01/25/2018

Panthers Outlast Mansfield in Title Showdown

Franklin wrestling — Jake Carlucci opened the night with a pin for the Panthers, but Franklin was forced to battle in every match to win the dual meet against Mansfield. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

FRANKLIN, Mass. – In the end, Franklin walked away with a comfortable 22-point win and at least a share of the its second straight Kelley-Rex division dual meet title, but this was anything but an easy Wednesday night on the mat for the perennial Hockomock League power.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Mansfield came into the gym with a ton of energy, looking to clinch its first league title and avenge last year’s big loss in the Albertini Gym. The Hornets battled from the start, but the experience of the still undefeated Panthers proved to be too much, as they sealed a 43-21 victory.

“Mansfield came in ready to wrestle us and we kind of weren’t,” said Franklin coach Carmine Colace. “Last year was a reversal, we went over to their place and we crushed them. We were ready to wrestle them…this year was the other way around. They came out and wrestled us hard. It was a lot closer than the score indicated.”

Jake Carlucci got the meet off to a great start for the Panthers with a pin at 106 pounds and a quick six points. Franklin would get pins in three of the first four matches, but it was not straightforward for the Panthers.

Mansfield cut the lead in half with a 6-0 win by Antonios Savastos at 113 and Andy Triantifilopolous came storming out to take control of the action at 120 against Ian Bakalars. The Franklin wrestler turned things around in the second (after a brief injury break for the Hornets grappler) and ended up with a hard-fought pin in the third round.

After Jordan Carlucci earned a first round pin at 126, Franklin led 18-3. One of the turning points in the meet came at 132 where Will Stratton fell behind 5-0 after two rounds to T.J. Remillard, but flipped the match on its head in the third and nearly had the Panther pinned. The referee’s hand never hit the mat, Remillard broke free, and pulled out a 7-5 win.

“It was a lot closer than the score,” said Mansfield coach Mark DiSanto about his team’s overall effort. “We worked all week on working off our back and I think everyone gave 100 percent, no one quit. That was our goal at the end, to keep fighting for six minutes, and I think everyone did that.”

C.J. Glaropolous picked up six points for the Hornets with a second round pin at 138, but the momentum was short-lived as Mike Racca got the six points right back with a first round pin at 145.

“Take a little momentum away,” said Colace of Racca’s pin. “[Brian] Farrell got pinned by a freshman at 138 and that gave them a lot of momentum and we got that pin back.”

Colace added, “We gave up two pins tonight too and we shouldn’t be getting pinned. We take a lot of pride in that, not giving up those bonus points, and we gave up two of them tonight. No excuse for it.”

Mansfield started to climb back into the match with a 9-5 win by George Glaropolous at 152 pounds and then a second round pin by Jayden Curley that cut the lead down to nine.

The Hornets were seconds away from cutting the deficit to just six with Aidan Archambeault holding onto a one-point lead inside the final 10 seconds of his match at 170, but Thomas Smith got a last-second takedown to win 5-4.

“I felt like there were a lot of cases where the Mansfield kids kind of out-wrestled us even though we won a match,” said Colace about Smith’s victory. “I thought that kid out-wrestled us but we won the match.”

Vinnie Holmes kept hopes alive for Mansfield with a 10-4 win at 182, but Bruce Johnson sealed the victory and another league title with a 10-2 victory at 195. With the added fourth point from Johnson’s win, Franklin led 34-21 with just two matches remaining.

Jack Coughlin won 7-0 and Riley Dowling had a second round pin to add gloss to the final score of what was an otherwise close meet.

Colace said of the dual meet, “We gutted it out. We bent a little but didn’t break.”

“Every match could have gone either way,” said DiSanto, who still has a relatively young squad that could earn a share of the league title, if the Panthers lose to King Philip in the last league meet of the season. Either way, DiSanto knows that the Hornets have a bright future. He said, “There’s only three seniors and all these young kids are still here. We get better and better every year.”

Franklin (18-0, 3-0) and Mansfield (17-4, 3-1) will both compete in the Hockomock Championships at Canton High on Saturday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

01/20/201801/21/2018

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/20/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Milford, 60 vs. Hopedale, 46 – Final – After allowing 20 points in the first quarter, Milford limited Hopedale to just 26 points over the next three quarters, including just five points in the second frame. Senior Andrew Fraioli had a career night, dropping 25 points while hauling in 15 boards, both career-highs. Senior Kayden Kelley added 12 points and 14 rebounds and junior Brendan White added 14 points.

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro built a 2-0 lead in the first period, tacked on three more goals in the second period and finished the third with one more goal to beat Attleboro. Big Bue scored both of its goals in the second period, trailing 5-2 heading into the third. Jason McNeany netted a hat trick to led Big Red while Will Yeomans, Brendan McHugh and freshman Tyler Sarro (first career tally) all scored once. Eddie Noel and Jake Parker scored for Attleboro with Ryan Morry and Cam Littig recording assists.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 8 – Final – Eight players scored for Canton in the win, including sophomores Chris Lavoie, Timmy Kelleher, Jack Connolly and junior Ryan Colby.

Foxboro, 1 @ Norton, 3 – Final – Foxboro junior Brendan Tully scored in the third period but the Warriors fell in a non-league contest against North.

Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

King Philip, 4 @ Brockton, 3 – Final

Oliver Ames, 8 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for eight goals with junior Brett Williams playing a role in six of them. Williams scored a hat trick and added three assists in the win while Max Ward had two goals and an assist in his first game back from injury. Freshman Ross Carroll added a goal and an assist and junior defenseman Matt McCormick finished with three points.

Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 vs. Medway/Ashland, 1 – Final

Franklin, 6 @ Dover-Sherborn/Hopkinton, 0 – Final

King Philip, 3 @ Dedham, 2 – Final

Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 3 @ Westwood, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Cat Luciano scored a pair of goals in the third period to help the Warriors edge Westwood. Senior Kerran Holmes earned the win in goal.

Stoughton, 1 @ Medfield/Norton, 5 – Final

Wrestling
Canton Quad (Canton) – Canton went 2-1 on the day, picking up wins over Lynnfield/North Reading (64-9) and St. John’s Shrewsbury. The Dogs fell to powerhouse Metheun.

Duxbury Duals (Foxboro, Mansfield) – The two Hockomock teams in the Duxbury Duals met in the championship, with Foxboro prevailing 39-36 with a win in the final match. Mansfield beat Quincy (24-0) and BC High (38-38, criteria) to advance to the finals. Foxboro beat host Duxbury (59-6) and Andover (54-14) to advance to the finals.

Burt Burger Invitational (Franklin) – Franklin finished first at the annual Burt Burger Invitational, racking up 249 points. Jake Carlucci (106) and Jordan Carlucci (126) each won their respective brackets. Jordan Carlucci earned the “Most Pins, Least Time” award with three pins in 5:21. Brian Farrell and Bruce Johnson each had second-place finishes for the Panthers.

King Philip Quad (King Philip, Sharon) – Sharon picked up two wins on the day, notching victories over Whitman-Hanson (52-21) and Hock rival King Philip (40-29).

Springfield Central Duals (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro suffered its first dual meet loss of the season, but racked up three impressive wins on Saturday. Big Red notched wins over sixth-ranked Shawsheen Tech (46-24), Windham (NH) (44-16) and Agawam (63-3) but fell to New England’s top team, Mt. Anthony Union (44-18). Brady Folan (113) was the lone Rocketeer to go 4-0 on the day while Dan Cooper (120, two pins), Zack Gould (145, one pin), Adam Eberle (160, two pins), Reid Wills (170, three pins), Chris Ferrigno (182), Brad White (195, three pins), and John Kummer (285, three pins) all had three wins. “This is the kind of effort level we needed to see at this point in the season,” said North coach Wayne Griffin. “It gives us a lot of hope and drive as we prep for the league tournament championships next weekend.”

Sandwich Invitational (Taunton) – Taunton finished ninth overall out of 17 teams and sophomore Woudanly Danger was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. Danger won the 220 bracket while Mason Frank (285) was second, Alex Simon (195) took third, and Josh Grasso (132) finished fourth for the Tigers.

Boys Swimming
Mansfield @ King Philip, 4:30

Girls Swimming
Mansfield @ King Philip, 4:30

Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro vs. Burlington, 1:30

Indoor Track
MSTCA Division 4 State Relays – Canton’s 4×200 relay team of Marquise Montes, Cam Sanchez, Cordell Smith and Riley McDonnell came in first at 1:36.37, qualifying for states. Canton’s high jump team of Smith, Montes, and McDonell came in sixth overall at 16-03.25. On the girls’ side, Foxboro’s 4×800 relay team finished sixth at 10:23.48 while the 4×50 shuttle hurdle team was seventh at 32.23.

12/09/201712/10/2017

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/09/17

Today’s games are listed below. We will update this post with any weather related changes we receive.

Boys Basketball
Milford @ Hopedale – Postponed to Sunday, 12/17 at 3:00.

Hockey
Attleboro vs. Weston – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Canton, 2 vs. Medway, 0 – Final – Canton opened its season with a 2-0 win over D2 South rival Medway. Kevin Murphy opened the scoring up five minutes into the second period to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead, one they took into the third period. Jack Goyetch batted in a rebound midway through the third period to add the insurance goal.

Stoughton, 4 vs. Revere/Malden, 11 – Final

Girls Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Algonquin/Hudson, 5 – Final

Wrestling
Burlington Quad (Canton) – Canton picked up three wins on the day to open the season 3-0. Canton opened the day with a 42-34 win over Xaverian before taking down the hosts Burlington, 48-27. The Bulldogs closed the day with a big 56-18 win over Norwood.

North Shore Super Quad (Foxboro) – Foxboro picked up three wins in season-opening quad meet. The Warriors beat Melrose 54-30, Beverly 51-36, and picked up a victory over Danvers, 42-36. Foxboro fell to Shawsheen Tech 51-40.

Mt. Hope Tournament (Franklin, Stoughton) – Franklin had a wrestler place in the top three in 10 of the 14 weight classes, and won five of those 10 brackets. Franklin finished first with 256 points, over 100 points more than second place. Ian Bakalars (120), TJ Remillard (132), Mike Racca (145), Seamus Cogavin (152), and Bruce Johnson (195) all took first place, Jake Carlucci (106) and Jack Coughlin (220) each took second, and Ken Sauer (113), Jordan Carlucci (126), and Brian Farrell (138) all placed third. Stoughton placed fifth overall with 97 points. Paul Feeney was the lone winner for the Black Knights, taking first in the 220 bracket while Malachi Green was second in the 195 bracket.

St. John’s Quad (King Philip), 10:00AM

Lincoln-Sudbury Quad (Mansfield) – Mansfield opened its season with three impressive wins at the Lincoln-Sudbury quad. The Hornets beat the hosts 43-28 and shut out Quincy 48-0. Mansfield’s third win came via a 46-15 decision over Brookline. Antonios Sevastos, Will Stratton, CJ Glaropoulos, George Glaropoulos, and Jayden Curley all went 3-0 for the Hornets while Vinnie Holmes was 2-0.

Masconomet Quad (Milford) – Milford picked up three wins in its first contest of the season. The Scarlet Hawks picked up wins over Marblehead (48-24), Tewksbury (42-31) and Masconomet (42-34). Milford’s lone loss on the day came to the hands of Greater Lawrence (48-33).

North Attleboro Super Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro opened up the 2017-2018 campaign with a pair of wins over out of state opponents. Big Red took down Burriville (RI) with an impressive 66-7 win, and then picked up a win over East Providence (RI), 42-9, in equally impressive fashion.

Devin Ness Tournament (Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames placed sixth in its annual Devin Ness Tournament to open the season. The hosts had one winner, one runner up and a pair of fourth place finishes to pace the scoring. Brandon Belleton pinned down a win at 138 while junior Anthony Berksza took second place at 145. Dean Pacini (195) and Cobey Williamson (132) each placed fourth for the Tigers.

Walpole Quad (Sharon), 10:00AM

Watertown Quad (Taunton), 10:00AM

01/25/2017

Franklin Dominates At Mansfield, Clinches Share of Title

MANSFIELD, Mass. – On Wednesday, the Panthers were recognized for their impressive season, which includes only one dual meet defeat to Marshwood (Maine) in a tournament in Merrimack, N.H. over the weekend.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Mass Wrestling named Franklin the top team in the state, across all divisions, and the Panthers went out on Wednesday night against Mansfield in the James Albertini Gym and showed why they are so highly regarded.

Franklin won the opening eight weight classes of the dual meet, four of them by pin and another by tech, and lost only two of the 14 matches on its way to a comprehensive 59-8 team victory. With King Philip losing to Oliver Ames in another of Wednesday’s dual meets, the Panthers also clinched at least a share of the league title with one dual meet remaining.

“I told the kids that we have a target on our backs,” said Franklin coach Carmine Collace about the message before the meet against the Hornets. “Teams are going to come out and wrestle us hard and they’ve got to step up. If they want to remain the No. 1 team in the state, then you’ve got to wrestle tough and they did.”

Jordan Carlucci set the tone with a quick first round pin at 106 pounds and Ian Bakalars (113) followed with a pin in the second round. Mike Racca made quick work of his opponent at 120 and gave the Panthers a dominant 18-0 start.

T.J. Remillard scored four points in the opening round of his match against Will Stratton at 126 and, as much as the Mansfield grappler tried to find a way to score, held on for a 4-0 win. Brian Farrell followed that with another strong performance at 132 to pick up the 15-0 victory and five points for the Panthers.

Tom Zogby had a second round pin at 138 and Dylan MacLean got a very quick pin at 152, but in between at 145 was one of the matches of the night between Caleb MacLean for Franklin and Mansfield’s Ciaran Connolly.

MacLean took a 2-0 lead into the second round and regained the lead with a takedown after Connolly’s reversal knotted up the scores. The final round was the loudest that the crowd and the two benches got (by far) as Connolly pulled even again with another reversal and looked like he might have the upper hand in the match, until an escape inside the final 15 seconds earned MacLean a hard-fought 5-4 win.

“A couple guys stepped into the lineup, we bumped a couple kids in there and they won,” said Collace. “The kids wrestled hard in practice, the conditioning is good, their confidence is building…but we still haven’t won anything. We’ve got some stuff to work on.”

Mansfield coach Mark DiSanto wrestled against Collace and Franklin during his high school career, so he knew what to expect from the Panthers on Wednesday.

He said, “They have a solid team all-around. Every single kid on that team is very good and they’ve had that for years. He’s a great coach, respect him a lot, I know him very well and they have a strong program. They work hard and it shows on the mat.”

Despite the final score, DiSanto took several positives away from the meet. “The final score is what it is,” he said, “but we take each match one at a time and see how each individual did. We’re in the right direction. Kids are fighting off their back and that’s what we like to see.”

Jayden Curley got Mansfield its first points of the night with an 8-2 win at 161 pounds and then freshman Vinnie Holmes continued his stellar rookie campaign with a 17-1 tech at 170 that made the score 41-8.

“I can count on him to go out there and wrestle a good match,” said DiSanto of Holmes. “He works his tail off and he’s got a bright future ahead of him. It’s good to see him continue to win.”

Evan Hernandez and Bruce Johnson had back-to-back pins for Franklin at 182 and 195 and Jack Coughlin came from behind with five points in the third round to beat Ford DelVecchio at 220. Brian Perry closed out the dual meet with a 12-5 win at 285, capping off an impressive night for the Panthers.

“We practice hard every day, even the day before [a meet],” said Collace. “I don’t believe in go easy the day before. If you do things right the day before than it carries over to the match.”

He added that Franklin was looking forward to the Hockomock Championships on Saturday. Collace said, “If you want to be an all-star it comes from the league championship and it’s been pretty competitive. The league has gotten better and you can see, Mansfield is going to be a good team. They’re going to give us payback in a couple years.”

Mansfield took home the team title at the Cape Cod Invitational over the weekend and DiSanto is counting on that to carry over into this weekend’s league meet.

He said, “We’re coming off a good tournament at the Cape Cod Invitational, so I think we can take that momentum from winning that tournament and I think they can take that experience into Hocks…rather than tonight.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

09/07/2016

Football: 2016 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

2016 Kelley-Rex Football Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2016 Kelley-Rex Football Preview

Attleboro

2015 Record: 7-4
2015 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Mike Strachan

Key/Returning Players: Cam Furtado, Jr., QB/DB; Tyler McGovern, Sr., QB; Andrew Gingras, Sr., OL/DL; Sam Corrado, Sr., RB/LB

Outlook:
Attleboro has developed as a program under head coach Mike Strachan and continues to be one of the teams contend with for the Kelley-Rex title even with a number of new faces on the roster heading into this fall. Even with the loss of standout lineman Kyle Murphy, the Bombardiers will have size on both sides of the ball and use that to control the line of scrimmage.

Offensively, senior quarterback Tyler McGovern returns after an injury knocked him out of the starting lineup midway through last season. He gives Attleboro the chance to look downfield, while junior Cam Furtado stepped in at QB last year and proved to be a dynamic athlete who opened up defenses with his legs.

The offense will flow behind senior lineman Andrew Gingras. At 6’5 and 285 pounds, Gingras will be counted on to open holes for senior running back Sam Corrado and also provide a stout run stopper on defense. Corrado will also provide help at linebacker and on special teams.

“The 2016 Bombardiers are a young team with many players that will be competing for time both offensively and defensively,” said Strachan, who is confident that despite the youth on the roster that Attleboro will be a team to watch this fall.

Franklin

2015 Record: 2-9
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Eian Bain

Key/Returning Players:
Jacob Wolowacki, Sr., RB; Packie Watson, Sr., WR/DB; Joey Blasie, Sr., WR/DB; John Fenton, Sr., OL/DL; Jake Noviello, Jr., QB; Jake Lyons, Sr., RB/DB; Brad Jarosz, Sr., FB/DL; Nick Gordon, So., QB/DB; Khyler Colella, Sr., RB/LB

Outlook:
There is a lot of energy in the Franklin camp over the past couple of weeks, as new head coach Eian Bain takes over from longtime coach Brad Sidwell and looks to give the Panthers a boost after three straight one-win seasons in the Kelley-Rex division. Bain said that he expects there to be a “different vibe” from the team this season.

The Panthers have a lot of experience coming back this season starting in the backfield with quarterbacks Jake Noviello (junior) and Alex Cregg (senior), who both saw action last season. Whoever is starting will have a host of experienced receivers to look for with Eddie Scannapieco, Packie Watson, and Joey Blasie on the outside and 6’5 Connor Peterson at tight end. The bulk of the offense will run through senior tailback Jacob Wolowacki, who emerged last year as a go-to back with three touchdown runs.

Defensively, Franklin has a lot of talent returning in the back seven led by senior safety Jake Lyons, who will also help out as a running back on offense. The secondary also includes Kyle McInery and Nick Gordon with Justin O’Callahan, Bruce Johnson and Khyler Colella manning the linebacker positions. Brad Jarosz will add size to the defensive end position.

Bain said, “It has been an uptempo, high energy camp in Franklin. Players have answered the bell every step of the way to learn both new offensive and defensive systems. While still a work in progress, the team is making strides every day.”

King Philip

2015 Record: 5-6
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Brian Lee

Key/Returning Players:
John DeLuca, Sr., QB; Sean Garrity, Sr., RB/DB; Brett Mazur, Sr., TE/LB; Alex Olsen, Sr., FB/LB; Giovanni Fernandez, Sr., RB/LB; Daniel Loewen, Sr., OL/DL; Michael Sullivan, Sr., OL/DL; Paul Macrina, Sr., OL/DL; Michael Mello, Sr., WR/DB

Outlook:
King Philip got off to a rough start last season, but managed to turn things around with a dramatic victory at Mansfield and won three out of four to get back into the postseason. The Warriors could be inconsistent on the offensive side of the ball in 2015, but with experienced skill position players coming back KP could be ready to challenge for the league title.

It begins in the backfield with senior quarterback John DeLuca, who is ready for his third year as the starter and is one of the toughest signal callers in the league. This season, DeLuca will have a number of weapons to help put points on the board. Senior running back Sean Garrity will add speed to the edge for the Warriors, while his classmate Giovanni Fernandez is a power back to add another dimension inside the red zone. Senior Michael Mello returns to add experience to the receiving corps.

The strength of the Warriors under head coach Brian Lee has been defense and line play and this season should be no different. Seniors Paul Macrina, Michael Sullivan, and Daniel Loewen will be major factors on both sides of the ball. Senior Alex Olsen has the potential to be the defensive MVP this year taking over the role of graduated linebacker Cory Lombardo. Fernandez and fellow senior Brett Mazur will add strength to the linebacker position as well.

Mansfield

2015 Record: 5-6
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal
Coach: Michael Redding

Key/Returning Players:
Hunter Ferreira, Jr., WR/DB; Ben Budwey, Sr., WR; Brian Lynch, Sr., RB; Nick Graham, Sr., RB/DB; Anthony DeGirolamo, Sr., QB; AJ Gibbs, Sr., OL/DL; Colin Gibbons, Sr., OL/DL; Travis Sjoberg, Sr., LB; Andrew Ducharme, Sr., OL/DL; Nick Krouskos, Sr., RB/LB; Diogo DeSousa, Sr., K

Outlook:
Mansfield’s defense held teams to 15 or fewer points in all but two games last year. Only St. John’s Prep and Marshfield (two teams ranked in the top five in the state when they faced the Hornets) were able to get any rhythm going offensively against the Hornets. Despite strength on that side of the ball, Mansfield struggled to find consistency on offense and ended up one point short of a share of the Kelley-Rex division title.

This season, the Hornets offense could be a huge strength with a number of playmakers returning. Senior quarterback Anthony DeGirolamo will be the starter for the second season in a row and will have a strong backfield around him with senior Brian Lynch as the power back and Nick Graham giving Mansfield speed to the edges. DeGirolamo will be able to aim for junior Hunter Ferreira, who has emerged as one of the top receivers in the league, and senior Ben Budwey.

On defense, the front seven will once again be a strong feature for the Hornets. A.J. Gibbs, Colin Gibbons, and Andrew Ducharme add size and strength on both sides of the ball, while senior linebacker Travis Sjoberg is a leader with the potential for hitting triple digits in tackles this fall. Senior placekicker Diogo DeSousa is a weapon in special teams after being recognized at kicking camps over the summer.

“We are a senior team (30 seniors),” said Mansfield head coach Mike Redding, “but we have some very talented juniors and sophomores that will help us win this year and give us some great depth”

Oliver Ames

2015 Record: 2-9
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mike Holland

Key/Returning Players:
Liston Funai, Sr., RB; Jack Mills, Sr., OL/DL; Travis Campbell, Sr., QB/LB; Kyle Gagliardi, Sr., QB/DB; Leandro Moro, Sr., TE/LB; Jay Fruci, Jr., LB; Noah Fitzgerald, Jr., DB; Michael Mulrean, Jr., DB

Outlook:
Oliver Ames head coach Mike Holland is entering his second season in charge of the Tigers and will also be managing the program’s first fall in the Kelley-Rex division. In the last three games of 2015, OA beat Norwell and North Quincy and battled Sharon in a three-point loss on Thanksgiving Day, building momentum heading into this season.

The Tigers are excited about the potential of the offense with two quarterbacks who can make plays with their feet or their arms. Kyle Gagliardi and Travis Campbell are in the mix to be the starter and Holland expressed confidence in both of his seniors. OA also has a strong running game with senior Liston Funai leading the way for a group of backs that provide the Tigers with toughness and the ability to find open space.

OA has a lot of experience returning on the defensive side of the ball. Jack Mills will be a force on both the offensive and defensive line, while Jay Fruci and Leandro Moro will provide a spark from the linebacker spot. The secondary has also been boosted by Noah Fitzgerald and Michael Mulrean. “[We] have an excellent group of seniors and younger guys,” said Holland. “Kids are working hard and putting in strong efforts in all phases.”

Taunton

2015 Record: 1-10
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Brad Sidwell

Key/Returning Players:
Adam Mclaughlin, Sr., WR/DB; Andrew Welington, Sr., TE/LB; Collin Hunter, Jr., QB; Khoury Simmons, Sr., OL/DL; Jake Norberto, Sr., OL/DL; Khoury Simmons, Sr., OL/DL; Paul Corrao, Jr., OL/DL; Zakim Harrow, Sr., OL/DL; Sylvester English, Sr., OL/DL; Mike Fernandez, Sr., TE/LB; Brevan Walker, Sr., RB/DB

Outlook:
The Tigers have a new coaching staff this fall, but it will be one that is very familiar to fans of the Hockomock League. Brad Sidwell moved to Taunton after 20 years in charge of the Franklin program. Sidwell comes into his new position with plenty of experience in the league and an experienced roster that has 14 returning starters, but the Tigers enter 2016 without a Kelley-Rex win since 2012.

There is optimism in the camp this preseason because of the large number of returning players and because of the size that Taunton boasts on the front line. Senior Zakim Harrow checks in at 6’2 and 335 pounds, his classmate Sylvester English is 6’1 and 290 pounds and junior Paul Carrao is 6’3 and 270 pounds. Those players will open holes on both sides of the ball and create space for playmakers such as senior linebacker Mike Fernandez and senior running back Brevan Walker.

There is a battle for the quarterback position this season. Junior Collin Hunter threw 11 touchdown passes last fall but sophomore Noah Leonard has impressed in camp and could snag the starting spot for Friday night’s opener at New Bedford. Whoever is under center will have a couple of strong targets to aim for with senior receivers Adam McLaughlin and Sam Krajewski and senior tight end Andrew Wellington all back.

“We’re just looking for improvement everyday,” Sidwell said. “Hopefully with a little confidence we can get off to a good start.”