As Maduro goes, so do the Huskies. That was the scenario for the Mt. Hope High School boys' soccer team last season. Not so this year. Ryan Maduro, a first-team, All-State selection, graduated and took his talents to Providence College
In his senior year Maduro, despite being double- or triple-teamed, had a hand in half of his team's goals before he was hurt in a game against Cumberland with three regular-season contests left on the schedule. Up until that point Maduro had 14 of Mt. Hope's 40 goals and assisted on eight others.
Mt. Hope won its next two regular-season matches with Maduro standing on the sideline leaning on crutches. But the Huskies fell to Barrington in the season finale and then were upset by Coventry, a team it had beaten 9-3 in the regular season, in a quarterfinal-round playoff game.
How much will the Huskies miss their main man?
"We cannot replace Ryan. There is no question about that," said Mt. Hope coach Herman Mello. "But overall, we'll be a better-balanced team. They won't be looking just for him."
Maduro wasn't the only talented athlete who graduated. Mt. Hope lost eight seniors including second-team, all-division players Nathan Edge and Ben Classen, as well as Matt Oliveira and Jonathan Delemos, both Huskies' goalkeepers.
While an octet of athletes graduated, Mt. Hope returns a dozen players who were listed on last year's varsity roster, including first-team, all-division selections Joe Sousa and Jeffrey Taranto and third-team, all-division player Michael Patriarca.
"Matt and Jeffrey are seniors this year. They'll be key guys up top for us," Mello said. "Patriarca, he amazes me. He came into camp in excellent shape. He's a workaholic. He does what he's told and keeps his mouth shut."
Seniors Ben Costa and Justin Teixeira will combine to fill the vacated keeper position, with fellow classmates John Cruz, Vinnie Arrenegado, Dan Cembrola and Matt Martins also expected to play key roles.
How the Huskies fare in the post-Maduro era remains to be seen. But Mello likes his team's chances.
"It's hard to tell," Mello said. "But our goal from the beginning is to take one game at a time and to make the playoffs. Then we take it from there. If we play together I think we'll have an excellent season."
MT HOPE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' SOCCER 2004
Division One-East
Graduation losses — Ryan Maduro, Ben Classen, Nathan Edge, Alex Lorenzana, Russell Serpa, Matt Oliveira, Peter Turenne, Jonathan Delemos.
2004 returnees — Seniors: Joe Sousa, John Cruz, Vinny Arrenegado, Dan Cembrola, Matt Martins, Jeffrey Taranto. Juniors: Michael Diogo, Nicholas Medeiros, Jose Rui Soares. Sophomores: Brendan Craveiro, Michael Patriarca, Frank Daponte.
Battling for varsity spots — Junior: Derek Couto. Sophomores: Michael Augustus, Brian Amaral, Tiago Soares. Freshmen: Jason Medeiros, Chris Serpa, Troy Silva, Mark DeWolf, TJ Vieira.
Head coach: Herman Mello. Assistant coach: Ronnie Coelho.
2003 record: 14-4-1, second of seven in Division One-East.
2003 playoffs: Quarterfinals: lost to Coventry, 2-1.