The Mt. Hope High School football team defeated Woonsocket, 14-6, at Thomas Vendituoli Field on Friday night.

Junior running back Corey Cardoso was a beast for the Huskies scoring two touchdowns and gaining 183 yards on 23 carries. “Corey ran really hard and took us on his back,” said head coach T.J. DelSanto.

Mt. Hope had their work cut out for them after losing starting quarterback Sam Hollands with a leg injury in the first quarter. He was replaced by sophomore Matt Defelice, who had trouble finding receivers and the Huskies struggled to move the ball on offense. “It was a real test of our character. Matt did an excellent job coming in under really difficult circumstances,” said coach DelSanto.

The stout Huskies defense held the Novans scoreless in the first half, tallying three sacks and an interception.

Defensive back Nathan Medina stalled a promising Woonsocket drive by catching an errant Novans pass near the Mt. Hope 10 yard-line and running it 22 yards to midfield. “The defense really had to step up big for us. Woonsocket is a hard running, physical team that pounds the ball and the defense really stepped up tonight and did the job that we needed them to do,” said coach DelSanto.

In the second half, on the Novans first play from scrimmage, running back Elijah Beausoleil ran 59 yards down the Woonsocket sideline for a touchdown, giving his team a, 6-0, lead.

The Huskies answered right back with an eight-play drive from their own 30 yard-line. Defelice fed Cardoso the ball and the offensive line plowed the way. Cardoso ended the drive with a two-yard dive up the middle between two defenders to tie the game at, 6-6. Josh Canario kicked the extra point to give the Huskies the lead, 7-6.

Early in the fourth quarter Cardoso struck again with a 22-yard score after the Huskies defense penned the Novans in their own end. Cardoso took the handoff from Defelice and bolted up the middle through a gaping hole for a touchdown and a Huskies, 13-6, lead. Josh Canario kicked his second extra-point, to make it, 14-6. “The offensive line came out and did a great job in the second half. I’m proud of the kids. It was a good win for us,” said coach DelSanto.

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