06/18/202206/19/2022

King Philip Falls To Milton In Division 2 State Final

King Philip baseball Brendan Weddleton — King Philip senior Brendan Weddleton catches a throw on a pickoff attempt at second base in the Division 2 state championship against Milton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

WORCESTER, Mass. — King Philip’s quest for a state championship came up just short.

The Warriors’ great run in the postseason came to a close in the Division 2 state championship on Saturday, falling to top-seeded Milton, 4-2, at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.

“Coming in, with their bats and their pitching, I thought we were going to have to play perfect,” said King Philip head coach Jeff Plympton. “We came up a little short but I’m proud of the way the guys played. They’re a pleasure to be around all the time.

“We stuck around, which is kind of where we wanted to be. It was alright if we weren’t ahead, but as long as we were in striking distance we thought with our bats in the lineup we could make up for it, but it just didn’t happen tonight.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Walks, errors, and aggressive base running became the difference in the game as the Warriors actually recorded more hits (five) in the game than the Wildcats (four). And Milton senior Charlie Walker, who is committed to play at Northeastern next season, was on his game with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Rudy Gately had a strong showing on the mound with four runs allowed, but none of them were earned. He scattered four hits and four walks, striking out three in 5.1 innings of work. Sophomore Tommy McLeish got the final two outs in the sixth, holding an inherited runner at third with a ground ball and a pop-up.

“I had all the confidence in the world in Rudy, he’s been a hell of a pitcher for us for the past two years and I’m excited for him to come back,” Plympton said. “And then Tommy McLeish coming in in that tough spot, and as a sophomore, that’s not easy. And he showed his composure and did a fantastic.”

An infield error (on a tough hop) allowed Milton’s leadoff man to reach in the bottom of the first, a walk pushed him to second, and a single up the middle brought the run home for an early 1-0 lead. Gately got a strikeout and an infield pop-up to strand runners at second and third.

Milton’s Ryan Kelley battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a one-out walk in the second, moved to second on a single, took third on an error, and then scored after a hard grounder got the force out at second but couldn’t be turned into a double play.

King Philip got a boost from the bottom of its lineup, starting with a one-out line drive double from the No. 9 hitting Eli Reed in the top of the third, the Warriors’ second hit of the day. Sophomore Max Robison followed with a hard-hit single to center and Reed scampered all the way home to cut the deficit in half.

Gately hit a batter with one out in the bottom half but induced a 6-4-3 double play with shortstop Shawn Legere hitting second baseman Brendan Weddleton, who fired over to first where Robison made a great scoop to hold on to end the inning.

Legere was hit by a pitch to put the leadoff runner on in the top of the fourth for the Warriors, but Walker got back-to-back strikeouts against the heart of the order, and then an infield pop-up for the third out.

“He threw a lot of curveballs and has a heck of a fastball, sitting around 90 [miles per hour],” Plympton said of Walker. “That’s probably the best curveball our guys have seen this year, it’s next level and he’s going to Northeastern so that’s what you’re going to see in Division 1 baseball, and I thought we gave him a pretty good bid.”

Meanwhile, the Wildcats proved to be dangerous with two outs. An infield error put Marcus Ollivierre on, who promptly stole second, and a second error allowed Jimmy Fallon to reach and Ollivierre to take third. A wild pitch bounced past the catcher and just like that, the Wildcats had another run without a hit.

Sean Sullivan had a one-out single in the top of the fifth and moved into scoring position after an errant pick-off attempt from the catcher, but the Warriors couldn’t push him any further as Walker got a ground out and then a pick-off.

Gately erased a leadoff walk with a pickoff and then worked around a single and a walk to keep the deficit at 3-1 through five innings, but Walker was in a groove on the mound and quickly retired the side in the top of the sixth. Milton added a key run in the bottom of the sixth with a one-out single from Fallon to score Kelley, who reached on an error to start the inning.

That ended Gately’s outing and McLeish took over with a runner on third. After falling behind 3-0 in the count, McLeish induced a ground to shortstop where Legere looked the runner back before firing to first for the second out. Four pitches later, McLeish got Walker to pop up to right for the third out.

King Philip battled to the end as junior Brendan Sencaj smacked a hard-hit grounder up the first base line, and it took a friendly bounce off the wall in right as Sencaj hustled his way to a triple. A ground out to the right side from Gately brought Sencaj in, cutting the deficit to 4-2 with two outs.

But that was all the damage the Warriors would do as Walker got a strikeout and a liner to second for the final out.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“The program wasn’t in a great spot a few years back and this group of seniors has led the charge with the turnaround,” Plympton said. “We had a pretty decent season last year too. They played a little bit of an underdog role all season and I couldn’t be happier where we are as a program now and the future looks bright for next year.

“They are a resilient group and they’re able to let things go. We had a bad loss to Franklin but they were back in practice the next day ready to move on like nothing happened, which is huge. Baseball is mental…so if you’re dwelling on things, it won’t be good so I definitely learned what a resilient bunch they were.”

King Philip baseball finishes the season at 16-9.

06/15/202206/15/2022

Martorano, KP Edge Mansfield For Spot In D2 Final

King Philip baseball — King Philip’s Shawn Legere (16) and Brendan Weddleton (2) celebrate with Tommy Martorano (5) after beating Mansfield (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BROCKTON, Mass. — Coming into the season, King Philip junior Tommy Martorano had high expectations but an injury in his first start of the season back in early April derailed his plans, forcing him to watch the entire regular season from the sidelines.

After two relief appearances earlier in the tournament, Martorano earned the start in the Division 2 state semifinals against rival Mansfield, and the left-handed pitcher delivered.

He tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit and a pair of walks while striking out 12 as the Warriors edged out the Hornets, 1-0, for a spot in the D2 state championship game this weekend.

King Philip baseball

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We knew it wasn’t too serious of an injury early on but he was going to need the whole season to get back into form,” said King Philip head coach Jeff Plympton. “We wanted to get him into some games early on [in the tournament] and he was pumping, he was doing well so I just asked him, and I said do you want the ball for the semis and he lit up like a Christmas tree.

“We watched him in practice, he was painting those corners so we wanted to give him a chance and put him out for a game. I was hoping for at least four [innings] and then go from there but he was electric today, just the one hit. He had a few curveball strikes but he really had that fastball going. We were planning on going with him until he couldn’t go anymore.”

Martorano was on from the get-go, retiring the Hornets in order on 15 pitches in the top of the first order, his first strikeout coming on the third out. He didn’t retire the side in order again until the final inning, striking out all three Hornets to end the game, but he also didn’t let a runner advance past second.

King Philip baseball

“I felt pretty good in the relief appearances so I was telling coach that I was ready for a start, I was ready to go,” Martorano said. “I love being out there with my guys and now we get to play for a state championship.

“I was pumped to get back. I had a timeline to get back for the playoffs and when I was ready to come back, I made sure I was ready to help the team out and go as far as we could. We really wanted this game and now we’re ready to roll for the next one.”

Martorano’s counterpart, Mansfield senior Aaron Blinn, also had a stellar performance on the mound backed up by solid defense from the Hornets in the field and Aiden Jones behind the dish. He scattered eight hits over six innings of work, striking out four without issuing a walk.

After a clean first inning from both, Martorano worked around a leadoff walk with back-to-back strikeouts and a fly ball in the top of the second. Juniors Brendan Sencaj and Rudy Gately had the first two hits of the game, and mixed in with a balk and a stolen base, the Warriors had runners on second and third with no outs but Blinn bunkered down with a strikeout and two shallow fly balls.

The third inning presented both teams with a chance to break through on the scoreboard, but only the Warriors were able to cash in.

Sophomore Brian Butler had a one-out single for the Hornets and classmate Matt DeShiro followed with a walk. But Martorano got a line drive out to center and then a strikeout to deny the Hornets.

King Philip baseball

In the bottom half, sophomore Max Robison had a one-out single, but after Matt Kelley followed with a single, the Hornets got Robison at third after a heavy round of the bag. The rundown did allow Kelley to move to second to keep a runner in scoring position, and with two outs, senior Shawn Legere came through in the clutch with an RBI single up the middle for a 1-0 lead.

“Shawn’s great…honestly, probably the best hitter to probably come through the King Philip program,” Plympton said. Legere was third in the Hock this regular season in average and was third in the league in hits as a junior. “He was just a little short for the best average in team history but he’s so confident, whatever the count is, doesn’t matter if it’s a fastball, a curveball, a changeup, a 3-2 count… he’s ready to go whenever.”

Mansfield got the leadoff runner on in Jake Maydak in the top of the fourth after an infield throwing error but Martorano quickly fielded the sac bunt in the next at-bat, and Robison alertly saw the runner taking off for an extra base at third and fired it over to Sean Sullivan, who applied the tag just before the slide. Another strikeout gave KP the third out.

Eli Reed had a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth, stole second, and took third on a ground out from Robison but Blinn didn’t allow him to go any further with a strikeout to end the inning.

“When you’re playing in the state tournament, every game is going to be close,” said Mansfield head coach Chris Hall. “We knew it was going to be a battle, already playing each other twice this year, and that’s exactly what it was. Martorano came out and pitched his tail off and I thought Aaron Blinn pitched incredibly on the mound and we played a clean game. But it comes down to that one run and they got it and we didn’t.

“But that can’t take away from what we achieved this year. I don’t think anyone in the state had us making it to the Final Four in Division 2, especially after starting off 1-4, but we’re here. I can’t say enough great things about this team. I’m very proud of this senior class for how they competed today and all year, such a huge positive. As far as I could find, I think this is the farthest any Mansfield team has gone so I’m just so proud.”

The Hornets got a final base runner on after an error in the top of the sixth, but once again Martorano came up with a strikeout to end the inning. Sencaj had one-out single in the bottom half to try and extend KP’s lead but was forced out at second on a fielder’s choice on a grounder from Gately. With the hit-and-run on, Travis Crawford drove one to center for a single from Mansfield center fielder Jared Fraone came firing and hit third baseman Jimmy Gilleran and he got the tag down to get the third out.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“The Hockomock League in general is tough, I think it’s the best league in the state,” Plympton said. “Blinn was fantastic, he dealt a good game. He shined, and he’s accurate and does a good job keeping guys off balance. Getting him for a third time, I was hoping that we’d be on him a bit more but he came out ready to go and he wanted it just as much as we did, it made for a good game.”

The Warriors, who won just three of its final eight games, have seemed to rediscover their form from the beginning of the season (seven wins in the first eight games) and now head into the D2 state championship against top-seed Milton riding a four-game winning stream.

King Philip baseball

“They’re a fun group to be around,” Plympton said. “There’s never a dull moment at practice and there’s a lot of talent on the team too. They can hit the heck out of the ball. I just have a smile on every time I’m with them, it’s great to come this far because they’re great to be around.”

King Philip baseball and Milton are scheduled to face off on Saturday at Fitton Field on the campus of Holy Cross with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00.

06/05/202206/07/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/06/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Division 1
#33 Lexington, 0 @ #1 Franklin, 14 – Final – Franklin was firing on all cylinders in its playoff opener, scoring in five of the six innings while Jacob Jette and three relievers dominated on the mound for the shutout. The Panthers pushed across three runs in the first, two more in the second, three in the third, four in the fifth, and two more in the sixth to get the win. Jack Marino went 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs to pace the offense, which totaled 19 hits on the day. Henry Digiorgio (three RBI, two runs), Jase Lyons (two RBI, two runs), Esig Chin (RBI, run), and Ben Jarosz (RBI, run) all added two hits in the win. Jette allowed just one hit with no walks, striking out eight in five scoreless innings of work. James Kuczmiec, Evan Raider, and Aidan Langmeyer combined for two scoreless innings of relief, with just one walk issued.

#31 Waltham, 1 @ #2 Taunton, 13 – Final

Division 2
#31 Melrose, 1 @ #2 King Philip, 8 – Final – King Philip wasted little time in getting the offense going with four runs in the first inning to run away with a win over visiting Melrose. Max Robison and Matt Kelley drew back-to-back walks and Shawn Legere was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Brendan Sencaj drove in a pair with a single, Travis Crawford added an RBI single two at-bats later, and back-to-back walks to Brendan Weddleton and Max DiFiore brought home a fourth run. KP tacked on one run in the third (RBI single from Weddleton), one in the fourth (Sencaj sac fly), and two more in the sixth (two-run single from Crawford) to make it 8-1. Rudy Gately shined on the mound for the Warriors, allowing one run on six hits and two walks, striking out seven in six innings of work. Tommy Martorano tossed a scoreless inning in relief with one hit and one walk allowed, striking out three.

#30 Danvers, 5 @ #3 Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield senior Jimmy Gilleran led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a game-tying solo home run and then drove in the game-winner with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh as the Hornets walked off with a 6-5 win over upset-minded Danvers. A run in the top of the first presented the visiting Falcons with an early lead but Mansfield jumped ahead with three runs in the bottom of the third, first an RBI single from Brian Butler to tie the game followed by a two-run single from Gilleran to make it 3-1. The seesaw battle continued with Danvers scoring twice in the fifth and Mansfield scoring once (Matt DeShiro sac fly), and the same happening again in the sixth with Danvers taking a 5-4 lead before Gilleran’s solo shot in the bottom half. In the bottom of the seventh, Cian Goulet led off with a single and courtesy runner Caden Colby took second on a sac bunt from Butler. An error allowed DeShiro to reach and Colby to move to third, and Conner Zukowski reached first on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases, setting up Gilleran’s game-winning sac fly.

#29 Somerset Berkley, 2 @ #4 North Attleboro, 12 – Final – North Attleboro exploded for seven runs in the third inning, breaking open a close game and running away with a double-digit decision over Somerset Berkley. The visitors staked an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first but a two-run home run from Tyler DeMattio tied it before the first inning was over, and a Gio Martello RBI single in the second gave the Rocketeers a 3-2 lead going into the third. In the bottom of the third, DeMattio had a one-out walk, Danny Curran followed with a single, Dillon Harding scored both on a single to left, Jordan Paradis drew a walk, David Floyd brought Harding in with an RBI single to left, and Gavin Wells followed with a three-run blast to left field to extend the lead to 9-2. Derek Maceda tacked on an RBI double before the inning was over to make it 10-2. Paradis brought two more runs in in the bottom of the fourth with a single to center. Tyler Bannon earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out nine in six innings. Harding came on for a scoreless inning in relief, striking out one.

#19 Canton, 2 @ #14 Marblehead, 6 – Final – Canton pushed across the tying run in the top of the fifth inning to make it 2-2 but the Magicians quickly made the Bulldogs’ momentum disappear, scoring three runs in the bottom half and one more insurance run in the sixth for the win. Trailing 1-0 in the third, Matt Chafin (two hits) delivered an RBI single to pull the Dogs even, but Marblehead jumped right back ahead with a run in the bottom half. In the top of the fifth, Jack Digirolamo delivered an RBI base hit to left to make it 2-2 before the Magicians scored three in the bottom half, including a pair with two outs. Andy Butler added two hits and a run scored for Canton. Hayden Rose allowed four runs (two earned) on just four hits and no walks, striking out three in 4.1 innings of work.

#25 Oliver Ames, 3 @ #8 Westwood, 8 – Final

Division 3
#28 Saugus, 5 @ #5 Foxboro, 6 – Final – After seeing its lead slip away in the top of the seventh, Foxboro got the fireworks started early with a dramatic walk off win over visiting Saugus. The Warriors held a 4-3 lead going into the final hour and were three outs away from advancing in the Division 3 state tournament. But the visitors took advantage of an infield error to score one and used a sac fly to make it 5-4, meaning the Warriors were just three outs from their season ending. On the first pitch of the bottom of the the seventh, junior Ryan LeClair ripped his first career home run over the fence in left to knot the score at 5-5. On the very next pitch, Sean O’Leary launched his first career home run and Foxboro walked off with the win. Matheiu Sullivan pitched well in relief for the Warriors, tossing three scoreless innings with two hits and no walks allowed with a pair of strikeouts.

Softball
Division 1
#30 Newton South, 0 @ #3 Taunton, 25 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton got its playoff run started in grand fashion as freshman Brooke Aldrich hit three home runs and the Tigers roared to a big win at home. Aldrich launched a three-run home run in the first to highlight a five-run inning, added another three-run blast in an 11-run run second inning, and a two-run blast in the fourth inning. Mia Fernandes added three hits, including a home run, with three RBI and the runs, while Kaysie DeMoura had two hits, including a home run, with two RBI and three runs.

Division 2
#27 Ludlow, 1 @ #6 North Attleboro, 5 – Final – Kelly Colleran matched her career-high with 19 strikeouts, allowed only one hit and three balls in play, leading North to a first round win over visiting Ludlow. Mandi Hanewich got North off to a great start with a solo homer in the first. In the third, Hanewich reached on an error, stole second, and came home for what turned out to be the winning run on an Ally Levine base hit. The Rocketeers would add another run in the fourth. Shaelyn Burns reached on an error and would come around to score on a hit by Grace Simmons. Colleran helped her own cause in the fifth by driving in Mary Rogers and Hanewich, who had both singled and moved into scoring position on a Levine bunt. Colleran sealed the victory by striking out the side in both the sixth and seventh innings. North will face No. 11 Bedford on Tuesday afternoon.

#17 Wakefield, 7 @ #16 Stoughton, 2 – Final

#19 Leominster, 2 @ #14 Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield scored five times in the fourth inning to earn a first round win over visiting Leominster and advance to the round of 16. Liv Madeira opened the rally with a triple and scored on a bunt single by Alanna Conley. Casey Moussette singled and Olivia DeTrolio bunter her way on to load the bases. Julia Kelly plated one with a fielder’s choice and Molly Kucharski added a two-run single. Cat Kipp singled to plate one more and make it 5-0. Leominster answered with two in the top of the fifth but the Hornets got out of the inning and then added an insurance run in the bottom half. Conley singled, Moussette walked and Jill Koppy had an RBI single to make it 6-2. Conley finished the day 3-for-3. Kelly earned the win in the circle, scattering six hits and striking out eight. Mansfield will face No. 3 Walpole on Tuesday.

#23 Oliver Ames, 1 @ #10 Agawam, 4 – Final

Division 3
#24 Diman, 4 @ #9 Foxboro, 5 – Final – Visiting Diman pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to try and force extra innings but a single from freshman Vittoria Cuscia gave the host Warriors a walk-off win to advance to the next round. Foxboro held a 4-2 lead going into the final frame but Diman struck twice for make it 2-2. In the bottom of the seventh, senior Peyton Feldman had a single, stole second, and came home to score the winning run on a base hit from Cuscia. Cuscia got the win in the circle, striking out nine. Freshman Jill Slattery added two hits, two runs, and a stolen base in the win.

Girls Lacrosse
Division 1
#38 Milford, 4 @ #27 Newton North, 14 – Final

Boys Tennis
Division 1
#18 Algonquin, 4 @ #15 Franklin, 1 – Final

Division 2
#23 Nauset, 1 @ #10 Mansfield, 4 – Final
#19 Oliver Ames, 2 @ #14 Plymouth North, 3 – Final
#22 Canton, 1 @ #11 Wakefield, 4 – Final
#31 King Philip, 0 @ #2 Westboro, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
Division 1
#25 King Philip, 0 @ #8 Hingham, 5 – Final
#30 Franklin, 0 @ #3 Brookline, 5 – Final

Division 2
#27 Ludlow, 1 @ #6 Sharon, 4 – Final
#20 Marblehead, 2 @ #13 Oliver Ames, 3 – Final

Division 3
#26 Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 @ #7 Foxboro, 5 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Division 2
#29 Boston Latin Academy, 0 @ #4 Milford, 3 – Final

04/14/202204/14/2022

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/14/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 10 @ Norwell, 3 – Final – Foxboro pushed across six runs in the top of the first and that was all the support freshman Nolan Gordon needed in his first career start as the Warriors broke into the win column. Gordon allowed three runs on five hits and one walk, striking out five in six innings of work to get the win. Offensively, senior Jack Watts set the tone from the leadoff spot with a three-hit, three RBI performance while Sean O’Leary added three hits and Mike Marcucella had two hits.

King Philip, 10 vs. Norton, 3 – Final – The offense came early and often for the red-hot Warriors, who combined to score six runs in the first two innings and four runs between the fourth and fifth innings in a non-league win over Norton. An RBI double from Brendan Sencaj got things going, and then a base hit RBI from Rudy Gately quickly made things 2-0 for the hosts. In the second, Will Astorino (double) and Brendan Weddleton (single) both scored on a two-run single from Travis Crawford, who then scored on a fielder’s choice from Shawn Legere, who came around to score on a wild pitch. Crawford (triple) came home to score on an RBI from Matt Kelley in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-3. Crawford added an RBI in the fifth, and then scored along with Weddleton on a double from Kelley. On the mound, sophomore Tommy McLeish allowed three runs in 3.2 innings of work with three strikeouts. Mark Tagerman (2.1IP) and Kelley (1IP, 1K) closed the game out in relief.

Mansfield @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.

Taunton, 4 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final

Softball
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Walpole, 3 – Final (8 inn.) – Oliver Ames had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth but was unable to push across the go ahead run, and a pair of errors led to a walk off win for the host Rebels. OA took the lead in the first when Maddie Homer singled, stole second, and scored on a hit from Emily Martin (two hits). OA added another run in the third when Lexi Galsband knocked in Paige Taylor to make it 2-0. Katie Melendy tossed an eight-inning complete game for the second straight day, striking out three while allowing no earned runs and only four hits.

Mansfield, 5 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Foxboro scored all eight runs in the first three innings and then held off the Hornets to get the win. The Warriors plated three runs in the first, two in the second, and three more in the third. Mansfield had 10 hits on the day with Cat Kipp, Liv Madeira and Jill Koppy each recording two while Callie Lake, Casey Moussette, Alanna Conley and Liv DeTrolio each adding one. Amanda Schwarz and Julia combined to strike out three, allowing eight hits and five walks.

Stoughton, 9 @ Brockton, 2 – Final – Stoughton won its third straight game and second in as many days, this time knocking off the Boxers for the second time this season. Kerry Driscoll had a great performance in the circle, only allowing four hits with three strikeouts in a complete game effort. Offensively, Alyssa Edwards for 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI, Driscoll helped her own cause with three hits (two doubles) and two RBI, Julie Powers also had three hits (one double), and both Sydney Menz (two hits), and Katie Bulger (3 RBI) had a big day at the plate.

Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 3:45

Franklin, 21 @ Sharon, 7 – Final – Franklin found the back of the net nine times in the opening quarter and established a 16-4 lead by halftime in a win on the road over Sharon. Luke Davis paced the offense with six goals and an assist while Tyler Sacchetti (four assists) and Jayden Consigli (three assists) each scored four goals apiece. Justin Alexander had a big day at the faceoff X, going 16-for 21 in the first half.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – Wyatt Fritchman and Wes Tower each scored one for the shorthanded Tigers.

Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Ava Adams scored six goals and Lola Varricchione scored four goals and had three assists to lead the Hornets to a big divisional win. Attleboro, which was shorthanded with players on a school trip, stayed close in the first half, cutting the lead to 5-2, but Mansfield would score the game’s final 11 goals to earn its second win in a row. Stella Moore added two goals for the Hornets who also got goals from Gabriella Geminiani, Cammy Shanteler, Rose Maher, and Ella Palanza. Caitlyn Zajac made five saves for the Hornets.

Foxboro, 20 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Paige Curran found the back of the net five times while Mya Waryas and Mary Collins each had four goals as Foxboro rolled to a win on the road over Taunton. Curran finished with eight points, Waryas added five helpers for nine points, and Collins chipped in with two assists for six points. Val Beigel added four points (three goals), Cate Noone scored twice with one assist, and Kate Collisn (goal), Kaelin Connors (goal), and Nina Della Valle (assist) each had one point.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Franklin stayed undefeated to start the season, notching a big win under the lights on Thursday evening. Kaitlyn Carney paced the offense with four goals while Stella Regan recorded five assists in the win. Kate O’Rourke, Kenzie Baker, Anna Grasso, and Grace Nesbit all played great in the midfield with four groundballs.

King Philip, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – King Philip raced out to an 11-1 lead by halftime and never looked back for a win on the road in Easton. Lily Brown was a menace defensively with seven caused turnovers and added four draw controls and four points (three goals, one assist) for the Warriors. Morgan Cunningham had a big day offensively with a hat trick and three assists, Julia Marsden added four goals, Makenzie McDevitt chipped in with three goals and one assist, and Haley Izydorczak finished with a pair of goals and one helper. Emily Campbell and Haley Bright both played well in net, combining for seven saves.

North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.

Boys Tennis
Taunton @ New Bedford, 4:00

Girls Tennis
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip defended home court on Thursday afternoon, taking all five matches in straight sets against the visiting Black Knights. Junior Ahunna James and senior Sammie Taylor both won without dropping a set, 6-0, 6-0, at first and third singles, respectively while sophomore Shea Mellman added a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of junior Lauren Casper and senior Resha Ajoy secured a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and KP’s second doubles tandem of juniors Caroline Freese and Carlie Burns swept their match, 6-0, 6-0.

Franklin, 0 @ Hopkinton, 5 – Final

Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00

Boys Volleyball
Milford vs. Dighton-Rehoboth – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 0 @ Quincy, 3 – Final

04/12/202204/14/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/13/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 12 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro raced out to a lead with five runs over the first three innings, but Attleboro’s offense roared to life with 10 runs in a three-inning span to secure a win on the road. The Warriors sandwiched a pair of one-running innings around a three-run third to stake a 5-2 advantage. The Bombardiers responded with three in the fourth, five in the fifth, and two more in the sixth, before holding off a four-run bottom of the seventh from the hosts to get the win. Jamie Bloch, Owen Taber (RBI), and Peter DelPozzo each had one hit and scored three runs while Cooper Johnson drove in four runs on the day and scored once himself. Matt Harvie added two hits and two RBI for the Bombardiers. Freshman Tyler Dunlea tossed three shutout innings in relief, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out six to get the win. For Foxboro, Ryan LeClair had a pair of hits, including a double, with three RBI and two runs scored, junior Sean O’Leary drove in two runs, and freshman Ryan O’Leary had a hit and an RBI. Junior Kenny Mello blasted a solo home run and had two RBI on the day.

Taunton, 8 @ Canton, 0 – Final

Franklin, 4 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – North Attleboro senior Brody Rosenberg blasted a second inning grand slam and classmate Tyler Bannon had a strong showing on the mound as the Rocketeers knocked off visiting Franklin. Danny Curran had a lead off single, Bannon followed with a single, and Christian Bates walked to load the bases for Rosenberg’s home run. North added three more in the bottom of the fifth as Dillon Harding and Derek Maceda singled, and pinch runner Kyle Conroy scored on an RBI double from Tyler DeMattio. Maceda came home to score on a wild pitch and DeMattio eventually scored on a double steal to make it 7-0. Franklin plated four runs in the top, including a pair of two-out singles. Bannon finished with 6.1 innings pitched, striking out six with two hits allowed, retiring the side in order in the first three innings. Chris Goode had two hits and an RBI for the Panthers, Evan Raider added a hit, a walk, and an RBI, and Jack Marino chipped in with an RBI and a run scored.

Sharon, 2 @ King Philip, 12 – Final (6 Inn.) – King Philip moved to 4-0 on the season, scoring in double figures for the third time this season in a win over Sharon. The Warriors didn’t waste any time getting the bats going with five runs in the first inning. Shawn Legere knocked Travis Crawford (single) in with a base hit, Matt Kelley (single) scored on a wild pitch, and both Rudy Gately and Brendan Sencaj scored on a throwing error. Matt DiFiore brought in the fifth run with an RBI single to score Nick Viscusi. In the second, Gately had an RBI single to extend the lead to 6-0. In the bottom of the fourth, Gately drove in Legere with a RBI base hit, and Kelley came in to score on a wild pitch for the second time in the game. Luke Nixon and Will Astorino each drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth and Brendan Weddleton had a two-run single to end the game in the bottom of the sixth. Viscusi got the win in the mound, tossing six innings with two earned runs while striking out eight.

Stoughton, 6 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final – Mansfield scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh that proved pivotal as the Hornets had to hold off a furious rally by the Black Knights in the bottom of the seventh. Mansfield scored two runs in each the first and third, and a single run in the fifth to carry a 5-1 lead into the final inning. Two runs in the top of the seventh ended up being the difference as Stoughton sent five runs home in the bottom half before Mansfield got the final out for the win. Anthony Sacchetti had three hits and scored three runs while sophomore Matt DeShiro had three hits, including two doubles and two stolen bases, and drove in three runs to pace the Hornets’ offense. Conner Zukowski added two hits (both doubles) and a run scored, Jimmy Gilleran had a pair of hits and two RBI, and Connor Curtis added two doubles. Gilleran tossed six innings on the mound, allowing one run (unearned) on four hits and two walks, striking out six.

Milford, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Softball
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 14 – Final – Attleboro’s Lily Routhier got her third win of the season in the circle while the Bombardiers belted out 14 hits for 14 runs in a win over visiting Foxboro. Routhier tossed a complete game, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out six. Offensively, Lindsey Perry had a pair of doubles with three runs scored, adding a pair of walks. Lauren Eby collected four hits with three runs scored and Routhier helped her own cause with a pair of hits and three runs scored. Peyton Feldman had a pair of hits for Foxboro with two runs scored while Emma Callahan had six strikeouts in five innings of work.

Canton, 1 @ Taunton, 21 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton exploded for 14 runs in the second inning and scored more than 20 runs in a game for the second time this week. Ava Venturelli paced the Tigers offense, going 4-for-4 with two homers, a triple, and a double. She drove in six runs and scored four times. The top five hitters in the Taunton lineup combined for 15 hits and 14 RBI. Kyleah Plumb was 2-for-5 with two RBI, Kaysie DeMoura was 3-for-4 with two RBI, Brooke Aldrich was 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Hayley Krockta went 4-for-4 with two RBI. Liv Mendonca and Cate Larson combined on a four-hitter. Taylor Reynolds, Anna Lehan, Jess Wright, and Chloe Guershony each had hits for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 10 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – North’s bats came alive to back up a stellar performance in the circle from Zoey McDonough. The Rocketeers totaled 16 hits including four from Kelly Colleran, who blasted a pair of homers and drove in seven of North’s 10 runs. McDonough was lights out, striking out 14 and holding Franklin to five hits. Ally Levine had three hits for North, which also got two hits apiece from Mandi Hanewich (two runs scored), McDonough, and Emma Hanwell. Maryellen Charette had a hit and an RBI and Grace Simmons made a nice catch in right and assisted on an out at second.

Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 20 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip pushed across eight runs in the first and nine more in the second while Emma Sheehan and Taylor Regan combined to toss a one-hitter in a win over Sharon. Sarah Cullen had a big day for the Warriors from the leadoff spot, collecting four hits, two RBI and four runs scored. Meg Sherwood (homerun) added three hits, five RBI and three runs, and Maddie Paschke (homerun) had four RBI on two hits with three runs scored. Sheehan (2IP) and Regan (3IP) each had five strikeouts.

Stoughton, 6 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Milford, 2 – Final (8 Inn.) – Oliver Ames pushed across three runs in the top of the eighth inning and held on as the Scarlet Hawks had the tying run at the plate in the bottom half. Milford took the lead in the bottom of the second after a bunt from Jianna Fernandes was thrown away, allowing Sarah Wengal (walk) to score. OA struck back in the top of the fifth in similar fashion as Katherine Farley (dropped third strike) scored after a throwing error after a bunt from Madison Monteiro. OA took its first lead in the top of the seventh when Farley (single) scored on a double from Caitlin Miller to make it 2-1. Sophomore Grace Bonina hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, moved to second on a sacrifice, and came to score on an effor to make it 2-2, sending it to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, freshman Emily Martin led off with a double and moved to third on a grounder from Lexi Galsband (two hits). Junior Katie Melendy, who also tossed an eight inning complete game for the Tigers, smacked a single up the middle to take the lead. Freshman Devon Morris followed with a single, and both Melendy and Morris scored on a single from Farley. Melendy worked around back-to-back one-out walks to get the win. Maeve Driscoll had 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work for the Hawks.

Boys Lacrosse
Sharon, 14 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final – Brady Daylor found the back of the net eight times to lead Sharon to a win on the road over Attleboro. Along with Daylor’s eight goals, Ben Shocket (23-for-28 faceoffs) and Sam Rothbaum each added a pair of goals while Jacob Kaufman and Jordan Weizmann each scored once in the win. Matt Powers made 10 saves in net for the Eagles.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 14 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Bailey Garte had a hat trick for the Eagles, who also got goals from Anna Hertzel, Keira Lydeard, and Serena Bien-Aime.

Boys Tennis
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro’s Bo Canfield didn’t drop a game at second singles and the Warriors won four matches in straight sets to get a victory over Attleboro. Canfield won 6-0, 6-0 while Garrett Spillane added a first singles win (6-2, 6-1) and Raj Jetty secured a win at third singles (6-2, 6-0). Foxboro added a win from Nate Cote and Luca Meyer at second doubles (6-1, 7-5). Attleboro’s Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf continued their strong season with a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles.

Canton, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Canton won all three singles matches in straight sets and added a fourth point with a win at second doubles to secure a victory on the road at Taunton. Max Kupferman, Suraj Ramanathan and Justin Ngan all won in straight sets in singles for Canton in singles action, and the team of seniors Kevin Moltenbrey and Luke Romano took the win at second doubles. Taunton’s Andrew Letourneau and Derek Desseault took the first doubles for Taunton in straight sets.

Sharon, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield took all five matches in straight sets to defend home court against visiting Stoughton. Freshman Neema Khosravani and sophomore Kailash Elumelai both won 6-1, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami grabbed a 6-3, 6-0 win at third singles. Junior Benson Delaney teamed with senior Jonah Fine for a 6-1, 6-0 first doubles win while sophomore Nikhil Nain and senior Pratham Tallam grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Nick Westerbeke didn’t drop a set at first singles while seniors Kylash Gannesh and Raphael Vache both won in straight sets as the Tigers took a 5-0 win on the road at Milford. Westerbeke won 6-0, 6-0, Gannesh grabbed a 6-1, 6-4 win at second singles, and Vache earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. OA’s first doubles team of freshmen Patrick Dolan and Alex Efremidas secured a 6-1, 6-4 win at first doubles while junior Ben Dias and sophomore Alex Vasiliou emerged with a 4-6, 7-5, 12-10 win at second doubles in a great match with Milford senior Pedro DeSouza and freshman Todd Ostertog. Both coaches praised the effort of the second doubles players, with the both sides hitting great shots and earning key points.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Franklin senior Thomas Broyles won a 10-point tiebreaker to complete the sweep for the Panthers. Broyles ended with a 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 win at second singles, Vashnav Malhotra added a 6-0, 6-1 first singles victory, and senior Drew Mahoney won 6-1, 6-3 at third singles. The team of senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Jay Gorgas notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles, and senior Sameen Shaik and sophomore Ahan Shetty won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – A sweep in singles action plus one doubles win gave Foxboro a 4-1 win over visiting Attleboro. Athena Li (6-0, 6-0), Hailey Kornbluth (6-0, 6-1), and Analise Jia (6-0, 6-3) won at first, second, and third singles, respectively, while Abby Costa and Juliana Preston added a 6-2, 6-2 first doubles win. Attleboro’s Allison Rebelo and Presley Biller added a 6-4, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – A pair of wins from singles action plus two more in doubles play gave Canton a win at home over visiting Taunton. Camila Cutter battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first singles while Laura Correal secured a 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles for the Bulldogs. The team of Olivia Durham and Grace Powers emerged with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) win at first doubles and Canton’s second doubles team of Olivia Maloney and Allie Wong rallied for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win. Taunton’s Ava Alves notched a 7-5, 6-2 win at third singles.

King Philip, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – After two very tight battles in singles action, and a three-set doubles battle, Sharon took home a 5-0 decision over visiting King Philip. Navya Shukla and Hannah Faberman both emerged from hard-fought matches with identical 7-6, 6-4 wins at first and second singles, respectively, while freshman Judy Song added a 6-1, 6-1 third singles win. Junior Sophia Oh and senior Sasha Fein grabbed a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles while Sharon’s second doubles tandem of juniors Ellie Zhao and Wenxin Lu prevailed with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 win for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final

Milford, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Both of Oliver Ames’ doubles teams won in straight sets without dropping a game to secure a 4-1 victory over Milford. The team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou won at first singles while Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli grabbed the win at second doubles, both matches finishing 6-0, 6-0. OA freshman Hannah Farber added a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles and Elizabeth O’Brien prevailed from third singles with a 6-0, 2-6, 10-2 win. Milford’s Paige Gaulik rallied for a 1-6, 6-4, 10-8 victory at second singles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 1 vs. Millis, 3 – Final
Milford, 3 vs. Medfield, 0 – Final

06/19/2021

King Philip Manufactures First Playoff Win In a Decade

WRENTHAM, Mass. – Some days the ball seems to always find the barrel of the bat and hits and runs are easy to come by. On other days, especially in the postseason, you need to find different ways to get runs home. It doesn’t always have to be exciting, just effective.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

King Philip did just that in Saturday morning’s Div. 1 South preliminary round game at Lombard Field. The Warriors got two sacrifice flies and scored on a groundout, and also got stellar performance from sophomore starter Rudy Gately, to beat Quincy 4-0 and end a 12-year wait for a playoff win.

“Just get contact on the ball, make things happen, move people around, and you get runs there,” said KP coach Jeff Plympton, Jr. “That’s what we try. Sometimes the bats are hitting them over the outfielders’ heads and sometimes they’re not. You’ve just got to work with what you’ve got on the day.”

After putting two runners on with two outs in the first but not being able to bring one in, KP was able to score the opening run in the second. Matt DiFiore was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning. He then stole second and advanced to third on a balk by Quincy starter Zach Donaghue. Mikey Malatesta drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run with a fly ball to center.

In the third, the Warriors doubled the lead in similar fashion. Gately (2-for-4) doubled to right to start the inning. Shawn Legere followed with a single to put runners at first and third. Legere reached second on an errant pick-off attempt on Gately at third, but then was promptly picked off at second for the first out. After Conor Cooke walked and stole second, Dan Nineve got his first RBI with a grounder to second.

“We try to win each inning,” Plympton explained. “Rudy goes out there and throws a hell of a game each inning, so it’s important to get that one, two, three, and then get back in and start hitting.”

As it turns out, that was all the offense that KP would need. Gately allowed at least one base runner in every inning, but never really felt in danger of giving up any runs. He struck out eight and got some help from his defense, especially his senior catcher Cooke, who threw out runners trying to steal second in both the second and the fifth.

“He’s had an absolute hell of a year,” Plympton said about Gately. “He’s got three pitches that just work for him and he keeps people off-balance.” Plympton also praised Cooke and the Brown University-commit’s work with the pitchers. “We have a pretty young staff and he’s done a fantastic job on just keeping them under control.”

The Warriors put the game away in the fifth with a pair of important insurance runs. Gately helped his own cause again with a leadoff single and stole both second and third. Legere walked and then Cooke followed with his second walk of the day, this one against Quincy reliever Joe Hennessey, to load the bases with no outs.

Nineve knocked a single through the drawn in infield to make it 3-0 and DiFiore drove in a run with a line out to center that scored Legere.

Although KP missed a chance to hang a big number on the Presidents, they continued to get the pitching and defense to make that lead hold up. After a one-out, infield single by Hennessey, third baseman Sean Sullivan was able to dive to his left and make a nice play across the diamond for the second out. Gately closed the door on the sixth by freezing the hitter with curve for his seventh strikeout of the day.

Quincy got a one-out hit in the seventh as well, but a soft liner to Brendan Weddleton at second put the Warriors on the brink of the win and Gately closed it out in style, dropping another nasty curveball for the strikeout that ended KP’s long wait for a playoff win.

King Philip (8-7) will travel to third-seed Xaverian on Monday afternoon. The Warriors are the fifth Hockomock League team, all from the Kelley-Rex division (Milford opted out of the playoffs) to reach the round of 16 in D1 South.

“I’ve always said that the Hock is probably one of the best leagues in the state,” said Plympton. “When I woke up and saw all those [scores], I thought, it sounds about right. It’s good to see, it’s good for us. We know we’re playing good competition.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

09/06/201909/06/2019

Cross Country: 2019 Hockomock League Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Cross Country Preview

Attleboro

2018 Boys Record: 0-5
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course:
Coach: Martin Tighe

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Attleboro boys and girls cross country squads as they begin the season with a brand new course.

The town converted Highland Country Club into a multi-use facility that includes a 3.1-mile cross country course that will be named after Mark Coogan, an Attleboro native at competed in the 1996 Olympics. Head coach Marty Tighe worked alongside Bishop Feehan coach Bob L’Homme to design the course and the teams will host the first invitational later this month with 22 teams from both Massachusetts and Rhode Island registered. With a new course, the Attleboro boys team looks to compete with the other top teams in the league led by junior Nathan Seybert, who finished in the top 20 (17:12.03) at last year’s league championship. Seybert had a very strong offseason and expects to be among the top runners in the league.

While the depth isn’t the same on the girls’ side, they do have some top runners returning. Kelly Neuendorf had a terrific sophomore campaign, punctuated by a 13th place finish at the league championships, and will be looking to continue that success this season.

Canton

2018 Boys Record: 2-4
2018 Girls Record: 1-5
Home Course: Pequitside Farm
Coach: David Hiltz

The Canton boys cross country team is looking to build on the past two seasons while the girls are hoping to avoid the injury bug this season. The boys’ squad has won a pair of dual meets in back-to-back season and return a majority of their top runners from last year. Sophomore Kyle Downing will lead the way after taking first for the Bulldogs in all of the dual meets last season. Senior captain Alex Maddestra will also be a top option, as both him and Downing clocked in under 18 at the league championships a year ago. Junior Jack Hernon had a big offseason and has impressed so far this preseason while junior Elias Jabbour and senior captain Chris Rota look to round out the top five for Canton.

“I think the boys have the potential to be very successful this season,” said head coach David Hiltz. “We have a healthy mix of talent and depth, along with hosting two of the previous three Davenport Champs on our home course, we have a real opportunity for achievement this fall.”

On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs will have a younger squad but with more depth for the 2019 season. They did lose their top runner to graduation in Chloe Pennacchio but have some strong contributors back and even picked up a new runner that figures to be in the top five mix. Junior Jessie Hart had a strong sophomore campaign and will likely lead the pack while senior captain Kayla Wong is back to full health and will be looking to replicate the success she had two seasons ago. Junior Marie Messinger has switched sports over to cross country this fall and will be one of Canton’s top runners. Beyond the top three, the Bulldogs have space for new names to step into the top group A mix of experienced seniors all the way to freshman will all be competing for the final spots.

“There is a top three that is emerging, but for the first time in a few years, the girls have a good mix of depth…some seniors who are experienced and ready as well as some new, younger freshman who are coming in and looking to compete,” Hiltz said. “If they stay healthy, the girls have the talent to be better than they were a year ago. It’s an exciting place to be at as a team.”

Foxboro

2018 Boys Record: 1-4
2018 Girls Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions)
Home Course: Payson Field Road
Coach: Joe Cusack

Foxboro might have two of the top runners in the league this season, with the girls looking to defend their division title and the boys’ team looking to have a bounce-back season.

On the girls’ side, the Warriors graduated last year’s winner at the Hockomock League Championships in Lexi Quinn but bring back Abby Hassman, a three-time league all star and former league MVP that placed second just behind Quinn. Coming into the season, Hassman will likely set the pace for all runners in the Hockomock League, finishing in the top three at the league championships in each of the three years she has participated. Seniors Jenn Yeomans, Emily Steele, and Isabel Hallal all return from last year’s division-winning squad. Freshman Sophie Sougaris will also be in the mix for the Warriors this season.

Foxboro senior Ryan Proulx returns as the top runner for the boys’ team and could be the fastest returner in the Davenport division this season. Proulx won three races last season and took second overall in Foxboro’s other two races, the top Warrior in all five league dual meets. A lot of hard work has made senior Nate Palter another top option for the Warriors. Foxboro will be looking for other names to step up to round out the top five throughout the season.

Franklin

2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
2018 Girls Record: 4-1
Home Course: Dacey Field
Coaches: Nick Bailey & Paul Trovato

The Franklin boys squad went a perfect 5-0 in league dual meets last season to win the Kelley-Rex division title and the 2019 squad to poised to replicate that success this year. Not only did the Panthers win the dual title, but top three finishers from senior Tyler Brogan and junior Nicholas Calitri also helped Franklin claim first place at the Hockomock League Championships. Brogan has been a top runner in the Hock for the past three years and is off to a good start this season, winning the Tommy Cochary High School Mile in Falmouth in August. Calitri had a great sophomore campaign, finishing third overall at Hocks and will be a top runner again this year. Senior Cam Harrington will give Franklin a strong third option while the Panthers are looking for Joe Zercie, Declan Walmsley, Clancy Golden, Griffin Sieczkiewicz, Matt Zielinski, and Alec Hanley to all be in the mix throughout the season.

“As a team, the 2019 Franklin High Cross Country team is looking to continue to be competitive in a very talented Hockomock League,” said head coach Nick Bailey. “With a number of very talented runners as well as some younger runners looking to make a name for themselves, the Franklin boys have prepared themselves for a very challenging Hockomock league dual meet season.”

The girls’ squad graduated a staggering 22 seniors from last year’s Kelley-Rex division-winning team, so there will be a lot of new faces. Junior Sydney Hawkins is one of the top returning runners for the Panthers, finishing in the top 20 at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Sarah Giuliano took 22nd overall last year at the league meet and will give the Panthers a strong top duo alongside Hawkins. Franklin will also rely on junior Sidney Brady, sophomore Caitlin Casey, and sophomore Liliana Duffy

“The team has good leadership and is very supportive and will be competitive in the Hockomock League,” said head coach Paul Trovato.

King Philip

2018 Boys Record: 3-2
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Rice Field
Coaches: Chris Elgar & Lauren Farkash

Senior Mike Griffin returns to defend his Hockomock League Championship win and will have a strong core of runners alongside them as the Warriors look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex title and a top spot at Hocks. Griffin clocked in at 15:54.57 to win Hocks while classmate Michael Norberg took eighth overall, so King Philip has a strong 1-2 punch to lead the way this season. Senior Eric DeLorenzo finished 14th overall and the Warriors are also expecting strong seasons out of seniors Dan Botte, Nate Farkash, and Shea Duffy. Junior Javon Joseph will likely be in the top five mix for KP this season while classmates Andrew Noke and Liam Noke are battling for a spot as well. Sophomores Ryan Andrews, Matt DiFiore, and Brendan Weddleton, along with freshmen Brendon Berdos and Nate Sylven have all had strong showings so far this preseason and will be in the mix as KP pushes for a league title.

“I am very excited with the depth that the squad has this year,” said KP head coach Chris Elgar. “In a league that is so competitive, it will come in handy. As a team we are looking to build on the first squad qualifying for the All State meet from last fall.”

On the girls’ side, the Warriors are looking to replicate the success from a year ago. The Warriors lost three dual meets last season by three, nine, and 11 points so the record of 2-3 was a bit deceiving. KP showed their depth with a terrific performance at the league championships taking second place overall. In that race, sophomore Maya Evans put an exclamation point on a great first year by finishing fourth overall at 19:51. Ava Pisani and Abby Simmons have had strong preseasons and will be apart of the top five for the Warriors throughout the year. Meg Sherwood is looking to continue the success following a strong rookie year and Dayna Aubin will be another strong option for KP this season.

“Our top five looks really strong, so I’m hoping we can have a winning dual meet record with a little bit more experience,” said KP coach Lauren Farkash. “It’s going to be a lot of work but the girls are excited, they are fired up, so we’ll see what we can do. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the season.”

Mansfield

2018 Boys Record: 5-1
2018 Girls Record: 5-1 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
Home Course: Plymouth Street Soccer Complex
Coaches: Ian Flanagan & Derek Ellis

The Mansfield girls team has a lot of talent back to try and defend its Kelley-Rex division championship, but head coach Derek Ellis knows it’s going to take a lot of hard work throughout the season to fend off the tough competition in the Hockomock League. The Hornets have five of their top seven runners back from the team that won the Hockomock League Championship race last season. Junior Tessa Lancaster, who took third overall at Hocks, will lead the pack this season and will challenge for the top spot in the league this year. She will be joined by senior Jess Alestock, who finished in the top 20 last year alongside captain Brinly Meelia, both who should big pieces of the puzzle for Mansfield this year. Junior Emma Lamson and senior Julia Miller are looking to take the next step after strong seasons a year ago. Ellis also expects junior Annie Riley and sophomore Meghan Johnston to be important contributors this year.

“Cross country championships are not easy to win, you need your top five runners to perform at their highest level in that championship race, you can’t afford to have one person to have an off day,” Ellis said. “I believe the freshman group on this team is going to give this team some much-needed depth. The freshman did their summer training and have looked great in the early workouts. I would not be surprised if they factor into the scoring at the championship meet.”

On the other side, there is a big change for the boys’ squad. For the first time in a long time, it won’t be Julie Collins with a stopwatch in hand leading the Hornets. Ian Flanagan takes over as head coach but expectations are still high for one of the most dominant programs in the Hockomock League. Mansfield had its streak of 14 straight league titles snapped last season when Franklin won the dual meet title so the Hornets are looking to get back on top in 2019. The strength of the team this year will be depth. Senior Mike Mullahy is back after a top-five finish at Hocks a year ago but the Hornets graduated all of their top five runners. Flanagan will be looking to senior Ben Giffen and junior Trevor Flint to step up and be top options this season while juniors Tim Corkery and James Schlenker, along with sophomore Collin Stevens, will be in the mix.

“With it being my first year, I was anxious to see what kind of shape everyone was in coming into the year,” Flanagan said. “So far I have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements made over the summer. Everyone is on the same page, with expectations and goals. Having run in the league not too long ago I know the prestige of Mansfield cross country, and it is great to see these guys want to put Mansfield cross country back on the map.”

Milford

2018 Boys Record: 4-1
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Milford High
Coach: John Vanderkeyl & Glenn O’Connor

Milford had one of its best seasons since joining the Hockomock League on the boys’ side, but the 2019 squad will have a completely different look. The Scarlet Hawks graduated 10 of its top 12 runners so there is plenty opportunity for new runners to step up for head coach John Vanderkeyl. Captain Max Manor, who is coming off a solid spring track season and has been a top option for Milford since his freshman year, will lead the pack this season and will be in contention for a top spot in the league this year. The Hawks are also looking for senior Liam Bennett to have a big year after a strong offseason. Sophomore James Comisky could have a chance to have a big season while seniors Sam Vilt and Gabe Pardo Cota, junior Andres Alvarez (an XC newcomer), and freshman Mark Butters are likely to factor into the Hawks’ top seven this season.

“We are a young team but we have a group of guys that ran all summer to get in shape and are ready to step into the big shoes that we have left to fill,” Vanderkeyl said. “I am hoping that they are all ready to make the jump to help compete for the Davenport Division and stay in the top half of the league. There are so many fresh faces and guys that are really starting to figure it all out and I am excited for the season.”

The Milford girls cross country also graduated a good amount of runners from last year but expectations are still high as the Hawks bring back their top two runners from last year. Senior captains Lexi Marcolini and Sara Comisky, who both finished in the top 25 at Hocks last year, will be leading the pack for Milford this year. Another reason for high expectations is the addition of three runners from Milford’s spring 4×400 team that qualified for the New Balance Nationals. Bella Gonzalez (400M hurdles), Emma Lawrence (400M), and Kerry O’Connor (D3 State Champ at the 300M indoors and D2 State Champ at 200M outdoors) are now members of the cross country team and are looking to give Milford a big boost. Sophomore Stephanie Goulet and freshman Sydney Kalil will also be in the mix this year.

“We’re looking to surprise the Hockomock League in 2019,” said head coach Glenn O’Connor.

North Attleboro

2018 Boys Record: 3-2
2018 Girls Record: 4-1
Home Course: North Attleboro High
Coach: Anne Marie McGrail

North Attleboro will be looking to continue their dual meet season success after both squads had strong campaigns in 2018.

On the boys’ side, the Rocketeers will have to place their top runners in Julian Dixon and Liam Monahan, who were their top runners at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Daniel Nobrega and sophomore Christopher Galligan had the best finishes at that meet for returning runners.

Senior Olivia Forbes had a top 20 finish at the league meet last year while Catherine Hanewich clocked in at 21:34 to finish 29th overall, which bodes well for the Rocketeers during the 2019 season.

Oliver Ames

2018 Boys Record: 3-3
2018 Girls Record: 0-6
Home Course: Borderland State Park
Coach: Kyle Sousa

The Oliver Ames girls team has five of its top seven runners back from a year ago, including one of the duos in the Hockomock League. Juniors Catherine O’Donnell and Meghan Reardon will lead the way for the Tigers in 2019, both coming off top 10 finishes at the league championship meet last season. Oliver Ames also has a lot of the depth in the program with senior captain Julia Sarro and juniors Abbey Querzoli and Rachel Davis coming off strong training sessions over the summer.

“There is no question in my mind that this is one of the most committed groups of athletes you will ever find,” said head coach Kyle Sousa on the girls’ team. “These girls have been training all summer long, pushing each other to the limit. This is not just a group of talented runners. It is a team that has already begun making sacrifices for each other. I trust every one of them to come through on race day. They are so strong–physically and mentally. Don’t ever count them out.”

There is a lot of optimism on the boys’ side as well. Despite graduating their top runner in Zane Reservitz, the Tigers bring back the other six of their top seven from last year’s squad that placed 4th in Division 3 and 15th at the All State Meet. Seniors Rory McLaughlin, Owen Nipoti, and David Fiedorczyk will bring a tremendous amount of varsity experience, juniors Kyle Sarney and Nate Reservitz will be a major threat to watch, and sophomore Owen McMorrow is looking to continue the success he had his rookie year.

“It’s relatively rare to see this much experience on your varsity squad,” Sousa said of the boys’ team. “All of these guys have been battle-tested at the highest level of Massachusetts Cross Country. When the gun goes off I know they will never quit on each other. They will fight for every body, every point, every second, every inch of the 5000-meter race. That is all we ask. And that is all we need.”

Sharon

2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions)
2018 Girls Record: 3-2
Home Course: Deb Sampson Park
Coach: Phil Gingras & Alan Conway

Sharon might not have a star runner on its boys’ team this year, but the Eagles are a very deep team and any one of a half dozen runners could take first in a given race. Mark Starovoytov, Bradley Weiss, Sid Reddy, Jordan Saks, Jimmy Kong, and Jacob Dubin have all had good showings this preseason and all six are vying for the Eagles’ top spot. Sophomore Balint Mihajlovits had a strong rookie season and should be in the mix this season. Freshmen Nathaniel Traut and Michael Williams could factor in as well after strong preseason showings.

“If this team continues to push each other as they have over the last couple weeks, they stand to have a shot at a birth at All-States,” said coach Phil Gingras.

On the girls’ side, the Eagles have three top runners returning ready to push for the league title. Sophomore Daphne Theiler had a tremendous freshman year (6th place at Hocks) and will lead the pack again for Sharon this season. Senior captains Eliana Boxerman and Juliana Dudziak will be alongside Theiler leading the Eagles. Gingras noted all three had strong summers and will be critical during the dual meet season. Senior captain Kavya Anbarasu, junior Margaret Li, and senior transfer Dani Williams provide solid depth for Sharon, which could be in store for a memorable season.

“If these girls [Anbarasu, Li, Williams] are able to close the gap on the lead pack they’ll stand a shot to do something special in the postseason,” Gingras said.

Stoughton

2018 Boys Record: 0-5
2018 Girls Record: 0-5
Home Course: Houghton’s Pond
Coach: Dave Barbato & Katrina Daly

First-year head coach Dave Barbato is aiming for improvement throughout the season as the Black Knights look to bounce back from last year. Stoughton has to replace top runner Colin Rahaman but senior Sebastian Malek and sophomore Bobby Currier will be two solid options for Barbato. Malek improved throughout the course of last season and finished at 20:26.91 at the league meet. Currier was one of the top newcomers for Stoughton a year ago, clocking in at 21:23.00 at Hocks.

The Black Knights don’t have as many runners on the girls’ side as some of the other programs in the league but will be looking to give just as much effort. Captain Julia Franey and senior Rebecca Lally will be the leaders of the pack for this group. Lally had the top finish of all returners at least year’s championship meet at 22:19. Sophomore Jess Maddalena will be building off a strong rookie season and freshman Elaine McCarty will certainly be in the mix for the Black Knights this season.

“With some time to train and some trust in the new things they are seeing there should be some improvement by late season,” Barbato said.

Taunton

2018 Boys Record: 1-4
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Taunton High
Coach: Jessica Ouellette & Mike Kelley

The Taunton girls team is hoping the experience gained last season will pay off this year, with nine of their top 10 runners back for 2019. The Tigers finished fifth at the Hockomock League Championships a year ago and are hoping to be in contention to move up the leaderboard this year. Sophomore Nia Mainer-Smith is back the lead the pack for Taunton coming off a 10th place finish at Hocks. Junior Olivia Dias looks to be another top runner for the Tigers; both Dias and Mainer-Smith were apart of the Tigers’ 4×400 team that ran at Nike Outdoor Nationals this past spring. Kailey Melito-Santos, Olivia Weber, Tatyana Mainer-Smith, Lily Valcovic, and Kaicey Melito-Santos all had strong seasons last year as well.

“We’re looking to build off the momentum from 2018, which was the first time we ever beat Oliver Ames or King Philip,” said head coach Mike Kelley. “Nine of our top ten runners from last year return and the league seems fairly wide open. Our big team goals are finishing with a winning record in the dual meet season, finishing in the top three at Hocks, and the top eight at the Eastern Mass Division 1 meet.”

On the boys’ side, the Tigers bring back six of the top seven after graduating just one senior in that group last season. Junior Nolan Tavares had a stellar sophomore campaign and was the top runner for the Tigers at the league championship meet last year, just missing out on a top 10 placement. Tavares will be at the front of the pack alongside classmate Ty Cali and senior captain Colin Quinlan. Sophomore Ryan Strawbridge has looked strong as he makes his return from an injury during track season.

“The team’s resiliency and energy in supporting one another continues to be some of our biggest strengths,” said head coach Jessica Ouellette.