Welcome back to The Tide Chart, Rhode Island FC faithful. 

April felt like a whirlwind. We navigated the final, demanding stretch of our marathon seven-game road trip, dipping our toes into both the U.S. Open Cup and the newly-expanded Jagermeister Cup, all while seeking to build momentum heading into the historic home opener. It was a month of firsts: the first win of 2025, the first Open Cup win in club history, and the club’s first-ever Jagermeister Cup match. The tides certainly shifted, bringing both crests of success and a few (okay, many) troughs of disappointment.

As we look back at April’s fixtures, which includes a dominant win against Oakland Roots SC, a hard-fought Open Cup victory over Portland Hearts of Pine, a frustrating loss at Detroit City FC, and a convincing start to the Jagermeister Cup against Westchester SC, let’s analyze which players rose with the swell and which saw their form momentarily (I hope) recede.

Rising Tide 📈

Clay Holstad

Last season’s Defiance Player of the Year is truly starting to cook. April saw him return to midseason form after recording a goal (a patented Clay Banger, of course) and an assist in the first win of the season against Oakland. Then he followed it up with another goal against Portland Hearts of Pine. He capped off the month with maybe his best performance of the young season at Westchester SC where his link-up play and passing really shined. That match was his first start in the midfield but Clay has also still been able to consistently contribute from the right wing back position where he has played for most of the season thus far. An in-form Clay is a massive advantage for Rhode Island and I’m excited to see if he can maintain this form throughout the summer.

JJ Williams

Already pegged as a Rising Tide from March, JJ continued to build momentum as he added to his club record goal tally in April.  After bagging his second goal of the season against Oakland, he really found his rhythm, securing his first brace of 2025 in the Jagermeister Cup opener against Westchester. The goal tally is up to a team-high 4, which brings his total in an RIFC kit to 15 goals across all competitions. His ability to make well-timed runs and hold the line was evident in the Westchester match. JJ’s continued aerial duel dominance remains especially crucial for the team both when bypassing the midfield and also as a focal point on long range set pieces. It’s no surprise he was named to the first Jagermeister Cup Team of the Round.

Maxi Rodriguez

Our splashy offseason acquisition continued to integrate into the team and saw his tide visibly rise in April. While fans had high expectations for the First Team All-League selection, his performances this month began to fully deliver on that promise.

Maxi scored a significant milestone in April, getting off the mark with his first goal and assist in amber and blue in the Westchester match. His goal helped RIFC build a commanding 3-0 lead going into halftime. Khano has continued to tweak and adjust the tactical setup (at least in part due to suspensions, injuries, and cup game rotation) but these adjustments have seemed to allow Maxi more freedom to get forward and make runs into the box into positions where he can be at his best.

Beyond scoring, Maxi demonstrated his talent on the ball, working through really tight situations and impressing with his ability to weave between players. Maxi picked up that aforementioned assist in Westchester, and while it didn’t count as an assist, Maxi’s powerful, swerving shot led to the rebound for Clay’s goal in the Oakland win. His impact was also acknowledged with his inclusion in the Jagermeister Cup Team of the Round. Despite past concerns about not getting goals or assists, Maxi opened his account this month, hopefully signaling more good things to come. 

Rio Hope-Gund

Defender Rio Hope-Gund made a notable entrance into the Rhode Island FC squad in April. He signed a 25-day contract with the club (which I didn’t even know was a thing before then), arriving just one day before the April 5th match against Oakland Roots SC. He made his Rhode Island FC debut as a substitute in that Oakland match in the 73rd minute. Rio took another significant step in late April when he made his first career start for Rhode Island FC in the match against Westchester SC. In that start, he was highly involved in the build-up play, and was quite solid defensively. His arrival and subsequent integration into the team culminated in a permanent signing after this 25 day contract ended, providing much-needed depth in the center back position. With the team battling injuries and suspensions, we should see a decent amount more of Rio, making him a clear riser on the squad for the month of April.

Falling Tide 📉

While April brought wins and positive performances, the journey was not without its dips. One moment, in particular, cast a shadow and significantly impacted a key match, robbing viewers of what promised to be a really fun heavyweight fight.

Frank Nodarse (and the Detroit match in general)

Frank Nodarse’s April was, by all accounts, a mixed bag. He did manage to find the back of the net in the crucial 2-1 US Open Cup victory against Portland Hearts of Pine, a historic first Open Cup win for the club. He also scored against Westchester SC in the Jagermeister Cup, putting in a performance strong enough to also be named to the Jagermeister Cup Team of the Round. (Yes, we had three players get that honor.)

However, the defining, and unfortunately negative, moment for Frank in April came exceptionally early in the USL Championship match against Detroit City FC. Just six minutes into the game, Frank received a straight red card. This single incident completely changed the match, forcing RIFC to play nearly the entire game at a significant disadvantage, ultimately resulting in a frustrating 2-0 loss. Playing with 10 men for such an extended period made it difficult for anyone on the Rhode Island FC side to look good, but the red card itself was a catastrophic event that directly contributed to the team’s struggle against an important conference rival. Frank was undisciplined and has the tendency to go through mental lapses. Just way too many “Frank, what are you doing?” moments, for my taste.

Karifa Yao

The general theme of defensive instability that was a worry in March unfortunately persisted at times in April. While Frank Nodarse’s red card was a singular incident, Karifa also earned a red card after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession in Portland. The first yellow was unjust and the second was dubious as well, but Yao needed to be smarter after picking up the first yellow.

During the Detroit match, the first goal conceded by RIFC came from a set piece, a recurring issue noted last month and early last season. Karifa Yao’s positioning and awareness on this play were poor. As Tide Talk co-founder put it, Yao looked like a “golden retriever chasing a tennis ball” between players, showing a lack of concentration and horrible positioning that directly led to the opening Detroit City goal . This moment underscored the defensive challenges the team has faced this season. It wasn’t just being down a man; the set piece defending remains a problem. 

And as if that weren’t bad enough, he was then been ruled out of the Westchester match due to injury, will likely miss additional games, and is suspended for the crucial cup clash against the Revolution even if he’s healthy enough to play. Tough month for our iron man who barely missed any time last season.

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Looking Ahead

April saw the team finally break through for their first wins of the season and navigate the difficult conclusion of the lengthy road trip. They showed grit in the Open Cup grind and momentum-building dominance in the Jagermeister Cup opener. It’s easy to dwell on the negatives but it’s also strange that I have four Rising players and only two Falling ones. Maybe I am just choosing to look at the bright side of things as we look ahead to a fixture list packed with home matches. 

Speaking of which, the focus now sharply shifts to May and the historic home opener on Saturday, May 3rd, against San Antonio FC. This will be the first-ever game at Centreville Bank Stadium, a moment years in the making for the club and fans.

Just days later, the stadium will host another massive game: the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 clash against the New England Revolution on May 7th. This regional showdown against the MLS club down the road will be a tremendous early showcase for the new venue. Then we get another home match days later on Saturday, May 10 against Monterey Bay FC. What a start to the month of May. 

Carrying the momentum from the dominant Westchester win and correcting some of the defensive inconsistencies seen in April will be key as RIFC steps onto the pitch on their home pitch for the first time for competitive matches. (Not to mention health, which appears to be a major issue right now.)

What do you think of the tides after April? Who stood out to you, good or bad? Let me know in the comments or on social media.

As always, Up The Tide!