CANTON, Mass. – After a mid-April matchup against the Pembroke Titans, the Canton Bulldogs knew their Division 2 South playoff matchup on Tuesday was not going to be easy.
“We played Pembroke earlier in the season and beat them 8-6,” said Canton head coach Bill Bendell. “We had some guys missing but they were good and we knew they were going to get better and they have a great coach. We knew it was going to be a dogfight when we looked at the seeding, we were like ‘Ah man, this is not going to be easy,’ there were some other matchups we would’ve preferred.”
The result for the Bulldogs on Tuesday was eerily similar to the first go around, as they pulled out an 8-7 victory in a hard-fought matchup.
The scoring came fast for Canton, as senior captain Charlie O’Connor took the opening faceoff and scored himself to give the Bulldogs a lead just eight seconds into the game.
“I wanted to set the tone for our team, make sure we had the momentum going our way,” O’Connor said. “I did what I could, ran down, they didn’t play me on the fast break and just took it to the net, shot and it went in.”
That wasn’t O’Connor’s only big play of the afternoon. After a strong defensive play by Gabe Galeotos and a clear by Brendan Albert with under a minute to go in the first half, Canton used a timeout with 29 seconds left to try and draw something up.
After the original shot was turned away, the ball laid unattended in the crease where O’Connor was able to play clean-up crew, scooping it into the net with one second remaining.
“The play right before halftime, we drew a couple things up, if they do this we’ll do this and we executed perfectly but they played really good defense, so they took away what we were trying to run,” Bendell. “Then our captain Charlie O’Connor knocked that ball in with one second left and that’s the game, that’s the game winner if you look at it that way.”
“I just brought out my inner hockey instincts almost,” said O’Connor. “Coach always says play to the whistle if the ball is on the goal line then poke it in…I poked it in and luckily, I kept my feet outside of the crease.”
The last-second goal gave the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead heading to halftime, forcing Pembroke to have to adjust during the break, which is exactly what they did.
The adjustments started with faceoff specialist Aidan Geary, who won eight draws in the second half to help bring the Titans get back into the game.
“[Geary] was really good and they made some adjustments,” Bendell said. “[Charlie] won the first one and scored and set the tone, that was huge, but after that, they really tightened that up and made it a battle. It was tough to get possessions.”
With those extra possessions, the Pembroke offense wasted little time getting back into the game.
After Mike Shaw (two goals, one assist) gave Canton a 5-2 lead, Pembroke’s Ryan Mulhern (two goals) scored in a five on five situation to pull the Titans back within two.
Canton then seemed destined to pull away yet again after a strong save from goalie Jack Connolly and a two-man advantage. However, the two-man advantage didn’t affect the Titans as Patrick Mulhern (three goals, one assist) scored with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.
The Titans then used their own man advantage with a Colin Newton goal and Michael Hendriksen added an even-strength goal just one minute later to cap a 4-0 run, which gave Pembroke their first lead of the game.
Canton then quickly answered when Kevin Albert (two goals, one assist) snuck one in just seconds after the faceoff to tie the game at 6-6 to end the third.
To start the fourth, Albert cashed in on another opportunity with 10 minutes remaining, only to have Patrick Mulhern tie the game just two minutes later. But with just over seven minutes remaining, a shot directed right to Albert who found Griffin Roach in front for what was the eventual game-winning goal.
“We’ve lost some one-goal games with these seniors so they’ve seen that,” Bendell said. “We were at D-Y a couple years ago and had them, then they beat us by a goal. We had Sandwich, it was tied late and they scored with under a minute left to beat us, so we survived and advanced just like they survived against us and advanced.”
Over the last seven minutes, the score remained 8-7 in large part due to Connolly in net. Connolly made four big saves in final minutes of regulation, including one with two seconds left that sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.
“He’s a beast, that was huge,” Bendell said. “The defense at the end of the game was clutch. You know the stick gets a little tight in those situations for some guys, but these guys thrive on that stuff. Jack doesn’t get discouraged, he might have a moment where he puts his head down for one brief moment but he’s still a sophomore, he’s a confident enough kid who plays varsity hockey, varsity football and varsity lacrosse so this is nothing new to him. He loves the spotlight and that was huge, that was clutch.”
Canton boys lacrosse (10-7) will now travel to face the No. 3 seed Sandwich on Thursday at 5:00 P.M.
“We just said to these guys, the first win of the playoffs is the hardest,” Bendell said. “We’ve done that trip before, it’s not an easy trip and they’re a good team. But now you’re playing house money, you got past the first round now we’re the lower seed technically so now the pressures on them to beat us and we’re a tough team, so we’ll see.”
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.”
Canton’s Gabe Galeotos defends Foxboro’s Louis Piccolo in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – If there was one word that describes how Foxboro head coach Matt Noone wants his offense to play, patient would be near the top of the list.
With limited depth, Noone stresses long offensive possessions that lets his defense get plenty of rest. On Monday night, the Warriors were able to convert enough of those long possessions into goals and limited the Bulldogs’ time on attack, especially in the second half, to manufacture a 4-2 win.
“We were pressing early, making a lot of mistakes,” Noone said. “It felt like they were tight or just pushing too hard, thinking they all had to do it individually. At halftime, talked about doing all the little things right. Making simple 10 yard passes, changing the formation up a bit. We just made some adjustments and the boys just possessed the ball better in the second half.”
Foxboro earned a pair of man-up opportunities in the first quarter but couldn’t convert on either chance. On the first chance, the Warriors nearly broke through when senior Trey Guerrini collected a pass in close and ripped a shot but Canton freshman Jack Connolloy (11 saves) robbed him with a point blank save.
After neither side scored in the opening 12 minutes, Foxboro finally broke through with the first goal of the game. The Warriors were actually whistled for a penalty but forced a turnover and took control on offense. Sophomore Brendan Tully spun past his defenseman and found Guerrini right in front for an easy finish to make it 1-0.
Foxboro’s goal seemed to give the Bulldogs a little but of a spark as Canton controlled the final four minutes of the half.
Canton tied the game just over three minutes after giving up the first goal. Senior Ryan Lodge held possession in the corner and hit Griffin Roach – streaking in from the bench on a sub – in stride and the sophomore bounced his shot in to tie the game.
Just over a minute, the Bulldogs netted their second goal of the game. Lodge once again held possession in the corner but this time, he eluded his defenseman, sprinted toward goal, spun past a second opponent and bounced his shot in from in close to give Canton a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Although Canton took the momentum into the halftime break, it was Foxboro who controlled the entire second half.
The Warriors took advantage of long possessions on the offensive end while allowing just three shots on net for the entire second half.
“We have to possess the ball,” Noone said. “When we go back and forth, we just don’t have the depth. If we can possess the ball and rest our defense, our defense is damn good, they’ll get the ball back to you. We’re still getting better at offense. Every win is a win and then its onto the next one.”
Foxboro’s lengthy possessions finally paid off with two goals in the final four minutes of the third quarter. Senior Mike Moses faked his way around a defender and gained just enough space to tie the game with his shot with 3:44 to go in the third.
The Warriors took possession once again and worked the ball around. With under a minute to play, their patience paid off once again. Moses fed junior James Silveria and his bounce shot through traffic put the visitors up 3-2 heading into the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Canton registered just two shots total on goalie Jake Addeche in the second half.
“All we kept saying is be patient on the offensive end,” Noone said. “We talked about playing five minutes and 30 seconds of defense total tonight…we did it in the first eight minutes of the game so it was a lesson. We had have to possess the ball a lot if we want to win. That’s a great team, [Bill Bendell] is a great coach. We’re the same…small town, we both have freshmen out there. Guys are always learning. Ronnie MacLellan was a little out of sorts on Saturday, he was one of our best defenseman today. Matty Lathrop also had a big game, another freshman.”
Foxboro netted an insurance goal just over the midway point of the final quarter. After another lengthy possession, Louis Piccolo fed Guerrini with a perfect pass right and front and the senior buried it with what was essentially a one-timer.
Canton had a couple of offensive possessions in the final minute but none resulted in a shot on goal – two resulted in turnovers because of poor passes and Foxboro’s Patrick Kaveny forced another.
“They pressed out a lot, especially off ball and especially against our attack and we really didn’t handle it well,” said Canton head coach Bill Bendell. “We have pretty good attack so it was a little unusual for us. We tried to attack from the midfield in the second quarter, we did a great job of doing it. Then by the third quarter I think we were a little tired. They had some long possessions, they made us work. They do a great job of possessing the ball. When we got on offense, we were a little gassed by the end.
“They wear your down. They’re so well coached. They are aggressive but they have such long possessions, they make you learn it. They’ve played some close games, they have a great schedule. I think this where we can learn some things. We’ll see how we’ll respond because this was our first close loss and first loss in the league. It was a lot of fun but we came up just short.”
Canton (4-2, 2-1) looks to bounce back the same day when they host North Attleboro in another key divisional showdown.
Baseball
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – It was a back and forth battle between the Tigers and Bombardiers, with Oliver Ames prevailing behind three runs in the seventh inning. The Tigers grabbed the lead with three runs in the top of the first but Attleboro cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom half. Attleboro took a 4-3 lead in the fourth but OA grabbed a 5-4 advantage in the top of the fifth. The Bombardiers tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth and took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Oliver Ames took advantage of 10 walks on the day. Junior Matt Muir (2-for-5) drove in a pair of runs and the Tigers added an insurance run on a wild pitch to go up 8-6 in the top of the seventh. Cam Johnson was 2-for-3 with two RBI for OA while Alden Newman had a standout day behind the plate and went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Sophomore Chris Pearsons (RBI) picked up the win, coming on in relief in the sixth and didn’t give up a hit. Attleboro junior Jon Candiales (3-for-3) reached base four times and had an RBI double while sophomore Troy Van Vliet recorded a pair of hits for the Bombardiers.
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton struck for a pair of runs in the third and then again in the fourth, holding off a Sharon rally late to pick up its first win of the season. A trio of sophomores stepped up to lead the Bulldogs. Matt Pigeon had a two-run single to pace the offense. Paul Corcoran earned the win, tossing five scoreless innings while classmate Rob Sullivan earned the two-inning save. Sharon’s Spencer Singer had a three-run double in the sixth to bring the Eagles within one.
Foxboro, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford senior Alex Macek had another strong outing on the mound for the Scarlet Hawks, going the distance without giving up an earned run. He scattered eight hits and struck out seven to earn the win. Offensively, he went 1-2 with a run scored. Milford scored all three runs in the third inning, junior Aidan Wilde going 2-for-3 with an RBI triple and Anthony Arcudi hitting 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Scarlet Hawks. Foxboro tacked on single runs in the sixth and in the seventh. Steve McLaughlin struck out five and allowed six hits in a complete game effort for the Warriors. Colin Thoener was 2-for-4 for Foxboro.
Franklin, 6 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Franklin’s offense picked right where it left off from Wednesday’s walk-off win over Walpole. The Panthers pounced for three runs in both the first and second innings to take a 6-0 lead. Mansfield tacked on single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Franklin junior Jason Ulrickson was impressive on the mound, giving up just one earned run on seven hits and just one walk in a complete game effort. Ulrickson also struck out five and had two RBI and a run scored on the offensive end. Jake Lyons (two runs) and Tyler Gomes (RBI) each went 2-for-4 for Franklin while Ryan Hodgkins (1-for-2) had an RBI and two runs, Bryan Woelfel had a two RBI single and Cam Lupien was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Mansfield’s Matt Farragher had an RBI single for the Hornets.
Taunton, 6 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Taunton overcame a four run deficit, scoring runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to earn a key division win over King Philip. The Warriors plated a pair of runs in the second and the fourth innings. The Tigers cut the deficit in half with two in the fifth and took the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth. Taunton added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. With the game tied 4-4, Taunton senior Billy Emerson (1-for-2, two RBI) knocked in the go-ahead run with a single. Taunton sophomore Jack Moynihan (2-for-4, run) earned the win, striking out two with four runs allowed in six innings of work. Senior Danny Keogh got the save with a scoreless seventh inning. Tyler Medeiros and Jacob Crawford each went 2-for-4 with an RBI while David Schofield went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. King Philip’s Kyle Guenthner was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Chris Wing went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Wing also struck out three in 5.2 innings of work, allowing three earned runs.
Stoughton, 7 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Luke Johnson got the offense going early and Ryan Sullivan had a solid outing on the mound as the Black Knights battled the Rocketeers for the top spot in the Davenport. Johnson (3-for-4) connected for a two-out two RBI single in the top of the first to put Stoughton ahead. Evan Gibb had two hits, Ruben Gonzalez hit a solo home run and Jack Connelly knocked a two-run shot over the fence. Sullivan allowed just one earned run in six innings of work, walking two, allowing four hits and striking out five. Gibb pitched a scoreless, no-hit seventh inning with two strikeouts.
Softball
Attleboro, 10 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Attleboro scored early and often, needed each run to take down the Tigers at Parkview Elementary. Big Blue pushed across five runs in the top of the first and added two more in the second to take a 7-1 lead. OA responded with four runs in the bottom of the second to cut Attleboro’s lead to 7-5. The Bombardiers never relinquished the lead and took a 10-8 decision. McKenzie Bergdoll went the distance in the circle for Attleboro, striking out seven and went 3-for-4 at the plate. Lead off hitter Jordyn Lako went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Julya Woyton hit 3-for-4 with a three-run triple with the bases loaded in the first inning. AHS coach Mark Homer said Kayla Battisti made several stops at third base, helping to thwart OA’s comeback attempts. Oliver Ames’ Victoria Ziner was perfect at the plate (4-for-4, three singles, double) with three runs scored for the Tigers. Lexie Campbell (1-for-3) and Katie Abreu (3-for-4, double) had two RBI each. Rachel Han and Caroline Mahoney also each knocked in a run for OA.
Canton, 4 @ Sharon, 9 – Final – Senior Sam Marglous provided the offense to help the Eagles pick up a second win of the season. Marglous went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Alli Small, Rebecca Clayman, and Clara Cook each had hits and Sharon coach Deb Parker added that Small also played a strong defensive game at shortstop.
Milford, 16 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final (6 inn.) – Milford and Foxboro traded runs in the third inning to make it 2-2 but Milford’s offense came to life, scoring three runs in the fourth and then exploding for 11 runs in the sixth. Emily Piergustavo (3-for-5, HR, two runs, four RBI) and Jess Tomaso (3-for-5, HR, double, three runs, three RBI) connected on back-to-back home runs to pace the Hawks’ offense. Kaitlyn DeCapua went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, Emily Hartman was 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI, a double and two runs and Shannon Cormier was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (9 inn.) – Mady Bendanillo scored the game-winning run for Mansfield in the top of the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly by Mackenzie Burke. Bendanillo slid in just ahead of the tag to give the Hornets the lead. Franklin put two runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but Sarah Cahill got the final two outs to earn the complete game win. Mansfield took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh. Megan Letendre reached on an error and Bendanillo was hit by a pitch, followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Marissa Staffer and Kerran Holmes. Franklin rallied with two in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Kim Moulton (pinch hit) and Rachel Cousineau (3-for-4) had back to back singles. Olivia Haba tagged up for third and scored on an overthrow. Olivia DiGiacomo singled to score Cousineau.
King Philip, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Taunton took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but King Philip responded with three in the top of the second and that was enough to pull out the win in a pivotal Kelley-Rex division game. Jess Bonner drove in one run and Elise Pereira had an RBI double and scored on a wild pitch, while Jenn Hutnyan allowed only one run on four hits to pick up the win for the Warriors. Courtney Fisher allowed two earned runs on three hits for the Tigers and Taunton coach Dave Lewry praised eighth grader Hannah Aldrich for a strong game defensively at shortstop. Aldrich had eight assists and three put-outs. MacKenzie Handrahan drove in the lone Taunton run.
North Attleboro, 14 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro freshman dazzled on the mound, striking out a career-high 14 batters, allowed just one hit and walked just two batters to help the Rocketeers blank Stoughton. Liz Morehouse paced Big Red’s offense, going 3-for-5 with five RBI. Olivia Capobianco and Andrea Miceli each had a pair of hits while Erti and Ashley Cangiano each scored a pair of runs.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 13 vs. Milton, 0 – Final – The Bulldogs picked up their fourth straight win, blanking Milton in a non-league clash at Canton High. Eight different players scored at least one goal, led by sophomore Mike Shaw’s four assists and one goal. CHS head coach Bill Bendell said his side got great defense from their poles: Michael Pigeon, Brendan Albert, Nick Mackay, Gabe Galeotos, Brian Ghostlaw, Jona Sutton, Michael Yong and Brian Albert. Freshman Jack Connolly (three quarters) and senior CJ Martin combined for the shutout in net.
Foxboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Foxboro and Mansfield were tied after the first quarter (1-1) and tied at halftime (3-3). But Foxboro outscored the Hornets 2-1 in the third quarter and pitched a shutout in the fourth to edge Mansfield in the semifinals of the Chowda Cup. Andrew Whalen netted a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the third quarter. Bobby Yerardi, Brendan Tully and Sam Blake each scored once for Foxboro, who received 10 saves in net from goalie Jake Addeche. Foxboro head coach Matt Noone said Mike Collins and Lou Blake had strong games defensively for the Warriors. For Mansfield, Joe Cox had one goal and two assists while Cullen Murphy, Brett Kessler and Aidan Sacco each scored once. Sean Peters made 16 saves in net in front of a strong defensive effort led by Grant Milas and Josh London. Foxboro will play Catholic Memorial in the finals of the Chowda Cup on Saturday at Braintree.
Franklin, 10 vs. Walpole, 11 – Final (OT) – Franklin rallied from a 8-5 deficit at halftime to take a 9-8 lead in the second half. After Franklin was whistled for an interference call, the Rebels tied the game with 1:27 to go. Walpole netted the game-winner with 38 seconds left in overtime. Eric Civetti had four goals and four assist, Chase Tanner had four goals and Kyle McEniry had one goal and one assist. Connor O’Rourke made 17 saves in net for the Panthers while sophomore Jacob Alexander won 18 face offs.
King Philip, 7 vs. Medway, 13 – Final
Milford, 11 vs. ASMA, 3 – Final
Sharon, 5 @ Holliston, 11 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. Norton, 8 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 17 – Final
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Pembroke, 14 – Final – Oliver Ames nearly overcame an eight goal deficit but fell just short on the road at Pembroke. The Titans jumped out to a 9-1 lead and held a 10-4 advantage at halftime. The Tigers won the second half 9-4 but came up just shy of tying the game. Liv Piazza scored five goals, Chloe Kilkelly scored four goals, Kendall Clifford and Sofia Masciarelli each had two goals for the Tigers.
Mansfield 16, vs. Holliston, 6 – Final – Maire Foley led the way for the Hornets with five goals and Ann Maher added a hat trick. Mansfield also got two goals apiece from Lauren Whitman, Kathryn Garvin, and Mairead Dunn and 10 saves from Hannah Sternburg.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Attleboro’s second doubles team of Hans Estrada and Luis Sandoval won in three sets, giving the Bombardiers the decisive third win to beat Oliver Ames. Estrada and Sandoval picked up a 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 win while Shawn Gordon won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles and Jared Cooper won 6-4, 6-4 at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Nick Cavanaugh 6-3, 6-0 at second singles and Greg Mueller and Michael Souza won 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at first doubles.
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon dropped just one game in singles player and just two in doubles to get the sweep against Canton. Junior Andre Olivei won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, sophomore Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and freshman Alberto Olivei won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. The team of seniors Alex Romantz and Sammy Kirshenbaum won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of juniors Ashwin Sreevatsa and Artie Chinnappan won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles for Sharon.
Milford @ Foxboro, 3:45
Mansfield, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin relied on its depth to pick up a win over Mansfield in a Kelley-Rex showdown. While Mansfield won at first and second singles, the Panthers claimed wins at third singles and both doubles matches. Freshman Rohan Herur won 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-2 at third singles, James Johnstone and Derek Wu won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles and Tyler DiPalma and Rahul Hosdurg clinched the match with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles. Mansfield’s Benny Lin won 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 at first singles and Luke Nickerson won 6-3, 6-4 at second singles.
King Philip, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – King Philip won all five matches in straight sets, dropping a total of six games on the road at Taunton. Cole Ginter won 6-0, 6-3 at first singles, Blake Ginter won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Marco DiStefano won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Ryan Gemelli and Sam Collela won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Aidan Ignatius and Sean Desrochers won 6-2, 6-0 at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro picked up wins at first and second singles as well as first and second doubles to beat Stoughton. Zac Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Barsomo Nuay won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles for Big Red. Daniel Zhang and Ben Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Brendan Hurd and Keigan Beaugh won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Erik Anderson won 7-5, 6-2 at third singles.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up a win on the road at Attleboro, winning all five matches in straight sets. Sarah Leger won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Mandi Miller won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles and Maura Kiernan won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles. The team of Tori Wyman and Kristin Bloumbas won 7-5, 6-1 at first doubles and Emily Yu and Ana Serjak won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles for the Tigers.
Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon picked up the win on the road, notching two wins at singles and two wins at doubles. Nupur Shukla won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Rithika Neti won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles. The team of Sydney Gordon and Lauren Glass won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and Sachi Bhasin and Makalia Cheung won 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles for the Eagles. Sharon forfeited the match at third singles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – The Warriors went on the road and picked up an impressive win, dropping a total of five games between the five matches. Sophia Prinos won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Lexi Nelson won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Julia Muise picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third sinlges. Kayla Prag and Olivia Dantona won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of Jacey Nicklas and Kendall Milender won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles for Foxboro.
Franklin, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield picked up a big division win against the visiting Panthers of Franklin, winning at second and third singles as well as first doubles. Junior Sarah Doyle won 6-3, 1-0 at second singles and sophomore Elizabeth Elsner won 6-1, 6-4 at third singles. The team of senior Chloe Peters and sophomore Tessa Garufi earned the third win for the Hornets, winning 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles. Franklin’s Hannah Sweeney won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles and the team of Jillian McCaugh and Hailey Stier won 0-6, 6-4, 6-1 at second doubles.
Baseball
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Senior Tyler Stowe was a spark for the Bombarbiers in the leadoff spot with a pair of hits, a pair of stolen bases and a pair of runs scored. Nate Tellier hit a two run double in the sixth inning to turn a two run lead into a 5-1 lead. Tellier also scored two runs and then pitched the final two innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced. Brent Cook went 2-2 with a pair of RBI for Attleboro. Junior Tyler McGovern made his varsity debut, striking out seven in five innings of work for the win, scattering four hits.
Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – King Philip’s Jake Cavanagh tossed a complete game, scattering four hits while striking out 10 batters. Jack DiCenso and Jon Rolfe each had multiple hits for the Warriors. Ryan Coulter knocked in a pair of runs for KP while Cavanagh, Stephan MacMeans and Leo Munafo each plated one run for the Warriors.
Foxboro, 0 @ Taunton, 8 – Final – Senior Luke Figueira got it done on the mound and at the plate as the Tigers opened the season with a win. On the mound, Figueira struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits and no walks in five innings of work. At the plate, the senior had a pair of hits and knocked in two runs. Matt Machado and Max Bowden each added a pair of hits and RBI as well. William Emerson had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI and Brendon Mazerolle knocked in one run and had two hits.
Franklin, 14 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sophomore Jason Ulrickson came on in the fourth inning in relief and pitched four innings without allowing an earned run to get the win for the Panthers. Ulrickson struck out four and scattered three hits. Sophomore Matt Foley pitched the scoreless innings to start the game for Franklin. Offensively, senior Joe Corsi scored four runs, going 2/4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Jake Lyons went 2/4 with two RBI and a run scored, Tyler Gomes had a double and two runs scored, Josh Macchi went 3/4 with a double and three RBI, Jake Noviello was 2/4 with an RBI and Mike Skaza went 3/4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Stoughton, 14 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 5 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – In a game of lead changes, North senior Zach Rofino (2-4, two runs) reached on an infield single to start the bottom of the seventh, advanced to third on a double from senior Brian Poillucci (3-4, RBI, R) and then scored on a base hit up the middle from Brian Kleczkowski (2-3, RBI) as the Rocketeers walked off with the 6-5 win. Ridge Olsen, who was intentionally walked to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, was 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored while sophomore Zach DeMattio went 2-3 with his second home run in as many games and knocked in three runs. The Rocketeers pitchers didn’t issue a walk all game. Andy Katch went six innings, striking out three while Matt Papineau pitched the top of the seventh to get the win. Oliver Ames tied the game in the top of the sixth when Kevin Geary hit a triple and a single freshman Chris Pearsons. OA senior Chris Romero had three hits in the game and classmate Josh Minuskin had a pair of hits.
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Ali Atherton tossed a one hitter, striking out nine batters in five innings of work while issuing just one walk. At the plate, Jess Tomaso went 3/4 in her debut for the Scarlet Hawks with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Emily Piergustavo went 3/4 with a double and two RBI and Sydney Pounds was 3/3 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.
King Philip, 18 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Elise Pereira, Kali Magane and Jenn Hutnyan combined for one hit ball in the circle for the Warriors. Magane went 2/2 with a triple while Pereira connected for a home run. Freshman Meghan Gorman debuted by going 2/2 with a home run and four RBI while Sydney Phillips also connected for a home run. Senior Christa Wagner scored three runs for KP.
Taunton, 15 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Courtney Fisher struck out 11 batters in five innings of work, scattering three hits without a walk to get the win for the Tigers. Taunton’s offense stayed hot behind four RBI from Aimee Kistner (2-4, double), three RBI from Jordan Wade (3-4, double) and a pair of RBI from Liana Duarte (2-4, double). Kya Enos and Meghan Navarro each added a pair of doubles and an RBI and Jaime Brown went 2-2 with an RBI.
Franklin, 12 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Caroline D’Aprile struck out six and allowed two hits to get the win for the Panthers. Maddie Connelly had a pair of hits, a pair of runs and a pair of stolen bases and Alli Shea added three runs scored and two hits. Clara Decarvalho knocked in four runs on three hits while Julia Arms had a three run home run and Rachel Cousineau connected for a solo home run.
Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton’s Shannon Flaherty allowed just one earned run in six innings of work to get the win. Flaherty struck out nine and issued just one walk in the win. Mansfield erased a 2-0 deficit in the top of the sixth inning but the Black Knights scored twice more in the bottom half to regain the lead. Jocelyn Reardon had a pair of hits, including a two RBI single in the sixth while Mady Bendanillo, Megan Letendre, Kara Bendanillo and Amanda Giambanco all had a hit in the game for the Hornets. .
North Attleboro, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Amelia Murphy allowed just three hits in her Big Red debut, fanning four batters to get the win. Rylie Guthrie, Sam Courtemanche and Liz Morehouse each had an RBI single while Kaylea Sherman had four putouts in center field and also a double play. Oliver Ames’ Victoria Ziner was 1/2 with a run scored, Katie Pursley had an RBI and Lexi Campbell also had a hit. Campbell pitched a complete game, striking out five with just two earned runs allowed.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Dartmouth, 4:00
Canton, 5 vs. Scituate, 1 – Final – The Bulldogs were able to accomplish a feat not many are able to: shut down Scituate’s offense. Canton only allowed one goal, coming with six minutes left in the game. Defensemen Jake Ragusa, Dan Nadeau, Gabe Galeotos and Jonathan Sutton combined to limit the Sailor while Chris Albert made 16 saves in net. Ben O’Neill netted a hat trick with one assist while junior Ryan Lodge had a goal and two assists and freshman Mike Shaw scored once.
Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 21 – Final – Andrew Whalen led Foxboro with seven points, scoring three goals and added four assists and Louis Piccolo added four goals and two assists. Brendan Tully had three goals and two assists and Colin Spinney chipped in with a pair of goals and a pair of assists for the Warriors.
King Philip, 10 @ Medway, 9 – Final – Senior Sam Agricola scored King Philip’s first five goals of the game to keep the Warriors close and then scored the game winning goal in the third quarter. Agricola finished with six goals, one assist and five ground balls, helping KP take advantage of the extra man opportunities. KP scored on six of their seven EMO while limiting Medway on their special teams chances. Junior Paul Macrina made 23 saves in the game including seven in the fourth quarter. Head coach Jacob Kravitz called it a great character win and credited Steve Eaton’s switch to LSM in the second as a big turning point in the possession game. Tim Watson and Anthony Truini each scored twice for KP.
Mansfield, 5 @ St. John’s, 14 – Final
Milford, 1 vs. Plymouth North, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final
Sharon, 8 @ Bishop Feehan, 16 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 3 vs. Dartmouth, 9 – Final
Foxboro, 20 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Caroline McGreary scored four goals and Sophia DiCenso and Lauren Flahive each netted a hat trick to lead Foxboro. Megan Curran and Lily Feeney each chipped in with two goals for the Warriors. Taunton’s Delaney Powell scored both of the Tigers’ goals.
King Philip, 14 vs. Medway, 9 – Final – Katie Crowther was nearly unstoppable, netting a team high nine goals to lead the Warriors. Jen Lacroix added three goals while Abbey Buchanan and Allie Meehan each found the back of the net once.
Sharon, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 11 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Hannah Friend made an impact all over the field to lead the Tigers. Friend scored four goals and had one assists while nabbing two draw controls and five groundballs. She also had three intercepted passes for the Tigers. Erin Fitzgerald was another reason for OA’s strong possession game with 10 draw controls. Ariana Waldorf had 12 saves in net while Sofia Masciarelli, Chloe Kikelly and Emalyn Duvall each scored twice. Carly Cidado had a goal and an assist, Abby Duvall had two assists and Kendall Clifford notched an assist for OA.
Boys Tennis
Milford, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro scored wins at first and second singles and sealed the win with a marathon win at second doubles. Timothy Vermilyea won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles and Tyler Letendre picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles. Khaled Hantash and Ahijah Joseph won the first 7-5 at second doubles but after losing 3-6 in the second, rallied to win 6-4 in the final set. Milford’s Brendan O’Shaunghnessy won 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) at third singles and Tabish Syed and Stephen Donnelly won 6-3, 6-4 at first doubles.
Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – KP sophomore Cole Ginter won 6-4, 6-1 at first singles and freshman Blake Ginter won 6-4, 6-3 at third singles to lead the Warriors. Sam Collela and Ryan Gemelli won 6-1, 6-2 at first doubles and Jake Webster and Justin Rohan won 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles for the Warriors. Canton’s Jake Wolicki won 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at second singles.
Foxboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Taunton’s lone win came when Charlie Fiske and Connor Briggs battled back for a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in set straights to start the season with a win. Griffin Fein won 6-2, 6-3 at first singles, Fred Bondar won 6-3, 6-3 at second singles and Han Cui won 6-2, 6-1 at third singles. Adam Dobbin and Alex Romantz picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles and Tilak Mehta and Dahujan Thiru won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield junior Benny Lin won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, freshman Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles and junior Gus Daganhardt picked up a 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. Sophomores Danny Radev and Sam Cavicchi won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and sophomore Ben Salder and junior Stephen Zenack won 6-2, 6-0 at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro got wins from a pair of juniors in singles play and three seniors and one junior in doubles for a 4-1 win. Junior Barsomo Nuay won 6-4, 6-4 at second singles and junior Zack Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Seniors Jeff Yao and Nick Lockavitch won 7-5, 6-1 at first doubles and senior Jake Fontes and junior Daniel Zhang won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles. Oliver Ames’ Thomas O’Leary notched a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-4) win at first singles.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final
King Philip, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Becca Ricci and Meghan Sepich won at first and third singles respectively to lead the Warriors. Ricci picked up a 6-3, 7-6 win and Sepich won 6-0, 6-0. KP’s elly Masse and Megan Davenport won 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 at first singles and Connie Palumbo and Carly Adams won 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles. Canton’s Skyler Jabbour won 6-3, 7-6 at second singles.
Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Freshman Nupur Shulka debuted with a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles to help lead the Eagles to a season opening win. Sharon sophomore Emily Wen won 6-1, 6-2 at third singles and junior Michelle Coo and sophomore Rithica Neti won 6-2, 6-0 at second doubles. Franklin’s Hannah Sweeney won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and junior Anja Deric and sophomore Katelyn Davenport won 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 (10-6) at first doubles.
Mansfield, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Seniors Paulina Martin and Kathleen Giffels won in straight sets in singles play as Mansfield rolled to a sweep. Martin won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Giffels won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles. Sophomore Sarah Doyle won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles for the Hornets. Cathryn Heavey and Chloe Peters won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles and Tessa Garufi and Elizabeth Elsner won 6-0, 7-5 at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – North Attleboro’s Julia Mark picked up a 6-3, 6-1 at first singles, Jordan Willis won 6-2, 6-2 at second singles and Allie Grinavic didn’t lose a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Jhanavi Kapadia and Emily Chiasson won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and Gabby Duva and Katie Demontigny won 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) at second doubles for the Rocketeers.
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 1 vs. Millis, 3 – Final – Milford won the third game but couldn’t overcome the 2-0 hole. Senior Mike Haver led Milford with 11 kills and added three blocks. Senior Ryan White had 16 assists, eight kills, four digs, two blocks and an ace while Juan Ruelas had 13 assists, seven kills and three digs and blocks.
Canton senior attack Ben O’Neill is one reason that the Bulldogs have a chance to repeat as Davenport champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
CANTON
2015 Record: 11-7
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Bill Bendell
The Bulldogs have won two Davenport division titles in the last three years and will be looking for a third in 2016. With a beefed up non-league schedule, Canton will be looking to make a deep run in the D2 South tournament this season.
“I really like this team and I think we will be very difficult to beat once we figure things out,” head coach Bill Bendell said. “Our goal this year is to trust the process…ignore the scoreboard and instead focus on doing your job to the best of your ability and the wins will follow.”
Canton will be relying on an experienced defense this season. Senior Chris Albert returns to the cage while senior Jake Ragusa and junior LSM Michael Pigeon will anchor the backline. Senior Dan Nadeau, junior Jonathan Sutton and sophomore Gabe Galeotos all saw time on defense last season and will fit in nicely again this year.
On offense, Ben O’Neill – one of the best offensive players in Canton history – enters the season with 125 career points. He’s got a high lacrosse IQ and can battle through defenses to find the net. Shaun Kirby, Dan Dillon, Bobby Mullaney and Eddie McCabe will all chip in with O’Neill offensively.
FOXBORO
2015 Record: 12-8
2015 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East Quarterfinals
Coach: Matt Noone
Foxboro graduated a handful of talented players last season but the biggest loss might be losing last year’s leading scorer Pat McCarthy to a knee injury this year. But with five seniors and plethora of youth, Warriors will look to try and claim their first Davenport title since 2011.
“You can’t replace Pat McCarthy, thankfully we still have his leadership, he will help the young guys,” Foxboro head coach Matt Noone said.
Connor McNamara and Brian Buckner are both entering their third year on varsity and will be relied upon heavily. McNamara is a factor at both sends of the field, Noone adding “He can carry us at times.” Buckner, a defenseman, possess great speed and positions himself well, Noone saying “His athleticism and IQ make him tough to beat on and off the ball.”
Foxboro will rely on Andrew Whalen, Louis Piccolo and James Silveria – all sophomores – on attack. McNamara will be complemented in the midfield by senior Austin Ryan and juniors Colin Spinney and Trey Guerrini. Noone called all three great athletes. Defensively, two year starters Tom Piccolo and Bobby Kierce will work alongside Buckner while sophomore Pat Kaveny has improved his game as well.
Expect sophomore Jake Addeche and junior Tyler Silveria to battle for the starting goalie job.
MILFORD
2015 Record: 2-17
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ralph Bono
Milford will be looking to try and improve after recording just two wins in the 2015 season. New head coach Ralph Bono will try to turn things around in his first year at the helm.
The Scarlet Hawks graduated their two top scorers from last season in Nick Mobilia (30 points) and Spencer Lawson (19 points) so there will be some questions to answer up front.
In midfield, junior Alex Salamone registered 10 points last season and had 12 grounds balls while sophomore Andrew Gallagher made an impact with nine points in his rookie campaign. Jack Boyle, Nick Lurie and Ian Bucal all factored into the scoring last year as well.
Defensively, Harrison Bliss led the Scarlet Hawks defensemen in grounds balls as a sophomore while Andrew Palaria and Riley Burns also saw time. In goal, Pietro Bon Tempo made 123 saves last year in 17 games played and should provide some experience in the back.
OLIVER AMES
2016 Record: 6-10
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Chris DiGiacomo
After missing out on the playoffs last season, second year skipper Chris DiGiacomo will be relying on a large senior class to try to get back to the postseason.
“There is a lot of positive energy surrounding the program currently,” head coach Chris DiGiacomo said. “The boys have been working very hard, and we are very excited to get started.”
Senior attack Matt Gilson is back for his fourth year on varsity to pace the offense while senior Jake Aronson returns to man the goal for the Tigers. Senior captain middie Aidan Connly will be relied upon to take care of both ends of the field.
Connly will be joined by classmates Mike Sullivan, Jack Long, Connor Howe and Max Bamford so the Tigers will boast a very experienced midfield. On defense, senior Max Sheldon will anchor the backline in front of Aronson.
Sharon
2015 Record: 10-9
2015 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East First Round
Coach: Peter DeSisto
The Eagles are looking to get back to the top of the Davenport mountain and are hoping former Canton player Peter DeSisto will lead them there in his first year at the helm.
“I am really excited for this season, we are a young team but the captains and upperclassmen have really set the tone for this season,” DeSisto said. “They’re showing the newer players what it takes to be successful at this level. We’ve set high expectations for ourselves, but we know that if we come together as a unit and work hard we are completely capable of reaching our goals.”
After coming up just short in the division race last year, Sharon has a strong returning core to try to win the division for the second time in three years. Senior captains Mark Bloom and Craig Titus will be the focus of the attack again this year while sophomore Jon Greenberg will be back in goal after a terrific freshman campaign in 2015.
UMass commit Josh Rotman will be paired with senior captain Matt Cancian in the midfield to provide a power 1-2 punch while sophomores Spencer Hall and Chase Waxman will also see a lot of time in the middle of the field. Sharon will have to fill some holes defensively but expect junior Jared Zunenshine and sophomore Zach Reingold to step in.
