Below are the official 2018 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Jake Addeche, Foxboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Trevor Koppy, Attleboro
Griffin Roach, Canton
Jake Addeche, Foxboro
Pete Conley, Foxboro
Patrick Kaveny, Foxboro
Louis Piccolo, Foxboro
Patrick Stapleton, Foxboro
Brendan Tully, Foxboro
Jacob Alexander, Franklin
Nitin Chaudhury, Franklin
Eric Civetti, Franklin
Jake Davis, Franklin
Pat Morrison, Franklin
Connor O’Rourke, Franklin
Trevor Raffin, Franklin
Chase Tanner, Franklin
Michael Curtin, King Philip
Colin DeVellis, King Philip
Thomas Donnelly, Mansfield
Hunter Ferreira, Mansfield
Max Fontes, North Attleboro
Tom Lindstrom, North Attleboro
Eric LeBlanc, Oliver Ames
Honorable Mentions:
Kyle Henry, Attleboro
Dan Cohen, Canton
Bobby Yerardi, Foxboro
Kyle McEniry, Franklin
Nate Minkwitz, King Philip
Daniel DeGirolamo, Mansfield
Andrew Gallagher, Milford
Jason McNeany, North Attleboro
Shane Kilkelly, Oliver Ames
Johnathan Greenberg, Sharon
Thomas Ratcliff, Stoughton
Dylan Nichols, Taunton
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
Below are the official 2017 Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Kelley-Rex
Shane Frommer, King Philip
Davenport
Chad Peterson, North Attleboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Kelley-Rex Division
Cam Furtado, Attleboro
James Weir, Attleboro
Elvin Sam, Attleboro
Brian Kosicki, Franklin
Jake Noviello, Franklin
Shane Frommer, King Philip
Jack Piller, King Philip
Brendan Lydon, King Philip
Jack Webster, King Philip
Andrew Dittrich, King Philip
Will Shield, Mansfield
Hunter Ferreira, Mansfield
Danny DeGirolamo, Mansfield
Vinnie Holmes, Mansfield
Anthony Berksza, Oliver Ames
Jack Mills, Oliver Ames
Zakim Harrow, Taunton
Dan Murphy, Taunton
Davenport Division
Brendan Albert, Canton
Alec Ragusa, Canton
Devin Hassett, Foxboro
Mike Henri, Foxboro
Kade Treannie, Foxboro
Patrick Kaveny, Foxboro
Patrick Brogioli, Milford
Will Pointer, Milford
Neil Arquillano, Milford
Chad Peterson, North Attleboro
Ryan Clemente, North Attleboro
Sam Bullock, North Attleboro
Marion Bresko, North Attleboro
Aidan Harding, North Attleboro
Justin Ly, Stoughton
Alex Sjoquist, Stoughton
Ruben Gonzalez, Stoughton
Jason Joseph, Stoughton
Football
Attleboro, 6 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 27 – Final 1st Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 22-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good; (C) Alec Ragusa 45-yard fumble return, O. Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) A. Ragusa 4-yard rush, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: (C) J. Hagan 6-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Mansfield, 28 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Phil Dinov fumble recovery in the end zone, Mike DeBolt XP good; (F) Devin Hassett 2-yard rush, XP good; (M) Danny DeGirolamo 81-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D. Hassett 11-yard rush, XP no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (M) Damani Scott 8-yard pass to Chris Copponi, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) Aidan Sacco 5-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (F) D. Hassett 11-yard pass to Jack O’Donnell, XP good.
Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 28 – Final 1st Quarter: (KP) Brendan Lydon 1-yard rush, Cole Baker XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) B. Lydon 12-yard pass to Jack Piller, C. Baker XP good; (KP) B. Lydon 37-yard pass to David Morganelli, C. Baker XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 3-yard rush, C. Baker XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Milford, 42 vs. KIPP Academy Lynn Charter, 20 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Will Pointer 46-yard rush, Sean Lehane XP good; (M) Ryan O’Toole 53-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (M) W. Pointer 43-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (M) Patrick Brogioli 8-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: (K) Jansiel Jimenez rushing touchdown, XP failed; (M) Matt Curran 51-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Neil Arquillano 8-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
4th Quarter: (K) KIPP 39-yard fumble recovery return, XP failed; (K) KIPP 26-yard pass touchdown, 2pt conversion good.
Oliver Ames, 10 @ Sharon, 0 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (OA) Derick Hanscom 29-yard field goal; (OA) Darnell Ryan 40-yard interception return, D. Hanscom XP good.
Taunton, 42 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 1-yard rush, Everett Ferreira XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) Malik Richardson 5-yard rush, E. Ferreira XP good.
3rd Quarter: (CC) Jackson Harrison 6-yard rush, Ben Vaas XP good; (T) Vinny Diniz 65-yard kick off return, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (T) N. Leonard 8-yard pass to Brayden Merrill, N. Leonard 2pt rush good; (T) N. Leonard 6-yard pass to B. Merrill, N. Leonard 2pt pass to Alec Simon good; (T) Tryton Zavala 96-yard rush, XP failed.
King Philip senior Shane Frommer (25) scored a pair of touchdowns to lead the Warriors to a narrow victory over rival Mansfield and into the Warriors third sectional final in the past four seasons. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
WRENTHAM, Mass. – Over the course of its 21-game win streak, King Philip has found a number of ways to come out on top, particularly in close games. Whether it is a big passing play, breaking a long run, or forcing an important turnover, the Warriors know how to grind out results week after week.
There was a lot of turnover from last season’s state title-winning roster and head coach Brian Lee has admitted that he was not sure how good the Warriors could be this fall, but the new faces have stepped right in where the previous team left off and continued to win.
On Friday night at Macktaz Field, KP extended its winning streak by another game, pulling out a 13-11 win against rival Mansfield, beating the Hornets for a second time this season and advancing to the Div. 2 South final. This is the third sectional final in the past four years for the Warriors.
Lee explained, “The kids just battle. They’re tough. They’re not much to look at but they battle and compete. I didn’t know if we’d be any good this year and somehow we’re here again.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys who are just laid back and chill and they know when to perform,” said junior linebacker Jack Webster. “They perform at the right times. We’ve got good confidence on the team. We’re just calm, cool, and collected and we just play team ball.”
After pulling away with a strong fourth quarter in the first meeting between the two teams, KP carried the momentum into this game.
The Warriors called for a reverse on the opening kick-off and Shane Frommer took it up the sidelines for 42 yards to start near midfield. Brendan Lydon (5-14, 69 yards) hit David Morganelli for 16 yards and then Frommer for 21 to get the ball into Mansfield territory. Three plays later, Frommer (24 carries, 110 yards) bounced a run to the outside for six-yard score.
“We score the first drive, everyone’s smiling, and I was like, ‘Remember, it’s going to be a long game,’ “ said Lee. He added, “I told them before the game, ‘I don’t know how it’s going to play. I don’t know what they’re going to do different this time. All I know is that it’s going to take the entire game.’”
After a three-and-out by the Hornets, Aidan Bender’s return gave the Warriors great starting field position at midfield. The Mansfield coaches were imploring the defense to come through with a big stop and that is exactly what the Hornets got, forcing three-and-outs on back-to-back KP possessions to settle the game down.
The first meeting changed on a first half interception and it looked like Friday’s game might too. Lydon was flushed out of the pocket by Nick Marciano and his pass was picked off by Hunter Ferreira, who returned the ball down to the Warriors eight and gave the visitors momentum. Three plays later, Damani Scott (5-15, 55 yards) punched it in from the half-yard-line.
The Hornets surprised KP by running a trick play rather than an extra point with Ferreira pitching it to Mike DeBolt for the conversion and an 8-7 lead.
The excitement on the Mansfield sideline was short-lived, as the Warriors returned the ensuing kick out to the 45 for another great starting spot. As usual, KP turned to Frommer and the Yale University-commit carried the ball five times for 42 yards on the drive, including his second touchdown of the game, this time from 10 yards out.
The Hornets had gone practically nowhere on offense to this point, but with 3:25 left in the half and starting at their own 23 Mansfield put together its best drive of the game. Scott hit Danny DeGirolamo for a 14-yard completion and Khristian Conner for eight yards, while sophomore Vinnie Holmes (17 carries, 89 yards) gave the Hornets a threat up the middle. Mansfield got the ball to the KP 16 and DeBolt nailed a 33-yard field goal with 8.4 on the clock to cut the lead to two.
Deric Casado had an interception to start the second half for KP, but the Warriors were held to one first down, Chris Graham making a big stop on Frommer on second down. Mansfield’s next drive got on the edge of field goal range but Evan Rice had a big third down sack that forced a Hornets punt. It was one of three second half sacks for the Warriors, who ratcheted up the pass rush in the second half.
“The coaches just made up a great defensive plan this week,” said Webster. “We knew what we’re doing and we attacked it.”
Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “We played tough on Frommer, they did a great job on our run game, and we just needed to complete a few more passes. They’re as good a team as we play defensively every year, they make you work.”
The punt pinned KP down inside its own 10, but Webster managed three yards on third and three for a big first down then Lydon hit Morganelli for another third down conversion and Frommer picked up another with a nine-yard dive up the middle. The Warriors managed to get as far as midfield to switch the field position advantage.
“They got a lot of big first downs,” said Redding. “The Lydon kid hit a couple of outs, great throws on time. Field position was a killer. We always started in our end and gave them the ball at midfield way too much.”
The game seemed to be over when Makhi Baskin muffed a punt with about four minutes remaining, but again the Hornets held firm defensively with Conner making a big stop on Frommer on the sideline and Baskin redeeming himself with an interception at the goal line on fourth down.
Mansfield had one more shot. After a sack by Webster pushed the Hornets back five yards to their own 24, Scott hit Ferreira for his only catch of the game and the senior appeared to be out to the 40 for a first down. After some confusion, the officials marked him down at the 38, one yard short of the marker.
“I thought we completed the pass for 20 yards on [third down], someone’s got to explain that to me, but even with that I don’t know if we’ve got the time to get the field goal,” said Redding. “You just hate to see that in a big game, that kind of mismanaging of the stakes.”
On fourth down, Holmes tried to fight his way to the sticks but Webster was on the spot, as he had been all game, to make the stop that sealed the win.
“Fourth and one, I was daggering off the outside,” Webster explained, “and Jack Piller made a great play and everyone just collapsed on him and pushed him back. It was a great team effort.”
When asked what has made this KP roster continue to find ways to win, Webster said, “Shane Frommer and Andrew Dittrich, our two captains, have just made us play together, play great team ball, everyone’s made plays when we’ve had to…it’s just been a good team game.”
The respect for the Mansfield program and all that it has achieved is evident on the KP sidelines and Lee said that the strength of the Warriors’ rivals has pushed them to be even better.
“You know why I love Mansfield so much,” he said, “because they have made this program work so hard to compete against that and that’s how we’ve gotten better. You’re either getting crushed by them or you learn how to fight and our guys have responded.”
King Philip (9-0, 5-0), the top seed in Div. 2 South, advances to the sectional final and will host No. 3 Bridgewater-Raynham next Friday night. Mansfield (7-2, 4-1) has not set an opponent for next week.
Mansfield sophomore Vinnie Holmes rushes past a Marshfield defender for a touchdown in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – After a nearly flawless first 21 and a half minutes of the first half, it looked as though #4 Mansfield was going to head into the locker room with a comfortable 14-0 lead.
But #5 Marshfield had other plans, covering 63 yards in 32 seconds and scoring with no time left on the clock to cut the deficit in half. On top of that, the Rams received the opening kick and needed just four plays – plus a face mask penalty – to move to the Mansfield 32-yard line.
But all of Marshfield’s momentum was squashed when sophomore linebacker Nick Marciano sniffed out a quick pass from Rams’ quarterback Jackson Phinney and intercepted the pass, running it back 71 yards for a touchdown to give Mansfield a 20-7 lead with 9:34 left in the third quarter.
Mansfield never looked back after that, running away with a 34-14 win to snap a three-year losing skid to the Rams in the postseason.
“It’s been a tough run against those guys, sooner or later we had to get them,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Redding. “This was much closer than the score indicated. Obviously the pick six was a huge turnaround. They’re driving and I think at that point, to tie the thing up. That was a big play in the game.
“I thought we played great in the first half, but then they get the two-minute drill at the end of the half, and it just felt like the momentum shifted, a little bit of air came out of our sails. The pick six kind of got it back in our favor.”
The Hornets’ offense got off to a great start, needing just six plays to cover 69 yards, punctuated by a touchdown just over three minutes into the game. On third down, junior quarterback Damani Scott (7/16, 105 yards, touchdown) hit Khristian Conner on the right sideline and the junior used a nice spin to get free and raced for a 56 yard gain.
Three plays later, Scott rolled to his left and hit Hunter Ferreira in the end zone for a six-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 7:44 left in the first quarter.
“We were excited to see we had [Marshfield] again, we love the competition,” Ferreira said. Ferreira is one of the few three-year starters for the Hornets who has been on the wrong side of the Marshfield rivalry. “They run the ball very well, like King Philip does so it’s a good game to get prepared. It’s like a monkey off our backs to beat them, to stop the streak. Now we have a chance to stop the KP streak.
“It’s so huge to have all these guys step up. Vinnie [Holmes] has been great all season, he’s a missile out there. He plays like a senior out there. And Marciano stepped up big tonight for us He came in to my spot when I moved to Joe’s spot and that was an unreal play tonight.”
Mansfield’s defense was on point from the get-go. The Hornets allowed just two yards on Marshfield’s opening drive (three and out). The Rams ran an incredible 18 plays on their next series, converting three fourth downs before going for it on fourth and goal from the eight. But Mansfield sophomore Vinnie Holmes came flying in with pressure on Phinney, forcing an incompletion plus an intentional grounding call to get the ball back on downs.
The Rams had to punt after five plays resulted in just 23 yards, but Mansfield’s second, third and fourth drives on offense resulted in a punt, turnover on downs, and a punt as well.
Marshfield went backward on its next drive as Holmes stuffed Jack McNeil (eight carries, 49 yards) for a two-yard loss. Then Chris Graham and Ernany Pires combined for a six-yard sack on second down. On the Rams’ ensuing punt, Mansfield junior Philip Dinov came flying in and blocked the punt, tackling the Marshfield punter as well after he picked up the loose ball.
Mansfield took over at the Marshfield 23-yard line. After Holmes converted a 3rd and 10 with a 21-yard burst up the middle, he took a two-yard rush in for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with just 0:37 left to play in the first half.
“We talked at halftime about how we let it get away against King Philip, we can’t let it happen again,” Redding said. “We had to step up and play some defense. It takes a sophomore making a pick six in the biggest game of the year, but that was the play of the game.
“Offensively we did just enough to keep them at arm’s length. They are tough, they have great athletes all over like McNeil and Phinney. They did a great job containing their backs, not giving them the big play.”
The Hornets defense continued its stellar play in the second half. Marshfield’s next three drives in the third quarter totaled just 16 yards, with a pair of punts and a turnover on downs.
“We played great run [defense] all year and this was a big challenge because they have three good backs and the QB can run,” Redding added. “But we’ve been great defensively, [Chris] Capponi and Holmes at linebacker are great and Phil and Hunter at outside backer – we didn’t get Hunter the ball a lot but he made some plays on defense.”
Holmes put the Hornets up comfortably with a toss to the right for a 13-yard score with 9:18 left in the game, and Michael DeBolt iced the game with a six-yard rush up the middle with 3:42 to play.
Holmes finished as the Hornets’ leading rusher, going for 77 yards on 11 carries. Danny DeGirolamo also had a nice night on both sides of the ball, rushing for 69 yards on 11 carries while having a pair of key pass breakups.
“He went from having a role to being the go-to guy [tonight],” Redding said of Holmes. “Give him the ball, he’s going to get yards. He breaks tackles, he stays low…he’s not your typical sophomore and I’m glad we got him around for a few years, he stepped up and played great tonight. Chris [Copponi] was a great lead blocker for him.
“They did a good job taking Hunter out of the game. Damani made some throws when he had to. It was a battle, we had to work for everything we could. But defense played great and we did enough offensively to get points on the board. We’ll take it – Marshfield is a great program and it’s been a battle, and it’s good to finally get them. Now its back to a league rival here in the semifinals, that should be a good one.”
Marshfield added a late passing touchdown with Mansfield’s second unit in on defense.
Mansfield football (7-1 overall, 4-1 Hockomock) advances to the D2 South Semifinal and will face off with a familiar foe in King Philip. The Warriors scored 28 unanswered points in the first meeting, erasing a 10-point deficit to earn the win.
“They’ve beaten us the last three or four years. We thought we played pretty well for three quarters but the fourth quarter, they just wore us down, field position killed us, they made some plays. Now it’s our chance to turn it around and make some plays. I wish it was in the finals but we’ll take it in the semis and hopefully make it happen.
“I just feel like this team has something special, just something about them. When we lost Joe, they just have all stepped up and they find ways to compete and win. So we have to do it one more week and try and survive and move on.”
The Hornets and Warriors are set to kickoff on Friday, November 3rd at 7:00 at Macktaz Field on the campus of King Philip.
Game of the Week – Football
Franklin, 18 @ Attleboro, 37 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Jake Noviello 4-yard pass to Ryan Driscoll, XP blocked.
2nd Quarter: (A) Cam Furtado 11-yard pass to Justin Cote, C. Furtado 2pt rush.
3rd Quarter: (A) J. Cote 7-yard rush, C. Furtado 2pt rush; (A) C. Furtado 73-yard rush, Tyler Evans XP good; (A) Joseph Llanos 3-yard rush, T. Evans XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Noviello 1-yard sneak, 2pt failed; (F) J. Noviello 22-yard pass to Evan Wendell, XP blocked; (A) J. Cote 30-yard rush, T. Evans XP good.
Football
Canton, 13 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: (NA) Chad Peterson 4-yard pass to Jonathan James, Geoff Wilson XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) C. Peterson 31-yard pass to Mario Bresko, G. Wilson XP good; (NA) Nick Raneri 11-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good; (NA) C. Peterson 15-yard pass to Ryan Gaumond, G. Wilson XP good.
3rd Quarter: (NA) N. Raneri 1-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good; (C) Gersom Rivera 2-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) Kyle Fitzgerald 2-yard rush, XP missed; (NA) Luke LaBonte 79-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 31 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Mike Henri 5-yard rush, Russell Neale XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) R. Neale 29-yard field goal good; (F) Devin Hassett 1-yard rush, R. Neale XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) Phil Dure 9 yard rush, R. Neale XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) Keyshawn Sanders 1-yard rush, R. Neale XP good.
King Philip, 35 @ Taunton, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: (KP) Andrew Dittrich 44-yard interception return, Cole Baker XP good; (KP) Shane Frommer 10-yard rush, C. Baker XP good; (KP) Brendan Lydon 15-yard pass to Jack Piller, C. Baker XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (KP) B. Lydon 25-yard pass to Dylan Leonard, C. Baker XP good.
4th Quarter: (KP) A. Dittrich 103-yard interception return, C. Baker; (T) Noah Leonard 20-yard pass to Wesner Charles, John Teixeira XP good.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Mansfield, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 4-yard rush, Michael DeBolt XP good; (M) Danny DeGirolamo 80-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) Damani Scott 3-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) D. DeGirolamo 31-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (OA) Anthony Berksza 1-yard rush, XP blocked; (M) D. Scott 39-yard pass to D. DeGirolamo, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Jordan Thevenot 2-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Stoughton, 14 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: Justin Ly 25-yard rush, Josh Cocchi XP good.
3rd Quarter: Sean Lehane 46-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: Alex Sjoquist 3-yard rush, J. Cocchi XP good.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Abigail Boudreau and Grace Mayer teamed up to create a pair of goals, helping the Bombardiers earn an upset on the road at OA. Boudreau scored on an assist from Mayer, and then the two combined to set up Kyra Lyons to make it 2-0. Shealyn Harrison earned her first career shutout in the win.
Sharon, 0 @ Canton, 8 – Final
Foxboro, 7 @ Milford, 0 – Final
Franklin, 7 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Junior Cassi Ronan registered four points to help the Panthers roll to a big win on the road. Ronan scored a pair of goals and set up two more in a win that qualified Franklin for the state tournament. Freshman Victoria Quinn netted a pair of goals while sophomores Erin Walsh and Olivia Mazukina and freshman Amanda Lewandowski each scored once.
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip got off to a strong start, scoring a pair of goals inside the first five and a half minutes to take down Taunton. Dana Truini, Raegan Simeone (assisted by Caroline Klim) and Liz Furfari (assisted by Christina Hathaway) scored in the first half to help the Warriors build a 3-0 lead at the break. Nicole Connor scored with just over 12 minutes left to ice the game.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final
Volleyball
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield moved one step closer to an MIAA tournament berth with a win over visiting Attleboro (25-13, 25-16, 25-27, 25-20). The Hornets need to win two of their last three games to qualify. Meg Hill (16 kills) and Julia Harrison (15 kills, 12 service points) paced the offense while Greenly Kelly chipped in with seven kills for Mansfield.
King Philip, 2 vs. Needham, 3 – Final – In a battle of two top teams, and in what could be a playoff preview, KP fell just short (25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 24-26, 15-17) to visiting Needham. Sydney Phillips had a standout performance, notching 29 kills and nine digs while Michaela Palumbo added 10 kills, nine service points, and three aces. Grace Ely chipped in with six kills, Julianne Rando had 11 digs and five service points and Kat Kmetz added 14 service points, five digs, two kills and two aces.
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Brockton, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames survived a marathon five-game thriller with visiting Brockton, prevailing 25-23, 24-26, 25-13, 19-25, 15-8. OAHS head coach Chelsea Cunningham said senior Emma Petrillo (12 kills, three aces, two blocks) was the player of the game. “She dominated the game offensively and executed at crucial moments in the game,” Cunningham said. Sophomore Allie Kemp added 22 assists and five aces, senior Kayla Raymond had 12 kills and three blocks, and junior Sadie Homer finished with 15 digs and a pair of aces.
Mansfield forced four turnovers and scored off all of them, including this fumble return for a touchdown by Aidan Sacco (27) in the second quarter, to win on the road at Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Before Friday night’s game at Tozier-Cassidy Field, Mansfield was given bad news on the injury front. Having already lost starting linebacker and running back Joe Cox for the season, tailback Danny DeGirolamo and lineman Colbey Eason were both ruled out for the meeting with Attleboro.
Mansfield coach Mike Redding admitted that he was concerned about the matchup with the Bombardiers and said that he knew his team would have to “make plays and win the turnover battle.”
The Hornets did just that. Mansfield forced four Attleboro fumbles, scoring points off all four turnovers, and rolled to a 31-7 road victory that puts the Hornets alone in second place in the division, keeps them just a game back of league-leading King Philip with one regular season game remaining, and gives them a stronger hold on a home game in the playoffs.
“It was kind of our night,” said Redding after the game. “Really gutsy effort.”
He added, “We talked the last 24 hours that we need to step up and fight together. We’re short a few key guys and everybody’s got to rally and…we know that this was a crucial win on the road and may make a big, big difference in where we sit going into the playoffs.”
Attleboro ran only four offensive plays in the opening 11 minutes, but the game was scoreless when the Bombardiers stuffed a Vinnie Holmes run on fourth and one (ending a 13-play drive) and took over at their own 16 with 49 seconds remaining in the first.
Center Matt Corrado, who also plays on the defensive line, was injured on the fourth down play and there was confusion between senior Cam Furtado and his new center. The ensuing snap was early, surprising the quarterback, and was recovered by Chris Graham at the Attleboro 10.
Again the Attleboro defense came through with a huge stop. Matt Jimenez and Josh Therrien combined to bring down Aidan Sacco four yards short of the goal line on third down. Mansfield settled for a 26-yard field goal by Michael DeBolt to take the lead.
The momentum that the defense gave to the home team was short-lived. A fumble on the second snap of the next drive was corralled by Sacco in front of the Attleboro bench and he took it 27 yards up the sideline for a touchdown to make it 10-0.
“Turnovers…You can’t give them possession, bottom line,” Attleboro coach Mike Strachan mused. “I thought we played pretty well defensively, early, but we gave them short fields and you can’t give them short fields. They’re too experienced to do that and we just couldn’t recover.”
Another mishandled snap led to Mansfield taking over at its own 48. A run and a penalty later and the Hornets faced second and 11. The Bombardiers were crowding the line of scrimmage when Damani Scott (6-8, 156 yards) dropped back to pass. The junior fired a perfect strike over the top to DeBolt, who pulled in his first career catch without breaking stride for a 53-yard score.
“That was a big one,” said Redding. “Funny thing is we were going Hunter [Ferreira] first read on the drag and we weren’t even looking at Mike. I don’t even know how [Damani] saw him. He must have looked back to the drag and saw the post open, but that was a great throw.”
Strachan used the same words to describe the touchdown that put Mansfield ahead 17-0 at the break. He said, “I think that was the big one. Overall, we tried to do a good job on Ferreira, shut him down, and I thought we did a good job on that but at the end of the day you can’t turn the ball over four times. That’s it.”
Mansfield punted to start the second half, but again Attleboro put the ball on the ground. Ferreira was on hand to recover the loose ball and get the Hornets possession on the Bombardiers 23. Facing fourth and 11, Scott used his legs to scramble for 16 yards and keep the drive going. Two plays later he found Ferreira on the far sideline and the senior wideout somehow pulled it in while staying in bounds for an 18-yard touchdown.
“They had to go to other resources,” said Strachan about the defensive effort to try and slow down Ferreira (two catches, 28 yards). “He made a great catch down in the end zone, phenomenal catch, but other than that he had a pretty quiet day, but they’ve got athletes at different spots. You have to defend the whole field against them.”
After stopping Attleboro at midfield on fourth down, the Hornets tacked on another score to ensure a comfortable fourth quarter. The drive started with a flea flicker, as Scott threw another deep strike, this time to Khristian Conner for 44 yards inside the Attleboro five-yard-line. Sacco capped the drive with a two-yard run, spinning his way inside the pylon.
Sophomore Joseph Llanos (nine carries, 88 yards) ensured that Attleboro was not shut out with a 14-yard TD in the final minute of the game, but it was a strong performance by the Mansfield defense. Even without Cox at linebacker, the Hornets limited Furtado to just one completion and 38 yards on 12 carries.
“We’ll never replace him,” said Redding in reference to Cox, “but I think guys are rallying for him at this point and the only good news is that we have depth at the skill positions. We would love to have him, but I think we have enough talent to be a tough out once we get to the playoffs.”
Mansfield (5-1, 3-1) will try to keep the pressure on King Philip and sew up a home playoff game next Friday at Alumni Field against Oliver Ames. Attleboro (2-4, 2-2) will look to make sure of a playoff place when it hosts fellow Div. 1 South hopeful Franklin at Tozier-Cassidy.
Football
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Attleboro, 44 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (A) Cam Furtado 11-yard rush, C. Furtado pass to Nathan Barboza 2-point conversion.
2nd Quarter: (A) Justin Cote 23-yard rush, C. Furtado 2-point conversion rush; (A) C. Furtado 41-yard pass to J. Cote, C. Furtado 2-point conversion rush; (A) Joseph Llanos 12-yard rush, Tyler Evans XP good; (A) Elvin Sam 74-yard punt return, T. Evans XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (A) Dante Williams 3-yard rush, Conversion no good.
Canton, 0 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (S) Alex Sjoquist 28-yard rush, XP missed.
3rd Quarter: (S) A. Sjoquist 36-yard rush, 2pt failed.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Foxboro, 13 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Devin Hassett 14-yard pass to Jake Addeche, Russell Neale XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) Chad Peterson 7-yard pass to Nick Raneri, Geoff Wilson XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (NA) C. Peterson 36-yard pass to Brendan McHugh, G. Wilson XP good; (F) D. Hassett 13-yard pass to Jack O’Donnell, XP blocked.
King Philip, 17 @ Franklin, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: (KP) Shane Frommer 1-yard rush, Cole Baker XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) Jake Noviello 55-yard pass to Sean Leonard, Matt Zucco XP good; (F) J. Noviello 1-yard rush, M. Zucco XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (KP) Brendan Lydon 31-yard pass to Tom Madden, C. Baker XP good; (KP) C. Baker 18-yard field goal.
Taunton, 19 @ Mansfield, 37 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 70-yard rush, XP blocked; (M) Danny DeGirolamo 6-yard rush, XP missed.
2nd Quarter: (M) Mike DeBolt 34-yard field goal; (T) N. Leonard 10-yard pass to Collin Hunter, John Teixeira XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) N. Leonard 10-yard pass to Jahmeir Lewis, XP blocked; (M) Damani Scott 10-yard pass to Hunter Ferreira, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) D. Scott 20-yard pass to H. Ferreira, M. DeBolt XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 3-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) Aidan Sacco 31-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford head coach Brian Edwards made a tactical change, moving Walisson de Oliveira up the pitch into a striker’s role and the sophomore responded with his first career hat trick. De Oliveira opened the scoring in the 10th minute on a feed from Anthony Salvador. The Hawks doubled the lead in the 60th minute when de Oliveira converted a chance from Joey Madden. The sophomore capped his scoring with a shot from nearly 30-yards out in the 75th minute. Edwards added that Filipe Da Silva also played a great game up top for the Scarlet Hawks.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames set the tone early, scoring inside the first minutes, to take two points on the road at Foxboro. Matt Alvarado took a feed from Cam Vella to put the visitors ahead. Foxboro’s Shane VandenBoom tied the game 10 minutes later but OA went back ahead in the 23rd minute when Alvarado set up Mason Galbato. Jack Sheldon netted an olimpico – directly off a corner kick – in the 50th minute to give the Tigers a two-goal cushion.
Franklin, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Franklin sophomore Donny Tappin factored into both of the Panthers’ goals, helping take two points on the road at Stoughton. Tappin opened the scoring on a feed from classmate Jacob Cummings and then set up senior Will Conley for the Panthers’ second tally.
King Philip, 2 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Just two minutes after Sharon equalized the game, King Philip netted the game-winner to take two points on the road. Senior Tyler Mann opened the scoring in the 66th minute, netting a shot from outside the area to put the Warriors up 1-0. Sharon’s Spencer Hall leveled the match in the 73rd minute but Thomas Lugten found the winner for KP off a cross from Zac White in the 75th minute.
Mansfield, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro senior Gabe Pinhancos scored the lone goal of the game just under five minutes into the second half to give the Rocketeers a berth in the MIAA state tournament. Ryan Pasquel played a low service on a corner, which was dummied by Zach Matracia. Pinhancos then latched onto the ball inside the area to beat the keeper.
Girls Soccer
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Juliana France scored the goal for the Hawks to earn a point on the road.
Canton @ Taunton, 3:45
Foxboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Jackie Mills scored a hat trick for the Tigers, while Sofia Masciarelli, Anna Tempestoso and Abby Reardon had assists for OA. Mackenzie Fraser scored the lone goal for the Warriors.
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Miranda Smith got the Franklin offense going with a pair of goals, while Anna Balkus added a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Halle Atkinson and Olivia Dellorco also scored in the win and Molly Duncan, Erin Quaile, and Calen Frongillo had assists. According to Stoughton coach Tara Daniels, Victoria Fallon had a “strong game” and showed off “her versatility and leadership as a center back.”
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Chloe Layne scored a brace and recorded an assist and Ally Stanton had a goal and an assist for the Warriors. Layne opened the scoring in the eighth minute off an assist by Hanna Balunos and then assisted on a goal by Avery Snead four minutes later. In the 55th minute, Layne scored her second on an assist by Stanton and then Stanton wrapped up the win with a 20-yard strike to the far post assisted by Abby Baker.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Ashlyn Gaulin opened the scoring for North Attleboro off a first half corner, but Emily Vigeant equalized with a 30-yard free kick in the second half to send both defending league champs home with a point apiece. “It was a great game,” said North head coach Bill Wallace. Wallace added that Rachel LaBonte and Sam Hawkins “played incredible in the back” for the Rocketeers while Haley Guertin had a strong two-way game. Mansfield coach Kevin Smith added that both defenses “played fantastic.”
Field Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Norwood, 2 – Final
King Philip, 1 vs. Algonquin, 1 – Final – King Philip’s Alli Meehan scored the lone goal for the Warriors, converting an assist from Liz Furfari.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Canton, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two games, Canton earned two straight wins to get the 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-11, 25-19) win over Taunton. Rose Hazam had a strong all-around game with eight kills, six aces and 13 digs for the Bulldogs while Hannah Jerrier added 11 kills. Nicole Brown (four kills) paced the offense with 21 assists while Megan McDonough, Sofia Connor and Julia Minichiello had strong performances defensively for Canton.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – The Tigers picked up a sweep (25-14, 25-18, 25-16) on the road to grab the team’s fifth win of the season – all coming in the last six games. Sophomore Ally Kemp led OA with 25 assists, junior Sadie Homer added 13 digs, and senior Kayla Raymond finished with seven kills and a pair of blocks. OAHS head coach Chelsea Cunningham added that junior Caitlin Cavanaugh played a great game on the outside.
Franklin, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – After falling 25-27 in the first set, Stoughton’s Molly Turner started the second game with 10 service points, including four aces, and the Black Knights never looked back in rattling off three straight wins. Seniors Jordan Motley, Val Whalen and Vicky Ramos combined for over 30 kills for Stoughton. Lauren Lockhart led Franklin with eight kills while Meaghan Maguire (three blocks) added seven kills and Maggie Doyle (five blocks) had six kills. Lauren Bissanti finished with seven digs and three aces for the Panthers.
Mansfield, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro was pushed to the limit for the first two games, but prevailed with wins in both and went on the complete the 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-16) sweep of Mansfield. Anna Caristi recorded a team-high 11 kills for the Rocketeers while Kezie De La Cruz had 10 kills, three aces and two blocks. Meg Hill led Mansfield with 13 kills, Julia Harrison added six kills and 10 digs and Jolie O’Neil had 10 digs and 11 service points for the Hornets.
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – King Philip picked up a sweep on the road, leaving Sharon with a 25-12, 25-15, 25-13 win to improved to 11-1. Sydney Phillips had eight kills, four digs, three aces and 10 service points, Michaela Palumbo added five kills and Julianne Rando finished with seven digs and eight service points, including an ace. Both Elise Pereira (six digs, two aces, eight service points) and Rachael Veilleux (nine service points, five aces) had strong serving performances for KP.
Golf
Attleboro, 160 @ Oliver Ames, 145 – Final – Oliver Ames improved to 8-0 with a win over visiting Attleboro in a Kelley-Rex showdown. Ryan McGarry earned match medalist honors, carding a low-round of 35. Nolan Donze (36), Thomas Walsh (37) and Mark Bissonette (37) also had strong days for the Tigers. Corey McKenna led Attleboro with a team-low round of 37.
