Baseball
Foxboro, 10 @ Norwell, 3 – Final – Foxboro pushed across six runs in the top of the first and that was all the support freshman Nolan Gordon needed in his first career start as the Warriors broke into the win column. Gordon allowed three runs on five hits and one walk, striking out five in six innings of work to get the win. Offensively, senior Jack Watts set the tone from the leadoff spot with a three-hit, three RBI performance while Sean O’Leary added three hits and Mike Marcucella had two hits.
King Philip, 10 vs. Norton, 3 – Final – The offense came early and often for the red-hot Warriors, who combined to score six runs in the first two innings and four runs between the fourth and fifth innings in a non-league win over Norton. An RBI double from Brendan Sencaj got things going, and then a base hit RBI from Rudy Gately quickly made things 2-0 for the hosts. In the second, Will Astorino (double) and Brendan Weddleton (single) both scored on a two-run single from Travis Crawford, who then scored on a fielder’s choice from Shawn Legere, who came around to score on a wild pitch. Crawford (triple) came home to score on an RBI from Matt Kelley in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-3. Crawford added an RBI in the fifth, and then scored along with Weddleton on a double from Kelley. On the mound, sophomore Tommy McLeish allowed three runs in 3.2 innings of work with three strikeouts. Mark Tagerman (2.1IP) and Kelley (1IP, 1K) closed the game out in relief.
Mansfield @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 4 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final
Softball
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Walpole, 3 – Final (8 inn.) – Oliver Ames had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth but was unable to push across the go ahead run, and a pair of errors led to a walk off win for the host Rebels. OA took the lead in the first when Maddie Homer singled, stole second, and scored on a hit from Emily Martin (two hits). OA added another run in the third when Lexi Galsband knocked in Paige Taylor to make it 2-0. Katie Melendy tossed an eight-inning complete game for the second straight day, striking out three while allowing no earned runs and only four hits.
Mansfield, 5 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Foxboro scored all eight runs in the first three innings and then held off the Hornets to get the win. The Warriors plated three runs in the first, two in the second, and three more in the third. Mansfield had 10 hits on the day with Cat Kipp, Liv Madeira and Jill Koppy each recording two while Callie Lake, Casey Moussette, Alanna Conley and Liv DeTrolio each adding one. Amanda Schwarz and Julia combined to strike out three, allowing eight hits and five walks.
Stoughton, 9 @ Brockton, 2 – Final – Stoughton won its third straight game and second in as many days, this time knocking off the Boxers for the second time this season. Kerry Driscoll had a great performance in the circle, only allowing four hits with three strikeouts in a complete game effort. Offensively, Alyssa Edwards for 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI, Driscoll helped her own cause with three hits (two doubles) and two RBI, Julie Powers also had three hits (one double), and both Sydney Menz (two hits), and Katie Bulger (3 RBI) had a big day at the plate.
Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 3:45
Franklin, 21 @ Sharon, 7 – Final – Franklin found the back of the net nine times in the opening quarter and established a 16-4 lead by halftime in a win on the road over Sharon. Luke Davis paced the offense with six goals and an assist while Tyler Sacchetti (four assists) and Jayden Consigli (three assists) each scored four goals apiece. Justin Alexander had a big day at the faceoff X, going 16-for 21 in the first half.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – Wyatt Fritchman and Wes Tower each scored one for the shorthanded Tigers.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Ava Adams scored six goals and Lola Varricchione scored four goals and had three assists to lead the Hornets to a big divisional win. Attleboro, which was shorthanded with players on a school trip, stayed close in the first half, cutting the lead to 5-2, but Mansfield would score the game’s final 11 goals to earn its second win in a row. Stella Moore added two goals for the Hornets who also got goals from Gabriella Geminiani, Cammy Shanteler, Rose Maher, and Ella Palanza. Caitlyn Zajac made five saves for the Hornets.
Foxboro, 20 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Paige Curran found the back of the net five times while Mya Waryas and Mary Collins each had four goals as Foxboro rolled to a win on the road over Taunton. Curran finished with eight points, Waryas added five helpers for nine points, and Collins chipped in with two assists for six points. Val Beigel added four points (three goals), Cate Noone scored twice with one assist, and Kate Collisn (goal), Kaelin Connors (goal), and Nina Della Valle (assist) each had one point.
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Franklin stayed undefeated to start the season, notching a big win under the lights on Thursday evening. Kaitlyn Carney paced the offense with four goals while Stella Regan recorded five assists in the win. Kate O’Rourke, Kenzie Baker, Anna Grasso, and Grace Nesbit all played great in the midfield with four groundballs.
King Philip, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – King Philip raced out to an 11-1 lead by halftime and never looked back for a win on the road in Easton. Lily Brown was a menace defensively with seven caused turnovers and added four draw controls and four points (three goals, one assist) for the Warriors. Morgan Cunningham had a big day offensively with a hat trick and three assists, Julia Marsden added four goals, Makenzie McDevitt chipped in with three goals and one assist, and Haley Izydorczak finished with a pair of goals and one helper. Emily Campbell and Haley Bright both played well in net, combining for seven saves.
North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Tennis
Taunton @ New Bedford, 4:00
Girls Tennis
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip defended home court on Thursday afternoon, taking all five matches in straight sets against the visiting Black Knights. Junior Ahunna James and senior Sammie Taylor both won without dropping a set, 6-0, 6-0, at first and third singles, respectively while sophomore Shea Mellman added a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of junior Lauren Casper and senior Resha Ajoy secured a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and KP’s second doubles tandem of juniors Caroline Freese and Carlie Burns swept their match, 6-0, 6-0.
Franklin, 0 @ Hopkinton, 5 – Final
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00
Boys Volleyball
Milford vs. Dighton-Rehoboth – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 0 @ Quincy, 3 – Final
2021 Record: 5-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.
It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.
Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.
In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.
“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”
2021 Record: 8-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.
The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.
“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”
2021 Record: 5-10 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.
Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.
Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.
Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.
“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”
2021 Record: 16-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.
Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.
King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.
Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.
“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.
The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.
“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”
2021 Record: 5-9 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.
Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.
The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.
“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”
2021 Record: 12-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.
Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.
One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.
A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.
“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”
2021 Record: 3-12 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.
It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.
Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.
Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.
Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.
“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”
2021 Record: 13-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.
The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.
Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.
“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”
Sophomore Trevor Marder made 27 saves, but Medway scored inside the final thre minutes to avoid Foxboro’s first round upset bid. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – This has been a tough season for Foxboro. The Warriors have battled injuries to its top players, seen portions of the team miss time due to COVID, and even had to start a player in goal who had never played the position before. After winning its final two games of the regular season, Foxboro (10-11-0) clinched its tournament berth and was given the No. 27 seed.
If there was any doubt that, when full strength, Foxboro had the potential to earn a much higher seed, Saturday afternoon’s Div. 3 first round playoff game against Medway at Pirelli Veterans Arena was proof.
The Warriors gave the Mustangs all that they could handle in front of the partisan crowd, with sophomore goalie Trevor Marder standing out in his playoff debut. The game was scoreless with less than three minutes to play and a few nervous Medway fans were thinking Foxboro might be able to pull off the upset.
But, a turnover in the defensive zone gave Medway one more chance and a perfect pass set up the game’s only goal, as the No. 6 seed skated away with the 1-0 win and advanced to face its rival Medfield in the second round.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We’ve dealt with a lot of adversity this year. I couldn’t be prouder of this senior class because they really showed some true grit and true leadership at the end.”
He added, “It just goes to show that we were a better team than what we were seeded. Some of those games that we were just missing guys, we showed tonight that we were better than a 27-seed.”
Medway dominated zone time throughout the game and would have a sizable advantage in shots on goal (28-18) but rarely felt like it had full control. Laurence Eaton broke free for Medway’s first good chance but Marder (27 saves) stayed tall to stop the backhand attempt at the post. The Mustangs would also hit the post in the first.
It took Foxboro 11 minutes to create its first shot on goal, with Jack Watts teeing up Matt Grace for a snap shot from the high slot that forced Medway goalie Evan Monaghan into a save. Derek Axon got in behind the medway defense on a rush up the left side but the back check of Camden Condlin denied the shooting chance.
After a relatively clean first period, the second was riddled with penalties. Alex Infanger had one of Medway’s best power play chances with a shot from the point that was blockered aside and the Mustangs had a goal waved off when Pari Lykourinos knocked in a rebound with his hand.
Foxboro continued to create scoring chances in transition. Tom Marcucella had a rush down the right wing but just missed the net from the face-off circle. Steven Bridges played a pass from behind the net to Axon out in front but Monaghan reacted quickly to smother the shot. Watts and Grace nearly combined to good effect only for Grace’s shot to slide just wide of the post.
The Warriors had a great breakout of the zone with two minutes left in the second. Watts played the puck up the boards and Axon’s deft touch took it past the defenseman and into the path of Grace, but Monaghan stuck out a pad to deny the opening goal. Marder then pulled off a nice glove save to rob Jack Carr in front.
Marder was just getting started and he would get plenty of help from his defensemen as well. Carr had another great look from the slot but Dylan Pothier put himself in the way to block. Just seconds after Sean Murphy hit the post with a rocket of a wrist shot, Nathan VanSaun was free in the slot until Sully Kenneally came diving across to block.
Then it was time for the Foxboro goalie to steal the show. Marder moved quickly to deny VanSaun, who was wide open in the slot, and he threw out a pad to stop another close-range chance VanSaun. Just seconds later, after Watts nearly hit on the break only to have Monaghan get a toe to a shot from the wing, Marder robbed Ryan Gagnon on the doorstep.
“Trevor played lights out,” said Cedorchuk. “Our D played spectacular. They all played well and our goalie really stepped up. He made some spectacular saves. There were a couple leg saves he made that I just thought that’s going in and he stuck out the leg.”
In the end, Marder could only do so much. A poor clearance from deep inside the defensive zone was picked off at the blue line and gave Eaton a free path to goal. The Medway defenseman saucered a pass across the crease to Gagnon coming in at the far post and he slammed it into the back of the net to finally end Foxboro’s resistance.
The Warriors would have one last chance with two minutes to go, but Ben Ricketts couldn’t get a clean shot off from the slot and Monaghan saved it comfortably. Medway saw out the final seconds to move on.
Cedorchuk said, “They got that one little play at the end when we were trying to come out of the zone. We misplayed the puck that one time and that was the break that they capitalized on but our guys came to play.
“They definitely left everything out on the ice and they played with intensity and fast pace and I thought for the most part we matched them.”
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 45 vs. Hopkinton, 53 – Final
Franklin, 41 @ Worcester North, 39 – Final
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 33 vs. Medfield, 38 – Final
Boys Hockey
King Philip, 2 @ Norwood, 4 – Final
Taunton, 4 vs. Apponequet, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 4 @ Norton, 1 – Final – Matt Grace scored a pair of second period goals to lead the Warriors to a win over Norton, clinching a spot in the postseason. Jack Watts and Tom Marcucella each chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Warriors won their third game in the last four to finish at 10-10. Trevor Marder had a strong game in net for Foxboro.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 5 vs. Walpole, 2 – Final – Tess Khoury scored a hat trick and Payton McDonough had four assists, as Canton picked up a big win in its final game of the regular season.
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 83 vs. Middleboro, 52 – Final – Foxboro’s offense was nearly unstoppable in the third quarter as the Warriors used a 26-point frame to blow the game wide open in a win over Middleboro, claiming the Warrior Classic Championship. Senior Dylan Gordon made half of his 12 field goals in the third quarter alone and had 14 of his team-high 28 points as Foxboro turned a 10-point halftime lead (35-25) into a 61-36 advantage going into the fourth. Junior Alex Penders added 16 points on eight makes from the floor and Sam Golub sank four threes, finishing with 13 points.
King Philip, 56 vs. Hanover, 65 – Final – King Philip cut the deficit down to three going into the final quarter but the Warriors couldn’t keep pace with Hanover over the final eight minutes. KP used a 24-point third quarter, getting a pair of threes from Charlie Grant (11 points), seven points from Braeden Sottile (13 points) and six from Will Laplante (15 points) to make it 45-42 going into the fourth but Hanover pulled away with the win over the final eight minutes.
North Attleboro, 27 vs. Randolph, 51 – Final – North Attleboro trailed by just six at halftime and played good defense throughout, but couldn’t keep pace with the Blue Devils in the second half. Casey Poirier scored half of his eight points in the first and Givany Carney had four as the Rocketeers established a 10-6 lead after eight minutes. Randolph took control with a 19-point second quarter, taking a 25-19 advantage into the break. Brody Rosenberg added six points for North.
Stoughton, 66 vs. Southeastern, 44 – Final – Stoughton held Southeastern scoreless for over seven minutes in the third quarter, turning a tie game at halftime in a blowout win. The Knights were deadlocked at 32-32 at the break but came out and dominated the Hawks in the third, opening on a 15-0 run before Southeastern got on the board with under a minute to go. Stoughton put the game away with a 9-2 burst to open the fourth quarter. Connor Andrews scored 11 points in the pivotal third quarter and finished with a game-high 25 points while junior Rayan Sablon connected on five threes and finished with 20 points. Konrad Rogers chipped in with a career-best 11 points.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 53 vs. Walpole, 62 – Final – Despite three players in double digits, Foxboro fell to visiting Walpole in the final of the Warrior Classic. Kailey Sullivan led the way with 17 points and was named to the all-tournament team. Hannah Blake and Camryn Collins each finished with 13 points.
Oliver Ames, 46 vs. Medfield, 64 – Final – Oliver Ames entered halftime trailing by just two (29-27) but a big third quarter from Medfield created the separation the Warriors needed to get the win. Caroline Peper had a team-high 15 points, Jasmyn Cooper added 14 points, and Sarah Hilliard chipped in with 10 points for The Tigers, who will host Medfield in a rematch on Thursday.
King Philip, 58 @ Shrewsbury, 29 – Final – KP won for the second time in as many days and clinched a spot in the state tournament. The Warriors held Shrewsbury to just two points in the first quarter and 10 points in the opening half to build a double-digit lead. Coming out of the break, KP scored 22 points in the third quarter to break the game open and then secured the win by holding Shrewsbury to only five points over the final eight minutes. Emily Sawyer had a big day in the middle for the Warriors, nearly matching Shrewsbury on her own by scoring 24 points. Julia Marsden and Elizabeth Molla each scored 10 points in the in win and Jackie Bonner returned from an injury to knock down a pair of threes and score eight points.
Stoughton, 52 @ Waltham, 61 – Final – Stoughton put up a great fight but fell on the road in its final game of the season. Senior Vanessa Phelimond led Stoughton with 11 points while senior Kate Bulger chipped in with nine points.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro had an offensive explosion on Tuesday afternoon, netting a pair of shorthanded goals in a win over Attleboro. The Warriors put 54 shots on net with Jack Watts pacing the offense with a hat trick and one assist. Ben Ricketts added two goals and Matt Grace finished with three assists.
Canton, 6 vs. Boston Latin, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Canton got a pair of second period goals from its defense to come from behind and beat Franklin. With the win, the Bulldogs sweep the season series with the Panthers and complete an undefeated league campaign. Franklin took the lead in the first when Molly Hurley redirected a pass from Lindsay Dennett. Canton answered back in the second, as Tori Carr and Maya Battista both found the back of the net. The Bulldogs were able to fend off pressure from the Panthers in the third to pick up the win.
Foxboro senior Jack Watts has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for Dec. 27 through Jan. 1. Watts is the 14th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2021-22 school year and the third of the winter season.
Watts has been critical to Foxboro’s perfect start to the season and last week he had 14 points (five goals and nine assists) as the Warriors picked up road wins against Old Rochester and Blue Hills. He had a hand in all but one of the 15 goals that the Warriors scored over the two games, as they improved to 3-0 on the season.
After scoring a goal in a season-opening 2-1 victory over Northbridge, Watts took his offensive game up a notch last week. He accounted for all five goals in a win against Old Rochester, scoring twice and adding three assists. Less than 24 hours later, Foxboro was back on the ice against Blue Hills and the Warriors scored 10 goals as a team. Watts was a part of all but one of those scores, recording a hat trick of his own and assisting on six other goals, proving unstoppable in the offensive zone.
The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.
Jack Watts
Jack Watts The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Jack Watts The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.
Boys Basketball
Franklin, 53 vs. Worcester North, 42 – Final – Franklin held just a one-possession lead with just under five minutes to go in the game but limited Worcester North to just two points over the final 4:47, finishing the contest on a 10-2 run to get the win. The Panthers trailed after one (12-9) but took a one-point lead (20-19) into halftime, and a four-point lead (37-33) into the final quarter. Sophomore Henry Digiorgio scored six of his game-high 22 points in the final quarter and senior Sean Vinson added seven of his 12 points in the fourth. Franklin hit 12 three-pointers on the day, with Digiorgio sinking five, Vinson and Andrew O’Neill each with two, and Ben Harvey, Justin Allen, and Sean O’Leary all adding one.
Sharon, 65 vs. Waltham, 50 – Final – Sharon tightened it up defensively in the fourth and turned it on offensively in the same frame to pull away from Waltham to claim the Clocker Classic Championship. The Eagles were locked in a tight battle with Waltham, leading slightly after one (15-12) and three (40-38), and tied at halftime (25-25). Sophomore Nate Katznelson delivered a career-high 21 points, scoring 14 in the second half. Sophomore Jacob McLaughlin added a career-high 14 points, half coming in the third quarter, and senior Matt Baur finished strong with 11 of his 16 points coming in Sharon’s decisive 25-point fourth quarter.
Girls Basketball
King Philip, 51 vs. Chicopee, 57 – Final – KP fell behind by eight points after the first quarter and couldn’t catch Chicopee Comp to lose for the first time this season. The Warriors struggled to contain Chicopee’s top scorers Yamirelis Natos (19 points) and Nicole Rodriguez (game-high 20 points, including four threes). After Chicopee took the first 18-10, KP rallied to cut the lead in half by the break. In the third quarter, Chicopee extended the lead back to seven. The fourth quarter was a shootout, as KP scored 19 points in an attempt to come from behind, but Rodriguez scored nine of Chicopee’s 18 to hold off the Warriors. Emily Sawyer scored a team-high 17 points, including nine in the second quarter. Liv Lafond added 15, 12 of them coming in the second half, and Jackie Bonner scored 10, knocking down three from the outside. The trio combined for 17 of KP’s 19 points during the fourth quarter.
North Attleboro, 42 vs. Durfee, 44 – Final – Durfee grabbed an offensive rebound and scored as time expired to pull out the win in the final of Taunton’s holiday tournament. Even with leading scorer Summer Doherty limited with two early fouls, North went into halftime down just 22-20. The Rocketeers never trailed by more than five points after the break. Sam Sweeney knocked down a big three with 1:15 left to play that cut the Durfee lead down to two. After a big defensive stop, Katie Corsetti was fouled going to the basket and hit both free throws to tie the game. Ava McKeon and Taylor McMath both led the Rocketeers with eight points apiece, and McMath also added eight offensive rebounds. Sweeney and Doherty each finished with seven points and Doherty was named to the all-tournament team.
Taunton, 34 vs. Holliston, 37 – Final – After scoring only eight points in the opening half, Taunton rallied after halftime to close the gap and nearly pull off a come from behind win in the consolation round of its holiday tournament. Jillian Doherty scored four of Taunton’s eight points before the break. The Tigers then came out in the third quarter and scored 15 as a team, adding 11 more in the fourth. A day after scoring 28 against Durfee, Kameron St. Pierre took a little while to get going against the Panthers but exploded for 11 of her team-high 13 points in the second half to help with the comeback. Cali Melo added all nine of her points in the second half and Lexi Haywood knocked down a big three.
Foxboro, 10 @ Blue Hills, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Foxboro senior Jack Watts had a day to remember, scoring a hat trick and recorded six assists to pace the Warriors to a big win over Blue Hills. Freshman Brett Axon also scored three goals in the win.
King Philip, 4 vs. North Quincy, 0 – Final
Mansfield, 6 vs. Shrewsbury, 3 – Final
North Attleboro @ Moses Brown (R.I.), 2:00 (@ Levy Rink)
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Winchester, 5 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Dedham, 1 – Final (OT) – Freshman Julia Flynn scored the game-winning goal in overtime to help the Panthers grab their third win of the season. Sophomore Lyndsey Dennett recorded the assist on the game-winner, setting up Flynn for her goal. Junior Dana Stott scored the other goal for Franklin while Izzy Brown had a strong game in net.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan – Postponed to TBD.
Canton, 46 @ Randolph, 56 – Final
King Philip, 66 vs. New Bedford, 63 – Final – King Philip junior Tommy Martorano hit six fourth quarter free throws to cap off a career-best 36-point performance to lead the Warriors to a win over New Bedford in Randolph’s Blue Devil Holiday Tournament. Without leading scorers Will Laplante and Danny Clancy in the lineup, Martorano took advantage of his opportunity. He came out of the gates flying with 10 point sin the opening quarter and had 23 by halftime as KP established a 46-28 lead by the break. New Bedford cut into the lead in the third and then came out flying in the fourth, getting it down to one-possession a handful of times in the final minutes but Martorano kept the Warriors ahead with shots from the line. Senior Braeden Sottile added 10 points for KP, who will take on host Randolph in the tournament final on Thursday at 6:30.
Milford vs. Bethany Christian – Postponed to TBD.
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 39 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for 26 points in the third quarter, turning a close game at halftime (25-19) into a comfortable victory over Dighton-Rehoboth in the opening round of the Muscato Holiday Tournament. MJ Jean-Baptiste scored eight of his career-high 14 points in the big third quarter for the Tigers, who had six players contribute to the 26-point frame. Zach Tagliamonte added four of his 11 points in the frame and Drew Baxter scored five of his nine.
Sharon, 68 vs. Fitchburg, 64 – Final (OT) – Sharon saw its eight-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter disappear over the final eight minutes but senior John Baez went 6-for-6 at the line in the overtime period to help the Eagles outlast Fitchburg. Baez finished with a career-high 16 points, going 8-for-8 from the line and hitting four shots from the field. Sharon’s bench had a big showing, helping the Eagles rally from a first half deficit. Junior Tyler Goodman led the charge off the bench with 10 points, Jacob McLaughlin added eight points, Nate Katznelson chipped in with six points and five boards, and Nate Yaffe had a key three in the first half. Sharon will take on Waltham on Wednesday night at 7:00 in the finals of the Ashland Clocker Classic.
Taunton, 72 @ Durfee, 77 – Final
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 41 vs. Bishop Feehan, 78 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Attleboro faced it third state title contender in its opening five games and the Bombardiers struggled to contain Feehan’s balanced offensive attack. Eight different players scored for the Shamrocks, including three in double digits, and Feehan 20 or more points in each of the first three quarters to pick up the win. Meghan Gordon led the Bombardiers with 15, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Lily Routhier added nine. Lindsey Perry scored all seven of her points in the second half, as Attleboro scored in double digits as a team in three of the four quarters, despite Feehan’s tough pressure defense.
Foxboro, 53 @ Needham, 47 – Final – Hannah Blake led all scorers with 21 points to help the Warriors win a third straight game and pick up an impressive non-league road victory. Freshman Kailey Sullivan hit double digits for the third straight game, adding 14 in the win.
Mansfield, 42 vs. Westwood, 43 – Final – Despite having junior Abby Wager leave with an injury midway through the third quarter, Mansfield battled Westwood to the final minutes in a game that was back-and-forth throughout. The Hornets had a one-point lead after one, but the Wolverines tied the game at halftime. Westwood won the third quarter 10-9, and held onto that advantage to the end. Kara Santos was the top scorer for the Hornets with seven points, including seven in the first half. Wager scored nine before her injury and Rose Maher and Bridget Hanley each had five. Mansfield will face Fontbonne in the consolation round of the Hearts for Hope Tournament on Thursday at 5:30.
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Walpole, 37 – Final – Oliver Ames built a double-digit lead by halftime and went on to turn it into a blowout win over Walpole. The Tigers, limited to just seven players in uniform, played with a lot of discipline to only have two fouls in the first. Senior Caroline Peper led the way with 19 points, four blocks, and four steals while Jasmyn Cooper added 16 points (8-for-8 free throw) and 12 rebounds in the win.
Sharon @ East Bridgewater – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 53 vs. Durfee, 59 – Final – Kameron St. Pierre scored a game-high 28 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers in the first round of their holiday tournament. Taunton went into the break down by just four, 31-27, after St. Pierre beat the buzzer with a near half-court three. She finished the first half with 18 of her team’s 27 points. St. Pierre added 10 more in the second half, including six from the line. Braeley MacDonald chipped in with a pair of threes and eight points in the second half. Durfee’s MacKenzie Carreiro scored 16 of her team-high 23 in the second half to help the Hilltoppers hold on and advance to face North Attleboro in Wednesday’s final. Taunton will face Holliston in the consolation round.
North Attleboro, 41 vs. Holliston, 38 – Final – The Rocketeers locked down on defense, using an effective 1-2-2 press to keep Holliston’s bigs from getting touches, and earned a win in the first round of the Taunton holiday tournament. North led 16-5 after one quarter, went into halftime up by nine and was able to hold off the Panthers in the second half to reach the final. Summer Doherty gave North an offensive spark, scoring 10 of her 19 points in the opening half. Taylor McMath added eight points for the Rocketeers, who missed some chances to put the game away at the line but continued to grind on defense to keep the lead. North will face Durfee in the final on Wednesday at 7:00.
Milford, 40 vs. Norwell, 60 – Final
Canton, 42 vs. Hingham, 51 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. The Bulldogs got off to a tough start to the game, falling behind 21-8 after one quarter and never fully recovered to lose to a fellow D2 tournament contender. Hingham’s pressure defense caused Canton problems early, but Sydney Gallery knocked down a pair of threes, scoring half of her 12 points in the first. The Bulldogs played better defensively in the second, holding the Harborwomen to just seven points and cutting the lead to single digits at halftime. Erin Beatty provided a spark off the bench, grabbing double digit rebounds and hitting a three in the second. Kiara Cerruti (11 points) scored four and Fay Gallery (12 points) added a three in the second. Cerruti added four more in the third, but Hingham extended its lead by one heading to the fourth. Canton put together a fourth quarter rally that cut the lead to just three (40-37), but the visitors went on a quick 11-2 burst that put the game away. Fay Gallery added a pair of threes in the fourth.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 5 vs. Old Rochester, 4 – Final – Tied after each the first (1-1) and second periods (3-3), Foxboro won the third period to beat Old Rochester. Jack Watts factored into each goal for the Warriors, scoring twice and assisting on all three of the others. Matt Grace scored twice, Alex Coviello lit the lamp once, and both Tom Marcucella and Brady Callahan had an assist. Josh Marcoux recorded the win in net.
North Attleboro @ East Greenwich (R.I.), 3:40 (@ Levy Arena)
Franklin, 3 vs. St. Mary’s Lynn, 2 – Final (OT)
Wrestling
George Bossi Holiday Tournament (Foxboro, Franklin, Oliver Ames), 9:00 (@ Lowell)
Taunton, 28 @ North Attleboro, 44 – Final – North Attleboro won five matches by fall, one by tech fall, one by decision, and one by forfeit in a victory over Taunton. Tanner Ferguson (126), Braxton Ferro (132), and Christopher Galligan (138) all earned pins in less than a minute while Griffin Gouck (152) and Austin Dean (195) also win by pin. Jaad Ismail (170) picked up an 18-2 tech fall while heavyweight Keysun Wise took a 9-4 decision. Taunton got wins from Ryan Jones (120, 1:31), Ben Mandeville (145, 3:44), Christian Balmain (160, 6-2), Ethan Harris (182, 11-3), and Peter Ye (220, 12-5).
Taunton, 28 vs. Cumberland, 43 – Final – Ryan Jones (113, 9-1), Christian Balmain (160, 6-3), Ethan Harris (182, 7-2), Avery Justa (195, 0:45), Peter Ye (220, 0:48), and Logan Frank (285, 3:50) each won for Taunton.
North Attleboro, 39 vs. Cumberland, 29 – Final – North Attleboro went 2-0 on the day, adding a win over Cumberland as well. Tanner Ferguson (126, 3:25), Christopher Galligan (138, 4:38), Griffin Gouck (152, 3:03), and Austin Dean (195, 2:35) all earned two pins on the day while Keysun Wise (285, 2:25), and Jaad Ismail (170, 7-5) both went 2-0. Greg Berthiaume (182) added a pinfall win (5:45) for the Rocketeers.
OLiver Ames Tri-Meet @ New Bedford – Oliver Ames picked up two wins on Tuesday, pinning down wins over Plymouth North (58-7) and New Bedford (42-39). Senior captains Giovany Juste (170) and Deric Lipski, Jr. (160) both went 2-0 with two pins while senior John Dobbin (138), junior Kyle Hardie (145), junior Henry Mirrione (152), and junior Jaden Hinton (285) also went 2-0. Against New Bedford, Henry Mirrione’s thrilling come-from-behind pin to win at 152 sparked the rally for the Tigers, who clinched the win over the Whalers when Jaden Hinton pinned his opponent with a quick headlock at heavyweight.
2020-2021 Record: 1-8-0 Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro had a difficult 2020-21 season, as delays and big breaks early in the season led to three games in three days to close things out. The Bombardiers will be hoping that they can build off that experience and make a push to get back into the postseason mix with several underclassmen stepping in to supplement the returning corps.
The offense has depth to it this season and head coach Greg Chamberlain is expecting a lot of grit and effort in the attacking zone to create scoring chances. Senior Nate Parker will be the leader of the forward line but he will get help from juniors Colin Flynn and Mike Lachance, who have both had two seasons on varsity already. Freshmen Austin Bessette and Nate Conroy have impressed the coaches in the preseason and could be ready to contribute right away.
Defense could be a strong unit this season, as the Bombardiers have decent skaters and decent depth along the blue line. Senior Sean Marshall will be the key to that group, providing on-ice leadership. Sophomore Dane Holske had a good first season on varsity and can help out both in defense and at forward. Senior Nick Piazza is capable of being one of the top netminders in the league and will be back between the pipes for Attleboro this season.
“Biggest thing that is a positive for us is the guys wanna earn some respect and be tough to play against,” said Chamberlain. “We understand what we have but we think our schedule can help us gain some real confidence.”
2020-2021 Record: 11-0-1 Coach: Brian Shuman
The Davenport division has been ruled by Canton, which has won the title every season since the league split. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of returning players to hunt a 12th straight league title and defend the Div. 2 state title that they won back in 2019-20, but for many of the players, this will be their first season with a full slate of games.
Canton is known for its goalscoring, but the Bulldogs typically start from the defensive zone and this year should be no different. Senior Sean Connolly, the reigning league MVP, will be back at the blue line alongside classmate Ryan Doucette. Juniors James Young and Leo Owens should also see plenty of time on the ice with seniors Brennen Pecararo and Jay Kelleher slotting in at defense or at forward. The goalie job is up for grabs coming into the season with a three-way battle going on between senior Aiden French, junior Carson Eagles, and freshman Collin Davis.
As usual, the Bulldogs should be potent in front of the goal this winter. Senior Eamon Kelly, the team’s leading scorer last year, is back for his fourth season on varsity. Seniors Andrew Valkanas, Tommy Phaneuf, Sam Carlino, and Eddie Gillis will all chip in and junior Jeff Chaput could be poised for a big season after scoring 13 points last year.
“Solid team defense is the expectation as always this season, and we ask all positions to be important players all over the ice,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “Our forwards need to be able to shut down opponents and our defense must contribute to our offensive production to have a successful year.”
2020-2021 Record: 4-6-0 Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Just two years removed from one of the best seasons in program history, Foxboro comes into the winter with an experienced squad, featuring nine seniors, to try and make another push for a state tournament berth. Although the Warriors went 4-6 in the shortened 2020-21 season, four of those losses were against Franklin and Canton and the other two were to North Attleboro by a combined three goals, so there is potential for the Warriors to get back to their 2019-20 form.
The forward line should have plenty of firepower this season with the return of seniors Jack Watts, Matt Grace, and Ben Ricketts, who combined for 13 goals in 10 games last year. Fellow forwards Derek Axon and Steven Bridges will give Foxboro good leadership and depth in the forward line. The Warriors also got plenty of scoring from the blue line, with senior Tom Marcucella adding four goals and three assists last winter.
Improvements in the defensive zone (and not playing almost every game against the league’s top-scoring teams) will be expected this season. Marcucella is listed as a defenseman but has the versatility to line up in multiple positions and he will be helped on defense by classmates Dylan Pothier and Brady Callahan. Junior Alex Coviello and sophomore Sully Kenneally are also going to step into bigger roles on the blue line this season.
“I would say all nine of our seniors are going to be major contributors and that’s definitely a first for Foxboro hockey and it’s a good thing!” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “I would say we will be skilled and experienced.”
2020-2021 Record: 10-2-1 Coach: Anthony Sarno
This will be a new-look Franklin team that takes the ice this season, looking to win its 11th straight league title and make a deep run in the postseason. The Panthers graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team and only return seven players with significant varsity experience to try and manage a schedule loaded with some of the best teams in the state.
Senior forward Dylan Marchand is the key returning player in the forward line. The team’s leading scorer last year, the speedy center scored eight goals and nine assists in 13 games. Seniors Justin Magazu and Domenic Lampasona and juniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio will also return to add more firepower to the attacking end of the ice. With 14 new players on the roster, there could be a lot of new names on the score sheet this winter.
Defensively, the Panthers will lean on experienced players like seniors Aidan Hunt and Jack MacKinnon to guide the younger players, as they take on the high-end talent that Franklin will face right from the start of the season. In goal, sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter and freshman Jack O’Connor will both get chances between the pipes.
“I am optimistic with the youth we have and excited to watch us grow together,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “We will just have to weather the ebbs and flows, try to remain even-keeled, communicate, and trust each other as a team in order for us to grow and move forward as a complete unit.”
2020-2021 Record: 9-1-0 Coach: Paul Carlow
Last season, King Philip won a share of its first league title since 2006, picking up a rare win against rival Franklin in the process. With 12 returning players and a roster that has 16 upperclassmen, the Warriors will try to make more history by winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history and also put together a run in the state tournament.
There are four players coming back this year that averaged a point per game in 2020-21. Three of those players are forwards. Seniors Shaun Fitzpatrick and Sean Crowther and junior James Boldy, who combined for 15 goals and 22 assists in 10 games last season. Senior Nolan Feyler will be a big boost, as the forward had a strong sophomore season but missed all of last year due to an injury. Senior Kevin Birenbaum is another of the nine seniors on the forward line.
Sophomore defenseman Brad Guden is the fourth Warrior who averaged a point per game last year. He broke into the lineup and scored 10 times and had 10 assists in his first varsity season. Seniors Nolan Jackson and Quin Garstka add leadership and experience at the blue line and sophomore Max Robison returns after an impressive rookie season. Senior Kyle Abbott will be back between the pipes for the Warriors.
“We have a tough schedule this season but we are looking to challenge for another Hockomock League title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. We have great leadership from our seniors and a good mix of skill and speed with the younger players. I’m really looking forward to working with this group and build on last year’s success.”
2020-2021 Record: 5-6-0 Coach: Mike Balzarini
With its top six forwards all back from last year, there is optimism that Mansfield will consistently put the puck in the back of the net and in turn, challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title.
And another big positive for the Hornets is junior Chris Hormann back between the pipes with a solid amount of varsity experience now under his belt. That combination of experience in the offensive zone and in the crease is what Mansfield is hoping translates to success. The challenge will be getting a new mix of defensemen working together as the Hornets graduated the majority of that unit.
Leading scorer Mark DeGirolamo returns with a lot of varsity experience under his belt, coming off a season with eight goals and five assists. He’s joined by Dillon Benoit (7 goals, 5 assists), Kyle Oakley (2 goals, 5 assists), Doherty (2 goals, 3 assists), Liam Anastasia (6 goals, 5 assists), and Brayden Purtell (4 goals, 2 assists). As the stats suggest, the Hornets have a very even top two lines which means head coach Mike Balzarini can trust both units to get it done.
Looks for the line of Cullen Egan, Cody Gordon, and Connor Davey to provide energy and some offensive punch throughout the season. Balzarini is looking for some new faces to step up on the blue line. A mix of depth pieces are back, and the Hornets have converted some forwards to defensemen looking to solidify that unit. Patrick Gormley, Brendan Flynn, Will Cameron, Ryan DeGirolamo, and Ty Carroll are all in the mix to get some minutes.
“Last season was difficult for everyone so we’re excited for a more normal year,” Balzarini said. “We’re going to be quick and we have multiple lines that can be a factor for us. We’ve seen some success on offense in our scrimmages so scoring should be a strength, these kids are working well together.”
2020-2021 Record: 8-6-0 Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro returns 14 players from last year’s roster, including two of the league’s top three scorers, and the Rocketeers will be looking to use that experience under first-year coach Kyle Heagney (who formerly coached Norton and was a North assistant the past two seasons) to challenge Canton at the top of the Davenport division and to put together a playoff run.
Although the Rocketeers bring back senior forwards Nik Kojoain and Brady Sarro, who combined for 41 points in 14 games last year, North is a team built on hard work and team effort in the offensive zone, rather than on individual stars. Seniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and juniors Joe Quinn and Mark Ayvazyan will provide plenty of help in front of goal and all have plenty of experience at the varsity level.
North graduated only one of its defensemen from last year. Senior Austin Comery will be the leader for North at the blue line and he will be assisted by classmate Anthony Westcott. Sophomore Kyle Gruber is back in goal for North after an impressive debut season, where he was thrown in against some of the league’s top teams, including a first appearance against Canton.
“Our strength is that we are not a team of superstars,” said Heagney. “We are a team of hockey players that will win first in the locker room before the ice. We look forward to the season and having fun. These are memories that will live forever with our players.”
2020-2021 Record: 1-10-0 Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames has been in a rebuilding phase under head coach Mike Zucarelli. The Tigers won just once in the shortened 2020-21 season and head into this winter with a roster loaded with underclassmen. While this may be a difficult season, Zucarelli is excited for the potential on his team and the growth the program is making for the future.
Seniors Cam Tower and Eliot Cohen will be instrumental in shoring things up at the blue line. The two defensemen will need to provide leadership for the younger players and help limit the opposition scoring chances. Junior forwards Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron will hope to improve the team’s scoring punch as well, after OA was held to 10 goals in 11 games last year. Zucarelli is already seeing more confidence and better decision-making in the offensive zone and is hoping the team’s work rate will lead to more chances.
With seven sophomores on the roster, OA will rely on its youth movement to turn things around. After a lot of growth in the offseason (both physically and mentally), Zucarelli thinks that the septet is ready for the challenges of playing varsity hockey day-in, day-out. Winger Andrew Livingstone and center Matt Lawson will add to the team’s production in the offensive zone and defenseman Landon Grothe could be a standout in the defensive end of the ice. Junior Brandon Burke had a solid summer with his club team and will be the starting goalie for the Tigers this winter.
“If we continue to put in the effort I have seen both on and off the ice to start this year, I believe these young men have the opportunity to do something special,” Zuccarelli said.
2020-2021 Record: 0-6-1 Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton had a tough 2020-21 season, as the Tigers were only able to six games, and come into a winter of transition. The roster is going to be very young, with only nine upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) in the program, so there will be a lot of younger players getting their first taste of varsity action and others experiencing a full season for the first time.
The forward line has a lot of speed and the Tigers are going to rely on that energy to try and create scoring chances. Senior Nathan Fernandes is the most experienced forward returning and he will be joined up top by junior Connor McGrath.
Defensively, the Tigers will be an inexperienced group but there is potential and the desire to get better over the course of the season. Senior Ethan Ross will be the leader at the blue line and junior Colton Scheralis can add his experience there as well. Freshman Cameron Tomaszycki will be jumping between the pipes this season to get his first varsity action.
“We are happy to be back for a full year,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “Last season was full of delays, pauses, and feelings of frustrations that made for a very long, short, season. The lessons learned from last season has made the players within the program grateful for a return to a more normal season. We will plan to improve every day and be a better, more complete team by the end of the season.”
