Baseball
Taunton, 12 @ Milford, 2 – Final (5 Inn.)
Mansfield, 3 vs. Xaverian, 2 – Final – Mansfield erased a two-run deficit in the sixth inning and then walked off with a win in the bottom of the seventh to knock off the defending D1 state champs Xaverian. The visiting Hawks scored once in the third and fourth to build a 2-0 lead going into the final two innings. The Hornets went without a run over the first five innings but not for a lack of opportunity. Mansfield loaded the bases in both the first and fifth innings, and had runners in scoring position in the second third, and fourth innings but couldn’t push across a run. That chad in the sixth as Caden Colby drew a lead off walk, moved to second on a single from Matt DeShiro (3-for-5), and an infield single from Conner Zukowski loaded the bases. Jimmy Gilleran grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring into a run and DeShiro then came home to tie it. In the bottom of the seventh, Jared Fraone had a one-out single, took second on a walk by Colby Geddis, and then came around to score the winning run on a two-out single from DeShiro. Aaron Blinn pitched well in the start for the hosts, allowing two runs on seven hits and four walks, striking out six in five innings of work. Geddis earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Softball
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – Zoey McDonough struck out 16 and allowed only an unearned run to lead North to a big win in its season finale, splitting the series with the Bombardiers. Attleboro got on the board in the top of the first but McDonough dominated, allowing only one lead-off batter to reach all afternoon. North tied the game in the third. Mandi Hanewich reached on a single, stole third, and came home on an overthrow. The following inning, Maryellen Charette hit a solo homer, her first varsity home run, to put North in front. In the fifth, Hanewich and Ally Levine beat out infield hits and Colleran plated one with a double. McDonough helped her own cause with a single that scored Levine. McDonough then capped the win by striking out the side in the seventh. It was North’s fifth straight win to close out the regular season.
Mansfield, 5 vs. Boston Latin Academy, 0 – Final (Forfeit)
Sharon, 11 @ Duxbury, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 0 vs. Silver Lake, 2 – Final
Taunton, 11 vs. Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final – Buoyed by a big start and a strong offensive performance, Taunton picked up a win over Bishop Feehan in a contest between two of the top rated teams in Division 1. The visiting Shamrocks got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning but Taunton struck for four runs in the bottom half and led the rest of the way. Walks to Kyleah Plumb and Angie Lynch preceded Kaysie DeMoura being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ava Venturelli drew another walk to bring in a run, Hayley Krockta brought a run in with a sac fly, Liv Mendonca added another run on a ground out, and Brooke Aldrich smacked an RBI double for a 4-1 lead after an inning. The Tigers added two runs in the second (Mia Fernandes solo home run, Venturelli RBI ground out) and another in the third (Plumb HBP with bases loaded) for a 7-2 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Taunton tacked on four more runs to build a lead too big for the Shamrocks to rally from. Kylie Thorpe had an RBI single, Fernandes drove in one with a single to center, and Lynch’s single to left brought in two runs.
Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 7 @ Attleboro, 18 – Final
Foxboro, 8 @ Cohasset, 6 – Final
Franklin, 5 @ Medfield, 16 – Final
King Philip, 2 vs. Norwell, 13 – Final
Mansfield, 8 vs. Advanced Math & Science Academy, 5 – Final
Oliver Ames, 12 vs. Middleboro, 8 – Final – OA scored nine times in the first half and held off a second-half comeback by the Sachems to secure the non-league win. Ben Reardon was the spark on offense, leading the Tigers with seven goals. Ryan Jaco had a hat trick and Evan Jaco and Alex McAndrew each scored once in the win. Despite being shorthanded, OA led 9-2 at the break and was able to hold on down the stretch.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Aislinn Bennett scored five goals to lead the Hawks to a season sweep of Attleboro and to their 11th win of the season. Bennett now has 81 goals for the season and is the program’s leading scorer with 117 goals in her career. Emily Croteau added two goals, while Carly Haley, Jill Araujo, Erin Michelson, Stephanie Goulet, and Ava Lebel each found the back of the net once. Caitlyn Bangert made eight saves to preserve the win and Emma Tredeau had a solid game in defense. Milford is heading to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Oliver Ames, 17 @ Middleboro, 6 – Final – Georgia Costello scored five goals and Hailey Bourne scored four to lead the Tigers to a non-league road win. Jess Widdop had another solid game in net to pick up the win for OA.
Taunton, 7 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Cali Melo and Sarah Clark each recorded hat tricks for the Tigers, who beat Sharon by a goal for the second time this season. Caroline Vallarelli added a goal for the Tigers. Sharon got big games from its seniors, Athena Merck scored three times and Kaitlyn Galeota added two. Bailey Garte had Sharon’s sixth goal and Tess Letendre continued her strong play in goal, making 21 saves to keep the Eagles close.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 1 @ Xaverian, 4 – Final
Sharon, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sharon completed a perfect 16-0 league schedule by taking down North Attleboro on the road. The Eagles won a pair of matches in singles action and swept both doubles matches to get the win. Sophomore Matthew Lally earned a 6-0, 6-3 straight set win at first singles and freshman Jacob Slavsky took a 6-2, 6-0 verdict at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Hyojae Park and Sava Kassev only lost a pair of games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while Savir Basil and Wenhao Yang added a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. North Attleboro’s Brody Carter captured a 6-2, 7-5 win at second singles.
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00
Girls Tennis
North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
Taunton @ New Bedford, 4:00
King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – King Philip won its second straight match over Franklin to finish the season, leapfrogging the Panthers in the standings to claim its fifth straight Kelley-Rex division title. After dropping a contest to OA in early May, the Warriors rattled off nine straight wins to finish the season to move into the top spot in the division. King Philip, which won by the same score on Monday, finished off a rain-delayed match from last week on Wednesday. Ahunna James picked up where she left off a week ago and earned a straight set (6-2, 6-0) win at first singles while Shea Mellman erased a 4-2 deficit in the first set to win 10 of the next 11 games to secure a 6-4, 6-1 win — the match that clinched the win and the division title for the Warriors. Resha Ajoy and Lauren Casper added a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doules while Priya Riar and Carlie Burns rallied in the third set, overcoming a three-game deficit to prevail 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (5).
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Milford, 6:00
Taunton, 0 vs. Xaverian, 3 – Final
Franklin returns a loaded roster after reaching the state title game. Read full team previews for the new season below. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 2-13 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Chrissy Quinn
Attleboro will continue rebuilding this season, but the Bombardiers also feel like there is talent and experience on the roster to improve on the results of 2021 and possibly climb a spot in the division standings. Last season was a struggle, Attleboro had the fewest goals scored and most goals allowed in the league, but so much of the roster was getting its first taste of varsity play. With that year of experience, the Bombardiers are expecting more at both ends of the field.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
Senior midfielder Olivia Calderone will lead the Bombardiers in attack. Sophomores Molly Moore and Addison Papagolos are back to provide a threat around the cage, while seniors Corrine Whiting and Kelsey Sherry and junior Jordan Mooney give Attleboro a lot of depth in the attack. Freshmen Isabella Cavallini and Ryann Mooney are a pair of talented newcomers who are going to get the chance to boost Attleboro’s scoring punch.
In defense, senior Avery Vieira and junior Ally Haigh are back to protect the goal. Both are strong presences in the defensive area with their athleticism and reading of the game. Sophomore Kristen Vasquez-Trudeau and junior Ella Stromfors also return and have shown great progress during the preseason. Attleboro will have a pair of new goalies this season with senior Alex Insani and freshman Peyton McCauliffe.
“I am excited to watch this talented group of athletes come together on the field this season,” said Attleboro coach Chrissy Quinn. “They have great potential and I think our program is making positive strides in the right direction.”
2021 Record: 5-9 2021 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Casey Bradley
Canton got off to a decent start in 2021, winning five of its first seven games, but the Bulldogs closed with a tough stretch, losing each of the last seven, including overtime losses to Oliver Ames and Whitman-Hanson to end the season. Former Bulldog Casey Bradley steps in as the head coach and she is confident that a year of experience will be the key for a lineup that is largely unchanged from last spring and has the potential to move up the standings.
The Bulldogs will have a strong midfield group. Senior Allie McCabe is a three-sport star and gives them energy and leadership alongside junior Ella Yeaton and sophomore Devan Spinale, who had an impressive rookie season as an attacker. Freshman Annie McLean will step in and add a new dimension to the midfield. Senior Carly Fitzgerald and junior Emily McCabe give Canton a lot of depth at that end of the field.
Defensively, seniors Tess Khoury and Sydney Gallery will hold down the middle of the field in front of classmate Elyse Broderick, who is stepping into the cage after four seasons as the goalie on the soccer team. Broderick’s athleticism will be important to help Canton’s defense hold off the opposition.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
Bradley said, “As a first-year head coach, I couldn’t be more excited to work with this group. These girls love the game and love working with one another every day. We have great leaders. I believe as long as we work hard and spend our time together efficiently, we will be a really strong team this year and may surprise some people.”
2021 Record: 11-2 2021 Finish: Reached D2 East Quarterfinals Coach: Kathleen McCullough
Last season, the first under new head coach Kathleen McCullough, Foxboro lost its season opener against Franklin then rolled through the next 11 games before falling by a goal against Bedford in the state tournament. Over that 11-game win streak, the Warriors outscored teams 204-44. Foxboro’s schedule looks a little tougher this year to help build up towards a potential tournament run, as the nine-time defending Davenport champs return a loaded lineup on both ends of the field.
The Warriors should have one of the most potent attacks in the league this season with a junior class that is loaded with talent and now has a year of varsity experience as well. Senior Kate Collins gives the team leadership up front, while junior Paige Curran was second in the league in scoring as a sophomore. Junior Mya Waryas and sophomores Valerie Beigel and Mary Collins would be the headliners in most teams’ attacking units.
While the offense will draw a lot of headlines, Foxboro’s defense is experienced and difficult to score on. Seniors Hannah Blake and Meghan Burke will be the leaders ahead of classmate Lilli Jones, who is stepping into goal this year after having a strong fall for the field hockey team. Junior Grace Riley and Jennifer Gallagher make this one of the deeper defensive groups in the Hock. Freshman midfielder Cate Noone is a newcomer to watch, who could make an instant impact all over the field.
“Our biggest strength is that we have a large returning group this year,” said McCullough. “My hope is that their playing experience and the fact that they have been playing together since youth level will develop the confidence needed to compete well against our opponents. We have put together a strong schedule this year and we look forward to challenging ourselves as a team and program.”
2021 Record: 18-1 2021 Finish: Reached D1 State Championship Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino
There is no hiding that the goal for Franklin this season is to return to the state championship game and bring home the program’s first title. Even just a quick look at the roster shows why. The Panthers return the vast majority of last year’s team that was seconds away from overtime in last year’s final and added a few new faces that could be impact players. Franklin has experience and depth at every position. With a league win streak that has extended beyond 80 games, Franklin’s next goal is to be the best in the state.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
While those are lofty expectations, Franklin has a lineup filled with college commits. In the midfield and attack, seniors Stella Regan, Jackie O’Neil, Kate O’Rourke, Maura Cogavin, and Kenzie Baker are entering their third seasons as starters and all can be playmakers. Katie Peterson and fellow junior Kaitlyn Carney are both coming off impressive sophomore seasons and junior Lindsay Atkinson and Jamie Tanner can be threats anywhere near the cage.
Defensively, Franklin will be aggressive and athletic. Senior Anna Grasso will be the leader at the back in front of classmate Brigid Earley, who was the star of the final with a series of great saves. Juniors Riley Cross and Payten Crandall make a group that works well together. Freshman goalie Ella Mahoney is a new face that will get some time this year and gives Franklin depth at that position as well.
“I am really excited for this season, as this is one of the most talented and cohesive Franklin teams I have ever coached,” said Franklin coach Kristin Igoe Guarino. “Everyone is all in and it is our goal to win a state championship!”
2021 Record: 12-3 2021 Finish: Reached D1 East Quarterfinals Coach: Kourtnie Wilder
Overall, King Philip had a strong season in 2021. The Warriors only lost three games and two of those were to state finalist Franklin and the other to Div. 1 East finalist Concord-Carlisle. Still, KP can look at it as a season to build experience, get players back into the groove of varsity lacrosse, and prepare for more this spring. With a strong returning corps. KP will be eyeing a tournament run.
Experience will be important up front where Saint Anselm-commit Julia Marsden is back after a 50-goal junior season and will be joined by fellow senior Lily Brown, who had 55 points last year. In defense, senior Haley Izydorczak is in her third year on varsity and gives KP a strong presence in the crease.
In goal, KP has a pair of talented juniors who will both see time. Emily Campbell and Haley Bright give the Warriors enviable depth in the cage. Senior Colleen Crowther is another experienced defender that will help out at the back. There are plenty of talented underclassmen who can step in this season, including four freshmen, Abby MacDonald, Sammy Cloutier, Makenzie McDevitt, and Sierra King.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
“Our greatest strength is we have a lot of returners that we are going to rely on heavily this year,” said KP coach Kourtnie Wilder. “The players we have are experienced and excited to play together again this season. We also have a few new ninth graders that are going to give us more depth on the field this year.”
2021 Record: 8-6 2021 Finish: Reached D1 East Preliminary Round Coach: Mary Kiley
Mansfield has a third coach in as many years with Mary Kiley taking over this spring. Kiley is a former league MVP and a four-time league champion with King Philip and she’ll be looking to push Mansfield into contention in its final spring in the Kelley-Rex. The Hornets will have experience in defense but looking for new faces to step up and contribute to the attack to make a push for the postseason.
Junior goalie Caitlin Zajac impressed in her debut season and she will be back between the pipes to provide leadership to the back line. The rest of the defensive unit is also experienced with seniors Grace Bertolino, Gabriella Geminiani, and Kayla Doherty adding intensity and aggression at that end of the field, while also looking to spring the Hornets in transition.
The attack is largely new this season. Juniors Ava Adams and Brooke Butler have looked solid in the preseason and sophomores Lola Varricchione and Cammy Shanteler will look to build on solid rookie seasons. Sophomores Keira Fitzpatrick and Ella Souza are two newcomers in the Mansfield attack who will be looking to make immediate impacts.
“On attack we have great discipline and patience with the ball, waiting for just the right opportunity to score,” said Kiley. “We’re looking forward to a competitive season this year.”
2021 Record: 1-12 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kacey Abbriano
With 28 players on the roster this spring, Milford will have the numbers to try and make a push up the division standings, but only eight of those players are returning from last year. There will be a lot of new faces for first-year head coach Kacey Abbriano to try and get up to speed with the new defense she is implementing.
Midfield is an area of experience for the Hawks with senior Aislinn Bennett and junior Carly Haley and Emily Croteau all back from last season. The hope is that their athleticism and leadership will help Milford improve the number of scoring opportunities that it is able to create this season with an eye on improving on the one win from 2021.
Junior goalie Caitlyn Bangert is another returning player from last year who will be counted on to provide a dose of experience in the defensive end of the field. Although many of the players are new to the varsity level this year, Milford is largely led by upperclassmen with only two sophomores, attackers Ryara Madruga and Rhea Mathew, on the roster.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
“Besides the obvious of trying to win games, we’re trying to build confidence in our player’s skills and ability, work together with one another, and just have a fun season together,” said Abbriano. “I’m excited for this season and look forward to getting started!”
2021 Record: 7-6 2021 Finish: Reached D1 East Preliminary Round Coach: Amanda Welch
North Attleboro has had several coaching changes in the past two seasons but still managed to finish second in the Davenport division last spring. New head coach Amanda Welch will look to build on that this year with a solid returning corps. North lost six times in 2021, but all of those were to teams that qualified for the postseason and the Rocketeers will look to continue their success against the teams around them in the standings to get back in the postseason mix.
Leading scorer Taylor McMath is back to spearhead the North attack. The senior finished with 24 goals last season, and she will have help up top from junior Ava McKeon. Their speed and stickhandling make them tough to stop around the cage. North will also count on seniors Kelsey Briere and Morgan Eaton to add punch to an attack that was fourth-best in the league last year (behind only Franklin, Foxboro, and King Philip).
Defensively, North is counting on the leadership and athleticism of senior Summer Doherty to keep things solid at the back. Senior Zoe McKeon is another quick, athletic defender that gives North a strong foundation in front of senior goalie Avery Beale. Welch is hoping that some of the underclassmen will be ready to make instant impacts this season, including freshmen Lily Ramm and Ellie Regan.
“Overall, this 2022 season will look a lot different than last year,” Welch said. “We had some rough patches in the past but now we are back, focused, and ready to show the league what we have.”
2021 Record: 6-6 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Rylie Dalzell
After a 2-6 start to the 2021 season, which included half of those losses coming to Foxboro and Franklin, the Tiger roared down the stretch, winning the final four games to finish at .500. New head coach Rylie Dalzell, who played at King Philip, is hoping that momentum will carry over this spring with an experienced group that sees seniors taking important roles in every position.
In the attack, seniors Georgia and Ava Costello will be back to provide the scoring punch that the Tigers hope will keep them in the running for the postseason. Junior Catie Wilson and Olivia O’Rourke will also chip in offensively, while also providing cover for the defensive group.
Senior midfielder Hailey Bourne returns in the midfield, giving OA a dose of athleticism and providing defensive effort. The defensive group will be a lot of new faces as the only returning defenders from last year’s team are sophomore Taylor McAndrew and senior Alyssa Kiff. Senior Jessica Widdop is the team’s returning goalie.
“This year the team has many strengths,” Dalzell said. “Something that has been great for us is our senior leadership across the field. We have seniors in all positions across the field. The team is very athletic and dynamic, and every player on the field could play in any position. There are many contributors on this team and I expect big things from many different individuals.”
2021 Record: 2-11 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Shara Ginthwain
After graduating three Div. I commits in the past three seasons, it was inevitable that Sharon would have a rebuilding season. After winning twice in 2021, the Eagles bring back five players from last year’s team and an exciting group of underclassmen that will jump right into the lineup and could provide the energy to get the Eagles back up the Davenport standings.
Senior Athena Merck will provide leadership at the back for Sharon this season, while classmate Kaitlyn Galeota will do the same in the attack. Junior Tess Letendre is an important returning player, as she had a solid season in goal as a sophomore and adds vocal leadership for the defensive unit. Sophomore Anna Hertzel could be poised for a breakout season as the team’s playmaker.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
The freshmen class has a lot of skill and is expected to be a big boost to the team’s depth. Bailey Garf and Ava Jacobson are newcomers in the midfield that could provide goals this year, while Serene Bien-Aime will try to prevent goals in the defense.
“From just the first week of the season, I can see that this team is made up of really driven players who work hard to improve every day!” said Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain. “We are so excited to get the season started and see what we can do!”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Adilson Galvao
After graduating the program’s all-time leading scorer Alana Tavares, Taunton will head into a new season with a new coach and a lineup filled with new faces in hopes of getting the Tigers back into the postseason. First-year coach Adilson Galvao is hoping that his seniors will provide leadership for a young crew that is looking to continue Taunton’s being competitive across the Hock.
Taunton will turn to a core of returning players that the Tigers hope will make new connections and keep the attack flowing. Sophomore Cali Melo is a quick, athletic player that they are hoping has taken a leap this spring. Senior Aria Cordero, Samantha Crowley, and Sarah Clark will give the team a lot of experience on both ends of the field.
In addition to the returning players, Taunton has a few new faces that will be looking to make a quick impression at the varsity level. Melissa Jesus will step into goal this year after playing on JV last year, while Alanna DeJesus and Maddison Szala have both stood out in the preseason.
2022 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview
“The team has a mix of new and young faces that look poised to get better as the season progresses and lineups get figured out to maximize our potential,” Galvao said. “Our seniors on the team have been doing a great job leading practices and getting the team ready for this year.”
Oliver Ames senior Anna Murphy dribbles to the basket in the first half against Norwood. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
LOWELL, Mass. — Legendary Oliver Ames head coach Laney Clement-Holbrook likes to describe her squad as a puzzle, the players fitting together to create a true team.
The Tigers temporarily lost one of the pieces to its puzzle in the middle of February when senior Anna Murphy was forced out of action with a concussion in a win over Foxboro.
Anna Murphy
Murphy didn’t play the final four games of the regular season, which included two of OA’s three losses this entire year, missed the first-round win over North Middlesex, and saw very little action in the playoff rematch with Foxboro, essentially missing a half dozen games to close the season.
“It was difficult, I just remember thinking how bad I wanted to be back, I really wanted to be back but I wasn’t getting better as quick as I wanted to but I wanted to be ready for the tournament,” Murphy said. “And Laney knew that too, she kept telling me to take my time. It took a little longer than I wanted, even though it wasn’t the same as before, it worked out perfectly fine.
“It was unfortunate because I had to stay indoors, I missed everyone so much. I was FaceTiming them at the pasta dinners…it was unfortunate it happened but I think it helped us grow and it made me appreciate the time I had with all of them. It makes me sad to think it’s over now.”
Now back in the fold, Murphy played a vital role in helping Oliver Ames clinch the Division 2 State Championship with a 53-48 win over previously undefeated Norwood.
“Getting her back, absolutely completed [the puzzle],” Clement-Holbrook said. It broke our heart that she missed six games because of that concussion. It was just like God looking over our shoulders and this made things right. The fact that she contributed in that way, especially tonight, it was like all the pieces were back together.
“I always talk about a puzzle, we are one big puzzle. Just because someone’s piece is bigger or someone’s is smaller, if you pull it out, it’s not a complete puzzle anymore.”
The senior reserve has been a big boost in the early goings throughout the playoff run, getting six points in the win over Dracut and adding a basket in the first half of OA’s overtime thriller against Medfield in the state semifinals.
It continued on Saturday night at the Tsongas Center, converting a layup in the first quarter for a 15-10 lead, and then adding a floater (20-14) and a putback in the second, the latter bucket giving the Tigers a 24-21 lead at halftime.
“We absolutely missed her,” said classmate Caroline Peper. “With her out it was a missing part of our team. Even in the Medfield game, we knew she was going to be the key component that was missing in our previous games. We knew she was going to make a great impact and just needed to do what she was doing before she left.”
While her offensive contributions in the first half were important, her points in the fourth were gigantic for the Tigers. OA was forced into some lineup changes due to foul trouble, and the Norwood defense was zoned in on stopping Peper and sophomore Jasmyn Cooper. That left plenty of opportunity for others to step up and Murphy took advantage.
Anna Murphy
She hit nothing but net on a tough elbow jumper with under four minutes to play that put the Tigers ahead 44-38. And she wasn’t rattled by the bright lights or loud crowd either as she sank a pair of free throws to make it 48-43 with two minutes to go.
“She’s so consistent, such a great role model,” Cooper said. ”She gives us great energy off the court and on the court. It really brings the energy up in the gym.”
The Mustangs battled back into the game, a quick 5-1 burst capped by a strong take from Erin Reen got the top-seed within one with 25.9 seconds left. After missing the free throw, Murphy hauled in a huge defensive rebound and was fouled.
Cool as a cucumber, the senior sank both free throws to push OA’s lead back to three at 51-48 with 21 seconds left in the game. OA got a final stop and Peper iced the game with two free throws with just seconds left.
“I think everyone believes in everyone else on this team, which is amazing,” Murphy said. “We’re all so skilled and developed players that we aren’t afraid to take it when we need to. Pep was being guarded like crazy, Kaydance [Derba] was in foul trouble, and it’s those times that the whole team works together. At that point, it was just finding the open player.”
On top of her offensive showing, Murphy had her hands full on the defensive side. Classmate Hailey Bourne, one of the best defenders in the region, picked up two fouls early on and battled foul trouble all game. That meant Murphy was tasked with guarding Villanova-commit and 1,000-point scorer Megan Olbrys.
While Olbrys finished with a team-high 21 points, she was consistently and constantly heavily defended by Murphy and others.
Anna Murphy
“Without question [everyone had their moment]. The only two players who had the physicality to handle [Meg Olbrys] were Hailey [Bourne] and Murph. When Murph came in, she stepped up.
“It was just so satisfying for me because I just felt like she had been so cheated but it ends with us winning a state championship so I couldn’t be happier.”
Murphy’s return proved to be the final piece needed in Oliver Ames’ puzzle, and that resulted in the D2 State Championship.
Oliver Ames players celebrate after clinching the 2022 Division 2 State Championship with a win over Norwood. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
LOWELL, Mass. – There were less than three seconds remaining in Saturday night’s Div. 2 state title game at the Tsongas Center when Oliver Ames senior guard Caroline Peper stepped to the line. Despite not having scored to that point in the game and with raucous crowds on both sides of the gym making a deafening noise, OA’s leading scorer, who reached the 1,000-point mark for her career in the playoff opener, had the chance to seal a championship.
Peper (eight rebounds), a 97-percent foul shooter this season, barely hesitated, knocking down both free throws to knock out top seed Norwood. Oliver Ames (22-3) led practically from start to finish, walking away with a 53-48 victory, handing the top seed its first loss of the season, and claiming the program’s third state title.
“This to me is the most magnificent moment these kids will ever have and it’s all because of each other,” said OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook, who earned career win No. 733 on Saturday. “It’s been like a family for the entire year and it couldn’t have ended any better for that family. I’m incredibly proud of them.”
When asked what was going through her mind with a chance to clinch a title, Peper explained, “I knew they were going to go in and that was going to be it. A little different knowing there wasn’t a game after. I don’t know, I never expected it [to end] this way. I’m sure it will hit me tomorrow but I’m so glad that I did it with this team. I absolutely love them, they’re my favorite people, and they deserve it 100 percent.”
The focal point entering the game was Norwood’s star forward Megan Olbrys. The Villanova-commit had the type of size and all-around game that could cause OA problems on both ends of the floor. Rather than Norwood’s experience, it was OA’s youth that took control of the game early on.
Oliver Ames girls basketball
Sophomore Jasmyn Cooper (game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds) was matched up with Olbrys on the offensive end, so the Tigers made her the primary ball-handler. Cooper got an early bucket on a nice pass by classmate Kaydance Derba, drove past Olbrys for a layup, got out on the break after a Peper steal and look-ahead, and took a feed from fellow sophomore Sarah Hilliard (15 points, two blocks, three steals, and three assists) for another finish at the rim.
Clement-Holbrook said, “We set up our offense based on the fact that we were going to keep Olbrys away from the basket and Jasmyn can play the point, she can play the post, she can play the wing. She’s so calm and she’s so collected for a sophomore, it’s just amazing to me.”
With Cooper scoring eight points and Hilliard adding five, OA jumped out to a 13-8 lead. On the defensive end, Hailey Bourne picked up two quick fouls guarding Olbrys (team-high 21 points) in the paint, so Anna Murphy (12 points) came off the bench to take on that challenge. They held Norwood’s star to just three free throws in the first. Murphy also got a basket to make it 15-10 after one.
Oliver Ames girls basketball
Hilliard got the second quarter started with a long three. The eight-point lead would be the largest of the night for the Tigers. Norwood crept back into the game. Erin Reen (14 points) drilled a three and Olbrys finally got free in the paint for a basket.
A second three from Reen cut the lead to just one, 22-21, but Murphy battled for an offensive rebound and scored to push the lead back to three at the break. It was a scrappy quarter for the Tigers, but energy off the bench from Murphy, Maddie Homer, and Sophia Krinsky helped keep OA in front.
The third quarter turned into a duel between Olbrys and Cooper. The Norwood senior knocked down a pair from beyond the arc and then a free throw from Tricia Wlodkowski tied the game at 28-28. Cooper answered back. She spun through the lane and finished, drove past Olbrys for a layup, and then got out in transition to finish off a two-on-one following a Hilliard steal.
Cooper scored 12 of OA’s 14 points in the third and had the Tigers up 38-35 heading to the fourth. She said, “It’s amazing having this amazing team, amazing coaching staff, to celebrate this moment with me. I feel like the crowd, the environment of the gym just kept me going and kept me pushing to the end.”
After shooting only two free throws in the first half, OA also got to the line eight times in the third, making them all, and would finish the game shooting 18-of-20 from the charity stripe.
OA looked like it was going to break the game open in the fourth. Hilliard drove baseline for a layup and then took off straight down the lane for another bucket to open up a seven-point gap. Alexa Coras drilled a corner three, her only points of the night, to cut the lead back to four but Murphy was clutch again, hitting two at the line and nailing a long jumper that made it 48-41 with less than three minutes remaining.
Oliver Ames girls basketball
In the semifinal against Medfield, the Tigers let and eight-point lead slip and had to go to overtime to get the win. On Saturday, Norwood put together the late rally. Olbrys scored on a put-back and Wlodkowski scored on an inbounds play to make it a one-possession game. After an OA turnover, Reen burst through the lane and scored plus a foul, but she was unable to make the free throw (Norwood was 10-for-22 from the line) and Murphy grabbed the rebound with 22.6 on the clock.
“My mantra is always defense, rebounds, and free throws, and tonight that was really the answer,” Clement-Holbrook said. “Especially late, especially when it was in bonus, Hilliard, Peper, Cooper, Murphy, they were all money. It was awesome.”
Murphy, who missed several games near the end of the season with a concussion, drilled both of her free throws to put OA up three. After Norwood missed two chances on the other end, the ball ended up in Peper’s hands to put the final touches on a championship season.
“One hundred percent confidence she was making both of them,” said Cooper. “She’s a great free throw shooter, great captain, just a great person to look up to overall.”
The sophomore added, “It’s good that we shared all of our moments together. I feel like collectively as a team we didn’t play selfish basketball, we played good team basketball to get this win. We all have confidence. We’re going to get that bucket no matter what.”
“Everybody has a part,” said Clement-Holbrook. “I always talk about a puzzle. Just because somebody’s piece is bigger than another or smaller than another, you pull that out and it doesn’t look like a puzzle any more.
“We really felt like we had a difficult challenge on our side of the bracket and I think with each progression and each game that we won I could see such incredible personal growth in each one of my players to the point where it was like building momentum for us…I’m so incredibly proud of them.”
Oliver Ames celebrates after its overtime win over Medfield in a D2 State Semifinal matchup. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
QUINCY, Mass. — For the first time in over a decade, the Oliver Ames girls basketball team is heading back to the Division 2 State championship game.
The third time proved to be the charm for the Tigers against Medfield as Oliver Ames, who had lost back-to-back games to the Warriors at the end of the regular season, emerged from a hard-fought battle with a 62-59 overtime win to earn a spot in the D2 Final.
The victory wasn’t secure until the last second — all tenths of it — ticked off the clock and the final buzzer sounded in overtime. The journey to get there was full of twists and turns, punches and counter punches, and momentum swings you couldn’t script in a Hollywood thriller.
“When you play the same team three times, all sorts of things happen,” said Oliver Ames head coach Laney Clement-Holbrook. “You’re just so very familiar with each other and what each other does…it comes down to execution. There were moments I thought we had it, and then there were times we made it a little too easily for them. But the thing I’m most proud of is their resiliency because they didn’t quit, they didn’t give up, and they came back.”
While Medfield had the edge for the first two quarters, Oliver Ames surged ahead during the second half. But even with some big runs, the Tigers couldn’t quite put the Warriors away in regulation.
Similar to their 10-0 run in the third quarter, Oliver Ames hit its stride in the fourth quarter and looked poised to run away with the win. The Tigers rattled off a 13-6 run over a four-minute span, a triple from sophomore Kaydance Derba (nine points, four assists) shortly after OA broke the press put OA ahead 51-43 with two minutes to go in the game.
But similar to how the Warriors responded to OA’s big run in the third (a 7-0 run of their own), Medfield quickly turned the game on its head. Ann McCarthy (28 points, eight rebounds) drew back-to-back fouls for four straight free throws. After a traveling call on OA, McCarthy attacked the rim for two more to make it a two-point game.
Medfield kept the pressure up and forced another turnover and McCarthy splashed in a triple to complete a personal 9-0 run as the Warriors suddenly jumped ahead 52-51 with under a minute to go.
Oliver Ames girls basketball
OA had a shot blocked and then turned it over on the ensuing inbounds play, giving Medfield the ball with the lead and just 19.1 seconds to go.
There was no quit in the Tigers as both senior Hailey Bourne (three steals, three blocks) and sophomore Jasmyn Cooper (14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals) read the inbounds play perfectly and combined for the steal. Cooper found classmate Sarah Hilliard (six points, 10 rebounds, four assists), who alertly dished it off to senior Caroline Peper (26 points, eight rebounds, three blocks) for an easy layup and OA was back up 53-51 with 12 seconds to go.
Bourne came up with a steal on Medfield’s ensuing inbounds but after a foul, the Warriors got a steal of their own, and McCarthy was fouled. The Medfield star hit the first to tie the game but was short on the second. OA grabbed the rebound, was fouled instantly but their 1-and-1 chance from the line with 0.2 seconds left was off and the game headed to overtime.
“I want to give kudos to our crowd,” Clement-Holbrook said. “We’ve had a couple of the boys come to practice with us the last week and they showed up and brought more people, and they were so important. Those foul shots at the end, I just kind of turned to them and they ramped up the noise. That’s high school basketball.
“These kids just love to play, the senior class has been absolutely amazing in terms of paying it forward for these young kids. They are demonstrating the right things, saying and doing the right things, both on and off the court. I’m so proud of them.”
After each team hit a free throw to open overtime, Cooper came down with an offensive board and put it back in to give the Tigers a 56-54 lead. A baseline make from Medfield tied it but Derba fired a beautiful bullet pass to Cooper cutting to the rim for two and another lead.
Although OA got a stop, the Tigers turned it over trying to take it over half. Bourne had another terrific play, coming up with a block that was called a jump ball, and OA had the possession arrow.
The Tigers couldn’t add to the lead and McCarthy came back with another layup to tie it, but Peper was fouled and went to the line in the double bonus.
She sank both.
Medfield answered with one of their own, but with under 30 seconds to go, the Warriors had to foul and OA made sure to get the ball to Peper.
She sank both, again.
“Yeah, that’s a situation I want to be in, that was the plan to get the ball,” Peper said. “I’m pretty confident in my free throw shooting, I shoot a lot of them in practice. I was ready to be in that position.”
With a 62-59 lead, the Tigers got another final stop, and one last halfcourt heave from the Warriors was off the mark to seal the win.
“When it went to the situation in overtime where they had to foul, we want Peper at the line,” Clement-Holbrook said. “She’s got ice in her veins. We wanted her to get her hands on the ball.”
Oliver Ames saw a pair of eight-point leads disappear, once in each quarter. The latter putting the Tigers just seconds away from a defeat, but Bourne credited her teams’ resiliency for being able to bounce back.
“We never put our heads down, we just kept going,” Bourne said. “Even when there was just one second left on the clock, we never put our heads down. We all came together and just really looked at each other and said, ‘We got this.’ No one dropped their head at all. I think that just goes to show how determined we are.
“It’s very hard to beat a good team three times and we felt like we had nothing to lose.”
It was a slow start on the offensive end for the Tigers, who got early baskets from Cooper and Peper, and a late one from Anna Anna Murphy but trailed 12-6 after a quarter.
Oliver Ames girls basketball
Once OA was able to get its outside scoring going, the offense opened up. Peper hit a pair of triples and Derba added one of her own to get the Tigers within one. After Medfield responded, Peper hit nothing but net on another triple, and Cooper found Hilliard down low for two as the Tigers cut the deficit to 24-22 at the break.
“[Peper] and Kaydance got the offense going,” Clement-Holbrook said. “We wanted to get the ball inside but Medfield did a great job of taking it away, there was not a lot of space. I have three sophomores in my starting lineup, so this was really their first time with this environment. Just from an emotional standpoint, the noise, the crowd, I thought they handled themselves beautifully.”
Hilliard returned the favor to Cooper three minutes into the second and that sparked a 10-0 run for OA. Peper hit another three and then found Maddie Homer for a layup. A steal from Hilliard ended up with yet another three from Peper and the Tigers surged ahead 38-30. Medfield applied its full court press and closed the quarter with a 7-0 burst to make it 38-37 going into the fourth.
“We knew the pressure was on them,” Peper said of playing Medfield for a third time, having lost the two meetings. “We believed we could beat them because we had some of our players missing on those games that are pretty key components to our team. We weren’t ourselves those games so we came into this game wanting it so bad.”
Oliver Ames girls basketball will take on the winner of #1 Norwood and #5 Whitman-Hanson in the Division 2 State Championship at the Tsongas Center, with the date (either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) and time to be announced.
The Oliver Ames bench cheers another basket for the Tigers, as they rolled to an 84-64 victory over Dracut to book a place in the D2 Final Four. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – Facing a team that likes to press, likes to be aggressive guarding on the perimeter, and likes to get you playing as fast as possible, it is critical to have the vision and willingness to make the extra pass. On Friday night at the Nixon Gym in the Div. 2 quarterfinal against Dracut, Oliver Ames put on a passing clinic.
The Tigers had three players score in double digits, five score eight or more, and had three players finish with at least five assists. At times, it seemed OA could do whatever it wanted on the offensive end, scoring 20 points in a quarter three times and no fewer than 18, as they rolled into the Final Four with an 84-64 victory.
“It’s nice when that’s what you ask for and that’s what you get,” OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook said about the passing. “This particular group of seniors, it’s exactly what you get from them. It’s never about themselves ever. We look up at all the banners on the walls and I say that you’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for something bigger than yourselves, and they have so bought into that.”
Last year, OA finished unbeaten but missed out on the chance to see what it could do in a playoff situation. The Tigers felt like a team that could’ve gone all the way. This year’s team is cherishing the opportunity to put together a tournament run.
“It’s just amazing,” said senior Anna Murphy. “Last year, it broke my heart for the seniors because we didn’t get to have the tournament and we would’ve probably made it this far as well and I think them coming out here and supporting us is just great because the legacy just continues and it’s awesome.”
With a huge crowd in attendance, OA jumped out to a great start. Caroline Peper (23 points, five assists, and eight rebounds) drilled a three and Jasmyn Cooper (23 points and 10 rebounds) twice grabbed offensive rebounds and scored. Sarah Hilliard (16 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists) then took a pass from Kaydance Derba (nine points and six assists) for a layup and a 9-2 lead.
Dracut had a pretty solid road crowd showing its support too and the Middies were able to battle back behind star guard Ashlee Talbot. She showed off an array of moves and range from well behind the three-point line, scoring 12 of the visitors’ 14 points in the first.
The problem for the Middies was trying to stop OA on the other end. After a Talbot three put Dracut ahead for the only time in the game (14-12), Derba answered with a three of her own. Hilliard kept a possession alive and fed Cooper, who in turn touched a pass onto Peper for an and-one. Peper then closed the first by hitting threes from opposite corners, finishing with 12 points in the opening eight minutes.
“When compare her as a ninth grader to now, it’s not just about offense,” Clement-Holbrook said of Peper. “She’s the leader on the floor, she controls the pace, she assists and for her to have scored her 1,000th point with 10 fewer games, and there were games during the season where she could’ve just taken it and been the offensive player and instead leads in assists, it just shows you the kind of character she has.”
Talbot (game-high 40 points) continued to be red hot in the second quarter, adding another 12 points, but she had 24 of her team’s 26. The Tigers were spreading it around and went on a 13-3 run to take control.
“We knew that that press was going to push us,” said Clement-Holbrook. “We put together a collection of boys from the boys basketball team because we knew we were going to faces some pretty tough pressure and I think that gave the girls a lot of confidence.”
Cooper got it started with a layup off a nice feed from Hailey Bourne and Murphy (eight points) came off the bench, in just her second game back after missing several weeks with a concussion, to score six points in the quarter. After Peper buried another three, she then fed it inside to Cooper for another easy basket and a 13-point lead.
Although MacKeznie Murphy would hit a three to close the gap, OA went into the locker room leading 42-32. A defensive switch at halftime would work wonders in the third quarter. Cooper was tasked with trying to keep an eye on Talbot and to use her length to bother her. This was especially important after Bourne picked up her third and fourth fouls. Cooper held Talbot to only three points in the third.
Clement-Holbrook noted, “She can flat out shoot and we knew that coming in. We talked about that at halftime that, while it’s good that nobody else is really hurting us, we need to maybe turn the volume down on her just a bit.”
While the defense was doing its job, the offense kept pouring it on. Hilliard nailed a three and got an easy bucket in transition after a long outlet pass by Peper, who added four points of her own in the quarter. Cooper continued to do work close to the basket, getting an offensive rebound for two, twice getting easy looks after nice passes from Hilliard.
Murphy also got a bucket in the paint to close out the third, taking a feed from Hilliard, throwing a pump fake that left her defender in her wake and finishing on the other side of the rim. OA went into the fourth up 63-46.
“I’m sitting on the bench and they’re making these passes and I’m like how are they seeing this?” Murphy said with a laugh. “You don’t even realize it when you’re out there because we’re just so bonded as a team and I think it really helps that we have all the strong leadership we have.”
Although Talbot got hot again in the fourth, adding another 13 points and knocking down three from beyond the arc, OA was hardly troubled, as the score never got any closer than 15 in the fourth.
Hilliard and Cooper continued to get out on the break and the Tigers kept making the right passes to break down the Dracut defense. Hilliard added six in the fourth and Cooper had eight. Derba drilled her third triple of the night and pushed the lead to as many as 25 points (74-49). Bourne got her second basket with a nice post move to cap the night.
“Last year we didn’t get a chance and it was heartbreaking and it was heartbreaking because I knew we had the potential to present like this,” said Clement-Holbrook.
She added, “I’m just so grateful that we’ve been had a chance for these kids to actually be able to play through this and they so deserve it. The tenacity, the adversity, their resilience, all those things as high school kids they had to manager through this pandemic over the last two years, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Oliver Ames (20-3) is back in the state semifinal for the first time since 2016. The Tigers will get a rematch with No. 3 seed Medfield in the Final Four, after the Warriors beat OA each of the final two games of the regular season.
OA sophomore Kaydance Derba attempts a three-pointer in front of the student section during the Tigers 58-41 victory over Foxboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – Heading into the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen game at the Nixon Gym, Oliver Ames looked to be cruising to its third win of the season over Foxboro and a berth in the state quarterfinal.
As is so often the case in this rivalry between the teams that have combined to win all but one of the Davenport titles, the story of the game was far from over.
The Warriors, who managed only nine points in all of the first half, put together a 14-4 run that cut the Tigers lead down to just seven, which was as close as they had been since the score was 9-2. On the brink of allowing a 20-point lead slip away, the Tigers turned on the gas, got out on the break and, in the blink of an eye, put together a 10-0 run that put the game back out of reach.
Sophomore Jasmyn Cooper scored eight of her game-high 22 points in the fourth, including six of OA’s 10 points in the clinching run, to lead the Tigers to a 58-41 victory.
“We knew though that it wasn’t going to last,” OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook said of the big early lead that the Tigers built. “It was just a question of trying to keep the momentum going and they came out in the third quarter and they were a different team. From a defensive standpoint, I think they made it more difficult for us and sometimes I think we made it more difficult for ourselves, but that’s what happens when you have youth and first time in the bright lights like this.”
Senior Caroline Peper added, “Defense has really contributed. When we get stops, it really helps the offense. They (the three sophomores in the starting lineup) go with that momentum and they were the ones that were leading that fourth quarter charge, so I’m really proud of them.”
The first half was one-sided. OA locked down on defense, allowing only three made baskets and nine points in the first half, while knocking down five threes as a team. Foxboro looked like a team that was getting its first taste of a hostile road playoff environment.
“We definitely played scared, we played young in the first quarter,” Foxboro coach Lisa Downs admitted. “That’s going to happen, but they’re going to mature after games like that, so those are valuable memories for these younger kids to have.”
Peper (17 points) seemed to carry momentum over from her 30-point outburst against North Middlesex in the first round (which included the 1,000th point of her career). She buried a pair of threes and had eight points in the first. Cooper also got off to a strong start with six points, including a layup after Hailey Bourne went up for an offensive rebound and tipped it to Cooper on the opposite block rather than catch it.
Ava Hill (seven points) knocked down a three off the bench, but Foxboro trailed 16-5 after one. If anything, things got tougher for the Warriors’ offense in the second, as they opened the quarter with a pair of free throws from Camryn Collins (11 points and six rebounds), but didn’t score again until Kailey Sullivan (seven points) banked in a jumper with 30 seconds left in the half.
OA wasn’t exactly lighting it up for much of the second, but the Tigers were able to score in bunches. Sarah Hilliard (six points and 13 rebounds) had a put-back for two and Kaydance Derba (13 points and six assists) hit a pair from beyond the arc, the second even deeper than the first. Peper added her third triple of the night and it was a 29-9 lead heading into the locker room.
Foxboro came out of the break a totally different team. The Warriors erased seven points off the deficit in about 90 seconds. Hannah Blake (nine points and eight rebounds) drilled one from the outside, Collins turned a steal into a short pull-up jumper, and Sullivan was able to bank in a runner plus the foul.
Cooper grabbed one of her 14 rebounds to get an easy bucket and Peper drove down the lane for a finish to push the lead back up to 15. As the clock wound down in the quarter, Peper made a nice catch in the lane of a Derba pass and scored at the buzzer to make it 39-22.
It looked like the Tigers had taken Foxboro’s best punch and survived, but the Warriors were far from finished. Sullivan scored with a drive and assisted on a Blake jumper. Erin Foley followed with a three from the wing to get the lead down to just a dozen. Collins got into the lane for two and Hill took an assist from Foley for an easy bucket. After Collins grabbed an offensive rebound and scored, Foxboro had pulled within seven at 43-36.
Downs said, “I give them a lot of credit because at halftime all I could say was you dug yourself a hole and now we need to focus on every possession, one stop at time, one basket at a time. They fought back.”
Collins fouled out with 4:02 on the clock and it seemed to halt the visitors’ momentum just as the Tigers were finding another gear. OA would close the game on a 15-5 run and for the second time this season would turn a close game with Foxboro in the Nixon Gym into a seemingly comfortable victory.
“That fourth quarter run, we leaked out and that’s what we hoped was going to happen,” Clement-Holbrook explained. “The conversation was ball control, make sure you’re boxing out, make sure you’re rebounding, and turn it into a break and make a run.”
Cooper provided the spark, getting an easy layup off a Derba assist. After Hilliard drove baseline for a pair, Cooper got a feed on the block from Hilliard to make it a 13-point game. She then grabbed a defensive rebound and looked over the top on a long outlet to find Derba for a layup.
Bourne kept a possession alive with an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Derba for her third three of the night and it was suddenly an 18-point game again.
Clement-Holbrook said, “I’m just so incredibly proud of all of them because they’ve worked so hard in practice and everyone of them, not just the kids who play, this is about all of us in preparation for this game because it’s not easy to beat a really good team three times.”
With underclassmen filling both lineups on Tuesday, the expectation is these teams will continue to square off in big games for the foreseeable future. Downs relishes that opportunity, “That’s good for us. They’ll make us tournament-ready. Facing them twice in the regular season and now Mansfield twice during the season, the Hockomock League is quite a league and I’m very proud of what they accomplished this season.”
Oliver Ames (19-3) advances to the Elite Eight and will host No. 6 Dracut on Friday night. Foxboro finishes the season at 14-8.
Caroline Peper scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading OA to a big win over division rival Foxboro and a sweep of the season series. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – Foxboro was right in the game, down by just five points and had limited Oliver Ames to only two made baskets in the second half (none to that point in the fourth quarter). Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the Tigers broke free and the Warriors suddenly found themselves down 20.
OA went on a 17-2 run to close out Tuesday night’s game at the Nixon Gym, turning a close, competitive game into a 61-41 victory and a sweep of the season series against Foxboro. Caroline Peper led the way for the hosts, scoring 21 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and adding three steals and three assists.
“I thought Caroline Peper played the game of her life,” said OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook. “Both offensively and defensively, she made great decisions with the ball, she controlled the ball, and those four minutes when we went on a run, she set the tone, which helped everyone else relax and play like they can.”
Foxboro coach Lisa Downs said, “It is intimidating playing in this gym, every single year. It’s not an excuse but I think it makes the freshmen and the sophomores play like freshmen and sophomores.”
It was a battle of the two teams who have split all but one of the Davenport titles since the league went to two divisions (OA with six, including this year, and Foxboro with five) and also two teams that have expectations of deep runs in the state tournament.
The Tigers threw the first punch, scoring the first six points of the game. Anna Murphy (six points), who would have to leave in the third quarter with an injury, got things off to a good start for the home team with a drive to the rim, assist on a basket by Jasmyn Cooper, and then a steal and layup.
Hannah Blake (five points) got Foxboro on the board by hitting the offensive glass and Erin Foley’s back-cut on an inbounds play netted her an easy bucket. Cooper (11 points and 13 rebounds) took a defensive board and went the length of the floor for two, but Ava Hill stuck with it after Peper blocked her shot, grabbing the loose ball and scoring to make it 14-10 after one.
OA took control of the game in the second. Hailey Bourne (six points) took a nice feed from Sarah Hilliard, following a long outlet by Peper, and scored plus the foul. Then, it was all Peper. The NYU commit knocked down a pair of threes and scored 12 points in the quarter. Camryn Collins (21 points and eight rebounds) tried to keep Foxboro in it with five points and Kailey Sullivan (seven points) buried a three, but the Tigers led 31-18 heading to the locker rooms.
Foxboro switched up its defense in the third quarter, trying out a zone look that helped keep the Tigers off the glass. OA struggled to find its transition game and was held to only two made field goals, a pair of threes by Kaydance Derba (11 points), and seven points in the quarter.
“I think we controlled their drives and their shots a little bit more by going to a 2-1-2 zone,” Downs explained. “The third quarter was going our way and then I think we were trying to over-dribble because they were shutting down the driving lanes. It definitely wasn’t a 20-point game by any means.”
Blake got a layup for Foxboro, but then Collins went to work. With Bourne in foul trouble, picking up her fourth just three minutes into the third, Collins took advantage. She drove to the hoop for a layup, buried a corner three, hit a floater that appeared to be above the top of the backboard before dropping through, and then hit a pull-up three from the wing. She scored 12 points in the third, helping Foxboro cut the lead down to six.
“It’s not easy,” Clement-Holbrook said about guarding Collins. “She’s quick, she gets her shot off and it has such a high arc. Even if you get your hand up on the close out, it’s got such a high arc and her release, she’s a good shooter and she’s going to be something special.”
Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the fourth, as fouls were piling up and both teams found themselves heading to the line a lot. Foxboro was in the bonus for the final 12 minutes of the game and both Bourne and Collins would eventually foul out.
Sullivan got the bounce on a baseline floater and hit a pair at the line to cut the lead to 44-39. OA had yet to make a shot in the fourth quarter and was clinging to its lead by going 6-of-8 at the line. Then, Peper grabbed an offensive rebound under the basket, saving the ball to Bourne, who in turn fed Cooper for an and-one that made it a nine-point game.
Downs said, “I think we were freelancing a little too much in the fourth quarter. We run plays well because that’s what they’re comfortable with. They were trying to do things on their own that weren’t scripted and it hurt us in this one.”
The Tigers got a spark and turned the game on its head. Peper followed that with a baseline drive, somehow squeezing a shot over the rim from right under the basket, and hit a jumper on the next possession. Derba came down and hit her third triple of the night and OA was rolling. A long outlet pass from Derba to Sarah Hilliard (six points) gave the Tigers an easy two and then the duo combined again for another layup for Hilliard to cap off the run.
“You want to see what you’re made out of and I thought we rose to the occasion,” said Clement-Holbrook.
Oliver Ames (15-1) will put its 13-game win streak on the line with a visit to North Attleboro on Friday. Foxboro (10-6) will look to bounce back quickly, when it hosts Stoughton on Wednesday.
Caroline Peper scored 11 of her team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to help OA hold off a Canton rally and move within a win of clinching a league title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – The Canton boys basketball team filed into the standings for Monday night’s game at the Masciarelli Gym at the perfect time. Oliver Ames had pushed its lead to as many as 18 points in the third quarter and it looked like the Tigers were going to cruise to an easy win, but the Bulldogs, as they’ve done so many times this season, found another gear and went on a run.
With the boys significantly boosting the volume of the crowd, Canton put together an 18-2 run, closing the third with 11 straight points, including a buzzer-beating three by Kiara Cerruti that cut OA’s lead to just two heading to the fourth quarter.
The energy, the noise, it felt like a playoff game, so in the fourth quarter OA turned to the player with the most playoff experience to see things out. Senior Caroline Peper scored 11 of her team-high 21 in the fourth, including a perfect 4-for-4 at the line in the closing minute, to help the Tigers pull out a 68-59 victory. OA can now clinch at least a share of the Davenport title with a win on Tuesday.
“She was so focused today, like I’ve never seen her,” said OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook about Peper. “She was focused all day long and I think the other kids recognized that and they fed off that. Especially in those moments where she got fouled, cause it’s not easy when you lose a 20-point lead, and she was ice water in her veins. I couldn’t be more proud of her. She just drained those free throws and she was money.”
It was the kind of game that both teams can use as they prep for the state tournament. Tough defense, great shot-making, runs going back and forth.
OA jumped out to the early lead, as Kaydance Derba (12 points, five assists, and six rebounds) drilled a three and Anna Murphy (five points, six rebounds, and four assists) got to the rim for a basket. Canton stormed back, Samya DaSilva (eight points and five rebounds) putting the Bulldogs in front for the first time and Fay Gallery (14 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals) drilled a three to make it 9-6.
Peper (10 rebounds and three blocks) started to get going late in the first. She scored OA’s last seven points of the quarter, knocking down a corner three and then answering Cerruti’s triple with a pull-up jumper in the final seconds to put OA up 15-14 after one.
The visitors took control of the game in the second quarter. OA outscored Canton 20-9 in the frame. After Cerruti (team-high 21 points) hit a three to give the Bulldogs a 19-18 lead, the Tigers went on a 13-0 run. Sarah Hilliard (10 points) came off the bench and gave a spark with a couple of buckets, Murphy got a layup after Derba’s offensive rebound and dish, and Jasmyn Cooper (12 points and seven rebounds) got a layup after Peper’s block led to a run out and she finished a nice give-and-go with Hilliard.
Sydney Gallery (seven points) hit a three to try and keep Canton close but Hailey Bourne (eight points and six rebounds) hit a short jumper and Cooper got to the rim for two to send the Tigers to the locker rooms up 35-23.
The lead kept growing after the break. Cooper showed her range with a straightaway three and then Derba added two more from long distance. OA led 46-28 and it appeared like the game was almost over. Canton had other ideas.
With the crowd considerably louder, the Bulldogs seemed to feed off the energy and started to chip away. Cerruti nailed a three and then Erin Beatty twice made nice cuts to the basket for layups to get the lead down to 13. Emily McCabe buried a three from in front of the Canton bench for her only points of the night and Fay Gallery followed with a three of her own.
After Cerruti knocked down a short jumper off a nice drive and dish from Gallery, the OA lead was just five. With 0.7 on the clock, Canton got an inbounds under the basket and Cerruti popped out for a three from the wing. The crowd audibly sighed when the ball bounced on the rim but it went up off the backboard and dropped through to make it 48-46 with eight minutes to go.
“There was never a point where any of we’re talking about this is over, we don’t have a chance,” Canton coach Jim Choquette explained. “At halftime, the focus was to get back on defense. OA historically gets out in transition better than anyone we play all year, that really killed us in the first half.”
He added, “Going on a run isn’t always about the 18, it’s the two. It’s not giving up points as well and rebounding better. We’re getting a lot of stops and a lot of tough defensive possessions as well.”
The energy from that shot carried into the fourth, but OA never looked rattled. Even with three sophomores in the regular rotation, who have yet to see or feel a playoff crowd, the Tigers answered every punch that Canton threw. Of course, Peper’s experience helped. She settled the nerves by drilling a three to start the fourth.
Sydney Gallery and Hilliard traded nice drives down the lane and then Bourne got free with a move through the paint for two. Hilliard dished off to Peper for two more and OA led 58-51. Fay Gallery, who was playing with four fouls, came down and hit a three but then Peper sliced through the Canton defense for two and a 60-54 lead with 2:54 to go.
“It’s really important to be in that situation and I’m really proud of the way we played ourselves into trouble but then played ourselves out of trouble,” said Clement-Holbrook. “I thought we stayed composed. Kudos to Canton because those girls can flat-out shoot, they are great scorers.”
About her younger players, Clement-Holbrook added, “We ask a lot of them in terms of the technical side of things and they’ve just stepped up big time, so I’m just so happy for them because they’ve had great leadership to follow and I told them next year the torch is being passed to them.”
Gallery found DaSilva for a layup and, after Cooper hit two at the line, stepped into her fourth three of the night to make it a one-possession game, 62-59, with only 1:27 to play. It would be Canton’s last basket. OA scored the final six points, two from Cooper on an offensive rebound and then four from Peper at the line, to hold on and extend its win streak to 10 games.
“I always feel like the season is about improving and being better individually than you were the day before and being better than you were as a team the day before,” said Choquette. “We’re playing better basketball as a team. Now it’s about fine-tuning some of those small things so we don’t have that letdown in the tournament, we don’t have that second quarter.”
When asked about the change in atmosphere after the Canton boys showed up in the second half, Clement-Holbrook said, “I thought that was awesome. I’m so glad that they were here because it really made us play to the level we’re capable of and I think we saw some things tonight we haven’t seen yet and I’m excited for that.”
Oliver Ames (12-1, 11-1) will try to seal at least a share of the league title when it hosts Sharon on Tuesday. Canton (9-5, 8-4) will try to earn win No. 10 and confirm its spot in the postseason when it travels to Stoughton.
