Members of North Smithfield High School football team address hazing allegations

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WLNE) — Several members of the North Smithfield High School football team spoke publicly for the first-time regarding hazing allegations surrounding the program.

Members of the team addressed the school committee at a meeting Tuesday night, saying the allegations have put them at the forefront of ridicule, are taking away college opportunities, and seeing potential players of the program being pushed away.

“People have blocked us on social media, stopped talking to us,” said captain Zachary Kerrigan.

The players acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations but questioned how the school committee and administration addressed the matter publicly.

“I heard of sick jokes of the situation. I heard sick rumors of the situation and it hurts a lot,” said Kerrigan.

“I really felt like you guys just threw us out there,” added teammate Charles Raposa. “I was getting threats from people I’ve never talked to, people that didn’t even get the chance to know me.”

Kerrigan noted that members of the team have been interviewed by police and are cooperating, saying he feels that no new information is being relayed because no information has been found.

“Let me say if that someone did such thing as hazing on this team they deserve punishment to the fullest extent of the law, but if this comes out as not true, we really do deserve an apology, we have been treated like animals,” exclaimed Kerrigan.

Prior to the players speaking, an update from Police Chief Tim Lafferty was read, saying the matter is still being actively investigated and the department is being mum to keep the integrity of the investigation.

School Committee Chair James Lombardi then spoke to the audience consisting of football players and family members saying he will reach out to the chief to relay how important it is to move the investigation along.

“The allegations that were made must be investigated and I do hope they come back unfounded,” said Lombardi.

“If they come back unfounded, I will stand with you and publicly say that the allegations were wrong,” the chair concluded.

Activities involving members of the North Smithfield program were put on hold in June after the hazing allegations were announced.

Superintendent Michael St. Jean sent out a notification to parents regarding the allegations and laying process the school department is taking.

North Smithfield’s football team is a co-op with Mount St. Charles whose headmaster said in June that no players from Mount St. Charles were being investigated in the alleged hazing incident.