The Rhode Island Principals Committee on Athletics (RIPCOA) 2020 winter season playoffs for middle school teams began over the last week, including for sides representing Riverside and Martin in basketball and wrestling.

Boys' hoops

Fourth-seeded RMS received a first round in the boys’ basketball state tournament. The Vikings hosted fifth-seeded North Cumberland in the quarterfinals on February 6, defeating their guests 69-61. RMS improved to 14-1 on the year. Trey Rezendes led the locals with 24 points. Eddie Turay had 18 points and 15 rebounds. Xavier Hazard and Skyller Garcia had 10 each. Kenaz Ochogwu had seven.
RMS led by 12 at halftime and maintain its advantage through much of the second until North Cumberland cut it down to one, 59-58, before the locals closed out the game on a 10-2 run with clutch free throws by Rezendes and Ochogwu.
The Vikings advanced to the semifinals Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Johnston at 4 p.m. opposite top-seeded UCAP (Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program) of Providence, the lone team to defeat RMS (93-67) during the regular season. UCAP, which also had a first round bye, edged Jenks of Pawtucket in its quarter, 74-72, to improve to 15-0.
Seventh-seeded Martin defeated visiting and 10th-seeded Feinstein 74-56 in a first round game played February 4. The Wildcats traveled to second-seeded Woonsocket last Thursday for a quarterfinal round game where their season came to a close following a 75-39 defeat. Martin’s winter ended with a 12-4 overall record in league games.

Girls’ hoops

The RMS girls’ squad was seeded eighth in its tournament where the Vikings fell to visiting and ninth-seeded Gallagher (Smithfield) in the opening round, 40-29. RMS ended the season with an overall record in league games of 11-5. Of note as well, the MMS girls did not make the playoffs, finishing their season with a 5-9 league mark.

Wrestling

The 2020 RIPCOA state wrestling meet took place the weekend of February 1 and 2 at Ponaganset High School where Martin placed eighth overall with 109 points and Riverside scored 36 points, good for a share of 21st place with Ricci (North Providence).
Feinstein (Coventry) won the team state title with 210.5. Kickemuit (Bristol-Warren) was second with 189 and Warwick Vets third with 146.
Trent Jackson, at 275 pounds, and Jasper Chakouian, at 205, led Martin with third place finishes. Deacon McShane was fifth at 75, Ravi Tura sixth at 150 and Charles King seventh at 140. Brady Deroy, at 75, and Machar Francis, at 180, placed eighth.
Two RMS competitors placed, Nolan Travassos seventh at 75 and Cameron Huard eighth at 119.