Barrington on Tuesday night.

4. Portsmouth (2-2)

The Patriots have to feel pretty good about their start so far. They could have easily beaten La Salle in the first week and while getting beat 13-6 by East Greenwich last week didn’t feel good, its only going to hep this young Portsmouth roster in the long run. We’ll see how the Patriots react to the L on Tuesday when they host North Kingstown, followed by a road game at Chariho Saturday morning.

ON THE BUBBLE: Prout (2-1)

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RIIL DIVISION II GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS

1. Cumberland (4-1)

The Clippers have wasted little time in establishing their presence as a D-II favorite. Their four wins have all been impressive, either in score or opponent, and the one loss was a battle against a D-I Portsmouth team that could play for a state title. Cumberland is legit and while it won’t play during vacation, it will be back to proving it can win a championship when it gets back on the field on April 21.

2. Westerly (2-2)

Expectations were high coming into the season and right now the Bulldogs are living up to them. Westerly doubled up South Kingstown in its opener and bounced back from two losses – one to D-I Prout, the other to Stonington (Conn.) – with a nice win over D-I Chariho. The Bulldogs have some tests against out-of-state Harrison on Monday and at Ledyard Thursday as it gets ready to boost its resume in D-II.

3. Lincoln School (1-0)

There’s a very good chance the Lynx end up winning it all, but with one only game played this season it’s hard to rank them higher than this. Lincoln School won comfortably against Lincoln School last week and will have a tough challenge against D-I North Kingstown on Thursday. After that the schedule is going to get busy, but we should have a ready on this team by the end o the month.

4. Burrillville (3-0)

Are the Broncos going to be the underrated team in D-II this spring? With wins in its first three games, Burrillville should probably be ranked higher, but it’s tough to gauge how good its opponents were at this point of the year. Wins are wins, and if the Broncos can have two more good showings this week – at Mt. Hope Monday and hosting D-I Prout on Thursday – they might start to gain more attention.

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ON THE BUBBLE: South Kingstown (2-3)

RIIL DIVISION III GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS

1. East Providence (2-0)

It’s been a very interesting start to the season for the Townies, who pulled off a one-goal win over Smithfield to start the season before beating up on North Smithfield last week. EP won’t have to travel much this week, hosting neighboring Providence Country Day on Monday before traveling to city rival Bay View on Tuesday.

2. Smithfield (1-1)

Weather postponements haven’t allowed teams to build resumes, so the Sentinels are here almost by default. Smithfield has some talented players and after opening with a win over Pilgrim, the one-goal loss to EP that followed will look better as the season goes on. The Sentinels didn’t play last week because of weather, but have two games this week with a noon start at home against D-IV Scituate Wednesday and a matinee on the road against Toll Gate Thursday.

3. Ponaganset (2-1)

The first week of the season led to two tough games and a .500 record, but last week’s commanding win over Bay View got the Chieftains back to where it wants to be. Ponaganset has a tough road game this week at Mt. Hope, but needs to continue to build off its last win. The schedule gets tougher after break and if this team wants to win a title, it needs to have some momentum once the weather gets warm.

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4. Cranston East (3-3)

Six games in and nobody’s been through more battles than the Thunderbolts, who have three one-goal games under their belt already this spring. Going 2-1 in those types of games this time of the season is laying a foundation that could make Cranston East tough later in the season. They’ll look for a second win over Toll Gate this spring when the teams meet in Warwick on Tuesday.

ON THE BUBBLE: Toll Gate

RIIL DIVISION IV GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS

1. Classical (5-1)

The preseason favorite have left little doubt about their standing and while it hasn’t been perfect, it’s exactly what the Purple needed. Classical went 2-1 last week, with a tough win over Lincoln,  one-goal revenge win over Tiverton and a loss to D-III Toll Gate, which might have come at a perfect time of the season. The Purple get to hit the refresh button after Friday’s loss, with no games on the schedule until next week.

2. Rogers (1-1)

While there’s a clear No. 1, there isn’t a clear No. 2 and right now the Vikings have the best case. They opened with a tough win over Tiverton which was followed by a one-goal loss to D-II Narragansett. Weather kept the Vikings off the field last week and with no games on the schedule, it looks like they won’t return until April 21. They’ll have to make the most of their practice time and see if they can keep this thing going.

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3. Coventry (1-0)

There’s really not a lot to go on with any of these teams, so let’s give the Oakers some credit for pulling out a win in their season opener. The game took place on April 1, but the only joke is that they haven’t had a chance to take the field since. Coventry will have a good test Friday at D-III Toll Gate before playing teams in D-IV the following week.

4. Scituate (0-0)

According to the RIIL website and MaxPreps, the Spartans haven’t played a game yet this season which means they still have a perfect record so they earn this spot here. While it’s a late start, it’s not a bad deal for Scituate, which hosts Lincoln on Monday and plays an afternoon game at D-III Smithfield on Wednesday. If they grab a win in the first week of their season, expect to see the Spartans ranked again next week.

ON THE BUBBLE: North Providence (2-1)



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Rhode Island

RI school superintendent resigns amid antisemitic hazing investigation

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RI school superintendent resigns amid antisemitic hazing investigation


A Rhode Island school superintendent has resigned amid an investigation into alleged antisemitic hazing in the district, NBC affiliate WJAR-TV reports.

Smithfield Superintendent Dr. Dawn Bartz announced her resignation in a letter addressed to the school community. Bartz has been on leave since November after a report of hazing at Smithfield High School.

The Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island said five high school football players locked a freshman student in a bathroom, sprayed Lysol at the student and yelled antisemitic slurs.

In her resignation letter, Bartz focused on her successes surrounding academic outcomes, special education and STEM opportunities and other positives for the district, and thanked the community.

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“As Smithfield moves forward, I am confident the district will continue to build on this progress
and momentum. I wish all our students, staff, and families continued success in the years ahead,” she wrote.

The letter did not specify a reason for the resignation.

WJAR-TV first reported on the situation on October, when the Bartz released a statement on its investigation.

“The investigation confirmed inappropriate conduct among a small number of students,” Superintendent Dawn Bartz said in a provided statement. “Disciplinary action has been taken in accordance with district policy, and several student-athletes will not participate for the remainder of the season.”

The statement went on to say that there would be mandated training and education in response. However, the involved players were back at practice, which didn’t sit well with the victim’s family. His parents said his son walked into practice and found himself face-to-face with his alleged assailants.

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Five football players were initially removed from the team for the remainder of the season but were later reinstated. When asked about the reversal in October, Bartz issued a one-sentence statement saying, “The disciplinary process has concluded and we will not be discussing details involving students.”

Smithfield Town Council President John Tassoni said the situation has deeply divided the community.

“It’s a long time coming,” Tassoni said of Bartz’s resignation. “A lot of people are angry about what happened. A lot of people don’t know the truth of what happened, nor do I.”

An investigation is underway by the school committee’s attorney and a report is expected to be delivered to the school committee sometime next year, Tassoni added. However, some people have concerns about transparency and have floated the possibility of hiring an independent investigator.

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island said they want the focus to be on student safety.

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“While we can’t speculate on the specific reasons behind the superintendent’s decision to resign, we remain focused on what matters most: that Smithfield schools become a place where Jewish students and all students feel safe, valued, and protected from bias and harassment,” President and CEO Adam Greenman wrote in an email.



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Prosecutors in Rhode Island drop charge against former Bay View athletic director

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Prosecutors in Rhode Island drop charge against former Bay View athletic director


Prosecutors in Rhode Island dropped a fugitive from justice charge against a former Catholic school athletic director.

John Sung was arrested in East Providence last month. He was wanted in Florida for a non-violent felony.

After his arrest, he was fired from his position at St. Mary Academy Bay View in Riverside.

Broward County court records show Sung was taken into custody last week. He posted bond.

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The top returning girls wrestlers? Here are 10 to watch this season

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The top returning girls wrestlers? Here are 10 to watch this season


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Girls wrestling took off last winter in its second year of state championships.

Exactly 50 participants, across a dozen weight classes, competed in the March extravaganza at the Providence Career and Technical Academy. Each weight class was contested, unlike the first year of the tournaments, and new title winners were crowned.

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Pilgrim’s Allison Patten was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for her win at 107. The Patriots’ star also finished runner-up at the New England Championships and is among this year’s returnees. But who else should we be keeping an eye on this winter?

Here are 10 standouts who we think might shine this year.

Enjoy! 

Athletes listed in alphabetical order.

Yasmin Bido, Hope

Senior

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Bido snagged her first individual crown with a 16-0 decision at 152 pounds. The Blue Wave grappler also finished runner-up at 165 in Year 1 of the tournament.

Irie Byers, North Kingstown

Sophomore

Byers stormed onto the scene with a title in her first year on the mat. She captured the 120-pound championship with an 11-1 win in the finals. The Skipper returnee is one of a few wrestlers who could repeat.

Jolene Cole, Scituate

Sophomore

Cole helped Scituate to the team title in the first year that the award was handed out. Scituate is a bit of a girls wrestling factory, and Cole added to that lineage with her pin at 114 pounds.

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Alei Fautua, North Providence

Sophomore

Fautua breezed to the title at 235 pounds with a pin in just 25 seconds. She led the Cougars to a runner-up finish as a team as Scituate edged the Cougars by just seven points. Fautua then finished fourth at the New England championships.

Kamie Hawkins, Exeter-West Greenwich

Junior

This year is all about redemption for Hawkins. She was one of the first state champions and came back last year looking to defend her 120-pound title. It wasn’t meant to be, but make no mistake, Hawkins is one of the state’s best.

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Abigail Otte, Exeter-West Greenwich

Junior

Otte was a repeat champion at 138 pounds as she seized the title with a pin in 24 seconds. It’s likely a safe bet that Otte might capture her third crown in three years.

Allison Patten, Pilgrim

Junior

A repeat season isn’t out of the question for Patten. She won the 107 pound title with a pin in 49 seconds. What’s next for the junior? End the season with a New England title, too.

Chloe Ross, Scituate

Sophomore

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It was quite the debut for Ross. The state crown was a breeze as the freshman won via pin in 1:16. But then came the New England tournament where the Spartan star snagged second place. Might there be a different ending to her season this year?

Meili Shao, La Salle

Senior

Shao was one of the first wrestling champions when she captured the 132 title two seasons ago. A repeat crown wasn’t in the cards as she finished runner-up in the class. But the Ram has returned and could be out to avenge last year’s finish.

Emily Youboty, Hope

Senior

The Blue Wave wrestler is the returning 100-pound winner after she captured the crown with a 19-3 technical fall victory in last season’s title meet.



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