A lot happened in 2022: Rhode Island's 10 biggest off-the-field high school sports stories

It’s the end of the year, it’s Christmas vacation and that can mean only one thing — it's time for me to make it look like I’m working without actually working.

The last week of December means its time for a look back at what happened in 2022. This year was a busy one for high school sports and doing just one end-of-year list didn’t seem right — so how about three?

Recapping the high school sports season usually involves bringing in off-the-field news that sometimes is not full of joy and happiness. To avoid this in one story, we’re going to first tell you the Top 10 stories that happened off the field, the Top 10 most-read high school sports stories and then give you the Top 10 high school sports stories from 2022.

We’ll deliver them in that order and please let us know which stories should have been on the list. You can find me on every social media under the sun or email me at erueb@providencejournal.com.

Let’s get started:

Top 10 High School Sports Stories That Happened Off the Field

10) Bob Breidenbach retires

I’m guessing 99% of you don’t know the name and that’s exactly what Bob wanted. He’ll probably try to fight me for including him on this list because Bob never wanted to be a part of the story — he just wanted to tell them through his lenses.

Bob shot anything and everything during his career at The Providence Journal, but Rhode Island has never seen a better football photographer. Bob was there for every Super Bowl in which the New England Patriots played and documented them all with images you’ve seen even if you didn’t know who took them. But that’s not why he’s on this list.

Bob is the "GOAT" of high school football photographers. An injury sidelined Bob for the end of the 2021 season, but he made his triumphant return at Hendricken-North Kingstown’s regular-season matchup this fall. When I arrived at the field, Bob was already there wearing a smile I’ll never forget — he looked like a kid on Christmas Day.

Bob loved shooting high school football and his images showed as much. The man did not miss — and I should know. There would be a big play in front of him and I’d ask, “D'you get that?” and Bob would just grin and say, “I got it,” and show me the display on his camera as my jaw hit the turf.

Having Bob shoot high school football was a blessing. He treated Friday nights like they were Patriots’ Sundays and the high school Super Bowls like the NFL's Super Bowl. With the media landscape the way it is, we’ll never see someone with Bob’s resumé doing something like this in Rhode Island again, unless someone like Tim White decides to mix in some middle school student council meetings with his normal workload.

There will never be another Bob Breidenbach on the Friday night sidelines, but I’m glad there was. Working with him was an honor and something I’ll never forget.

9) NIL arrives in Rhode Island

With the NCAA changing its Name, Image and Likeness rules to allow college athletes to be paid, it was only a matter of time before it made its way to the high school ranks.

In November, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League formerly approved NIL rules of its own, allowing high school students to be paid for advertisements, on social media or anywhere else, provided they follow the stipulations set forth by the league.

So what’s next? We’ll have to wait and see what 2023 will bring.

New rules: Did the RIIL need NIL rules for high school athletes? Yes. What does that mean?

8) COVID became an afterthought

COVID was the story of 2020 and we were still feeling its effects in 2021. It wasn’t forgotten in 2022, but it didn’t rear its ugly head and cost teams games or championships.

Hopefully that trend continues. If there’s one positive from COVID — and there might only be one — it’s that people are more cognizant of, when they’re feeling sick, thinking about how their illness could affect others. People are more apt to stay home or wear a mask, whereas, four or five years ago, they would just gut through it, selfishly show up for work or school and get people sick.

7) New looks for North Providence and Prout

New fields are game-changers for schools whenever they open, and the two that opened this year were no different.

Prout opened a new multipurpose field that would allow its soccer and lacrosse athletes to remain on campus for practices and games instead of traveling to fields in neighboring South County towns. The gem of the school’s campus opened to play on Sept. 9 with a pair of boys and girls soccer games on a beautiful fall afternoon.

New field and a packed house: North Providence falls to Smithfield in football opener

North Providence’s new field nearly didn’t debut on time. A September storm caused minor flooding that covered the new turf in mud, but the field was cleared in time for its official opening in the football team’s Division IV opener against Smithfield.

While the game ended in a loss, the field was a big win for the community this year and for seasons to come in North Providence.

6) Pawtucket, Warwick ready to rebuild

Elections usually are filled with mudslinging, but there was some good dirt the people of Pawtucket and Warwick were more than happy to throw around.

Both cities voted in favor of passing bonds that would build new schools that are desperately needed.

In Pawtucket, the dream of Shea and Tolman coming together as one Pawtucket high school is closer to reality. And, while education comes first, it's tough not to get excited about plans for multipurpose fields for the city’s student-athletes to play on as one.

Warwick’s plans involve replacing Pilgrim and Toll Gate and, if a multipurpose field can follow, it might not be long before the city retakes its place as a hotbed for high school sports.

5) Aaron Thomas fallout in North Kingstown

The Aaron Thomas story broke in late 2021, but effects of the story were being felt throughout 2022.

In July, Thomas, the former North Kingstown boys basketball coach who was accused of administering so-called “fat tests” of students during his time as a teacher and coach, was formally charged in July on second-degree child molestation and second-degree child assault.

Thomas denied the charges in court and his case is pending.

Allegations of sexual contact: Aaron Thomas, former North Kingstown coach, charged with child molestation and sexual assault

Out on personal recognizance: North Kingstown coach charged in naked fat-testing scandal pleads not guilty, is released

In March, North Kingstown School Superintendent Philip Auger resigned, and the following week, Assistant Superintendent Denise Mancieri also resigned. In August, North Kingstown School Committee member Jake Mather resigned, and in October, a little more than two years after taking the job, Chris Cobain resigned as North Kingstown athletic director.

As the case advances, this story won’t be going away in 2023.

4) High school football controversies

There’s no high school sport in Rhode Island that resonates like football, but 2022 saw the sport mired in several controversies.

In May, Scituate coach Derek DeSousa resigned after questions were raised about missing funds from the school’s football booster club. The Scituate police investigated and no chargers were filed. Damon Scarduzio became the school’s new head coach in August.

Missing funds: Scituate High football coach resigns amid questions about money from fundraiser

Allegations of hazing put North Smithfield’s football program on pause in late July. No charges were filed and the team resumed play in August.

In September, former Exeter-West Greenwich High School football coach Cliff Fortin was charged with embezzlement/fraudulent conversion over $100 for allegedly mishandling funds from the EWG-Prout football team's booster club. Fortin had resigned as head coach at Exeter-West Greenwich in the winter and took a volunteer position at Ponaganset before being placed on leave following the charges.

In November, separate hazing allegations surfaced around the Coventry and West Warwick football teams a week before the schools were scheduled to play their annual Thanksgiving Day game. The game was played and no charges have been filed.

3) Former high school stars shine on biggest stages

It was a big year for former Rhode Island high school athletes to perform on bigger and brighter stages.

In January, former Hendricken All-State offensive lineman Xavier Truss played for the Georgia team that defeated Alabama, 33-18, for the College Football Playoff National Championship.

On the national stage:Xavier Truss returns to his alma mater, more mature and with a championship in hand

Tyler Kolek became a star on the court for the Marquette basketball team. The Cumberland native and 2018-19 Gatorade Rhode Island Player of the Year at St. George’s became one of the best passing guards in the nation, leading the Big East in assists. The Golden Eagles earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament but were bounced in the first round.

Kwity Paye has battled injuries this season, but the former Hendricken All-Stater has developed into a fearsome pass rusher. He was on the field for the Indianapolis Colts this fall when they traveled to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots.

A guiding voice: With mom in the stands, Providence's Kwity Paye impresses despite Colts loss

Former Classical star Jeremy Peña put a cap on a terrific year. He became the Houston Astros’ starting shortstop, replacing All-Star Carlos Correa, and quietly became one of the best rookies in Major League Baseball. Peña won a Gold Glove, the first rookies shortstop to do so, but got a bigger trophy when he was named World Series MVP after the Astros beat the Phillies in six games.

'I felt blessed':Providence welcomes home Jeremy Peña. Here's what the World Series MVP had to say

2) The loss of a legend

Ask a hockey fan outside of Rhode Island whether they know anything about the state’s hockey scene, and they know Mount St. Charles. They know because of Bill Belisle.

On Jan. 12, Rhode Island lost a legend when Belisle passed away at the age of 92. His resumé is unmatched. His reputation is flawless.

Gone at 92: Legendary coach Bill Belisle did so much more than teach the game of hockey

His impact has been felt for generations and will continue to be long after his passing. The lessons Bill Belisle taught and the man he was is what made him so important to the sport, his school and the state.

1) Olivia Passaretti and Matthew Dennison

Olivia Passaretti and Matt Dennison had their whole lives in front of them until they were ended by someone else.

Passaretti, a softball player at East Greenwich, was killed on New Year’s Day, struck by a drunk driver — Aramis Segura — on her way home.

'A piece of our heart is missing': Family seeks justice for crash victim Olivia Passaretti

They want change: Exeter highway tragedy devastated 2 hockey players' families

Dennison was sitting shotgun next to friend and West Warwick hockey teammate Kevin MacDonald when the car they were in was hit by Alexander Krajewski, a Newport firefighter who was driving drunk. On March 10, Dennison died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The death of any youth is beyond tragic and both communities continue to heal and rally to support Passaretti and Dennison’s family, friends and teammates. The Passarettis and Dennisons have become the face of the fight against drunken driving and have led the charge for more strict drunken driving laws and harsher punishments for those who break them.

The two students' deaths are tragedies, but that’s not what made them the story of 2022. With their families' tireless work, their legacies will live on forever in their communities and throughout the state and help save lives for years to come.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 2022 Top 10 off-the-field stories in Rhode Island high school sports