Tommy Sharkey scored four goals to help Foxboro beat Falmouth for the second time this season and reach the Div. 3 quarterfinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – Just 30 seconds into the third quarter of Friday afternoon’s Div. 3 Round of 16 game at Sam Berns Community Field, Falmouth junior Rafe Grant managed to escape a triple team, drove across the center of the Foxboro defense, and managed to squeeze a shot past goalie Adam Addeche.
The goal extended the Clippers’ run to four straight and cut the Foxboro lead down to just one. Momentum seemed to be with the visitors, but before the face-off the officials conducted a stick check, ruled that Grant’s stick was illegal, and not only took the goal off the board but also gave Foxboro a two-minute, man-up opportunity.
Connor Noone took advantage of the extra space to score his second goal of the day. Instead of a one-goal game, Foxboro led by three and took back control. The Warriors would tack on three more in the quarter to push the lead to as many as six and held on in the fourth to secure an 11-7 win and a spot in the last eight.
“I’m proud of the boys, great win for us today,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone, who also welcomed the Warriors playing in Div. 3 for the first time this spring. “It’s nice to go on a little run.”
Foxboro got off to a perfect start, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. Noone got things started after a couple of minutes, able to get his hands free for a lefty rip. Three minutes later, Tommy Sharkey broke free and found the bottom corner from distance to double the lead. On a man-up, Sharkey went across the crease with a pass to Jack Avery at the back post to make it 3-0.
Less than a minute later, Foxboro added its fourth with a quick transition that started with a perfect Addeche outlet pass to pole Dylan Kerrigan, who raced down the sideline before picking out freshman Jon Sacchetti for a close-range finish.
The lead could’ve been more but Falmouth goalie Chris Ledwick (19 saves) came up with huge stops to deny Sacchetti and Lincoln Moore. The Clippers made the stops count by getting on the board when Matt Shea found the back of the net with a minute to go in the first.
Foxboro responded early in the second. Sacchetti was able to cut through the Falmouth defense and despite taking a hit was able to bury the shot. Another two-man advantage turned into a five-goal lead for the Warriors, as Sharkey had plenty of time to line up a sidearm shot for his second.
Although the hosts seemed to have the game in hand, mistakes and penalties allowed the Clippers to creep back into the game.
“Offensively, I thought we pressed,” Noone explained. “We weren’t valuing possession of the ball and so I asked the kids, can we get a long possession? The way you’re going to beat teams that you shouldn’t beat is to possess the ball longer, so we’ve been trying to work on that.”
A bad pass in transition gifted Oliver Partridge a free run at Addeche and he made no mistake to cut the lead to 6-2. Shea was able to turn the corner and and went high past the stick of Addeche to make it a three-goal game. Jackson Falcone nearly made a two-man advantage count only to have Addeche come up with a huge stop with his mask.
With 2:16 left in the half, Falmouth got back within two. After a turnover Cooper Young fired a pass across the middle. Addeche gambled for the steal, but the ball made it through to Kevin Coyne for a finish into the open goal.
“Penalties killed us, we let them get back in it,” Noone said. “Being in the penalty box…now we’re in the playoffs man, sometimes during the season you can get away with that but the deeper you go in the playoffs, if you’re a man down most teams are going to be able to score.”
It looked like things had gone from bad to worse for the Warriors after Falmouth won the opening draw of the second half, but the goal was wiped away and Noone restored a three-goal cushion.
Foxboro then got back to what had worked so well in the first quarter. Sharkey was denied by Ledwick while taking a big hit, but Foxboro retained possession and Moore went right back to Sharkey for his hat trick goal.
Three minutes later, Addeche had another long outlet to Kerrigan, who pulled in the pass with a nifty over-the-shoulder catch, and it was finished by Noone in the middle. Sharkey would add his fourth of the day with a man-up goal and the Warriors went into the fourth leading 10-4.
“Tommy was great,” Noone said. “Sacchetti, our freshman, played great. What’s great about the attack is that if someone has an off day then someone will pick them up. So, when they shut off Connor, then Linc picks it up and, if Lincoln is having an off day, then Sacchetti is there.”
Falmouth kept battling back. Max April went top shelf on the run just 30 seconds into the quarter and the Clippers forced a turnover on the ride to give Grant a wide open chance and cut the lead to four.
Noone proved to be the run stopper. The Merrimack College-commit had his first chance saved but he recovered the loose ball at the ‘X’ and got to his left hand before firing a shot inside the far post. Partridge would get one back with 2:48 left, but the Warriors earned their second four-goal win against the Clippers this season.
The Warriors held onto the lead thanks to the play of Addeche, who made half of his 12 saves in the fourth, and the aggressive marking of Kerrigan, Ben Ricketts, Matt Grace, and the rest of the defensive unit.
“My defense was awesome today,” Noone raved. “To be man-down so much and hold them to seven goals, they’re a good team.”
He added, “Adam played probably his best game today. He was involved in the defense, you could hear him talking, he made some great saves, his outlet passes were on today. I need him to do that more and more.”
Foxboro (14-6) advances to face the winner of No. 4 Dracut and No. 13 Shawsheen Valley Tech at a date and time to be determined.
Baseball
North Attleboro, 9 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Buoyed by a big start, North Attleboro went on the road and returned home from Fino Field with a 9-2 win over Milford. The Rocketeers scored three runs in each of the first two innings and then tacked on single runs in three straight innings to get the win. Tyler DeMattio brought in the first run in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly and Jordan Paradis drove in two runs with a single to center to an early 3-0 lead. The Big Red doubled the advantage in the top of the second right after David Floyd escaped a bases-loaded situation in the bottom half of the first. DeMattio drew a bases loaded walk to bring in a run and Danny Curran followed with a two-run double to right to make it 6-0. Gio Martello (sac fly), Floyd (bases loaded walk), and DeMattio (sac fly) each brought a run in over the next three innings for North. Grant Scudo had an RBI single and scored after Damien Carter reached on an error. Floyd got the win, tossing four shutout innings with five hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Paradis pitched three innings in relief with two runs (both unearned) allowed on three hits and a walk, striking out three.
Taunton, 8 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final
Franklin, 8 vs. Framingham, 6 – Final – Franklin rallied to erase an early deficit and went ahead with a big fifth inning, let the lead slip away, but rallied once again to secure a win over Framingham. The visiting Flyers struck for three runs in the second and once in the top of the fifth to claim a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. Franklin’s offense came alive with five runs for a 6-4 lead but that quickly evaporated after Framingham tacked on two runs in the top of the sixth. But once again Franklin responded as Joe Tirrell delivered an RBI triple to score Ben Jarosz (triple) and Ryan Gerety followed with an RBI single to left to put Franklin ahead for good. Gerety had two hits while six other Panthers had one hit, including Evan Raider who had two RBI on the day. Raider, the Panthers’ fourth pitcher, earned the win in relief, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk, striking out four in 2.2 innings of work. Austin Campbell tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in relief early in the game, allowing one hit and two walks with one strikeout.
Softball
Franklin, 3 vs. Abington, 9 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – Mandi Hanewich had a big day at the plate and Zoey McDonough was dominant in the circle as the Rocketeers grabbed a big win over Sharon. Hanewich broke the game open in the second inning, blasting a three-run home run as one her four hits on the day. Ally Levine, Grace Simmons and Kelly Colleran had three hits apiece for the Rocketeers. McDonough tossed a no-hitter, retiring 15 of the 16 batters she faced with 10 strikeouts. Offensively, she helped her cause with a three-run home run while Emma Hanwell and Grace Barry each had a double, and Shaelyn Burns reached base three times.
Foxboro, 8 @ Uxbridge, 5 – Final – Foxboro went on the road and knocked off Uxbridge to make it four straight wins. Vittoria Cuscia tossed a complete game for the second straight game, striking out eight in the win. Offensively, she helped her cause with two hits while freshman Ava Hill drove in a pair of runs for the Warriors.
Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 5 @ North Attleboro, 16 – Final – North Attleboro took down visiting Milford and clinched the Davenport division title in the process. Connor Ruppert scored a pair of goals, including the 100th of his career, while Matt Antonetti added two goals and freshman Brady Backner scored three goals.
Mansfield, 4 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Conor Noone and Lincoln Moore each had five points as Foxboro doubled up on rival Mansfield. Noone had two goals along with three helpers while Moore scored a hat trick and added two assists in the win. Jack Avery and John Sacchetti each had a goal while Nate Urman made three saves in the fourth quarter for Foxboro.
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final
Sharon, 7 @ Milford, 10 – Final – Milford erased an early deficit to tie the game by halftime, and then outscored the visiting Eagles to secure a win on senior night. Milford scored the first goal of the second half to make it 5-4 but two straight from Sharon put the visitors back in front with 12 minutes to go. Milford came right back with four straight goals to take the lead for good. Sharon cut the deficit down to two late but Emily Croteau put the game away with a late goal.
Boys Tennis
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed
Franklin, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Franklin beat both the rain and rival King Philip, taking a 5-0 sweep on the road to clinch at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. The Panthers took all five matches in straight sets with Vayshanv Malhotra (6-1, 6-2), Sameen Shaik (6-1, 6-0), and Drew Mahoney (6-2, 6-1) taking care of business in singles action, and the teams of Thomas Broyles and Tyler Fitzpatrick (first doubles, 6-2, 6-3) and Jay Gorgas and Ahan Shetty (second doubles, 6-3, 7-5) sweeping doubles action.
Mansfield, 4 @ West Bridgewater, 1 – Final – Mansfield took both doubles matches and two more victories in singles action to sweep the season series against non-league foe West Bridgewater. Freshman Neema Khosravani earned a straight set win at second singles, dropping just two games on his way to a 6-1, 6-1 verdict while sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami prevailed from a hard-fought battle at third singles with a 7-5, 6-4 win. The team of Jonah Fine and Nikhil Nain earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles and Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Behind two wins from both singles and doubles action, Foxboro earned a division win over Canton at home. Athena Li rolled at first singles 6-0, 6-0 while Hailey Kornbluth added a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of Abby Costa and Juliana Preston secured a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Warriors and Emily Stow and Sydney Lebow added a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles. Canton’s Olivia Maloney emerged from a hard-fought, competitive match at third singles with a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 10-7 win.
King Philip @ Franklin – Postponed to 5/25
Milford @ Whitinsville Christian, 3:30
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 0 – Final
Milford, 3 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final
Baseball
King Philip @ Franklin – Postponed to Saturday, 5/7 at 7:00.
Taunton @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/25 at 4:00.
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, 5/5 at 7:00.
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD.
Softball
Franklin @ King Philip – Postponed to Thursday, May 26 at 3:45.
Milford @ Taunton – Postponed to TBD.
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, May 5 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ Sharon – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 13 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Foxboro sophomore Lincoln Moore had a big day on attack, leading the Warriors to a 13-6 win over Attleboro. Moore had six goals and added three assists to pace Foxboro while John Sacchetti (two assists) and Jack Avery each scored twice. Tony Sulham added a goal and an assist and Conor Noone recorded three helpers.
King Philip, 11 @ Canton, 4 – Final
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 19 – Final – Jayden Consigli scored five goals and dished out six assists while Luke Davis found the back of the net five times with two helpers to lead the Panthers to another Hockomock League win. Tyler Sacchetti added three goals and two assists while Drew Hansen recorded three assists.
Milford, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Oliver Ames celebrated senior night in style, taking a win over visiting Milford. Senior Wyatt Fritchman led the charge for the Tigers, scoring four goals and recording four assists while senior Ryan Moore scored his first two career goals. Junior Ben Reardon added five goals and three helpers and junior Noah Isleib made 11 saves in net.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – A pair of Warriors reached career milestones as Foxboro bounced back with a big win. Paige Curran scored eight goals and had two assists, reaching triple digits for career goals in the process. Mya Waryas scored a pair of goals and added three helpers, getting to 100 career points. Val Beigel added four goals and an assist, Cate Noone had two goals and four assists, and Mary Collins had four assists. Grace Riley had a pair of scores and Kaelin Connors had one.
Canton, 6 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – King Philip had eight different players find the back of the net to hand Canton its first loss of the season. Haley Izydorczak paced the offense for the Warriors with four goals while Alyssa Legere and Julia Marsden each scored three goals and Makenzie McDevitt scored twice and had one helper. Emily Campbell and Haley Bright combined to make five saves in net for KP. For Canton, Fay Gallery had two goals and one assist while Elyse Broderick made nine saves in net.
Franklin, 20 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – The Panthers had 11 different players make their way onto the score sheet and used a dominate performance on the draw to get a win on the road. Brigid Early made five saves and Ella Mahoney made two stops to combine for the win in net while the Panthers had 16 draw controls as a team.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Milford rallied from a three-goal deficit at halftime, outscoring the visitors 5-1 in the second half to earn a season split with the Tigers. OA raced out to a 4-0 lead and took a 5-2 advantage into the halftime break. The Scarlet Hawks answered with a three-goal burst to start the second to pull level but OA once again went ahead to make it 6-5. Carly Haley, Emily Croteau, and Jordan Douglas had standout second half performances for the Hawks while Aislinn Bennett netted a team-high five goals in the win, recording her 100th carer point. Milford goalie Caitlin Bangart and OA goalie Jess Widdop both played very well in net.
Taunton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final – For Taunton, Sarah Clark scored a hat trick and Cali Mello added one goal.
Boys Tennis
Foxboro @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, May 5 at 3:45.
Franklin @ King Philip – Postponed to Thursday, May 19 at 3:45.
Milford @ Taunton – Postponed to Tuesday, 5/17 at 4:00
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD.
Girls Tennis
Canton @ Foxboro – Postponed to Thursday, May 19 at 3:45.
King Philip @ Franklin – Postponed to Thursday, May 19 at 3:45.
Taunton @ Milford – Postponed to Tuesday, 5/17 at 4:00
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD
Stoughton @ Sharon – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Medfield, 6:00
Taunton, 0 vs. New Bedford, 3 – Final
Baseball
Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Foxboro erased an early three-run deficit by scoring seven unanswered runs in a win over visiting Stoughton. A bases-clearing triple from Anthony Girolamo brought Brad Franey, Anthony Tilton, and Sean Farley home as the Black Knights staked a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Louis Carangelo answered with a two-run single and Jack Watts followed with a two-run double in the next at-bat as Foxboro pushed across four runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead that it never relinquished. Foxboro added a run in the bottom of the third (Tyler Prescott), the bottom of the fifth (Tom Marcucella RBI single), and in the bottom of the sixth (Carangelo RBI single). Sean O’Leary tossed a complete game to get the win for the Warriors, including six shutout innings after giving up three in the first. O’Leary allowed just four hits and one walk, striking out 10.
Softball
Attleboro, 16 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final
Foxboro, 4 vs. Newton South, 2 – Final – Foxboro fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first but rallied for four unanswered runs to get the win over Newton South. Peyton Feldman had a pair of hits and a pair of runs for the Warriors while Allie Willis added two hits and two RBI in the win. Emma Callahan got the win in the circle, striking out six.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final
Foxboro, 16 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Tom Sharkey found the back of the net five times to pace the Foxboro offense in a win on the road over Oliver Ames. Lincoln Moore added four goals and an assist, Conor Noone added a hat trick and one helper, and Jack Avery, Finn Stapleton, and Tony Sulham each scored once for the Warriors. Ben Reardon, Wyatt Fritchman, and Ryan Jaco each scored twice for Oliver Ames.
King Philip, 14 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – KP showed no signs of rust after an 11-day break, jumping out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 9-1 at half to earn the road win. Kip Bishop and Sean Crowther each scored four goals and Ben Riggs chipped in with three tallies to lead the Warriors. Mansfield had four different goal scorers, Drew Sacco, Andrew Burnham, Dash Munson, and Grady Sullivan. James Boldy (KP) and Ryan DeGirolamo (Mansfield) each played well in goal.
Sharon, 17 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Sharon exploded for 17 goals with eight different players finding the back of the net on the road at Milford. Brady Daylor and Ryan Brown led the charge with four goals apiece while Jacob Kaufman, Matt Mahoney, and Sam Rothbaum each added two in the win. Ben Shocket and Matt Harshfield rounded out the scoring for the Eagles with a goal apiece.
Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 15 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final
Canton, 15 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Canton had 11 different players find the back of the net in a big win on the road at Taunton. Shannon McGrann (three goals, one assist), Ella Yeaton (two goals, two assists), and Allie McCabe (one goal, three assists) paced the Bulldogs with four points apiece. Maia Mahoney scored her first career goal in the win. Taunton received goals from Sarah Clark and Maddison Szala.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final – Buoyed by a balanced attack, Foxboro claimed a big win at home over visiting Oliver Ames. Paige Curran had a team-high seven points, leading the charge with five goals and two assists. Mya Waryas (two assists), Mary Collins (assist), and Kate Collins each added three goals in the win for the Warriors. Audrey Campbell made four saves in net for Foxboro.
Mansfield, 4 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – Julia Marsden and Lily Brown each hit the 100-point plateau for their careers as King Philip rolled to a big win over Mansfield. Marsden and Brown each scored twice and had an assist to hit the milestone. Haley Izydorzcak scored six goals to pace the KP offense against the Hornets.
Milford, 17 @ Sharon, 12 – Final – Milford scored 11 goals in the opening half and added onto that lead in the second half to claim its third road win of the season. Aislinn Bennett continued her torrid start to the season, adding eight goals to pace the Scarlet Hawks offense. Fiona Jordan, Erin Michelson, Emily Croteau, and Carley Haley each added a pair of goals while Jill Araujo added one in the win. Freshman Esther Fernandes was called up from JV to make her varsity debut, getting the win in net. Anna Hertzel had a hat trick, while Athena Merck, Bailey Garte, and Keira Ledyard each scored twice for the Eagles. Lauren McLaughlin added one for Sharon and Tess Letendre made 10 saves in the loss.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Kyle Neuendorf made the switch to first singles and earned a three-set win to highlight Attleboro’s sweep of visiting Taunton. Neuendorf dropped the first set but rallied to get the win, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Ethan Johnson also had a three-set win (6-4, 4-6, 6-1) at second singles while Arnov Sodhani added a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. Tyler Rocchio and Evan Sousa emerged with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-8) win at first doubles for the Bombardiers, and Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen grabbed a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – A sweep of singles action plus one more win in doubles gave Canton a 4-1 win over visiting North Attleboro. Sophomore Max Kupferman earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles, senior Suraj Ramanathan added a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles, and freshman Justin Ngan completed the singles sweep with a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-8 win at third singles. The team of senior Kevin Moltenbrey and Max LaRose added a 6-3, 6-4 second doubles win. North Attleboro’s Griffin Rodden and Arnav Raghuvanshi prevailed with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final
King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip won all five matches, all in straight sets to take down Milford on the road. Brady Jannell didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Jonathan Cohen earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Jackson Hom secured a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. Adam Gougie and Connor Sachleben teamed up for a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while Leo Manning and Arjun Rullo added a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles for KP.
Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Sophomore Nick Westerbeke won at first singles (6-2, 6-3) while Raphael Vache and Kylash Ganesh both won in straight sets as Oliver Ames defended home court against Stoughton. The freshman duo of Alex Efrimedas and Patrick Dolan added a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles for the Tigers.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Attleboro grabbed a pair of wins in singles play and a pair of wins from doubles action to secure a 4-1 win on the road. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek rallied for a 2-6, 6-3, 10-0 win at first singles while sophomore Maddie Fuscaldo didn’t drop a get in a 6-0, 6-0 second singles win. The senior tandem of Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam prevailed 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles while sophomores Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller took a 6-2, 6-0 decision at second doubles. Taunton sophomore Ava Alves earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles.
Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro took all three singles matches to secure a 3-2 win over visiting Canton. Lauren Hunt was victorious at first singles (6-3, 6-1), Grace Noreck added a 6-1, 6-1 second singles win, and Kyna Shah prevailed 6-3, 6-4 at third singles. Canton won both doubles matches with Olivia Dunham and Grace Powers winning 6-3, 6-4 at first singles, and Olivia Maloney and Allie Wong adding a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Foxboro won all three singles matches in straight sets to earn a key division win over rival Sharon. Athena Li continued to roll at first singles, securing a 6-0, 6-0 win while Hailey Kornbluth added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Analise Jia earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles for the Warriors.
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – The Warriors took two wins from both singles and doubles play to defend home court against visiting Milford. Sophomore Shea Mellman moved up to first singles and won 6-0, 6-1 while senior Sammie Taylor emerged from a hard-fought match at second singles with a 6-4, 6-1 win, a match that longtime head coach Bob Goldberg called Taylor’s best match in her three years of playing. The first doubles team of junior Lauren Casper and senior Resha Ajoy added a 6-0, 6-1 win while senior Palina Yakamovich and junior Priya Riar secured a 6-1, 6-1 second doubles victory. Milford’s Serena Borges claimed a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames took all five matches, including three without dropping a set, to take down Stoughton on the road. Hannah Farber (first singles), Elizabeth O’Brien (third singles), and the team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper (first doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0. Mia Corradini added a 6-4, 6-1 win at second singles for the Tigers, and Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 0 @ North Quincy, 3 – Final – Ty Ekstrom had nine assists and two kills but Taunton fell 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-19) on the road at North Quincy. Josue Andrade (front row) and Owen Kelly (back row) both played well for the Tigers.
Baseball
Foxboro, 11 vs. Quincy, 5 – Final – Foxboro erased a five-run deficit with a huge fifth inning to score a win over Quincy at Adams Field. The Warriors pushed across 10 runs in the fifth inning to turn a five-run deficit into a five-run cushion. Liam Mulkern (two RBI, two run) had three hits while Sean O’Leary (RBI) and Tyler Prescott (two RBI, run) each had two hits in the win. Ryan LeClair also drove in two runs while Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo each had one RBI. After the Warriors took the lead, O’Leary came in and pitched three strikeout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
King Philip, 7 vs. Nipmuc, 1 – Final – King Philip bounced back from its first loss of the season by taking care of business in a win over visiting Nipmuc. The Warriors plated three runs in the first, tacked on single runs in the second and fifth, and had two runs in the fourth inning. Shawn Legere and Dan Nineve (two RBI) each had singles in the first to drive take a 3-0 lead. Legere extended the lead with a second inning sac fly, and both Eli Reed and Brendan Senjac each had an RBI single in the fourth inning. Nick Viscusi had a strong outing on the mound, allowing just one run (unearned) on three hits and one walk, striking out five in five inning of work. Senior Quin Garstka tossed two shutout innings in relief, striking out four without allowing a hit or a walk.
Milford, 3 vs. Oxford, 2 – Final – Milford overcame an early two-run deficit, plating all three of its runs in the bottom of the fourth in a win over visiting Oxford. Oxford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first before Milford sophomore starter Anthony LaPierre settled down, pitching five straight shutout innings after. He finished with four strikeouts, four walks, and two earned runs on six hits. In the fourth, Alex McColl singled, Tyler Lane walked, and Grant Scudo singled to load the bases for the Hawks. Ian Carter drew a walk to bring in the first run, and two at-bats later, Damien Carter laced a two-out, two-run single to left field to put Milford ahead.
Stoughton, 5 @ Brockton, 3 – Final – Trailing 3-0 after three innings, Stoughton rallied for two in the fourth and three more in the sixth to break into the win column by knocking off the Boxers. With two outs, Sean Farley reached on an error allowing both Jonah Ly and Anthony Tilton (walk) to come home to score to make it a one-run game. The Black Knights added three more runs with two outs in the top of the sixth. Farley again reached on an error as Brad Franey and Tilton came home to score, and three pitches later, Anthony Girlamo hit a single to score Farley for a 5-3 lead. Sophomore Hunter Malkin allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out four in 3.1 innings of work. Tilton was strong in relief, with just two hits and three walks allowed, striking out three in 3.2 scoreless innings.
Softball
Foxboro, 1 @ Silver Lake, 13 – Final
Sharon vs. Duxbury, 2:00
King Philip, 13 @ Milford, 1 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored in each inning, including a five-fun fourth inning to blow it open for a win on the road over Milford. The Warriors had nine hits as a team, including a team-high three hits from Charlotte Raymond, who also had four RBI and three runs scored. KP also showed patience at the plate with eight walks on the day, two apiece from Meg Sherwood (run) and Taylor Regan (run). Sarah Cullen and Caitlyn Sencaj each added an RBI double in the win. Jordan Bennett and Emma Sheehan combined to allow just one run and strike out 11. Sophomore Maddie Burns had an RBI double for the Scarlet Hawks, scoring classmate Sarah Wengal (walk) in the second inning.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Ashland, 3 – Final – Sam Carlino led the charge with six goals as Canton went on the road and picked up a win over Ashland. Jeffrey Chaput added two goals while Sean Connolly, Brendan Tourgee, and AJ Thomas recorded an assist. Pat Drury had a big day in net, making 17 saves in the win.
Foxboro, 12 vs. Falmouth, 8 – Final – Foxboro bounced back from a loss in the opening round of the Chowda Cup to take down Falmouth. The Warriors had a balanced attack with Tommy Sharkey (two assists) and Lincoln Moore (assist) leading the way with four goals apiece while Conor Noone scored twice and had one assist, and Jack Avery and Ian Foley both scored once. Adam Addeche made seven saves in net while Finn Stapleton and Matt Grace both played well defensively in front of the cage.
Franklin, 21 vs. Walpole, 6 – Final – After an even first quarter (2-2), Franklin dominated the second with eight goals and never looked back in a win over visiting Walpole. The Panthers will take on St. John’s on Saturday at Lexington. Jayden Consigli led the charge offensively wiht seven goals and two helpers while Jake Davis (five goals, two assists) and Tyler Sacchetti (three goals, four assists) each added seven points in the win.
Mansfield, 0 vs. Norwell, 13 – Final
North Attleboro, 17 @ Silver Lake, 16 – Final (2OT) – Silver Lake scored as time expired in regulation to force the extra period but North Attleboro recovered to get the win in double overtime. Connor Ruppert (four goals, two assists) took a pass from Clayton Billingkoff (two goals, three assists), split a double team and deposited the winner into the back of the net. Brady Backner added a hat trick, Luke Ward scored twice, and Luke Antonetti added one goal for the Rocketeers. JT Gallagher had 12 saves, including some key stops in overtime to keep North alive. Jared Vacher continued to impress from the X, winning 26 of 33 faceoffs.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Nipmuc, 12 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 8 vs. Medfield, 16 – Final – King Philip trailed by just three at halftime (6-3) but Medfield had a big second half to pull away for the win. Makenzie McDevitt had four goals for the Warriors while Lily Brown added a pair of goals. Head coach Kourtnie Wilder praised the defensive effort for Margo Riley and Sammy Cloutier.
Baseball
Stoughton, 5 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip scored three runs in the first inning and five runs in the third to pick up its second win of the season with a 12-5 decision over Stoughton. The Warriors had 17 hits on the day, led by Rudy Gately’s three hits, and two apiece from Travis Crawford, Matt Kelley (three RBI), Brendan Sencaj (four RBI), and Eli Reed (two RBI). Sencaj had a two-run double in the first and another RBI single in the fifth while Kelley had an RBI in each the second, third and fourth innings. Tommy Martorano didn’t let up an earned run in five innings of work, striking out seven.
Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – North Attleboro pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in a win over visiting Sharon. Tyler DeMattio smacked a two-run home run, David Floyd (walk) scored on a double steal, and Christian Bates drove in a run with a double. Sharon put up two runs in the fourth inning by Dillon Harding had an RBI single in the fifth and highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a two-run base hit. Tyler Bannon earned the win on the mound, allowing three hits with three strikeouts in four innings. Harding pitched three scoreless innings in relief with one hit allowed.
Softball
King Philip, 19 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored at least three runs in each of the five innings, including nine between the first two to grab a win on the road over Stoughton. Sophomore Taylor Regan went 4-for-4 on the day with thee runs scored and two RBI to lead the offensive charge for KP, who had 20 hits as a team. Freshman Liv Petrillo added two hits, four RBI, and two runs, Charlotte Raymond drove in three runs and scored three runs, and Meg Sherwood, Ava Kelley, and Mia Bennett each had two RBI. Stoughton’s Camryn Whitman drive in three runs with a double in the second.
Boys Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Attleboro trailed 3-0 in the first quarter and 5-3 early in the second, but found another gear and pulled away in the second half to pick up a second win in as many days. Carter Shelton scored six goals and Keigan Conley had three goals and three assists for the Bombardiers. Ben Reardon scored four times and had two assists for the Tigers. Reardon got OA off to a great start with two goals in the opening four minutes and Wyatt Fritchman had one to make it 3-0. Conley set up Shelton to get Attleboro on the board and then Freddy Wheaton teed up Conley to bring the hosts within one. Reardon assisted on a Joey Carney goal but Shelton set up Patrick McAvoy to make it 4-3 after one. Fritchman added his second to push the lead back to two, but Attleboro scored the next three to go into halftime leading 6-5. Shelton and Conley had the first two and Chad Beaupin assisted a Cole McKenna goal with 20 seconds left to put Attleboro ahead for the first time. Reardon tied it early in the third, but Attleboro responded with the next four goals (Spencer Sherk, Beaupin, and two from Shelton) to take control. After Reardon got one back, Seth LaPlaca and Shelton answered but Ryan Jaco tallied his first with five seconds left in the third to keep OA within four (12-8). Attleboro sealed the win by scoring the only four goals of the fourth. Conley, Wheaton, Shelton, and Sherk all finding the back of the net. Goalies Noah Isleib (OA) and Harry Wheaton (Attleboro) both played well throughout.
Canton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Foxboro, 9 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Sharon dominated at the faceoff X to rally in the second half, but Foxboro held on to get the league win. The Warriors built a 5-2 lead at half but the Eagles tripled their first half production with six strikes in the second half. For Foxboro, sophomore Lincoln Moore scored six goals, Tony Sulham added two more, and Jack Avery scored once in the win while sophomore goalie Adam Addeche turned in a 17-save performance to keep Foxboro ahead. Sophomore Ryan Cotter had a standout game defensive for Foxboro with six ground balls. Sharon senior Ben Shocket won 18 of 21 face offs taken.
Franklin, 25 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Franklin poured in 21 goals in the opening half to secure a road win to move to 2-0 on the season. Tyler Sacchetti led the charge with four goals and six ssists, Jayden Consigli had five goals and four assists, and Luke Davis added four goals and three assists.
King Philip, 17 @ Hopkinton, 7 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 3:45
North Attleboro, 7 @ Canton, 11 – Final – Knotted at 4-4 at halftime, Canton found the back of the net seven times over the final two quarters to get a win over North Attleboro. Emily McCabe and Devan Spinale both had four goals to pace the Bulldogs’ offense while Ella Yeaton scored twice and Shannon McGrann had one goal. Elyse Broderick made 10 saves in net to get the win.
Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final – Foxboro completed a perfect opening week with another double-digit win. Ten Warriors found the scoresheet on Thursday, led by Paige Curran with five goals and two assists. Mya Waryas added four goals and three assists, while Kate Collins (one assist), Cate Noone, and Val Beigel each scored twice. Grace Riley and Meghan Burke both had goals and an assist and Kaelin Connors, Jennifer Gallagher, and Hannah Blake found the back of the net once apiece. Anna Hertzel and Kiera Ledyard scored for the Eagles and goalie Tess Letendre made 13 saves in the loss.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final
Mansfield, 16 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Cali Melo scored both goals for the Tigers.
King Philip, 14 vs. Hopkinton, 5 – Final – King Philip scored six goals in the first half and added eight more after the halftime break in a win over Hopkinton. Julia Marsden paced the offense for the Warriors with seven goals while Makenzie McDevitt had a hat trick plus three helpers. Lily Brown notched six assists along with a goal, Nikki MacDonald scored twice, and Abby MacDonald added one in the win.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – A singles sweep and another win in doubles play gave King Philip a win on the road at Stoughton. Brady Jannell rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, Jonathan Cohen didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jackson Hom took a 6-2, 6-1 victory at third singles. KP also added a win from Diego Nieto and Noah Ihley at first doubles (6-0, 6-4). Stoughton’s Jake Berry and Joe Mark claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ Medway, 5 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Milton, 3:45
Taunton, 1 vs. Durfee, 4 – Final
Girls Tennis
Sharon 2, vs. Bishop Feehan 3 – Final
Milford vs. Whitinsville Christian, 3:45
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – A sweep of doubles action plus one singles win was enough for Taunton to get a win on the road over the Hilltoppers. Senior Kayla Parrett battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 win at first singles for the Tigers. The first doubles tandem of sophomores Morgan Smith and Sam Parrett notched a 6-3, 6-3 win and sophomore Janelle Garcia and senior Kelsey Brennan teamed up for a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 0 @ Bellingham, 3 – Final
Milford, 3 vs. Nipmuc, 0 – Final
Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column for the first time this season, taking the final two sets after splitting the first two for a 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17) win. Junior Ty Ekstrom set the offense up with 26 assists along with four aces, four digs, and a pair of kills. Antonios Dimakis led the offense with 11 kills, six digs, a pair of aces, and a block, Matt Freitas added nine kills, eight digs, and six aces, while Josh Duncan (eight digs, four kills) had a big day from the service line with 10 aces.
Following a first South final appearance, Franklin returns a strong group to go after a state title. Find full previews for all teams below. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 3-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro had some growing pains during the 2021 campaign, but has a good chunk of the roster back in the fold for 2022 and will try to take the next step forward as a program.
The Bombardiers will have a strong foundation on the defensive end of the field. Captain Fred Wheaton is back for another year to anchor the defense and he’s joined by fellow returners Bobby Sawyer and John Wheaton to give Attleboro a solid veteran nucleus to try and shut down some of the top offenses in the league. Attleboro also has sophomore Harry Wheaton back in net after gaining valuable experience in the cage in 2021.
Having last year’s top scorer in Carter Shelton back in the fold will give the Bombardiers a good start in the attack. Shelton scored 30 goals and had 15 assists, finishing 12th in the Hock in scoring. Captain Keigan Conley is also back to bolster the attack, coming off a 22 goal, 10 assist campaign a year ago. Freshman Nathan Conroy is also in the mix already in the attack.
Attleboro’s midfield will be anchored by captain Ryan Betts along with Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlace. The Bombardiers also expect contributions from Cole McKenna, Patrick McAvoy, and Spencer Scherck.
“We have a lot of returning guys that picked up valuable varsity experience last season,” said Attleboro head coach Kevin Patton. “We are looking forward to a strong season in 2022.”
2021 Record: 14-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Ryan Quinn
Canton split its two games with Foxboro to win a share of the Davenport title in 2021, just the third league title in program history and were an overtime goal away from reaching the Div. 2 South final. The Bulldogs have a lot of experience in the attack and the midfield this season with the goal of putting in another challenge for the league crown and putting together another state tournament push.
The Bulldogs had a dynamic attack last spring and the league’s leading scorer Sam Carlino headlines a strong group this season as well. Junior Jeff Chaput joins Carlino in the attack and the midfield group is filled with experience from last season. Sophomore Brendan Tourgee, juniors AJ Thomas and Chris Hamilton, senior Eddie Gillis, and Charlie Vaughn will all give Canton playmaking at the middie position.
Defensively, Canton will definitely miss graduated goalie Dylan Coyne but the Bulldogs have a talented group of poles that should be tough to score against this season. Senior Sean Connolly will lead that defensive group alongside sophomores Luke Darling and Colin Blake.
“I am really excited about this upcoming season,” said second-year coach Ryan Quinn. “Our student-athletes have been working hard to build on our success from last season, but are very aware that everything we achieve is based upon the work we put in this year, every day. We are led by a small, but strong senior class, and have depth across all four grades levels. This group is a very coachable group and we are very excited to begin”
2021 Record: 11-4 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal Coach: Matt Noone
After graduating just two seniors from last year’s team, Foxboro is back with a strong lineup that will look to reclaim the Davenport title that it shared with Canton in 2021. The Warriors will have depth up and down the field with the goal of not only returning to the top of the division but also being ready for a deep run in the statewide tournament.
Foxboro’s attack is all back from last season. The Warriors finished third in goals scored in the league in 2021 and a year’s worth of experience should make them even more dynamic. Junior Conor Noone was the league’s third-leading scorer last season and he will lead the line again alongside sophomore Lincoln Moore, coming off a breakout rookie campaign, and senior Jack Avery. Senior Tommy Sharkey was an all-star middie last season and he will be joined by junior Finn Stapleton and sophomore Tony Sulham, another player who made a strong varsity debut as a freshman.
Depth should be a strength for the Warriors, who return their second midfield group as well, including sophomores Sully Kenneally, Ryan Cotter, and Ian Foley. Foxboro’s defense is returning as a group too. Seniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts are the leaders at the back and will be joined by classmate Mark Jansen. Senior Matt Grace will start at LSM with sophomore Jack Sullivan backing him up. Sophomore Adam Addeche is back in goal, backed up by classmate Nate Urman, and freshman midfielder John Sacchetti and defender James Dee Gaffney are newcomers with potential.
“The Warriors graduated two seniors and return the core of their team,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “Everyone is a year older with varsity experience which will help us in our 2022 push.”
2021 Record: 18-1 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Lou Verrochi
After reaching the program’s first sectional final in 2021, Franklin brings a typically strong lineup of experienced players who will be aiming to make a run in the new statewide tournament. The Panthers have loaded up their regular season schedule to prepare for the rigors of the tournament with state powers Medfield, Lincoln-Sudbury, and St. John’s Prep among the teams that Franklin will challenge itself against to be ready to shoot for silverware this spring.
Franklin’s attack scored more than 300 goals in 19 games last season and should be just as dynamic this year with junior All-American Luke Davis joined by classmate Jayden Consigli, who were both in the top five in scoring in the league in 2021. Junior Tyler Sacchetti will be the third member of the attacking crew. Sophomore Drew Hansen and Ed O’Brien and junior John Walshe will make up the first midfield. Junior Justin Alexander was one of the best face-off middies in the state last year and the Panthers will be counting on him to control possessions again this season.
Senior Kyle Palmieri will lead the defensive group, which should once again be a challenge for the opposition to score against. Junior Ben Harvey and senior Billy Gardner will also be key players at close defense. Sophomore goalie Matt Corvi will step into the cage this spring and has the potential to be a standout.
2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview
“Once again, we will have a very competitive team this spring with a very tough schedule,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi.
2021 Record: 9-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Hal Bean
With more than a dozen players back in the fold from last year, King Philip is looking to take another step forward after posting a 9-5 record last year.
The Warriors have key pieces in the lineup all over the field, starting with senior goalie James Boldy. Boldy had a great campaign a season ago and will be among the top goalies in the league this year. He will work with fellow senior captain Will Weiblen and senior Shaun Fitzpatrick as the anchors of the King Philip defense.
There is a strong core of midfielders back in the mix this year, starting with returning faceoff specialist Thomas Brewster. He will be joined by a very experienced group that features seniors Ben Riggs, Sean McCarthy, Andrew Longobardi, Nolan Feyler,
Brayden Thompson, John Campbell, and Ian Hill, along with sophomore standout Noah Minkwitz. Riggs (31 points last year) will be one of the most dangerous two-way players in the league but KP has a lot of depth in the position.
Offensively, King Philip has Sean Crowther back in the fold, who was just one of six Hock players to reach the 40-goal mark on the season. He’s joined by Kip Bishop and Colin Lightbody, who both registered 19 points a year ago, as well as Colin Gillis and sophomore Donovan DeVellis.
“King Philip boys lacrosse expects to compete in every game and anticipates a productive season and playoff run,” said KP head coach Hal Bean “We all are looking forward to a fun season!”
2021 Record: 6-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Tim Frias
With a handful of young faces fighting for spots in the lineup, Mansfield is hoping to pick up valuable experience early and make a late charge for a spot in the state tournament.
The Hornets do have some experience on the defensive side of the ball with Ryan DeGirolamo starting in the cage and senior captains Zander Holmes and Mark DiGirolamo patrolling the space in front of him. Mansfield has a handful of young poles that will be in the mix including Liam Barry, Patrick Gormley, Nolan Bordieri, and James DeGirolamo.
The group of upperclassmen will make up the majority of the field with senior Dash Munson joining a trio of talented juniors in Grady Sullivan, Drew Sacco, and Cody Gordon. The Hornets have a lot of young players looking to find spots in the midfield and lineup and general, and new names that could contribute early on include Aidan Steele, Jake Feinberg, and Liam Steele.
2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview
In the attack, senior Jack Roberts will be accompanied by a pair of sophomores in Tommy Smith and Andrew Burnham.
2021 Record: 2-11 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Austin Costa
Under the guidance of new head coach Austin Costa, the Scarlet Hawks are aiming to show improvement throughout the season and set the program on an upward trajectory.
There is a strong mix of veteran leadership and new faces eager to find a spot in the lineup for Costa and the Scarlet Hawks this season. Senior captain Eric Landry is set to be the leader on the defensive end, and his experience will be key as Milford tries to fend off some lethal offenses. Landry will be joined by Brian Goncalves and junior Nick Casilli, both returners for the Scarlet Hawks. Defensive experience will be key as the Hawks turn to Alex McGuire for his varsity debut in the cage.
Offensively, look for veterans Jacob Ligor and Eric Farrell to be major contributors for the Scarlet Hawks. Both have a good amount of experience playing at this level and know what it takes to compete in the Hockomock League. Other returners for Milford include Kyle Donelan, Shawn O’Donnell, and Ronn Swineford while freshmen Alex Maietta and Jayden Martins have impressed early on and could be key contributors right away.
2021 Record: 7-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal Coach: Kevin Young
North Attleboro finished in a tie for third in the Davenport division last year and had an impressive playoff win over Belmont before being beaten by sectional finalist Medfield. The Rocketeers only graduated two players from last season’s team, so Big Red comes into the spring with big expectations of competing for a first league title since 2017 and being a threat in the state tournament.
The North attack should be an area of strength this season with seniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Ruppert, and Clayton Billingkoff all back up top. Antonetti led the team with 57 points in 2021. Juniors Jack Regan and Luke Ward have both had strong preseasons, while freshmen Ethan Gustafson and Brady Brackner could be poised for breakout debuts. Senior Jared Vacher will do his best to get as many possessions as possible for the North attack by winning draws.
North’s defense has plenty of experience as well. Senior Max Hobbs, Anthony Ferro, and James Brennan will get plenty of help from sophomore Connor Rajotte and junior LSM Julian House. The Rocketeers can also count on two experienced goalies with senior Ethan McGrath and junior JT Gallagher both back in the cage this spring.
“We know the Hockomock will be strong this year,” said North coach Kevin Young. “I am excited to watch this group compete and grow as a team.”
2021 Record: 3-11 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Ben Devlin
Oliver Ames coach Ben Devlin stepped down after last season, but he was convinced to come back this spring to lead a young Tigers team. Twenty-four of the 34 players in the program this year are either freshmen or sophomores, so OA will be counting on younger players to step up across the field and Devlin is excited about the promise he sees during the preseason.
Senior midfielder Wyatt Fritchman and junior attacker Ben Reardon will be the leaders on offense. Fritchman was second on the team in scoring last year and Reardon went on a run of nine goals in the final three games of his sophomore season. Senior Wes Tower is back to run things in the midfield and sophomores Ryan Jaco and Alex McAndrew have the potential to find the back of the net.
On the other end of the field, senior Cam Tower has been converted to LSM this season. The other poles will be led by junior Jake Manthous, who also was in charge of the face-offs last year, and sophomore Landon Grothe. Junior Noah Isleib returns in goal to keep things organized on defense and sophomore Ethan St. Jean will be his backup.
“Despite being much younger, we are looking to improve on last year’s results and continue building the program,” said Devlin. “We expect to have some growing pains early in the season, but look to improve as the younger players get experience and develop their game during the season. It’s never easy to rebuild in a talented league like the Hock. There aren’t any easy games as every team is talented and well-coached…but we are setting our sights on winning enough games to reach the postseason.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon has a solid core back from last year’s nine-win team but without any juniors on the squad, there will be a lot of young players in the lineup with most getting their first taste of varsity lacrosse.
With over a half dozen seniors on the roster, head coach Jon Shocket will lean heavily on their veteran leadership and experience as the new players get integrated into the lineup and acclimated with the speed of the high school game. The senior trio of Ben Shocket, Brady Daylor, and Ryan Zunenshine are this year’s captains.
The other seniors on the team include Jace Nestler, Matt Mahoney, James Lillenfeld, and Chance Hanah, and all four will be vital as the Eagles make a push for the postseason. There are four freshmen already in the lineup including Matt Powers in net, Jordan Burke at attack, and Zach Bernstein and Ben Goldberg at defense. Sophomores Gabe Korn, Ryan Brown, Jacob Kaufman, and Ronin Widland will also be in the mix for the Eagles.
“I hope to get a lot of growth from our team as we get more experience,” Shocket said.
Baseball
Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
King Philip @ Taunton – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/20 at 3:45.
Sharon @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, 4/7 at 3:45.
Softball
Sharon @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 vs. Bellingham, 4 – Final
Foxboro, 16 vs. Medway, 6 – Final – Locked in a close game at halftime, Foxboro dominated the second half to earn its first win of the season. The Warriors led by just three at the break (7-4) but beat the visitors 9-2 over the final two quarters to pull away for the win. Adam Addeche made 12 saves in the net to get the win. Sophomore Lincoln Moore scored three goals and had three assists, senior Tommy Sharkey added four goals and one helper, senior Jack Avery found the back of the net four times, and sophomores Sully Keneally (two goals) and Ryan Cotter (goal, assist) each had two points.
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Medway, 4 – Final – Foxboro went on the road in the rain, tossed a first half shutout (12-0), and rolled to a big non-league win. Paige Curran scored eight goals to pace the Warriors (she has 14 goals in two games) and assisted on two others. Grace Riley added a hat trick, while Mya Waryas and Cate Noone each scored two and assisted on another. Kate Collins (one assist), Val Beigel, and Hannah Blake also found the back of the net. Mary Collins had a pair of assists and Kaelin Connors had one helper. Lilli Jones made four saves in goal. Foxboro has outscored teams 37-8 through two games.
Boys Tennis
Sharon @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.
North Attleboro @ Sharon – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 0 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final
Milford vs. Bellingham, 6:00
Taunton, 0 vs. New Bedford, 3 – Final
Canton goalie Dylan Coyne makes one of his eight saves, helping the Bulldogs to a 7-6 win at Foxboro in a league title showdown. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – Midway through the second quarter, it looked like Canton could be running away with Wednesday evening’s showdown against fellow Davenport division leader Foxboro at Sam Berns Community Field, but with both defenses and both goalies on top of their games, the Warriors were able to creep back into the game.
Dylan Coyne came up with a pair of big saves in the final two minutes and was able to run nearly all of the final 40 seconds off the clock on a clear to preserve a 7-6 win for the visitors and gave the Bulldogs the upper hand on winning the league title. Canton was able to pull out the win despite scoring only two goals over the game’s final 30 minutes.
“It was a really good start for our guys,” said Canton coach Ryan Quinn. “I think we got a little bit lost in the middle of the game. Foxboro is a hell of a team. We expected a close game. Fortunately for us, like we’ve talked about all year, timely goals for our offense, really good job by our goalie not only making the saves but making the clears, and our defense doing what they always do.”
The Warriors had a great chance within the opening minute of the game, as midfielder Max Beigel broke free and had a good look at goal only to slam it off Coyne’s mask and out. Canton dominated the rest of the quarter, controlling the ball for long stretches at a time. Foxboro only had one other chance late in the first when Conor Noone spiked a shot on the edge of the crease that bounced wide.
It took eight minutes for the breakthrough goal. Freshman Brendan Tourgee got his hands free to the left side of the goal and went with a low-angle rip for a man-up goal. A minute later, Tourgee nearly added an assist when he picked out Jeffrey Chaput at the post only for Foxboro freshman goalie Adam Addeche to make a big stop.
Canton doubled its lead with another man-up chance. This time it was a sidearm effort through traffic by Jeff Fitzpatrick. Inside the final minute, the Bulldogs tacked on a third. Freshman Patrick Drury was able to beat Addeche (five saves) with a shot on the run.
“It was a lot to overcome with the heat,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “I’m telling you, my team didn’t come ready to play today and that was a very tough Canton team.”
After the rough start, Foxboro settled down to start the second and got on the board when Jack Avery fired a pass across the crease to Noone, who managed to jump, catch, and fire a behind-the-back shot all in one motion to beat Coyne.
The momentum was short-lived, as Canton restored its lead just 30 seconds later after Jack Albert made a great defensive play and a great clear up the sideline in front of the benches. Albert got the ball to Sam Carlino, who spun and fired a shot inside the post. A turnover was converted into a fifth goal, as Tourgee got the ball ahead to Chaput for a free run on goal.
With the game slipping away, Foxboro again came up with a big response, as Noone went with a low-angle shot to make it 5-2 heading into halftime. The Warriors had a little bit extra energy and seemed to be getting control on the defensive end.
Early in the third, Foxboro got one closer. Tom Sharkey used a turnover in the defensive zone to get a free run at Coyne and was able to score from close range.
Carlino had a good look at goal stopped by Addeche midway through the quarter, but the Bulldogs were suddenly struggling to maintain possession and creating very few chances.
Quinn explained, “We weren’t running to the ball, our offense was kind of taking for granted the possessions we had, but I got to tell you Foxboro’s defense is a hell of a defense. They put a lot of pressure on our guys and threw a couple different mixes in.”
Freshman Lincoln Moore almost got Foxboro back within one but his point-blank leaping shot was denied by Coyne (eight saves). The Warriors would get closer when Sharkey added his second of the quarter, beating his marker with a quick dodge and scoring at the near post to make it 5-4.
Noone noted, “My kids battled. We’re young. I only have two seniors on this team.”
After going scoreless in the third, Canton was able to finally find the back of the net 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Carlino showed his strength to ride several checks and hits from multiple defenders to get to the crease and he grabbed his second of the night.
One minute later, Foxboro was right back in the game. After a Canton turnover on the sideline, Nick Penders cut in from the right, took a hit, and managed to squeeze his shot past Coyne while falling to the ground. This time, Canton needed only a minute to respond. Out of a timeout, Chaput was able to draw defenders at the ‘X’ and find a cutting Carlino, who made a nice catch on the high pass and finished, completing his hat trick and making it 7-5.
The score stayed the same for almost five minutes, but the young Warriors weren’t done yet. Moore was able to beat his man on the left side of goal and fired a high shot past Coyne to bring the hosts back within one with 3:30 to play.
Foxboro had its chances to try and force overtime. Sharkey got free with two minutes to go but Coyne made the stop and then it was Sharkey again getting the run on his marker, this time from behind the goal, but Coyne was again equal to it. The Canton goalie raced upfield on the clear and used up almost all of the remaining time.
“I don’t know if I’ll make it through the year,” Quinn joked. “I’m going to have a heart attack. These games are so good. We’ll have a big practice tomorrow and then hopefully take care of business on Friday.”
At the final whistle there was plenty of back-and-forth between the two teams, as Canton (11-0, 10-0) took a lead in the title race. Nothing has been decided yet though. Foxboro (10-3, 8-1) will have its chance to answer back when the teams meet again at WWII Vets Memorial Field on Friday afternoon. If the Warriors win the rematch, then they will clinch at least a share of the title and Canton will need to win its final game against Oliver Ames to match.
“My team is going to feed off that. You believe me, my team is going to show up to play,” said Noone. “We’re going to get to work tomorrow and I’m telling you we’re going to be ready to play on Friday. If we lose, power to them because they’re going to have to play their best game to beat us.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Only teams that responded to HockomockSports.com with information regarding their team and the upcoming season are listed in this year’s preview.
2019 Record: 4-14 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro is a young program and, after the two-year break, also has a young roster, but the Bombardiers have a group of experienced players to lean on at both ends of the field to try and build on the four wins from 2019.
Senior Michael Strachan will lead the Attleboro attack and he’s joined up top by junior Keigan Conley, who played two years ago as a freshman, and sophomore Carter Shelton. In the midfield, senior Dan White and Matt Perry will be joined by junior Ryan Betts. Attleboro has a lot of depth in the midfield with juniors Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlaca and senior Elijah Turner, who has transferred in from Xaverian. Junior Freddy Wheaton and senior goalie William Runey will be the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Wheaton’s brother John and freshman Bobby Sawyer will also jump in on defense. Senior Jack Nagy and freshmen Ethan Lyons and Shane Evans will also see action in defense this season. Freshman Harry Wheaton will be the backup goalie this year.
2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
“After missing last season due to pandemic, our team (like all others in the league) is young,” said Attleboro coach Kevin Patton. “However, we do have a lot of varsity experience on the team from returning players. This coupled with leadership from our captains has me excited for the season.”
2019 Record: 12-8 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Interim Coach: Tommy Galvin
Canton came close to winning its third league title in program history in 2019, finishing just a game back of Foxboro, and now the Bulldogs return a veteran spine for the new coaching staff to build around. With a few exciting newcomers, especially in attack, Canton could be ready to challenge for its third title in the past eight seasons.
Experience will be key for the defensive unit. Senior goalie Dylan Coyne provides a big frame and a tough, physical presence in goal. In front of him, senior Jack Albert is a strong on-the-ball defender and freshman LSM Colin Blake should be able to step right in and make an impact. Canton is hoping to limit the transition game and use its strength to keep the opposition away from goal. Senior midfielder Jeff Fitzpatrick is strong on the faceoff ‘X’ and can jump into the attack. Junior Sam Carlino has been explosive through the first two games, with 12 goals already, and he leads a relatively young attacking crew. Sophomore attacker Jeff Chaput and freshman midfielder Brendan Tourgee should contribute to Canton’s offense right away.
“We have a mix of veteran players and new players and I am very excited to see what this group can accomplish this year,” said Canton interim coach Tommy Galvin. “We have great leadership and are a gritty team who plays until the final whistle.”
Foxboro is in search of a three-peat of Davenport division titles, but the Warriors will also be looking to the future with a relatively young and inexperienced roster. There are only three seniors on the roster this season, so underclassmen will be getting the chance to contribute right away at both ends of the field.
Senior Nick Penders has been on varsity since his freshman season and will be an important contributor both at the faceoff ‘X’ and in the attack. He will be joined in the midfield by classmate Max Biegel, whose athleticism makes him a factor on offense and defense. Junior Tommy Sharkey, sophomore Finn Stapleton, and freshman Tony Sulham will round out the midfield unit. At the back, senior Paul Andrews will add leadership once he returns from a football injury. Junior Jack Avery saw some time as a freshman and he’ll get help in the attack from sophomore Conor Noone and freshman Lincoln Moore. Juniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts will lead the defensive corps until Andrews returns and freshman Adam Addeche will continue a family legacy as he steps in at goal.
2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
“Right now we are shaking a lot of rust off,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “We are young, but we will be tough! I look forward to this young team as they grow and come together.”
Franklin has developed not only into a league power, having won the outright Kelley-Rex division title in each of the past five seasons, but is showing that it can compete with the top programs in the state. In 2019, the Panthers reached the South semifinal and lost by just one to perennial power Duxbury. This year’s team expects to be just as skilled and athletic as usual with sights set on another league crown.
The centerpiece of the Franklin attack will be senior Matt Lazzaro, an All-American in 2019, and he will be partnered up top by sophomore Luke Davis, whose brothers Will (goalie) and Jake (attacker) are both playing college, and sophomore Jayden Consigli, who moved from Northbridge. The midfield is loaded with athletes, including Owen Kielty, Joe Consigli, Tim Walsh, and Mike Griffin. Zach Harvey will lead the defensive unit along with Ben Harvey and Kyle Palmieri. Senior Jack Maguire will step in between the pipes with freshman Matt Corvi also ready to jump in and play goal when needed. Justin Alexander will be taking faceoffs, following in the footsteps of his brother Jacob who was the league MVP in 2019.
“We have a very competitive group of lacrosse athletes this year,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “We are looking forward to see what this group can do during our Hock schedule and hopefully advance in the state tournament.”
2019 Record: 8-10 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Tim Frias
Mansfield reached the postseason in 2019 only to have to face Franklin in the first round. With 10 seniors returning this spring, the Hornets will be hoping to lean on their experience to challenge the Panthers in the race for the Kelley-Rex division crown and get playing time for a large and talented sophomore class getting its first taste of varsity action.
The Hornets should have the speed to burn and plenty of aggressive play in the middle of the field with seniors Nico Holmes, Ethan Bruce, and Joe Gormley. Seniors Thomas Norton, Jake Quirk, and Dylan Morris will give Mansfield some versatility and dynamism in the attacking zone. Seniors Ben Johnston, Frankie Kennedy, and Ben Tatusko will be the leaders in the defensive corps. Sophomore Ryan DeGirolamo will step into the cage and anchor the defense.
“There are a number of key young players we look at to play an integral part in this year’s team,” said Mansfield coach Tim Frias. “Our strength will be speed and size.”
2019 Record: 10-8 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal Coach: Kevin Young
North Attleboro finished a game out of first in 2019 and now two years later the Rocketeers will be looking to take that next step and snatch back the Davenport division title from Foxboro. North has a good blend of experience and new faces, strength in defense, and dynamic attackers to challenge for the league title this year.
2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
Defense is going to be a key for the Rocketeers. Senior Tyler Sarro has been a starter since his freshman year and the St. Michael’s-commit is going to be the leader in the defensive end of the field. Senior LSM Sam Gugliotta will add more experience at the back, while Eric Hobbs and James Brennan look ready to step into bigger roles. In the attack, juniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Rupert, and Clayton Billingkoff will try to build on the experience they had as freshmen to shoulder the scoring load this season. Midfielder Jared Vacher is going to step in at the faceoff ‘X’ and North has a pair of new goalies, Ethan McGrath and JT Gallagher, who have had solid preseasons and look ready to compete at this level.
“COVID has hit all sports hard,” said North coach Kevin Young. “We are focusing on getting all players ready to step into any role. It will be a challenging year but, we’re glad to be back.”
2019 Record: 14-5 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Ben Devlin
Oliver Ames won 14 games in 2019 and finished tied with King Philip for second in the Kelley-Rex division, but two years later only one player from that team is back as the Tigers look to make noise in the Davenport. Despite its inexperience, the Tigers will be hoping that the underclassmen can step in and help OA challenge for a league title.
The lone player with varsity experience is senior attacker Remi Creighton. One of the league’s most creative players, Creighton had 60 points as a sophomore and will be the spearhead of OA’s attack. Seniors Doug Oliveira and Ross Carroll will also add to the offensive punch and sophomore attacker Ben Reardon will make his varsity debut this season. Juniors Wyatt Frichtman and Wes Tower will both step in after a year with JV in 2019. Senior Brendan Cross and Michael Branagan will be joined on defense by sophomore Jake Manthous and freshman LSM Landon Grothe. Sophomore Noah Isleib and junior Cam Tower will battle for the starting goalie spot.
“It’s tough to replace what OA lax graduated last year,” said OA coach Ben Devlin. “We now have a lot of kids that haven’t played together before and many who haven’t played a lacrosse game in over two years. We’ll be focused on getting these guys on the same page and working off some rust while incorporating a lot of young players.”
2019 Record: 7-11 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon has a team loaded with upperclassmen this season and, despite missing last spring, the Eagles are hoping that experience will carry them up the standings to challenge Foxboro at the top of the Davenport division.
The Eagles will be hoping to bolster the attack this season, led by senior Drew Litner, who played a part in more than half of the team’s goals as a sophomore. Junior Brady Daylor will be taking on a bigger role in the midfield this season and his classmate Ben Shocket could be ready for a breakout season on the faceoff ‘X’ after being third in the league in faceoff wins as a freshman. Defensively, senior Shea Letendre will be the vocal leader and senior Adam Rabb is back in goal to anchor things at that end of the field.
“We’re very excited about the upcoming season,” said Sharon coach Jon Shocket. “We have several returning starters with a majority of our team seniors and juniors.”
