The Mt. Hope High School boys' soccer team completed one of the best turn-around seasons in the program's over three decade history and one of the best year-over-year improvements in the state with a 4-0 win over Middletown Thursday, Oct. 24.

The host Huskies celebrated Senior Night by recording their 11th win of the fall and sealing one of the top seeds in the upcoming Division II championship tournament.

Senior co-captain Maddox Canario notched a brace for the locals along with an assist as he and his Class of '25 mates played their last regularly scheduled game on campus.

Junior Mohsin Khan made an impact a he makes his return to the lineup from injury with a goal. Sophomore Tom Levis added the other Mt. Hope tally while junior Aidan Hudak had three assists. Sophomore keeper Cole Tavares was credited with four saves.

"We played well, moved the ball great and capitalized on our chances and put the ball in the back of the net," MHHS head coach Tucker Shepard said of the Huskies' victory over the Islanders. "It was great momentum for playoffs and a great win for the seniors."

A year ago, the Huskies suffered through a humbling season still then in the Division I ranks, going winless in 14 league matches.

This fall, Mt. Hope's impressive rebound campaign included an 11-match unbeaten stretch to begin its 2024 schedule. The Huskies went 8-0-3 in that span before dropping their first result to Shea, 2-1, on the road in Pawtucket in early October. The locals wound up with an 11-2-3 overall record

The locals are vying with Chariho (12-4-2 overall) as the regular season winds down for the overall No. 1 seed in the D-II tourney under the Rhode Island Interscholastic League's new power rankings playoff qualification formula. The Chargers held the slimmest of margins, 4.034183-4.033389, over the Huskies as of games completed Thursday, Oct. 24.

Both teams have earned a bye directly into the quarterfinals along with seeds three and four. Twelve teams qualify for the league tourney. Seeds 5-12 win meet October 29 or 30 to finish the rest of the round of eight draw.

At the moment, Mt. Hope would host the winner of the 7-10 game between Smithfield and Coventry, respectively, in the quarters either November 1 or 2.

The Huskies beat both teams in their only regular season meetings. At home on October 3, the locals beat the visiting Sentinels, 3-1. In Coventry, the locals edged the Knotty Oakers, 1-0, on October 15.

— East Bay Media Group and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.