While games haven’t been played for quite some time, there is one more thing left to do before we can officially say the 2024 high school sports fall season is officially over.
It’s time to announce the 2024 Providence Journal All-State teams.
No one covered more high school sports this fall than The Providence Journal, which allowed us to see all of Rhode Island’s best athletes. That’s the fun part of the job. The difficult part is picking our first- and second-team athletes in their respective sport.
Some sports are easier than others. Cross Country and Girls Tennis hold individual championships and selections were made prioritizing performance at their respective RIIL final events.
Selections for team-based sports require more conversation. Athletes were selected based on in-person evaluations, statistics, conversations with various sport sources, postseason performance and other factors, including the coaches’ postseason awards.
Teams were selected positionally. There is only one goalie in soccer and field hockey and one quarterback in football and our All-State teams reflect the positions you would see on the field or court. It can lead to difficult decisions, especially at “premier” positions, but we believe it’s important to honor all the positions, not just a select few.
Our goal is to try to put as much work and effort into our selections as the athletes we’ve chosen put into their respective sports.
So, while putting together The Providence Journal All-State teams can be difficult, it’s nothing compared to what these athletes have done to get to this level and we’re happy to honor the best Rhode Island has to offer.
Here was the winning recipe for the Patriots this season: defend soundly, maintain possession when possible and look to Chen for some magic upfront. He delivered in style during a year that saw him earn All-American honors. Chen led Portsmouth in both goals and assists, reaching double figures in each.
Ciotti’s brilliant goal from distance in the Division I final and following penalty kick in the shootout had the Rams on the cusp of upending Bishop Hendricken. He netted more than twice as often as any of his teammates while controlling games up front and earning All-Region honors. Ciotti will continue his career in the fall at the University of Rhode Island.
Garcia makes for a desirable teammate in attack. Feed him a pass in a dangerous area and he can put it away. Find space through or around an opposing defense and he’ll find you with the ball. That’s how he reached double figures in goals and assists and helped the Clippers to a second straight Division I semifinal.
There wasn’t a team in the state that played more dangerous attacking soccer than the Hawks last fall. Karpowich turned in an All-American performance while helping the program to its first championship since the late 1990s. He found the net in the final against La Salle, collected a goal and an assist in the semifinal against Cumberland and led his team in both of those offensive categories with more than 15 apiece.
McNicoll helped the Quakers contend in Division I thanks to his technical ability, physical strength and scoring touch as an attacking midfielder. He topped Moses Brown in both goals and points, finished second in assists and claimed All-Region honors to cap a standout career.
The Raiders completed an upset run through the Division II playoffs with a 1-0 win over Lincoln, and Sanches was in charge from the midfield. He set up the lone goal and had the match on a string thanks to his strength, touch and passing vision. Sanches completed an All-Region season by reaching 20 goals and 20 assists.
The Spartans registered an unbeaten season and captured a Division III championship with Simas leading their attack. He was the key in the midfield, able to threaten opponents while shooting from distance, dribbling forward or spotting teammates slipping into space. Simas was rewarded for his excellence with an All-Region selection.
Soares led his team in scoring and pushed double-digit assists while signing off on a strong career. The Clippers were back in the Division I semifinals thanks in part to the All-Region selection who helped offer the type of spark every successful team requires.
Barbato fired home the clinching penalty kick as the Hawks outlasted La Salle in a shootout, claiming their first Division I championship since the late 1990s. The All-Region pick was part of a defense that recorded nine clean sheets and offered the freedom for a high-octane attack to press forward.
The Skippers were among the premier defensive units in the state, posting 10 clean sheets and returning to the Division I semifinals. Randall helped lead the back line thanks to his strength and aggressiveness, and he also offered some danger going forward on set pieces.
Rosenblum is the prototypical defender — good size, the necessary strength and a willingness to make his presence felt in his own penalty area. He helped the Rebels post five shutouts in Division I and picked up an All-Region selection for his efforts.
The raw athleticism Wilkey flashes across three sports with the Patriots serves him especially well on the soccer pitch. He racked up eight shutouts and pushed 100 saves in a season that saw Portsmouth contend at the top of Division I throughout. There wasn’t a more reliable shot-stopper in the state.
F — Maddox Canario, Mt. Hope, Senior
F — Haiden Riess, Pilgrim, Senior
F — Cristiano Rodrigues, North Smithfield, Junior
MF — Talan Bradley, South Kingstown, Senior
MF — Aden Memoli, Barrington, Senior
MF — Alonso Morales, Tolman, Senior
MF — Billy Pineda, Central Falls, Senior
MF — Kody Poplaski, Chariho, Senior
D — Abednego Bleh, Central, Senior
D — Jackson Danforth, Lincoln, Senior
D — Claudio Laquale, La Salle, Senior
GK — Bryant Amaral, Scituate, Junior
