Senior forward Trevor Pietrzyk scored four goals and assisted on one other to lead Taunton to a 6-3 win over Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – After missing out on Wednesday’s trip to King Philip, Trevor Pietrzyk made an instant impact on his return to the lineup against Attleboro on Sunday afternoon at the New England Sports Village.
The senior forward scored a natural hat trick in the first period, including a penalty shot, on his way to four goals and an assist, as Taunton picked up an important 6-3 win that moves the Tigers closer to sealing a return to the postseason.
“We always tell the players, you want your absence to be felt not known and we definitely feel his absence,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “It was good to have him back. Four goals, four different ways, is pretty cool.”
Pietrzyk, who missed all of last season with an injury, got things started just three minutes into the game when he latched onto a rebound, following a right pad stop by Attleboro goalie Derrik Rivet, and knocked it into the empty net.
Attleboro bounced back on the power play three minutes later. Jake Parker took the face-off and danced through three Tigers in the attacking zone before teeing up Ryan Morry for a one-timer inside the left circle to make it 1-1.
The momentum would not stay with the home side for long. Two minutes after it was tied, Taunton regained the lead with Pietrzyk weaving his way through a pair of defensemen before flipping a pass to Cam Sneyd in front.
In the span of seven seconds, Pietrzyk broke the game wide open. Attleboro went on another power play but the Tigers won the face-off in the defensive zone and broke out quickly. Pietrzyk was brought down on a shorthanded breakaway and given a penalty shot, which he dispatched with a lifted backhand. Off the ensuing face-off, Pietrzyk gained the zone and flicked a wrister from outside the left circle that snuck just under the bar.
Here is video of Taunton’s Trevor Pietrzyk finishing off a penalty shot for his second and the Tigers’ third goal of the first period #hockomockpic.twitter.com/EkwhZIgI6N
“Trevor has got an ‘X’ factor,” said Metea. “He knows how to score goals; he’s got a nose for the net. He works hard and leaves it all on the line.”
Taunton was buzzing with a 4-1 lead, but Attleboro would not go quietly. In the final minute of the first, Parker gained the zone and fired a wrist shot from the left face-off dot that Taunton sophomore goalie Sean Bunker got a piece of but not enough to keep it out of the net.
“I thought we came out pretty good in the first period, the forecheck was going, but they had an opportunity to put a couple in,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “Once we changed it up and got a goal, it gave us a little spark.”
Parker nearly cut the lead to single goal early in the second, but his shot from a bad angle skipped away off the crossbar. Morry also created a series of scoring chances as the Bombardiers racked up a 12-5 edge in shots in the second (after being outshot 14-6 in the first).
Taunton almost added a fifth at several points in the period, but were denied by goalie Evan Andrews, who was injured and could not start but was brought off the bench after the fourth goal. He made a point-blank stop on Will Walsh, who had been set up by Jaden Weyant, and then closed the period with a huge back post stop on Jack Patneaude, after Walsh picked him out with a perfect saucer pass.
“After the fourth goal, I just felt like we had to change something up and Evan was able to go in,” said Homer. “He made some big time stops at big parts of the game and gave us a chance to get back into the game.”
Attleboro did cut the lead to one heading to the third. On the power play, Morry did a good job to block a clearance at the blue line and keep the possession alive. The puck swung to defenseman Kyle McCabe and his shot from the point was deflected right to Cam Littig who made no mistake with a one-timer.
“There seemed to be a little bit of the letdown,” said Metea about the reaction to going 4-1 up. “We kept preaching do the little things right, play our system, get the puck deep, make plays and you’ll be fine. It’s a long game. You’re not going to win the game with one play or one shift.”
The Bombardiers came out for the third period intent on finding the tying goal and had a series of half-chances, including an Aidan Diggin effort at the near post on a loose puck that hit the side of the net and two chances with a man advantage, but after an early flurry Taunton settled down and limited Attleboro to few clear-cut scoring chances.
“We had our chances on the power play, but got outside of our structure a little bit,” said Homer. “Maybe it was the guys getting a little anxious and everyone wanting to individually be the hero and that happens sometimes. I think the kids pressed a little bit too much trying to get that big goal.”
The best chance of the period fell to Taunton’s Jake Roberts off a feed from Sneyd, but Andrews again went post-to-post to deny the forward. There was nothing Andrews could do a minute later, as Pietrzyk capped his night with an empty net goal. Sneyd added a second empty netter with 9.6 on the clock to make it a three-goal margin.
“If you win now, we have three more to make states,” said Metea about his message to the players. “We have a pretty favorable schedule in February once league is done and you put yourself in a much better situation.”
Taunton (6-6-2, 1-4-2) will try to get two points closer to tournament qualification on Wednesday against Davenport leader Canton. Attleboro (5-5-1, 1-3-1) will host Mansfield on Wednesday night.
Today’s games are listed below. Don’t forget, Player of the Week nominations are due by Saturday night. You can email (info@hockomocksports.com) your pick or send it to us on social media. Make sure to include a reason why.
Boys Basketball
Milford, 48 vs. Bishop Stang, 60 – Final – Senior Andrew Fraioli scored a team-high 12 points but the Scarlet Hawks fell to unbeaten Bishop Stang in an exclusion game. Senior Kayden Kelley added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Milford.
Sharon, 47 @ Westwood, 59 – Final – Sharon senior Malik Lorquet led the Eagles with 16 points and was named to the Westwood Holiday All-Tournament team.
Stoughton, 54 vs. Natick, 74 – Final – Stoughton junior David Bell scored a team-high 18 points for the Black Knights, who fell in the championship game of the Randolph Blue Devils Holiday Classic. Seniors Cam Andrews and Colin Sanda were named to the all-tournament team.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 42 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 41 – Final – Lily Sykes knocked down a three-pointer inside the final 10 seconds to earn Foxboro the victory and a split of the season series with Coyle. Ashley Sampson was held scoreless in the first half but finished with a team-high 11 points and Shannon Smally added eight points in the win.
Stoughton, 49 @ Norwood, 32 – Final – Stoughton gathered a season-high 17 steals as a team and earned its first win of the season. Sophomores Shyanne Trinh and Aliyah Wright each scored 13 points for the Knights while senior Val Whalen had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 5 vs. Pembroke, 2 – Final
Foxboro, 3 vs. Christian Brothers Academy, 7 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Plymouth South, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames erased three one-goal deficits during the game but Plymouth South broke the 3-3 tie with a late goal. Junior Brett Williams scored twice for the Tigers while sophomore Jake Gottwald scored his first career goal.
Stoughton, 1 @ Taunton, 8 – Final – Taunton’s Will Walsh was involved in seven of the Tigers’ eight goals, scoring a hat trick and adding four assists in a non-league win. Trevor Pietrzyk also netted a hat trick along with three assists, Jake Roberts and Owen Ross each scored once and Brady Nichols had two helpers. Sean Bunker made 16 saves to earn the win in net.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 vs. Milton, 2 (OT) – Final – Canton erased a pair of one-goal deficits, tying the game 2-2 late in the third period. The game will go down as a tie for MIAA purposes, but to determine a tournament champion, the game went into overtime. Junior Maggie Malloy scored the game-winner to lift the Bulldogs to the title.
Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 0 – Final
King Philip, 1 vs. Walpole, 8 – Final
Stoughton, 5 @ St. Joseph Prep/Mt. Alvernia, 2 – Final
Wrestling
King Philip @ Montachusett Tech, 10:00AM
Norton Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Mansfield picked up a pair of wins at the quad, including a big victory over the hosts. The Hornets’ Ethan Nirenberg (195) fought off his back for a minute to avoid being pinned, helping seal the win for Mansfield, 39-36, against the Lancers. Mansfield also beat Nauset, 34-10. Taunton dropped both of its matches, falling to Norton (51-6) and Nauset (34-30). Woudanly Danger (220) went 2-0 on the day for the Tigers while Eric Dacey (120), Austin MacArthur (126), Josh Grasso (138) and Mason Franklin (285) all picked up a win for Taunton.
Sharon Quad (Sharon) – Sharon split the day, picking up a win over Norwood (60-16) but falling to Mt. Hope (RI) (47-34).
Canton and North Attleboro will once again battle for the Davenport division crown this winter, as Hockomock League hockey kicks off a new season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2016-2017 Record: 6-12-2 2016-2017 Finish: Missed Postseason. Coach: Mark Homer
Attleboro struggled in its closing games of 2016-17 and narrowly missed out on a place in the state tournament via the Sullivan rule. This year’s Bombardiers are hoping that a mix of youth and experience will be enough to get the team over the hump and back in the playoff mix.
The main scoring threat for Attleboro this season is senior forward Jake Parker, a HockomockSports.com Second Team selection last winter who led the team with 20 goals despite facing regular double teams and playing loads of minutes. Parker will be joined up front by sophomore Ryan Morry, who is coming off a solid rookie campaign and will try to take advantage of the opportunities Parker creates near the net.
Attleboro’s experience is on the defensive side of the ice. Seniors Eddie Noel and Sam MacKenzie and junior Kyle McCabe provide size, physicality, and reading of the game to protect the Bombardiers goal. Attleboro coach Mark Homer, in his second season with the team, is expecting the defensemen to be aggressive in the zone and be more prepared to clear the puck. The Bombardiers are also experienced in goal with junior Evan Andrews and sophomore Derrik Rivet offering a solid one-two between the pipes.
“As a team, we are working on becoming more competitive in our games at all phases of the game, said Homer. “We will strive to be better today than we were yesterday but not as good as we will be tomorrow. Our success will be measured by how hard we work and not by our wins and losses.”
2016-2017 Record: 16-5-3 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal. Coach: Brian Shuman
After another league title in 2016-17 and a run to the Div. 2 South semifinal, Canton has started this season with a win and a draw (that turned into an overtime win in the final of the Gormley Cup) and the expectations remain as high as ever for one of the teams to beat in D2.
Last season, Canton was by far the league’s best defensive team, allowing only 32 goals in 24 games. The next best defense allowed 48 goals. But, the Bulldogs will need to rebuild the blue line this season after the graduation of HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Jackson Maffeo and Third Team selection C.J. Martin. Defensemen Brad Murphy and Nick Allen have experience and will be counted on to step up to bigger roles this year.
The key for the Canton defense, which has allowed only one goal in two games so far this season, will be junior goalie Quinn Gibbs. He was a HockomockSports.com First Team choice last year with a league-best 0.924 save percentage and there is hope he can get even better with a year of experience. Offensively, the Bulldogs bring back most of the goals from last year with Ryan Nolte, Johnny Hagan, Bubba McNeice, and Jack Goyetch all returning this season and all having scored big goals in big moments for Canton during last season’s tournament run.
“I think the most important determinant of our success will be whether we can find some depth at forward and defense,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “Teams need more than two lines and four ‘D’ to make a deep run, so we need some guys to compete for those remaining spots.”
2016-2017 Record: 6-12-2 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 3 First Round. Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro saw improvement last year, increasing its win total, goals for, and allowed fewer goals than the season before. Head coach Mark Cedarchuk is hoping that trend continues this season as the Warriors look to try and compete for the spot in the postseason.
The Warriors will be relying on a mix of experience as well as youth to try and compete in the Hockomock League this year. Senior captain Aidan Sullivan (two goals, six assists) has been an anchor of the team’s blue line unit over the past couple of seasons and will be relied upon to lead the way again this year. Senior captain Taylor Sharfman is another defenseman that gives the Warriors two capable and reliable options in the back. Junior Tanner Kennedy is also back after a solid sophomore year and Warriors added junior Brendan Tully to the defensive unit.
On offense, Foxboro graduated its top three goal scorers but sophomore Ronnie MacLellan (four goals, seven assists) is back after a strong sophomore year. He will be joined up front by senior Sam Garrabrant and sophomore Sebastian Ricketts, who had four goals and two assists last year.
Foxboro will have to find a replacement for goalie John Cronin, a multi-year starter in between the pipes for the Warriors. Foxboro has three goalies – freshman Jack Spinney, sophomore Espen Reager, and freshman Connor Callahan – listed on the roster.
“With a combination of experienced upperclassman and talented underclassman, we’re looking forward to an exciting and competitive season,” Cedarchuk said.
2016-2017 Record: 14-9-1 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal. Coach: Chris Spillane
Although last winter was atypical for the Panthers, losing two games in the league for the first time in several years, Franklin won another league title and with 20 players back for this season the expectation is that a seventh straight league crown is a distinct possibility – not to mention making a run in the state tournament.
Experience will be the key for the Panthers. Most of the forwards were members of the team that won the state championship two years ago and know what it takes to get goals against top competition. Leading scorer Brendan O’Rielly is back after scoring 20 goals and recording 11 assists last season. He should have plenty of help up front with classmates Luke Downie, Jeremy Miller, T.J. Durkin, and Ken Demerchant, who are all three-year varsity players for the Panthers.
Defensively, Franklin has lost several talented young defensemen to other programs in recent seasons, but still boasts a strong defensive corps heading into this winter. Jack McGrath, Matt Crane, Connor Norton, Cam Cassella, and sophomore Tom Tasker will all contribute to the defensive pairings this season and that depth will be important over a long season. The goalie position is a battle between three seniors, including returning netminders Owen Ginley and Dan Sheehan, who both saw time last year.
“I will be looking to our leading goal scorer from last year Brendan O’Rielly to once again lead the offensive charge,” said Franklin coach Chris Spillane. “From a small practice sample (one skate) I was impressed with our team speed.”
2016-2017 Record: 4-16-0 2016-2017 Finish: Missed Postseason. Coach: Paul Carlow
King Philip finished just below .500 in the league last season, and just five points out of second place in the Kelley-Rex division, but struggled in the non-league schedule, losing all 11 games outside of the Hock. The Warriors will look to improve that considerably this year with an experienced roster that wants to challenge for a league title.
KP returns 13 players from last year’s squad and that experience will be vital to allow the Warriors to compete not only in the league but against a schedule that has been bolstered because of the program’s move up to Div. 1 several seasons ago. Offensively, the attention will be on senior forward Collin Cooke, who chipped in with 10 goals and seven assists and has been drawing the focus of opposing defenses for several years. Senior Gavin Maxwell had nine goals and eight assists last season and will again be a solid counterpoint to take some of the pressure off Cooke in the attacking zone.
On the defensive side of the ice, KP continues to be a physical team that likes to be aggressive attacking the puck. Senior defensemen Will Connor will get some help at the back with the return of senior Mike Curtin from juniors, who head coach Paul Carlow said could be an “anchor” on defense. Senior Shane Frommer, fresh off a stellar football season and another Super Bowl title, will quickly transition from the gridiron to be the team’s starting goalie, after posting a 2.66 goals against average in 2016-17.
“Our strength is that we have a total of 13 returning players from last years team,” said Carlow. “We have experience up front and on the back end. We should see some team chemistry with this many returning players.”
2016-2017 Record: 12-8-2 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round. Coach: Mike Balazarini
In last year’s state tournament, Mansfield held its own against perennial power Xaverian before losing 2-1 in the opening round and that defeat is spurring the Hornets on this season, as the team has built a deep roster that believes it can challenge for the Kelley-Rex crown.
Team speed is going to be a strength for the Hornets this season, even without several key pieces from last winter, including breakout freshman Chris Jenkins, lost to graduation or to juniors. Senior forward Dylan Tivnan and Cullin Anastasia will be back to man the top scoring line along with freshman Coleman Jenkins. The second line will feature a lot of youth with sophomore Jake Lund and freshman Matt Copponi alongside junior Chris Copponi.
Seniors Tyler Oakley and Tim Arnold will be the leaders on the defensive side this year, while senior Ryan O’Hara and juniors Nick Levine and Austin Ricker will give the Hornets depth in the defensive unit. That depth should make things easier for sophomore Sean McCafferty, who will be stepping between the pipes for Mansfield this season.
“I think everyone wants to pick up where he left off last year,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. “We’ve had a good mindset early on this season. We have some new faces and everyone has gelled so far. We can’t take everyone lightly, we have to play every shift as its out last.”
2016-2017 Record: 14-4-4 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal. Coach: Ben McManama
North Attleboro is coming off its most successful season in program history, and will be starting a new chapter with new head coach Ben McManama.
The Rocketeers will be tasked with finding replacements for some of the top players in the league from a season ago. Someone will need to step up in order to fill the void left by Zach McGowan (19 goals, 13 assists for 32 points – third most in the Hockomock) as well as Hunter Sarro’s 22 points and Erik Clements’ 20 points.
Senior Jason McNeany is a key piece back for the Rocketeers, fresh off a terrific football season. He scored 13 goals last season and added 13 assists, and has been a big piece of the offense for many years now. He will be counted on to be a leader this season, both in the locker room and on the ice.
2016-2017 Record: 14-7-1 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal. Coach: Sean Bertoni
Under first-year head coach Sean Bertoni, Oliver Ames proved to be a strong skating team that could cause a number of problems with its dangerous attack. That speed up front will be put to the test again this year, as the Tigers look to jump from second in the Kelley-Rex division to the top of the standings.
The Tigers have a number of talented forwards returning from last season’s team, which reached the Div. 2 South tournament and beat Nauset only to run into state finalist Scituate in the second round. That loss will provide motivation for junior forward Brett Williams, who was on the HockomockSports.com Second Team with 12 goals and eight assists last year, and the rest of the OA forwards. Williams will be joined up front by seniors Eric LeBlanc and Rory Madden and junior Max Ward.
On defense, junior Matt McCormick returns to be one of the top four along with senior Mike Nikiciuk. Both players will provide leadership for a defensive unit that promises to be aggressive in both zones, as Bertoni continues to implement his system at OA. Sophomore goalie Owen Connor will be the new goalie for the Tigers.
“We will continue to use our team speed and play an aggressive style offensively and defensively,” said Bertoni. “We hope to compete at a high level in all three zones. If we bring an aggressive forecheck we can create turnovers which should result in production.”
2016-2017 Record: 7-12-2 2016-2017 Finish: Missed Postseason. Coach: Dan Mark
Numbers are a bit down for the Stoughton High hockey team this season, so the Knights will be relying on their most experienced players to lead the way, especially early on.
On offense, the Knights boast senior Brendan Campbell at center and junior Sean Doherty at wing. Campbell had a team-high in points last season, finishing second with 11 goals while recording a team-best 15 assists for 26 points. Doherty was third on the team, tying for the team lead with 12 goals and finishing with 25 points.
Senior Cam Nelson and junior Josh Hough will be the leaders of the Knights’ defensive unit. Hough is a captain along with Campbell and Doherty and has the most experience on the blue line. Nelson also saw plenty of time last season, recording an assist.
“We are an inexperienced team that will improve as the season goes on,” said Stoughton head coach Dan Mark.
2016-2017 Record: 12-9-2 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round. Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton has grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple of seasons, setting new program bests for wins and making the state tournament two seasons in a row. This year’s team features only three seniors, so the Tigers will be hoping recent success will continue with a youthful lineup.
Senior forward Will Walsh has returned from junior hockey and will provide a boost to the front line, which head coach Kris Metea has high hopes for this season. Senior Jake Roberts is also back for the Tigers after scoring 18 points last year and junior Cam Sneyd is back after a 16-point season last winter. Metea is counting on high energy from the offensive unit and believes that the roster is capable of creating loads of scoring opportunities.
Sophomore Sean Bunker will be in net for the Tigers and the defensive unit is fairly inexperienced, although the coach believes that by working together Taunton will be able to put together a solid back line. The hope is that defense will become a strength of the Tigers by the end of the season.
“The players enjoy wearing the orange and black and look forward to coming to the rink every day,” said Metea. “The coaching staff has preached about enjoying the journey of a season and the developmental process. These players strive to work hard and get better every day. They will be fun to watch grow throughout the season.”
Colleen Kelleher and Canton will be one of the favorites to win the inaugural Hockomock League girls’ hockey season, which begins this winter. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
2016-2017 Record: 14-5-6 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 State Final Coach: Dennis Aldrich
Canton is coming off a remarkable state tournament run that took the No. 14 seed all the way to the TD Garden and the program’s first state title game appearance since 2006. After years of competing in the SEMGHL Coastal division, the Bulldogs are excited for the first Hockomock League girls’ hockey season and enter the new season as favorites to bring home the first Hock title.
A number of key players are back from the team that battled Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) in the state championship game last March and will be counted on to put together another solid defensive effort that made the Bulldogs so tough to play against during the tournament run. Spearheading that defensive unit is senior goalie Colleen Kelleher, who was stellar throughout the state tournament with clutch saves in key situations.
On offense, Canton returns plenty of firepower. Juniors Maggie Malloy and Lauren Fitzpatrick emerged as big time scorers last year and came through with important goals to help the Bulldogs make a run to the Garden. Senior forwards Melissa Devane, Kendra Farrelly, and Andrea McNeil give Canton a loaded attacking unit that always seemed to pop up with goals when the team needed it most.
“The strength of the Bulldogs will continue to be a tenacious, smothering team defense, strong goaltending, and balanced, opportunistic scoring,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich. “We are proud to have our roster filled with 11 Canton team captains amongst our 22 rostered players.”
Franklin enters the first Hockomock League girls’ hockey season with a young roster, but one that is expected to compete with the other four teams and have a shot at bringing home the inaugural title.
Junior Regan Paterson and senior Jackie Connelly will be expected to provide leadership and create scoring opportunities for a roster that is loaded with underclassmen. Both players provide speed and playmaking ability in the attacking zone and the Panthers will be counting on their experience to make the difference.
Leadership is going to be critical for this year’s team and head coach Marjorie Burke is looking to her senior class to provide direction for the youthful lineup on both ends of the ice. Among the seniors that Burke is looking to this season are Bella Trask, Caroline Hedvig, Maddie Hinkley, Jillian McGlaughlin, and Connelly.
“We are excited about the upcoming season,” said Burke. “We are young but look to be competitive.”
Three years ago, King Philip was the top seed in Div. 2 and after two more playoff appearance, the Warriors now have the opportunity to bring their recent success into the first ever Hockomock League girls’ hockey season and hope that an experienced lineup could make them the first Hock champs.
Junior Nicole Connor is off to a strong start this season and has the potential, according to KP coach Jack Unger, to be one of the top players in the Hockomock League this year. Connor will play both at forward and along the blue line, crucial versatility that makes her an important piece for KP. The Warriors return five seniors who will be the “backbone” of the squad, said Unger. Kyleigh Remmes, Olivia McCarthy, Jessica Daniels, Katie Crowther, and Talia Quinn give the Warriors depth all over the ice.
Lilly Potts returns for her third year in between the pipes, while sophomore Cristina Coleman will be the backup netminder. Freshmen Avari Maxwell and Jordyn Remmes will be instant contributors on offense, while classmate Marin Cormier will step in on defense. Sophomores Abby Carr and Sammy Robison are also expected to step in at forward this season.
“[The roster is] rounded out by a number of talented juniors who should be able to spread out the scoring amongst the three starting forward lines,” said Unger.
2016-2017 Record: 14-6-1 2016-2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 First Round. Coach: Mike Dalton
Mansfield, Oliver Ames, and Foxboro have joined forces since the 2014-15 season and have reached the postseason each of the past two winters, suffering an overtime loss to Walpole in the first round of the state tournament last year, and have started this season with an impressive win in the opener.
The Warriors will be led by Foxboro’s Catherine Luciano. The senior was the team’s leading scorer last year and scored a hat trick in the season opener to get off to another strong start. Joining Luciano on the top line will be Mackenzie Fraser and Isabelle Shanteller. Other contributors in the offensive zone include senior Kayla Dalton, Kristina O’Connell, and Lindsey Corning.
While the Warriors are expected to create a number of scoring opportunities, defense will be just as important if Mansfield/OA (MOA) is going to make it a third straight playoff appearance. Denea Reager, Ali Delano, and Emily Bubencick will all be critical components of the Warriors defensive unit. Senior Kerren Holmes will be back in goal this year to stifle the opposition, while freshman Cate Gallegher will be the backup netminder.
“A strong freshman class will assist the team with help on both offense and defense,” said MOA coach Mike Dalton. “The team looks to compete for a top position in the Hockomock League and secure a spot in the tournament.”
2016-2017 Record: 1-19-1 2016-2017 Finish: Missed Postseason. Coach: Richard Grasso
The newest of the programs in the inaugural season of Hockomock League girls’ hockey, Stoughton is in only its third season of varsity play, but the Black Knights are counting on last year’s experience and the growth in the program to make them a team to watch out for this winter.
Two-time all-star Julia Russell will be one of the key defenders for the Black Knights, but also brings an offensive punch with her speed forcing opponents to worry about her carrying the puck through the neutral zone. Senior Sarah Widrow will join Russell at the blue line and provides consistency in the defensive zone. Both will be expected to provide leadership for the less experienced players on the roster and try to make Stoughton a team that is tough to play against.
The offense will be sparked by a pair of freshmen. Hailey Nelson and Morgan Lesso made an instant impact on their debuts, helping Stoughton start the season with a 6-5 win at Framingham in the season opener. Lesso recorded a hat trick against the Flyers to set a high standard in her first varsity action.
“Stoughton will be a much stronger team this year than last,” said Black Knights coach Richard Grasso. “However, this will be a great challenge for our program. We have a lot of respect for the teams in the Hockomock League. There’s a lot of talent out there and each team is well-coached.”
North Attleboro, 3 vs. Wayland, 1 – Final – North Attleboro scored all three goals in the second period to pick up a program record 13th win. Hunter Sarro opened the scoring while Jason McNeany doubled the lead right off the face off. Zach McGowan added a goal after a turnover in the defensive end to cap the scoring.
Taunton, 4 vs. Sandwich, 0 – Final – Taunton senior Justin Chappell made 20 saves to record his eighth career shutout, setting the school record in shutouts. Nick Terry scored a hat trick while Josh Denham also found the back of the net for the Tigers. Jordan Hoey had two assists while Mike Volkmann, Cam Welby, Jack Patneaude and Jake Roberts each had one assist.
Hockey
Canton, 7 vs. Boston Latin, 3 – Final – Canton overcame a two-goal deficit to finish the season with a win. Junior Bubba McNeice and sophomore Ryan Nolte each scored a pair of goals for the Bulldogs while Tommy Kilduff, Johnny Hagan and Jack Goyetch each scored once in the win.
Franklin, 5 vs. Barnstable, 2 – Final
Taunton, 9 @ Durfee, 3 – Final – Taunton senior Zack Albert registered four points while classmates Nick Terry, Cam Carnes and Jordan Hoey each notched three points in the win. Albert scored twice and had two assists, Terry found the back of the net twice with one assist, Carnes scored once with two helpers and Hoey had three assists. Mike Volkmann and Cam Welby each added a goal an assist while Jake Roberts and Owen Ross each scored once. Cam Sneyd and Andrew Carter each had two assists while Camden Faria had one assist. Goalie Justin Chappell (16 saves) also had an assist in the win.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 vs. Walpole, Final – Canton’s Colleen Kelleher recorded her seventh shutout of the season for the Bulldogs.
Boys Basketball
Milford, 41 @ Malden, 60 – Final – Zach Tamagni led the Scarlet Hawks with 13 points while Kayden Kelley added nine points and 10 rebounds.
Oliver Ames, 56 @ Nauset, 73 – Final – Nauset held a 49-43 lead through three quarters and pulled away from the Tigers in the fourth. Nick Welch led OA with 19 points while Dylan Mahoney had 14 points and Jack Spillane added 13 points.
Foxboro, 0 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Nick Terry had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, while Zack Albert, Cam Sneyd, and Jordan Hoey chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece and Jake Roberts had a goal. Justin Chappell had 20 saves in net for the shutout and also registered an assist.
Franklin, 4 @ Newburyport, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Plymouth South, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames’ second line had a big day on the offensive end, netting all three goals. Brett Williams scored a pair of goals and recorded an assist for the Tigers and Max Ward scored the other goal for OA and had one assist. Head coach Sean Bertoni said Zach Walsh was great in net with 22 saves while Jared Costello had a solid performance.
Wrestling
Foxboro, 27 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury, 36 – Final
Marshfield Quad (Franklin) – The Panthers went 4-0 at the Marshfield Super Quad. Franklin beat Duxbury 56-15, Bristol Aggie 54-15, Marshfield 36-24, and Pembroke 62-3.
Plymouth South Quad (Mansfield) – The Hornets picked up a pair of wins at the quad meet. Mansfield beat Middleboro (24-9) and Carver (27-21) but fell to host Plymouth South (46-24). George Glaropolous (152) went 3-0 on the day with three pins, Antonios Sevastos (106) went 2-0, both via pins and freshman Vinnie Holmes (170) was 2-0 with one pin.
Oliver Ames Quad (Oliver Ames) – The Tigers went 1-2 at the quad meet that they hosted. OA beat Plymouth North 53-30 in the opening match but lost 54-18 to Cambridge and 51-18 to BC High.
By Jarett Leonard, HockomockSports.com Contributor
TAUNTON, Mass. – For the second straight year, a late season win for Mark Sheehan and the Stoughton Black Knights denied Taunton a postseason berth.
Sheehan scored both of Stoughton’s goals while AJ Scott backstopped a 2-1 win for the Black Knights on Saturday night.
“None of the kids knew about it,” Stoughton head coach Dan Mark said, revealing his team was not aware of Taunton’s situation. “Last year we didn’t say it, this year we didn’t say it. They came to play tonight.”
Down 1-0 in the second, Sheehan made his way to the left circle and buried a wrist shot to tie the game. Midway through the third, Sheehan anticipated a cross-ice pass from Taunton, intercepted it and finished a breakaway for the game winner.
“He’s a heck of a player,” Mark said of Sheehan. “If you put him on one of the top teams, people would really notice him. Individually I don’t think there’s a more talented kid in the league.”
Taunton took an early lead in the contest when Jake Roberts netted a backhander from the slot off a faceoff, but that would be all the offense for the Tigers. AJ Scott made 31 saves to earn Stoughton the win.
“[Scott’s] been great all year,” Mark said of. “He’s a freshman too, so that’s great, as long as I keep him for four years.”
Last year, Stoughton picked up its first win of the season and eliminated Taunton from postseason contention with a 4-2 victory in the final contest of the year.
“We’re not used to being in that situation, but it’s good for the program for kids to be able to grow,” Taunton head coach Kris Metea said. “You need to play in pressure games and they’ve never really had that. For them to learn how to play in pressure games and learn how to win in those types of situations will only be beneficial down the line.”
The situation is different this year for Taunton, though, as still opportunities remain to reach the postseason.
“It’s a loss,” Metea said. “You win or you lose and you move on. The difference between winning and losing is how you’re perceived.”
Stoughton improves to 5-9-3 overall and 3-5 in the Hockomock League and will host Franklin on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Taunton, now 10-6 overall but just 2-5 in the league, will travel to Fall River in search of a postseason berth against Durfee on Wednesday.
Today’s games are listed below. Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 62 @ Stoughton, 64 – Final – Stoughton senior Brandon Teixeira hit his fifth three pointer of the game with 13 seconds left to put the Black Knights ahead. Teixeira finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Cam Andrews added 15 points and three steals and Cam Gomes had nine points and five rebounds. Attleboro’s Jake Dunkley had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Lucas Boucicaut had 15 points on over 71% shooting and Andrew Miliken added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Mansfield, 72 @ Canton, 47 – Final – Matt Ehrlich scored a team-high 21 points and Phil Vigeant added in 13 points and four assists for the Hornets. Sam Goldberg chipped in with eight points, five rebounds and four assists. Canton’s Woanyen Mahn had a team-high 10 points.
Taunton, 57 @ Foxboro, 51 – Final
Franklin, 50 @ Oliver Ames, 48 – Final – Kevin Gill scored a turnaround jumper in the paint off an assist from Sam Harrell with just 0.8 seconds left as Franklin completed a big second half comeback. After being down as much as 14, the Panthers rallied for a big third and fourth quarters. Tim Prunier had a team-high 14 points for Franklin. Tim Kelley had a game-high 15 points for Oliver Ames and Dylan Mahoney added 10.
King Philip, 63 @ Milford, 66 – Final – Milford’s Dwight Anderson recorded a double-double with a game-high 15 points and 10 rebounds while Dee Torres added 15 points and Nate Davila had eight points. King Philip freshman Kyle Layman also had a double-double with 20 points and 25 rebounds.
North Attleboro, 55 @ Sharon, 69 – Final – Ricardo Ripley was the top scorer for the Eagles with 18 points while Matt Lowerre hit three three pointers and finished with 11 points. Mitchell Sirota and Adam Banks had strong games and combined for 23 points. Brent Doherty led North Attleboro with a game-high 21 points. Girls Basketball
Canton, 24 @ Mansfield, 49 – Final – Caroline Maher led the way for the Hornets, who led 43-14 going into the fourth, with 13 points. Jackie Carchedi had a solid overall game for Mansfield with seven points, six rebounds, and seven steals.
Foxboro, 68 @ Taunton, 36 – Final – Ashley Sampson led the way for the Warriors with 25 points. Cassidy Harrison added 11 and Carolyn Will had 10 for Foxboro.
Oliver Ames, 58 @ Franklin, 47 – Final – Kayla Raymond had a double-double for the Tigers with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Niyera Mitchell added 14 points to pace the Tigers, who outscored Franklin 24-10 in the fourth quarter after trailing by six with four minutes to go. Francesca Calabraro added 10 points and Sam Bamford has six of OA’s 12 steals. Franklin was led by Lauren Rudolph with 10 points and Aubrie Kutil and Margaux Welsh each had seven.
Milford, 41 @ King Philip, 37 – Final – Kate Irwin led the Hawks with 18 points and Jill Power added nine points for Milford.
Sharon, 44 @ North Attleboro, 57 – Final – The Rocketeers were led by Caroline Collard with 13 points. Ashley Ahern added 11 points and six assists, while Emily Schromm had 10 for North. Sharon was led by Alyssa Piazza with a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds and 13 points from Charlotte Ransom.
Stoughton, 58 @ Attleboro, 49 – Final – Jess Greer led Stoughton with 14 points and sophomore Val Whalen chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Four different players scored in double figures for the Black Knights. Hockey
Attleboro, 3 vs. Littleton/Bromfield, 2 – Final (2 OT) – Attleboro won the game on a goal by P.J. Elliott on the first shift of four on four play in the second overtime for the Bombardiers who advance to the tournament’s championship game. Elliott also had the tying goal in the third period. Jack Flynn scored Attleboro’s first goal on the power play. The game counts as a 2-2 draw in terms of tournament qualification.
Taunton, 6 vs. Durfee, 1 –Final – Zack Albert and Jordan Hoey scored a pair of goals while Jake Roberts added one and Jack Patneaude scored his first career goal. Mike Volkmann had three assists and Cam Pitts made 14 saves in net for the win. Swimming
Canton boys, 91 vs. Medfield boys, 80 – Final
Canton girls, 74 vs. Medfield girls, 96 – Final
Mansfield boys 77 vs. Hopkinton boys, 98 – Final
Mansfield girls, 84 vs. Hopkinton girls, 94 – Final
Oliver Ames boys, 86 @ North Attleboro boys, 82 – Final
Oliver Ames girls, 74 @ North Attleboro girls, 88 – Final
Today’s games are listed below. Hockey
Attleboro, 5 @ Old Rochester/Fairhaven, 8 – Final – Jake Parker scored two goals and had an assist in the loss for Attleboro. P.J. Elliott added two goals, including one on the power play and sophomore Dan Creavin scored his first career goal for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 6 vs. Sandwich, 0 – Final– Canton jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period and never looked back. Seamus Pecararo scored once in the first and again in the third period and Jim Jenkins (from Jack Goyetch), Mike Dadasis (from Tommy Kilduff), Matt Lazaro (from Shaun Kirby) and Bobby Mullaney all scored once.
Franklin, 4 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final – Alec Gilliatt scored twice, including an empty net goal and Jake Downie and Tyler Oakes also scored for the Panthers.
King Philip, 4 @ Nauset, 2 – Final
Mansfield, 2 vs. Coyle Cassidy, 5 – Final
North Attleboro, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Bourne, 4 – Final – Stoughton freshman AJ Scott was named to the all tournament team.
Taunton, 4 @ Bishop Stang, 2 – Final – The Tigers scored four goals in the first period and held on for the win. Zack Albert scored a pair of goals and Tyler Pietrzyk and Jake Roberts each got a goal apiece. Tyler Pietrzyk and Will Walsh each had two assists and Trevor Pietrzyk, Jordan Hoey and David Perry each recorded one assist. Justin Chappell made 28 saves in net for Taunton. Wrestling
Hanover Quad (Canton) – Canton picked up a 42-12 win over Norwell but fell to Duxbury (58-24) and Hanover (60-24).
Mike Mellish Memorial Super Quad (Foxboro), 9:00AM
Franklin Quad (Franklin) – Franklin went 2-1 on the day. After starting with a 41-25 setback to St. John’s Prep, Franklin picked up wins over Salem (NH) 60-14 and closed the day with a 35-26 win over Lawrence.
Barnstable Quad (Mansfield) – Mansfield fell to host Barnstable (54-30).
Milford Invitational (Milford) – Milford placed fourth.
North Attleboro Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro picked up three wins, beating Plymouth North 66-12, Norton 46-18 and dominating Johnston (RI) 72-9.
Marshfield Quad (Stoughton), 9:30AM
Sandwich Tournament (Taunton) – Taunton finished fourth as a team with five wrestlers making the semifinals. Santiago Lopez won the 220 bracket while Nuno Camara (182) and Alex Rodgiruez (145) each came in second. Nick Choate (170), Justin Bradley (126) and Brandon Deforits (145) each placed fourth. Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis Center) Boys
Attleboro, 38 vs. North Attleboro, 58 – Final – Junior Nick Rajotte had one of the top times in the league in the 55M dash, finishing first for the Rocketeers (6.86). Other first place finishers included Pat Johnson in the 300M (39.62), Gareth King in the 600M (1:33.75) and the 55M hurdles (8.38), Matt Reimels in the 1000M (2:44.45), freshman Liam Monahan in the 2 Mile (10:27.96) and Matt Tarantino in the high jump (5-08.00). Attleboro received first place performances from Brett Szlachciuk in the 1 Mile (4.42.58), Patrick Collins in the shot put (league high 46-05.50) and Isaiah Rodriguez in the long jump (19-10.50).
Canton, 16 vs. Oliver Ames, 80 – Final – The Tigers had a dominate day with multiple strong performances. Doug MacDonald was first in the 55M dash at 6.89 and other first place finishes included Jonathan Long in the 600M (1:32.96), Colin Herschlag in the 1000M (2:58.26), Jarod Boone in the 1 Mile (4:46.41), Jack MacAdam in the 55M hurdles (9.00) and the long jump (18-03.75), Tyler Watson in the shot put (32-8.00) and Andre Cathcart in the high jump (5-02.00). Canton’s top performances came from Pat Hession in the 300M (39.42) and Mark Clancy in the 2 Mile (10:26.44).
Franklin, 53 vs. King Philip, 47 – Final – In a close battle, Franklin was able to pull out the win. Luke Gordon was first in the 300M (39.29), Jimmy Robbins was first in the 1000M (2:48.60) and Ryan Spelman had the best time of all teams in the 1 Mile at 4:40.49. Other first place finishes were Spelman in the 2 Mile (10:53.41) and Michael Bullen in the long jump (18-06.75). King Philip’s Sean Garrity had the best 55M dash performance off all 12 schools, taking first in 6.85. Ethan Dunne was first in the 600M (1:33.09) and the 55M hurdles (8.45), Paul Macrina in the shot put (42-05.00) and a league best high jump performance from Michael Roby (5-08.00).
Foxboro, 31 vs. Sharon, 69 – Final – The Eagles had first place performances in all solo events , starting with Carlos Grullon in the 55M dash (6.93), the high jump (5-06.00) and the long jump (league best 20-01.50), Jake Goloboy in the 300M (39.84), Tyler Kaufman in the 600M (1:32.60), Grant Fawcett in the 1000M (3:00.13), Tianrui Sun in the 1 Mile (4:42.19) and the 2 Mile (10:21.30), William McManus in the 55M hurdles (league best 8.09) and Matthew McManus in the shot put (40-04.75). Foxboro’s 4×200 relay beat Sharon with a time of 1:42.22.
Mansfield, 63 vs. Taunton, 37 – Final – The Hornets had the two top times of all 12 schools in the 600M with sophomore Kevin Crawford in first (1:30.53) and junior Kyle Amerantes in second (1:31.68). Other first place finishes included Jack Crawford in the 1000M (league best 2:38.88), Jareme DiLorenzo in the 55M hurdles (8.59), Kevin McCree in the shot put (43-09.50) and Jake Morrill in the high jump (5-06.00). Taunton had strong performances as well with first place finishes from Damion Theodule in the 55M dash (6.87), Brian Cherenfant in the 300M (league-best 38.21) and the long jump (19-09.00) and Dylan Lynch in the 1 Mile (4:41.44) and the 2 Mile (10:18.09).
Milford, 36 vs. Stoughton, 64 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win behind a number of strong performances. Clifton Gerring finished first in the 55M dash (6.93), Jordan Taylor was first in the 300M (38.76), Cameron Bean was first in the 600M (1:34.45) and the 1 Mile (4:54.51), James Tarchara took the shot put (37-05.50) and Steven Elice, Sean Perry and Gerring tied for first in the high jump (5-04.00). Milford’s Joseph Madden was first in the 1000M (2:56.50), Jack Kalil came in first in the 2 Mile (10:49.64), Luis Goncalves was first in the 55M hurdles (8.74) and Gerson Migliorini was first in the long jump (18-06.50). Girls
Attleboro, 14 vs. North Attleboro, 86 – Final – The Rocketeers rolled to a win behind first place finishes from Isabelle Renzi in the 55M dash (7.82), Rachel LaBonte in the 300M (43.41) and the long jump (16-02.25), Lauren Marchetti in the 600M (1:53.31), Ann Roberts in the 1000M (3:16.80), Angela Kaiser in the 1 Mile (5:42.16), freshman Julia Mechlinski in the shot put (29-03.00) and Nicole Boulanger in the high jump (4-10.00). Attleboro’s Quincy Harding finished first in the 55M hurdles (9.50) and Emily Vieira was first in the 2 Mile (13:47.12).
Canton, 37 vs. Oliver Ames, 63 – Final – First place finishes for Oliver Ames were Lauren Wright in the 600M (1:47.42), Dana Lowney in the 1000M (3:13.95), Erin Sferrazza in the 2 Mile (13:04.83), Gabby Eldridge in the 55M hurdles (league best 9.48), Chi-Chi Akanegbu in the shot put (league-best 35-07.00) and Comfort Udo in the high jump (4-08.00). Finishing in first for Canton were Selena Cho in the 55M dash (7.89) and the long jump (14-10.75), Hannah Link in the 300M (44.04) and Cat Song in the 1 Mile (5:45.21).
Franklin, 78 vs. King Philip, 22 – Final – A sophomore finished first in three different events to pace the Panthers. First place finishes for Franklin included second year athlete Jessica Kroushl in the 55M dash (7.61), the 300M (league-best 43.14 [Franklin freshman Halle Atkinson was second in the league at 43.16]) and the long jump (15-08.50), Meghan Doherty in the 600M (1:42.75), Brittany Robinson in the 1000M (league-best 3:09.44), Ella Gutkowski in the 1 Mile (5:45.04), Carly Rondeau in the 2 Mile (13:00.91) and Beth Neal in the 55M hurdles (9.72) and the high jump (league-best 4-10.00). King Philip’s Jayla Millender was first in the shot put (28-00.00).
Foxboro, 49 vs. Sharon, 51 – Final – This matchup dominated the 2 Mile race, with Foxboro grabbing first but Sharon getting second, third and fourth. Sharon sophomore Amanda Brown was first in the 600M (1:46.73), Ariadne Tolay was first in the 1000M (3:14.32), Brigid Loftus finished first in the 55M hurdles (9.87) and Rachel Goodman won the shot put (26-08.25). Senior Carly Ryter, sophomore Maria Greg and freshman Dana Jaffe was second, third and fourth respectively in the 2 Mile. For Foxboro, first place finishes included Berlendah Dure in the 55M dash (7.89) and the 300M (45.66), Meredith Cronin in the 1 Mile (league best 5:39.44 [freshman Lexi Quinn had the second best time in the league at 5:41.88]), Lexi Quinn in the 2 Mile (12:26.04), Kelsey McDonald in the high jump (4-10.00) and Shraey Srinivansan in the long jump (15-10.00).
Mansfield, 49 vs. Taunton, 50 – Final – Taunton used its depth to edge Mansfield with a sweep in the long jump and strong second and third place finishes. Coming in first for Taunton were Mariah O’Gara in the 300M (43.69) and Jillian Purtell in the 55M hurdles (9.52) and the long jump (17-01.00). First place finishes for Mansfield included Kelly Crawford in the 55M dash (7.59), Katie Rowe in the 600M (1:52.14), Caitlin Whitman in the 1000M (3:13.15) and the high jump (4-06.00), Emma Oldow in the 1 Mile (5:46.36), freshman Kerry McCabe in the 2 Mile (13:57.18) and Brianna Young in the shot put (28-03.00).
Milford, 52 vs. Stoughton, 48 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks broke into the win column by edging Stoughton. Finishing first for Milford were Gabby O’Neil in the 300M (46.24), Jess Palmer in the 600M (1:52.05), Jenise Madden in the 1000M (3:19.11), Gabriela Chong in the 1 Mile (5:56.27) and the 2 Mile (13:06.86), Carina Thompson in the 55M hurdles (10.02), Aleye Momodu in the shot put (31-01.50) and Christi Speliakos in the long jump (15-02.00). Stoughton’s Shanel Ford finished first in the 55M dash (7.96) and Rianna Rodrigues was first in the high jump (4-06.00). Gymnastics
Attleboro, 135.45 @ King Philip, 131.35 – Final Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Duxbury, 5 – Final
Franklin, 3 @ Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake, 4 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Medfield, 4 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 8 @ Dover-Sherborn/Hopkinton, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Quincy/North Quincy, 8 – Final
