The time has arrived to announce the 2025 Providence Journal Winter All-State teams.
No one covers more high school sports than The Providence Journal, which allowed us to see all of Rhode Island’s best athletes. That’s the fun part of the job. The difficult part is picking our first- and second-team athletes in their respective sport.
Some sports are easier than others. Sports that hold individual championships and selections were made prioritizing performance at their respective RIIL final events.
Selections for team-based sports require more conversation. Athletes were selected based on in-person evaluations, statistics, conversations with various sport sources, postseason performance and other factors, including the coaches' postseason awards.
Teams were selected positionally. There is only one goalie in hockey and our All-State teams reflect the positions you would see on the court or ice. It can lead to difficult decision, but we believe it's important to honor all the positions, not just a select few.
Our goal is to try to put as much work and effort into our selections as the athletes we’ve chosen put into their respective sport.
So while putting together The Providence Journal All-State teams can be tough, it’s nothing compared to what these athletes have done to get to this level and we’re happy to honor the best Rhode Island has to offer.
The 2025 Providence Journal All-State Boys Wrestling First Team
Caden Hughes, Ponaganset
Junior, 106 pounds
Hughes finished runner-up at 106 last year, but took the top spot in 2025. The Chieftain grappler, who transferred from Scituate, is a first-time gold medalist after a 3-0 triumph in the title match. He also finished fifth at the New England Championships.
Cole Lemovitz, Ponaganset
Sophomore, 113 pounds
Take a bow, Lemovitz. The sophomore won the state and New England titles at 106 pounds in his rookie season. He moved up a weight class and torched the region again. This year, at 113, Lemovitz won the New England championship in a 5-4 decision.
Charles Ford, North Providence
Sophomore, 120 pounds
Ford had one of the best finishes at the state championships. He won his first career gold with a pin in 1:12 to claim the 120 title. The sophomore could be heading toward two more championships over his final seasons.
Jared Hood, Ponaganset
Senior, 126 pounds
Hood capped off a standout career with his fourth straight gold medal. He won the 106 class as a freshman, 113 in his sophomore campaign and 120 last year. Hood won his final state championship by tech fall, 17-2, in 93 seconds. He also finished fourth at the New England Tournament.
Apollo Bellini, Ponaganset
Sophomore, 132 pounds
Bellini, last year’s 113 winner, jumped up three classes and continued his reign. The sophomore had one of the more entertaining state championship matches with a 24-22 triumph.
Charles Phillips, East Providence
Senior, 138 pounds
Phillips wasn’t the favorite to win the 138 bracket, but that didn’t matter. He racked up points in bunches and won a 23-9 major decision for his first career gold medal. The senior also put on a show at the New England Tournament with a second-place finish.
Joseph Joyce, Ponaganset
Junior, 144 pounds
Joyce just keeps rolling to state and New England titles. He won his third career state gold with a 15-0 technical fall and captured the New England crown in an 8-1 decision. He also won the New England championship last year at 138 pounds.
Colby Vital, Ponaganset
Junior, 150 pounds
Vital won his first championship after finishing runner-up at 144 last year. The 8-6 decision earned the junior the bracket title as he also surged to a fourth-place finish at the New England Championships.
Carnell Davis, Ponaganset
Sophomore, 157 pounds
Davis snagged his first state title, 17-2, just seconds into the second period. The sophomore also finished runner-up for the second straight season at the New England Tournament.
David Perez, Ponaganset
Junior, 165 pounds
Perez won his second state and New England titles in his third year with Ponaganset. He took the regional weight class final, 16-3, as Ponaganset won the New England championship for the third consecutive season.
Preston Marchesseault, Ponaganset
Senior, 175 pounds
Marchesseault defended his 175 title with a 15-1 major decision in the championship bout. He then went on to win his first individual title at the New England Tournament with a 4-0 decision.
Dante Peno, South Kingstown
Junior, 190 pounds
The football standout earned some wrestling hardware this winter. Peno won the 190-pound class with an 11-3 major decision. It was his first wrestling state championship and comes after South Kingstown football won the Division II title.
Michael DiOrio, Ponaganset
Senior, 215 pounds
DiOrio graduates as a back-to-back champion of the 215-pound class. The defending state champ was seeded third and battled tough before closing strong for a 9-2 decision in the title bout. He also finished fifth at the New England Tournament.
Kaz Morosetti, North Kingstown
Junior, 285 pounds
The 285-pound class was Morosetti’s for the second straight winter. The junior took home the crown via pin with 22 seconds left in the second period. He then went on to the New England Tournament where he finished third.
Second Team
106 — Scott Cole, Scituate, Freshman
113 — Dominick Sousa, Smithfield, Senior
120 — Mikhail Hulkow, Hendricken, Junior
126 — Marcos Ramirez, Toll Gate, Senior
132 — Ethan Uttley, Woonsocket, Senior
138 — Benjamin White, South Kingstown, Senior
144 — Kamel Dib, Lincoln, Senior
150 — James Rocco, Barrington, Junior
157 — Logan Ross, Hendricken, Junior
165 — Matthew Pappas, Hendricken, Junior
175 — Gianni Santo, Hendricken, Sophomore
190 —Benjamin Johnson-McMahon, Smithfield, Junior
215 —Ben Wilcox, Woonsocket, Senior
285 — Hadrian Duncan, Narragansett, Junior
