As I picked up my credentials and walked into Centreville Bank Stadium for Rhode Island Football Club’s (RIFC) season opener against expansion Sporting Club Jacksonville, I had two goals on my mind: getting a hug from Chip and snagging pretzel bites from The Salty Knot.
The March afternoon was cold and windy, but that didn’t stop the anticipation of the 6,758 people in attendance gearing up for the start of RIFC’s third season, second in their recently built stadium. There was a first day of school feeling as people reunited with those they hadn’t seen since their last season came to a close in an Eastern Conference Finals loss back in November. A superfan who can often be found roaming the stadium passing out yellow cards to fans, summed it up nicely as he stepped through the gates.
“I’m home. It feels good to be home.”
I arrived about 15 minutes before kickoff. My first stop was going to be The Salty Knot, but the line wasn’t as long as usual, so I figured grabbing a Lord Hobo from the near-empty Tidewater Market was a smarter first stop. This would provide an activity in case the pretzel line suddenly got long.
Hobo in hand, I made my way to the short, quickly moving line. I noticed that I didn’t see any pretzels at the kiosk. Confused, I looked at the sign and saw that I was standing in the line to Maven’s Deli. Slightly terrified that the season could be pretzel-less, I looked at the names of the other kiosks, finding The Salty Knot two slots down. With a sigh of relief, I stood in line, thrilled to be gorging on their pretzel after a four-month reprieve.
I got to the front of the line and was told that there would be a brief wait until the next batch of pretzels was cooked. I happily obliged and told them I got nervous when they weren’t where I thought they’d be. They mentioned that they didn’t know about the move until arriving, so they understood. I also went there enough times last year that the returning staff remembered me, which was my first reunion of the day. I audibled to get a regular pretzel because it was ready first, and there was no reason to hold up the line. Content, I found a good spot to stand to catch the already-started game for a few minutes before wandering the grounds. RIFC was looking good with some early pressures and opportunities, but nothing ending in a goal as of yet.
I went to explore the Fan Fest, which is by the river side, stopping in the team store on my way. The store was busy but not packed, an expected crowd while the match was going on. I went in with the intention of window shopping, though I do regret not buying the hoodie to benefit victims of the Brown University shooting (the high price of gas and expected skyrocketing cost of everything else has me a little cautious about spending, but that’s a different article – and sporting events should be a brief escape from those worries).
The Fan Fest didn’t have as many vendors/tables as last season, though most could have shut down when the game started. There was a small line of kids waiting to get their faces painted or balloons animaled, but most seemed to be in their seats.
I walked by what I call “Food Truck Alley” before heading to the supporter section. It was too cold to get a Del’s, though I did consider it. Chick-fil-A and California Taco were again there (I walked past the Eat More Chiken Cow mascot multiple times at this point), and I was excited to see Saugy Hot Dogs. The lines were short, but I was full so I continued on my journey.
Defiance 1636 and other members of the supporter section were rowdy and happy. The drums of La Banda 401 were banging out street beats, and a couple of horn players were adding some melodies. I spent the majority of the first half here, catching up with some people and watching the game. In typical fashion, RIFC was completely outplaying their opponents and getting great chances, but there was still no score.
I left the supporter section shortly before halftime to try and meet up with a friend. I walked by Chip as he was about to make his way to the field for the halftime activities. I went to give him a high-five, but he went in for a hug, helping me accomplish my second goal. I thanked him and walked away with a smile.
I found myself watching the end of the first half near the beer garden. I looked up (I’m not sure what I was looking at previously) to see a player get free and kick the ball into the net. I let out a cheer, but noticed not many people were celebrating, so I figured I missed something when looking down. Turns out it was a foul by JJ Williams. The half ended in a 0-0 tie, even though RIFC had 10 shots to Sporting Club Jacksonville’s 2.
I spent halftime unsuccessfully looking for my friend and running up to say a quick hi to people I sat near last season. We caught up for a bit before I continued my journey around the stadium. I pondered grabbing a popcorn because I always do, but the line was long.
I found a friend sitting in Section 120 and stood with him for a bit. We talked about expectations and hopes, and how RIFC was completely outplaying their opponent while not being able to actually score a goal. Freshly signed and subbed (he came into the game four minutes before) Logan Dorsey shut us up in the 79th minute by taking advantage of the goalie’s mistake and scoring the first goal of the year. The crowd erupted and there was a feel of confidence in the air that they would walk away with a victory and three points.
That feeling lasted for five minutes before Jacksonville’s Rafferty Pedder got a juicy rebound that he put in the bottom left corner of the net to tie the game at 1. It was at this point that I headed back to the supporter section to watch the rest of the game. I found a good spot in the second row for the 8 minutes of extra time, which had opportunities but ultimately ended with a 1 – 1 tie.
While the result was slightly disappointing, it felt good to be back. A great and supportive community has been built thanks to RIFC, making each game a fun chance to kick back.
Check the schedule for upcoming games at rhodeislandfc.com