Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/09/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 13 – FinalAttleboro overcame a 4-1 deficit, scoring three runs in the fifth inning to tie it, two more in the sixth in the take a lead, and then seven runs in the final inning to put the game to bed. Attleboro senior Drew Pagano earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings. James Weir went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two RBI, Troy Gamache had two hits and an RBI and Sam Larkin chipped in with two hits. Sophomore Alvaro Espinel drew five walks, stole three bases and scored three runs while senior Corey McKenna had a two-run double and three stolen bases.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 0 – FinalFoxboro senior Steve McLaughlin tossed a complete game shutout, scatting three hits while striking out three to lead the Warriors to a win over Franklin. Chad Bearce (single) and JT Burke (double) each recorded an RBI as Foxboro scored single runs in each the first, second, and fourth innings. Anthony Mollica and Joe Cavaleri each had a hit for Foxboro. Franklin’s Jake Noviello struck out 11 batters in five innings of work with just two walks and no earned runs allowed.

King Philip, 17 @ Canton, 4 – FinalKing Philip’s offense exploded for 17 runs in its season opener to pick up a win on the road. Sophomore Robbie Jarest went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Jeremy Rhines had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Rhines earned the win on the mound with five innings of work, striking out four batters without allowing an earned run. KP head coach Greg Kessler said Collin Cooke and Nolan Bradley had strong games defensively.

Mansfield, 9 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalMansfield broke open a 1-1 game with two runs in the fifth and then added four more in the sixth, and two more in the seventh inning to turn a close game into a big win in both teams’ season opener. Hornets senior Tyler Dalton scattered four hits over four innings of work while striking out four to earn the win. Kevin Dow pitched three scoreless innings of relief. Offensively, Sam Nugent (RBI, run), Mike Hargadon (two RBI, run), Cullin Anastasia (RBI), Eric Longley (run), and Dow (two RBI, run) each had two hits for the Hornets. For Stoughton, Ruben Gonzalez, Mike Nazzaro and Will Eckhart each had a pair of hits. Eckhart allowed three earned runs in five innings of work while striking out four.

Taunton, 5 @ Milford, 2 – FinalTaunton senior Tyler Medeiros allowed just four hits in five-plus innings of work, striking out seven with two runs allowed to earn the win. Taunton scored three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, added another run in the fifth inning, and tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Josh Lajoie (save), Christian Simoes, and Jacob Crawford each had two hits for Taunton while Jack Moynihan had a two-RBI triple in the fourth inning. For Milford, Danny Corsini allowed just two earned runs in six innings of work with three strikeouts. Colby Pires (RBI) and Matt Shaver (walk, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalNorth Attleboro senior Nick Sinacola dazzled in his season debut, striking out 11 batters over six innings of work with five hits and two walks allowed. North scored single runs in the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. OA had a chance to tie the game with the bases loaded in the seventh inning but Peter Cohen came in to get the final out via strikeout. Nick Raneri went 2-for-3 with a double, Zach DeMattio went 2-for-3, and Nolan Buckley had a two-out RBI triple in the fifth for the Rocketeers. Oliver Ames senior Mitch Goulet was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Softball
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final (6 inn.)Attleboro’s McKenzie Bergdoll had a strong day in the circle and at the plate to help the Bombardiers open the season with a win. Bergdoll struck out eight in four innings of work, allowing just two hits and one unearned run. At the plate, she had two hits and two RBI. Jenna Gittle finished the final two innings in the circle, striking out three while allowing two hits. Makenzie Killough and Ashley Macia each had big days at the play; Killough went 3-for4 with four RBI, including a home run while Macia was 3-for-4 with five RBI and a home run. Jordyn Lako chipped in with three hits and two RBI for Big Blue. “This was a good start with only three practices outside so far,” said AHS coach Mark Homer. “Everyone in the starting lineup contributed offensively.”

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 25 – Final (5 inn.)King Philip’s Meghan Gorman had four of the Warriors 15 hits, including a two-run home run and a pair of doubles, finishing with five RBI. Brooke Taute contributed three hits, including a triple, and three RBI while Faith Turnese and Hailey McCasland each had multiple hits. Elise Pereira earned the win with a complete game, six strikeouts and just one hit allowed.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalChelsea Gibbons went 2-for-4 to lead the Warriors, while Hannah Davis and Jill Finn each had an RBI single in the victory. Foxboro’s Emma Rohan went the distance in the circle to get the win.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 10 – FinalMansfield coach Lori Letendre called the opening game of the season “a great team effort,” as the Hornets got a strong start from Sarah Cahill, who allowed only three hits and struck out five, and had six players record at least two hits. Mady Bendanillo and Caty DeMassi both went 3-for-4 with DeMassi just a double away from the cycle. Sydney Woods, Felicity McMullin, Ella Verheggen, and Cahill each went 2-for-4. Every player in the Mansfield lineup had at least a hit or an RBI. Kerran Holmes also made a big play in left, turning a double play after a shoestring grab.

Milford, 8 @ Taunton, 7 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 22 – Final (5 inn.)Bella Erti struck out six and allowed only three hits in five innings of work, while also registering three hits at the plate. Ashley Cangiano led the offense, going 4-for-4 with a homer and five RBI. Abby Gallagher scored four runs, while Olivia Capobianco scored three times and had a stolen base and Annabelle Hebard and Katy Daby each had triples. All four finished the game with two hits apiece. Lexie Campbell, Kayla Georgeu, and Katie Mills each had a hit for Oliver Ames.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 15 – Final

Canton, 2 @ Foxboro, 13 – FinalFoxboro built a 7-0 lead by halftime and never looked back to earn a league win over division foe Canton. Louis Piccolo collected eight points – three goals and five assists – to pace the Warriors’ offense. Shayne Kerrigan went 15-for-17 at the face-off X and Bobby Yerardi chipped in with three goals.

Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 13 – FinalFranklin junior Jacob Alexander dominated the face-off X, winning 17 of 21 attempts to help give the Panthers the edge in possession. Eric Civetti paced the offense with six goals and assist while Zach Alexander, Jacob Alexander, Jake Davis and Nitin Chaudhury each scored once for the Panthers. Will Davis made five saves in net for Franklin.

Mansfield @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Oliver Ames, 10 @ Milford, 8 – FinalOliver Ames senior Eric LeBlanc had a hand in over half of the Tigers goals, helping his side earn its first win of the season. LeBlanc scored five goals and had one assist to pace the offense while Shane Kilkelly added two goals and three assists and Frankie Ireland finished with a goal and two assists. Milford freshman goalie Evan Hazard made 15 saves in net while Andrew Gallagher had a team-high five points with two goals and three assists. Mike Demko and Brendan White each scored a pair of goals while Chase Blanchette had a strong game defensively with six ground balls.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 12 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 16 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro had eight different goal scorers, as new coach Colleen Carchedi gets her first win on her Rocketeers debut. Kayla Moulin earned the shutout in net. Alana Tavares grabbed two draw controls for the Tigers, while Hannah Moniz and Rosemary McGrath each had three ground balls.

King Philip, 17 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final KP had seven different scorers and improved to 2-0 on the season. Katie Crowther led the way for the Warriors with seven goals and two assists, while Caroline Klim chipped in with three goals and three assists. Alli Meehan and Olivia Tormey each added two goals and an assist, while Dana Truini, Victoria Tormey, and Ali Wilson each scored once in the win. Caroline Watson made eight saves for KP.

Foxboro, 19 @ Canton, 0 – FinalSophia DiCenso scored three goals and Caroline Boudreau recorded four assists, as Foxboro used 13 different goal scorers to get the division win. Sara Addeche picked up the shutout in goal.

Franklin, 18 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalFranklin junior Annie Walsh and sophomore Erin Walsh combined for 15 points to lead the Panthers to a win on the road at Sharon. Annie had seven goals and two assists while Erin finished with four goals and two assists. Katie Jones added two goals and two assists while Nicole Houlihan had two goals and Corinne Lewis had a strong game defensively with two ground balls. Gianna Cameron made seven saves in the win while Kate Morse made her season debut after suffering an ACL injury this past Fall. Sabrina Robbins scored a pair of goals, grabbed four draw controls, and three ground balls, while Emma Eberhardt added a pair of goals and five draw controls for the Eagles. Sharon also got a goal and an assist from Lydia Chase and 13 saves from goalie Rose Wald.

Mansfield, 16 vs. Holliston, 12 – Final

Milford, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 16 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Chloe Kilkelly and Olivia Piazza combined for seven goals and six assists to lead the Tigers to a win.

Boys Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalIt was a clean sweep for Sharon with all five matches ending in straight sets. Fred Bondar won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, Danujan Thirumavalavan, won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and Ashwin Sreevatsa won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Max Brody and Russell Rapaport earned a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first doubles while Arie Chinnappan and Alex Aspel won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles.

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – FinalKing Philip’s Marco DiStefano rallied after losing the first game to win the second and take a third set tiebreaker to complete the Warriors sweep. DiStefano won 2-6, 7-6 (5), 10-7 while Nick Putney (6-2, 3-6, 6-1) also went three sets at second singles. Jack Cannon won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles, Aidan Ignatius and Nick Ihley won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Sean Desrochers and Nate Ihley didn’t lose a single game (6-0, 6-0) at second doubles.

Foxboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin swept singles play and took another win at first doubles to beat Foxboro. Rohan Herur (6-1, 6-3), Liam Marr (6-0, 6-1) and Tony Calderone (6-4, 6-3) took care of business in singles action while Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu rallied from one set down to earn a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Foxboro’s team of Justin Neale and Brady Gardner earned a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – FinalThe Hornets picked up a pair of wins in singles as well as doubles to defend home court against Stoughton. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles and Peter Lally earned a 6-1, 6-0 decision at third singles. The team of Jalaj Singh and Danny Radev notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Ben Salden and Yash Sakitarkar won by the same score at second doubles. Stoughton’s Erik Anderson won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles.

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton’s Mike Briggs (third singles) and Alex Pugh and Trevor Hart (second doubles) each won in straight sets without dropping a game to pace the Tigers. Francois Hennaux won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Brett Beaulieu earned a 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and the team of Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kullas notched a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro won all five matches in straight sets without dropping a single game to record a win on the road. Richard Bermudez (first singles), Christian Bermudez (second singles) Jonah Manso (third singles), the team of Ben Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher (first doubles) and Alex Pfeffer and Alex Rinaldi (second doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0.

Girls Tennis
Taunton, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalThe Tigers notched a pair of wins in singles play and two more in doubles to take home a win from Milford. Vanessa Rosa won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles and Jocelyn Pagliuca took a 6-2, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of McKenzie Lurie and Sam Martin dropped just one game (6-0, 6-1) at first doubles and Amanda Pugh and Brianna Ferrier did the same (6-1, 6-0) in a win at second doubles. Milford’s Julie Rabinowitz won 6-3, 6-3 at first singles.

Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon dropped a total of three games in singles action and two total in doubles play in a sweep over Attleboro. Nupur Shukla won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Lulu Yuan didn’t lose a game (6-0, 6-0) at second singles and Emily Wen earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Katie Merport and Sophia Fein earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rithika Neti and Lauren Glass didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Canton, 0 – FinalKing Philip won all five matches but some were closer than the score indicates. Erin Regnier won 6-0, 7-5 at first singles, Meghan Sepich earned a 6-1, 6-4 victory at second singles and Caitlin Gonser walked away with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Grace Ely and Mia Valencia squeaked out a win at first doubles (5-7, 6-4, 10-8) while Katarina and Schneider and Lucy Barnard dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – FinalFoxboro won three matches without losing a single game in a sweep at home over Franklin. Sophia Prinos (first singles), Pam Nelson (third singles), and the team of Julia Muise and Sarah Prag (first doubles) each won their match 6-0, 6-0. Kayla Prag won 6-0, 6-3 at second singles for the Warriors and Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender emerged victorious (6-2, 6-3) at second doubles.

Mansfield, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield opened its season with a win, winning all three singles matches in straight sets. Senior Sarah Doyle won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Elizabeth Elsner took a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and freshman Aryann Khosravani won 6-1, 6-3 at third singles. Junior Tessa Garufi and sophomore Samantha Sternberg won 6-3, 6-1 at first doubles while junior Hannah Podolske and senior Cindy Gu prevailed with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final North Attleboro edged out Oliver Ames with a pair of wins in singles play and one win in doubles. Jordan Willis had a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, senior Katie Ovoian won 6-1, 6-4 at third singles and the team of seniors Leah Marceau and Shurobhi Nandi prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) at first doubles. For Oliver Ames, Tate Hadges won 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 at second singles and Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke notched a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Brockton, 0 – FinalTaunton picked up a convincing win on the road behind a balanced attack. Malik Charles had a team-high eight kills while Alex Tavares (four blocks), Lens Esquil (three blocks), and Lance Law (four aces) all registered seven kills. Ricardo DaFonseca finished with 32 assists for the Tigers.

2018 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2018 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
Foxboro’s Jake Addeche makes a save in the playoffs last season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kevin Koppy

After coming up just one game shy of the postseason, Attleboro is aiming to make the playoffs for the first time in program history in 2018.

The Bombardiers doubled their victory total from 2016 to 2017, going from four to eight in the win column. Attleboro returns 11 players from last year’s squad and has a total of 12 seniors on the team. Now in its fourth year, interest in the program is growing rapidly with 17 combined freshmen on either varsity or the JV roster.

There will be a lot of experience on the defensive end for Big Blue. Junior captain Trevor Koppy is back for his third year as the Bombardiers’ starting goalie. He turned away 306 shots last year with a 64% save percentage. In front of Koppy, senior captain Dan Perry is back to anchor the defensive unit which features all seniors.

“Dan is a physical defender that has excellent field awareness and leads by example,” said AHS head coach Kevin Koppy. “He’s constantly hustling and fighting hard for loose balls.”

Perry is joined by classmates Jim Nordberg and Chris Reynolds on close defense while Matt Potter will man LSM and Matt Jiminez brins an extra long pole presence to the defensive unit. Another returner is senior Kyle Henry, resuming his role as the team’s primary faceoff man. Henry had a successful 2017 season in that role and Big Blue will rely on him to spark the offense once again.

Seniors Jimmy Burke and Aidan McKenna, junior Cam Littig, and sophomore Thomas Shipman return to the midfield for Attleboro. Big Blue will have some new faces on the attack with seniors TJ Infante, Shane Joubert, and Aidan Downey leading the way. Freshman Mike Strachan and Matt Perry will also be involved in Attleboro’s attack.

Canton

2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Bill Bendell

The Bulldogs found themselves in an unfamiliar position at the end of last season: on the outside looking in for the postseason.

Canton is looking to get back into the postseason this year after coming up just one game shy of qualifying. The Bulldogs won three straight to give themselves a chance but fell just short on the road against Abington in the final game of the season.

Using that as motivation, look for the Bulldogs to be right back in the mix this season. Leading the way will be senior captains Kevin Albert, Charlie O’Connor, and Griffin Roach. All three patrolled the midfield last season but could see time in other spots depending on how the lineup comes together.

O’Connor will step in to handle faceoffs but could miss some time early along with defensemen Brian Ghostlaw and Brendan Albert. Until Canton gets back to 100%, it will rely on senior Gabe Galeotos, junior George Kent, and sophomores Nick Mackay and Jace Emma to provide protection in front of sophomore goalie Jack Connolly. Connolly had a superb freshman season in the cage for the Bulldogs and will try to build upon that his season.

Junior Mike Shaw is back for his third year on attack for Canton, providing experience and leadership up front. Juniors Matt Martin and Dan Cohen, along with sophomores Chris Lavoie and David Allen will also figure into the Bulldogs’ offense this season.”

“We have a great group of kids this year with a nice blend of experienced players and new faces,” said CHS head coach Bill Bendell.

Foxboro

2017 Record: 11-9
2017 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East First Round
Coach: Matt Noone

It’s safe to say Foxboro head coach Matt Noone is optimistic about the 2018 season.

The Warriors graduated just three players total and return their starting goalie, the entire defensive unit, and top three scorers from a season ago. Foxboro’s record was a bit deceiving based on how much talent they had, with five one-goal losses and two two-goal losses. The Warriors were dropped in the opening game of the playoffs by just one goal after holding a multi-goal lead in the second half.

With so much of the line up back, Noone is hoping to turn those close losses into wins.

“We’re going to be a better team than we were last year,” Noone said. “We have to play within our system, and do the simple things…if we do that, we will be very good and very tough to beat. If they don’t, we’ll be losing those one-goal games again.”

It all starts with defense in Foxboro with Jake Addeche returning in the cage for his third season. Addeche (185 saves) is one of the best goalies in the region and will have a very experienced defense in front of him. Senior Pat Kaveny and junior Pat Stapleton will anchor the defense, both with equipped with plenty of skill and experience, while sophomores Ronnie MacLellan and Matt Lathrop each already have a year of varsity experience under their belts.

Junior Brendan Tully (24 goals, 15 assists) will pace the Warriors in the midfield (“His lacrosse IQ is off the charts,” Noone notes). Tully can help transition Foxboro from defense to offense, and his ability to keep possession helps the Warriors control the tempo. Tully is complemented in the middle by seniors Louis Blake and Mike Collins while both Shayne Kerrigan and Bobby Yerardi will be in the mix as well.

Offensively, the Warriors look to be well-balanced with Louis Piccolo (25 goals, 13 assists) back this year along with senior Mike Moses (18 goals, 20 assists), junior Pete Conley (15 goals, 23 assists) and senior Andrew Whalen.

Franklin

2017 Record: 16-5
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Lou Verrochi

Expectations are high for the 2018 season based on the talent the Franklin Panthers boast this year.

“We return a very good team,” said FHS head coach Lou Verrochi. “We have a very good and deep bench too, we’re looking forward to the season.”

The long list of returning talent starts with All-American and 2017 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Eric Civetti. Civetti (Rutgers commit) has been tormenting opposing defenses since his freshman year. He scored 70 goals and notched 24 assists as a sophomore, and then netted 79 goals and 21 assists last year, totaling 194 points between the two years. The Panthers will also boast senior Zach Alexander and freshman Matt Lazzaro on attack.

The midfield will be loaded with two talented lines available. Captains Kyle McEniry (10 goals, 21 assists) and Chase Tanner (29 goals, 10 assists) will be joined by the speedy Nitin Chaudhury (24 goals, 10 assists) on the Panthers first unit while Jake Davis, Johnny O’Glishen, and Owen Palmieri give Verrochi an incredibly talented second unit.

As if the midfield wasn’t loaded enough, the Panthers have 2017 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jacob Alexander back to dominate the faceoff X. Alexander, who is committed to play at Bryant University, has dominated at the X for the past two years and really gives the Panthers an advantage in terms of getting possession. “He’s arguably the best FOGO in Mass,” Verrochi noted.

The defense will be anchored by junior Patrick Morrison (Rutgers commit) along with Trevor Raffin, Jack McGrath and Spencer Briggs. Sean Lazzaro will be our top LSM while the Panthers have plenty of talent as SSDM with Will Harvey, Ben Kolb, and Aaron Mollo in the mix. Backstopping the team in goal will be Colorado commit and captain Connor O’Rourke (169 saves, 64% save percentage).

King Philip

2017 Record: 13-9
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Hal Bean

The Warriors will be looking to replicate the success they had in the 2016 season again this year.

After finishing 9-2 in league play (second in the Kelley-Rex), the Warriors had an impressive postseason run, competing with top-seeded and eventual sectional champ BC High in the D1 South Quarterfinals.

A big reason why KP has had a lot of experience over the past four years is goalie Paul Macrina. Macrina is now manning the cage at Drexel University, so there are big shoes to fill in the cage this season for KP.

King Philip also has to find replacements for the production lost by LSM Zach D’Amico, attack Tim Watson (56 goals, 28 points – second in the Hockomock League), and defenseman Connor Khung – the first two selected to the 2017 HockomockSports.com First Team and Khung apart of the Second Team.

All is not lost though as the Warriors have junior Colin DeVellis back to spearhead the attack. DeVellis was fourth overall in the Hockomock League in points last season, scoring 22 goals and notching 36 assists (58 points). Another key piece will be senior Nate Minkwitz, who can make an impact on both ends of the field. Minkwitz had 13 goals and five assists last season and will aim to improve on that. Expect LSM Wesley Bishop and midfielder Aidan Bender to factor in this season as well.

Mansfield

2017 Record: 12-7
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Frias

Mansfield returns a good amount of talent from last year’s playoff squad so the Hornets will certainly be looking to book a return trip as well as compete for a Kelley-Rex title.

The Hornets return one of the most dangerous attackmen in the area in senior Hunter Ferreira. Ferreira’s combination of size, speed, and strength – as well as finishing ability – make him a must-watch for opposing defenses. Most will dedicate two defensemen his way but Ferreira still finished fifth in the league in points with 34 goals and 19 assists. Ferreira will be joined by returners Aidan Sacco and Mike Reed, giving the Hornets an experienced three-headed monster on offense.

The midfield is also loaded with experience behind returning starters Joe Cox (19 goals, 14 assists) and Danny DeGirolamo (17 goals, 15 assists). Cox, who was named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com Second Team, muscles his way through opponents, while DeGirolamo can use his speed to cause problems. Haig Megerdichian, Brett Kessler, Connor Quirk, and Brad Grant will all see time in the midfield as well.

Tommy Donnelly will anchor the defensive unit but the Hornets will have some new faces in back. Dan Plugis and Chris Copponi will both see a lot of minutes for the Hornets in front of goalie Jack Munroe, who stepped in last season and impressed in the cage.

“Our strength this year will be at the midfield with lots of legs,” said MHS head coach Tim Frias. “We should be good in transition as well.”

Milford

2017 Record: 4-13
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Jacob Scordato

Milford hasn’t had a ton of success overall since it joined the Hockomock League, but new head coach Jacob Scordato is hoping to change that going forward.

Scordato takes over a team that had just four wins a year ago and is the third coach in the past three years for the program.

“Our players are focused on making our program a successful one,” Scordato said. “Boys lacrosse in the Hockomock is known for being a tough league, and Milford lacrosse is going to be making a lot of noise from here on out.”

Although the Hawks don’t have an incredibly deep roster, the optimism stems from the experience returning on offense. UMass Boston commit and senior captain Andrew Gallagher (16 goals, 7 assists) will be a key weapon up front along with junior captains Ryan Hazard (41 goals, 10 assists) and Josh Ligor.

Scordato also expects junior newcomer Brendan White, who has had successful football and basketball seasons so far this school year, to make a big impact on offense for Milford. Defensively, Milford will rely on senior captain and midfielder Chase Blanchette.

North Attleboro

2017 Record: 16-3
2017 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East Quarterfinals
Coach: Kevin Young

North Attleboro graduated a lot of talent from last year’s squad, so it’s no surprise head coach Kevin Young believes this season will be a big challenge for his young squad.

Although he expects it to be a challenge, the Rocketeers have built a strong program and will likely be in the mix for the division title with Foxboro. Big Red will be anchored by defenseman and captain Tom Lockavitch (Roger Williams commit) and senior LSM Max Fontes. Both Lockavitch and Fontes had tremendous junior seasons and were both honored by HockomockSports.com (first and second teams, respectively). Sophomores Brett Labonte and Will Yeomans will round out a strong defensive unit.

One of the biggest tasks will be filling the void left in goal with Hock MVP and long-time starter Dan MacDonald now graduated. The Rocketeers have three goalies in the mix with Young noting all are working hard to claim the starting spot. Junior Jack Puccio and sophomores Nate D’Amico and Jake McNeany will all be in the mix.

Captain Tommy Lindstrom (Springfield commit) will pace the offense with the help of sophomores Jack Connolly and Andy DeMattio. Faceoff specialist Jason McNeany (Cocker College commit) is also back and will be a key piece of the offense. Nick Ward, Damien Curtis, and Dan Conroy should carry the transition in the midfield with help from Ryan Rajotte and Matt McSweeney.

Oliver Ames

2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ben Devlin

Oliver Ames nearly made it two straight years in the postseason but came up just one game shy of qualifying in 2017. So the goal is simple for the Tigers in 2018: get back to the tournament.

The Tigers return their top six scorers from last season, and now with a year more experience under their belts, should be ready to take on some of the top defenses in the league.

Assistant coach Ben Devlin takes over the reigns of the program, and the familiarity should help make for a smooth transition. Senior captains Eric LeBlanc (30 goals, 13 assists) and Owen Gallagher will spearhead the attack while senior captain Jack Lang will make an impact on both ends of the field while also handling faceoff duties. Junior Colin Bourne and sophomores Sam Stevens and Shane Kilkelly give the Tigers varsity experience in the midfield. Sophomore Frankie Ireland and freshman Remi Creighton will also figure into the mix on offense.

Devlin will have holes to fill on the defensive end but its excited about the skill that the Tigers have. Shane Murphy, Cullen Gallagher, and Matt Saba will be relied upon to carry the defensive unit while Rory Madden will handle LSM duties after missing last season. Nick Gillis will take over for Sean Cosgrove in net after impressing at the JV level.

“We are a couple years into rebuilding this program, which is difficult while playing in such a tough conference against some of the best players and coaches in the state,” Devlin said. “We’re young and inexperienced, but talented on defense. All I can ask is for my kids to play to their capabilities. If we do that I think we can win enough games this season to reach our goal.”

Sharon

2017 Record: 7-11
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Jon Shocket

New head coach Jon Shocket is excited and optimistic that the 2018 season will be a successful one on the lacrosse field for the Sharon Eagles.

Shocket believes the Eagles have the lacrosse IQ and skill to get back to the postseason after missing out on qualification by two wins. A big reason for the optimism is the senior class.

“I have a really good senior group,” Shocket said. “If everyone buys into the system and trusts the process, this should be a fun season. This year, we have to make better decisions and move the ball around. It’s about working as a team instead of as individuals.”

The Eagles have experience at all positions on the field, starting with returning goalie Johnny Greenberg. Greenberg enters his third year as the starting goalie and will have good size in front of him. Both Sam Spencer and Coleman Loftus stand at 6’2 and look to be key pieces in the Eagles’ defensive unit.

In the midfield, Jimmy Fitzhenry, Chase Waxman, and Spencer Hall give the Eagles a well-balanced and experienced group. The three provide a combination of speed, strength, and skill that will help Sharon transition from defense to offense. Junior Matt Callan will handle faceoff duties while freshman LSM Tyler Freidman will be in the mix as well.

Senior Brett Litner brings a strong shot to the offense and will be tough to stop on the inside. Classmate Kadin Nestler gives the Eagles speed on the outside and makes the move from midfield to attack this year. Freshman Drew Litner rounds out the Eagles’ attacking unit.

Stoughton

2017 Record: 4-12
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Pat Healey

After winning four games in its inaugural season at the varsity level, Stoughton boys lacrosse is hoping to continue heading in the right direction this spring.

The Knights picked up wins over Milford twice, Taunton, and Norton and will look to be in competition with those squads again this year. Leading the blue collar group will be captains Justin Ly, Sean Doherty, and Danny Nakhili. Ly is a three-sport athlete that is willing to do the dirty work, Nakhili provides a lot of leadership in the midfield and uses his speed to give the offense a boost, and Doherty will handle the faceoff duties and provide an offensive punch.

Twins Nate and Alex Wilson bring skill to the long poles, Marty Barrett and Josh Cohen will be key pieces on defense, and Charlie Morgan, Luke Bainton, and Mike Tracey will all be in the mix offensively.

“I’m hoping for more wins,” said SHS head coach Pat Healey said in an interview with Stoughton Media Access. “Last year we got four under our belt which is great for a first-year program. We brought up a lot of freshmen this year from the youth program. But baby steps, this is a tough league so we’ll do as best as we can.

Taunton

2017 Record: 0-18
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Brendan Chambers

Now in its third year as a varsity program, Taunton is aiming to progress day by day to continue to build the program.

The Tigers went without a win last season but bring seven starters back with another year of success on their belts. Junior goalie Ryan Williams returns in cage to give the Tigers a familiar face on the defensive end. Williams has been manning the cage for Taunton since the team moved to a varsity schedule.

In front of Williams will be junior Justin Demoga, a captain, that handles close defense. Head coach Brendan Chambers noted Demoga is great with positioning, takes a great approach, and is willing to learn and improve every day. Chambers noted Demoga will be tasked with menacing opponents’ best attack throughout the season.

In the midfield, junior captain Dylan Nichols provides leadership and experience for the Tigers. Nichols has the speed to make an impact on both ends of the field and Chambers is hoping for some offensive production out of the junior. Nichols will be joined by senior Chris Kanabayashi who will contribute to the offense with his hard shot.

Junior Noah Kuczewski is making the jump from JV to varsity and will be one of the Tigers’ main pieces on attack. Chambers is also relying on junior captain Joel Delgado, who put a lot of time in during the offseason to improve, to be an important part of the offense.

“Our goal this year is to continue to build on what we did last year,” Chambers said. “We want to increase our lacrosse IQ and try to be more competitive in all our games. Ideally, we’ll win a couple games and get better every day.”