Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame inducts 18 new members

Mt. Hope’s Class of 1996 has 16 members inducted

Posted 12/24/18

The Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame held its 38th annual induction banquet on Nov. 24 at the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea. A group of 18 individuals were inducted into this year’s …

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Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame inducts 18 new members

Mt. Hope’s Class of 1996 has 16 members inducted

Posted

The Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame held its 38th annual induction banquet on Nov. 24 at the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea. A group of 18 individuals were inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame class, consisting of 16 athletes from Mt. Hope High School’s Class of 1996, as well as two individuals in the Special Recognition category.

Peter J. Alfano
Peter excelled as a varsity swimmer at Mt. Hope High School from 1993 to 1996, serving as co-captain as a junior and senior. He earned 1st team All State Class B honors in 1995 and 1996 in both the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke, while breaking the Class B records in both events. After being undefeated in 1996, he was named the outstanding Class B senior swimmer, and received the John Gleason Award as the outstanding R.I. Class B swimmer.

After high school, Peter went on to swim at Tufts University from 1997 to 2000, where he received the Men’s Swimming Four Year award, and was named to the College Swimming Coaches Association All Academic Team in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.

David L. Allen
David had an outstanding wrestling career at Mt. Hope, while also playing one year of football and two years of rugby. In 1995, he earned 2nd team All Division A-1 honors in the 135-pound class. In 1996, David was a team captain while earning both second-team All State and 1st team All Division A-1 honors in the 135-pound class. Following high school, David attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he excelled on the boxing team for four years. In 2000, he was a member of the U.S. Air Force National Collegiate Boxing Association national championship team, was a 2000 Wing Open Boxing Champion, and was named NCBA All American.

David went on to serve in the U.S. Army Airborne from 2008 to 2015, graduating from U.S. Army Ranger School in 2010. He served his country proudly in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bradley Borges Jr.
Bradley was a four-year varsity athlete in both soccer and wrestling, and played baseball in 1993 and 1994. In soccer, Bradley was a key performer for the 1993 Mt. Hope HS Division 1-A State Championship team. He earned third-team All Division 1 honors in 1994, and in 1995 earned second-team All Division 1 honors, was a team captain, and was named Soccer Academic All State.

As a wrestler, Bradley was a member of the 1993 Bristol H.S Class A state championship and New England runner-up team. At Mt. Hope, Bradley earned third-team All State honors in 1996, was a Division 1-A All Star, and represented Rhode Island in his 160-pound weight class in the New England Championships.

Joshua B. Brown
Joshua was a four-year varsity soccer player at Bristol H.S. and Mt. Hope H.S. In 1993, he was a member of the Mt. Hope H.S. Division 1-A State championship soccer team. As a senior, Joshua was a soccer team captain and a participant in the MetLife All Star Game. Joshua also excelled in tennis in high school, earning All Division awards in 1994 and 1996. He was a team captain as both a junior and senior, and he was awarded with the RIIL Sportsmanship Award in 1996.

After high school. Joshua served as a tennis instructor for the Town of Bristol for several years, has gone on to be both a marathon runner as well as a triathlete, and currently is coaching in the Barrington Youth Soccer program.

Kyle M. Byrnes
Kyle was a wrestling club champion at 13, and a Junior High State Champion in both 7th and 8th grade. At Bristol H.S., he was a freshman state champion in 1993. Kyle went on to be a dominant wrestler for Mt. Hope. In 1994, he finished fourth in the state in his weight class. As a junior, Kyle had an undefeated season, earning both first-team All Division 1 and first-team All State honors.

In 1996, he once again was first-team All Division 1, and earned second-team All State honors. He served as a team captain in both his junior and senior years, and he was a two-time All Star Tournament champion.

Danielle Carbo
Danielle had an outstanding high school career in both cross country and indoor track. In cross country, she had immediate success, as she earned third-team All Division as a freshman in 1992. Danielle then went on to earn second-team All Division in 1993, and then first-team All Division in 1994 and 1995. She also served as team captain in 1994 and 1995. In the sport of indoor track, Danielle finished second-team All Class Two Mile in both 1994 and 1995, while serving as team captain in both of those seasons. She was also selected as the female nominee for the Journal Bulletin Honor Roll.

Danielle has continued to be active as a runner to the present day. She has competed in 25 half-marathons, as well as numerous races in the 5K, 10K, 12K, and 10-mile distances. She also has become a recreational skydiver and is a member of the United States Parachute Association.

Adam Cote
As a Mt. Hope sophomore, Adam earned second-team All Division (doubles) on the tennis team. He earned first-team All Division (singles) in his junior year as the #2/3 player, losing only one match for the entire season. As a senior, he was first-team All Division as the #1 player. Adam was the team captain in both his junior and senior seasons. He won a total of 5 Ocean State Tennis “Grand Slam” tournaments and was the Ocean State Tennis Circuit points champion in 1995.

Following high school, men’s softball became Adam’s sport of choice. He played on various local and USSSA competitive softball teams from 1997 through 2016, winning numerous championships and winning several MVP and All Tournament awards. Adam was a member of four teams that finished in the top 5 of the USSSA-E World Championships.

Adam also worked as a sports reporter / editor for the Bristol Phoenix & Warren Times Gazette between 2003 and 2008. He has been coaching baseball in the King Philip Little League since 2017.

Jodi Davock Furtado
Jodi played three years of varsity softball at Mt. Hope High school, where she excelled as a shortstop. She was named first-team All Division in 1995. Following high school, Jodi has continued to play in local Women’s softball leagues up to the present day. She has served as a girls’ softball head coach in the Warren Little League for the past eight years, coaching in the T-Ball, C-Ball, and Minors divisions.
Jodi is also well known for her involvement in community service, routinely holding fundraisers at the Market Street Pub for multiple local causes, as well as her annual holiday drives to collect and donate turkey dinners to the needy.

Jerrod Grifka
Jerrod had an outstanding career in high school football. He was a three-year starter as a dominant linebacker and offensive lineman. Jerrod earned first-team All Division Class B as a junior in 1994. As a senior, he was a team captain and key member of the 1995 Mt. Hope Football team that compiled a record of 10-1 and finished as Class B regular season co-champions after a three-way tie for first place.
Jerrod was named second-team All State and first-team All Division Class B. Jerrod is currently the Director of Programs at Tides Family Services, providing help to at risk youths in the State of R.I.

Eric Lavey
In high school, Eric was a four-year varsity tennis player. In 1996, he earned 1st team All Division honors, and along with fellow teammates Josh Brown, Adam Cote, and Eric Pinho, he helped lead the Mt. Hope H.S. tennis team to a state playoff berth.

Eric continued with tennis at Emerson College, where he played on the Emerson tennis team from 1996 to 1999. In 1997, he also played for the Emerson College baseball team (playing both tennis and baseball during the same season). Eric has been a member of the historic Palm Springs Tennis Club since 2012, where he has finished 1st or 2nd in club tournaments multiple times.

Kenneth Leigh
Kenny became a student at Mt. Hope H.S. after having moved to Rhode Island from Florida at the start of his junior year in 1994. He had not previously played any organized high school sports in Florida. While playing pickup basketball in the gym at Mt. Hope, he soon got noticed for his impressive natural athletic ability. After seeing Kenny repeatedly knock in three pointers, block shots, and slam dunk with ease, head basketball coach Dom Raiola convinced him to play for the team that season.

Kenny’s game steadily improved as his junior season progressed. He finished the season as the team’s second-leading scorer, and was named second-team All Division Class B. The following year, Kenny blossomed into a dominant offensive and defensive performer. He was the team’s leading scorer, surpassing the 30-point mark several times, and led the team in rebounding, blocked shots, and steals. Kenny earned first-team All Division Class B, and he was selected to play in the RI High School Basketball All Star Game.

As a senior, Kenny decided to try his hand at football. He quickly became an impact performer at wide receiver and defensive back for the 10-1 Mt. Hope football powerhouse, helping the Huskies to finish the season as Class B regular season co-champions. Following the season, Kenny was named third-team All Division Class B.

Eric E. Pinho
Eric was a three-year varsity tennis player at Mt. Hope H.S. in the #2 singles slot. In 1995, he earned 2nd Team All Division Honors. As a senior, Eric once again earned 2nd Team All Division honors, and received the All Division Sportsmanship Award in tennis. Eric also played two years of varsity basketball at Mt. Hope, where he made his mark as a steady all around backcourt performer. Eric went on to continue his tennis career at R.I. College, where he competed in the #3 slot from 1997 to 2000, and earned All Division honors.


Mark Rhynard
Mark had an outstanding football career as a fullback at Mt Hope H.S. He broke several school rushing records, served as a team captain, and was a key contributor to the 1995 Mt. Hope Class B regular season co-champions that dominated play with a 10-1 record. In his senior season, Mark was named 1st Team All State and 1st Team All Division Class B, and “Back of the Year” by the Providence Gridiron Club. Mark joined the ’95-’96 Mt. Hope wrestling team and immediately became a force in the 275-pound heavyweight bracket, despite weighing only 210 pounds. He went undefeated for the regular season and for most of the State Championship tournament before losing to three-time State Champion Emerson Kilgore in the final.

In his only season as a high school wrestler, Mark impressively earned second-team All State Honors, and was named 1st Team All Division.

Following high school, Mark played football at Dean College, and went on to star for the semi-pro football Tri-Boro Renegades in 2001 and 2002. As an adult, Mark has been coaching football at the high school and youth level for over 20 years, including at Mt Hope H.S. from 2007 to 2011, where he was on the coaching staff of the 2009 Huskies State Championship team.

Jayson Rogers
In high school, Jayson was an excellent center fielder, and was a member of the Mt. Hope 1995 Class B East Division Baseball Champions, and he was named 2nd Team Baseball All Division Class B in 1996. Jayson was also a three-year varsity player on the Mt. Hope football team. An outstanding punter and place kicker, he was named 3rd team All Division as a sophomore in 1993. Jayson was a key contributor to the 1995 Mt. Hope Football 10-1 Class B regular season co-champions, setting Mt Hope records for longest field goals and longest punt.

He was named 2nd Team All State and 1st Team All Division for the 1995 season. Jayson was also named to the R.I. All Academic Football team in both 1994 and 1995.
Following high school, Jayson went on to proudly serve in active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1998 to 2002 and in the R.I. National Guard from 2002 to 2005.

Neal A. Teixeira
Neal was an outstanding four-year varsity soccer player in high school. As a sophomore, he was a member of the 1993 Division 1A State Champion Mt. Hope Soccer team. In 1994, he was named 2nd Team All Division. In 1995, he served as a team captain, and was again named 2nd Team All Division.
Neal also competed for the Mt. Hope indoor track team and was honored as a R.I. Scholar-Athlete as a senior. After high school, Neal has played in competitive adult soccer leagues, and has coached in the Cumberland Youth Soccer program.

Christopher Viveiros
At Mt. Hope H.S., Chris was an outstanding three-year varsity performer for both the football and baseball teams. In football, Chris was a three-year starter and high impact performer on both the offensive and defensive line. As a junior, he was named 2nd Team All Division Class B. In his senior year, Chris emerged as a dominant performer for the exceptional 10-1 Huskies 1995 football team that finished Class B Division regular season co-champions. He was named 1st Team All State, 1st Team All Division Class B, and served as a team captain. Chris was also honored as the 1995 R.I. Lineman of the Year.

In baseball, Chris was a two-year starting pitcher, and played at first base and catcher when not on the mound. He was a key performer for the 1995 Mt. Hope Class B East Baseball Championship team, and he was named 2nd Team All Division Class B East. In 1996, Chris served as a team captain and was named 1st team All Division Class B. As a senior, Chris was also honored as the Journal Bulletin Honor Roll Boys Nominee from Mt. Hope H.S., and was named to the Golden Dozen as one of the top 12 student-athletes in R.I.


Charles Thomas Enright
Charles is a Bristol native who from a young age knew he would have a passion for sailing after his grandfather — a boat builder — introduced him to the sport. While attending high school at Milton Academy from 1998 to 2002, Charles was a three-time captain of the sailing team and a member of the Milton Academy 2002 national championship team.

He moved on to Brown University, where he was a member of the sailing team from 2003 to 2007, served as team captain as a junior and senior, and was named a sailing All American all four years. While at Brown, Charles was given the opportunity to participate in the Youth Trans-Pac crew as part of a Disney movie: “Morning Light.” It was then that he started his dream of one day joining the Volvo Ocean Race.

After graduating, Charlie worked as a sailmaker at North Sails Rhode Island. At the same time, Charles embarked on his professional sailing career, winning multiple prestigious inshore and offshore races. In 2014, Charles co-founded Team Alvimedica which was entered in the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race. With Charles as the skipper of eight international sailors, Team Alvimedica ventured out for the sailing race around the world. Despite being the youngest team in the field, they led the fleet around Cape Horn to win the final leg of the race and finish fifth overall. In 2016, Charles became co-founder and skipper of 55 South Sailing Team – a U.S.-based Grand Prix sailing team. Charles again entered the 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race as skipper of Vestas 11th Hour with a group of 9 international sailors, for another sail around the world – starting in Spain and finishing in The Hague, Netherlands.


William Lannigan
Bill was born in 1929 and grew up in Fall River, Mass., during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the World War II years of the 1940s. At the age of 5, he was hit by a car when running across the street, badly breaking his leg. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctors wanted to amputate his leg. Fortunately, Bill’s dad refused to allow them to amputate, and Bill was able to recover over time and regain his ability to walk.

As was this case with most boys of that generation, there was not much opportunity for Bill to play organized sports while growing up, as he had to work after school to help his family. When he became a student at Durfee High School in the mid 1940s, Bill was 5’2’’ and thin as a rail.
Between his having to work, his small stature, and his weak leg, Bill didn’t give much thought to playing sports at Durfee, which was then a Massachusetts high school sports powerhouse. Halfway through high school, the Korean War broke out and Bill left school to join the Marines. Due to his weak leg, the Marines would not clear him for combat duty, but they stationed him at Camp Lejeune for several years, where he rose to the rank of Staff Sargent.

Upon coming back to Fall River after his time with the Marines, Bill got married, worked a night job, and went back to Durfee during the day to get his high school degree. The small kid that had left Durfee for the Marines was now a rugged man at 5’9”. Soon after returning to school, the Durfee basketball coach saw him in a school hallway and told him he should try out for the team. Bill had to tell him he was over 20 years old, married, and had to work.

Bill moved to Bristol in 1962 at a time when he was working in wire manufacturing for ITT in Pawtucket (where he worked for over 40 years) and raising a young family. In 1967, he embarked on a 15-year association with youth baseball in Bristol, coaching in the King Philip Little League in the farm league and then the major league with teams named the “Blue Flames” and the “Gourmets” – with whom he won a league championship. At that time, there was no organized baseball for kids in Bristol after 12 years old until high school.

Bill was a key part of the group that started a Babe Ruth Baseball League in Bristol in 1971 for ages 13 to 15 and entered Bristol into the Senior Babe Ruth League, consisting of teams from various towns throughout the state in 1973. He served in various positions with King Philip Little League throughout the 1970s, including president, vice president, and treasurer. Bill coached Senior Babe Ruth teams to R.I. Eastern Division Championships in 1974 and 1975, and again in 1981. In 1979, the R.I. Babe Ruth League Association honored Bill with their “Man of the Year” award for his “years of service and his example of leadership and sportsmanship which serves as an inspiration to the youth of Bristol.”

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