Welcome to Rhode Side Sports NOW with Joe, where sports guru Joe Gallant takes a local look at a week in northern Rhode Island high school sports.
In local sports news, Jackson Lynch (defenseman) will skate for the NorthEast Generals of the North American Hockey League. The team is based in Attleboro and has a roster comprised of young men from all over the globe including Russia, Latvia, Norway, California, and many local players from Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
After finishing a great high school career this season at North Smithfield High School, Jackson is excited to compete at the next level. The NA3HL now in its 10th season is one of two USA-hockey sanctioned Tier 3 Junior Leagues. For more than a decade the NA3HL has been providing young players the best training and path to NCAA Division 1 Hockey Scholarships.
Division 1 Boys’ Hockey
Looking back, a Valentines Day loss 10-2 at Mount St. Charles may have been the best thing to happen to Burrillville. They responded with a 3-1 win at Prout/Scuituate Co-Op on February 19th and then took on the best team in Division 1 on the 21st.
And after a gigantic win over then undefeated LaSalle last Friday, the Broncos are playing their best hockey of the year.
Timing is perfect as the next challenge is the playoffs and a tough Barrington team. The Eagles beat the Broncos back in December in Barrington, and Burrillville got its revenge beating the Eagles 2-1 in OT at the end of January. So they split the two meetings this season.
Overall the Eagles finished 6-8 in the conference with 2 losses each to LaSalle, Mount St Charles and Bishop Hendricken, and a loss to Burrillville and Smithfield. They enter the playoffs having lost 5 of the last 6.
But the playoffs are a new season and a chance to compete for a championship.
The quest for both teams begins tonight in Barrington at Portsmouth Abbey at 7:30 PM and resumes tomorrow (Saturday)in Burrillville at “The Barn” Levy Rink at 7:30PM.
Division 3 Girls Basketball
Burrillville Girls Basketball (15-2) lost at Woonsocket in the season finale 60-39 on Wednesday, Feb. 26, and will now await an opponent in the playoffs.
The quarter finals begin for the Lady Broncos at home vs TBD.
North Smithfield Ladies Basketball also finished (15-2) with a strong February 21 win at Lincoln 42-26. The playoffs begin for North Smithfield 3/3 at home against a team to be determined.
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.
