Welcome back to Under the Surface. This month I’ll be breaking down the season as a whole including all competitions this time. Rhode Island FC played 41 matches this season (well, really only 40 due to the match that Las Vegas was forced to forfeit and nullified all statistics), 2 more than they did during their 2024 run to the final. Was this a good season for RIFC? As Ryan said in his blog, It’s Complicated. I’m personally of the belief that this was not a good one and most of the positives are the result of timely results in cup competitions that make up a much smaller portion of the season than the parts that didn’t go according to plan, like the bulk of the regular season. In last month’s regular season recap, I chose to have a positive outlook on the regular season, but that’s sure to change this time around given the benefit of hindsight to look back on the totality of the 2025 season. Let’s dive into it.
Koke Vegas – 7.86%
Our captain Koke Vegas was one of the standout players during an otherwise unremarkable season. The clean sheets he provided were certainly the difference between a playoff berth and an extended offseason. One can only imagine where we may have finished in the table if he hadn’t missed an extended period of time to injury. In 2024, the debate between Koke and Jackson was a hot topic. Koke’s distribution seemingly made up for what was lacking in shot stopping ability, but that all changed for him in 2025 as he increased save percentage from 68.1% to 75.9%, a stunning 7.86% increase for the veteran netminder.
Dani Rovira – 103
The acquisition of Dani Rovira was received with mixed reviews, and was forced into a completely different perspective after the announcement of Stephen Turnbull’s departure just 2 days later. A long-term injury forced him to miss the first 16 matches, making his debut in a 1 minute cameo in RIFC’s 2-1 win over North Carolina FC on June 14th in RIFC’s dramatic first ever win at Centreville Bank Stadium. From that point on however, he only accumulated 103 minutes played across 8 matches. Even when the team was crying out for help on the right side, Dani’s services were not called upon. Khano relentlessly chose to put square pegs in round holes at right wingback over Rovira, who never made a single start for the amber and blue. The construction of this 2025 squad is a major criticism of GM Khano Smith, and the lack of usage for the only true right fullback on the roster is a massive sign of a signing that did not go to plan that will need to be rectified in 2026.
Aldair Sanchez – 10
Another player that was initially seen as a surefire backup to Jojea Kwizera on the left side to fill in when the Rwandan was away on international duty, Sanchez found a way into the starting 11 on day 1 and rarely put a foot wrong. In a squad that severely lacked creativity, Aldair was able to put his services to great use. On March 22nd at Phoenix, Aldair Sanchez posted 10 accurate crosses, setting a new club record. This feat is especially impressive given the fact that the previous holder, Jojea Kwizera on August 17th, 2024 vs. Oakland (and later tied by Marc Ybarra on July 26th, 2025 vs. Hartford in the Jägermeister Cup) only managed to connect on 5 crosses, resulting in Aldair doubling the previous club record.
Hugo Bacharach – 7
Another player that it’s hard to imagine where this club could have finished in the table had it not been for an extended period on the trainer’s table is Hugo Bacharach. His ball progressing, duel winning, interception, and dribble numbers are off the charts for a player of his stature. But most impressively, Hugo put in a club record 7 tackles in Rhode Island FC’s Eastern Conference Semifinal match on 11/8 against North Carolina FC. The previous club record of 6 was held by 4 players, one of which was Hugo himself. A healthy 2026 season from him will do wonders for this team in their hopes to rebound from their 7th place finish in the regular season table.
Grant Stoneman – 9.14
Coincidentally enough, Grant Stoneman and Hugo Bacharach played the exact same number of minutes this season in all competitions with 1585. I thought that was a neat little aside to throw in there, but that’s beside the point. To my surprise, Grant Stoneman led the team with 9.14 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, a consistent statement of intent to progress the ball forward in a team that looked like they were afraid to during periods of the season. The announcement of his extension was received with varied feedback, especially given his age and the amount of depth that this team has at center back, but I’m certainly excited to see what Grant is able to continue doing as a veteran presence on the back line in 2026.
Aimé Mabika – 5
No matter what the future holds for Aimé Mabika and his Rhode Island FC career, he will forever be remembered for his match-winning penalty kick at Charleston in the first round of the playoffs this year. It’s hard to make defending look aesthetically pleasing when you stand at 6-foot-8, but boy do those long legs come in handy. In the match against Indy Eleven on September 13th, Aimé put up a club season high 5 interceptions in the match that turned the tides on RIFC’s season for good. It’s not very often that you see center backs racking up interceptions, that’s typically a stat you see favoring midfielders that defend open spaces, so that makes the effort even more noteable. Coincidentally enough, that match was also when he was sent off for his denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) that saw him sent to the shadow realm, only starting 1 more match out of the last 7 in the throwaway game against New Mexico in the regular season finale after starting 18 out of the previous 22 matches in all competitions (including Indy).
Dwayne Atkinson – 6
When he was signed from Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier SC in August, he was seen as a potential savior for the dreadful offense. He made an immediate impact with his game-winning goal off the bench against Birmingham in the Jägermeister Cup quarterfinal, but after that, he seemed to find it tough to be a huge influence on the team. The 23 year old midfielder only made 2 starts and 10 appearances off the bench, showing his incredible work rate and ball control, but sometimes it appeared as if the physicality and intensity of the league got the best of him and had less time and space on the ball that he was expecting, this was apparent in the Jägermeister Cup semifinal against Sacramento where he tied the club record for times dispossessed with 6. Hopefully a full preseason with the squad can further his development into a key player in the team next season.
Taimu Okiyoshi – 63.1%
Just like Aldair Sanchez, Taimu Okiyoshi found a way into the starting eleven on matchday 1, making his professional debut just 4 months after falling to the University of Vermont in the National Championship game with Marshall. However, unlike Sanchez, he did not quite see the same level of sustained success and minutes in the squad as the season went on. Taimu racked up 63.1% of his minutes, and all 4 of his starts within the first 5 games of the season with the remaining 36.9% coming in his last 14 appearances, all in substitute roles. He was eventually sent out on loan to USL League One wooden spoon-winning side Westchester SC. Taimu is certainly another player with his future at the club in the air, a loan departure midseason for a 24 year old is not always a promising sign.
JJ Williams – 85.7%
Even when JJ was not scoring in 2024, he was constantly involved in the action with his holdup play and helped impose his will on opposing back lines by knocking balls down to set up others in space after drawing the attention of multiple defenders. That’s not to say that he didn’t try to do that as the focal point of this offense when he was healthy, but he did see a 85.7% decrease in assists, from 7 to 1, with the sole assist coming in the final home regular season match against Tampa. Regression of creative output is a common theme across the board for this squad from its 2024 debut season, and JJ was no exception to that trend.
Albert Dikwa – 6
Oh Chico, where do we begin? It was another generally disappointing season outside of the Chicholio Linsanity game off the bench against North Carolina in the Eastern Conference semifinal and a hat trick against Portland in the Jägermeister Cup (picking up 5 of his 9 goals in just 2 matches). The system was not, and has not been built to his strengths as a poacher unfortunately and has not allowed him to come close to replicating his 2023 golden boot season. In 2025, Chico missed 6 big chances (BCM), leading the team for the second consecutive season, albeit that was a 55.2% decrease in BCM per 90 minutes from his 2024 tally. However, those 6 big chances missed brings his career total to 22, and he only has 19 goals scored in RIFC career. Those are not exactly the numbers you care to see from your striker that has made his money in this league as a poacher that gets in good positions and capitalizes on them. For context, JJ Williams (11), Mark Doyle (8) and Noah Fuson (6) have the next 3 highest totals for big chances missed in club history, which sums up to 25 between the trio and does not account for the sum of their minutes played either. Year 3 is set to be a contract year for Chico, so it’s make or break for how he is to be remembered in RIFC lore.
Noah Fuson – 77.0%
The 2024 USL Championship Golden Playmaker was able to kick on down the stretch of the regular season to will RIFC into the playoffs, but for the vast majority of the season, was unable to buck the trend of creative regression. Noah saw a 77.0% decrease in big chances created per 90 minutes from 17 to 4. That has to be one of the most mind boggling numbers on this whole list. Noah found most of his success in a free-floating advanced midfield position which he was not occupying for much of the season. The form Noah saw at the tail end was primarily from that spot, a reminder of what he’s capable of when deployed correctly. Play your best players in their best positions, what a novel concept.
Clay Holstad – 57.9%
There’s really no need to rehash the Clay Holstad situation, we’ve heard it already. The ultimate square peg in a round hole. I, for one, give much less credence to the injury crisis playing a role in Clay’s extended runout at right wingback given the fact that we had Frank Nodarse and Dani Rovira healthy for most of the time that he was deployed there. The dropoff in Clay’s effectiveness can best be summed up by the 57.9% decrease in his shots on target. In 2024, Clay put 19 shots on target, but only managed 8 in 2025. Probably the most shocking part of all of that is the ongoing drought of shots on target from Clay that has been running since the 88th minute of RIFC’s 2-1 win over North Carolina FC on June 14th. He’s accrued 1624 minutes of action in that span. The people need more Clay Bangers in 2026.
Will Meyer – N/A
I had to dig deep last month to write something about Will Meyer, but unfortunately I do not wish to repeat the matchday squad appearances statistics this time around.
Rio Hope-Gund – 78.4%
I don’t think anyone could have expected the production out of Rio that we did when he was signed to that 25 day contract. It’s unfortunate that he played in a position of surplus for this team and fell down the pecking order as the squad returned to health and (surprisingly) even more center back depth was acquired. At only 6 feet tall, Rio punched above his weight, finishing 4th on the team in aerial duel win rate, with an impressive 78.4%. Whether it’s here or elsewhere, Rio has more than proven that he is worthy of a roster spot that he was somehow unable to find until April 4th when we picked him up.
Frank Nodarse – 66.7%
Frank Nodarse finished as RIFC’s 4th highest goal scorer in 2024 with 6 goals, but that goal scoring evaporated this season with only 2, which were both scored in cup competitions. That’s good for a 66.7% decrease in goals. Although it’s unfair to pencil in centre backs for any specific number of goals, the fact that RIFC’s open play scoring troubles couldn’t be supplemented by set pieces is worrying considering how good they were in 2024 in both departments. One of the tallest teams in the league on average should not be as poor on set pieces as RIFC was in 2025. Be on the lookout for a blog on that topic and more about our goalscoring stats later this offseason.
Cole Dewhurst – 1
Where were you for Cole Dewhurst’s 1 appearance against Westchester SC in the Jägermeister Cup where he played 1 minute, completed 1 pass, and had 1 touch? Never forget.
Jojea Kwizera – 85.9%
One player that definitely had a rough go at it in 2025 was Jojea Kwizera. Rhode Island FC’s team leader in FotMob rating back in 2024 was unable to find the same success this time around. One of the chief creators a season ago from the left wingback position where he created 14 big chances in all competitions, but was only able to muster 2 in 2025, a disappointing 85.9% decrease. As a team that relies so much on its wing play for creativity, some of the blame for this season has to fall on the shoulders of the only true winger in the squad. My apologies for repeating big chance creation in this blog, it’s just stunning the nose dive this high flying offense took this season in that category.
Joe Brito – 84.2%
Who was the first Rhode Island FC player to win USL Championship Goal of the Week? Obviously Joe Brito. File that one away for future RIFC trivia. Lo and behold, that goal against Monterey Bay would be Brito’s only goal contribution all season. He saw a 84.2% decrease in goal contributions from 7 to 1 from 2024 where he only saw a 9.7% minutes dropoff. It looks all but certain that the starting 10 from RIFC’s inaugural lineup in 2024 will be departing the team. Joe Brito’s 44 career substitute appearances are a club record that will be quite the mountain to surpass for any willing challenger, Zachary Herivaux sits 2nd with a mere 21.
Kevin Vang – 79.8%
If Kevin Vang has a million fans, I’m one of them. If Kevin Vang has 1 fan, it’s me. If Kevin Vang has zero fans, I’m dead. Unfortunately in 2025, the native Rhode Islander saw a 79.8% decrease in his total minutes played in the same number of appearances. A big reason for that is the fact that he started and captained RIFC in their U.S. Open Cup debut last season against USL League One side Charlotte Independence, an opportunity that he did not have this year with all 3 appearances coming as a substitute in late game situations.
Zachary Herivaux – 228.6%
Another massive increase in production from Herivaux (after his 300% increase in regular season headed clearances) was in the long balls domain. Zachary was spraying the ball around the field at a completely different level than he was a season ago. He managed a stunning 228.6% elevation in long balls completed per 90 minutes. While the verbiage of the multi-year extension he signed at the tail end of 2024 is unclear, we’re all excited and hopeful we can see another season of Zachary Herivaux in amber and blue next year.
Maxi Rodriguez – 95
The first offseason acquisition a year ago for RIFC was leaked before the end of the 2024 regular season and was an absolute statement of intent for this club. The all-league first teamer was seen as the missing piece to completely unlock this attack and sent it into a different stratosphere this season. Oh boy did that not happen. It’s hard to comprehend how the technical staff was unable to find a role for such a versatile player. A player with his skillset in his prime deserves a system that is built to his strengths, but was frozen out of the starting lineup in the twilight of the season with only 95 minutes played in 7 substitute appearances since last start on September 10th in the Jägermeister Cup semifinal. There needs to be some serious changes in the system if we are to get the best out of our former all-league first team players if this club wishes to continue attracting that level of talent to the Ocean State.
Jackson Lee – 27.3%
One of the best reserve keepers in the league saw his starts increase by 27.3% in 2025 from 2024 in large part due to Koke’s extended spell on the sideline with a lower body injury and more cup games played with the addition of the Jägermeister Cup. Heralded for his shot stopping numbers last season, he managed to increase his save percentage by 4.9% which is not an insignificant margin. It has been unofficially confirmed that Jackson will be departing the team this offseason after playing 2025 on an exercised club option. It’s unfortunate to lose a player of his quality, but he is more than capable of being a starting goalkeeper in this league.
Marc Ybarra – 46.6%
Marc Ybarra’s offerings to the team don’t always light up the stat sheet, but his willingness to do the dirty work and clean up the messes of others are what bring immense value to the team. Look no further than the errant pass from Karifa Yao in Pittsburgh that saw Marc unfortunately mistime his tackle that saw him receive a second yellow card for a reckless challenge. He had some injury issues early on, but he was a victim of the excess midfield depth that was acquired and saw a 46.6% decrease in minutes played. He was on the field for 87% of the team’s minutes in 2024, but only 44.4% in 2025, which is a shocking difference of 42.6%.
Karifa Yao – 21
What a player Karifa Yao is. He’s everything you want to see from a center back, especially as the critical fulcrum in the middle of our back 3. One of the first names on the team sheet, Yao racked up 21 blocked shots, which is 8 more than Grant Stoneman who finished second. It should be no surprise how willing he is to put his body on the line, especially with the added context of his improved tackling numbers in the regular season.
Mathieu Ndongo – 32.7
The signing of Mathieu Ndongo was not exactly what Rhode Island FC fans were asking for when this team had such a desperate need at striker while JJ Williams was sidelined and Mark Doyle was not directly replaced. However, the fact that this club and ownership are willing to invest in surplus young talent that is not necessarily expected to make an immediate impact is such a promising sign and statement of intent for this club as the USL as a whole continues to grow. There’s lots of room for growth, with him averaging 32.7 touches per 90, which is 2nd only behind Albert Dikwa although in limited minutes. No matter what leaps and bounds he takes this offseason and heading into preseason, it would be malpractice to not bring in another striker this winter given how badly this squad needed one once JJ went down this season.
Hamady Diop – 20
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t losing my mind over the Hamady Diop signing when it was announced. Even with his résumé and left-footedness, I was hesitant to praise the singing of yet another center back (arguably our deepest position group), but boy was I wrong. He pretty quickly locked down the left side of the back 3 and provided so much value to Rhode Island FC’s ability to move the ball along the back line and forwards. In the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal at Charleston, Hamady set a club record with 20 passes into the final third. It should be noted that this game was 120 minutes long and counting stats can be skewed, but club records are club records and they stand no matter when they’re set. I’m extremely grateful that Diop is signed on for next year already, this team is at its best when there is a left footed center back on the pitch.
Matthew Corcoran – 0.64
Whoever is the next player to take on the number 36 from Matthew Corcoran has quite the burden to bear. Thrust immediately into the starting eleven and only surviving 5 matches, I don’t think we were ever able to realize exactly what Matthew was supposed to offer for us. It’s very well possible that had he been paired primarily with someone other than Marc Ybarra in the double pivot that we may have been able to see more out of him. In his 423 total minutes, he managed to set the club pace for yellow cards per 90 at 0.64. He certainly took over some of the mop up duties, but a lot of it seemed to be a result of mismatches in physicality that neither helped RIFC defensively or going forward without a better partner to help with the ball progression. He’s a young kid with lots of potential at only 19, he will continue to develop and surely turn into a fine player, but it just did not work very well here.
Amos Shapiro-Thompson – 118
Amos led the team in ground duels won with 118 in 2025, a true testament to the fight in that dog and gives great support for his Defiance 1636 Player of the Season award. Duels are somewhat skill-based, but they’re mostly won on the grounds of hustle, grit, and determination. You have to want a 50/50 ball more than anyone else to get it and the way that AST plays the game is so much fun to watch. The announcement of his contract option being exercised early shows how much the club values him not just for his versatility, but the absolute shift he puts in week in and week out for the badge.
Isaac Angking – 45.4%
Isaac Angking was one of a handful of RIFC players that seemed to get the short end of the stick in 2025. After returning from his ACL injury after 308 on the sideline, Isaac only managed 5 appearances, all at a pretty dire point of the season when the offense was struggling most. The chaos he provided off the bench in 2024 yielded 2 goals and an assist in 83 minutes, good for 3.25 goals and assists per 90 which was 214% higher than Nathan Messer’s 1.03. However, he was unable to register a goal contribution in 2025, which dropped his career goals and assists per 90 (albeit still a club record) to 1.78, which is a 45.4% decrease. It’s unclear if Isaac is in the club’s future plans with his loan move to Forward Madison coming in conjunction with Dwayne Atkinson’s signing, but there definitely seemed to be a lack of chaos off the bench at many points of the season.
Thank you all for your support! Come on back next month for some more RIFC stats content! Feel free to connect with me in the Defiance 1636 Discord, Twitter (@TylerJHatch), or Instagram (@tjhatch2001) if there’s anything you would like to see come of this blog! I hope to see many of you at the Defiance End of Year Party on December 12th. Don’t hesitate to come over and say hi! Until next month, Up The Tide!
Tide Talk 
Leave a comment