October 1, 2026
The 2026 Fall athletic season is underway and East Providence High School teams have been getting ready for the games and matches. As the young season begins, the Reporter will bring you updates, scores, rosters and highlights both on line at ReporterToday.com and in the monthly news magazine which gets mailed to most of East Providence homes and businesses. Specific inquiries about team information, standings, etc. can be emailed to Bob Rodericks at bobrodericks@gmail.com.
The Providence Journal sports department has highlighted two EPHS Townie athletes to watch so far. They are Amalia Amico, a senior girls soccer player and Vivian Bernhardt, a senior on the girls volleyball team. Amico is touted as a key Townie midfielder who was a second team all-state selection last year. East Providence has moved up to the state’s top division, and the Townies will have a chance to compete among the elite soccer programs.
Bernhardt was part of last year’s talented volleyball squad that made it to the state championship match in D1. The Townies lost that final match to always tough North Kingstown. With the Townies graduating key players, Bernhardt will be leaned on heavily this year. Favorite North Kingstown will be looking for their fifth straight state title – the first school to do so since the Townies won five state titles in a row previously.
The Reporter has also reached out to local high schools Bay View and Providence Country Day and will provide updates for those programs throughout the season. Some team schedules are listed later in this sports review.
Can Hockey Make a Comeback with a Different Twist?
East Providence resident Cam Palmisciano and family are hockey fans. He has promoted the idea of re-introducing the sport of hockey to East Providence youth for quite some time. Since the closing of the Dudley S. Richards hockey rink in 1979, hockey has slipped in a once crazy hockey town. Palmisciano pitched his idea to East Providence Recreation Director Becky Chace and the two came up with an idea for ‘Ball Hockey.’ “The over-arching idea was getting kids into a really fun sport through a lower cost option than ice hockey,” said Palmisciano in a recent Reporter interview. The city recreation department sponsored a one-day introduction to the sport. Youth ages 5-12 were invited to join up at Pierce Field on Saturday, August 22nd, for an intro to the sport of ball hockey. “Participants will rotate through four interactive stations featuring a variety of skills and drills. No prior hockey experience is required,” said Director Chace.
“I was super happy with the turnout. Becky and her staff at the rec. department were a huge help. They were amazing with answering any questions I had leading up to the event and have had since,” said an excited Palmisciano. Future plans are to hold an event or two over winter break. Long-term goal is to have a spring/summer league in 2027.
Quint Dow of the East Providence Police Department was there to help out too and the group is optimistic for future plans for the sport. More information will be forthcoming.
EP Hockey History
Dudley Richards Memorial Ice Rink in East Providence, RI was once home to some outstanding hockey talent during its short 10-yr life (1969-79). Opened in February 1969 and closed as an ice rink in July 1979 (RIHHOF). Owners offered it to the City of East Providence for its recreation department but the then City Council voted down the proposal with only Ward 1 councilman Jim Driscoll supporting the move. Sale price was about $500,000. It was bought privately and converted into a roller-skating rink by United Skates of America which it remains today. The 1979 Richards rink closure displaced several local youth and high school hockey programs. EPHS was once a hockey power in RI, winning the New England championship in 1975. EPHS won that prestigious New England Boys High School Hockey Championship capturing the title during the 1974-75 season.
East Providence first defeated Exeter (New Hampshire) with a decisive 7-3 victory. They then won a high-scoring battle against Berlin (New Hampshire), advancing with an 8-6 win. To win the championship, the Townies defeated the hometown favorites, Lewiston High School (Maine). The game went into sudden-death overtime, where Randy Wilson scored the game-winning goal to seal a thrilling 5-4 victory for EP.
Two former prominent hocky families brought hockey to a point in which EPHS was as good as any private or public-school program. The Wilsons (Ron, Brad, Randy, Dale) and the Army’s (Tom, Billy, Tim), were joined by many other individual hockey players excelling for Townie teams. The Hall of Fame Wilsons, Army’s and others went on to prolific record scoring careers in college and professional hockey.
East Providence became one of only five Rhode Island high schools to ever win the New England regional crown before the tournament faded in the early 1980s, joining the ranks of Burrillville, Mount Saint Charles, Cranston East, and La Salle Academy. Today, without a rink, EPHS boys and girls hockey play on co-op teams comprised of two or more high schools combined.
Fall EPHS Schedules to Date:
EPHS Girls Tennis:
EPHS Football Schedule
EPHS Boys Soccer Schedule
EPHS Girls Soccer Schedule
EPHS Girls Volleyball
EPHS Boys Cross Country
EPHS Girls Cross Country
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