Luke Davis caught a first half touchdown, helping Franklin pull out its first win at North Attleboro since 1992. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – When Cole Sidwell intercepted a pass inside his own 30 with 36 seconds remaining, the Franklin bench exploded onto the field assuming that the victory was sealed. But, two penalty flags sat on the Community Field grass and, after a lengthy discussion between the officials, off-setting penalties meant that North Attleboro would have one last chance.
Facing fourth and 13 from the Franklin 49, North quarterback Chase Frisoli dropped back one more time and fired a deep ball to Jovany Rivera down the right sideline. The North receiver had a step on the corner, but he just wasn’t able to haul in the pass.
After a giant exhale, the Franklin sideline exploded into life again, knowing that all it would take was one kneel down and the win was theirs. The Panthers survived Friday’s league opener 21-20, earning their first win at North since 1992.
“It’s two top 10 teams, Franklin coach Eain Bain said. “I don’t care if we won by half a point, as long as we get out of here with a win. We knew coming in here there would be adversity tonight, fortunately we took advantage of some things in the first half. As a team effort, I thought it was a great win.”
“We were there,” North coach Mike Strachan. “We had a good look at it on fourth and it didn’t go our way. I said at the beginning of the game it was going to be penalties and turnovers and we didn’t win that battle. At the end of the day, in a one-point game, that is what it is. You can’t turn the ball over like we did.”
North came into its league and home opener off a bye week, but the momentum of the opening two wins seemed to carry over to the first drive of the game. Frisoli (13-of-26 for 146 yards) converted third and eight with a 14-yard pass to Rivera (six catches, 89 yards) and then took off on a 20-yard keeper into Franklin territory. Nathan Shultz took a toss to the left side, broke a tackle, and streaked down the sideline for a 49-yard score.
It wasn’t the ideal start for a Franklin defense that was coming off a tough loss to Duxbury, but the Panthers turned things around after that tough first three minutes. Franklin sacked Frisoli seven times, including four in the first half, and forced a pair of red zone turnovers.
Bain explained, “When you can get pressure with your front then you can start getting creative using our second level guys to try and find a matchup, find something in protection we can go after. When we can do that effectively, it can cover up some mistakes we do on the back end.”
After Jack Nutter stuffed Shultz for a loss of seven. Franklin got great field position for its second possession, starting at its own 49, but a penalty and a Kaiden Leary sack forced third and 16. Jase Lyons was able to hit Derek Dubriske for 23 and the first down. Three plays later, the same combo connected again, this time for a 24-yard touchdown on the left sideline to tie the game.
The defense kept coming after the North quarterback. Emmett Lackey and Julian Rampino both sacked Frisoli and on third down Nick Quintina got into the backfield and batted down a pass.
Franklin again had great starting field position. A 17-yard completion to Luke Davis (four catches, 57 yards) moved the ball into North territory. Following a holding call, Lyons (12-of-17, 188 yards), who completed his first seven throws, found Dubriske (four receptions, 66 yards) for 18 and another first down. On the next play, Davis got the ball on an underneath out route, threw a head fake to lose the closest North defender, and raced down the sideline for 31 yards and a 14-7 lead.
North’s offense was finally able to get things moving late in the second quarter. Frisoli hit Jack Munley on a drag route across the middle for 13 down to the Franklin 38. A 15-yard penalty for too many men moved North even closer. On third and 10, Greg Berthiaume broke through the line for a first down run, but as he pushed for extra yards the ball popped loose and Bobby Padula recovered for the Panthers.
It was a big missed opportunity to get right back into the game. Garrett Portesi’s punt pinned North back inside its own 10. Jay Gulla sacked Frisoli on second down and North was forced into another punt that was returned to the 30. Franklin needed only one play to double its lead. Lyons threw one up for Grayson Hunter at the goal line and the 6-foot-4 tight end out-jumped a pair of North defenders, pulling in the 30-yard score.
North looked ready to mount an immediate comeback when it got into the red zone on its first third-quarter drive, but Sidwell was able to intercept Frisoli’s pass at the goal line and keep the hosts off the board.
“They’re very quick,” Strachan said of the Franklin defense. “They did some good things up front, they did a lot more stunting this week than we saw last week. They’re physical. They came to play. They had a chip on their shoulder from last week and it showed.”
After the defense did its job and held the Panthers to a three-and-out, North got the ball back at the Franklin 31. Facing fourth and five, Frisoli was able to hook up with Rivera for six yards to keep things moving. Berthiaume was given the ball on three straight carries, all of seven yards, including the final one that found the end zone to make it 21-14 at the end of three.
North got the ball back at its own 21 with 8:13 remaining and marched 79 yards in 13 plays, taking up six minutes. Again, Frisoli found Rivera for a fourth down conversion to keep things alive and then hit him again for 25 yards to the Franklin nine. After an eight-yard pass to Aidan Conrad, Frisoli punched it in with a one-yard sneak.
The hosts were an extra point away from tying the game with 2:16 to go, but a low snap led to confusion and an attempted pass that Franklin was able to snuff out to preserve a one-point lead.
It came down to one last play to decide which team would get off to a winning start in the Kelley-Rex, and it was the defending champion Panthers that left the happier team on Friday.
“Tell me the easy game in the Hockomock,” said Bain. “We’re just going to take it one game at a time. Records don’t really matter, it’s how you come to play that night.”
Strachan added, “The Kelley-Rex is like the Big Ten, there’s no easy week. It’s something that we’ve got to put this behind us as quick as we can and get ready for Milford.”
Franklin (3-1) will be back on the road again next week to face Taunton (3-1). North Attleboro (2-1) will be back on the road to visit unbeaten Milford (4-0).
Outlook:
In a loaded Kelley-Rex division, Attleboro has largely been on the outside of the title race and the Bombardiers enter this season with an eye to the future, as they have a relatively inexperienced roster. First-year coach Jim Winters, who came from Silver Lake to replace Mike Strachan after his move to North Attleboro, will lean on a talented crew of skill position players and an aggressive mindset to be competitive with the league’s top teams.
Offensively, the Bombardiers have a lot of depth and athleticism at receiver. Senior Anthony Salviati is a dynamic playmaker who can line up in multiple positions, whether out wide or in the backfield. He was also the team’s kicker last year. Junior Matt Harvie gets the nod at quarterback to start the season after seeing time under center as a sophomore. His strong arm and ability to read the defense will be key. Senior Ayden Ramirez will be another threat on the outside and junior Adrian Rivera will be the team’s go-to back at the start of the season. Senior center Isaiah Miranda is the team’s only returning lineman, on either side of the ball, and his leadership is going to be critical to the offense’s success.
Athleticism is going to be important on defense as well. Salviati will bring his playmaking to the secondary as a safety. Winters called Ramirez one of the best corners that he has coached, while senior linebacker Ethan Lako is a ball hawk who led the team in interceptions last season. Senior safety Spencer Sherck is recovering from a preseason injury and the Bombardiers will be hoping to have his leadership back on the field as soon as possible. The defensive line remains a question mark with young players getting their first taste of varsity action this season.
“We should be fast and aggressive at the skill positions,” Winters said. About the challenges on the line, he added, “We will be very inexperienced and do not have the size of Attleboro teams of the past.”
Outlook:
Franklin was not only the best team in the Kelley-Rex division last year, winning its first league title since 2009, but also proved to be one of the top teams in the state. The Panthers were a win away from a spot in the Super Bowl, going toe-to-toe with Springfield Central in the state semifinal. This season, the Panthers will have to overcome the graduation of a lot of skill position players to keep the positive momentum that the program has shown over the past few seasons.
Last year’s offensive group was as good as any in the state and it showed. This season, Franklin will have a lot of new faces and a lot of versatile athletes that will be part of the game plan. Senior Jase Lyons will take over at quarterback and is a dual threat with his legs and his arm. Senior Luke Davis will be one of the primary targets out wide along with junior wideout Derek Dubriske and senior tight end Grayson Hunter. The graduation of Mack Gulla opens space for new running backs to step up. Juniors Mike Davide and Cody Howard are backs to watch out for this year. Senior Ben Papa will lead the offensive line with junior Ben Ryan and sophomore Leo Meuse adding depth and size. Senior Garrett Portesi will be back on kicking duties and gives Franklin a consistent source of points.
While the offense got a lot of attention last season, Franklin’s defense allowed fewer points than anyone else in the league. The secondary was one of the biggest strengths in 2021 and should be again this year. Senior Devine Johnson is a lockdown corner, while classmates Luke Sidwell, Bobby Padula, and Davis all are playmakers in the passing game. Junior Connor Klawson will add depth in that position. The linebacking group is led by senior Nick Quintina, who will make plays in the middle, and Howard will be a new face in that position. Senior Emmett Lackey will control the defensive line, while senior Jay Gulla is a constant threat on the edge and sophomore Julian Rampino gives another big athlete at defensive end.
“We are taking this one day at a time,” said Franklin coach Eian Bain. “Last year was a whirlwind, and culmination of many years of hard work. It is important not to lose sight of the process that got us to such great accomplishments. It remains all about the process.”
Outlook: Last season was another banner year for the Warriors, reaching another Division 2 state final and took second in what was one of the most talented years in the Kelley-Rex division.
Certainly, the Warriors have plenty of holes to fill in due to graduation like at quarterback (Charlie Grant), running back (Crawford Cantave), Jonathan Joseph (defensive back), and on both the offensive and defensive line. But head coach Brian Lee has to like the weapons he does have back this season.
It starts with one of the best two-way players in the state in senior Rudy Gately, who will be a workhorse in the backfield and a reliable option at linebacker. He’s been making plays for KP for two years and that’s likely to continue again this year. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Will Astorino (full back) and Nathan Kearney, and they’ll work with junior Tommy McLeish (6’3), who takes over at quarterback. McLeish has weapons in Matt Kelley, who is not only one of the best kickers around but will also line up at receiver and defensive back, as well as Thomas Brewster.
The strength of the squad likely lies where it usually does: in the trenches. The Warriors are big up front on both sides of the ball and return two of the best linemen in the state in 6’6 265-pound Chris Sesay, who holds D1 offers from Eastern Michigan and Brown among others, and 6’0, 260-pound junior Sean King.
Defensively, Astorino will be one of the key pieces at linebacker while Sesay looks to be a force to reckon with on the defensive line.
“As far as strength and weaknesses go, we lost a lot of players from all different positions so we are just in the process of still figuring out what we are, who we are, and if we have all the right guys on the field and in the right spot,” Lee said. “Despite what we’ve lost, our goal is to be prepared and focused each week so that we can be competitive.”
Outlook:
Milford has come a long way in the past couple of seasons, earning wins over its Kelley-Rex division rivals, putting in a challenge for the league title, and making a run to the Div. 2 semifinals. The Hawks will try to continue building on that momentum this fall with the hope of a talented and experienced lineup bringing home a first Kelley-Rex title.
Senior quarterback Evan Cornelius is back to run the Milford offense after a strong junior campaign. Cornelius gives the Hawks a threat with either his strong arm or his ability to make plays with his legs and he helped Milford put together one of the league’s top offensive units last year. Senior wideout Isaiah Pantalone had a breakout junior season and emerged as one of the most dangerous receivers in the Hock. Junior Damien Carter can line up in multiple positions and classmate Nicholas Araujo can make an impact at receiver or as one of the league’s top kickers. Junior Keith Lee and senior Tyler Potter will be two of the top returning lineman and the Milford line got a huge boost by the transfer of Ryan O’Connor from Lawrence Academy.
Cornelius is just as impactful on the defensive side of the ball with his speed and size at defensive end. Lee, Potter, and O’Connor add strength to the interior of the Milford line. Araujo will be one of the key returning players at linebacker. Milford’s athleticism at receiver translates into a strong secondary as well. Carter and Pantalone are both playmakers on the edge and senior Jayden Archeval emerged as one of the top one-on-one cover guys in the league last year.
“We don’t have great numbers and will have to stay healthy,” Milford coach Dale Olson explained, “but have a talented group that has worked hard to rebuild this program.”
Outlook: The 2022 season marks a new chapter in the very rich history of North Attleboro football. Coming off a narrow loss in the Division 3 state championship, the Rocketeers have a brand new head coach along with a slew of new faces in new positions.
Mike Strachan is now at the helm of the Big Red. Strachan, who played for the Rocketeers in high school for legendary coach Ray Beaupre, had been the head coach of rival Attleboro since 2013 before switching in his Bombardier blue back to Rocketeer red.
He’ll have the tough task of finding replacements for a very talented senior class from last year, including star Tyler DeMattio – who played a handful of positions over the past four years, including quarterback, running back, linebacker, and kicker – as well as fellow league all star Tyler Bannon. But the cupboard is far from empty for Strachan, who is looking to uphold the high standards and tradition of North Attleboro football.
Sophomore Chase Frisoli returns at quarterback after an impressive freshman season. He will have a lot of new weapons to work with this year, and Strachan is leaning heavily on a big offensive line to not only protect Frisoli but set the tone with a strong running game. The line is anchored by Zack Gallagher (6’3, 280) and North will look to run behind him as well as Kaden Leary, Lucas Mattson, Jack Munley, Nolan McLoughlin, and Danny Locke. Nate Shultz will be the primary ball carrier and brings an explosive run game to the table.
“Nate will lead the defense at free safety [too],” Strachan said. “Nate brings breakaway speed to the offense and has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. In addition, Nate is a tremendously smart player and gives us the on-field leadership required to have a great team.”
On the defensive side, the Rocketeers will turn to veteran linebacker Greg Berthiaume, who lead the D3 finalists in tackles last year. With Berthiaume in the mix, North’s strength defensively will be its linebackers, with Ryan Bannon, Aidan Conrad, and Julian House also in the mix.
Outlook: Taunton took a step in the right direction during the 2022 season with five wins and a trip to the state tournament, but the Tigers went without a win in league play. With an experienced and talented group back in the fold this year, head coach Brad Sidwell and his Tigers will look to make a splash in the league and continue to move the program forward.
It will all start up front for Taunton because of a big and talented group of linemen that have a lot of varsity experience. The team’s three captains are all members of the offensive line: seniors Ryan MacDougall (center), Nathan LaPlante (guard), and William Guachichulca-Torres (tackle). They’ll be joined by senior Logan Frank (guard) and junior Bryan Joanis (tackle). All five register above 6’0 and have a lot of varsity experience under their belt.
Behind them will be returning quarterback Jake Leonard, who is in his third year as the starting quarterback for the Tigers. While Leonard lost some of his top targets from last year, he has some dangerous weapons at his disposal still, including Jose Touron (fresh off an impressive sophomore campaign), seniors Mckyen Gonsalves and Braden Mullen, and speedy junior Dmitrius Shearrion. After a promising start to last year was cut short due to injury, Bryan Batista is back in the mix at running back along with Etha Harris and Malachai Johnson.
Defensively, the Tigers boast an athletic secondary, a big defensive line, and a mix of veteran and new linebackers. Laplante will be among the most disruptive defensive linemen in the league and will be joined by Frank, Joanis, and senior Dom Kessel. MacDougall had a great year at linebacker last year and will be flanked by Harris, senior Tanner Brannon, junior Ryan Keenan, and sophomore Elijah Prophete.
“We have a solid nucleus of experienced players that have worked hard during the off-season,” Sidwell said. “As always, we look to play well, improve, and gain some momentum during our non-league battles to prepare us for the highly competitive Hockomock Kelley-Rex Division.”
2021 Record: 5-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.
It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.
Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.
In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.
“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”
2021 Record: 8-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.
The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.
“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”
2021 Record: 5-10 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.
Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.
Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.
Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.
“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”
2021 Record: 16-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.
Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.
King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.
Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.
“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.
The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.
“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”
2021 Record: 5-9 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.
Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.
The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.
“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”
2021 Record: 12-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.
Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.
One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.
A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.
“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”
2021 Record: 3-12 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.
It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.
Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.
Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.
Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.
“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”
2021 Record: 13-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.
The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.
Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.
“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”
North Attleboro senior Tyler Bannon rushes for a first down in the second half against Marblehead. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – After Tyler DeMattio punched in his third touchdown of the night to bring North Attleboro from 14 points down to tie the game at 28-28 in the fourth quarter of Thursday afternoon’s Div. 3 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, it looked like North’s nearly two-decade wait for a state title could be coming to an end.
The momentum was with the Rocketeers when the kickoff return was stuffed at the 14. Three plays later, on third and long, Marblehead’s big-play offense struck again. Josh Robertson his Connor Cronin on a quick slant and the junior took it to the house.
The 83-yard score, Cronin’s third touchdown reception of the game, turned out to be the winner, as Marblehead’s explosive attack proved too much for North Attleboro to handle in a 35-28 win. It was the first state title for the Magicians, who finished 12-0 and extended their win streak to 20 games.
“We just had trouble matching up with all their skill athletes,” admitted North coach Don Johnson. “Just didn’t do enough to get enough stops on defense. I think they had good athletes who made us miss.”
When asked about Cronin in particular, Johnson said, “He’s awesome. We had seen that on film. I was very concerned about our ability to matchup with their guys in the slot. They’re just great playmakers.”
Marblehead showed off its multiple weapons on its first drive. The Magicians marched inside the North 10. Robertson (14-of-18, 290 yards) connected with Cronin (10 catches, 263 yards) for 25 to the 14. Two plays later, the Magicians had third and one at the five but Nathan Shultz twice made good reads at the corner to knock down passes and force a turnover on downs.
North got out to the 34 but then a punt went out of bounds at the 45, giving the Magicians a short field. Marblehead marched to the North four, but DeMattio sacked Robertson after a bad snap to force third and long and Daniel O’Brien made a good read on a swing pass to force a field goal attempt. An offsides call made it fourth and four at the seven and Marblehead decided to go for it, with Robertson hitting Cronin for their first score.
The Rocketeers answered right back with an impressive 11-play, 75-yard drive. A big screen pass from freshman Chase Frisoli (10-of-18, 144 yards) to Tyler Bannon converted on third and long. Frisoli then hit Aidan Conrad in the flat for 11 and had a play action pass to Bannon for 15. Inside the 20, North went back to the ground game and DeMattio punched it in from six yards.
After a good kickoff return, Marblehead started near midfield but Gavin Wells had good coverage on second down and Keysun Wise forced a punt with a third down sack.
Frisoli continued his strong start to the game when he hung in the pocket under pressure to hit Jack Munley for 16 yards into Marblehead territory and dropped a pass into Shultz for 33 down to the seven. Two plays later, DeMattio got into the end zone again, his second, this time from four yards, to take the lead with just 42 seconds left in the half.
The game turned on Marblehead’s next possession. A Kaiden Leary sack forced third and long, but Cronin was able to get behind the coverage, pulled in the pass from Robertson at the North 30 and then beat a pair of defenders to the goal line, tying the game with five seconds on the clock.
Momentum carried through halftime. Liam McIlroy picked off Frisoli on North’s first series and on the first play Robertson hit George Percy on a 20-yard screen for the go-ahead score. North then went three-and-out and James Galante’s punt return set the Magicians up at the North 21. Two plays later, Robertson’s eight-yard keeper made it 28-14.
Three touchdowns in just 4:02 had turned a game that North looked on the verge of breaking open into a solid Marblehead lead.
“I thought that whole little middle switch there when they scored right at the end of the first half and then when we didn’t convert on offense at the start of the second half,” Johnson said. “I thought that’s when the game started to turn in their favor.”
The Rocketeers needed a response and got one with a methodical, 14-play drive. It started back at the North 11, but Frisoli bounced back from his interception to hit Munley for 15 yards to convert third and three. North then put the ball in the hands of Bannon (18 carries, 92 yards) and DeMattio (24 carries, 105 yards). Bannon would cap off the impressive series with a six-yard score.
North finally got a stop on the other side of the ball. After a 30-yard pass to Cronin put the ball at the North 45, DeMattio made a nice tackle in the open field to stuff a screen for a loss of one and Greg Berthiaume sacked Robertson for a loss of four. On fourth and 10, Robertson hit Cronin for 14 yards but Bannon stripped him and Wells recovered.
On fourth and seven with just under eight minutes to go, North elected to go for it. Wells ran a great post corner route and Frisoli tossed a strike for 20 yards out near midfield. North then pounded the ball with its two running back, eating clock and yards. Bannon’s hard run made it first and goal at the three and DeMattio found the end zone on the next play.
DeMattio had at least three touchdowns in all four of the playoff games, finishing the postseason with 15. The strategy of moving him to running back this year and partnering him with Bannon in the backfield paid off for the Rocketeers.
Johnson said of DeMattio, “That’s what we were hoping for. We knew that we would need him, if we were going to get to this point. We probably just needed a few more guys around him.”
He added, “We’ve had that character all year, so I wasn’t surprised that we were able to come back like that. My only concern was scoring too early and giving the ball back to them.”
The comeback was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Cronin broke free for another long touchdown and Marblehead was back in front. Fittingly, it was Cronin who sealed the win, intercepting Frisoli on fourth and long to close out a remarkable Super Bowl performance.
“It’s just what we’ve been doing all year,” said Demattio. “It obviously didn’t go our way today and there are no excuses for that. We played well. We proved to everyone that we should be here.
“We gave it everything we had. Everyone left it out there on the field, that’s all that matters.”
Baseball
D1 South
#8 Norwood, 7 @ #1 Franklin, 11 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed hot in the postseason as the Panthers pushed across double-digit runs for the second straight game (and sixth time this season) in an 11-7 win over upset-minded Norwood, the #8 seed in the bracket. Franklin built a four-run lead (6-2) through the first four innings but the Mustangs rallied to tie the game with a four-run fifth inning. Franklin responded with five runs in the bottom half and never looked back to book its spot in the D1 South semifinals. Franklin received contributions from up and down the lineup with Nate Cooke (run, RBI) and Jack Marino (run, two RBI) each recording a pair of hits in the win. Chris Goode added two runs on two walks, a hit, and an RBI, Ryan Gerety and Luc Boudreau each scored a pair of runs, Jake Fitzgibbons smacked an RBI double, and Ben Jarosz had an a hit, a walk, and an RBI. James Kuczmiec earned the win in relief, tossing 1.1 innings with one run allowed on one hit and two walks, striking out one. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone was had a strong start, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings without issuing a walk. Franklin will play #13 seed BC High on Friday at 7:00.
#7 Taunton, 13 @ #2 Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Taunton had one of its best showings of the season, tying a season-high with 13 runs while blanking the #2 seed Bridgewater-Raynham to advance to the D1 South Semifinals. On the mound, senior Danny MacDougall tossed six shutout innings, working around four hits and three walks while striking out three in the win. And offensively, MacDougall had a pair of hits, driving in one run while scoring four times. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall had a big day a the dish for the Tigers, who scored single runs in the first and second innings, twice in the fourth, three times in the sixth, and put the game away for good with six runs in the top of the seventh inning. The younger MacDougall had three hits on the day, driving in five runs — one on an RBI single in the first, two on a base hit in the fourth, and two more in the sixth. Alyjah Marshall recored three RBI and a run, Dawson Bryce had three hits, three runs, and two RBI, Braden Sullivan added two hits and two RBI, and Colby DeCouta scored once and had two hits in the win. Taunton will travel to #3 Xaverian in the D1 South Semifinals on Friday at 4:00.
D2 South
#8 North Attleboro, 17 @ #1 Nauset, 9 – Final (8 Inn.) – Down to its last out in the seventh inning, North Attleboro rallied to tie the game to force extras, where the Rocketeers pulled away to earn a big win over previously undefeated Nauset. In another roller coaster, back-and-forth contest, North scored twice in the final frame to stay alive. Christian Bates was hit by a pitch to lead off, Jared Penta singled to left to move pinch runner Eric Malcolmson to second and sophomore Derek Maceda was intentionally walked to load the bases. Junior Gavin Wells, who had the game-winning hit against OA in the opening round, hit a two-out, two-run single to center to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning. North senior Aidan Weir tossed a scoreless seventh inning to force extras as sophomore Aidan Conrad threw a runner out at second to end the inning. In the top of the eighth, Penta (four hits) plated Tyler Bannon with a single down the third base line to give North a 10-9 advantage. North went on to score seven more runs on four hits, six walks, and two hit batters. In total, the Rocketeers recorded 15 hits, 14 walks and three hit batters, bringing in 16 of the 17 runs on an RBI. North jumped out to an early lead (4-0 on a hit, error, and six walks) but Nauset battled back to tie the game 5-5 after three innings. The Warriors took their first lead in the top of the fifth but Maceda stroked a two-run single to put North back in front, 7-6, in the sixth. Nauset took a 9-7 lead with a three-run home. Weir closed the game out in the bottom of the tenth with a pair of ground outs and a strikeout. North Attleboro will play again on Friday, scheduled for a 4:00 PM start against the winner of #4 Dighton-Rehoboth and #5 Hopkinton.
Softball D1 South
#9 Walpole, 0 @ #1 Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the first inning and added runs in four of the next five innings to take down the visiting Timberwolves of Walpole. The Tigers scored a pair of runs in each the first, third, fifth and sixth innings, tacking on a single run in the fourth. Meanwhile, senior Kelsey White continued her dominance in the circle with another complete game shutout. In seven innings, White allowed four hits and one walk while striking out 15 batters. Offensively, the Tigers had nine hits with White smacking a pair of home runs, driving in a total of four. Senior Hanna Aldrich had three runs, including a triple and a home run, finishing with three RBI. McKenzie McAloon added a hit and an RBI for Taunton. Taunton will host Hock rival and #4 seed King Philip on Thursday at 7:00.
#10 Mansfield, 5 @ #7 Silver Lake, 8 – Final – Mansfield tried to mount a seventh inning comeback but was unable to erase a five-run deficit and saw its playoff run come to an end at Silver Lake. The Hornets trailed 8-3 heading to the final inning, but Callie Lake doubled, pinch hitter Olivia Harnden walked, and Jill Koppy singled to bring in a run. With two runners on, Casey Moussette hit a deep fly ball, but it stayed in play for the center fielder. It was Mansfield that got off to a good start to the game, with a pair of two-out runs in the first. Koppy started the rally by getting by a pitch, Moussette singled, and Molly Kucharski brought both runs in with a single. The Hornets pushed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a Nicole Kobasa double and an Alanna Conley RBI single. Silver Lake was able to score twice to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning and went ahead with four runs in the fifth.
D2 South
#12 Foxboro, 5 @ #4 Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final – Emma Callahan struck out six and allowed only two hits to record a shutout and keep Foxboro’s playoff run going. Fiona Dunn had a big hit from the seven-hole, leadoff hitter Peyton Feldman scored a pair of runs, and Morgan Sylvestre had a sac fly with a deep fly to center. Foxboro coach Mark Maguire said, “We took advantage of some mistakes to get some runs and we’re on to the semis.” The Warriors will travel to top seed Middleboro on Thursday at 6:30.
Boys Tennis D1 South
#3 Sharon, 0 @ #2 Brookline, 5 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Central
#6 Wachusett, 0 @ #2 Milford, 3 – Final – Milford will host #9 seed Lincoln-Sudbury in the Central sectional final on Friday at 5:00.
Baseball
Taunton, 13 @ King Philip, 2 – Final (5 inn.) – A day after a 1-0 win in 11 innings, Taunton’s offense exploded for 13 runs in a big win on the road over King Philip. Sophomore Braden Sullivan had three hits in the win while classmates Ryan MacDougall and Shawn Cali each had two to help the Tigers win. Ty Cali, Dawson Bryce, and Colby Decouta all had two hits as well. Senior Danny MacDougall tossed a five-inning complete game, allowing two earned runes on three hits and one walk, striking out six for the win.
Sharon, 6 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – North Attleboro set the tone early with a five-run second inning and went on to score in four other innings to knock off Sharon, clinching at least a share of the Davenport division title. Sophomore Aidan Conrad (four hits, three RBI) smashed a solo home run in the third but Sharon rallied to make it a two-run game at 6-4 through three innings. The Rocketeers used a double and a pair of singles in the fourth for a run and then tacked on three more runs on three walks and two hits in the sixth inning. North added one more run in the seventh, off a pair of walks and a pair of hits. Danny Curran struck out four in four innings of work for the win while both Joe Hartnett and Anthony Wescott pitched well in relief.
Softball
Taunton, 18 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton belted out 21 hits on offense while Sam Lincoln and Olyvia Mendonca combined for a one-hit shutout in the Tigers’ big win. Senior Hanna Aldrich went 4-for-4 and hit her 12th home run of the season, finishing with two RBI and three runs, Lianna Oliveira added three hits and three RBI, and Tayah DaCosta and McKenzie McAloon each hit a home run in the win. Lincoln struck out eight in three scoreless innings while Mendonca had one hit allowed and one strikeout in two innings.
North Attleboro, 10 @ Sharon, 11 – Final – Sharon came out with a one-goal win in a hard fought battle from both teams in the heat. Drew Litner notched six assists to go along with a pair of goals to set the Eagles up for the win. Brady Daylor netted a hat trick and had one assist, Ben Shocket (14-for-19 faceoffs) added a pair of goals and one assist, Dylan Cummings scored twice, and Ryan Zunenshine found the back of the net once. Adam Rabb played well in net with 16 saves.
Oliver Ames @ Stoughton, 3:45
Milford, 7 @ Bellingham, 6 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 23 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Franklin stayed undefeated on the season with a strong defensive effort, allowing just three goals agaisnt in a win on the road over Attleboro. Anna Grasso, Sydney Hawkins, Ali Socci and Emma Sousa all played well defensively in the Panthers’ win. Maura Cogavin netted a hat trick in the win, Kate O’Rourke and Katie Peterson each scored twice and had three assists, and Kaitlin Carney scored four times.
Foxboro, 16 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Lilly Vey scored a team-high five goals, including the 100th of her career, to help the Warriors earn a big win on the road. Mya Waryas added four goals and an assist, Ella Waryas and Mary Collins each had a pair of goals and one helper, Dylan Rappoli and Paige Curran both recorded two assists and a goal, Kate Collins found the back of the net once, and Val Beigel had two assists in the win.
Sharon, 14 @ North Attleboro, 20 – Final – The Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter but North Attleboro was able to hold them off and grab the win. Jenna Goldstein had a big game for Sharon, scoring seven goals and assisting on another, while also grabbing three draws. Cass Barbera and Molly McAlevey each scored twice with Barbera adding a pair of helpers. Athena Merck, Vivian Pedicone, and Katelyn Galeota each scored once and Tess Letendre made nine saves in the loss. Amelia Scappaticci had six draw controls and McAlevey had four for Sharon.
King Philip, 18 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – King Philip picked up its sixth straight win, rolling to a big win on the road over Taunton. Julia Marsden led the charge offensively with five goals and one assist while Peyton Mellman, Haley Izydorczak (two assists), and Lily Brown (three assists) each scored a hat trick in the win. Margo Riley had a great game defensively for the Warriors.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Brady Jannell moved up to first singles and overcame a one-set deficit, rallying to win in a tiebreaker to help King Philip take a 5-0 win over visiting Taunton. Jannell dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but won the second set and prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-7. Jon Cohen (second singles), Jackson Hom (third singles), and the team of Adam Gousie and Noah Ihley (second doubles) all won by 6-0, 6-0 scores while the pairing of Connor Sachleben and Diego Nieto secured a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first doubles.
Sharon, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took a pair of wins from both singles and doubles to secure a 4-1 win over North Attleboro, clinching the Davenport division title outright. Freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles while junior Max Chen added a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles for the Eagles. Sophomore Rithvik Neti and freshman Matthew Lally grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 decision at first doubles and the team of junior Mitch Weiss and freshman Alex Budovalcev prevailed 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. North Attleboro senior Sam Gallagher was victorious with a 6-2, 6-2 result at second singles.
North sophomore catcher Aidan Conrad puts the tag on Justin Brown to get an out in the second inning of North’s 11-1 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – With North Attleboro ace Dennis Colleran toeing the rubber, the Rocketeers know that they typically won’t need a lot of offense to pick up a victory. On Tuesday night under the lights at Community Field, North left no doubt as it racked up double-digit runs for the third straight game.
The Rocketeers scored four times in the first and nine runs through the opening three innings, while Colleran continued his dominant senior season on the mound, to beat Sharon 11-1 in six innings and move back into a first place tie with Oliver Ames atop the Davenport division.
“We’ve been swinging the bats well lately,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “I think we, like a lot of teams, are finally getting our timing down and getting better at the plate. It was good to be aggressive out there and get some hits early.”
Colleran tossed a perfect top of the first, helped in large part by a diving catch in left by Christian Bates on a sinking liner, robbing Nate Yaffe of a leadoff hit.
North broke the game open in the bottom half. Jared Penta got things started off Sharon starter Dylan Labbe, drilling a double into the stands in left center. Danny Curran and Derek Maceda drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Penta and then Gavin Wells belted a three-run homer into the stands, the first of his career, for a quick 4-0 lead.
Despite facing arguably the league’s best pitcher, Sharon wasn’t giving away at bats and nearly got a run back in the second. Justin Brown reached on an error to start the inning. He stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Wells came up with a big defensive play, grabbing Elliott Pototsky’s grounder and cutting down the runner at home. Pototsky made it to third but third baseman Aidan Weir laid out to grab a soft liner in foul territory to end the threat.
“We really didn’t give him any easy innings,” said first-year Sharon coach Andrew Poliferno. “We made hime work and obviously we knew who we were up against and we knew it was an uphill battle, he’s an excellent pitcher, and we just wanted to battle every inning and make it hard for him and for North. That was our goal and I think we accomplished that.”
After getting out a jam, North went back to work at the plate against Sharon reliever Daniel Fishman. Aidan Conrad singled and stole second, Justin Vecchiarelli walked, and Penta brought in one with a single to center. Curran followed with an RBI single of his own and then Maceda brought in one with a sac fly to left.
Colleran, a Northeastern-commit, seemed to be getting stronger as the game went along. He struck out the side in the third, narrowly missing out on an immaculate inning. The Rocketeers added two more in the bottom of the third, Conrad bringing in Tyler Bannon with a single and then came around to score on a groundout by Vecchiarelli.
JD Rittenberg got Sharon’s first hit of the game, as he dropped a single into right with one out. It ended Colleran’s no-hit streak at 10-1/3 innings over three starts.
North put itself in position to win the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Bannon brought in Weir with a two-out single to right and it was 10-0. The Eagles could’ve closed up shop for the night, but instead took advantage of some North miscues to get on the board in the fifth. Ben Bouchard reached on an error and was replaced by a courtesy runner. Colby Lentell made it count with an RBI-groundout to extend the game.
“Our positive energy stayed with us,” Poliferno noted, “and I said to the guys that we didn’t dip as the game started to slip away early on. We stayed positive and we kept the energy up and we just kept battling every inning and I think that speaks volumes about the team.”
Rittenberg would get his second hit of the day, this time an infield single to deep short, but Colleran closed out the sixth with his second strikeout of the inning and 10th of the night.
“Dennis has really worked hard,” said Hart. “He’s put in a lot of work to get his velocity up there. It’s not every year that you have someone that’s throwing in the low- to mid-90s consistently. I thought they did a decent job, some of their guys were on the fastball too and ready to hit, but he does have a couple of pitches to complement the fastball and that can get some guys out.”
Joe Hartnett reached on an error to start the bottom of the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a Bannon grounder. With two down, Nik Kojoian crushed a line drive into the gap in right center for a walk-off win.
North Attleboro (8-5, 7-2) and Sharon (3-10, 2-7) will face off again on Wednesday afternoon at Community Field. North knows that a win will clinch at least a share of the league title and then the Rocketeers will wait for the result of OA’s game with Stoughton on Friday to determine if they it is a shared title or they win it outright.
“Any time you get the chance to play for the league title it’s great, regardless of what this season has been and what it is,” Hart explained. “We’re here to compete and we’ve got the opportunity, so we’re going to do that and take what comes with it.”
Baseball
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – King Philip took a lead on three different occasions, the final time coming in the sixth inning and that one held as the Warriors scored a win on the road. KP took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Eli Reed walked, stole second and scored on a single by Shawn Lagere but Attleboro answered with a run in the bottom half, Owen Taber coming around to score after a leadoff walk. In the top of the fourth, Lagere singles again and scored on a triple from Grayden Lawrence for a 2-1 lead, but the Bombardiers once again answered. This time in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run from Jake Gorman to make it 2-2. KP pushed across the winning run in the sixth as Conor Cooke drew a walk and eventually scored on a sac fly from Mikey Malatesta.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Christian Papasodero came in to strike out the final batter of the game, earning the save, and a big win for OA. The victory keeps the Tigers just one back of North Attleboro in the win column heading into the final three games of the season. Nick Clark picked up the win for OA, going 6-2/3 innings and giving up four hits and three runs and striking out six. Jadon Ricci and Patrick Finnerty each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to spark the OA offense. Jake Waxman, Nate Carpentier, and Nate Fulford each drove in a run.
North Attleboro, 12 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro jumped out to a 10-1 lead through five innings and then held off a late Foxboro rally to secure the win, moving half a game ahead of Oliver Ames in the Davenport title race. Danny Curran went 5-1/3 innings with eight strikeouts, allowing three runs, to pick up the win. Joe Hartnett went 1-2/3 innings of relief, allowing only three unearned runs. Curran also helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-4. Gavin Wells also went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while the bottom third of the order came up big for the Rocketeers. The 7-8-9 hitters accounted for six hits, five runs scored, and seven RBI. Tyler Bannon and Aidan Conrad each went 2-for-4, with two RBI and two runs and Justin Vecchiarelli went 2-for-2 with three RBI. Ryan LeClair, Jack Watts, and Sean O’Leary each had two hits for the Warriors and accounted for four of Foxboro’s six runs.
Sharon, 1 @ Stoughton, 16 – Final (5 Inn.) – Stoughton had its best offensive day of the season, exploding for 16 runs on 15 hits in a win over visiting Sharon. The Black Knights scored in each of the five innings with Ben Zola (two hits, two runs) setting the pace from the leadoff spot. Kyle Doolin had a pair of walks, two runs, and an RBI, Jake Queeney added two runs, one walk, and one RBI, and Jonah Ly chipped in with two runs and three RBI in the win. A day after coming up with a clutch two-out hit to force extras, Brandon Mantilla-Mercado had two hits and drove in four runs. Freshman Hunter Malkin earned his first career win on the mound, allowing one run on four hits and three walks, striking out five in five innings.
Foxboro, 4 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – For the first time in program history, North Attleboro has repeated as league champion. The Rocketeers clinched the outright Davenport crown after sweeping the home-and-home with the Warriors. Foxboro made it tough, leading 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth, but the North offense exploded for five runs to grab the lead for good. Emily Nardelli’s two-run homer tied the game and Kelly Colleran put North in front with a solo shot. Colleran added her fourth homer in two days when she knocked one out in the sixth and also picked up the win in the circle, striking out eight. Colleran and Zoey McDonough each finished with three hits and Belle Clarkin had two hits for North. Morgan Sylvestre had a homer for the Warriors.
Franklin, 4 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield won for the third straight time and moved within a game of .500 on the season. The Hornets scored the winner in the bottom of the sixth, after Franklin had rallied from three runs down to tie it. Ashlyn Conley (3-for-3) doubled and then came around to score on a Nicole Kobasa (2-for-3) single. In addition to driving in the winning run, Kobasa also came up big in right field, throwing out a pair of runners at first. Franklin jumped in front in the second, but Mansfield scored three in the fourth inning to lead 3-1. Casey Moussette (2-for-3) started it with a single, Molly Kucharski reached on a fielder’s choice, Conley singled, and another fielder’s choice from Kobasa scored the first run. Abby DeCoste (2-for-3) tripled to score one and then came around when the throw got away. The Hornets tacked on a run in the fifth on a walk by Jill Koppy, a stolen base, and then an RBI-single from Moussette. Live Madeira also had a hit for Mansfield.
Canton, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Canton grabbed the lead, scoring four of its five runs in the top of the third, but the Tigers rallied, answering back with two in the bottom half, three in the fourth, and then a big insurance run in the sixth. Katie Melendy went the distance in the circle to pick up the win. Offensively, Maddie Homer (2-for-3, three runs, and three steals), Emma Varella (2-for-3, three runs scored), and Taylor Lake (2-for-3, two runs, and two RBI) each had a pair of hits. Grace Simone drove in a pair and Caitlin Miller added one RBI. Amanda Vrabel went 3-for-3 for the Bulldogs and drove in a pair of runs. Ellie Bohane added three hits and scored twice, while Taylor Reynolds went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Liz Bickett and Steph Trendell made two great plays in the field for Canton.
Stoughton, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Nicole Baker allowed eight hits and struck out 11 in a complete game win that moves the Black Knights into a tie with Foxboro for second in the Davenport division. Stoughton had 18 hits as a team, including a 4-for-4 game from Julia Driscoll. Sydney Menz went 3-for-5 with two triples and Melody Casna went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer. Alyssa Edwards and Baker also had multiple hits in the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:45
Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final – Jake Manthous and Ross Carroll had the goals for OA.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro, 6:00
Stoughton, 1 @ Sharon, 10 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 14 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – KP won its fifth straight and got to 10 wins on the season. The Warriors used a balanced attack with two players accounting for five points, Julia Marsden and Morgan Cunningham, and two accounting for four points, Lily Brown and Haley Izydorczak.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Paige Curran (two assists) and Lilly Vey each scored four goals, as Foxboro swept a two-day series with North Attleboro and, in the process, clinched the outright Davenport division title for the ninth straight season. The Warriors continue to fire on all cylinders offensively, with eight different players finding the back of the net. Mya and Ella Waryas each scored three times and assisted on another. Kate Collins scored twice, while Mary Collins had a goal and two assists and Dylan Rappoli had a goal and an assist. Val Beigel added a goal. Maddie Maher had another strong game in goal for the Warriors, making seven saves.
Franklin, 23 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Franklin secured at least a share of its eighth straight league title, beating Mansfield for the second time in as many days, and extending its lengthy league win streak by another game. Katie Jones powered the Panthers with six goals and an assist, but Franklin showed off its balance on offense. Jackie O’Neil scored four times and assisted on another and Stella Regan scored twice and had five assists. Jamie Tanner had a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Lindsay Atkinson had a strong game in the Franklin midfield, winning 10 draws.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets and that was enough for a 3-2 win over visiting Attleboro. Nick Putney (first singles) and Jon Cohen (third singles) both won without dropping a game while Brady Jannell scored a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles. The Bombardiers won both doubles matches with Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo taking a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles and freshmen Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio secured a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Canton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Canton kept alive its hopes of sharing the league title with a win at OA. Minh Duong battled cramps in a marathon match against Kylash Ganesh at first singles, but managed to pull out a win. He took the first set 6-4, lost 7-5 in the second, and won a third set tiebreaker 10-4 to grab the point for his team. Ethan Nguyen won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles and Elias Jabbour and Huy Hung won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles. In second doubles, Shawn Welch and Jackson Santos fell behind 5-2 in the first set but rallied to win 7-5 and then closed out the match with a 6-2 second set. Freshman Nick Westerbeke won OA’s lone point at third singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win.
Stoughton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept doubles and won a pair of singles matches to stay unbeaten in the league and clinch at least a share of its second straight Davenport title. Ridhuik Neti and Deyan Kassev (first doubles) and Alex Budovaloev and Ben Levinson (second doubles) both won their matches 6-0, 6-1. Max Chen took his match at second singles by a score of 6-3, 6-4 and Matthew Lally won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles. Waseem Sabion grabbed Stoughton’s lone point, winning the first set 6-0 and then bouncing back from an 0-6 loss in the second to close out the match with 6-3 third set.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro kept up its pursuit of first-place Sharon with a sweep of Foxboro. The Rocketeers are two games back of the Eagles and will face them twice next week. Sam Gallagher (second singles), Will Folan (third singles), and the team of Brody Carter and David Marroquin each won their matches 6-0, 6-0. Jonah Manso won his match at first singles 6-3, 6-0 and the second doubles team of Niteesh Saravanan and Visruth Chavalam won 6-1, 7-5.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it a sweep of Attleboro to remain unbeaten and sealed at least a share of its fourth straight Kelley-Rex division title. Ahunna James and Shea Mellman (6-3, 6-0) and Resha Ajoy and Amanda Van Roon (6-1, 6-0) won their doubles matches in straight sets, as did Katarina Schneider (6-0, 6-2) at first singles. Sammie Taylor also won in straight sets at third singles, but had to battle in a second set tiebreaker before pulling out a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) win. Mia Valencia lost her opening set to Lauren Anthony in a tiebreak but then won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 to seal the fifth point for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – The first doubles team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper won 6-3, 6-1 to earn OA its third point and to seal the first league win of the season for the Tigers. OA also got points from Mia Corradini at third singles and from Celine Souaidan and Courtney Lake at second doubles, both matches finishing 6-1, 6-0. Canton won the top two singles matches, as Rachel Kupferman didn’t lose a game in a straight sets win and Laura Correal won 6-2, 6-4 at second singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – The Warriors beat North Attleboro for the second time in as many days to remain unbeaten and clinch at least a share of the Davenport title for the first time since 2015. Athena Li continued her dominant rookie season, remaining unbeaten with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at first singles. Pam Nelson also won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Sarah Prag won 6-1, 6-1 to make it a clean sweep of singles. At first doubles, Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa battled with North’s Anoushka Banerjee and Julia Curran and pulled out a hard-fought, straight-sets win, 6-4, 7-6 (2). North’s point came at second doubles, as the team of Lauren Consentino and Kyna Shah won 6-0, 6-4.
Wrestling
Mansfield @ Canton, 4:00
Oliver Ames, 31 @ North Attleboro, 40 – Final – The dual meet came down to the final match, as Keysun Wise was able to hold off Jaden Hinton 6-4 at 285 to seal a win for the Rocketeers. North now moves one game up in the win column on Foxboro and sets up a final match with the Warriors to decide the Davenport title. Tanner Ferguson (113), Kyle Dumke (132), Ethan Smith (145), and Griffin Gouck (160) each had pins for North. Kyle Hardie remained unbeaten for the Tigers with a pin at 120, while Giovany Juste (170), Anthony Hoffman (182), and Onye Nwadiugwu (195) also had pins for OA.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton swept Quincy in three sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-23). Tyler Stewart had another big match for the Tigers, leading the team with 17 kills but also adding three aces and seven digs. Faisal Mass chipped in with six kills and three blocks and Jakob Thorpe had eight kills and two blocks. Mattia Casagrande (six kills) and Colin McDougal (three kills) added to the Taunton offense, which was spearheaded by setter Daniel Medina, who finished with 36 assists. Travis Nunes had 12 digs and was a key in Taunton serve-receive game.
Baseball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring the go-ahead run to the plate but the Hornets got the final out to secure the 3-2 win. Mansfield took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth and then tacked on what turned out to be the game-winning run in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Bombardier errors. Jack Colby walked to open the seventh and advanced to third on a throwing error. Two batters later, an infield error allowed Colby to come home to make it 3-0. Colby was one of five Hornets with a hit; Luke Urban had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored for Mansfield. Anthony Sacchetti earned the win on the mound with a complete game effort. Sacchetti limited the hosts to two runs on one talk and five hits while striking out 12. Ben Hochwarter smacked a two-run triple in the seventh for Attleboro.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Senior Dennis Colleran and the Rocketeers prevailed victorious in battle that featured two of the top pitchers in the area, earning a key division win on the road. Colleran tossed a complete game with just three hits along, striking out 13 to get the win. Canton junior Andrew Middleton also had a strong showing with just two earned runs allowed on two hits in 6.1 innings of work, also racking up 12 strikeouts. North struck first on an RBI single from Jared Penta in the third inning but the Bulldogs leveled the score in the bottom half on an RBI from Steven Burbank. North sophomore Aidan Conrad brought Tyler Bannon (walk, two stolen bases) in on a squeeze in the top of the sixth and Penta followed with a sacrifice fly to add an insurance run.
Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Foxboro senior Dylan Quinn had his best start of the season, tossing a complete game shutout on the road to lead the Warriors to an important division win. Quinn allowed just two hits and issued just two walks while striking out 11 Stoughton batters. Offensively, Foxboro plated a pair of runs in each the first and fourth, and a single run in the second inning. Tom Marcucella (RBI, run) and Sean O’Leary (two RBI) each had a pair of hits to pace the Foxboro offense and sophomore Ryan LeClair recorded two RBI in the win.
Franklin, 6 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – In one of their toughest tests to date, Franklin emerged with a 6-4 win on the road over division rival Taunton. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone earned the win with three runs allowed on six hits and one walk, striking out three in four innings. Junior Ethan Voellmicke was strong in relief with one run allowed on three hits in three innings of work. Jack Marino had a double and drove in a pair of run for the Panthers, Ben Jarosz added a hit, a walk, a run, and an RBI, and Nate Cooke had three hits on the day, driving in one and scoring once. Ryan MacDougall and Danny MacDougall (RBI) each had two hits, including a double each, while Dawson Bryce plated a pair of runs on two hits.
King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Milford took care of business at home, securing an 8-3 win over visiting King Philip. Mario Lee earned the win on the mound, striking out five in five innings of work.
Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 11 – Final (5 Inn.) – Oliver Ames put together its most complete performance of the season, getting it done both offensively and on the mound in a win over Sharon. Nick Clark allowed one unearned run on two hits and one walk, striking out 10 to get the win in five innings. Jake Waxman went 3-for-3 on the day with six total bas, driving in three runs to pace the offense. Jadon Ricci added two hits and four RBI and Joe Cicchetti, who made some great plays defensively at first, added three hits, including a triple, and three RBI.
Softball
Attleboro, 19 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro put together an impressive offensive display to earn the division win. The Bombardiers belted out 24 hits, scoring in every inning to get the win on the road. Riley Camacho and Lindsey Perry highlighted the big offensive day with four hits apiece while Haley Perry, Lora Woyton, and Kayla Goldrick each recorded three hits. Lindsey Perry earned the win in the circle with four strikeouts. Mansfield recorded seven hits in the loss. Callie Lake, Jill Koppy, Molly Kucharski, Ashlyn Conley, Alanna Conley, Nicole Kobasa, and Abby DeCoste each had hits for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 7 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – For Stoughton, Melody Casna and Kerry Driscoll each connected on a home run but Foxboro was able to defend its home field behind an offensive outburst. Casna went 3-for-4 overall, adding a pair of doubles to go with the home run. Driscoll smashed a two-run blast while Kate Bulger and Nicole Baker each had a pair of base hits for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 12 @ Franklin, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Holding a 6-0 lead on the road through the first innings, Taunton doubled its offensive output in the sixth inning to finish the game off. The Tigers had 12 hits as a team as senior Kelsey White went 4-for-4, hitting a pair of home runs to finish with three RBI and two runs scored. Hannah Aldrich (three RBI, three runs) also hit a home run for the Tigers, and McKenzie McAloon (run) and Skylar Rheaume add drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, freshman Sam Lincoln tossed a one-hitter, stirking out 10 with two walks for the win.
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip pushed across six runs in the first inning and then blew the game wide open with 10 runs in the third inning to knock off visiting Milford. Junior Emma Sheehan tossed a five-inning no-hitter for the hosts, allowing just two walks while striking out nine In the circle Charlotte Raymond (four RBI, two runs), Meg Sherwood (home run, three RBI, two runs), and Mia Bennett (RBI, run) each collected three hits on the day. Maddie Paschke (two RBI, three runs), Paige Berdos (four RBI, two runs) and Libby Walsh (two RBI, three runs) each added two hits for KP, who totaled 18 hits as a team.
Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 12 – Final – North Attleboro bounced back from its second loss of the season with a big win against Canton. Zoey McDonough went the distance to get the win, allowing only three hits and striking out 11. Kelly Colleran went 4-for-4 and blasted a three-run homer. Shaelyn Burns added a three-run homer of her own, and went 3-for-3 with a walk. Belle Clarkin had a pair of hits and drove in two. Emily Nardelli had a hit and scored twice and Grace Simmons had a hit and an RBI and Mandi Hanewich made a great diving catch in center for the Rocketeers.
Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Katie Melendy had a day to remember, earning the win in the circle and helping her cause with a big day at the plate. Melendy struck out 10 in a complete game effort with no earned runs allowed on six hits. Offensively, she helped herself out by driving in three runs. Katherine Farley added two hits, two RBI, and two runs, Lexi Galsband added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Grace Simone chipped in with three hits and two runs and Kalei Clark crossed home three runs in the win. Trinity Payne and Ally Foulsham both recorded four strikeouts in the circle and Payne and Savannah Gray scored the runs for the Eagles.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Milford, 5 @ Canton, 15 – Final
Foxboro, 6 vs. Cohasset, 7 – Final (OT)
Franklin, 19 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Franklin continued its unbeaten start to the season with a win on the road over Oliver Ames. Sophomore Luke Davis registered four goals and four assists to pace the Panthers, Matt Lazzaro added six assists, Jayden Consigli added three goals and one helper, and Justin Abely added three goals. Remi Creighton scored both goals for Oliver Ames.
Mansfield @ Stoughton, 3:45
Sharon, 9 @ King Philip, 8 – Final (OT) – Sharon’s Adam Rabb turned aside 19 shots, Ben Shocket won all but one faceoff and the Eagles picked up an overtime win on the road over King Philip. Brady Daylor had a team-high four goals, Drew Litner notched a hat trick, and Ryan Brown and Aaron Livshin each scored once.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:30
Milford, 9 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Milford trimmed the deficit to just two at 8-6 but the Bulldogs pulled away to get the win. For the Scarlet Hawks, sophomore Carly Haley scored a hat trick, juniors Aislinn Bennett and Stephanie Goulet each scored two goals, sophomore Emily Croteau found the back of the net once, and senior defender Katie Maietta scored her first career varsity goal.
Taunton, 6 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the first half, scored 20 goals for the second game in a row, and extended its win streak to eight straight. Paige Curran led the way for the Warriors with five goals and three assists and fellow sophomore Mya Waryas chipped in with four goals. Lilly Vey had three goals and three assists. Mary Collins had two goals and three assists, Dylan Rappoli had two goals and two assists, Ella Waryas had two goals and an assist, and Kate Collins and Val Beigel each scored once. Maddie Maher made one save in the win.
Franklin, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – For OA, head coach Gen Rogan praised the play of both Reese Pereira (offensively) and Hailey Bourne (defensively).
Sharon, 6 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – KP rebounded from a two-game losing streak (both to Franklin) and got back in the win column against Sharon. Julia Marsden (five goals) and Haley Izydorczak (four goals, assist) each had five points in the win, Lily Brown added four goals, Morgan Cunningham added a pair of goals and assists, and Peyton Mellman scored once for KP. Jenna Goldstein continued her strong season for the Eagles with four goals and four draw controls. Cass Barbera scored once and Vivian Pedicone added her first varsity goal. Tess Letendre made 12 saves for the Eagles.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of visiting Attleboro. Kailash Elumelai secured a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Benson Delaney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Nikhil Nain emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles. The senior duo of Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle battled to a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while junior Jonah Fine and sophomore Jessie Colchimiro earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Canton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Canton picked up its biggest win of the season with a 4-1 decision on the road. Suraj Ramanathan battled to a 6-3, 6-1 win at first double, Max Kupferman prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at second singles, and Minh Duong outlasted his opponent to earn a 6-3,3-6,6-4 win at third singles. North Attleboro’s Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan picked up a 6-2, 7-6 (7) decision at second doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro’s depth was on display as the Warriors picked up wins at second and third singles plus a win at first doubles. Justine Neale earned a hard-fought win at second singles at 7-5, 6-2, junior Bo Cainfield picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles and the team of senior Jason Kandula and freshman Justin Kandula knocked off their opponents 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while the second duos team of Murtaza Khalil and Ben Dias secured a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – The Kelley-Rex leading Panthers took care of business in another division win, this time sweeping visiting Taunton. Liam Marr (first singles), Vayshnav Malhotra (second), Drew Mahoney (third) and the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (second doubles) all won by the same 6-0, 6-0 score. Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a singles sweep, adding one more win in doubles action, to beat visiting Milford. In doubles play, junior Diego Meto and sophomore Nate Ihley battled to a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win at first doubles for KP while Milford’s Connor MacLeod and Leo Donnelly won 2-6, 2-6 at second doubles. In singles action, senior Nick Putney didn’t drop a game at first singles, Brady Jannell picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and sophomore Jackson Hem was on the winning side of a 6-0, 6-3 decision.
Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Mansfield earned a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action to claim a win on the road over the Bombardiers. Senior Alex Burnham battled to a 6-3, 6-4 win at first singles and junior Kate Martin claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Hornets. The team of Sarah Harrington and Alexis O’Keefe prevailed in a three-set thriller 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 at first doubles while the team of Ally McDavitt and Caroline Gurauvage secured a 6-2, 7-7 (7-6) victory at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – By taking wins in two of the three singles matches and one of the two doubles matches, Canton successfully defended home court with a 3-2 decision over the Rocketeers. Rachel Kupferman rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Laura Correal earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and the team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham walked away with a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles. North Attleboro’s Teresa Fan came away with a 7-6 (3), 10-6 win at second singles and the second doubles pairing of Lauren Constantino and Kyra Sha prevailed 6-4, 5-7 10-7.
Foxboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Foxboro leaned on its singles players to secure a 3-2 win on the road over Stoughton. Athena Li picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Pam Nelson was victorious 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sarah Prag picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Stoughton’s first doubles team of Brooke Bulger and Emily Pham-Nguyen emerged with a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 10-7 win at first doubles while the pairing of Nadia Prokopiuk and Emilia Lada earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton defended home court by winning all five matches against visiting Franklin. Jocelyn Pagliuca secured a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles, Kayla Parrett added a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Cayeesha Charles earned a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win at third singles. Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett teamed up for a 6-1, 7-5 win at first doubles while Morgan Smith and Courtney Martin prevailed 6-0, 6-2 at second singles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – The Eagles won all three of the singles matches and added another point from doubles play to get the win at home. Navya Shukla won 6-2, 6-3 at first singles, Allie Aguilar didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Hannah Faberman earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. Sree Dandy and Sasha Fein teamed up for a 6-4, 6-1 win at second doubles for the Eagles. OA’s Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 7-5, 6-2 win at second doubles.
King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to knock off Milford. Katarina Schneider (first singles), Mia Valencia (second singles), and the team of Amanda vanRoon and Dilara Onur (second doubles) all won by a 6-0, 6-0 score. Sammie Taylor locked up a 6-0, 6-4 win at third singles while Ahunna James teamed with Shea Mellman for a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 0 – Final – Taunton took care of business on the road with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 15-7) sweep on the road over the Hilltoppers. Tyler Stewart (17 kills, eight digs) and Jakob Thorpe (12 kills, four digs) and Faisal Mass (six kills, three blocks) paced the offense for the visitors while Travis Nunes (nine digs, two aces) played well defensively.
Wrestling
King Philip @ Foxboro, 4:30
Franklin, 33 @ North Attleboro, 30 – Final – Franklin’s Matt Walker earned an 8-2 decision in the heavyweight bout to give the Panthers a win on the road over North in a battle of Hockomock wrestling elites. Jake Carlucci (132) and Nolan Sheridan (220) each had pinfall victories for the Panthers while Drew DiFilippo (120, 10-1 major decision), Alex Fracassa (160, tech fall), and Liam Cogavin (195, 6-4 decision) also won for Franklin. Andrew Faris (138, fall), Ethan Smith (145, 3-0), Chris Galligan (152, fall), Dylan Vigstol (170, fall), and Greg Berthiaume (182, 4-2) all won for North Attleboro.
