By Bob Rodericks
EPHS Softball & Baseball Opening Day Wins
Softball tops Bay View/PCD
Both the Townie softball and baseball teams got off to a good start with opening day wins on Tuesday night, May 31st. The softball team opened the 2026 season on the road at neighboring Bay View Academy. Led by pitcher Cassie Dulude, 13 strikeouts and only 1 walk, the Townies went on to rout Bay View 8-4. Dulude gave up 4 hits and 4 runs. Bay View’s Hope Myers had 8 strikeouts but walked 7 and gave up 8 runs, 5 earned. But East Providence Senior Captain Dulude was dominant in the circle, as the hurler rang up her 13 strikeouts over 7 innings of work. East Providence got on the board in the top of the second inning after Audrey Bernard walked, Ava Silva grounded out, and Caroline Welch grounded out, each scoring one run. The Townies added to their early lead in the top of the third inning after Nethania Figueroa grounded into a fielder's choice, and Audrey Bernard singled to center field, each scoring one run.
Bayview's Hope Myers homered to center field, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the Bay View/PCD Co Op team. Myers took the loss for Bay View/PCD. The right-handed pitcher went seven innings, allowing eight runs (five earned) on seven hits, striking out eight and walking seven. Ella Grimley and Figueroa were a force together in the lineup, as they each collected two hits for the Townies while hitting back-to-back. Grimley and Figueroa were a one-two punch in the lineup, as each drove in two runs for East Providence. Caroline Welch led East Providence Varsity Townies with two walks. Overall, the team had a strong eye at the plate, tallying seven walks for the game. Grimley and Figueroa each were quick stealing bases for East Providence. In fact the Townies ran wild on the base paths, collecting six stolen bases for the game. East Providence was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. EP next plays at St. Ray’s.
Baseball tops Pilgrim 9-4
The Townies led most of the game in a shutout but Pilgrim scratched a few late runs to make the final score 9-4. Ep got on the board in the bottom of the third inning after Max Correiro singled down the right field line, Jayden Healey singled down the left field line and the Townies scored on a passed ball. JJ Renaud, Alex Enright walked, and Max Pawlik grounded out, but Renaud and Enright scored. Kyle Desrosiers earned the win for East Providence with a dominating performance. The righty gave up six hits and one run over six innings, striking out eight and walking one. Derrick Butler took the loss for Pilgrim Varsity Patriots. Ryan Chaves appeared in relief for East Providence.
East Providence amassed 11 hits in the game. Max Correiro drove the middle of the lineup, leading the Townies with two runs batted in. The right fielder went 2-for-4 on the day. Max Correiro, Gavin Palombo, Kyle Desrosiers, and JJ Renaud each collected two hits for East Providence. Jayden Healey had two walks and overall, the team had patience at the plate, collecting eight walks for the game. Gavin Palombo stole three bases. East Providence had five stolen bases for the game. The Townies were sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Sophomore catcher JJ Renaud was flawless behind the plate not allowing any passed balls in a solid defensive effort. The Townies will have three games in the first week of the season taking on Portsmouth and then Narragansett high schools.
(some game results for this wrap-up were provided by GameChanger, Inc. 2026)
The ReporterToday will update games on line during the season. Later here the softball and baseball teams will be previewed as the spring season is underway.
Townies Junior Jack Pawlik sets new R.I. & School Track Record
EPHS’ Jack Pawlik finished 17th overall in the National High School Track Championships held in Boston, Mass. Last month, but set a new Rhode Island record in the 60-meter dash. Pawlik’s winning time of 6.86 seconds joins the ranks of former Townie sprinters Eric Osei and Russell Frye as R.I. state record holders. The event brought the best high school track athletes to Boston. “Congratulations to my talented sprinter Jack Pawlik. Jack broke the state record in the 60 meter dash at the New Balance National Championship and he is only a junior. East Providence High School sprinters now hold state records in the 55 meter dash (Eric Osei), 60 meter dash (Jack Pawlik), and 200 meter ( Russell Frye). Go Townies!,” added the veteran and Hall of Fame track coach Bob Lyons.
Townies Junior Aydin Schifino takes Wrestling State Championship
Aydin Schifino won 1st Place in the Wrestling State Championship held at the Providence Career and Tech Academy. Schifino won the 138-pound weight class and was chosen as the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament. The Townies Joe Vitolo and Max Distefano also had strong performances, finishing 5th in their weight classes. Schifino pinned his opponent in under 40 seconds to win the championship. He won all four of his qualifying matches without giving up any points. “Aydin is an incredibly hard worker and impressed everyone, thus winning tournament outstanding wrestler,” said veteran Townie coach Tom Galligan. The young East Providence team finished 12th out of 38 teams in the tournament. Although scheduled to move on to the New England tournament, Schifino had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. He finished his junior year with an outstanding 39-2 record. The Townies featured only one senior on the squad.
Townie Girls’ Swimmers 3rd Place in States
“Congratulations to our boys and girls swim teams in a great showing in the states at Brown University. The girls team finished 3rd overall with the boys coming in 17th place for all of Rhode Island,” said Townie A.D. Alex Butler. Laina Fonseca, Sadie Gagnon, Maura Roche and Caroline Welch earned medals as they secured a top 3 finish in the state.
- 200 Medley Relay - 1st Caroline Welch, Laina Fonseca, Maura Roche , and Sadie Gagnon.
- 200 Free Relay - 2nd (Maura, Sadie, Laina, and Caroline)
- Sadie Gagnon - 2nd in 200 Freestyle & 3rd in the 100 Freestyle
- Laina Fonseca - 3rd in the 200 IM and 100 Breastroke
- Maura Roche - 6th in the 200 Freestyle & 8th in the 100 Fly
- Caroline Welch - 8th in the 100 Freestyle & Backstroke.
“Look out Rhode Island! They're all back next year,” added Butler
Townie Boys Soccer Impressive
EPHS mens soccer program had a great season in 2025 with a record of 14-4-6. Losing in the semifinals to North Kingstown 1-0 with a minute remaining in the game. “Which was a brutal way to exit the season, but the team did well,” said 4th year head coach Tin Calouro. “We have 9 seniors departing and wish them the very best on their future endeavors. The reason for our success on the field was leadership from our three senior captains. Goalkeeper Kyle Desrosiers who was selected 1st team All Tournament, had 10 shut outs and 132 saves on the year (Desrosiers also plays baseball). Center back Tristen Nunes who was selected 2nd team All State with 8 goals and 1 assist. Midfielder Julian Monteiro who was selected 1st team All State, 1st team All New England, and made the All American team with 9 goals and 4 assists,”
Where do the Townies stack up in Division 1 next season? We have new teams in division 1 in 2026. Lincoln HS, East Greenwich HS, and Chariho HS have been promoted. Classical HS, Central HS, and Central Falls HS will move down to D2. “We have a solid group coming back in 2026 and excited to see who will take the leadership role as captain. Junior Nigel Fernandes who was selected 2nd team All division with 5 goals and 3 assists. Junior Emerson Amado with 3 goals and 2 assists. Junior Gernard Lee who plays central defensive midfield with 3 assists. Sophomore Damian Monteiro with 3 goals and led the team with 7 assists. Sophomore Amori Lopes with 3 goals. Freshman Kayson Tavares had 6 goals. We also have other talented players that are looking to make their mark in 2026.”
Calouro is entering his 4th year as head coach. The townies 1st assistant Asa Sohn and JV assistant coach Zac Bento “have been instrumental in the recent success for the Townies.” EPHS last won a Division 1 championship in 1976. “50 years is a long time and we are determined to win again,” says Calouro.
EPHS Hockey Teams End Season
The boys and girls hockey teams made it to the state quarterfinals before bowing out of championship play. “Sydney Olson, Keigan Grant, Logan Amaral and Colin McKenzie represented East Providence proudly on their respective teams,” said AD Butler. “Traveling around the state for games and practices and playing on co-op teams with kids from other schools, is not easy to do and we appreciate their efforts,” added Butler.
EPHS Girls Basketball Post Season Awards
The following members of the Girls Basketball team received Post Season Awards:
- Trinity Provencher - 1st Team All Division 2 and Third Team All Class
- Audrey Bernard - 2nd Team All Division 2
- Nadiyah Calouro Vargas - 2nd Team All Division 2
- Kat Amado - 3rd Team All Division 2
Townie Respected Veteran Wrestling Coach in New England HOF
He is East Providence High School’s longest standing athletic coach, Tom Galligan, shows no signs of slowing down. Coach Galligan added to an impressive resume when inducted into the New England High School Coaches Hall of Fame last month. The New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame, organized by the Council of New England Secondary School Principals' Associations (CNESSPA), honors coaches, officials, and contributors across all New England states. Induction ceremonies are held annually in conjunction with the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championships, frequently taking place at the Providence Career and Technical Academy in Providence, Rhode Island.
Galligan has received numerous accolades which he shies away from talking about. “I really enjoy coaching and mentoring students, it keeps me going,” said Galligan. He was named the Rhode Island Coach of the Year in 2011, the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year for Rhode Island and is an inductee to the Rhode Island Wrestling Hall of Fame and the East Providence High School Hall of Fame. He has been coaching wrestling at a high level for some 42 years. Galligan has had some 27 individual state champions and many wrestlers go on to win many New England high placements. He has kept East Providence as a competitive force for decades on the wrestling mat. Galligan teaches at the highly successful and popular Construction Technology program at the East Providence Career & Technical program at EPHS.
SPRING PREVIEW
EPHS Softball:
Townie softball coach Katie Solitro is ready for softball after a long winter season of cold and snow. For the 2026 season, the East Providence Varsity Softball team will feature a strong core of returning upperclassmen from the 2025 team. The senior lineup includes Captains- Cassandra Dulude, Nethania Figueroa, and Trinity Provencher. Juniors Audrey Bernard and Marianna Pina, along with sophomores Ella Grimley, Maura Roche, Megan Pita, Ava Silva, and Caroline Welch, also return. Freshmen Avery Duarte, Zaliyah Faison, Amelia Leddy, and Bella Paneto will complete the varsity roster.
“Cassandra Dulude, Marianna Pina, and Avery Duarte will share pitching duties. Dulude and Pina have experience and expertise at the Division 1 level and look to continue a strong showing from the mound last season,” said coach Solitro in a season preview. Duarte is a welcomed addition to the trio, adding depth and youth to the program. All three are anticipated to excel at the plate and contribute significantly to the infield when not pitching. Pina will spend some time at short stop and second base, while Dulude will play first and Duarte will play third.
“We should be robust both defensively and offensively,” added Solitro. “Audrey Bernard and Caroline Welch will share duties anchoring the team from behind the plate and contributing in the infield, Welch at second base and Bernard at first. Both Bernard and Welch had strong offensive showings last season, which they are hoping to build upon. Nethania Figueroa returns to the hot corner this season, a position she dominated last year. Figueroa will also spend some time at shortstop this season. Figueroa, who has power at the plate, is expected to continue to do what she does best- drive in runs and cause chaos on the bases with her speed.”
The outfield will be anchored by Trinity Provencher, Ella Grimley, and Ava Silva. Provencher and Grimley are known for their powerful bats, contributing significantly to the team's success last season. Silva complements this dynamic with her strong defensive skills, ensuring a well-rounded and formidable outfield unit. The trio delivered outstanding performances last season and aim to continue their strong showing. Megan Pita, returning from an injury, and Maura Roche will strengthen the team's defense, adding depth and expertise. It proves to be an exciting season for Townie softball.
Roster:
# Name Position Year
1 Layla Bates OH 11
2 Vivian Bernhardt OH 11
3 Kaia Greene L/DS 11
4 Aliyah Evora MH 12
5 Jelani Britto OH 10
6 Audrey Lepine DS 12
8 Ella Grimley S/RS 10
9 Siena Rietheimer MH 12
10 Trinity Provencher RS 12
11 Rai Flynn RS 11
12 Caroline Cowgur S 11
13 Ellie Vest OH 12
14 Keira Mullen RS/S 12
16 Janiyah Vargas Baker DS 11
21 Audrey Bernard MH 11
Head Coach: Katie Solitro
EPHS Baseball:
(young Townie team impresses)
Pitching is the name of the game in high school baseball. Teams can play two or three times a week and are also subject to New England springtime rainouts and cold, causing havoc with pitching rotations. East Providence graduated three top pitchers from last year’s roster and coach Bobby Rodericks is looking for others to step up in 2026. “Losing our three starting pitchers (all-state Annicelli-Southern Maine, Robitaille-CCRI, Dicecco-Roger Williams) is tough but with Kyle Desrosiers (Nicols College commit) returning and Ben “Lefty” Hallene coming back from an injury that sidelined him last year helps fill the void. They will share time at 1st base. Also, Hendricken transfer, sophomore Jonathan “JJ” Renaud, will be a vital component on the mound and in the Townies lineup this season. The versatile Renaud can play most positions and is speedy on the basepaths.
Senior Gavin Palombo (Nicols College commit) has shown his leadership qualities this season and will be back at shortstop and be top 3 in the batting lineup. Senior Jayden Healey (Albertus Magnus commit) looks really good at the plate and will be a platoon infielder playing a lot of time at 3rd base alternating with Kyle Desrosiers. Standout Junior outfielders Max Correiro and Aidan Martins (top base stealer) (Correiro homered in a recent scrimmage) will be in the top 3 spots in the hitting lineup, sophomores Chris Charbonneau and Max Pawlik will be battling for the left field spot. Sophomore Jose Figueroa will be helping in the infield as well as the mound this season. Also, Sophomores Jamison Sydney and Alex Enright will be helping with the catching duties and looking to solidify a spot in the hitting lineup. Other sophomores Lexington Garelli (infield) and Ryan Chaves (pitcher) will be looking to crack the lineup.”
Rodericks continued, “… with a sophomore dominated varsity team, we are very excited for the future but looking to do some damage this season and next with the quality senior and junior players we presently have in the program.” EP former assistant coach/JV head coach, Nick Karelekas, stepped down to pursue a master’s degree at Harvard (Karalekas teaches in East Providence). Elijah Barber will now fill that role. Barber was already the pitching coach for the program but now will add JV head coach to his duties.
The two-time D2 state champion Townies have climbed back to Division 1 play the last couple years and although a young squad, EP is poised to make some noise this season.
Roster:
Jersey # Name Year
1 Jonathan Renaud 10
3 Gavin Palombo 12
4 Max Correiro 11
5 Lexington Garelli 10
7 Max Pawlik 10
8 Jose Figueroa 10
9 Alex Enright 10
10 Benjamin Hallene 12
11 Jayden Healey 12
12 Chris Charbonneau 10
13 Jamison Sydney 10
15 Aidan Martins 11
16 Kyle Desrosiers 12
17 Ryan Chaves 10
Head coach: Bobby Rodericks
71st annual Dorman “Dolly” Searle Golf Tournament
The East Providence Recreation Department will hold the 71st annual Dorman “Dolly” Searle Golf Tournament on Monday, June 8, 2026. The event will take place at the Agawam Hunt Club, 15 Roger Williams Ave., Rumford. The entry fee is $440 per foursome and includes greens fees, carts, lunch and prizes. Registration opens Wednesday, April 15, 2026. In-person registration will be accepted at the Recreation Department main office, 610 Waterman Ave., beginning at 8:30 a.m. April 15. Register online at eastprovidence.recdesk.com. For more information, call the Recreation Department at 401-435-7511.
East Providence Recreation launches Tennis In the Parks at Kent Heights Park
Join in for some fun, active, and beginner-friendly tennis programs for both adults and youth!
Adult Program ($90/Person)
Mondays, May 4 – June 15 (No class 5/25) 5:30 – 7:00 PM. Perfect for beginners or those getting back into the game!
Youth Program ($80/Person)
Saturdays, May 2 – June 13 (No class 5/23)
- Grades 1–2: 9:00 – 10:00 AM
- Grades 3–5: 10:00 – 11:00 AM
- Grades 6–8: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Each youth participant receives a free racket their first session!
Register now at eastprovidence.recdesk.com. Spots are limited - come learn, play, and have fun on the courts.
For questions, contact the Rec Dept. at (401) 435-7511 or the Rec Center at (401) 433-6360.
(Note: More spring sports reviews will be posted online at ReporterToday.com. We will be covering other EPHS teams and also BayView, PCD, etc. Looking for coverage of your team? Contact bobrodericks@gmail.com).
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