PHS boys' hockey team forfeiting 2 games after drinking incident

PORTSMOUTH — In the wake of a Snapchat video showing three members of the Portsmouth High boys’ hockey team drinking alcohol in the locker room following a Feb. 3 win in West Warwick, Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy has announced the team will forfeit two games and face “additional consequences.”

A member of the Patriots posted the video, taken in the locker room at Benny Magiera Ice Rink after the team posted a 6-0 win over West Warwick/Exeter-West Greenwich. 

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Three different nip bottles are shown in the video. The player who took the video is seen taking a shot of vodka, while another is drinking Jack Daniels’ Fire whiskey and a third teammate does a shot of Dr. McGillicuddy’s mentholmint liqueur.

The Snapchat post is captioned, “(Expletive) West Warwick.”

A year ago, the West Warwick/Exeter-West Greenwich hockey team was struck by tragedy when two of its players, Matthew Dennison and Kevin MacDonald, were in a car that was struck by a drunk driver. Dennison later died from injuries he sustained in the accident.

In an e-mail sent out this week to families and other members of the Portsmouth school community (see story at left for complete text), Kenworthy said administrators are “taking this matter very seriously, and we are using it as an opportunity to learn and improve internally while further educating our student body about the dangers of substance abuse and accountability for their actions.”

The district is working in conjunction with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League and the following steps have been taken or are underway, he said:

• “The team will be forfeiting two games.”

• “Additional consequences have been imposed for the team and for individual players commensurate with their involvement in the incident.”

• “The entire team will receive substance abuse education and/or counseling in accordance with their involvement in the incident.”

• “We will be evaluating our procedures for the supervision of student-athletes before, during, and after all practices, games, and other team activities.”

• “We will also be directing all coaches to remind every student-athlete about the district’s policies related to drug and alcohol use and other rules of conduct that are outlined at the beginning of every season. Coaches will also use these opportunities to remind student-athletes that inappropriate behavior by even one member of a team can have significant consequences for the entire team.”

In addition, Kenworthy said he and several other school and district officials “have contacted our colleagues in the West Warwick and Exeter-West Greenwich school districts (our opponent on the night of this incident) to express our outrage at what occurred and to apologize for this inexcusable behavior. We are particularly saddened that this incident took place in the West Warwick arena, in a community that is still grieving the tragic loss of Matthew Dennison to a drunk driver.”

He added: “I hope this is an isolated incident that does not tarnish the outstanding reputation of our Portsmouth athletic program and the countless student-athletes and adults who work incredibly hard to maintain excellence in their respective sports and in our community.”

The PHS boys’ hockey team has been enjoying a great season under head coach Greg Cunningham, with a 10-0-1 record in Division II-A. 

According to the RIIL website, a game scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4 against Ponaganset was canceled, but a match against South Kingstown at the University of Rhode Island on Wednesday, Feb. 15, is still on for now.