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2025 New England High School Team Previews

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2025 Spring Team Preview: North Kingstown (RI)

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. - With four consecutive Final 4 appearances, there is no doubt what North Kingstown is shooting for in 2025.

Although a coaching change was made in late March due to a family illness, the Skippers do not plan to miss a beat.

“I’m the head football coach at the high school, so I have experience coaching,” explained new mentor Dave Giorgi, the replacement for Bill Brew who recently stepped aside after two seasons on the job. “I’m coming on board late, but not being part of the offseason program with lifting and team captain practices is the only downfall. I was part of the staff two years ago so a lot of these players were on the team I coached, plus a decent amount play football.”

The goal does not change no matter the coach.

“Expectations are always the same thing,” Giorgi related. “You want to get to the Final 4. That’s always a goal of ours. We won it back-to-back in ’21 and ’22 and that’s what our eyes are on. That’s the ultimate goal.”

Pitching appears to be a strength this season, with both veterans and youth part of the plan.

Bodie Forsell will be the staff ace according to Giorgi, with Brendan Venditto, who struck out nine in 8.1 innings on the hill in 2024, another at the top of the rotation. Forsell, a 2026 who gave up one earned run in four innings last season, will be at second base when not pitching.

“He’s the most improved player on the team,” Giorgi said of the junior captain. “He will be our ace pitcher and has arguably been one of the best hitters in the preseason. He will provide a lot of power this year and is also an elite fielder at second base.”

Ben Davis, who was 3-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 22 innings on the mound in 2024, also fits into the mix as does sophomore right-hander Daniel Napoli, with big shoes to fill with the loss of Will Creed and Ben Napoli to graduation. Creed, who is now at the University of Rhode Island, was 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA while Napoli was 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA.

“He’s one of those bulldog pitchers,” Giorgi said of the sophomore Napoli, who will not only start at times but close out games. “He has great confidence on the mound and always wants the ball.”

Christopher Ciarniello led the team in batting average (.347), hits (17) and runs (13) during a 12-6 campaign a year ago that ended with a loss in the state semifinals for the second season in a row and the junior will play third base and provide more depth on the mound if needed.

Davis, who batted .327 a year ago, will play first base while also filling in at second and third base in addition to pitch while Rock Arnold, the sixth-rated sophomore shortstop in New England, was injured the second half of 2024 but returns to anchor the infield at short.

“Rock is arguably one of the best hitters in the state,” Giorgi noted. “He’s a left-handed batter who provides a lot of power.”

Senior Tucker Lemond returns at catcher bringing the leadership desired.

“He’s one of the captains and one of hottest hitters in the preseason,” Giorgi said. “He’s phenomenal behind the plate and does a great job as the vocal leader.”

Venditto, the 26th-ranked junior in New England who hit .278 a year ago, will be in the outfield when not on the hill, joined by senior outfielder/DH Ronan Gately, who batted .319 with a team-high 16 RBIs.

Winners of state championships in 2021-22 before losing in the finals the past two seasons, Giorgi is confident that success will continue.

“Kevin Gormley was coach here for 20-plus years and Anthony Ucci was his assistant,” Giorgi explained. “They built a foundation here and had the program playing at a high level. Coach Brew built it a little more and my goal is to add a little more to it.

“The foundation is already in place. I played for coach Gormley and our practice and style of play stems from him. A lot of our fame and success came from coach Gormley and Ucci. In my eyes, they are legends when it comes to coaching the game of baseball.”

Giorgi is hoping to keep it going in 2025.

“This is a locked in group,” Giorgi summed up. “They show up early and they stay late every day. It’s sharpening the basic fundamental stuff, the little things that allow them to get better and to believe in each other. There’s great leadership and these kids feed off of each other.”

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