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Burrillville football couldn’t lose the Div. I title

Umito November 24, 2024

CRANSTON — Burrillville Football I couldn’t lose on Saturday.

Gennaro Ferraro’s group has outperformed similar competitors over the past decade. Burrillville was forced into the state’s highest ranks, willingly accepted those challenges and fielded a Broncos team that plays without excuses.

This is called winning.

A Division IV crown in 2014 was followed by two undefeated championship seasons in D-III in 2016-17. A rightfully earned promotion to D-II followed, and then Division I came calling soon after for Ferraro’s program. The school’s male student population was 359 for the 2023-24 school year – that pales in comparison to the more than 600 that North Kingstown draws.

The Skippers, facing Burrillville at Cranston Stadium, made more plays than the Broncos in their 31-7 victory. in the RIIL Division I Ortho Rhode Island Football State Championship. That’s why North Kingstown won and added to its tally, but Burrillville didn’t leave empty-handed.

“There’s nothing anyone can say to take that feeling away,” Ferraro said of the season. “When these boys look back on this experience and the relationships they formed, it will impact them for the rest of their lives. And that’s what matters most.

“They have enriched my life and the lives of everyone in Burrillville beyond belief.”

Sending Barrington to the quarterfinals and defeating Central in overtime of the Final Four is an accomplishment for a school the size of Burrillville that few can match. But they can, the Broncos are proof.

Burrillville leads the state with 24 total championships (23 Division III, 1 Division IV). They rely on that culture to carry them, but it wasn’t long ago that the Broncos compiled two winning seasons in 2011-12.

The defeats stopped in 2014 and have continued since. This 2024 group, a team made up of seniors, is the product of this commitment. Current Bronco stars Logan Gelinas and Leland Kelleher suffered their injuries during a 1-5 season in 2022. The emotion of the 8-3 fall the team boasted two years later spilled out in Cranston’s far end zone.

“Creating all these memories together and narrowly failing in a (championship) like this hurts,” Gelinas said. “We dreamed of going to the (championship) our senior year. As a sophomore, it didn’t look like we were going to be able to do that. But we knew that if we stayed together…senior year would be the year.

“Now that this is finally coming to an end and we know we’ll never be one group on the field again, that’s really what’s hitting us right now,” Kelleher said. “I love these boys with all my heart.”

Earlier this season: A culture of winning has characterized the Burrillville football team for decades

This iteration ranks among the best in Broncos history – even without a banner. But there’s no competition for Burrillville’s best team. These Broncos proudly display their flag that honors each of the 24 championships and the program’s founding date of 1934 is painted on their helmets.

“It’s been a pleasure to spend these four years on the field with them,” Kelleher said. “And the same thing with this coaching staff. I have so much respect for them. I consider each of them my father figure.

The season is not yet completely closed. Ponaganset awaits Burrillville in a Thanksgiving morning meeting between rivals. Both teams want this win, bragging rights in everything, and Burrillville comes in ready to make its season in the history books.

“The memories along the way are truly what matters most when striving to win,” Ferraro said. “You have to check all the boxes and these kids checked them all. But we still have one more box to check.

“The relationships these guys have will last forever and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

North Kingstown 31, Burrillville 7

First trimester

B – Leland Kelleher 3 run (Jack Belluzzi kick), 2:36

NK – Gian Iacuele 57 pass from Jack Diano (Liam Kennett kick), 1:00

Second trimester

NK – Chris Ciarniello 4 points (Liam Kennett kick), 7:38

NK – Iacuele 2 pass from Diano (Kennett kick), 0:16

Third trimester

NK – Kennett field goal 42, 7:50

NK – Iacuele 31 passes from Diano, 5:07

TEAM STATS

PREVIOUS – Burrillville 21-56, North Kingstown 35-174. PASSING – Burrillville 10-22-105, North Kingstown 9-12-131. TOTAL INFRACTION – Burrillville 158, North Kingstown 305. FIRST DOES – North Kingstown 13, Burrillville 10. LOST FUMBLES – Burrillville 2-1, North Kingstown 0-0. TOTAL TURNOVER – Burrillville 2, North Kingstown 0. PENALTIES – Burrillville 3-25, North Kingstown 8-76. PUNTS-YARDS – Burrillville 3-62, North Kingstown 1-43. POSSESSION TIME – Burrillville 7:22 p.m., North Kingstown 28:38 p.m.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PREVIOUS: Burrillville – Leland Kelleher 11-43, TD; Logan Gelinas, 7-7; Soullier standard 2-5; Jack DiChiaro 1-1. North Kingstown – Chris Ciarniello 18-94, TD; Nick Stafford 8-53; Cooper Berthelot 6-36; Gian Iacuele 1-3; Jack Diano 1-0; Anthony Parry 1-(-12).

PASSAGE: Burrillville – Gelinas 10-22-105, INT. North Kingstown – Diano 9-12-131, 3 TDs.

RECEIVING: Burrillville – Riley Hébert 3-38; Soullier 2-33; DiChiaro 2-21, fumble; Kelleher 2-15; Belluzzi1-(-2). North Kingstown – Iacuele 5-101, 3 TDs; Stafford 1-28; Berthelot 1-6; Parry 2-3.

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On X: @ByJacobRousseau