Boys Basketball
Franklin, 74 vs. Burncoat, 55 – Final
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 35 vs. Central Catholic, 54 – Final – Franklin led 23-20 at halftime but was outscored 34-12 in the second half to end its win streak at 54 games. It was the first loss for the Panthers since the 2019 state semifinal. It was both the most points that the Panthers have allowed this season and the fewest points they have scored. Ashley Dinges scored 24 (14 in the third quarter) and Calire Finney scored 18 (12 in the fourth) to lead the Raiders. Katie Peterson scored 10 points for Franklin, including eight in the first half. Stefany Padula (6-of-7 on free throws) and Olivia Quinn both scored eight points in the loss. Franklin will face Bridgewater-Raynham in the consolation round on Sunday.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Barnstable, 2 – Final – Barnstable scored twice in the third period to end Canton’s six-game win streak. Payton McDonough scored with about 90 seconds left to cut the lead to one. Carolyn Durand made 16 saves in the loss.
King Philip, 3 @ Dennis-Yarmouth, 2 – Final – Three different players found the back of the net for the Warriors to help them pick up the road win. Morgan Cunningham, Sydney O’Shea, and Ally Donovan each scored and Jen Daniels and Meg Sherwood had assists for KP.
Baseball
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – North Attleboro senior Dennis Colleran tossed a complete game one-hitter to help the Rocketeers earn a split with the Tigers on the season. Colleran allowed a total of three baserunners with a walk and one batter hit by a pitch but struck out 11 in the win. North scored one run in each the first and second innings, OA halved the deficit with a run in the third, but the Rocketeers scored twice in the fifth and added another insurance run in the seventh. Sophomore Derek Maceda had three hits, including a triple that he eventually scored on a single by Tyler Bannon in the seventh. Evan Vigorito knocked in three runs, driving in two of those with a triple in the fifth while Aidan Weir had an RBI single in the second.
Mansfield, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Mansfield took the lead with a run in the top of the third but King Philip responded in a big way, plating six runs in the bottom half and never looked back to earn head coach Jeff Plympton his first career win. Senior Conor Cooke collected two of his three RBI in the third with a base hit, adding another with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Sophomore Tommy Martarano also drove in two runs in the big third inning while Mikey Malatesta and Nick Viscusi each had one RBI. Sophomore Rudy Gately earned the win, allowing just one run through six innings before Mansfield tried to mount a last-inning comeback. Jack Mullen came in and struck out two to close the door. Luke Urban (RBI) and Eric Sullivan (two RBI, run) each registered a pair of hits for Mansfield.
Softball
Franklin, 16 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed hot and got contributions throughout the lineup in a win on the road at Milford. Senior Gabby Colace had three hits, including a home run, while driving in three runs and scoring four times to pace the Panthers. Freshman Carly Johnson-Pellegri (two hits) also had a home run with three RBI, Georgia Harvey drove in four runs on three hits, and Lauren Cote had two hits and three RBI for Franklin. Aislinn Lavery, who added two hits and an RBI, struck out five in six innings of work.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 14 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Foxboro had a strong first half, outscoring the Eagles 7-0 and never looked back to get the win in the first meeting of the two teams. For the Eagles, Drew Litner, Jace Neatler, and Brady Daylor each scored a pair of goals while Ben Shocket won 18-of-26 faceoffs. Adam Rabb made 12 saves in net for Sharon.
Franklin, 19 @ Milford, 0 – Final
King Philip @ Mansfield, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 13 – Final – For Oliver Ames, sophomore Ben Reardon had a goal and two helpers, Ben Cohen scored his first career goal, and Wes Tower found the back of the net once.
Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 11 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Taunton senior Alana Tavares found the back of the net eight times to help the Tigers score a win on the road. In their second win over the Bombardiers this week, Taunton also got two goals from Tasia Lajoie (one assist) and one from freshman Cali Melo. Emily Gannon made eight saves in net for Taunton.
Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Tess Letendre had a great game in goal for the Eagles, making 15 saves. Jenna Goldstein scored three of Sharon’s four goals. Athena Merck had the fourth, assisted by Molly McAlevey.
Milford, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Sydney Hawkins and Riley Cross each registered their first goals of the season for the Panthers while Brigid Earley made six saves in net.
Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip raced out to an 8-0 lead by halftime and never looked back in a win over visiting Mansfield. Julia Marsden and Haley Izydorczak each scored a hat trick to pace the Warriors’ offense, Peyton Mellman and Lily Brown each scored twice, and Ally Donovan and Morgan Cunningham (assist) each found the back of the net once. Emily Campbell turned aside eight shots to get the win in net for KP.
North Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Oliver Ames scored twice in the final 30 seconds to steal a win away from North Attleboro. Emma Pereira set up both goals, coming up with a loose ball in her own half before finding Emma Sharkansky, who quickly dished off to Catie Wilson for a goal with 12 seconds left to make it 11-11. Pereira won the ensuing draw for the Tigers, sprinted up the field and passed to Sharkansky who ripped a quick shot in for the game-winner with three seconds to go. Head coach Gen Rogan praised the defensive work of Taylor McAndrew, Emilee Nuss, and goalie Emma O’Donnell.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton continued its unbeaten start to the season with a 3-0 sweep (25-21, 25-16, 26-17) on the road at Quincy. Daniel Medina had a strong game distributing the ball offensively, dishing out 33 assists to go along with three aces. Jakob Thorpe put down 10 kills for the Tigers while Tyler Stewart had another strong all around game with 18 kills, nine digs, and a pair of blocks. Mattia Casagrande (nine digs) and Travis Nunes (seven digs) both played well defensively and in serve receive for the Tigers.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 34 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Trey Buggs pulled down an offensive rebound and converted a layup all in one motion just before time expired to give the Tigers a win at home over visiting Canton. Canton junior Lanse Dorcelus tied the game at 32-32 with a pair of free throws with 12 seconds to play. OA’s first attempt at the game-winner from three-point range was short of the rim but Buggs crashed hard, catching the shot and putting it up and in off the glass for the win. Drew Baxter scored nine of his team-high 13 points in the third quarter for the Tigers, who turned a 19-15 halftime deficit into a 28-25 lead going into the fourth. Ryan Connerney scored a team-high 10 points for the Bulldogs.
Sharon, 53 @ North Attleboro, 59 – Final – North Attleboro raced out to an early lead and held onto it the rest of the way in a win on the road over Sharon. A 9-0 start helped the Rocketeers create the separation it needed for the rest of the way. North’s Casey Poirier hit a pair of threes in the opening quarter as the Big Red claimed a 12-9 lead after one, and senior George Ladd scored 12 of his team-high 18 points by the end of the second quarter for a 22-19 advantage at halftime. Six Rocketeers scored in the third quarter, including threes from Poirier and Brody Rosenberg (10 points). Gavin Wells scored all nine of his points in the fourth to help North seal the win. Sophomore Matt Baur paced the Eagles with 16 points and eight rebounds, senior Matt Baskin added 14 points, and senior Kiran Chandrasekaran chipped in with 11 points and six rebounds.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a win over Oliver Ames. OA freshman Matt Lawson scored for the Tigers while senior Ross Carroll played well. Freshman Nolan Gemmiti made 38 saves in net for OA.
Mansfield, 5 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Mansfield senior Cam Hussey and junior Ryan Doherty each scored their first career goals to help the Hornets notch a win over North Attleboro. Hussey finished with two goals for the Hornets.
Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Stoughton rallied for the tying goal with the goalie pulled and under a minute to play to earn a tie with Taunton. With 25 seconds to go, Colin Alessi buried the rebound off a shot from Charlie Caputo to make it 2-2. Ryan Flannery scored the first goal for Stoughton/Brockton. Jason Frates had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 1 @ St. Mary’s (Lynn), 7 – Final – Freshman Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal of the game for the Warriors with Ally Donovan and Jen Daniels recording assists.
Gymnastics
Franklin, 144.30 @ King Philip, 132.10 – Final
Taunton @ Sharon, 6:15
2019-2020 Record: 19-1-4 2019-2020 Finish: Division 2 State Co-Champion Coach: Dennis Aldrich
The pandemic has cost Canton an opportunity to defend its first D2 state championship, but the Bulldogs have an experienced squad that will be looking to claim a second straight league title. Although dynamic defenseman Olivia Maffeo has transferred, Canton can count on 13 returning players, including nine forwards, so there is plenty of continuity as the program makes its move to the rebuilt Metropolis Skating Rink.
Maffeo’s goals will certainly be missed, but the Bulldogs will expect the forward lines to pick up the slack. Seniors Maria Femia, Lizzie Tassinari, and Ellie Rae Roberts all have four years of experience at the varsity level and each is capable of putting the puck in the net on a consistent basis. The forwards will also be the first line of defense, as their forechecking ability puts pressure on the opponents in all three zones.
Defense has been a strength for Canton throughout this impressive run of success. This year, there will be a few new faces on the blue line but junior Allie McCabe and sophomore Maya Battista will lead the defensive unit and both stood out last year for their strength, skating, and passing out of the zone. Backstopping the Canton defense is sophomore goalie Carolyn Durand, who recorded 14 shutouts as a freshman.
“I look for our team defense to be a strength as usual and am looking for our experienced forwards to find the back of the net more often with the confidence gained by capturing the first state title for Canton High School Girls Ice Hockey,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich.
Last winter, Franklin pushed its league title defense right to the final game of the regular season and this year the Panthers will be hoping to reclaim the crown in what should be a typically competitive league campaign. Franklin will hope that a young defensive group can get up to speed right away to complement the experience that the Panthers have in attack.
The forward line should be a strength for Franklin this season. Senior Amanda Lewandowski is back to be the focal point after recording 21 points as a junior. Fellow seniors Libby Carter and Katelyn Brown will add experience and energy to the forward line, providing not only scoring punch but also helping out in the defensive zone as well. Sophomore Lyndsey Atkinson is coming off an impressive rookie season in which she led the team with 10 goals.
Defensively, Franklin graduated a group of players that had several years of varsity experience so it will be new faces that will have to step in this year. Junior Katie LeBlanc and sophomore Shaw Downing are two of the defenders back from last year’s squad. If teams get through the Franklin defense, senior goalie Gabby Colace is back to keep things difficult for opposing forwards. Colace was one of the league’s top shot stoppers last year, allowing fewer than two goals per game.
“We are very grateful to have the opportunity to get on the ice and compete,” said Franklin coach Margie Burke. “This year we expect to have a balanced squad. The Hock should be very competitive as always. ‘Play every game like it’s the last’ will be our motto.”
2019-2020 Record: 10-11-1 2019-2020 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Ken Assad
After coming up just one point shy of the state tournament last season, the Warriors are entering the 2020-2021 campaign with a lot of determination, ready to make a run at the Hockomock League title.
The Warriors have a large amount of returning players back for this season and all now have a year of experience under their belts playing for head coach Ken Assad, who enters the season with plenty of optimism and excitement. Assad will look to role three to four lines throughout the season, giving the Warriors a lot of flexibility with their offensive looks. In senior captain Averi Maxwell (18 points) and juniors Moran Cunningham (24) and Sydney O’Shea (20 points), King Philip has one of the most dangerous attacking units in the league. Not only will the Warriors get a lot of production from that line, but it should also open things up for everyone else on the ice.
Junior Jen Daniels (16 points) is back after a breakout sophomore campaign, sophomore Katarina Precobb will look to follow up a strong freshman season, and seniors Nicole Brady, captain Olivia Donovan, Kara McWhinnie, and sophomore Bridgette Nally will all be in the mix offensively for the Warriors. There will be a lot of familiar faces on the defensive end for the Warriors as well with senior assistant captains Gabriela Trujillo and Libby Curran anchoring the blue line unit. Juniors Meg Sherwood and Alison Donovan bring key experience from last year while sophomores Brielle Hearon and Emma Sullivan will factor in defensively as well.
Mallory Johnston picked up some valuable experience between the pipes last season filling in for an injury and will now take over the starting job in net for KP. The Warriors also have a strong freshmen class ready to contribute right away with Kelly Holmes (forward) and Mara Boldy (defense) in the mix.
“With the experience we have this year and always being very optimistic for a good start, I expect them to work hard in all three zones and be a top contender for a Hockomock title this year,” Assad said. “There is great team chemistry on this team and with our captains’ leadership, they will definitely give it 110%. The girls accept the fact there is not going to be a tournament and are very excited to get on the ice no matter what the season will look like and for that, I continue to be very proud of them and what they have gone through.”
Coming off a strong 2020 campaign and with a group of veteran players on the roster, MOA head coach Roy Bain has a positive outlook on the upcoming season for his Warriors.
MOA recorded double-digit wins last season and nearly pulled off a gigantic upset in the opening round of the state tournament (5-4 loss to #8 seed Boston Latin). The Warriors have 11 seniors on this year’s roster and that, plus a strong mix of experienced underclassmen, should mean good things for the season. The defensive unit for the team remains intact with senior Emma Pereira, the team’s MVP from a season ago, back to anchor that unit. She’ll reunite with junior Julia Muttart for one pairing while seniors Melissa Shanteler and Megan O’Hara are back together on the blue line again this year.
Not only will there be familiar faces along the blueline, junior Jess Widdop returns for her third season between the pipes for MOA. Widdop had a strong season in goal for MOA a year ago and with so much familiarity among the defensemen, the Warriors will be one of the toughest teams to score against. Freshman Kata Callanan will push for time in net as well.
On the other end of the ice, Bain has compiled four lines that could all see time on the ice. Senior Alex Ledin (16 points), senior Ella Waryas (15 points) and sophomore Reese Pereira (17 points) accounted for the majority of the Warriors’ scoring last year and will be among the most dangerous lines in the league. The line of Sam Ledin, Kylie O’Keefe, and Emma Garland will provide a change of pace, using their speed on both ends of the ice; the trio of seniors Lily O’Brien and Tess Luciano centered by junior Cierra Doherty will provide veteran leadership; and sophomore Mya Waryas will be surrounded by freshmen Maeve Anastasia and Cam Shanteler for a youthful option.
“This team only graduated two players, it has essentially the same personnel from last year, but with a renewed sense of the possibilities of what they can build for this program,” Bain said. “Some of the seniors were cheated out of their seasons in other sports and know what’s at stake for girls hockey. I’m impressed by the focus they’ve shown this far. The rules they play under may have changed, but their mindset and their love of the game has not.”
The Black Knights took a step in the right direction last season, picking up points in four contests including three wins. Stoughton will look to build on that this year in a very competitive Hockomock League.
Morgan Lessa was one of the best forwards in the Hockomock League last season, second in the entire league with 21 goals scored and tied for second-most in points with 31. Haley Nelson also had a strong junior campaign and was a big reason for Stoughton seeing an improvement on the ice from the season before. Nelson accounted for nine goals and six assists.
Zofia Bangs made an immediate impact for the Black Knights last season and is coming off a strong field hockey season. Both Bangs and Jillian Parker played key roles in the attack for the Black Knights. Stoughton will have to replace goalie Brianna Buckley (graduation). Buckley recorded over 350 saves last season and was a key piece in the Stoughton defense.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 52 @ Foxboro, 66 – Final – Tied after a quarter and separated by just a point at halftime, Foxboro created a little separation in the third and used a 22-point fourth quarter to completely pull away from visiting Oliver Ames. Senior Donald Rogers scored 16 of his career-high 24 points after the break, including nine points in the third quarter that helped the Warriors turn a 26-25 halftime lead into a 44-39 advantage. Both Rogers and Brandon Borde (18 points) connected on three-pointers in the fourth quarter while senior Ryan Hughes scored six of his eight points in the final frame. Junior Kevin Gallagher added 15 points for the Warriors. Junior Amari Brown had a team-high 18 points for the Tigers while Jay Spillane added 12 points.
Mansfield, 72 @ Milford, 41 – Final – Mansfield closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run and never looked back, securing a win on the road over Milford. The Hawks cut the deficit down to two (21-19) midway through the second quarter before Mansfield pushed the lead to double digits, up 35-25 at the halftime break. The advantage remained the same until the Hornets went on their run in the final four minutes of the third to take a 51-33 lead into the fourth quarter. Senior Sam Stevens led the charge with 26 points and five rebounds while junior TJ Guy had a strong all-around showing with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Foxboro and Oliver Ames traded goals between the first two periods before the Warriors scored three straight in the final period to get the win. Kirk Leach put the hosts up in the first before Hunter Costello answered midway through the second for OA to make it 1-1 heading into the third. Foxboro sophomore Jack Watts scored less than a minute into the third period to give the Warriors the lead. Espen Reager made a handful of saves late to protect the lead while both Watts and Leach tacked on empty net goals in the final minute.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – For nearly two periods, Taunton goalie Sean Bunker thwarted every shot that Franklin put his way. But the Panthers finally broke through with just over two minutes to go in the second and went on to score five more in the third to grab a win over the Tigers. Conor O’Neil put the hosts ahead with Sean Connelly and JT Dwyer recording assists as Franklin led 1-0 through 30 minutes. Kyle Hedvig tacked on a pair of third period goals while Declan Lovett (unassisted), Shea Hurley, and Andrew Demerchant also scored for the Panthers. Colin Hedvig added two assists while Lovett and Dylan Marchand also had helpers. Bunker finished with over 40 saves for Taunton.
King Philip, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Joe Boselli scored twice and Jesper Makudera made 24 saves as KP earned a tough non-league road shutout. Boselli opened the scoring in the second period off of an assist from Nolan Feyler. In the third, Conor Cooke (assisted by Aidan Boulger) doubled the lead and then Boselli sealed with the win with an unassisted goal.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Franklin opened the scoring in the second period and took a 1-0 lead into the third period but had to score with less than four minutes to go to salvage a tie. Franklin’s Amanda Lewandowski scored with just under two minutes left in the second period on an assist from Lyndsey Atkinson. But Canton’s Tess Khoury (from Maria Femia and Lizzie Tassinari) scored 14 seconds into the third period to tie the game. The Bulldogs took their first lead with 6:40 to go when Ellie Roberts finished off a pass from Caroline Tourgee but Atkinson scored the tying goal with 3:12 to go with Jordan Dwyer getting the assist.
King Philip, 10 vs. Shawsheen Tech, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Jen Daniels and Makenzie Shandley each scored a pair of goals as the Warriors skated to a big win over Shawsheen. Sydney O’Shea (three assists), Nicole Brady, Averi Maxwell, Olivia Donovan, Ally Donovan, and Sammy Robison each scored once while Cristina Coleman and Mallory Johnston combined for the shutout.
Wrestling
Canton, 30 @ Sharon, 49 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.The Eagles recorded seven pins as a team, continuing their impressive dual meet record this season and opening league play with a win. Adam Landstein (106), David Gilman (120), Ammit Levin (126), and Vennai Chinnen (132) each recorded pins as Sharon jumped out to a 24-6 lead. Zach Peters the lone Canton points with a pin at 113 pounds. Aaron Cashton added a 10-0 win at 138, Max Pozner recorded a pin right as the first period buzzer sounded, and Kirit Gossetty added three more with a 6-1 win to push the lead to 37-6. Eddie Marinilli had a first period pin at 160 but Sharon answered with a first period pin by Tyler Freedman. Cillian Collins got six points for the Bulldogs, but again the Eagles responded with a pin, this time by Rhamsez Thevenin at 195. Derrell Brown earned a shock pin at 220. Trailing 5-2, Brown suddenly caught his opponent and managed to get a pin with just four seconds remaining. Ryan Richards closed the match with another pin for Canton.
Franklin, 53 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.Franklin took control of the dual meet in the middleweight matches and then closed it out with strong matches in the heavyweights, opening league play with a convincing win. OA was fired up in the first match when Nathan Lipski won by fall at 106, but the Panthers got those six points right back with a pin for Dillon Cashin at 113. Drew Difilipio was able to hold on for a 5-2 win at 120, but Remi Creighton tied the meet for OA with an 8-2 win at 126. Jake Carlucci (132) and Nelson Malone traded pins to keep the score tied, 15-15, but then the Panthers took over. Alex Fracassa had a second period tech fall to earn five points followed by back-to-back pins from Ken Sauer and Dominic Sackley. Liam Cogavin battled to win 9-4 at 170, although Onye Nwadiugwu dominated the third period of the match, and Dylan Nawn got a pin at 182. Max Anderson grabbed four points for the Tigers at 195, but Matt Walker (220) and Matt Leofanti (285) closed out the meet with pins for the Panthers.
King Philip, 41 @ Taunton, 33 – Final – Four Warriors earned wins by pinfall and another by tech fall to help King Philip earn a win on the road at Taunton. Sam DeBaggis (120), Jackson Kelley (138), Cole Ricci (160), and Hunter Hastings (220) each won by fall for KP while Shawn Conniff (195) won by tech fall up 17-2. Noah Riedel (145, 6-2) and Lucas Morreale (170, 5-3) won by decision for KP. Taunton’s James Collins (106), Brandon Mendes (113), and Xavier Sandoval (126) win via pinfall while Peter Ye (182) earned a 2-0 decision.
2018-2019 Record: 12-6-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 First Round Coach: Dennis Aldrich
The Bulldogs will be using a mix of veterans and new faces as they try to get back on top of the Hockomock League. After winning the first league championship in 2018, the Bulldogs finished second last year but will be aiming to take back the title in 2020.
The strength of the team will be along the blue line with senior captains Alexa Maffeo and Meg Aldrich leading the way. Both have a ton of varsity experienced, including playing in a state championship game, and Canton will lean on them heavily for their leadership both on and off the ice. The defense will also feature sophomore Allie McCabe, who picked up valuable experience as a rookie a season ago. The defense will also get a boost from a pair of new faces with freshmen Olivia Maffeo and Maya Battista expected to be big time players for the Bulldogs.
Offensively, head coach Dennis Aldrich said he expects his side to be very quick and opportunistic in the attacking zone. Junior captain Maria Femia (two goals, nine assists), junior Lizzie Tassinari (five goals, 13 assists) and junior Ellie Rae Roberts (four goals, eight assists) are familiar with the system and have high expectations for the season. Sophomore Tess Khoury (six goals, five assists) returns after an impressive freshman senior. Freshman goalie Carolyn Durand has impressed early on with senior Vicky Revanche give the Dogs an experienced option in net.
“The early energy and closeness of this team has been remarkable,” Aldrich said. “I look for us to make some noise both in the Hockomock League and the state tournament this season.”
It’s been back-to-back very successful seasons for the Panthers, and head coach Margie Burke is looking for that success to continue in 2020. Franklin won 14 games two years ago, and then went unbeaten in Hockomock League last year and finished with 17 wins overall.
The defending Hockomock champs have a lot of experience back on the defensive end. Junior goalie Gabby Colace is back between the pipes for Franklin and will be one of the top netminders in the area. She posted a 0.905 save percentage in the regular season a year ago, allowing just 1.77 goals a game while making 242 saves. She will have some familiar faces in front of her with seniors Tina Pisano, Gina Vignone, and Gianna Cameron all back playing defense. Franklin was tough to score against last year and that will likely be the case again this year.
The biggest question mark offensively will be trying to replace the production of Regan Paterson and Cassi Ronan, who were two of the top three point producers in the entire league last year. But Franklin has a good cast of players ready for expanded roles this year. Juniors Libby Carter (five goals, three assists), Amanda Lewandowski (eight goals, 10 assists), Katelyn Brown (five goals, three assists), and Maddy Dolan, give the Panthers plenty of options on the attacking end. The Panthers will be looking to get some production out of the eight underclassmen on the roster as well.
“We are looking forward to building on the successes of last year and to be competitive in a very strong Hockomock League,” Burke said.
2018-2019 Record: 4-13-2 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Ken Assad
After helping the Franklin boys team for over a decade, Ken Assad has traded in his Panther blue for the green and gold of King Philip, taking over the helm of the girls’ hockey program. Coming off a four-win season, Assad and his staff are very optimistic about the upcoming season.
The Warriors only have three seniors on the roster, so they will need contributions from every player on the roster to compete for a Hockomock League title and try to get back into the state tournament. Although it’s a small senior class, all three are important pieces to the team and are spread out on the ice. Makenzie Shandley is a newcomer to the program but will be leaned on to guide the offense on the first line. She is joined by returning forwards Avari Maxwell (seven goals, two assists) and sophomore Morgan Cunningham. Assad is hoping to have a deep offense with Jennifer Daniels, Olivia Donovan, Sydney O’Shea, Katarina Precobb, and Meg Sherwood all in the mix to get plenty of ice time.
Defensively, the Warriors are going to lean on senior captain Sami Robison. Fresh off a terrific field hockey season, Robison will be the veteran leader of the blue line unit for the Warriors. Junior Gabriela Trujillo should see an expanded role this year and will be an important part of the defensive unit. Junior Libby Curran, sophomore Ally Donovan, and freshman Maggie Griffin and Brielle Hearon are also apart of the KP defense. In goal, senior captain Cristina Coleman and freshman Mallory Johnston will push one another for time in between the pipes.
“Being a young team is great for the future of this program which is exciting,” Assad said. “We are always optimistic for a good start and to compete at a high level and I know the chemistry we have and the great leadership the girls will come out giving their best.”
The Mansfield/Oliver Ames/Foxboro girls hockey team is relying on a mix of youth and veterans to push for a return to the state tournament in 2020. Although there are just two seniors on the squad, there is still a handful of experienced players that have played in plenty of contests at the varsity level.
Senior Liz Healy, junior Emma Pereira, and junior Melissa Shanteler will lead the way for the Warriors this season. Healy will be a leader on the offensive end while both Pereira and Shanteler will provide MOA with talent and leadership on the blue line. Joining that junior duo on the blue line will be classmate Megan O’Hara and sophomore Julia Muttart. The Warriors added some depth to the defensive unit with the addition of freshmen Brooklynn Levins and Maya Manganaro. Behind that talented group of defensemen will be sophomore goalie Jess Widdop, who had a terrific freshman year and earned team MVP honors.
On the offensive end of the ice, the Warriors return the speedy line of junior Alex Ledin (six goals, three assists), sophomore Sam Ledin (three goals, six assists), and sophomore Kylie O’Keefe, all representing Foxboro. Healy will be joined by Tessa Luciano and Emma Garland on another line while OA freshman Reese Pereira will be working with Foxboro’s Ella Waryas and Mansfield’s Lily O’Brien, giving the Warriors a lot of depth offensively. MOA is also looking for contributions from Elle Weinstein, Pam Nelson, Maeve O’Keefe, Erin DiCenzo, Cataline Kipp, Ciera Doherty, Ava Adams, and Mya Waryas.
“With a team comprised of two seniors, ten juniors, nine sophomores, and four freshmen, the program can look forward to continued consistency and success for the next few seasons,” said MOA head coach Roy Bain. “This team should compete against the talent-rich and always tight Hockomock League race.”
After a down year, the Black Knights are looking to getting back on track as they team up with Sharon High for the second straight season.
Stoughton boasts skill at each position with junior Morgan Lessa back for her third year with the program, junior Haley Nelson returns to anchor the defense, and senior Brianna Buckley gives the Black Knights plenty of experience between the pipes. Stoughton will need contributions from everyone on the roster with four seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, and four freshmen.
Lessa is among the league’s top players at forward, scoring nine goals and adding three assists last year. Senior Abbey Kashian is one of the team’s three captains and will provide leadership on the offensive end. Look for Sharon junior Sam Sherman, another captain on the team, to fill in both offensively and defensively depending on the team’s needs. Seniors Carly Lader and Hannah Duff will provide depth on the attack this season.
Nelson, who logs a ton of minutes, will be the leader of the defensive unit. Sophomore Zofia Bangs and Sharon junior Jillian Parker are going to be key pieces on both ends of the ice this season for Stoughton. Freshman Ava Buckley has impressed early on this preseason and could give the blue line a big boost.
