The Bishop Hendricken football team earned a No. 1 preseason ranking in the Rhode Island Sports Media Poll last week and backed up that gaudy position on Friday in its first game of the season.

Playing at home in a non-league game against Division II St. Raphael, the Hawks jumped out to a 20-0 advantage in the first quarter and put it on cruise control from there en route to a 34-6 victory.

The three-time defending Super Bowl champs got two touchdowns from senior running back Remmington Blue, while junior Gary Gibbs also ran one in. Senior quarterback Patrick Gill added two touchdown passes, a 25-yarder to junior Lee Moses and a 20-yard one to senior Michael Scarcella to finish the scoring.

Hendricken led 27-0 at halftime and St. Ray’s didn’t get on the board until James Kelly caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Emmanuel Leake in the third quarter.

The Hawks will open league play on Friday when they travel to South Kingstown for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Rebels went winless in D-I last season but beat D-II contender West Warwick in week one.

Vets blows out PCD

It took only one quarter for the Warwick Vets football team to make a statement in its season opener against PCD/Wheeler/ Juanita Sanchez on Saturday.

The ’Canes scored 33 points in the first period, putting the game well out of reach after it had barely started, and it ended up with a 46-21 win.

Vets added seven more points in the second quarter to take a 40-0 lead at halftime and then called off the dogs in the second half. PCD scored 15 of its 21 points in the fourth quarter with the outcome not in doubt.

Junior Mickenzey Pacheco scored twice, on runs of 20 and 35 yards, and senior Jeremy Morrissette scored on a 20-yard pass from senior quarterback Jesse Sedoma and on an 8-yard fumble return.

Senior fullback David MacDonald scored as well, as he found the end zone on a run from 70 yards out. The team’s other score came on a 60-yard punt return by senior Kyle Agin.

The win over PCD was non-league, and Vet will get its Division II-A slate started on Friday with a game against cross-town rival Toll Gate at home at 7 p.m.