◘The temperatures say it's still the middle of summer but some of the stories that were written last week reflected the end of the season and the coming of fall. One of the top stories was the success of the Burrillville Little League team that battled its way to the Rhode Island state championship. Bill Koch chronicled the exciting playoff push.

Jace Detonnancourt, Burrillville Little League

A wait more than five decades in the making ended on Saturday night. Burrillville is finally back on top of the state’s Little League baseball mountain, celebrating in style on its home diamond at Peck Park on July 26. Jace Detonnancourt fired a two-hit shutout on just 69 pitches and Owen Brown offered all the support necessary with an early two-run homer. Their combined efforts helped spark the District 4 champions to a 6-0 victory over Coventry, which was attempting to complete a weeklong rally out of the elimination bracket. Brown was tagged with a tough 1-0 loss on the mound Friday night but turned the page quickly on a perfect summer evening. His blast to left-center field in the bottom of the first inning put the District 3 champions on the ropes, and four insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth served as the knockout. That was more than enough cushion for Detonnancourt, who allowed just two men to advance past first base and struck out 10.

The summer work is nearly done. September and the start of school will be here before you know it. Providence College has 97 days before the start of its 2025-26 men’s basketball season. It’s not something you need to research — Friars coach Kim English can quote it from memory. It was on the tip of his tongue after the morning practice on July 29 at the Ruane Friar Development Center.

Rich Barron (groin) and Stefan Vaaks (knee) were sidelined, but Providence was whole otherwise. That meant five transfers and three incoming freshman in the mix while playing 5-on-5. New assistant coaches Ryan Gomes and Bryan Tibaldi were among staff members offering instruction between whistles.

Defensive standout A.J. Pena brings down Brown's Jordan DeLucia.

◘The first football game in Centreville Bank Stadium history will double as a battle for the Governor’s Cup. Brown and the University of Rhode Island will add an extra layer of history to their in-state rivalry in 2025. The Bears and Rams will meet under Friday night lights, an Oct. 3 kickoff set for 7 p.m. Brown was due to host the game this season after it was played in Kingston in 2024. URI finished that game with 17 unanswered points for a 31-21 triumph, its sixth straight in the series. The Bears counted an influential ally in booking this date — Rhode Island FC chairman Brett Johnson is a university alum. “Hosting Brown and URI underscores our commitment to bringing premier sporting events to this community and elevating the Ocean State on a regional and national level.” Johnson said in a statement.

Dodgers starter Dustin May pitches against the Red Sox during a game on July 27. He was acquired by the Red Sox in a trade-deadline day deal.

◘Thursday marked another clearly defined chance for the Red Sox to take a meaningful step forward, and they declined. The July 31 trade deadline came and went with Boston making a pair of acquisitions that didn’t move the needle. Left-hander Steven Matz arrived from the Cardinals late Wednesday night and right-hander Dustin May came in from the Dodgers less than an hour ahead of the 6 p.m. conclusion.

Those two veterans qualify as a disappointment in a market where a championship standard used to be the only one set. They certainly don’t keep pace with the hive of activity elsewhere in the American League playoff chase, with the Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros, Mariners and Rangers all acting boldly in their attempts to reach October.

Competitive basketball at 80? Meet Ray Carrol

◘Finally, in a real feel-good story by summer intern Avery Hill, we met Ray Carroll.

Within a few steps after entering Ray Carroll's house, you’re immediately drawn to the dozens of medals plastered on the wall — plenty are gold. They’re arranged neatly in rows, but Carroll has collected so many, some have to sit on the table with no room to spare. With thunder clashing outside, Carroll relaxed in his Narragansett home, decked out in his Team USA, red-and-white uniform, accompanied by green Nike basketball shoes. Carroll, an 88-year-old Warwick native, wasn’t headed to practice — he doesn’t do that. Instead, he proudly displayed the uniform he wore when he won a gold medal in June while representing the United States in the FIMBA World Maxibasketball Championship in Switzerland. As the TV idled, he sat on the couch beside a Providence Journal newspaper that was turned to the Sports section. Days later, he would travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2025 National Senior Games and collect another gold medal with a 38-7 victory over the South Dakota Pheasants in the men's 85-and-over Division One playoffs final.

◘Be sure to keep up with all the local sports news daily on providencejournal.com, and sign up for our Sports Newsletters and alerts here.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: From Little League to college basketball, here are the top sports stories for the week ending Aug. 2

Post Related

Post Related