Bishop Hendricken, a private school in Warwick, has won six straight Rhode Island Division I high school football championships and now state officials are making some changes to their divisional line-up in hopes of giving public schools a chance to win a title. Four of the last six Division I title games have featured fellow private schools Bishop Hendricken and LaSalle Academy clashing for the state crown.
In an attempt to gets the publics into the mix, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League has realigned football by expanding the state largest division from nine to fourteen teams. In addition, the RIIL created sub-divisions within Division I with Bishop Hendricken and La Salle in opposite divisions (see below). The top four teams in each Division I sub-division will advance to the state playoffs. The winners of the state semifinals will play in the Division I Super Bowl, while the losers will play in another Super Bowl.
In all, there will be four Super Bowls in 2016. Divisions II and II also have sub-divisions now with the top four teams advancing to the postseason, however, unlike Division I, the state’s two lower divisions will only crown one overall champ. The RIIL eliminated the Division IV Super Bowl.
Here’s how the new realignment looks:
Division 1A:
Bishop Hendricken High School
Cranston High School West
East Providence High School
Portsmouth High School
South Kingstown High School
St. Raphael Academy
Woonsocket High School
Division 1B:
Barrington High School
Central High School
Cranston High School East
Cumberland High School
La Salle Academy
Rogers High School
Tolman High School
Division 2A:
East Greenwich High School
Johnston High School
Moses Brown
Mt. Pleasant High School
Pilgrim High School
West Warwick High School
Westerly High School
Division 2B:
Chariho High School
Classical High School
Coventry High School
Middletown High School
Mt. Hope High School
North Kingstown High School
Shea High School
Division 3A:
Exeter/West Greenwich High School
Juanita Sanchez/PCD/Wheeler
Lincoln High School
Narragansett High School
N. Smithfield/Mt. St. Charles Co-op
Ponaganset High School
Smithfield High School
Division 3B:
Burrillville High School
Central Falls High School
Hope High School
North Providence High School
Scituate High School
Tiverton High School
Toll Gate High School
