An upstart upended Mt. Hope High School's run in the 2026 Division II boys' soccer championship tournament when Central Falls defeated the Huskies in a mild upset, 3-1, in a semifinal round contest played Thursday night, Nov. 5, at Johnston High School.

CF scored three unanswered goals in the final 40 minutes to overcome a 1-0 halftime deficit to earn the win.

"They were the better team in the second half," MHHS head coach Tucker Shepard said succinctly of the Warriors. "They executed what they talked about at half better than we did."

The victory for eighth-seeded CF over fourth-seeded Mt. Hope was probably a surprise only on paper. The Warriors and the Huskies played to a 1-all draw in their lone regular season meeting. And CF has gotten hot at the proverbial right time, beating Cranston East in its preliminary round game, 3-2, then dispatching top-seeded and first-place Smithfield in the quarter, 2-1, 4-3 on penalty kicks.

For MHHS, its fall came to a close with a 10-4-7 overall record, including a 1-0 victory over Coventry in the playoff quarterfinals. The Warriors advanced to the D-II title match Sunday, Nov. 8, at Rhode Island College against third-seeded Classical, which thwarted another potential upset bid of 10th-seeded Central, winning its semis Thursday, 1-0, 6-5 on PKs. The Purple defeated CF, 2-1, for the league championship.

In the semis, CF was first to put a tempting shot on goal, but Mt. Hope senior keeper Cole Tavares (10 saves) made a diving save of the shot in the 10th minute.

Taveres' effort didn't go without reward as the Huskies struck two minutes later to open the scoring. Mt. Hope pressed forward, creating a corner, the ensuing set piece executed to near perfection. Kobe King delivered the kick towards the near post at a perfect height, allowing Gavin Avila to put a subtle touch header as he moved towards the ball for the goal.

The Warriors responded with a few bouts of possession, drawing a foul and a long free kick during the span then a corner. Tavares easily handled the latter in the 18th. He did the same in the 24th minute, making a catch of the corner in traffic just atop the six-yard box.

The opening 40 also included a fine defensive play by MHHS right back Michael Komorowski, who made a deft touch tackle of a Warrior forward to nullify a potential CF breakaway attempt in the 31st.

Out of the break, the Warriors again were ascendent, this time, though, they were able to capitalize on having the ball. CF eventually found the tying tally in the 53rd minute, a sequence that began on a deep cross from the right wing to the back post for a shot into the open left side behind Tavares.

The teams next played relatively even before things opened up a bit in the latter stages of regulation. Mt. Hope's last-best chance came in the 69th and with the score still square. Tom Levis retrieved the ball after a CF turnover in its own end. His shot from distance was on frame and skidded off the artificial turf, but was smothered safely by the Warriors' keeper Franklin Alvarez Rodriguez.

CF turned the fine stop by its goalie into a goal moments later. The game-winning scoring sequence began with a side out for a Warrior throw, which they took quickly down the right. It led to a shot that caromed off the near post to an awaiting CF forward for the relatively easy rebound shot and a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute.

Mt. Hope did create a potential tying chance in the 74th, but a cross from the left wing fell into space inside the 18 without another touch by a Husky.

The Warriors then insured their win by netting their third goal in the 75th, a low shot from about 20 yards out that stayed near the turf and slid under a diving Tavares to make it 3-1.