Coming off an uneven season a year ago, the Mt. Hope High School boys' soccer club has opened 2026 with a much more consistent effort so far having started unbeaten in six league outings as of the start of the week.

The Huskies never really found a rhythm during the 2025 regular season, finishing up their slate with a 6-7-6 overall record and earning the eighth seed in the Division II playoffs under the Rhode Island Interscholastic League's power points rating system. The locals defeated ninth-seeded Smithfield in the preliminary round contest then upset top-seeded East Greenwich in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual league runner-up North Providence in the semis.

The RIIL initiated realignment in time for the 2026 campaign. Mt. Hope remains in a reconfigured D-II with 16 teams total up from 15. North Providence, Coventry, Pilgrim, Tiverton, Smithfield, Scituate, Westerly, St. Raphael, West Warwick, Hope and the Huskies have stayed put. Classical, Central Falls and Central come down from D-I with Narragansett and Cranston East up from D-III. Reigning league champion Chariho, East Greenwich and Lincoln departed for D-I while Woonsocket has dropped to D-III.

The biggest change for Mt. Hope this fall takes place on the field where the locals look to replace several graduates from the 2025 roster. Also of significance, sophomore Andrew Vieira takes over as the Huskies' starting keeper while former full-time goalie senior Cole Tavares, injured and unable to maintain the net, now plays out in the field.

"I'm comfortable with him in there. He got some games last year," MHHS head coach Tucker Shepard said of having Vieira in goal. "His communication is very good. He's always talking. He's assertive back there."

Seniors Gavin Avila and Michael Komorowski along with junior Caden Romano and sophomore Tyler Motta compose the back row as of now in the Huskies' 4-3-3 formation. Sophomore Kobe King was among the defensive grouping, but was injured and is out for the foreseeable future.

"It's kind of still a work in progress," Shepard said of his defense. "We're just kind of seeing who fits best where."

Senior Tom Levis is the team's leading returning scorer, topping the charts for those Huskies coming back in goals scored (eight) and total points (21) a year ago. Levis returns to the midfield along with classmate Nuno Marcos Caetano as well as sophomore Mason Reis.

"I think we're doing a great job. Obviously, we lost a bunch of seniors last year, but I think we're holding our ground right now. I feel like we're bonded. I feel like we're doing pretty fine," said Levis, referring to the eight contributing graduates off last year's roster.

He continued, "So we're having more team bonding type of stuff because obviously we lost a key part last year. We've just got to get everyone together. And if we get everyone together, I think we're going to be just fine."

At forward are Tavares, junior Javier Candelas Calzada and sophomore Cyrus Belisle-Braun.

Of his team's ability to score goals, Shepard said, "I feel like it's a concern every year, but once we get into the harder part of the schedule, it's going to come down to one, two goals and see who can finish."

In addition, sophomores Aiden Medeiros and Colin Kiselka as well as junior Rocco Minnella and freshmen Gabriel Neagle are key reserves off the bench.

"We're a young team, so they're getting into the mix of things. I think towards the end of the year, we'll start putting everything together," said Shepard. "It's just getting the kids confident. Most of them never played a varsity game and now they're starting varsity. So it's getting their confidence up and I think they'll be fine."

Shepard added, now in his third fall as head coach, "It's a great group. It's a different group of kids than what we're used to with just having a lot of skill. These kids still have skill, but they also they take things to heart. The past two years we had a lot of very skillful players. These kids have the skill, but the passion's there. So it makes it a lot more fun to coach."

Levis, Romano, Avila and Tavares serve as the team captains, a group Shepard's coaching staff, including assistants Michael Tavares, Jeff Motta and Nicholas Mahjoory, expects to lead on and off the field.

"You lean in heavily on these guys, probably the most I lean on is Caden just because I know what he's capable of. He just needs to communicate and play the way he can play," Shepard said of Romano and his captains in general.

Especially with their impressive start a return trip to the league playoffs, and then some, remains the aim for the Huskies.

"I think that's 100% realistic. It's where they want to go from there. And where they want to be placed. Like certain games we need to win, and they know those certain games. And if they come out to play, they win those games, but it's going to be tough with the schedule that we have," Shepard said.

Added Levis, "The results have been pretty good so far. Playoffs is the goal, but ultimately I think it's the championship. Everyone wants to get to the 'chip.' I feel like it's just a mindset you have to have."