Week Three…Late for the Important Date
4/22/25
Mr. Rabbit!
“I’m late. I’m late.”
Mr. Rabbit, please!
“No, can’t stay, I’m so very late…”
Big Stat Games of the Week…
Ethan Periera - West Warwick - Middle - 14 kills, 4 digs, 3 blocks against South Kingstown : 13 kills, 4 blocks vs. Cranston West
Jeremy Thao - West Warwick - Setter - 33 assists against South Kingstown
Ben Wright - South Kingstown - Pin - 20 kills, 19 digs against West Warwick
Tucker Neil - South Kingstown - Libero - 14 digs against West Warwick
Chase Wolstencroft - South Kingstown - Setter - 34 assists against West Warwick
Jahmir Evans - La Salle Academy - Pin - 14 kills, 2 blocks, 9 digs vs. Needham : 7 kills, 9 digs, 4 blocks vs. Coventry
Stephen Buco - La Salle Academy - Setter - 18 assists, 9 digs vs. Needham
Connor Valois - North Kingstown - Middle - 11 kills, 5 blocks at Bishop Hendricken
Henry Kenyon - Westerly - Middle - 8 kills, 4 blocks at Pilgrim
Hayson Ortiz - Pawtucket - Pin - 13 kills, 4 blocks, 5 digs at Toll Gate
Jean-Lucas Barroso - Pawtucket - Setter - 22 assists, 6 blocks, 3 kills at Toll Gate
Caleb Xum - Cranston East - Setter - 42 assists, 3 digs vs. East Providence
Charles Pincince - Cranston East - Pin - 20 kills, 5 digs, 3 blocks vs. East Providence
Dennis Dixon - Cranston East - Middle - 12 kills, 5 blocks vs. East Providence
Chris Benell - La Salle Academy - Middle - 7 kills, 5 blocks vs. Coventry
Flavio Tavares - La Salle Academy - Pin - 12 kills, 3 blocks vs. Coventry
Rainen Paquet - East Greenwich - Setter - 48 assists at Cranston West
Cam Gates - East Greenwich - Pin - 13 kills, 4 aces at Cranston West
Milo Sy - East Greenwich - Pin - 13 kills at Cranston West
Kody Poplaski - Chariho - Pin - 16 kills, 12 digs vs. Barrington
Kasey Poplaski - Chariho - Setter - 32 assists, 5 aces vs. Barrington
Jaxon Vachon - Chariho - Libero - 24 digs vs. Barrington
Cody Tow - North Kingstown - Pin - 13 kills at Classical : 11 kills, 3 blocks, 4 digs, 4 aces at Cranston East
Sean Peters - North Kingstown - Middle - 6 kills, 5 blocks, 4 aces at Classical
Pablo Estrada - Central - Pin - 12 kills, 5 aces, 4 blocks against Pilgrim
Jack Casey - Portsmouth - Middle - 12 kills, 4 digs, 3 blocks against Burrillville
Jordan Rodriguez - East Providence - Pin - 14 kills, 10 digs vs. Coventry
Luke Moio - East Greenwich - Pin / Lib - 3 kills, 12 aces vs. North Smithfield
Ryan Harrington - North Kingstown - Pin - 19 kills, 2 aces at Cranston East
Jayden Yang - North Kingstown - Setter - 40 assists, 6 digs, 2 blocks at Cranston East
Stephen Dufour - North Kingstown - Libero - 11 digs, 2 assists at Cranston East
Big Matches Coming Up…
4/21 - Westerly hosting South Kingstown - 6:30pm (Westerly won 3 - 0)
- Central Falls hosting Lincoln - 6:45pm (Lincoln won 3 - 1)
4/22 - Barrington hosting Classical - 6:30pm
- Bishop Hendricken hosting Chariho - 6:30pm
- East Providence hosting Cranston West - 6:30pm
- La Salle Academy hosting Cranston East - 6:30pm
4/23 - Pawtucket hosting West Warwick - 6:30pm
4/24 - Classical hosting Coventry - 6:00pm
- Cranston East hosting Chariho - 6:30pm
- Cranston West hosting Bishop Hendricken - 6:30pm
- East Greenwich hosting Barrington - 6:30pm
- East Providence hosting North Kingstown - 6:30pm
4/25 - Classical hosting Pawtucket - 6pm
The Tops…
Top Kill Guy of the Week – Charlie Pincince (Cranston East) and Ben Wright (South Kingstown) – Pincince put up 20 on East Providence. Wright put 20 on West Warwick.
Top Dig Guy of the Week – Jaxon Vachon – Chariho – 24 digs on Barrington
Top Assist Guy of the Week – Rainen Paquet – East Greenwich – 48 assists on Cranston West
Top Ace Guy of the Week – Luke Moio – East Greenwich – 12 aces on North Smithfield
Top Block Guy(s) of the Week – Jean-Lucas Barroso – Pawtucket 6 blocks on Toll Gate
ResV Team of the Week…
Pin – Kody Poplaski – Chariho – Has been real tough to stop since his return.
Pin – Cody Tow – North Kingstown – The anchor for this NK squad.
Middle – Dennis Dixon – Cranston East – Regardless of the situation, Dixon has just gotten better and better.
Middle – Ethan Periera – West Warwick – His performance against The CW gets him high praise.
Pin – Jahmir Evans – La Salle Academy – When cooking, Evans is real tough to deal with.
Setter – Jayden Yang – North Kingstown – Stepping in to full setting duties at CE and did not disappoint.
Libero – Stephen Dufour – North Kingstown – As good as anyone digging a ball, but is an absolute weapon for the Skippers setting out of system.
Utility – Milo Sy – East Greenwich – Physical pin that is causing issues for all Avenger’s opponents.
ResV Top 10…
1. North Kingstown (6 – 0) – Skippers had an interesting week. Mainly, because they were supposed to host Cranston East and then suddenly that was not the case. Kind of weird, but away they went to Cranston. From there, they dropped their first set of the year, but that was after they thumped the Bolts in set one and set two. Ultimately, NK was victorious and continued their dominance in the league. The new week will bring more road trips, East Providence and the Oaker Palace…which the later is a very dangerous place for top five teams. Question really becomes, can NK have an off night where they can be had…or did we just see it at Cranston East?
2. Bishop Hendricken (4 – 1) – Well, the match against NK didn’t exactly go as planned, but then again, NK is doing that to everyone these days. It also helps to know what you’re dealing with in the future. I do think the Hawks have a solid team that can match up pretty well with everyone. They’ve also grown from just a one / two punch to more of an well-rounded squad. So, a lot to like there. Hosting Chariho will be a nice test for them as Chariho is now ready to dance on a proper level. From there, I’m very interested to see how they’ll handle La Salle and CE.
3. La Salle Academy (3 – 3) – I love that La Salle invited an out of state opponent to come to the Mountain Top. Solid idea to battle against an outside team to get some more experience. Then, avenging their loss to Coventry is a big thing as it showcases that the loss in the beginning of the year was more fluke then flounder. They have only one match on the docket and that’s being difficult hosts for Cranston East. Now, they do not know what kind of CE team they’re going to get…the team that took a set off of NK, or the team that NK blundgeoned into submission. Nonetheless, a win here keeps the Bolts at bay as the Rams eye the Hawks and Skippers.
4. Cranston East (4 – 3) – I like to watch teams play and then decide what I’d do differently. I have news for everyone, by the way, this is a common thing throughout volleyball land…and sports in general. So, I watch CE and wonder. The problem with this stuff, is I’m not in the gym every day, so I don’t see the day to day grind. It does appear that CE is still working to find what their best line up is. Once they do, the run may commence…as we all know it’s in there. Taking the first set NK has lost on the year is proof of that. Like a key in a lock, the prongs have to be in the right spot for the spring to give, and the Bolts seems to be still searching for that look.
5. +1 Lincoln (6 – 0) – Because this report is coming out late, Lincoln has already won another match and is still unblemished at 7 – 0. What’s the key to their success? Well, how about two words… The first is balance. They have a top tier setter, a top tier pin, and a top tier middle. Lib is solid and the other pieces can ball and limit errors. They are balanced throughout with roles well known and executed. Second word… Lezon! Chris Lezon joined the coaching staff this year and he has helped get this team prepared. I recruited Lezon hard when I was at JWU and he opted to Rivier instead…broke my heart at the time, but boy was he right. Lol. JWU would dissolve that year and Lezon would go on to be an all-conference player in the GNAC for years.
6. +1 East Providence (4 – 4) – It feels like the Townies have found their footing and are starting to put it all together. Sometimes that’s how a season goes. Rocky start. Figure it out. Have some tough wins and losses. Cause havoc in the playoffs. I think East Providence could follow that trajectory. They’re heat comes from the pins, so perhaps cultivating the middle attack may be in their best interest. However, in a shoot out where it’s back and forth kills from start to finish…why not the Townies?
7. –2 Classical (2 – 2) – It’s good to see that Classical is still Classical. Whenever anyone asks me about volleyball stuff, I give my information then add at the end… “The game can be done well in many ways…this is just how I see it.” Classical is one of those teams that just does it differently…and they’ve won plenty of games that way. Thus, whenever I watch a Classical match, I try to figure it all out. It’s fun, but I often leave the stream scratching my head. The creativity of trying to maximize strengths over weaknesses is one of the real fun things of being a coach. The Purple do this well, and they’ll have three solid matches this week to perplex the opponents.
8. Chariho (4 – 2) – The feeling has been…fight the good fight till all the pieces are back on the board. Now chess can begin. Chariho has plenty of pop and they have they’re standard “never say die” attitude that will cause opponents fits. So, one has to like the direction the Chargers are trending. Plus, don’t discount their barn. One of the toughest places to play the game in the state, to be sure. With Hendricken and Cranston East up next, they’ll get to prove that with all the pieces back on line, the Chargers are a legit threat.
9. +1 Westerly (4 – 2) – Styles make fights. That’s an old line from the boxing world. Put two defensive boxers in the ring together, you’ll get a lot of dancing and a crowd that’s unhappy. Put two knock-out specialists in the ring, and the match will be over in the second round if you’re lucky. Crowd will be less unhappy, but still it’s a quick night, which is why the undercard exists. Occasionally, you get the perfect two fighters in the ring, and you have a magical evening that stands the test of time...and in this instance that may be Westerly and whomever. Westerly’s unique style of play matched with anyone means either a win for the Bulldogs or a five-set thriller where the opponents leaves going, “What the heck was that!?!”
10. +3 East Greenwich (3 – 4) – Like most Avenger years, there is a tipping point…I guess one could argue that’s most teams. The tipping point comes when things are just about to fall off, and something huge needs to happen to keep the train on the tracks. EG was there and then walked into The CW’s gym. The five-set thriller was just what the Doctor ordered for East Greenwich. Now, it’s building time.
11. –2 Cranston West (5 – 3) – The hot start is over, and trouble has come to the land of The CW. First, five wins is still five wins, so it’s not all doom and gloom. However, the West Warwick match…yeah, that one hurt…plus EG sort of owns them too. WW plays an interesting style of game, and they’re very good at not letting the balloon hit the floor. That and a bunch of errors is how upsets happen. So, The CW has to get back on the rails, which is certainly within their power…just got to keep the ball in play.
12. Coventry (2 – 5) – The Oakers face what many teams have trouble with, which is the Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde existence of hosting teams versus going on the road. Certainly, things are tougher on the road. Travel plus environment can cause all sorts of issues, but you have to make the plays regardless. The Oaker Palace is a tough place to play, so not surprising the big wins have come there, but truth be told, they’ve let two slip away there as well. Similar to Barrington, Coventry needs consistency, and they need it soon.
13. –2 Barrington (2 – 5) – Houston, we have a problem. When you’re a D1 club and your only two wins are D2 teams…well, that says it all doesn’t it. Now, they’ve played teams tough throughout the early season, so it’s not like they don’t belong…it would be something completely different if the Eagles were getting mauled night in and night out. However, they just can’t get over the hump…thus far. Consistency is key and is king, so if Barrington rounds out their play just a little, good things are going to happen.
14. Portsmouth (8 – 0) – Well, they’re dominating D3. No one thus far has been able to lay a glove on the Patriots. I was able to catch the Burrillville match and Portsmouth never felt uncomfortable. Mt. Hope and Achievement First seem to be the only threat at the moment…plus Portsmouth is just off this week…but I don’t know. Seems too much power at the net for anyone to figure out.
15. Pawtucket (5 – 1) – They’ve not dropped a match since their early encounter with Lincoln…and many of their victories have been clean and precise. Pawtucket does have two fun matches this week in West Warwick and Classical. Both should give another insight as to how good this Pawtucket unit is.
Receiving Votes… Central Falls, Mt. Hope, Hope, West Warwick
ResV Player of the Week…
Week One - Ben Warr - Bishop Hendricken
Week Two – Henry Kenyon – Westerly
Week Three – Ryan Harrington – North Kingstown – On the road at Cranston East, when they weren’t supposed to be on the road at Cranston East, Harri emerged from the shadows and bombarded the Bolts with 19 kills to get the 3 – 1 win for the Skippers.
ResV Honorable Baller of the Week…
Week One – Nate Paciga – Westerly
Week Two – Zach Gessman – East Greenwich
Week Three - Jeremy Thao - West Warwick – He’s put up north of 30 assists twice on the week, and one of those times were the big upset of Cranston West…something this Wizard side can really hang their hat on.
Playoff Races Through Week One…
Division One:
North Kingstown – Dropped the first set of their season and no one cared.
Bishop Hendricken – One / Two punch may add three and four…
LaSalle Academy – Avenged Coventry loss.
Cranston East – Still having some bumps in the road, but too talented to disrupt completely.
Division Two:
Lincoln – They march on…7 wins now as this report comes out late.
Westerly – Plucky Bulldogs remain a nice story.
Pawtucket – Rumor has it, Pawtucket can’t wait to play Westerly.
Central Falls – Dismantled a Juanita Sanchez side and was prepping for Lincoln…lost in four.
Division Three:
Portsmouth – Thus far, too physical at the net.
Mt. Hope – Question will be if they can score enough points when seeing the Patriots.
Hope – Two wins over the A1, and a 4 – 2 record means they’re here for business.
Achievement First – Serving is their key and they do it pretty well.
ResV Coaching Tip of the Week:
When a match is not going well, there are often thoughts of moves to make, or adjustments to consider, to try to turn the tide or stop the bleeding. When this happens, and you can ask any assistant coach that’s been on my bench…I’ll have an idea, stop myself, and then say out loud, “No, can’t do it, we’ve not practiced it yet.” This idea I hold pretty standard for a couple of reasons. If you try something new or put a player in a new position or spot, often, they’re going to be thinking as opposed to playing. If you must think hard about what your responsibilities are, you’ll be unable to concentrate on executing said responsibilities. Secondly, the move breeds excuses. “I didn’t know what to do, Coach. I’ve never done that before. How am I supposed to do that if we don’t practice it?” Granted, if the player is successful with said new move, he won’t say a thing…but that leads to the third reason. The success rate of a “Hail Mary” is quite low and the reverberation of what you did may last weeks if not months, as players do not like to be embarrassed, overlooked, or be surprised. The best thing to do is, practice these scenarios often in the training gym and put people in different spots during these times. That way, when you need a “Hail Mary” all the players know and understand that we’ve practiced this and Coach warned us he would do this if things went south.
ResV Player Tip of the Week:
I was sitting with a friend, good volleyball player, and we were talking about different programs in the state. He mentioned that he learned that one of them does zero serving training at practice…which to both of us is ludicrous. He then took it to another level and asked, almost rhetorically, “Imagine being a player on that team and knowing this was important, but each day it was neglected.” Well, that got me thinking. What would I do if I was on a team where I yearned for a specific skill to be worked on and just wasn’t getting it… I guess the first thing I would do is respectfully ask the coach. “Hey Coach, I really would like to work on my serve each practice, could we carve out some time for that?” If that request was ignored or passed over…my second thing would be to either arrive early or stay late to get some serving reps in by myself or with some teammates. Which really leads to the tip of the day which is don’t rely on anyone for your own self-improvement. Sure, access and availability can be outside of your control, but when it comes to anything about getting yourself to the next level, it’s all you, baby! Be respectful, but be tenacious. Do not be denied. No athletes in the United States ever, has had the access to knowledge on getting better than you do, so study up, get there earlier and set up the net, or stay later and take down the net, and get 15 minutes of serving in. Encourage your teammates to join you. A better you as a player, and as a person, is in your hands. Get after it!