PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) — This week’s Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses Hometown Sports Hero is Benji Soe.
An All-Division pick as a lineman last fall, the Mount Pleasant senior has moved to running back this season, rushing for over 350-yards with four touchdowns in five games, helping the Kilties jump out to a 4-1 start.
“He’s been able to be a force for us,” said Kilties head coach Jay Addison. “He’s carrying the ball for over 10-yards a clip. As a blocker back there, he’s just devastating. He’s kind of getting his running legs back under him. Early in the year, you could kind of see him setting things up, using his vision. So, he’s coming along well.”
Success on the gridiron is not unusual in Soe’s family. His cousin, Kwity Paye, starred at Bishop Hendricken before becoming a first-round NFL draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts.
“Honestly, you know having a cousin in the NFL is pretty good,” Soe said. “It catches people off guard, but it’s a good experience. People are like, ‘What, that’s your cousin?’ There’s really a lot to talk about. I could go on and on.”
Soe’s work in the backfield has opened up his recruiting, with programs across New England paying attention to the numbers he’s put up so far. But he’s trying to keep his focus on the Kilties as they look to lock up a top seed in the Division II playoffs.
“It’s a strong group mentally, physically we’re strong,” Soe said. “We have the discipline to be on the field and do what we do best.”
“There are some postgrad offers on the table for him, he’s had Division II interest at certain defensive positions, as well as interest at the Division III level to be in the backfield,” Addison said. “With his recent success, things are starting to heat up for him so it’s good to see things playing out like that for Benji.”
If you have a Hometown Sports Hero you’d like to nominate, email sports@wpri.com.
