PROVIDENCE — Mt. Hope High School’s gymnastics team completed a stunning return to form on Friday, capturing the RIIL Division I championship at Rhode Island College’s Murray Center. The Huskies, who didn’t qualify for the state championship last winter, posted a team score of 140.225 to secure their first title since the 2018-19 season.
The victory was mirrored in Division II, where Cranston West overcame a narrow defeat in the previous year to claim the championship with a score of 135.475. The Falcons rallied on the final rotation, edging out last year’s winner, Prout/Exeter West Greenwich, by a margin of 0.60.
Mt. Hope’s championship run was fueled by a deep and talented roster, highlighted by the return of Elle Rodrigues from a back injury. Sophomore Kara Pisasale, who finished third in the All-Around competition last year and won gold on Floor, continued her impressive form, landing a 9.4 on floor to win the event. She was supported by strong performances from Charlotte Piper and Rodrigues, who finished second and third respectively.
“I think this feels better,” Pisasale said. “As great as it was winning floor last year and getting all the awards, this year I get to share it with the whole team and it’s more special.”
The Huskies’ dominance was particularly evident on the Floor exercise, where they recorded a score of 36.875 – more than two points higher than any other Division I team. Piper and Rodrigues’ contributions were crucial, solidifying Mt. Hope’s position at the top.
“We’ve just had this idea all season that we could do it,” Piper said. “I think once we got to floor, the energy went back up. It’s really hot in here, but it cooled a little bit [on floor]. Everyone’s vibe just went back up.”
Rodrigues also secured the top All-Around score in Division I with a 35.925, closely followed by Pisasale (35.9). Madeline Rozea, Aliza Morgan, and Aubrey Birchall also contributed to the Huskies’ overall success.
“It was so great for us to come together and all do great on Floor,” Rodrigues said. “We didn’t know we had won until the end. But I was just really proud of everyone.”
For Cranston West, the championship represented redemption after a heartbreaking loss in the previous year. Led by the All-Around excellence of Gianna Desmarais, the Falcons navigated a tense final rotation on Floor to secure the victory. Lexee Felicio’s 8.85 score on Floor was also key to their success.
“We were pretty confident, but it wasn’t until we were announced that we knew we won,” Madilyn Bolton said.
Desmarais’ performance was a standout, earning her a 9.3 routine on Floor and an overall All-Around score of 37.350. She is now poised to contend for her second consecutive All-Around title at Sunday’s individual championship, and could potentially challenge Alyssa Worthington’s record of 37.95 set in 2018.
“I’m just happy to win as a team,” Desmarais said. “Especially coming in second last year, it just feels amazing to come in here and win.”
Both Mt. Hope, Cranston West, and Prout/Exeter-West Greenwich have qualified for the New England Championship, scheduled for March 7 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
Division I Results
1. Mt. Hope, 140.225; 2. Portsmouth, 134.100; 3. Barrington, 127.250; 4. Coventry, 125.175.
Division II Results
1. Cranston West, 135.475; 2. Prout/Exeter-West Greenwich, 134.875; 3. North Kingstown/East Greenwich, 134.325; 4. Middletown, 129.300.
