SPORTS

Good to be back

High school sports return after summer of doubt

By ALEX SPONSELLER
Posted 9/30/20

By ALEX SPONSELLER The high school fall sports season kicked off last week as practices began, with regular season action beginning this weekend. After months of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and local postponements, this was a big step

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SPORTS

Good to be back

High school sports return after summer of doubt

Posted

By ALEX SPONSELLER The high school fall sports season kicked off last week as practices began, with regular season action beginning this weekend.

After months of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and local postponements, this was a big step forward in the state’s goal of returning to action, and local athletes and coaches are excited to be back.

One team that will be getting started on Saturday is the Cranston West girls tennis team. Throughout the summer, senior captains Marissa Such, Savanna Rasombath and Olivia Martin organized team workouts and helped the younger players acclimate as they make a run at a Division II title this year.

“It’s great to be out here and to try to normalize the situation. It’s great to be able to play the sport we love, it really helps make things feel more normal. It means a lot, especially it being our senior year, we didn’t want to see it go down the drain and throw in the towel. We wanted to do what we could. We had to separate our sessions, we had to limit the amount of people, but I think it made us better as a team in total,” said Such.

Rasombath looks forward to competing in the new division and is confident in the group.

“It’s good, we like having everyone back and they’re all doing really good considering coronavirus. We’re high up there, we want to make championships for our division and play our best. If all the girls are playing their best, we can make it there. Division II is definitely different from DI, it’s a small step down so we will definitely be able to compete with anyone we play,” said Rasombath.

“These girls have done such a nice job, especially the captains,” said West coach Jim Lucas. “I’m so proud of the seniors for their leadership and keeping the girls together during these tough times.”

Nearby Toll Gate saw its girls soccer team hit the field for the first time, and its captains are happy to get one last opportunity to play before graduating next spring ... regardless of the new restrictions placed by the RIIL and state.

“It’s harder with masks and it’s harder with the restrictions, but it’s our senior year so we are happy to be playing no matter what it is. Our goal from here is to prove ourselves. It’s a short season, so we want to prove ourselves and win some games. It’s better than not playing, we knew that it would be different but we took this option,” said Madison Lodge.

“We’re happy to be back, we’re excited to have our last year. The younger kids have been good and have adapted quickly,” added Erin McKinnon.

Warwick school sports have faced quite a bit of adversity over the past two summers. In 2019, the school committee temporarily defunded sports which almost forced them to be shut down for fall. Then of course, 2020 brought the coronavirus pandemic.

Cassie Cirella is proud of the fight that the city has shown in dealing with these issues.

“It shows that we don’t give up that easily … that we will fight. It’s good to be back, it’s better than nothing so we’ll take it. I didn’t know if we were having sports over the summer so it’s good to be back. We have a shortened season so every game counts for us which is exciting.”

Soccer will undergo a handful of restrictions, including wearing masks and taking timeouts after 20 minutes of play.

Toll Gate coach Lonna Razza is happy to be back on the field with her club despite the protocols put in place.

“It’s been a little stressful, I got a lot of texts throughout the summer, but I just tried to keep them upbeat and positive. I was a little nervous though, I was hoping that something good would come out of this and here we are. We are going to make the most of it, it’s going to be a lot of work but we just have to get it done and do what we have to do,” said Razza.

Razza also feels that wearing masks will allow the state to play the game as close to the norm as possible.

“We are wearing masks because this was the only way that we would be able to play real soccer. If we didn’t wear masks, then we would have to follow the model that Massachusetts is with no contact, things like that, but in my eyes, that’s not real soccer. The girls know that and are going to have to get used to it. They have done a great job so far,” said Razza.

Not only are the Titans hoping to have a successful season in the fall, but they are also hoping to set an example for future teams and get the return of sports off to a good start.

“Not only am I concerned about the fall, but right now, we’re the guinea pigs, so I am not just thinking about these girls here, but all the kids in the winter, the kids playing football and volleyball, I want them to have a season as well so we’re trying to do everything we can here,” Razza said. “We have to do things right.”

sports, tennis

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