Welcome to Rhode Side Sports NOW with Joe, a feature on NRI NOW.
Each week, sports guru Joe Gallant highlights standings from the week, with a look at our local high school teams.
This week, Gallant looks at boys’ hockey, where the Broncos take on Mount St. Charles tonight, and the Northmen try to take down last year’s Division 2 champion Clippers; and girls’ basketball, where two northern Rhode Island teams seem bound to face off.
Division 1: A setback for the Broncos
The Broncos hockey team suffered a tough loss of 4-1 on Tuesday, Feb. 11 versus Prout/Scituate Co/Op at Levy Rink.
With the playoffs in mind, the Broncos will need to bounce back immediately. And they have a date for Valentine’s Day.
Friday night, Feb. 14, Burrillville will travel to Mount to take on the eight and three Mounties. This Mount team has only lost three times this year, twice to undefeated LaSalle, and a loss in the first league game of the year on the road versus Smithfield. Overall the Mounties have only lost once at home and have outscored opponents – 19-8 – in league games. Mount has three straight home league games to finish out the regular season.
The Broncos have a tough road ahead with Mount tonight, and they will see Prout/Scuiate again on Wednesday, Feb. 19 on the road, before a season finale at home versus the seemingly unstoppable LaSalle Rams on Friday, Feb. 21.
Division 2- Northmen look to keep momentum
North Smithfield boys’ hockey looks to keep their momentum going after huge win taking down co-division leaders South Kingstown 4-1 at home last Saturday, Feb. 8.
The Northmen now welcome the undefeated Cumberland Clippers to town. Cumberland has won every game this year with the exception of back to back ties to East Greenwich and Rogers/Middletown/Rocky Hills co-op. Last year‘s Division 2 Champions, the Clippers sit 10-0-2, but take on a confident North Smithfield team Saturday, before next week’s date with 2nd place South Kingstown, and a finish against a tough Cranston West team. It will be a challenge for the Clippers as they hope to go into playoffs strong, and will attempt to repeat as D-2 champions.
Division 3 – Northern RI teams dominate girls’ basketball
Division III Rhode Island girls basketball has been about two teams this year: North Smithfield and Burrillville.
The Burrillville girls’ team, 12-1, has only lost on the road at Lincoln at a Jan. 27 match, and has won six straight games.
North Smithfield defeated Davies last night, Thursday, Feb. 13, 55-38. North Smithfield’s only loss in the last 13 games was to the Burrillville girls team, a 62 to 32 decision in North Smithfield.
These two teams seem to be on a collision course and will almost surely will play each other again before things are decided in Division III girls basketball.
Hear Joe live every week on The Joe Show on WNRI Radio 99.9fm/1380am, every Monday and Friday from 9:30-11 a.m.
