Below are the official 20020 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Kelley-Rex Division MVP
Leo Coelho, Milford
Kelley-Rex Division All Stars
Joey Soucy, Attleboro
Jackson Singer, Attleboro
Ethan Cain, Franklin
Terry O’Neill, Franklin
Evan McEvoy, King Philip
Aidan Lindmark, King Philip
Ajae Olsen, King Philip
Evan Eames, Mansfield
Tommy Lanzillo, Mansfield
Michael Jeans, Mansfield
Leo Coelho, Milford
Lucas Da Silva, Milford
Chris Tocci, Milford
Davenport Division MVP
Colin Milliken, Oliver Ames
Davenport Division All Stars
Giovanni Ruggeri, Canton
Jacob Crugnale, Canton
Abdul Barrie, Canton
Erik Valdovinos, Canton
Max Beigel, Foxboro
Justin Silva, North Attleboro
Kevin Louhis, Oliver Ames
Colin Milliken, Oliver Ames
Brady deVos, Oliver Ames
Mathias Taylor, Oliver Ame
Matt Nikiciuk, Oliver Ames
Anthony DaCosta, Oliver Ames
Bryce Nathan, Sharon
Honorable Mentions:
Alex Vecchioli, Attleboro
Jorge Sanchez, Canton
Matthew Angelini, Foxboro
Ben Moccia, Franklin
Cole Breen, King Philip
Eric Sullivan, Mansfield
Leo Oliveira, Milford
Matthew Conley, North Attleboro
Drew Nickla, Oliver Ames
Matthew Baur, Sharon
Nolan Gerome, Stoughton
Riley Rebello, Taunton
Boys Soccer Hockomock Cup
#KR2 Mansfield, 0 @ #D1 Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each of the first two quarters and tacked on a fourth quarter insurance goal to secure a 3-0 win over Mansfield and advance to the Hockomock Cup final. Matt Nikiciuk blasted a free kick through traffic in the first to put Oliver Ames ahead. Anthony DaCosta doubled the lead for the Tigers, running onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Kevin Louhis and one-timing a shot into the net. Mathias Taylor iced the game, running onto a long ball from Hector Bucio and using his speed to race past the defense and finish to the far post. Bucio, Nikiciuk, Brady deVos, Jimmy Keane, and Ben Cohen played strong defense for the Tigers to limit the Hornets. Oliver Ames will take on Kelley-Rex division champion Milford in the Hockomock Cup final.
#D2 Canton, 0 @ #KR1 Milford, 5 – Final – Reigning Hockomock League MVP Leo Coelho netted a first half hat trick to pace the unbeaten Scarlet Hawks past Canton and into the Hockomock Cup final. Lucas Da Silva (from Arthur Tome) and Coelho (from Da Silva) scored first quarter goals as the Hawks took a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes. Coelho converted a penalty kick, and then completed his hat trick on an another assist from Da Silva as Milford carried a 4-0 lead into halftime. Coelho then set up Eduardo Castro for a third quarter goal. Milford will take on Davenport division champion Oliver Ames in the Hockomock Cup final.
Consolation Rounds
North Attleboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – North Attleboro scored first but the hosts equalized less than a minute later and then found the winner in the fourth quarter to claim the Leach and Garner Cup. Connor Ward’s cross was tapped home by Eddy Mendoza to give North a first quarter lead but the Bombardiers equalized right off the kick off when Jackson Singer played Ben Fasoldt in behind the defense and the senior captain finished into the back of the net. In the fourth quarter, Justin Lurrsen laid off a pass for Emilio Ticas and the junior blasted a shot in the far corner for the game-winner in the 63rd minute.
Girls Soccer Hockomock Cup
#D4 North Attleboro, 0 @ #KR3 King Philip, 1 – Final – Jenny Montville scored six minutes into the third quarter and it proved to be enough for the Warriors to pull out the win. Montville ran onto a ball over the top by Ella Pisani and was able to lift it over the keeper for the game-winner.
Field Hockey Hockomock Cup
#KR3 Attleboro, 1 @ #KR1 Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin scored four unanswered second half goals to pull away from the upset-minded Bombardiers to secure its spot in the Hockomock Cup final. The Panthers pounced early as Amanda Lewandowski scored twice, unassisted at 3:04 and from Kaitlyn Carney at 8:47, to take a 2-0 lead after one quarter of play but Attleboro’s Madison Ellis cut the deficit in halftime with a second quarter goal. In the third, Stephanie Bell scored back-to-back goals to push the Panthers’ lead to 4-1, and Sara Carney and Jill Fenerty added fourth quarter goals to seal the win. Neilee Hess made six saves in net for the win. Franklin will host King Philip in the Hockomock Cup final on Tuesday at 4:00.
#KR2 King Philip, 1 @ #D1 Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip scored the lone goal of the game midway through the fourth quarter to emerge victorious in a well-played game against Oliver Ames. A quick restart from Alli Beltramini found Grace Crocker, who was able to get past a defender and then raced from midfield, past an OA defender, and slid a low shot past the sliding keeper to put the Warriors in front. KP head coach Lisa Cropper praised Beltramini and Morgan Cunningham for their stellar defensive effort in front of Makenzie Manning (11 saves). King Philip will travel to Franklin in the Hockomock Cup final on Tuesday at 4:00.
Consolation Rounds
North Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Maria Femia and Audrey Koen each scored once as the Bulldogs finished the season with a 2-1 win over North Attleboro.
Boys Soccer Hockomock Cup
#KR4 Franklin, 0 @ #D1 Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – The Tigers blitzed the Panthers, exploding for three goals in the opening quarter to register a 5-0 win over Franklin in the opening round of Hockomock Cup action. Colin Milliken opened the scoring in the seventh minute, taking a pass from Mathias Taylor and sliding a low shot far post for a 1-0 lead. Just minutes later, Milliken’s corner from Kevin Louhis open in the area for an easy finish, and just before the end of the quarter, Michael Haikal forced a turnover before dropping a through ball for Taylor to make it 3-0. Matthew Nikiciuk (from Ben Cohen) and Anthony DaCosta (from Nikiciuk) added goals in OA’s win. Oliver Ames will host Mansfield, the second seed in the Kelley-Rex, later this week.
Girls Soccer Hockomock Cup
#KR3 King Philip @ #D2 Foxboro – Canceled. King Philip advances due to forfeit.
Field Hockey Hockomock Cup
#KR3 Attleboro, 3 @ #D2 Canton, 2 – Final – Attleboro’s Madison Ellis scored a hat trick to lead the Bombardiers to an upset win on the road over Canton in the opening round of the Hockomock Cup postseason tournament. Ellis put the visitors in the lead with a first quarter goal, an advantage that lasted until the third quarter when Maria Femia tied it up. Ellis scored back-to-back fourth quarter goals to put the Bombardiers back ahead. Femia scored on a penalty shot late but Attleboro held on for the win.
Consolation Rounds
Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 7 – Final – Stoughton defended its home turf in a consolation round game, earning a win over visiting Sharon. Zofia Bangs and Morgan Lessa each found the back of the net twice for the Black Knights while Haley Nelson, Amelia Brasil, and Ava Catorio each scored once.
Sharon @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Friday, 11/6 at 6:00.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Kevin Louhis scored a hat trick and classmate Colin Milliken had three assists as the Tigers rolled to their ninth win of the season. Mathias Taylor added a pair of goals while Ryan Ventura, Anthony DaCosta, and Milliken each scored once.
North Attleboro @ Sharon – Postponed to Friday, 11/6 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Lauren Sellmayer half volleyed a cross from Jenna Gilman with five minutes to give the Tigers a win in a hard fought game. Emma O’Donnell and Emily Meyers shared the shutout for OA. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima was full of praise for his team’s competitiveness and its ability to limit the Tigers to just the one goal. Lima said that Shayla Ford played well in defense for the second straight game and center midfielders Sam Tran and Emma Tremblay provided attacking impetus to open chances for the wingers and forwards.
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip scored twice in the fourth quarter to secure two points on the road, grabbing a victory at Attleboro. Evan McEvoy opened the scoring after a short corner, taking three touches towards goal before blasting a shot into the side netting. With two minutes left, McEvoy set up a key insurance goal with a long ball over the top. Caleb Casetta-Waxman raced onto the ball and beat the oncoming keeper, lobbing a volley that found the back of the net.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames clinched the Davenport division title outright with a 2-0 decision on the road over the Bulldogs. Colin Milliken gave the visitors the lead, converting a chance from Anthony DaCosta in the first half. Milliken then set up Matt Nikiciuk for a goal in the second half. Drew Nickla had the shutout in net, getting help from Ben Cohen, Hector Bucio, Jimmy Keane, Brady deVos and Mathias Taylor.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro broke the deadlock midway through the third quarter to earn two points on the road. With the score tied 1-1, North Attleboro senior Eddy Mendoza took a pair of touches before dishing off to Matt Conley, who one-touched Mendoza through on a textbook give-and-go and Mendoza finished in alone on the keeper to make it 2-1. The Rocketeers took the lead in the opening quarter when Connor Ward smashed a 30-yard bomb off the crossbar that bounced down and deflected off the keeper and in. Foxboro drew level in the second quarter when freshman John Hollis played Max Beigel into space and he cut his shot past a defender from just inside the 18-yard line. Big Red keeper David Floyd had a strong day in net, making two big saves in the fourth to preserve the win.
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – A well-played, competitive match ended up with both Mansfield and Franklin earning a point on Wednesday night. Both coaches praised the work ethic from both sides and agreed it was a hard-fought match from both squads. Eric Sullivan earned the shutout in net behind a strong defensive performance from the Hornets. Franklin’s Luc Boudreau picked up his first shutout, earning the praise of head coach Fran Bositis for his continued improvement throughout the season.
Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Sharon scored a pair of second half goals to earn a pair of points on the road with a win over the Black Knights. Playing under the lights on the new turf at Stoughton, the Eagles peppered the Black Knights with a handful of good chances in the third quarter but Stoughton goalie Nolan Gerome stood on his head to keep Sharon off the board. Finally in the 56th minute, senior Bryce Nathan rifled a shot from distance that went just under the bar for a 1-0 lead. In the fourth, junior James Zhang took advantage of time and space atop the area and placed a perfectly weighted shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Attleboro scored midway through the first quarter and put in a solid defensive performance to get the road win and split the series with KP. Meghan Panzer got credit for the game’s only goal, when her cross deflected off a KP defender and into the back of the net. KP coach Gary Pichel said of Attleboro, “They played great defense all game long.”
Canton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames took an early lead but Canton responded with three unanswered goals to earn the win on the road. Lauren Sellmayer (from Emma Pereira) scored in the first quarter to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Elisa Diletizia scored a pair of goals and Mia Gilmore had a goal and an assist to bring the Bulldogs back on the road and keep Canton atop the Davenport division. Marissa Staffiere saved a penalty kick late in the second half to keep Canton ahead by two. Sarai Costello added an assist in the win.
Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Jordyn Collins scored twice and assisted on another, as Foxboro swept the season series with North and kept the pressure on league-leading Canton. Collins had a hand in all four goals that Foxboro scored against North this week. She opened the scoring in the third quarter, assisted by Jordan Carman, and doubled the lead in the fourth, assisted by Kailee McCabe. In between the first two goals, North nearly equalized. Steph McKenna struck the crossbar and the ball went straight down but not over the line. Collins also set up McCabe for the third goal that sealed the points and keeps Foxboro within a point of Canton heading into two games against the Bulldogs next week. North coach Bill Wallace said that Summer Doherty, Charlotte Moynihan, and Jordyn Sullivan played well defensively.
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Stoughton went on the road and earned its first point under first-year coach Hermes Lima. Shayla Ford moved from striker into defense for most of the game to try and slow down the Sharon attack. Lima said, “Shayla was by far my best player on the field today and played a heck of a game. We had our chances but could not capitalize but I am proud of the way the girls played today!” He also highlighted Isabella Rodrigues for her play moving from center mid to forward.
Field Hockey
Stoughton, 6 @ Sharon, 2 – Final
Golf
Franklin, 154 @ Mansfield, 145 – Final – Mansfield set a new home course record and finished undefeated against division opponents, clinching the Kelley-Rex division title outright with a win over Franklin. Mansfield senior Ryan Dow fired a two-under par round of 33 to pace the Hornets to the division title clinching win while Cian Goulet added a 36, and both Nate Morreale and Jason See shot 38. Franklin’s Nolan Norton shot an even par round of 35 while Pat Dolan added a 38 and Jack Paterson shot a 39.
Sharon, 181 @ Stoughton, 179 – Final – Stoughton earned its first win of the season with a two-stroke decision over Sharon at Easton Country Club. Max Huminik led the way for the Black Knights with a team-low round of 44. Anthony Hern, Jake Curtis, and Patrick Smith all chipped in with a 45. Eric Carter was the match medalist, leading Sharon with a low round of 42. Nathan Daley added a round of 45 for the Eagles.
King Philip, 149 @ Attleboro, 163 – Final
Oliver Ames, 166 @ Canton, 145 – Final – Canton completed an undefeated regular season with its second straight win over Oliver Ames. Nate MacDonald was the match medalist, shooting a low round of 35 to pace the Bulldogs. Thomas Singleton added a 36 while Will Gefteas and Ryan Doucette each shot a 37. Noah Isleib and David Rodgers led the way for OA, each carding a round of 41.
Foxboro, 154 @ North Attleboro 150 – Final – North Attleboro senior Aidan Weir and sophomore Dillon Harding both a great day on the links at Heather Hill Country Club, leading the Rocketeers to a win over visiting Foxboro. Weir and Harding split match medalist honors, shooting a one-over round of 36. Sam Gallagher and Tyler DeMattio each shot 39 in the win. Foxboro’s Dylan Quinn, Jack Watts, and Dylan Pothier each shot 38 while Mat Sullivan and Matt Fossella finished at 40.
Oliver Ames’ Brady deVos (right) celebrates with Matthew Nikiciuk after deVos’ first half goal. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – There might not be a state tournament this season, but Monday night’s game between Oliver Ames and Canton certainly felt like a playoff game.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
Both teams entered the Davenport heavyweight clash undefeated but only one, the Tigers, walked out still without a loss. Oliver Ames built a two-goal lead and added a key insurance strike in the fourth quarter to earn a 3-1 decision over the Bulldogs.
The battle between the top two teams in the Davenport division delivered with high intensity throughout, stout defensive efforts, a pair of class goals, and some fourth quarter drama.
“It was like a playoff game, a great game,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “They were well prepared, they came out with a very playoff tactic to get the win. We came in with our tactic to win, we were both playing this game to win no doubt about that. They don’t let you play your game, and we didn’t let them play their game so maybe it wasn’t the best either team has played…it was very intense, but that’s what Canton OA is right? We haven’t had this energy or feel in other games. And we expect the same type of vibe there.”
Oliver Ames scored early in the second quarter and doubled its lead with a goal just minutes into the second half but the Bulldogs took advantage of an opportunity in the 55th minute to get back into the game, halving the deficit.
That goal seemed to give the visitors some life and resulted in Canton’s best passing sequence of the game. Senior Abdul Barrie combined with sophomore Jorge Sanchez, the former getting some space in the corner and whipped a service in. Junior Jacob Crugnale got a touch to the cross but his bid was inches off, hitting off the far post and staying out, keeping the hosts ahead 2-1.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
A minute later, the Tigers built quickly out of the back with senior Colin Milliken carrying possession into the middle third, springing classmate Dillon Cupples out wide on the left. Cupples connected with senior Kevin Louhis, who worked around a defender to get to the corner of the area and Louhis blasted a curling shot inside the far post to make it 3-1 just seconds after the Bulldogs nearly tied it.
“Oliver Ames is a great team, they are strong everywhere on the field, really well organized,” said Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “We knew we’d have to play a rather mistake-free game to beat them and we didn’t. We played great moments, I was really proud of our work ethic but we kind of drifted in moments and let them take the game.
“The game really came down to moments, some bounces and some weird mistakes cost us the game. We had a brilliant opportunity with probably our best build up of the game, three of four great passes in a row that led to a great opportunity that hit the far post, and then as soccer goes, a good team will make you pay for missing opportunities and they went down and Kevin scored a banger.”
The game started as expected with two of the best defenses in the Hockomock League this year. OA entered the contest having surrendered just one goal while the Bulldogs had just two goals against. Both defenses shined in the opening 20 minutes, taking away chances and denying passing lanes.
Canton boys soccer
Canton looked to get in behind the defense on a great ball from Colton Mirlianiy but OA senior Ben Cohen, who had a very strong game at outside right back, did very well to recover and thwart the chance.
Canton boys soccer
Meanwhile, Canton keeper Giovanni Ruggeri was up to the task on a low shot from distance from Cupples in the 12th minute, and Barrie intercepted a pass in the area, taking away a combination between Milliken and Cupples.
OA opened the lead in the 23rd minute on a free kick from Matthew Nikiciuk after he drew the foul. On a direct kick from just over 30 yards out, Nikiciuk blasted a low shot that skipped into the area and senior Brady deVos made a run right to the penalty spot and got a touch to it, changing the direction just enough to catch the keeper going the wrong way.
The Tigers went on to double their lead just minutes into the second half. Anthony DaCosta touched the corner into play and Milliken drove a cross into the area that hit off a Bulldog defender and into the net for an own goal.
Canton got on the board late in the third quarter after high pressure resulted in a turnover. Crugnale applied a lot of pressure, getting a piece of a pass out of the back to knock it free. Mirliani latched onto it, taking a touch with his left to set up a blast from 30 yards out that caught the keeper off the line and snuck under the bar to make it 2-1.
The Dogs nearly had the equalizer just before the third quarter came to a close. On a free kick from straight away from just over 25 yards out, Mirlinani touched to Barrie, who skipped on shot on goal that was spilled on frame but junior Dylan Baird’s bid on the rebound was just over the bar.
Canton boys soccer
Canton continued to press in the fourth but Louhis was able to put the game away with his strike in the 67th minute.
“The maturity factor of the seniors is finally paying off for us,” Barata said. “We allowed them to get in and Abdul whipped a wonderful ball in and it ricocheted off the post and suddenly it’s 2-2 and the momentum has shifted. Sometimes with younger kids, you might panic but our senior experience showed today.
“Danny has them well prepared, they know how to play tactically and they are well prepared and ready to go. We didn’t put them away early when we had the chance and it became a much tougher game in the second half. But it was great to have Kevin put in that third goal because then it was done.”
The two teams will clash again on Wednesday as Oliver Ames (7-0) travels to Canton (4-1-2) on Wednesday for a 6:15 PM kickoff. The Tigers can clinch at least a share of the Davenport title with a draw, and can clinch it outright with a win.
“We hadn’t talked about [the division title] until today, we talked about today being a championship game for us, Canton coming in undefeated,” Barata said. “But whenever you play Danny and Canton, you know they will be prepared so it’s a good game to get ready for the tournament, but this is like a tournament game for us this year.”
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Two days after suffering a 4-0 loss, Attleboro battled to a scoreless draw with the Hornets to earn a point. Mansfield goalie Jack Lansbury-Casey had a strong outing in net with eight saves.
Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton scored two minutes into the third quarter and that was enough for the Bulldogs in a win on the road. Sophomore Jake McCabe converted a feed from junior Jacob Crugnale for the lone tally of the match. David Floyd had a solid outing in net for the Rocketeers with eight saves.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Foxboro sandwiched a pair of third quarter goals around a tally from Stoughton to earn two points and a season sweep of the Black Knights. After a scoreless first half, Foxboro’s Max Beigel opened the scoring in the 44th minute, tucking his show low to the left into the back corner for a 1-0 advantage. Rhuan Carvalho helped bring the Black Knights level, sending a perfectly paced through ball to Joao Marotti, who was fouled in the box for a pen. Carvalho blasted a left-footed shot that Foxboro keeper Nick Penders got his fingertips to but the ball kissed off the post and in to bring Stoughton level at 1-1. The deadlock lasted less than 10 minutes as Matt Angelini raced onto a loose ball behind the defense and hit a left-footed shot on the run just inside of the far post. Stoughton keeper Nolan Gerome had a strong outing with eight saves.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of first quarter goals a minute apart and held on the rest of the way to earn two points at home over visiting Taunton. Ben Moccia opened the scoring for the Panthers, finishing off a feed from Charlie Amante for a 1-0 advantage. Just a minute later, Ryan Witt set up Ethan Cain, who scored for the third straight game, for a 2-0 lead. Taunton sophomore Riley Rebello cut the deficit in half with an unassisted goal in the second quarter.
Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip battled back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring right before the halftime whistle and then just seconds before the final whistle to grab a point over visiting Milford. Junior Avi Seri put the Hawks ahead in the eighth minute on an assist from Leo Coelho, who scored in the 31st minute on an assist from Arthur Tome to make it 2-0. King Philip cut the lead in half with less than a minute to go in the first half when junior Stephen Griffin converted a free kick. And then with just 12 seconds left, Conor O’Neill buried a service from Evan McCoy to bring the Warriors level at the death.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for six second half goals to earn a big win at home over visiting Sharon. The Tigers built a 2-0 lead at halftime on goals from Mathias Taylor (from Ben Cohen) and Anthony DaCosta (from Colin Milliken). Senior Brady deVos added a second half brace for the Tigers while Milliken, Kevin Louhis, Dillon Cupples, and Jared Goldman also scored. Senior Ryan Ventura and freshman Joey Carney added assists.
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Cathryn Cooney scored twice in the second quarter to lift Mansfield to a win on the road. Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined to keep a clean sheet for the Hornets.
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Alyssa Vandenboom scored three times and Jordyn Collins and Erin Foley each scored twice, as Foxboro’s offense clicked into gear with a big road win. Kailee McCabe recorded five points on the day, finishing with one goal and four assists, and Katelyn Mollica added three, scoring one and assisting on two. Meghan Burke, Jordan Carman, and Collins all had one assist in the win. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima credited the leadership of seniors Mackenzie Manning, Nikki Anderson, and Rebecca DeSousa for keeping the Black Knights going. He said the team had several good attacks for forward Shayla Ford but just couldn’t find the finish.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Clare Bowen’s hat trick keeps the Panthers rolling along, having won all six of their games so far this season and extending their lead to six points in division standings (second-place KP plays on Thursday). Jamie Tanner and Riley Fitzpatrick also scored for Franklin. Izzy Arnold had a pair of assists, while Norah Anderson, Erin Quaile, and Tanner each had one helper apiece.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon’s goal came on a first half penalty kick by Sofia Goclowski that put the Eagles ahead 1-0 but the Tigers scored four straight to get the win on the road. Katie Gibson (assist), Camryn O’Connor (two assists), Emma Pereira, and Carly Gibson scored for OA. Lucinda Cotter notched an assist for the Tigers.
Golf
Canton, 147 @ North Attleboro, 156 – Final – Another day, another new golfer steps up to lead the Bulldogs as Conor Hunter fired a match-medalist even par round of 35 as Canton notched a win on the road at Heather Hill Country Club over North Attleboro. Will Gefteas and Owen Donovan each chipped in with a 37 while Aiden French carded a 38 for Canton. Sophomore Jake Gaskin led the Rocketeers with a team-low round of 37, Sam Gallagher added a 38, Jordan Paradis shot a 40, and Tyler DeMattio finished with a 41.
Taunton, 194 @ Franklin, 149 – Final – Franklin earned its eighth straight win to start the season behind an impressive two-under par round of 33 from senior Jack Paterson. Sean Connelly added a 38 in the win while both Nolan Norton and Pat Dolan carded rounds of 39. Spencer Andrews was Taunton’s top performer, coming in with a team-low round of 44.
King Philip, 158 @ Milford, 173 – Final – King Philip went on the road and earned a win over Milford at the Hopedale Country Club. Jared Curran was the match medalist, shooting a team-low round of 36 to pace the Warriors. Mike Matheson added a 37 and Gavin Croke chipped in with a 42 for KP.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – After a scoreless first 40 minutes of play, Milford found the back of the net twice to earn two points on the road. The Hawks scored once in the third quarter and once more in the fourth. Junior Avi Seri put Milford ahead on an assist from classmate Chris Tocci, and then a fourth quarter goal from Felipe Guerra (from Victor Botelho) made it 2-0.
Sharon, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final
Foxboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored a pair of goals on both sides of halftime to earn a series sweep of visiting Foxboro. Kevin Louhis (from Dillon Cupples) opened the scoring for the Tigers, who had four players find the back of the net. Brady deVos doubled the lead before the break on a pass from Matthew Nikiciuk. Nikiciuk (from Anthony DaCosta) and Colin Milliken (penalty kick) scored in the second half for OA.
Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip leveled the match just before halftime but Franklin came out and took the lead back with an early goal in the second half and held on to even the season series between the two rivals. Ben Moccia converted a feed from Tyler Powderly in the 26th minute to give the Panthers the lead but Tadhg Keller answered in the 35th minute on a long free kick to make it 1-1 at the break. Franklin’s Ethan Cain (from Charlie Amante) scored the game-winning goal in the 46th minute and the Panthers held on the rest of the way.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – For the second straight game, Mansfield scored the game-winning goal in the second half to earn two points against Taunton. Aiden Steele scored off a corner from Ethan Scholes for the lone goal of the game. Jack Lasbury-Casey earned his first shutout in his first career start. MHS coach Steve Sheridan said Colin True had an amazing day in the midfield and both Evan Eames and Michael Caridi played well defensively.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 5 – Final – After failing to find the back of the net in the first three games of the season, Milford edged a shootout against Attleboro to pick up its first win. Dani Atherton proved difficult to contain, scoring four goals for the Hawks, while Jillian Michelson added a goal and two assists. Briley Harnois had a goal and three assists for the Bombardiers, giving her six points in two games this season. Atherton got her first of the night four minutes into the game and added a second before halftime. Michelson also got one in the first half but Bethany Alves (first career goal) and Cassondra Stuger, both assisted by Harnois, kept Attleboro within one at the break. Atherton added two more in the third quarter, while Harnois got one, as Milford led 5-3 heading to the fourth. In the final quarter, Harnois set up Jamie Davies for her first varsity goal, but the Hawks held on to take the two points. Milford coach Lou Colabello called the win “a good morale boost” heading into next week’s games with King Philip.
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Canton scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull out a win on the grass at Sharon, stay perfect on the season, and remain two points ahead of the pack in the Davenport division. Mekhala Costello, Olivia Rodman, and Gabriella Herivaux scored the goals for the Bulldogs. Sarai Costello had two assists and Emily McCabe had one helper. Sharon played well throughout, keeping Canton’s attack at bay for the bulk of the game. Wendy Wooden had the goal for the Eagles.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the first quarter and held off a late charge by the Warriors to earn a hard-fought win in the rain and stay perfect on the season. The Panthers wasted no time getting on the board, as Sydney St. Marie scored after 90 seconds. Eight minutes later, St. Marie set up Anya Zub to double the lead. The lead remained two goals until the fourth quarter. Ava Tormey got KP back within one as she knocked in a rebound, which was the first goal the Panthers have allowed this season.. The goal sparked the Warriors and they put the Panthers under pressure for the final 13 minutes, but Franklin’s defense held on for the win. Julia Bertone and Rachel Welch combined to make seven saves for Franklin, while KP keeper Emma Glaser made nine saves.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – The Hornets earned their first win of the season behind the first career goals for Amira Walcott and Olivia Homsi. Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined for a second clean sheet in as many days. Mansfield had plenty of chances, forcing Taunton goalie Isabella Anslow into 20 saves.
North Attleboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Steph McKenna and Emma Pratt continued their impressive weeks, each scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist, as the Rocketeers won for the second straight game and stayed unbeaten on the season. Coming off a hat trick on Wednesday, McKenna scored a pair of goals and assisted one, while Pratt scored one (her third of the week) and had an assist. Tess Collins added a goal and two assist for North, while Maggie O’Brien and Lily Adams scored their first varsity goals. Brayden Rice, Charlotte Moynihan, and Caroline Ferrin had assists.
Golf
Mansfield, 158 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up its biggest win of the season, knocking off a previously unbeaten shorthanded Mansfield squad. Senior Logan Domenico made a 15′ putt for a birdie on the 8th hole, finishing with a match-low score of 35. Senior Kosta Spiliakos, junior Jake Kaplan, and freshman David Rogers all shot 40 for the Tigers. For Mansfield, Ryan Dow and Joseph Gormley each had a team-low round of 39n while Cian Goulet and Nate Morreale each carded a 40.
Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames, 5 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames built a 3-0 lead by halftime and tacked on two more in the final quarter to earn a sweep over the Rocketeers. Sophomore Hector Bucio opened the scoring in the 10th minute as OA held a 1-0 advantage through one quarter. Senior Matthew Nikiciuk needed less than a minute into the second quarter to double the lead and junior Mathias Taylor made it 3-0 in the 23rd minute of the game. Nikiciuk scored twice more in the fourth quarter in the 69th minute and the 77th minute to complete his first career hat trick. Senior Colin Milliken notched three assists while Anthony DaCosta had one helper.
Field Hockey
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton senior Maria Femia scored a pair of goals as the Bulldogs swept the season series against the Black Knights. After scoring a hat trick earlier this week against Stoughton, Femia found the back of the net twice in Canton’s home opener. Meghan LaBelle, Ellie Bohane, and Erin Lane each added a goal for Canton.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final
Milford 0 @ Franklin, 13 – Final – Franklin recorded its second straight big win, opening its home schedule with a victory over visiting Milford. Senior Amanda Lewandowski and junior Kaitlyn Carney each scored four goals in the win for Franklin, who built a 6-0 lead by halftime. Sara Carney added three assists while Lindsey Morse, Stephanie Bell, Jill Fenerty, Shaw Downing, and Grace Bonacci each scored once.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each quarter to secure its second straight win over North Attleboro. Julia Maclaine opened the scoring for the Tigers in the first quarter off an assist by Haley Gilman. Freshman Erin Cottam opened her account with her first varsity goal in the second quarter and then scored an insurance goal in the fourth on an assist from Lexi Gennis. Georgia Costello scored in the third quarter for OA with Maggie Woods recording the assist. OA head coach Sharon Lawrence noted the strong performance from Woods (in the midfield) and Emily Han (defensively). Julia Puccio scored for the Rocketeers while Hannah Bachand made 14 saves in net.
Golf
Canton, 146 @ Stoughton, 163 – Final – Canton junior fired a two-under par round of 34 to earn match medalist honors and lead the Bulldogs to a win on the road at Easton Country Club. Owen Donovan and Mike Leonetti were each one-over at 37 while Will Gefteas, Conor Hunter, and Nate MacDonald each shot 38 for the day. Stoughton’s Anthony Hern had a team-low round of 38, Max Huminik added a 40, Jake Curtis finished at 42 for the day, and Jonah Hochberg shot a 43.
King Philip, 179 @ Mansfield, 159 – Final – The Hornets moved to 4-0 on the season with their second win over King Philip this week. Senior Jason See was the match medalist, leading Mansfield with a match-best score of 38. Nate Morreale was right behind with a 39 while Brian See (41) and Ava Haggis (42) also scored for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 165 @ Oliver Ames, 159 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Carter Allbritton birdied the sixth hole at Pine Oaks, finishing with a low round of 38 to earn match medalist honors and lead the Tigers to a 4-0 start. Senior James Walsh and freshman Sean Kearns each shot 40 for the Tigers while senior Will Gianni, junior Jake Kaplan, and sophomore Daniel Paul all came into the clubhouse with a 41 for OA.
Sharon, 175 @ Foxboro, 163 – Final – Foxboro’s Dylan Quinn carded a round of 37 on the front nine at the Cape Club of Sharon, earning match medalist honors and helping the Warriors to a win on the road over Sharon. Jack Rounds added a 40 for Foxboro while Dylan Pothier and Luke Dave each shot a 43. Sharon’s Eric Carter and Nathan Daley both shot a 43 for the Eagles while Rosie Leonard added a round of 44.
Oliver Ames’ Mathias Taylor tries to dribble past North Attleboro’s Andrew Faris in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – A late goal from North Attleboro nearly led to the end of Oliver Ames’ season during last year’s playoffs.
It’s safe to say the Tigers learned their lesson.
In last year’s D2 South Sectional quarterfinal matchup, Oliver Ames boys soccer saw a lead disappear in the final minutes of regulation before pulling out a victory in the extra rounds of penalty kicks.
Fast forward to the first game of the 2020 season, and while the on-field product certainly looks a bit different under the current circumstances, the Tigers found themselves in the same situation: control of the game but only a 1-0 lead to show for it.
Oliver Ames’ experience was on full display as the Tigers made sure to slam the door shut this time around, opening the season up with a 3-0 win over the Rocketeers.
Similar to a year ago, Oliver Ames jumped in front with a goal inside the opening 20 minutes but couldn’t solve the Rocketeers’ defense and keeper David Floyd over the next two quarters — yes, soccer in 2020 means four quarters.
When North Attleboro finally found itself with some time in the attacking third, the Tigers turned the tables by doubling their lead on the break to make it 2-0, and tacked on an insurance goal five minutes later.
“[North Attleboro] is very disciplined,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “Geoff [Burgess] does a phenomenal job organizing the back four and then they have another line in front of that, so two lines of defense…they are very good at it. We have to do a lot of training to try and find a way to break them down. But then you throw the new rules in, and you throw in that it’s the first game of the season, this was a good first run at it in a real competitive environment.”
The first 60 minutes (or three quarters) belonged to the Tigers, with the Tigers knocking on the door in the 13th minute (a hard shot from Mathias Taylor denied by Floyd) and in the 17th minute (a Colin Milliken shot from inside the area turned aside by Floyd) before the hosts were able to breakthrough.
Milliken’s quick switch — taking a feed from the right side of the pitch and quickly changing the point of attack to the left side — put the ball at the feet of senior Kevin Louhis, who took advantage of the space he was given and deposited a low hard shot inside the far post for a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
“Honestly, the ball that killed us in the first half was a ball that normally could have been cleaned up with a header,” said North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess. “They played it every time and got Kevin in behind us and how do you defend it? I knew that’s how they’d play so I thought we had a good game plan to try to slow him and we kind of kept him under wraps but the way they move the ball so quickly from side to side, even as organized as we were with our back six, they were just too fast.”
OA continued to pressure but without anything to show for it. Anthony DaCosta had a shot from atop the area saved and then a combination between Michael Haikal and Louhis resulted in a shot from the latter that forced a diving save from Floyd; North Attleboro’s Kyle Robinson was first to the ball to clear it.
North Attleboro’s best chance of the first half came after a miscue from the Tigers in their own defensive third. Ryan Adams-Lopez was quick to intercept a pass out of the back but his bid on net was handled by OA keeper Drew Nickla.
“It’s an interesting dynamic,” Barata said of the effect the modifications have. “It feels like there’s a different intensity level in these games, we’re trying to get the guys to up their urgency. It almost seems that since they can’t challenge hard without it being a foul, they are almost holding back a little bit. But, that aside, once we’re out there playing, it’s great to watch them play even if it’s different. And we have a good style for this opportunity so we’re okay with it.”
North Attleboro Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames Boys Soccer
It didn’t take long for OA to threaten in the second half as Matthew Nikiciuk rocketed a shot off the post a minute in, and Taylor’s cheeky touch over a defender forced a fingertip stop from Floyd in the box.
North Attleboro’s defense made life difficult for the Tigers, who had a majority of the possession but spent a lot of time trying to find a way past the Rocketeers’ packed in defensive group. North’s Donovan Carter had a pair of big plays just minutes apart, winning a one-on-one battle to stop a chance on goal and blocking a shot moments later. Carter’s centerback partner Justin Silva denied a through ball attempt right after as OA continued to push forward.
“The gameplan was to park the bus and we wanted to create through our outside guys but the problem was we couldn’t hold the ball long enough to create anything,” Burgess said. “But credit to [OA], they create a hurried energy so you’re under stress all the time. But I’m starting eight seniors, there should be some composure there and we should be able to pull that off. Not that we have a lot of time to prepare for them Wednesday, but we need to be able to execute that going forward.”
The Rocketeers finally got their offense going at the start of the fourth quarter as junior Brody Rosenberg played speedy senior Matt Conley into some space but his centering pass in the area went without an answer.
North earned a corner moments later but a miscue resulted in a quick counter for the hosts. Taylor quickly cleared the ball up to Louhis, who played it to a streaking DaCosta. DaCosta carried the ball with pace, forcing the lone defender to commit before sliding it back to Louhis, who finished under the sliding keeper for a 2-0 lead in the 66th minute.
“We needed more offense but they don’t let you sustain it for very long with their pressure,” Burgess said. “The kid in the middle [Nikiciuk], he’s just so quick to the ball. He’s so good at disrupting, he does a good job of ruining plays we want to run. We knew what we wanted to do, we just couldn’t execute it which is a credit to them.”
Five minutes later, freshman Joey Carney combined with DaCosta off of a kick-in, the former using a fake to fool the defender before dropping a perfectly placed cross to Milliken, who positioned himself between three defenders. Milliken took the ball down off his chest and use a deft touch with the outside of his right foot to find the back of the net for a 3-0 advantage in the 71st minute.
“We’re very confident that no one is going to give us space because we know that if they do, we can most likely take advantage of it,” Barata said. “We just have to find a way to beat teams when they pack it in a bit. We want the space, we want to be able to run a bit and we’re hoping teams will try to run with us.
“[North] is very good in transition, they are good fast going forward. I just think that we did a good job of pinning them back in their own half for close to 90% of the game. We were definitely on the front foot in this game but we know they’ll make some adjustments and they’ll challenge us again Wednesday.”
Oliver Ames (1-0 Davenport, 1-0 overall) will travel to North Attleboro (0-1, 0-1) for a rematch on Wednesday night at 6:00.
