Tag: Dennis Morehouse
2020 Hockomock League Boys Hockey All Stars
Below are the official 2020 Hockomock League Boys Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Johnny Hagan, Canton
Hockomock League All Stars
Nick Piazza, Attleboro
Johnny Hagan, Canton
Chris Lavoie, Canton
Jack Connolly, Canton
Owen Lehane, Canton
Espen Reager, Foxboro
Kirk Leach, Foxboro
Ronnie MacLellan, Foxboro
Tom Tasker, Franklin
Kyle Hedvig, Franklin
Dylan Marchand, Franklin
Joseph Boselli, King Phillip
Chris Daniels, King Phillip
Kyle Gray, King Phillip
Rocco Bianculli, King Phillip
Sean McCafferty, Mansfield
Kevin Belanger, Mansfield
Dennis Morehouse, North Attleboro
Jake McNeany, North Attleboro
Ryan Gottwald, Oliver Ames
Michael Albert, Taunton
Brady Nichols, Taunton
Honorable Mentions:
Ryan Morry, Attleboro
Ronan O’Mahony, Canton
Jack Watts, Foxboro
Colin Hedvig, Franklin
Jack Coulter, King Philip
Chris Jenkins, Mansfield
William Yeomans, North Attleboro
Owen Connor, Oliver Ames
Jack DeMoura, Taunton
Taunton Bunkers Down to Beat North in D2 Playoffs
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Coming into Sunday afternoon’s Div. 2 South preliminary round game, Taunton had never beaten North Attleboro. The Tigers had a couple of ties against the Rocketeers prior to joining the Hockomock League, but no wins. They found the perfect time to change that record.
Behind a strong performance from senior goalie Sean Bunker (36 saves) and a pair of breakaway goals, Taunton came from behind for 2-1 victory at the New England Sports Village, overcoming North’s 37-14 edge in shots on goals.
“He played awesome,” Taunton coach Kris Metea said. “He has big game experience. He knows that no rebounds means no goals, and he controlled everything, he smothered everything, and got us whistles. He did everything we needed him to do.”
Bunker made 17 saves in the first period alone and had several memorable stops, including a diving glove save to rob Jack Connolly in the opening period, a big pad stop on a Dennis Morehouse breakaway with three minutes to play, and a flash of his glove to stop Will Yeomans in the final minute.
“There were a lot of pucks lying around that we’ve got put it in,” North coach Ben McManama said. “We’ve got to bear down, but that’s been us all year. We want the easy goals but we’ve got to work harder to get those dirty, greasy goals. I thought we played pretty well.”
North came out flying to start the game, putting 18 shots on goal in the first and using its size and physicality to keep the Tigers pinned back in the defensive zone. Matt McSweeney had a chance at the post after a puck rebounded off the back boards, but Bunker got his pad down to make the stop and to block the ensuing scrum.
After five minutes, the pressure paid off with the opening goal. Tyler Sarro drove down the right wing and got below the goal line before firing a pass to the edge of the crease where Brady Sarro was on hand to redirect the pass through the five-hole from point-blank range.
Taunton had a couple of chances in the first. Michael Albert had a shot from the right circle on a quick transition and Colton Scheralis had a pair of chances at the post that Nick Digiacomo (12 saves) was able to smother.
The Rocketeers thought they had doubled their lead with three minutes left in the period. Morehouse gained the zone and fired a shot towards goal that took a deflection to Connolly at the far post. The forward knocked the loose puck towards what appeared to be an empty net, only to have Bunker dive across and make the stop.
In the second period, North managed eight shots, but struggled at times to gain the zone. The Taunton defense looked more comfortable than in the first, although Metea said there were no significant changes between periods.
“We knew that in the first period we were going to have to weather the storm,” Metea explained. “We said, you’re in the game, just keep doing what you have to do, box it up, stay tight, wait for your opportunities. They stayed with it and it was awesome.”
With 11:32 left in the second, Taunton used its lone scoring chance of the period to tie the game. Connor McGrath flipped a puck out of the zone and the North defense struggled to control the bounce. Albert pounced and got a free skate at goal. Taunton’s leading scorer planted a shot just under the bar on the glove save to make it 1-1.
North had a flurry late in the period. Jeff Baker picked out Nick Longa right in front of goal, but Bunker made the pad stop. Jake McNeany was allowed to skate right down the slot but his chance went just wide and then McSweeney collected the loose puck and forced another big save from the Taunton netminder.
“They give us fits because they block shots, they do the right things, and they’re tougher in front of the net then we are,” said McManama. “That’s it. They were tougher in the dirty areas and my hat’s off to them. We’ve got to play through that better.”
Both teams had chances early in the third to try and grab the lead. North used the defensemen and threw bodies in front to try and cause problems for Bunker. On the other end, Digiacomo had to be quick with the blocker to stop a shot through a screen.
Connolly had a pair of chances for the Rocketeers. He drove behind the net and faked Bunker out to open space at the post, but the puck rolled off his stick as he went to score. Sam Clarke then set Connolly up inside the right face-off dot but he sent his shot just past the top corner.
“We missed the net a ton tonight,” said McManama. “We had a lot of shots on goal but we had even more shot attempts, a ton more. We’ve got to hit the net.”
The missed chances came back to haunt North. Scheralis slipped a puck through a pair of defensemen at the blue line and into the path of fellow freshman McGrath. The forward raced in alone on goal and showed great composure to fire a shot into the top corner for a shock lead.
Metea said, “We knew that they come in so hard that one pass through the ‘D’ will probably allow us to flip it out to center and allow our wings to go to work. I felt confident we could beat them in a footrace and we got the chances off that and I’m thankful that they stepped in.”
North was increasingly desperate for an equalizer as time wore down, but Bunker continued to be unbeatable. He stuffed Morehouse on a break down the right wing and then showed quick hands to deny Yeomans after Nik Kojoian teed him up right in front of goal.
“North played great, but Sean was equal to the test,” said Metea. “Goaltenders are the greatest equalizer and if you have a good one then you’re going to be in games.”
Taunton (10-9-3) will try to get some more strong play from Bunker and upset another league opponent when it travels to top seed Canton on Wednesday night.
Rocketeers Punch Playoff Ticket With Tie Against KP
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It might not have been a win, but it was mission accomplished for the North Attleboro boys hockey team.
The Rocketeers erased a two-goal deficit over the final 22 minutes of play to secure a 3-3 tie with Hockomock rival King Philip, and with the point, North Attleboro punches its ticket to the state tournament.
“They were outstanding,” said North Attleboro head coach Ben McManama after his Rocketeers controlled the third period from start to finish. “We knew we needed our best period of hockey and they delivered. I think it was obvious how hard we worked, how well we worked together and how we stuck to our systems. It was fun to watch.”
The Big Red comeback started, surprisingly enough, on the heels of King Philip’s second goal of the second period. The Warriors had leveled the scoring in the first period, tying the game through 15 minutes, and went on to tack on two goals in the first eight minutes of the second period.
Sophomore Nolan Feyler put KP ahead just 1:18 into the second and scored his second with 6:59 left in the period as the Warriors looked poised to skate away with the game, up 3-1 with three straight goals.
But North Attleboro responded in a timely manner, using a smart hustle play that gave the hosts life. Senior Dennis Morehouse found classmate Jack Connolly entering the zone on the left side and Connolly unleashed a low shot. King Philip goalie Jesper Makudera (25 saves) made the pad stop but North sophomore Nik Kojoian made a great read and won the race to the loose puck, batting the rebound in to make it 3-2.
The goal came just 43 seconds after the Warriors built their two-goal advantage.
“That’s the type of play we needed,” McManama said. “It’s just the little things we talk about. That’s getting the puck to the net, shooting it low and someone else driving hard. That’s hockey, it’s basic and something we preach all the time but we get away from it. Now we’re getting some goals off it so they are seeing it works.
“That’s a very good team we played and I thought we played.”
Makudera came up with a big stick save to stop a five-hole shot from Morehouse with 15 seconds left and North Attleboro goalie Nick Digiacomo (15 saves) was equal to the task on a shot from KP’s Conor Cooke with less than a second to go.
Trailing by just a goal with the postseason a point away, the Rocketeers put together a terrific third period. And it didn’t take long for the hosts to pull even. Just under five minutes into the period, Jeff Baker had his bid knocked away but Morehouse was quick to pounce on the loose puck and blasted it into the back of the net to make it 3-3 with 10:48 to go.
North had a couple of looks at the winner but couldn’t get another put back Makudera. Connolly came flying down the left side and rifled a shot that was covered up. Minutes later, North’s Tyler Sarro and Jake McNeany were inches from a loose puck in front of goal but Makudera dove on top.
Connolly had another chance after a faceoff bounced in front of goal but he couldn’t lift his backhand bid over the goalie.
King Philip had just two shots on goal in the entire third, spending most of the period playing defense. But with under a minute to go, the Warriors had a surge into the zone and Jack Coulter unleashed a blast but it hit off the crossbar and stayed out.
“We haven’t been able to close teams out,” said King Philip coach Paul Carlow. “We played a great second period. I’m not sure if we’re satisfied when we get the lead, or if we’re satisfied with the tie. I’d like to see us put some teams away, especially this time of year. [North Attleboro] is a good team but I felt like we could have won today.”
North Attleboro got off to a strong start early on as Digiacomo came up with a terrific positional save, denying a point-blank chance from Cooke after a great feed from Coulter.
And minutes later, Morehouse skated in uncontested down the right side and flicked his shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead with less than three minutes expired.
King Philip answered at the midway point of the period, and in similar fashion to the bid that was denied early on. Coulter forced a turnover behind the net and linked up with Cooke, who initially looked at goal but instead dished a pass in front and Aidan Boulger buried the one-timer to make it 1-1 with 7:31 left in the first.
Rocco Bianculli was the catalyst of KP’s second goal, taking control of a loose puck in the neutral zone and speeding into the offensive zone. He laid a pass off to Chris Daniels, and he quickly fed the puck across to Feyler for the finish plus a 2-1 lead with 13:42 left in the second.
The Warriors went on the power play shortly before the midway point of the game and took full advantage of their chance. Joe Bosellii, who just had a shot saved, let another rip go that was blocked down, the puck eventually finding Feyler for the finish in close.
“I didn’t think we came out that strong in the beginning, we always seem to give up the first goal,” Carlow said. “But after that, we got the goal back, we seemed to get stronger. Then we got the power play goal, which always helps. In the third, we had a broken skate blade and we ended up running around a little bit, couldn’t get the puck out of our zone and it ends up in the back of the net.
“[North Attleboro] needed a point [to qualify], they definitely had a little more 1-2 in the third than we did.”
Both teams have time to prepare for the postseason. King Philip (4-2-2 Hockomock, 10-4-4 overall) has two games left, including a trip to Rodman Arena on Saturday to take on Walpole, and a home game on Monday afternoon against a good Norwood team.
“We haven’t lost in the last four or five games, we’ve won or tied, but I’d like to see us play a complete game going into the playoffs,” Carlow said. “From the drop of the puck to the final whistle. Overall, I like the way they are playing. They are playing strong defensively for the most part, we aren’t giving up a bunch of goals. I’d like to see us put a few more in.”
North Attleboro boys hockey (2-3-3, 7-6-6) will wrap up its regular season on Friday night when it takes on rival Bishop Feehan in what will likely be a playoff atmosphere.
“It’s more about how you’re playing when the playoffs come [instead of record] and when we look at it, especially that third period, we feel like we can do some work in the playoffs if we play like that. We have a big game on Friday against a rival, but I like where we’re at, I really do, but we just have to keep working.”
Rocketeers Rally In Third Period For Draw With Foxboro
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The North Attleboro and Foxboro boys hockey teams each exited the New England Sports Village with a point after their division clash on Wednesday night, but understandably, each left wanting more.
For Foxboro, it was 3-1 third period lead that slipped away and a last minute power play that saw the potential game-winning goal clank off the post and stay out that prevented the full two points.
And for North Attleboro, it was a dominating stretch during the second period that saw everything but a goal, as well as a two-goal flurry in the third period that tied the game and swung momentum in their favor but came up short of a game-winner.
Nonetheless, it was a point apiece as the Rocketeers and Warriors finished deadlocked in a 3-3 draw.
“We should be going into that game knowing we can win the game,” said Foxboro head coach Mark Cedorchuk. “If they won that game, I felt like they would have stolen it from us. Our Achilles heel tonight was they scored two power play goals. We had our chances…but our penalty kill hurt us tonight. Overall I thought our defense played well overall, I thought all five guys played well and moved the puck up ice. And our forwards played well too.”
Foxboro never trailed in the contest, taking a 1-0 lead in the first period, jumping back ahead 2-1 in the second after the Rocketeers tied the game, and pushing the advantage to 3-1early in the third period.
North Attleboro, who was a bit unlucky to go down a goal in the opening period, knotted the score less than a minute into the second and then scored a pair of goals in less than a minute span in the third to tie the game.
Trailing by a goal going into the third, the message from head coach Ben McManama was clear.
“Very simple, it’s no secret…’This will be the most important 15 minutes of our season,’” McManama said. “It’s pretty obvious why, looking at the standings and who we have left on the schedule. I thought they worked hard all game but they brought it to another level in the third period.”
But before North could rally, it faced even more adversity as the Warriors scored less than a minute into the third. Junior Kirk Leach netted a highlight-reel goal, splitting a pair of Rocketeer defenseman and shielding one as curled back in front and popped a shot top shelf to give Foxboro a 3-1 lead with 14:16 to play.
North Attleboro got some life with a power play chance with 11:11 to play and cashed in less than a minute into the man-advantage chance. Tyler Sarro and Dennis Morehouse connected with senior Jack Connolly along the boards in the corner. Connolly curled back to the right circle and fired a wrist shot into the top corner with a screen in front to make it 3-2 on North’s second power play goal of the night.
“The two power play goals were great but the reason they were great is because he didn’t see either shot,” McManama said. “That’s something that we’ve been working on…we’re not just trying to get to the net, we’re trying to take the goalies’ eyes away. So it was refreshing to see it happen.”
With momentum on its side, North Attleboro cashed in less than a minute later. Senior Matt McSweeney drove hard to the net but lost possession. However, the puck popped free right in the middle and senior defenseman Jeff Baker stepped up and blasted a shot through traffic into the back of the net to make it 3-3.
The Rocketeers had a chance to make it three straight with another power play chance at the midway point of the third period but Foxboro goalie Espen Reager came up with a double save on Morehouse and another on a shot from Will Yeomans through traffic.
Reager (34 saves) came up with another key kick save on a low shot from Baker with sophomore forwards Nick Longa and Nik Kojoian crashing hard in front.
Leach broke free in the final minute and went on a breakaway that drew a slash and a power play chance for the Warriors with 38 seconds to play. After winning an offensive zone faceoff, Foxboro sophomore Jack Watts bounced on the loose puck, maneuvered past a defenseman and backhanded a shot five-hole but North goalie Nick Digiacomo got just enough of it and it hit off the post and stayed out.
“We tried to keep everything in front of [Reager] but tonight our Achilles heel was our penalty kill,” Cedorchuk said. “I thought we skated with them, we transitioned well with them, and we kept them to the outside for the most part. I really thought we were going to have that one.
“Knowing where we are now and the level of talent we have, we know that we can compete with anyone on our schedule.”
Foxboro opened the scoring just under three minutes into the game with a bit of an unlucky bounce for the Rocketeers. The Warriors were in the midst of a line change and North looked to counter up ice but the puck was inadvertently blocked by the ref and stayed in North’s zone.
Foxboro’s Kyle McGinnis quickly jumped on the puck and connected with Leach, who found some space and blasted a shot into the back of the net.
North had the edge with eight shots on goal in period but Reager was up to the task each time. He first blocked away a chance from Brady Sarro, gloved a shot from McSweeney, and kicked away a rush from Sam Clarke.
The Warriors’ best chance to double its lead came when Watts gloved down a loose puck and found Ronnie MacLellan but his shot was denied by Digiacomo.
The Rocketeers came out flying in the second period and were rewarded with the tying goal less than a minute in. A flurry of chances resulted in a big scrum in front of the net and eventually, it was Connolly that found the puck and the back of the net, Tyler Sarro and Yeomans assisting, to make it 1-1.
But North was whistled for a penalty after Foxboro’s Ryan Jacobs and Josh Bertumen applied pressure. Less than 20 seconds into the man advantage, Leach skated to the right circle and fired a low shot that Watts redirected right in front to regain a 2-1 advantage.
North dominated a solid six-minute stretch in the second period but couldn’t find the back of the net. Clarke, Longa, Connolly, and McSweeney all had good chances come up short. But the Rocketeers were able to ride that momentum into the third and score a pair of goals to tie the game.
“There’s a lot of little things going on this year so you have to look at the positives,” McManama said. “We battled back, we probably played one of our better periods energy wise of the year, and we just have to keep doing that. Every day at practice, we have to keep showing up and getting better. If we compete and work hard, we’re going to be fine.”
North Attleboro boys hockey (2-1-3 Hockomock, 6-4-5 overall) is back in action next Wednesday when it travels to Canton. Foxboro (1-2-2, 4-4-3) will visit Taunton on Saturday.
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/15/20
Today’s games are listed below.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 33 @ Cardinal Spellman, 38 – Final – Ally Brown scored 10 points, Trinity Payne scored nine, and Kaitlyn Wallace scored eight, but the Eagles couldn’t pull out the win on the road.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 9 – Final
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 6 – Final
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. North jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first with a pair of goals in the final four minutes. Jake Gruber followed up after Sam Clarke’s shot was saved to net the first goal of the game and then, with 50.7 seconds left in the period, Jeff Baker found the back of the net with a wrister from a few feet inside the blue line. KP took no time to erase the deficit after the intermission, scoring three power play goals in the first four minutes of the second. Nolan Feyler had a great tip in front to get the first, Joe Boselli picked the corner from the slot for the second, and then Chris Daniels crashed the net to slam home a loose puck and put KP in front. Dennis Morehouse answered back with a goal three minutes before the end of the second and that proved to be the final tally, as the teams finished with a point apiece. KP goalie Jesper Makudera made 25 saves, while North goalie Nick Digiacomo stopped 29 shots.
Taunton, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Taunton took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission but Mansfield scored four straight goals in the second period, including three in the final three minutes, to turn the game around for the win. Taunton freshman Nathan Fernandes scored with 4:13 left in the first with junior Cam Faria and sophomore Loran Corcoran assisting. Mansfield junior Cam Page tied the game with 8:07 left in the second period on assists from Joseph Troiano and Chris Jenkins. Jake Lund (from Jenkins and Troiano) and Jenkins scored eight seconds apart to put the Hornets ahead 3-1, and senior Kevin Belanger added another goal with less than a minute to go in the second (from Jenkins and Patrick Gormley). Jenkins earned his fourth point with his second goal of the game with 7:23 left in the third, Gormley and Lund earning assists. Taunton senior Xavier Abel scored with 4:44 to go with freshman Colton Scheralis and senior Noah Gravel earning assists.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final – Canton freshman Olivia Maffeo scored her 11th goal of the season in the first period and the Bulldogs held on for the win over Dedham. Freshman Carolyn Durand earned her sixth shutout of the season in net.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Norwood, 3 – Final – Norwood scored twice in a two-minute span in the first period and the MOA Warriors were unable to overcome the early deficit. Kylie O’Keefe halved the deficit with a goal in the second period but the Mustangs scored first in the third to push the lead to 3-1. Ella Waryas finished off a rebound on a shot from Melissa Shanteler to bring the Warriors within one but couldn’t find the tying goal despite a strong push late.
King Philip, 2 vs. Medfield, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. King Philip’s Makenzie Shandley and Avari Maxwell scored early in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit but the Warriors converted a two-man advantage in the final five minutes to earn the win. Cristina Coleman had a strong showing in-between the pipes for KP.
Wrestling
Foxboro, 48 @ Canton, 26 – Final – Foxboro earned seven pins and nine wins overall to earn a win on the road over Canton. Sean Bubencik (120), Jonathan Carey (132), Jeremy Neale (145), John Rounds (152), Sean Gallagher (182), Aiden Dow (195) and Aidan Hughes (285) all secured important points with pinfall victories for the Warriors while James Fraser (106) and Ryan Addeche (170) each won by decision. Canton’s Joseph Doria (126), Dominic Sica (138), Eddie Marinilli (160) and Derrell Brown (220) picked up wins via pinfall. Zachary Peters earned a 7-3 win at 113 for the Bulldogs.
Taunton, 15 @ Franklin, 56 – Final – Franklin picked up a half dozen wins via pinfall, two through major decision, and another pair through decision to knock off visiting Taunton. Devon Bramson (126), Jake Carlucci (132), Alex Fracassa (145), Dom Sackley (160), Dylan Nawn (182), and Matt Walker (220) pinned down wins for the Panthers. Ken Sauer won 9-0 at 152 and Luke Cashin picked up a 15-3 win at 170, both major decisions. Drew Difilipio earned an 8-1 decision at 120 and Ahmed Jawando picked up a 10-7 victory at 138. Taunton’s James Collins pinned down a victory at 106 and Jackson Wellman earned a 3-1 decision at 195 for the Tigers.
Oliver Ames, 28 @ Mansfield, 44 – Final – Mansfield freshmen Owen Weber (106) and Colton Johnson (182) earned key wins to help the Hornets fend off visiting Oliver Ames.
North Attleboro, 42 @ Stoughton, 30 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this match.
Sharon, 57 @ Milford, 11 – Final – Sharon continued its impressive season with a big win over Milford. Adam Landstein, Ben Shocket, David Gelman, Cam Birnbaum, Amit Levin, Aaron Cashton, Max Pozner, Kirit Gossetty, Tyler Freedman, Jared Karen, and Rhamsez Thevenin all had wins for the Eagles.
Girls Gymnastics
North Attleboro @ Canton, 7:30
Mansfield and North Head Home With Point Apiece
FOXBORO, Mass. – It is a rivalry known for its big hits, close games, and typically a lot of trips to the penalty box. On Saturday night at the Foxboro Sports Center, Mansfield and North Attleboro met again in a physical encounter, as both teams were willing to throw their bodies into checks, but one that stayed almost exclusively 5-on-5.
There was only one power play between the two teams, but it turned out to be a crucial one. After Nick Longa had given North the lead midway through the third period, Kevin Belanger scored on the power play goal with 4:51 to go, earning Mansfield a 2-2 tie and sending both teams home with a point apiece.
Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini said, “We try to win every third period, but once they got that goal there was no let up. The guys on the bench were rooting for each other, so to get that power play and to capitalize right away was huge.”
“It’s never over until it’s over,” said North Attleboro coach Ben McManama. “Unfortunately we got a penalty late and the strength of our team is usually our penalty kill but that’s a very powerful power play. They’ve got some guys who can put it away.”
North came out flying at the start of the game. The Rocketeers had the first six shots of the night and turned their pressure into the opening goal. Jack Connolly got the puck on net and Mansfield goalie Sean McCafferty managed to keep it out, but the rebound fell kindly for Dennis Morehouse and he pounced to make it 1-0.
The Rocketeers were getting in behind the Mansfield defense at the blue line and were having a lot of success in creating scoring chances with quick breakouts. Matt McSweeney tried to double the lead when he got free on the right wing, but his shot was fired just wide.
“We’ve been struggling with starting quick,” said Balzarini. “I changed things up against Canton (on Wednesday) and I thought we did a good job, but we kind of reverted to last Saturday. After the first five minutes, I think we were fine. We started to control the play a little more near the end and that carried over to the second period.”
Chris Jenkins had the first shot of the game for the Hornets after four minutes. He had a neutral zone steal and forced a pad save out of North goalie Nick Digiacomo. Just seconds later, North was inches away from a 2-0 lead. Jake Gruber rifled a shot off the crossbar from the right circle.
Mansfield almost tied the game three minutes later. Jenkins, from the same spot as his earlier chance, smashed the inside of the far post and the puck caromed to the far boards. Defenseman Jack Gormley forced Digiacomo into another save when he gloved the puck down and got a shot off from the high slot.
The Hornets improved as the period went on, eventually grabbing a 9-8 lead in shots, but North came closest to another goal in the final minutes when Morehouse tipped a shot from the point by Jeff Baker that trickled wide of the post with McCafferty (21 saves) sliding the wrong direction.
After picking up the pace in the first, Mansfield dominated the second period. The Hornets outshot North 13-7 in the second and Digiacomo stood tall to keep the Rocketeers in the game.
A good passing move from Sam Clarke to Connolly to Morehouse forced McCafferty into a save and then Jake Lund raced down the other end to put one on target. Thirty seconds later, Mansfield had a flurry of chances in front. Lund, Jenkins, and Belanger all had shots from close range that Digiacomo (28 saves) turned aside.
Cam Page nearly tied the game, but Digiacomo made another great point-blank save. The puck was loose on the edge of the crease and the North goalie dove to poke it away. Unfortunately for him, the puck went straight to Sam Clayman and the defenseman made no mistake with a wrister into the open net.
Jenkins forced a blocker save with a quick-release shot off a face-off and then Lund slipped a pass between two defensemen to Belanger, but his shot at the near post was smothered.
“He made some big time saves,” McManama said about Digiacomo. “Even on the goal they scored, he might have made three unbelievable saves right before they scored. The kid just works so hard at it. He waited for so long, it means a lot to him, he cares about it, and it’s great to see him having success.”
North almost got its lead back with three minutes left in the period. Clarke forced McCafferty into a save and the Mansfield defense recovered just in time to clear the rebound away from Connolly, who was crashing the net.
The third period was back-and-forth, as neither team wanted to make a mistake that could lead to a winning goal. With 8:56 to play, North thought it may just have won the game. Longa, a sophomore forward, gained the zone and skated across the slot going from right to left. He got his hands free and fired a shot back across his body and into the top corner.
Mansfield started pressing to find an equalizer. Gormley hit a backhand through traffic that forced a stick save and Lund had a shot from the right circle blocked by a sliding Will Yeomans. When the puck came back to Lund, he forced Digiacomo into another stop.
Balzarini spoke after a recent game about the Hornets needing to get the defense into the attack and Mansfield got a lot of offense from the blue line on Saturday. He said, “It’s huge for us because it’s more offense and we have the guys who are skilled and quick enough to allow our ‘D’ to jump into the play more and then get back. Knock on wood, it hasn’t cost us too many times, but we’re cognizant of that.”
With 5:09 to go, Mansfield jumped onto the power play for the first time. Eighteen seconds later, the game was tied. Belanger controlled the puck behind the net and he drifted out to the left wing, turned into the open space, and sniped the far top corner to snag a point for his team.
Although it wasn’t a win, McManama saw a lot of progress from his team’s first meeting with Mansfield (a 5-2 loss). He said, “They’re a very good team and we knew what they had, but I just think our attitude just changed. We had a little adversity here or there and we’re coming together as a team, which is the exciting part. We want the win, but I’m seeing this team transform into what we can be and it’s good to see.”
Mansfield (3-3-2, 1-1-1) will be back at home on Wednesday when the Hornets host Taunton. North Attleboro (6-2-3, 2-0-1) dropped a point behind Canton in the league standings and will be back at the Foxboro Sports Center on Wednesday to face King Philip.
Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/04/20
Today’s games are listed below.
Girls Basketball
King Philip, 43 @ Needham, 69 – Final
Boys Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip’s offense delivered three goals in the middle period, building on its lead from the first period to notch a league win over Foxboro. KP took a 1-0 lead in the first on a goal from Nolan Feyler with Joe Boselli and Rocco Bianculli earning assists. In the second, Boselli scored twice and Jack Coulter added a third to build the big advantage. Chris Daniels and Kyle Gray set Boselli up for his first goal while Bianculli grabbed his second assist on KP’s third goal. Conor Cooke and Aidan Boulger had assists on Coulter’s goal. Jesper Makudera made 18 saves in net to earn the shutout for KP.
Franklin, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – Franklin cashed in for a pair of goals in the first period behind a strong start and tacked on two more in the third period to skate past OA in league action. The Panthers peppered the net in the opening minutes with Colin Hedvig scoring unassisted just 59 seconds into the game. Shane McCaffrey added a goal on a wrist shot with 4:05 to go in the opening frame. After a scoreless second, Franklin extended its league with a shorthanded goal as Tom Tasker finished off a pass from Kyle Hedvig on an odd-man rush. OA’s Jake Gottwald redirected a shot from Zach Manganaro to get the Tigers on the board but McCaffrey sealed the game with an empty netter. OA goalie Owen Connor had 36 saves in net.
Mansfield, 1 @ Shrewsbury, 4 – Final
North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – North Attleboro built a four goal lead before holding off a late surge from Taunton to pick up a league win. The Rocketeers struck just over two minutes into the game as sophomore Sam Clarke capitalized in front after some hard work from Brady Sarro. Clarke added his second on a redirect on a shot from Charlie Connolly with under a minute to go in the first period. Dennis Morehouse made it 3-0 with a nice finish in front in the second period and Sarro tipped in a shot early in the third to make it 3-0. Taunton’s Brady Nichols scored with five minutes to go and then help set up a goal from freshman Colton Scheralis.
Stoughton, 6 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Junior Dante Massaro paced the offense with a three goal hat trick performance, helping Stoughton/Brockton earn its second straight win. Colin Alessi added a pair of goals in the win while junior Jack Mahoney scored once.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 2 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Click here for Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Stoughton, 6 vs. Quincy/North Quincy, 6 – Final – Stoughton stormed back, scoring five times in the final period to earn a tie with Quincy/North Quincy. Morgan Lessa had a hand in all six of the goals. She recorded a hat trick and assisted on the other three. Zoey Bangs added two goals and Haley Nelson had the sixth. Nelson also had three assists. Sam Sherman had an assist for Stoughton as well.
Wrestling
Northbridge Tri-Meet (Canton), 10:00
Whitman-Hanson Tournament (Foxboro), 10:00
Natick Quad (Franklin), 9:00AM
Minnechaug Tournament (Mansfield), 9:00AM
Nashoba Quad (Milford), 9:00AM
North Attleboro Super-Quad, 10:00AM
Gloucester Super-Quad (Oliver Ames), 9:00AM
Methuen Quad (King Philip), 10:00AM
Hingham Quad (Sharon), 10:00AM
Braintree Quad (Taunton), 10:00AM
Girls Gymnastics
Sharon, 114.40 @ Oliver Ames, 134.60 – Final
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/18/19
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 43 @ Stoughton, 72 – Final – Holding a 31-24 lead at halftime, Stoughton exploded for 26 points in the third quarter to run away with a win at home over North Attleboro. Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell (five assists) hit two of his four triples in the third, scoring 10 of his career-high 20 points in the frame to lead the charge. Senior Obinna Ugwuakazi added 15 points, senior Tahkwan Gates Brown chipped in with a career-high 13 points, and senior Ahmad Jahed added 13 points for the Black Knights, who connected on eight three-pointers. King Philip junior George Ladd had a team-high 11 points while senior Ethan Friberg finished with 10 points.
Franklin, 63 @ King Philip, 45 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Oliver Ames, 64 @ Taunton, 63 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jay Spillane sank the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.5 seconds left to give the visitors a stunning win. Trailing for the entire game, including a 53-46 deficit with just over five minutes left, OA took its first lead of the game on the triple. After inbounding the ball, junior Amari Brown got the ball back, drove to the basket to draw the defense, and kicked it to the corner to Spillane, who drained his second triple of the game. OA forced a turnover to prevent Taunton from a final shot. Spillane had nine of his 16 points come in the second half while Brown scored 13 of his career-high 19 points in the second half. Ryan Burkett added 12 points for the visitors. Taunton junior Tyler Stewart set a new career-high with 21 points while classmate Josh Lopes added 14 points. Sophomore Tristan Herry chipped in with 13 points, the most for him in a Tiger uniform.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 36 @ Brockton, 51 – Final – The Boxers jumped out to a 14-point (18-4) lead at the end of one quarter and the Hornets were never able to recover. Mansfield did get within 10 (45-35) with just three minutes to play but couldn’t overcome a rough shooting night. Kayla Vine led the way with 11 points, Abby Wager had 10, and Sara Dooling scored nine in the loss.
King Philip, 50 @ Franklin, 80 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – The Panthers dominated from the opening whistle, running out to a 17-0 lead and never allowing a shorthanded Warriors team to get close. Ali Brigham starred for the hosts, scoring a game-high 25 points, pulling down 18 rebounds, and dishing out five assists. Sophomore Olivia Quinn was unstoppable as well, adding 20 points and five rebounds. Meghan O’Connell added 11 points and Stefany Padula had nine in the win. Brianna James scored 14 points for KP and Emma Glaser chipped in with 10.
Stoughton, 37 @ North Attleboro, 64 – Final – The Rocketeers jumped out to 36-16 halftime lead and secured their first win under head coach Nikki Correia. Summer Doherty was North’s top scorer with 12 points, while Amanda Kaiser added 10 and Eliza Dion had nine. All 10 players scored for the Rocketeers. Shyanne Trinh led all scorers with 16 points for the Black Knights. Correia credited the team’s tough defense, quick start, and its ability to take care of the ball for picking up a first win of the season.
Taunton, 54 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final – OA grabbed an 18-4 advantage after one and never looked back, growing the lead to 44-18 at the break. Taunton fought hard in the second half, outscoring OA by seven, but couldn’t mount a comeback. Kelsey Yelle paced OA with 16 points, while Caroline Flynn scored 15 and added 10 assists. Caroline Peper added 14 for OA and Tate Hadges and Hailey Bourne each scored 10. Freshman Kameron St. Pierre had a big night for Taunton, scoring 24 points on six three-pointers, and Kelsey White added 11.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 3 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 3 – Final – Owen Dryjowicz, Aiden Dryjowicz, and Nate Parker each scored once but the Bombardiers settled for a tie with visiting Martha’s Vineyard.
Canton, 3 vs. Shrewsbury, 3 – Final – Canton had its eight-game win streak snapped but erased a pair one-goal deficits to earn a tie push its unbeaten streak to 28 games. Chris Lavoie scored twice for the Bulldogs, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead before Shrewsbury tied the game before the end of the first period. Shrewsbury took a 2-1 lead but senior Johnny Hagan knotted the score. Shrewsbury took its second lead, 3-2, into the third period but Lavoie tallied his second of the game to make it 3-3.
Mansfield, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro scored first but Oliver Ames answered as the teams skated to a tie in non-league action. Dennis Morehouse put the hosts ahead early in the first period but OA junior Kevin Tremblay netted the equalizer early in the second on an assist from Ross Carroll. OA senior Owen Connor made 32 saves in the tie.
King Philip, 5 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – King Philip had four different players light the lamp while Nate Ihley made his season debut inbetween the pipes with a shutout over Coyle. Junior Rocco Bianculli scored a pair of goals while adding an assist to lead the offense. Conor Cooke, Paul McDonald, and Nolan Feyler each scored once in the win, and Ihley made 20 saves for the shutout.
Taunton, 3 vs. Sandwich, 5 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Nauset, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Seven different players scored for the Bulldogs, who won their third game of the season, all by shutout. Kaitlyn McLaughlin scored the first goal of her varsity career in the win.
King Philip, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Wrestling
Taunton, 27 @ Canton, 31 – Final – Canton’s Yurii Leskiv, Dominic Sica, and Sawyer Julier-Albert each earned pinfall victories to help the Bulldogs earn a close win over Taunton. Leskiv earned the pin in 3:30 in the 106 matchup, Sica picked up the fall in 2:30 in the 138 match, and Julier-Albert won at 182 in 1:45. Taunton’s Ben Mandeville (132) and Nico Sallaway (170) had pinfall victories for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 28 vs. Brockton, 53 – Final
Oliver Ames, 25 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Seven Eagles earned pinfall victories to help Sharon open its dual meet schedule with a non-league win over rival Oliver Ames. Adam Landstein, David Gelman, Vinay Chinnam, Aaron Cashton, Tyler Freedman, Alex Danilkovas and Rhamsez Thevenin all won by pin for Sharon. Max Pozner added an 11-7 overtime win while Kirit Gossetty picked up a 7-0 for the Eagles.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 92 @ Oliver Ames, 67 – Final
Mansfield, 94 @ Attleboro, 72 – Final – Mansfield’s Mike Peel won a pair of individual events and was apart of two winning relay teams to help the Hornets beat Attleboro. Peel won the 200 free (2:09.95) and the 500 free (6:01.67), teamed up with Owen Lasbury Casey, Rico Palanza, and Aden Schwartz to win the 200 free in 1:45.08, and joined Lasbury Casey, David Piccirilli, and Pranaav Saravanon to win the 400 relay in 4:09.04.
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 80 @ Oliver Ames, 88 – Final
Mansfield, 65 @ Attleboro, 101 – Final – Attleboro’s Jackie Lynch-Bartek and Ella Lynch-Bartek each won a pair of individual events while helping a pair of Bombardier relay teams take first. Jackie Lynch-Bartek won the 200 Free in 2:15.98 and the 100 Breast in 1:20.40, while Ella Lynch-Bartek took first in both the 100 Free (1:00.62) and the 100 Back (1:11.14). Both were apart of the 200 medley relay (2:11.18) and the 200 free relay (2:00.57) with Faith Morrison and Rachel Priestley. Mansfield’s Mairead Shannon won the 100 fly (1:11.35), took second in the 100 back (1:14.55), and was a member of the winning 400 free relay team with Sofia Seifert, Jess Harris, and Aditi Junagade).
Girls Gymnastics
Franklin, 134.45 @ Canton, 112 – Final – Franklin sophomore Elizabeth Schirduan took first in a pair of events while junior Lexi Lupien and sophomore Kate Rudolph each won one to help the Panthers open the season with a win. Schirduan scored an 8.85 to take first in the beam, and notched an 8.15 on the bars to for her second win of the net. Lupien shined on the vault, earning a 9.0 while Rudolph picked up a 9.1 on the floor.
Franklin results: Vault – Lexi Lupien, 9.0; Kate Rudolph, 8.8; Maddie McGuire, 8.7; Maia Keohane, 8.4 … Bars – Elizabeth Schirduran, 8.15; Kate Rudolph, 8.0; Emma Nelson, 7.9; Caroline Woelfel, 7.8 … Beam – Elizabeth Schirduan, 8.85; Kate Rudolph, 8.7; Ashley Hammann, 8.2; Emma Nelson, 8.15 … Floor – Kate Rudolph, 9.1; Caroline Woelfel, 8.6; Lizzie Brown, 8.0; Lexi Lupien, 8.0.
Boys Hockey: Ten Players to Watch in 2019-2020
By HockomockSports.com Staff
Player are listed alphabetically
Michael Albert, Senior – Taunton
The Tigers are going to be a young team this season so it will be important, especially early on, for the experienced players to lead the way. The good news for Taunton is that junior forward Michael Albert is back in the fold, a year after he led the team in scoring as just a sophomore. Albert was among the Hockomock League’s top scorers last year, scoring 10 goals and adding 19 assists for 29 points, which tied for ninth-most during the regular season. His 19 assists are what stand out the most, showing he can get teammates involved. The Tigers also have a couple of new additions to the roster through transfer so one of the early challenges will be finding the right combination of players that gel. While head coach Kris Metea sorts that out, he can lean on Albert’s speed, skill, and vision to carry the Tigers offensively again this year.
Rocco Bianculli, Junior – King Philip
Bianculli has been one of the league’s top skating defensemen for the past two seasons, becoming a top playmaker at the blue line and opening up scoring opportunities for his teammates. This year, the goal for the Warriors to get back into the playoffs and Bianculli’s speed with the puck and his stick skills through the center of the ice give KP a different look that can be hard for teams to contain. As a sophomore, Bianculli scored seven goals and added seven assists and his continued development as a physical player to go along with his vision and accurate shot, he will be a difficult matchup. His speed also enables him to recover in the defensive zone, even when it looks like he’s beat. KP has a clear goal this year and Bianculli will be a key to the team ending its wait for tournament play.
Hunter Costello, Senior – Oliver Ames
Two of the things that has made Oliver Ames competitive year in and year out is effort and versatility. Senior Hunter Costello has been on the Tigers’ roster for three years for a reason, and now a senior captain could be poised to have a breakout senior season. The Tigers lost a talented group to graduation but boast a good amount of experience, and a lot of players that are familiar with former assistant-now head coach Mike Zucarelli. Costello is one of those players back, coming off back-to-back seasons in which he recorded double-digit points. He had five goals and six assists during the regular season as a sophomore, and then last year took a big step forward with nine goals and 15 assists. As a captain and one of the most experienced players on the squad, OA will be relying on his leadership both on and off the ice.
Johnny Hagan, Senior – Canton
During Canton’s historic run to an unbeaten state title last winter, the one player that drew the most attention from scouts and opposing coaches was Hagan. They saw what anyone who followed the Bulldogs for three seasons already knew, Hagan has that killer combination of speed, toughness, and skill that makes him so difficult to contain in the offensive zone, while he has the physical, competitive nature to go and battle for loose pucks in the defensive zone. Hagan scored 51 points as a junior, 21 goals and 30 assists, and seemed to always come through in the clutch, including a hat trick in the state title game at the TD Garden. The loss of center Ryan Nolte will be difficult, considering his record point total last year, but Hagan’s return gives Canton plenty of firepower to try and make a run at back-to-back titles and maybe an elusive Super 8 berth.
Chris Jenkins, Senior – Mansfield
Every winter, the Mansfield roster goes through a number of changes, as players leave for prep schools or juniors programs and several players make returns to the Hornets. One of the players that will be coming back this season is Jenkins. The senior forward returns after two seasons with the South Shore Kings and should give the Hornets a much-needed boost on the offensive end, especially after Matt Copponi moved on. During his freshman season with the Hornets, Jenkins made an instant impact, scoring 11 goals and recording 10 assists. His 21 points was third-best on the team. A smooth forward with good size and an accurate shot, Jenkins should give Mansfield a little extra punch in the zone and is a talented skater who can cause problems in transition. The Hornets were so close to unseating Franklin at the top of the Kelley-Rex division last year and they will be happy to have Jenkins back in the fold to try and make another run at the league title.
Kirk Leach, Junior – Foxboro
Last year was the best season in program history, as the Warriors set records for wins (12) and points (27) in a season while earning an impressive victory over Mansfield and a point against Franklin. Leach is the team’s top returning scorer and will be counted on to try and keep the upward trajectory of the past two seasons by taking on a bigger role in the attack after the graduation of Brendan Tully. As a sophomore, Leach scored 18 goals and recorded 20 assists and showed off impressive speed that made it difficult to contain him in the transition game. He was also a player willing to mix it up in the corners or get physical in the middle of the ice and his size gives the Warriors a player who can cause matchup problems for the opposition. With Leach’s determination to get to the net and cause problems and several returning players who have gained experience last winter, Foxboro will still have a dangerous attack and will still have the postseason on its mind as the new year gets started.
Owen Lehane, Senior – Canton
The offense gets most of the press for the Bulldogs, but the Canton defense was also dominant last season and a critical component to a historic, unbeaten state title. Lehane is a guaranteed top-four defenseman for the Bulldogs again this year and his ability to control the blue line as a physical player and as a skilled passer will be important against this winter. Last year, Canton held teams to just 23 goals in 26 games and the combination of Lehane and classmate John Connolly make the defensive unit just as formidable this season. Lehane also chipped in with four goals and 10 assists last year, including the opening goal in the state championship game. Expectations are sky high for the Bulldogs again this season and Lehane’s experience at the blue line is one of the reasons that Canton will have hopes for back-to-back titles.
Dennis Morehouse, Senior – North Attleboro
North Attleboro is another team with a new coaching staff and several new faces this season but the Rocketeers will be able to count on an explosive scorer on the wing, as Morehouse comes back this year after tying for sixth in the Hock in goals last year. A big, physical forward with a cannon for a shot, Morehouse scored 15 goals in the regular season and added four assists. North may need him to be more of a playmaker this year to make up for several graduations, but he has been a consistently solid scorer flying down the right wing and someone who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the corners, using his body to push aside defenders and give himself space to create. As the only player to hit double digits for goals last year, Morehouse will be expected to be the primary scoring threat again for North, which is looking to continue its progress as a program and keep its string of playoff appearances alive this winter.
Ryan Morry, Senior – Attleboro
Attleboro has been a team that is consistently in the playoff mix in Div. 3 and one of the main reasons that the Bombardiers have the tournament as a goal again this winter is the return of Morry. The senior forward is coming off a season in which he was third in the league in scoring with 40 points. He finished with 16 goals and added 24 assists, as the Bombardiers turned to him to pick up some of the scoring touch from the graduation of Jake Parker. This year, Morry will be counted on even more to give Attleboro a creative force in the attacking zone, while continuing to be an all-around player that can help out the defense and is capable of playing on the power play or penalty kill. The Bombardiers will ask a lot of Morry this season, in terms of ice time and production, but his physicality, speed, and stick skills give him the potential to bring Attleboro back to the postseason again this year.
Tom Tasker, Senior – Franklin
There is a lot of change around the Franklin program this season, with a new coaching staff taking over after the retirement of Chris Spillane. The Panthers have become one of the top public school programs in the state and Tasker will be one of the players that the new staff relies on to keep that consistency this season. The senior defenseman is a strong, aggressive player who is tough to beat in the corners but is also capable of stepping up into the attack and has one of the league’s hardest shots from the blue line. He scored three goals and had 10 assists last year and showed the ability to play different brands of hockey depending on the opponent. He can race up and down the ice or he can sit back in the defensive zone and be the physical presence that the Panthers needed. In a season where there is a lot of changes, Tasker’s return for a third year on varsity gives some much-needed stability to the defensive pairings.