Smiling broadly, Francesco Scavello fixed fresh cups of cappuccino for a few of his teammates Friday afternoon then sat down at his dining room table, next to his wife, Debbie, to talk bocce. On Thursday, Scavello and his teammates — from both the Bocce Club and the Hilltop Social Club — will embark on a journey west to play in the 37th Annual Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce and Scavello, like his teammates, is looking forward to the competition with gusto. Their first game is scheduled for Friday at 8 p.m. against the Midnight Bocce Club.

The tournament, sponsored by the Wickliffe Italian-American Club, is part of a three-day festival that also includes music, children’s entertainment, food and souvenir vendors, beverages and cash prizes for the winning teams. This year will be the first time a Rhode Island team will participate in the tournament, which typically draws teams from New York, Michigan, Illinois, Florida and provinces in nearby Canada.