RI Sports 2022 wrap-up for the High Schools – part 3 – John Cardullo

by John Cardullo, sportswriter

As we say farewell to 2022 the local sports scene – at the High School level for most of schools played on in a semi post Covid world:

The 2022 season had its ups and downs for the Rhode Island high school seasons. Life in a post-Covid world will be tested and although not truly untouched, the high school sports scene played on. As the players fought to get back on to the fields and courts as they refused to give in to their seasons being wiped out by the pandemic, their courage, bravery, and boldness were on display for all of us to see. They somehow knew that in order to get past the recent past, something never before experienced, we must plow ahead into the future, cautious, but moving forward, nonetheless.

So, to summarize the past year of the season of 2022 in high school sports, here is a look back on the champions.

In 2022 the baseball landscape changed as the North Kingstown Skipper won the Division 1 Championship, Narragansett won the Division 2 Championship, and the Division 3 title went to North Smithfield. Let the names of these champions roll around in your head for a few seconds, and note that all of these schools are public schools. In the sport of baseball, the playing field seems to have leveled and the championship went to the best teams in their respective divisions.

In the very competitive sport of Girls fast-pitch softball, the powerhouse team out of Coventry, the Lady Oakers, took the Division 1 title. As the Ladies of Prout won the Division 2 championship and Shea High School pulled in the Division 3 state championship. The wide range of championships awarded to the sports of baseball and softball are signs that things may be changing as student athletes raise to the challenges of their competition, no matter public or private school.

LaSalle won the State Division 1 Championship in Boy’s Lacrosse, as Mount Saint Charles won the Division 2 title (yes, they play other sports rather than hockey at Mount Saint Charles). The Pilgrim Patriots took the Division 3 championship as Smithfield won the Division 4 championship. On the Girls side, the Barrington Eagles won the D1 crown, the Patriots of Portsmouth took the D2 title, and the East Providence Townies won the D3 championship.

In Golf, the force of Olivia Williams from LaSalle continued her dominance on the links, while in Boy’s Tennis, Hendricken’s Jack Ciunci won the State Singles title, the combination of Advani & Weisberg brought home the doubles championship to the Wheeler School. While in overall team placements went to the LaSalle Rams for the Division 1 championship, Mount Saint Charles took home the Division 2 championship and East Providence won the Division 3 championship. On the ladies side of the ledger the force of the LaSalle Ramettes took the D1 championship, the Chiefettes of Ponaganset won the D2 title and St. Mary’s/Bay View won D3. The Boys’ Volleyball State Championships went to the following schools. Division 1 was the North Kingstown Skippers, and Mount Saint Charles won the Division 2 crown and Johnston took the D 3 title.

As the Fall season began to crown their champions before closing out the school year, the following teams won their division state championship. In football the State Championship was won by LaSalle, the D1 Championship went to St. Raphael, the Moses Brown Quakers won the Division 2 title and Smithfield won the Division 3 grid iron championship. In Boys Soccer the order of state titles went like this. In D1 The Rebels of South Kingstown kicked their way to the crown. The Chariho Chargers won the D2 title, the D3 Championship was taken by St. Raphael’s and the Scituate Spartans won the Division 4 state championship. In the State’s Cross Country State Championship team crowns went to the Bishop Hendricken Hawks in the boy’s final as the East Greenwich Avengers won the girl’s title.

Girls Soccer championships were won by the Lady Skippers of North Kingstown who won the Division 1 championship. Division 2 went to the Burrillville Broncos. The Tollgate Titans won the Division 3 championship while the Division 4 championship went to Providence Country Day.

The Girls Volleyball Championships went to the North Kingstown Skippers in D1, Chariho in D2, St. Mary’s/Bay View won the D3 title and Providence Country Day spiked their way to the D4 championship. Unified Volleyball crowned 5 State Champions in 2022, the D1 title went to The East Greenwich Avengers while the D2 championship went to the North Kingstown Skippers. The Cranston East Thunderbolts won the D3 crown. Taking the D4 title was the Woonsocket Villa Novans as the Lincoln Lions took the D5 title.

The 2022-23 Winter sports season is currently in full swing, and we plan to do a special Winter season wrap up at the conclusion of the season as we have in the past. This will include Boys and Girls basketball, Boys and Girls Hockey, Boys and Girls Indoor Track, Boys and Girls Swimming, Wrestling and Competitive Cheerleading.

Note: It was pointed out that the report on the past season for University of Rhode Island Golf team was incorrect. The fact was that the team had no Covid related issues this past season. The Rams won three tournaments, had two second place finishes, and three third place finishes out of 11 tournaments. The Rams had 3 different players win a tournament in three consecutive events. URI had four players named as All-American Scholars. Our heartfelt apologies for the error and wish the golf team continued success in the future.

___

John Cardullo, sportswriter