6 non-football must-see Newport County games for Sept. 20-26
Steve RogersThere are a host of high school games not involving touchdowns local fans should make an attempt to attend this coming week, including six contests with special meaning.
There’s a can’t-miss doubleheader at Tiverton High School on Tuesday. Both games start at 4 p.m. but fans easily can walk back and forth and catch glimpses of both.
Portsmouth is involved in two important contests on Thursday and one is against rival Rogers. The Middletown girls soccer team plays a team it has formed a special bond with Friday while last year’s division finalists — Rogers and Classical — meet on the volleyball court in Newport the same day.
Here are the non-football must-see games for the week of Sept. 20-26.
South Kingstown at Tiverton field hockey
Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 4 p.m.
South Kingstown was the Division II regular-season champion a year ago. The top-seeded Rebels then edged the No. 4 seeded Tigers 1-0 in a playoff semifinal.
Tiverton coach Lauren Tavares should not have to remind the returning players on her team about that season-ending setback. Look for the host Tigers — who are off to a 3-0 start this year — to be fired up and ready to take down the Rebels.
Providence Country Day at Tiverton girls soccer
Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 4 p.m.
Providence Country Day was the team that stopped Tiverton from competing in the postseason last fall.
More:Great eight: Newport County girls soccer players to watch this fall
Tiverton defeated the Knights 1-0 on a Saturday to finish the regular season with a 4-0-2 record. The next day, it was learned a PCD player who participated in the game tested positive for COVID.
The Tigers were forced to quarantine and did not get a chance to play for their third straight Division III championship. Enough said.
Portsmouth at Rogers girls tennis
Thursday, Sept. 23, at 3:30 p.m.
Rogers capped an undefeated regular season with a Division III championship last fall. The Vikings were a combined 41-8 the previous three campaigns before being elevated to Division II for this season.
More:Great eight: Newport County girls tennis players to watch this fall
Portsmouth lost to eventual champion Smithfield in the Division II semifinals a year ago and has qualified for postseason play in each of the past three seasons.
Portsmouth at North Kingstown girls volleyball
Thursday, Sept. 23, at 6:30 p.m.
The trending-upward Patriots have been successful (45-13) in Division II the past four years and qualified for the playoffs each year. Portsmouth did not hide its desire to play in the state’s top division and received its wish.
More:Great eight: Newport County girls volleyball players to watch this fall
Four-time defending state champion North Kingstown will be a stern test for Portsmouth. The Skippers have not lost a regular-season or playoff match during their reign.
Middletown at Chariho girls soccer
Friday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m.
Chariho High School soccer player Maddie Potts collapsed on the soccer field from a brain aneurysm on Sept. 23, 2017, and died early the next morning. Middletown was the Chariho's opponent that day and four years later, almost to the day, the teams will be back on the same field.
Middletown soccer players have held fundraisers for the Maddie Potts Foundation and helped the foundation in various ways over the past years. Any time the teams meet, it’s time for reflection.
Classical at Rogers girls volleyball
Friday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
This clash is a battle of division runners-up from the spring season. The Purple bowed to West Warwick in the Division II championship match and return nine seniors from that squad.
Rogers, now a Division II member, had the misfortune of having to play a doubleheader — a semifinal and the Division III championship – at two separate sites on the same day. The Vikings lost to St. Raphael 3-1 in the title match and return a handful of starters, including three-time all-stater Sophie Breitenbach.