The Rhode Island high school hockey season gets under way Saturday with Injury Fund programs at three rinks. Included in the day's activities will be an all-day, 11-game card at the Rhode Island Sports Center in North Smithfield.

In addition to the Sports Center there also will be games at the Boss Arena and Thayer Arena. Each game will consist of two, 20-minute, running time periods.

Also four East Bay teams, Mt. Hope, Rogers, Portsmouth and Middletown, will play a round-robin program Sunday afternoon at the Portsmouth Abbey rink.

The Schedule:

Saturday

Rhode Island Sports Center

8 am Smithfield vs Burrillville

9 am Ponaganset vs Scituate

10 am North Smithfield vs Woonsocket

11am Lincoln vs Cumberland

noon East Providence vs Johnston/NP

1pm Cranston East vs PCD/Wheeler

2pm Open Block

3pm East Greenwich vs Toll Gate

4pm Tolman vs West Warwick

5pm Coventry vs St. Ray's

6pm Barrington vs Cranston West

7pm Moses Brown vs Mt. St. Charles

Boss Arena

6pm Narragansett vs South Kingstown

7:30pm North Kingstown vs Prout

Thayer

7pm LaSalle vs Hendricken

8:30pm Warwick vs.Pilgrim

Sunday

Portsmouth

4pm Jamboree w/ Mt. Hope, Rogers, Middletown, & Portsmouth
One period against each team.

He made it!

Frank Abate, the special education teacher and volunteer assistant coach of the Westerly baseball team, successfully completed the Philadelphia Half-Marathon on Sunday. Saying last week that he would be running for everyone who had supported him in his efforts and would do "whatever it takes to finish," the 34-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, crossed the finish line in 4 hours, 22 minutes and 26 seconds.

Journal photo/John Freidah
Frank Abate completes his final training run last Wednesday in Weekapaug in preparation for Sunday's Philadelphia Half-Marathon.

"He did a tremendous job," Westerly athletic director Jamey Vetelino, who helped his longtime friend train for the race, said in a voice mail message to the Journal on Sunday. "(He's) pretty tired, but myself and the other people that came down here with him are all extremely proud of him. He ran it just as planned. It was a perfect race plan. He executed tremendously. He was focused. It was great to watch. It was really exciting."

Abate ran the half-marathon in honor of his late father Frank Abate Sr., who lost a battle with pancreatic cancer in 2004. With the assistance of Westerly senior Andrew Felicetti, who incorporated his baseball coach's ambitious endeavor into his senior project, Abate raised more than $4,000 for the American Cancer Society. (Those who would still like to contribute to Abate's effort should send checks made payable to "American Cancer Society" to: Frank Abate, 75 Oak St., Westerly, R.I. 02891.)

"Frank Abate, a lifelong friend had served as an assistant coach to me at Westerly in both basketball and baseball," Neal Cobleigh wrote in an e-mail to the Journal after reading about Abate's plans to run the Philadelphia Half-Marathon. "His aim was to learn from me. But it was me who learned so much more from him, about perseverance, determination, caring, and the strength of the human spirit. There is no one I admire more."

Jones, who is now playing for former North Smithfield star Linda Cimino, scored five of Caldwell's nine points in overtime, in helping the Cougars to a 72-70 overtime win over Bentley University at the UMass-Lowell Tournament last weekend. She finished with a career-high 21 points, sinking three 3-pointers, while also registering six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Jones had 12 points, including a pair of threes, in Caldwell's 54-48 loss to host UMass-Lowell on Saturday,

She was also named CACC Rookie of the Week last week after collecting 15 points and 10 rebounds in the Cougars' 57-50 decision over No. 9 Stonehill on Nov. 16.

Carmone, a three-time all-stater last year in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, traversed the 6 kilometer course in 21:33.7, an average of 5:47 per mile. Her performance led Stonehill, the top-ranked Division II in the Northeast, to a 16th place finish in the national championship.

Last week, Carmone was named the 2009 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division II Women's Athlete of the Year. Two weeks ago, at Franklin Park in Boston, she won the NCAA Division II Regional, helping send Stonehill to the national championship.

Last month, she was second in the Northeast-10 Championship at St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vermont. She ran the 5 kilometer course in 18:23.

The victory gives Exeter-West Greenwich a 5-3 final regular season Division IV record and moved the Scarlet Knights into a third place, final regular season tie with Hope. Exeter-West Greenwich earns the No. 3 playoff seed on the strength of its victory over the Blue Wave in head-to-head competition.

Adam Sweeney scored 14 of Exeter-West Greenwich's points with two touchdowns and a conversion. Al Georgio scored the other Scarlet Knights touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the Central Falls end zone.

Exeter-West Greenwich never trailed, but also never led by more than eight points. The Scarlet Knights took a 5-0 lead on Georgio's touchdown in the first quarter, but Central Falls came right back on tied the score on a touchdown pass from Steve Vazquez to Antonio Mena.
Sweeney quickly put the Scarlet Knights back in front by eight when he returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown and followed with the conversion rush.

Central Falls cut the deficit to 14-12 shortly before the end of the first half on a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown by Robert Alers.

Sweeney completed a long drive with a short run for his second touchdown in the third quarter but Vazquez connected with Mena on another touchdown toss later in the third period. The Exeter-West Greenwich defense kept the Scarlet Knights in front, however, when it stopped Central Falls two-point conversion attempt.

Exeter-West Greenwich added two more points in the fourth quarter with a safety.

When it comes to playoffs, however, there will be two separate tournaments.

In a rather unusual playoff format, the top two regular-season finishers will play a best-of-three Division I state title series. Also the third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place regular-season finishers will play in a four-team Division II state tournament, with best-of-three series in both the semifinal and final rounds.

The eight teams in the league this winter will be Mount St. Charles, Bay View, La Salle, Barrington, North Smithfield, Burrillville, Toll Gate and Cranston.

Odone talked about the impact that running for Caron had on his life:

"I was introduced to Jim as his nephew's best friend during my freshman year at Ponaganset. Coach Caron convinced me to join the team and the next four years zipped past quicker than one of our races. As a teenager, I was more than just a loud mouthed pain in the rear--I'm sure I can find more proof than I'd like to admit. Now, I CRINGE while reflecting upon some of the things I put Coach Caron through . . . . but he always stayed with me. That's why my cringe can quickly turn into a smile. When my family was suffering financially, he noticed that purchasing running shoes was just too much for me to ask of my mother - so he showed up the next day with a pair. Coach Caron has always given me a visual definition of sacrifice for the benefit of others. His time is spent helping people achieve their goals at such a crucial age of development. This while balancing the fact that most of these "developing people" are crass brats, just trying to figure the world out (myself at the head of the line). He never gave up on any of us and we will never give up being thankful to him."

"We needed to finish in the top four at least to qualify because Mount and Smithfield had already qualified out of division," said Broncos coach Marty Crowley. "We knew it was going to be tough, having to beat East Greenwich, Scituate, Exeter-West Greenwich and Ponaganset running at home, among other teams."

Clocking a time of 21:59 on the Covered Bridge Trail, senior Namoi Takita led Burrillville with her sixth-place overall finish. Freshman Danielle Dumais (22:04) and sophomore Anna Dumais (22:05) were the Broncos' next two runners, finishing 10th and 11th, respectively. Freshman Lizzie Rogers followed a short time later, placing 37th in 23:51.

However, it was Burrillville's next runner - sophomore Kristy Poisson - who turned in the pivotal performance.

"She wasn't even supposed to run this race," Crowley explained. "I had to choose between her and another girl to fill out my varsity roster. I chose the other girl. Unfortunately, my number 5 runner got the flu, Kristy Poisson got the call and ran the race of her life, finishing 48th."

Poisson's points, indeed, proved crucial, as Burrillville (112 points) edged East Greenwich (113) by one point and Scituate (118) by six to take the second spot behind Class C champion Smithfield.

"This is an amazing accomplishment for these young ladies," Crowley said, "going from 12th to 2nd in the class meet in one year.

"What makes it even more special," he continued, "is that there is no indoor or outdoor
track program in place at Burrillville. (Only 3 individuals compete during the outdoor season, and Naomi is one of them.) Not too bad for a bunch of part-time runners. We are very proud of these young ladies and what they have accomplished. In our eyes they are already champions."

Placing 28th in a field of 140, Takita led Burrillville to a 12th-place finish at the State Championships a week later at Ponaganset.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League has suspended nine players for up to a year for their involvement in a fight at the end of the MetLife Soccer Classic Girls Division IV Championship between Woonsocket and Tolman.

The suspensions for fighting and leaving the bench range from two games to one year and involve athletic competition in the RIIL. Coaches from both teams were also penalized.

In announcing the suspensions the RIIL did not identify the players or coaches.

The Principals' Committee on Athletics determined the penalties at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday and delivered the sanctions to the schools Tuesday morning. Its ruling does not preclude the schools from taking further disciplinary action.

"The Committee has issued these suspensions as a clear message to not only tose involved but to all athletes that fighting and unsportsmanlike behavior has no place in interscholastic athletics and will not be tolerated," the RIIL said in a statement. Tuesday

The fight occurred with about a minute remaining in Woonsocket's 5-0 victory and lasted approximately 30 seconds. The game was called at that point.

A scuffle in the grandstand between fans of the two schools resulted in the cancellation of the post-game awards ceremony.

The victory gives Hendricken a final 6-2 regular season Division I record and assures the Hawks of at least the third seed for the four-team Division I playoffs and possibly a three-way tie for the second seed depending on the outcome of the Thanksgiving Day game between La Salle and East Providence.

The loss dropped East Providence, which already had clinched a playoff berth, to 5-2 in League play with one game remaining against La Salle. La Salle currently is in second place with a 6-1 record

Mike Flanagan led the Hendricken attack with two touchdowns
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PROVIDENCE - Girls from the Woonsocket and Tolman High School soccer teams will receive sanctions Tuesday for their role in the fight that marred the end of the MetLife Soccer Classic Girls Division IV Championship on Nov. 8 at Rhode Island College.

Players involved in the scuffle will most likely be suspended for games this winter or next spring, if they are seniors and play another sport, or next soccer season, if they are underclassmen.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League's Principals Committee on Athletics met Monday and considered a report on the incident submitted by Tom Mezzanotte, RIIL executive director. The committee determined the sanctions.

Mezzanotte would not disclose details of the punishment. He said the Interscholastic League will deliver the news to Woonsocket and Tolman officials Tuesday morning and invite them to comment. The Interscholastic League will issue a statement after the schools have had a chance to review the committee's decision.

Mezzanotte said the RIIL will not reveal the names of the offenders or the nature of the penalties. He did say Monday that the Principals Committee on Athletics considers the fight a serious matter and made the sanctions severe enough to send a message to high-school athletes that league officials will not tolerate fighting.

The fight broke out with about a minute to play in Woonsocket's 5-0 victory for the Division IV championship. Two players collided, started pushing each other and then threw punches and pulled hair. Players on the field ran over and players and coaches on the bench rushed on to the field.

Officials and coaches quickly restored order. Only four seconds remained on the clock at that point, so the referee ended the game.

Mezzanotte, who was at the contest, cancelled the awards ceremony when fans of the two schools began pushing and shoving in the grandstand and appeared close to punching rather than pushing.

An earlier incident foreshadowed the altercation. A Tolman player running along the sideline with 16:40 left in the game responded to the Woonsocket cheering section by making a gesture with her fingers.

The Scarlet Knights of Exeter-West Greenwich will be trying to clinch the final Division IV playoff berth when they host the Warriors in a 1:30 game Saturday afternoon.

The Crusaders junior setter was named the tournament MVP after her 41-assist performance led Prout to a 3-0 victory over East Providence in the title game of the Division I girls volleyball tournament.

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