The aim of the East Providence High School boys' soccer club for a top-half of the table finish to its 2023 Division I regular season took a bit of hit in recent days as the Townies dropped a pair of league games to South Kingstown and Tolman.

At home Saturday morning, Oct. 14, the visiting Rebels edged EPHS by a 3-2 count. SK sat directly ahead of the Townies at the time of the meeting and later added another win, improving to a 8-2-1 record with 25 points and in fourth place on the D-I ladder.

The Rebels led 2-0 at intermission. Nathan Capelo and Samuel Jackson got the Townies on the board with a nifty give-and-go, leading to the former's 25-yard strike for goal.

EP later tied the scored when William Rodriguez was able to break into the box and was fouled for a penalty. Capelo finished the PK to tie the score at two.

A few minutes later, however, SK made a cross into our box, striking a Townie on the arm. The referee deemed it enough to award a handball infraction, leading to a penalty which the Rebels converted for the deciding tally.

EP keeper James McShane was credited with seven saves.

The Townies next traveled to Pawtucket for a league match against Tolman on October 17, the host Tigers earning a narrow, and in East Providence's eyes disputed, 1-nil win.

The first 40 minutes of the game went by without a goal. EPHS head coach Tim Calouro credited Tolman for scoring a "great goal" in the second half to take the lead. It was the only shot to get past East Providence keeper James McShane, who made nine saves otherwise.

The Townies later felt hard done by after an apparent EP goal by Jordan Rodriguez in the 75th of 80 minutes was whistled offsides by the officials.

The play started with a clear by the Townies out of their own zone. Jordan Calouro gathered and chipped a pass to Capelo, who then spotted Rodriguez free inside the Tolman 18-yard box, but the referee he was behind the last Tiger defender before the pass was played.

Calouro called Tolman a "physical team and great group."

East Providence saw its record fall to 5-6-1 with 16 points in the league and into eighth place on the D-I ladder. Tolman improved to 7-4-0 with 21 points, good for a share of fifth place with Cumberland on the same number and record.

The Townies remain on the road in Warwick Saturday, Oct. 21, for their next outing against Bishop Hendricken at 10:45 a.m.

Hendricken had 25 points (8-1-1) as of mid-week, sitting in third place behind 9-2-1 (28 points) North Kingstown and 9-1-0 (27) LaSalle.

EP's last regular season game is set for Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Townie Stadium against neighboring Barrington at 6:30 p.m.