Baseball
Attleboro, 1 vs. Needham, 0 – Final – Attleboro freshman Tyler Dunlea had his best outing of the season, allowing just one hit to lead the Bombardiers to a close win over Needham. Dunlea tossed six innings with six strikeouts while Billy Saltmarsh hurled a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts for the save. Offensively, Evan Houle went 2-for-3 and scored the lone run of the day, knocked in by Danny Johnson. Owen Taber, Aiden Hochwarter, and Peter Delpozzo each had a hit for Attleboro.
Canton, 10 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final – It was a day to remember — and for the record books — for Canton senior Andy Butler. Butler smashed his first career home run, set a new program record for stolen bases in a season, and shut the door with a two-inning save to lead the Bulldogs past the Shamrocks. With Feehan holding a 2-0 lead, Butler launched a three-run shot to left field to give Canton the lead for good. He finished 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot with six RBI. He also stole two bags, breaking the school record of 21. He came on in relief in the sixth inning, getting three strikeouts for the six-out save. Jay Kelleher also had an RBI, two hits and two runs for Canton, who added four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the sixth. Matt Quan added a hit, two runs, and two RBI. Zach Peters got the win on the mound, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out one in five innings.
Stoughton, 0 @ Milton, 5 – Final – Jonah Ly, Jeriel Cuello, Anthony Tilton, and Anthony Girolamo each had a hit but the Black Knights fell to powerhouse Milton on the road. Hunter Malkin had a solid outing on the mound, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk, striking out four.
Foxboro, 3 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Buoyed by a pair of home runs, Mansfield captured a key win over rival Foxboro. The Warriors took the lead first, scoring once in the second (RBI single from freshman Ryan O’Leary) and once in the third (RBI single from junior Louis Carangelo) but Mansfield came back to tie in the bottom half of the second on a two-run home run from Jimmy Gilleran. O’Leary collected his second RBI with a single to center to bring senior Liam Mulkern (2-for-3, two runs) home but the Hornets had an answer yet again. Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak drew walks, and the former came home to score on an RBI double from Jared Fraone to tie it 3-3. Two pitches later, pinch-hitter Cian Goulet blasted a three-run home run over the fence in left to make it 6-3. Gilleran earned the win on the mound for the hosts, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out 10. Tom Marcucella pitched well for Foxboro, scattering six hits and two walks with a strikeout. Freshman Tommy Watts tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief for Foxboro, with one hit and one walk allowed and two strikeouts.
Softball
Canton, 2 vs. Milton, 6 – Final
Milford, 2 @ Mansfield, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Callie Lake had three hits and Olivia DeTrolio drove in four runs to help Mansfield pick up a big win on senior night. The Hornets grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the first. Lake led off with a single and Cat Kipp reached on an error. Casey Mousette drove in a pair of runs with a single and DeTrolio plated one with a hit before coming in to score on a wild pitch. Mansfield broke the game open with five more in the second. Sydney Fernando and Lake singled, Kipp walked, Julia Kelly reached on an error, and DeTrolio hit a big homer that made it 9-0. Milford scored a pair in the third, but the Hornets matched that in the fourth and added three more in the fifth to close things out. Lake finished with two RBI, while Moussette and DeTrolio each had a pair of hits.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Five different players found the back of the net as Attleboro notched a non-league win over Oliver Ames. Harry Wheaton had a tremendous outing in net for the Bombardiers. Wyatt Fritchman and Ben Reardon each scored a hat trick for Oliver Ames while Ryan Jaco and Victor Romeiro each scored once.
Canton, 9 vs. Dedham/Norwood, 10 – Final (3 OT)
Franklin, 17 vs. Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final – Jake Davis proved to be unstoppable for the Feehan defense as the junior exploded for eight goals and two assists to lead the Panthers to a big win over the Shamrocks. Tyler Sacchetti added a goal and four assists, Jayden Consigli notched five goals and five assists, and Drew Hansen had a goal and one helper.
King Philip, 10 @ Nipmuc, 7 – Final
Mansfield vs. Braintree, 4:00
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ Whitman-Hanson, 9 – Final – Canton built a one-goal lead by halftime and stayed ahead throughout the second half in a win over Whitman-Hanson. Fay Gallery led the charge offensively for the Bulldogs with four goals while Devan Spinale, Emily McCabe and Allie McCabe each had a pair of goals. Elyse Broderick made 13 saves in net in the win.
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
King Philip, 9 @ Walpole, 16 – Final – King Philip fell short on the road against state powerhouse Walpole on Friday evening. Morgan Cunningham had one goal and four assists, registering her 100th career point in the process. Lily Brown (assist) and Julia Marsden each scored three goals for KP.
Mansfield, 12 @ Brookline, 9 – Final
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Milton, 2 – Final – After dropping a match to Milton a week ago, Oliver Ames came back to avenge the loss and get the win by the same score. In similar fashion to the first meeting, the match came down to the second doubles match and this time the duo of Alex Vasiliou and Ben Dias emerged from a extremely competitive match with a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) win.
Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 1 vs. Hopkinton, 4 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
North Attleboro @ Norton, 3:45
Baseball
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Rudy Gately tossed a complete game, allowing only one earned run, to help the Warriors bounce back with a road win. Gately gave up six hits and struck out five. He also had a hit and scored a pair of runs. Max Robison drove in the first KP run in the second with a ground ball that brought in Gately, who had walked. In the third, Travis Crawford singled and stole second. Matthew Kelley dropped down a sac bunt to move Crawford to third and then Shawn Legere scored the run with a double to center. KP scored the winning runs in the sixth. Brendan Sencaj singled and Gately bunted for a hit, with Sencaj moving to third and Gately taking second. Will Astorino’s ground ball brought in one and Matt DiFiore’s safety squeeze scored Gately. The Warriors got an insurance run in the seventh. Kelley walked and Legere was hit by a pitch. A Sencaj fly ball moved Kelley to third and he would come home on a passed ball.
Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 10 – Final – Canton put up 10 runs for the second straight day and earned another win, this time taking down visiting Sharon. Tied 1-1 through 3.5 innings, Canton exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a lead for good. Jay Kelleher and Matt Quan each drove in a pair of runs with a single to push the Bulldogs advantage to 6-1. Sharon responded with four runs in the top of the fifth to make it a one-run game but Canton answered with three of its own in the bottom half to pad the lead, getting an RBI from both Hayden Rose and Matt Hart. Jack Digirolamo went 3-for-4 for Canton with two RBI and two runs scored while Quan tossed two scoreless innings in relief to get the save. Palash Raina had a three-run triple for Sharon and scored a pair of runs.
Foxboro, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Foxboro freshman Nolan Gordon tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Warriors to a quality win on the road at Frothingham Park over Oliver Ames. Gordon allowed seven hits, six of them singles, and didn’t have a walk, striking out four for the win. The Warriors’ offense plated three runs in three straight innings starting in the third inning. Junior Louis Carangelo had an RBI single, freshman Ryan O’Leary scored on a wild pitch, and Jack Watts scored on a ground out as Foxboro jumped ahead 3-0. Freshman Ben Angelini had a one-out RBI single to start the scoring in the fourth, and Carangelo drove in two more with a two-out single to center to make it 6-0. Liam Mulkern’s triple brought Tom Marcucella (double) home in the top of the fifth, Angelini drew a bases-loaded walk for a run, and Kenny Mello (HBP) scored on a ground out to make it 9-0.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 11 – Final (6 Inn.) – Franklin pushed across four runs in the bottom of the third to increase its lead to 5-0, and then ended the game with a six-run fifth inning to knock off Milford. Jase Lyons continued to rake at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored to pace the Panthers’ offense. Chris Goode added two hits and two RBI, Eisig Chin also drove in two runs, and Henry DiGiorgio had a pair of hits and three runs scored. Junior Alfred Mucciarone had a strong outing on the bump, allowing one run on six hits and no walks, striking out five in five innings.
Taunton, 2 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final – Mansfield exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and that was enough as the Hornets handed Taunton its first loss of the season. The Tigers staked a 1-0 lead after an RBI double from Braden Sullivan scored Dawson Bryce in the top of the first but Mansfield answered quickly, loading the bases on three of the first four at-bars. Jared Fraone singled in Matt DeShiro, Connor Curtis drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 2-0, and Jake Maydak brought home two runs on a base hit. With two outs, Conner Zukowski got his second hit of the inning with a two-run double to make it 7-1. Jimmy Gilleran handled the lead the rest of the way for the Hornets, allowing just two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out six in a complete game effort.
North Attleboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton led 3-0 after two innings, but North rallied with seven runs in the final two innings to pick up the win and stay unbeaten in league play. Danny Curran went the distance for the Rocketeers, allowing only four hits and one earned run, striking out seven. The Black Knights got one in the first and two in the second to take the early lead. It took until the sixth inning before North got on the board. Derek Maceda started the rally with a walk, stole second, and scored on a triple by Tyler DeMattio (3-for-3, two extra base hits and two RBI). DeMattio would score on a ground out by Curran. North took the lead with a five-run seventh. Jordan Paradis beat out an infield single to lead things off, David Floyd followed with a single and both moved up on a sac bunt by Christian Bates. Tyler Bannon brought them both home with a double and DeMattio scored him with a double. Curran (three RBI) plated two more with a single up the middle to put North up by four.
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – King Philip softball Jordan Bennett tossed a two-hit shutout to lead the Warriors to a 7-0 win over a quality opponent in Attleboro. Bennett allowed just two singles — both to Attleboro’s Lily Routhier — with one coming in the first, and one coming in the sixth, but responded with a strikeout for the third out on both occasions. Junior Charlotte Raymond and freshman Liv Petrillo each brought in a run with an RBI single during KP’s four-run second inning, and two runs came in to score after an error on sophomore Maddie Paschke’s squeeze bunt. KP added two key insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth after both junior Sarah Cullen and sophomore Caitlyn Sencaj singled and then both came into score on a hit from senior Meg Sherwood. Petrillo drove in another run with a double in the bottom of the fifth to plate Mia Bennett (walk).
Canton, 16 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Jessica Wright and Olivia Mackwell each recorded five hits and drove in five runs as Canton picked up a big win on the road over Sharon. Sam Vrabel added four hits and drove in three runs while Taylor Reynolds chipped in with a pair of hits and four RBI on the same. Sophia Santos and Gillian Gordon pitched well for the Bulldogs in the win.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Foxboro scored in each of the first five innings, including a four-run second and a three-run fifth, to secure a win over visiting Oliver Ames. Freshman Vittoria Cuscia had a big day for the Warriors, getting it done both in the circle and at the plate. She tossed a complete game, including six shutout innings before the Tigers struck for three in the seventh. She added seven strikeouts and then paced the offense with three hits and two runs scored. Peyton Feldman had a big day on the base path, stealing four bases and scoring three runs.
Franklin, 18 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Franklin’s bats exploded for 18 runs on 18 hits, scoring in five straight innings between the second and sixth inning during a victory over Milford. Sophomore Carly Johnson-Pellegri had a huge day at the dish, going 4-for-5 while driving in eight runs to pace the Panthers’ offense, scoring three times herself. Kiera Kotwicki added three hits, three runs, and RBI in the win while Aislinn Lavery (two RBI), Georgia Harvey, Katy Liberman and Hailey Fales each added two hits in the win. Milford’s Cae Pellegrini had two hits, including her second home run in as many days, and sophomore Grace Bonina chipped in with two hits and two RBI in the win.
Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 13 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton scored 11 runs in the first inning and never looked back, rolling to a big win and ending Mansfield’s three-game win streak. Liv Mendonca allowed just two hits and one walk and struck out nine to pick up the win. Kyleah Plumb (two runs), Kaysie DeMoura (two runs and five RBI), Ava Venturelli (thee runs and two RBI), and Hayley Krockta (run scored and RBI) each had two hits for the Tigers. Angie Lynch drove in a pair and Kylie Thorpe and Mendonca both drove in one. Venturelli and DeMoura both went deep for Taunton. Callie Lake and Cat Kipp had Mansfield’s hits.
Stoughton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Kelly Colleran was dominant in the circle and at the plate, leading North to a crucial division win over Stoughton. Colleran earned the win with a 14-strikeout day and helped her own cause by going 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, and three RBI. Mandi Hanewich continued to do her job in the leadoff spot with two hits, two stolen bases and a run scored. Shaelyn Burns blasted a three-run homer in the third to give North separation. Ally Levine and Zoey McDonough added a hit and a run scored apiece, while Maryellen Charette had a strong game at catcher.
Boys Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 14 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Clayton Billingkoff and Connor Ruppert each scored four goals to help North earn the season sweep of Canton. Matt Antonetti added a hat trick for the Rocketeers and JT Gallagher was trong in goal with 12 saves. Jared Vacher continued to be a force on the draw, winning 19 face-offs.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro vs. Norton, 4:00
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip swept all three singles matches and added another win in doubles play, taking a 4-1 verdict over visiting Attleboro. Senior Brady Jannell prevailed with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win at first singles, senior Jonathan Cohen added a 6-1, 6-1 second doubles win, and junior Jackson Hom secured a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of senior Diego Neto and junior Noah Ihley added a first doubles win (7-6, 6-4) for the Warriors. Attleboro’s Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen won 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.
Canton, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – A sweep of doubles and one win from singles action gave Sharon a close win over visiting Canton. The team of Ruemon Bhattacharyya and Mitch Weiss won at first doubles, while Hyojae Park and Sava Kassev won at second doubles for the Eagles. Sharon also got a win from Jacob Slavsky (6-1, 6-0) at third singles. Canton sophomore Max Kupferman prevailed from a well-played, hard-fought first singles battle with sophomore Matthew Lally to take a 6-3, 6-7, 10-8 win while Suraj Ramanathan added a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles for the Bulldogs.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – Oliver Ames second doubles team of Alex Vasiliou and Ben Dias emerged victorious after a marathon three-set match, giving the Tigers their fourth straight win. Second doubles was a battle from the get-go and Vasiliou and Dias prevailed with a 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 win to clinch the match. The Tigers also got a big win from sophomore Nick Westerbeke, who dropped the first set 0-6 but rallied to win the second, and took the third 6-2 at first singles.
Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin won all five matches in straights to stay undefeated on the season, moving to 7-0. Senior Drew Mahoney earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Ahan Shetty secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Ryan Essam prevailed from third singles with a 6-4, 6-4 verdict. The team of seniors Tim O’Keefe and Aidan Karlowicz earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the team of freshman Dan Reis and junior Tyler Fitzpatrick were victorious, 6-1, 6-0, at second doubles.
Mansfield, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Senior Pratham Tallam and junior Jesse Colchamiro overcame a one-set deficit to prevail with a third-set tiebreaker win, completing Mansfield’s sweep over Taunton. Pratham and Colchamiro earned a 4-6, 7-5, 10-5 win at first doubles and sophomore Jacob Weiner and junior James Kennedy secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles. Mansfield won all three singles matches in first sets: Neema Khosravani (6-1, 6-1) at first singles, Kailash Elumela (6-2, 6-0) at second singles, and Benson Delaney (6-0, 6-0) at third singles.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – Freshman Darren Liang and the sophomore tandem of Quinn DiFiore and Aaryan Anjna both overcome a one-set deficit to get a win, helping North Attleboro complete a sweep over Stoughton. Liang rallied for a win at third singles, taking the match 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 while DiFiore and Anjna earned a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10) win at second doubles. Senior Will Folan took a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first singles, junior Brody Carter added a 6-3, 7-5 victory at second sinlges, and the team of junior Griffin Rodden and sophomore Arnav Raghuvanshi secured a 6-4, 6-3 first doubles win for North Attleboro.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro picked up its biggest win of the season, getting a big boost in doubles action, with a 3-2 decision over King Philip. Seniors Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam continued their impressive campaign with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of senior Alison Rebelo and junior Bree Paulette emerged with a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles. The Bombardiers got a third point at first singles from senior Ella Lynch Bartek (6-2, 6-6 [2-3] ret.). King Philip sophomore Shea Mellman earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles and junior Caroline Freese added a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win at third singles.
Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sharon’s Navya Shukla emerged from a third-set tiebreaker that took 34 points to decide to get the win, completing the Eagles’ sweep over Canton. Shukla and Canton’s Camila Cutter split the first two sets before engaging in an epic tie-breaker with the hosts first singles prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 18-16. Sharon also got wins from Ale Aguilar at second singles (6-2, 6-2), Judy Song at third singles (6-1, 6-1), the team of Ritu Sreeram and Sophia Oh at first doubles (6-2, 6-2), and the duo of Sasha Fein and Abby Vilk at second doubles (6-2, 6-4).
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – The team of Olivia Querzoli and Marina Mierzwinksi rallied from a one-set deficit to win two in a row, clinching the decisive third point to give the Tigers a win over Foxboro, their third win this week. Querzoli and Mierzwinksi rallied to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win while OA’s first doubles team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper earned a 6-1, 6-4 victory. OA’s first win came at third singles from Elizabeth O’Brien (6-2, 6-1). Foxboro won both first singles (Athena Li) and second singles (Hailey Kornbluth) without dropping a set, taking both 6-0, 6-0.
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Taking all five matches in straight sets, Franklin defended home court against visiting Milford. Izzy Trull took a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles, Vedika Vinayak earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sarah Schiavo completed the singles sweep with a 6-0, 6-3 victory at third singles. The team of Allison Bagley and Amulya Jayam earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at at first doubles while the tandem of Ashmita Boopathy and Brooke Daniels emerged with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second doubles.
Taunton @ Mansfield, 3:45
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Boys Volleyball
Taunton vs. Greater New Bedford, 5:00
Baseball
Canton, 10 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Canton senior catcher Sean Sullivan threw out the tying run at third in the top of the seventh and junior Matt Lesser finished off the save in the same at-bat for the final out as the Bulldogs outlasted King Philip on the road. The Bulldogs scored in each of the first innings, taking advantage of a handful of KP defensive miscues to eventually lead 8-3 after four innings. King Philip cut the deficit down to just a run with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles from Brendan Sencaj and Rudy Gately. Jay Kelleher’s single — Canton’s fourth straight to start the sixth — brought in Matt Chafin and Jack Digirolamo (three hits) to put the visitors ahead 10-7. KP bounced right back in the bottom half with two runs of its own, a long triple from Sencaj (three RBI) to bring in Matt Kelley and Shawn Legere. KP got the tying run on with a single and a steal, but Sullivan gunned him down at third after a ball in the dirt. Travis Crawford also had two hits and two RBI for the Warriors.
Foxboro, 2 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin pushed across three runs in the first inning, two more in the third, and never looked back in a win under the lights over Foxboro. Evan Raider and Henry Digiorgio had back-to-back sacrifice flies to plate a run apiece and Jase Lyons had a two-out RBI single to plate Chris Goode (HBP) to seize and early 3-0 advantage. Digiorgio added an RBI double to score Goode (double) in the third, and Lyons added another RBI base hit to extend Franklin’s advantage to 5-0. Eisig Chin added an RBI triple in the sixth for the Panthers, and Joe Tirrell brought two home with a base hit to left. Jacob Jette got the win on the mound for the Panthers, allowing two runs (one earned) one three hits and one walk, striking out four. Ryan LeClair had two hits and scored a run for Foxboro.
Softball
Mansfield, 13 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – Mansfield made it three wins in a row with a shutout of Sharon. Julia Kelly and Amanda Schwarz combined on a one-hitter for the Hornets, who also pounded out 14 hits as a team. Mansfield took a 4-0 lead in the first. Callie Lake singled and would score on a base hit by Liv Madeira. Jill Koppy and Molly Kucharski also had RBI singles in the inning. The Hornets doubled their lead in the second. Kelly led off with a double and would score on an error, while Madeira and Alanna Conley both drove in runs with singles. Mansfield completed the scoring in the third with five more runs. Lake drove in one and Casey Moussette plated a pair. Madeira and Conley each finished the day with three hits and Lake had a pair.
Milford, 3 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North continued to get dominant pitching to extend its win streak to four games. Zoey McDonough was in the circle and struck out 15 batters, while allowing only five hits and a walk, to pick up the victory. Mandi Hanewich had a pair of hits, a walk, and two RBI to pace the offensive attack. Kelly Colleran had a double and drove in two, while Emma Hanwell and Ally Levine each had a hit and an RBI. Maryellen Charette and Shaelyn Burns both had a hit and a run scored for North.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Canton, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ben Reardon (two goals, three assists) and Ryan Jaco (three goals, two assists) each had five points while Wyatt Fritchman recorded a pair of goals. Noah Isleib was terrific in net for the Tigers with 21 saves.
North Attleboro, 13 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Behind a strong defensive effort and a standout performance from Jared Vacher at the face off X, North Attleboro secured a quality win over a quality opponent on the road at Sharon. Vacher won 12 of 18 face offs in a battle of two of the top faceoff specialists in the Hock against Sharon’s Ben Shocket. Senior Clayton Billingkoff scored a team-high five goals to pace the offense while senior Connor Ruppert added four goals. JT Gallagher had a big game in net with 10 saves for the Rocketeers.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – Julia Marsden, Makenzie McDevitt, and Morgan Cunningham each recorded four points to lead King Philip to a big win over visiting Attleboro. Both Marsden and McDevitt scored four goals apiece while Cunningham had one goal and three assists.
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Canton, 12 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – The Bulldogs remain unbeaten and in a tie for first in the division by holding off the Tigers. Canton closed out the half with four straight goals to take a two goal lead into the break and extended the lead to as many as five goals in the second half. Emily McCabe led the way for the hosts with four goals and two assists. OA held a 4-3 lead midway through the opening half. Hailey Bourne got her first to start the scoring before McCabe answered back. Canton then jumped in front when Carly Fitzgerald’s pass in front was tipped home by Ella Yeaton. Catie Wilson tied it for OA and Gergia Costello made it 3-2. After Devan Spinale tied it again, Bourne got her second and Wilson added another for a 5-3 lead. Off the draw, McCabe found Shannon McGrann for a goal to cut the lead to one and McGrann tied it three minutes later from a free position. Spinale and Fay Gallery added two more, the last coming with 22.1 on the clock, for a 7-5 lead. Early in the second half, Costello got OA within one but Allie McCabe spun through the heart of the OA defense to restore the two-goal lead. Jess Widdop made a couple of saves on Canton free positions before Emily McCabe dodged from the top and found her way to goal. McCabe added another just seconds later to make it 10-6. A steal by Olivia O’Rourke led to a goal for Wilson but Yeaton found McCabe cutting through the middle to make it 11-7. Allie McCabe added her second for the Bulldogs before Wilson wrapped up the scoring in the final minute. Elyse Broderick made seven saves in goal for Canton.
Foxboro, 18 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mya Waryas scored five goals and dished out two assists and the Warriors rolled to another big league win that keeps them in a tie for first place in the Davenport division. Paige Curran (two assists) and Mary Collins (one assist) each added four goals apiece for Foxboro, which also got two goals and an assist from Cate Noone, a goal and an assist from Kate Collins, a goal and two assists from Val Beigel, and a goal from Grace Riley. Audrey Campbell made 10 saves to pick up the win in goal.
Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Franklin had over a dozen players find their way onto the scoring sheet in a big win over visiting Taunton. Kenzie Baker and Jamie Tanner finished with three goals apiece to pace the offense. Cali Melo, Maddison Szala, and Aria Cordeiro each scored for Taunton.
Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 15 – Final – Bailey Garte scored both goals for Sharon and Ava Jacobson had an assist.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court by winning all five matches against visiting Taunton. The freshmen duo of Alex Efrimidas and Patrick Dolan had a standout performance in the win, both playing strong at the net to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles.
Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon secured a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play to grab a win over visiting Mansfield. Sophomore Matthew Lally emerged victorious after a tenacious battle with Mansfield freshman Neema Khosravani, taking first singles 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 10-8. Freshman Jacob Slovsky added a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles for the Eagles. Seniors Ruemon Bhattacharyya and Mitch Weiss won at first doubles (6-1, 6-1) while juniors Kevin Li and Hyojae Park took the win at second doubles for the Eagles. Mansfield sophomore Kailash Elumalei rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 win at second singles.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, North Attleboro’s first doubles tandem of junior Griffin Rodden and sophomore Arnav Raghuvanshi prevailed in a third set tiebreaker to complete the five-match set for the Rocketeers. Rodden and Raghuvanshi won 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 while sophomore Tim Le and junior Brody Gaulin rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second doubles. Senior captain Will Folan secured a 6-0, 6-0 first singles win, junior Brody Carter added a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Darren Liang took home a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Elizabeth O’Brien overcame a one-set deficit to earn a win in a third-set tiebreaker to complete the sweep on the road over Taunton. O’Brien rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 10-4 win at third singles, Hannah Farber added a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, and Mia Corradini prevailed with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win at second singles. The team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli battled to a 6-3, 6-3 second doubles win.
Sharon, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Sharon won both doubles matches in straight sets to highlight a 4-1 win over Mansfield. The team of senior Ritu Sreeram and sophomore Sophia Oh grabbed a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles while seniors Alice Zaniewski and Rachel Rashukin emerged with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second doules. Junior Ale Aguilar added a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles.
Stoughton, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro swept both doubles matches in straight sets and added two more wins from singles action to secure a win over visiting Stoughton. The senior tandem of Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam grabbed a 6-2, 5-1 (inj.) win at first singles, and sophomores Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller didn’t drop a single set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Bombardiers. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek added a 6-1, 6-2 first singles victory and sophomore Maddie Fulscado earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at second singles. Stoughton’s Stefani Reznikow emerged with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.
Boys Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 97 @ Milford, 39 – Final – Attleboro’s Kaiden Murray took first in three individual events as Attleboro grabbed a big win on the road over Milford. Murray won the 100M, the 110M hurdles, and the long jump while Chris Leonardo was a double-winner in the shot put and the discus. Jack Blouin and Ethan Sylvia went 1-2 in the 1 Mile, and Sylvia added a win in the 800M for the Bombardiers. Adrian Rivera was second in the 200M dash (won by Jordan Rivera-Silva), took third in the high jump, won the triple jump, and was apart of the winning 4x100M relay team. (with Rivera-Silva, Zyeem Charles, and Josh Codella)
Girls Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 73 @ Milford, 63 – Final – Emilia Smith and Jahela Douglas each won a pair of events to lead the Bombardiers to a close win over Milford. Smith anchored a sweep of the 1 Mile (followed by Taylor DeCristoforo and Bailey Ellis) and the 2 Mile (followed by DeCristoforo and Kacey Parker), and Douglas took first in the triple jump and led a sweep of the 200M (followed by Alexis Cincotta and Sophia Lyons). Rebecca Rainey led a sweep of the 400M hurdles (along with Zenda Gjoni and Allie McNamara) and Aariana Ridge won the long jump (followed by Natalie Berganza and Katerina Trieb).
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.”
Brennen Pecararo celebrates after putting Canton up two goals against Plymouth North in the D2 Sweet Sixteen. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – It took a few minutes for Canton to find its footing in Wednesday night’s Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen matchup with No. 14 seed Plymouth North at the Canton Ice House. The Bulldogs found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 power play and their play didn’t have its typical sharpness.
But, the Bulldogs still found the breakthrough midway through the first and then took full control of the game with a two-goal burst in the final minute of the period, including a goal from AJ Thomas with no time on the clock. That surge turned out to be decisive, as the two-time defending state champs would hold off the Eagles for a 4-1 victory.
Canton extended its win streak this season to 20 games and its playoff win streak to 11 games, going back to the D2 South semifinal in 2018.
“It started off well and then some penalties and stuff that kind of took us out of our rhythm, but they’re a good team,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “They worked hard from start to finish and they played with more of a sense of urgency when they were down but we had our chances. We had plenty of chances and their goalie played very well.”
The game got off to a sluggish start in part because, before either team had gotten into a flow, there were three penalties called in the opening four minutes. Canton was spent almost 90 seconds down two players, but managed to kill off the Plymouth North power play and keep the game scoreless. It was a big early boost.
“Credit to our guys killing off that 5-on-3, that was huge,” said Shuman. “You still see some nervous energy out there with some of our younger guys and we just have to battle through it and not find ourselves in the penalty box early in the game. Credit to our PK team, they did a great job killing those early ones off.”
Patrick Drury had one of the few good chances early in the game for Canton when his shot from the right wing circle forced a pad save out of Kaden Bono. About two minutes later, Canton had the lead. Eddie Gillis blocked a clearance in the slot, spun quickly and snapped off a shot that went inches wide. The Bulldogs kept battling to keep the puck in deep and Gillis wound up in the right spot to jam in a shot at the near post.
Things started to click into gear as time went on in the first. James Young made a nice pass up the far boards into the path of Andrew Valkanas, who raced down the left wing and forced another good pad save from Bono.
Canton’s best passing move of the night led to the second goal. Brendan Tourgee drove forward through the neutral zone and flipped a pass out to the left to Eamon Kelly, who in turn dropped a pass into the path of defenseman Brennen Pecararo. The senior, who played juniors for his first three seasons and started the season as a forward, smashed his one-timer past Bono.
“As soon as we moved him back to D, the third or fourth game, things have really settled down back there,” Shuman said of Pecararo. “He’s just a really strong defender but he sees the ice really well, can move the puck, and he’s been a real offensive and defensive strength for us this year.”
The Bulldogs beat the buzzer to add to the lead. Brian Middleton took a perfect outlet pass right down the middle but his breakaway opportunity was denied by Bono. Thomas was hustling to follow up the play and he was able to collect the rebound and snipe the top far corner just before the horn sounded.
Leading 3-0, Canton could’ve relaxed but the Bulldogs came out aggressive to start the second. Jay Kelleher held a puck in at the blue line and set up Thomas going to the net only for Bono to make a good stop.
Three minutes into the second, Thomas had another chance saved. The loose puck popped out to Pecararo pinching in but his shot just missed the open net. Thomas continued to fight for the puck on the side of the net and roofed a shot for his second and the team’s fourth.
Valkanas teed up Tourgee for a quick release shot that forced a pad stop from Bono and Pecararo later kept a puck in the zone to set up Thomas for a chance at a hat trick but the Eagles’ goalie made another good save.
The visitors would be outshot 32-19 for the game but weren’t without chances of their own. Evan Hallissey and Kevin Norwood both gave the Canton defense some issues with their speed but freshman Colin Davis continued to be a rock in goal, denying the Eagles from close range on several chances over the final two periods.
Plymouth North did get some momentum before the end of the second. Josh Bates had a steal at the blue line and raced forward for a shorthanded breakaway and he ripped it high to the glove side to make it 4-1.
Rather than let the Eagles build on that momentum in the third, Davis and the Canton defense were able to largely keep things tight in the defensive zone and the attackers were able to keep pressure down the other end of the ice.
There weren’t a lot of great chances for Canton, Valkanas had one shot saved and nearly connected with Tourgee right in front and Kelly forced a nice blocker save after a steal, but the Bulldogs remained in control throughout.
Shuman explained, “Those games are often tough, when you get up early on a team, desperation kicks in on their side, they really elevate their game, and that’s what happened to Plymouth North. They really elevated their game in the second and third period, in particular, and I thought our guys did a good job of still controlling the play and getting some chances.”
Canton (20-2-1) will face No. 6 seed Walpole in the D2 quarterfinal at a date, time, and location to be determined.
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.”
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro netted a pair of goals in the second half to earn two hard-fought points at home against visiting King Philip. A long throw from sophomore Luke Hagopian played senior Connor Adema down the right wing, and Adema cut in before tapping a centering pass for an easy touch in front for sophomore Billy Badger in the 58th minute. The Bombardiers doubled the lead in the 67th minute when junior Lucas Marques forced a turnover, connected with Esvin Morales, who one touched it on to Alex Vecchioli and the sophomore’s shot eluded the keeper on the bounce.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Canton twice came back from a goal down in the first half and then Erik Valdovinos found a winner just three minutes after the break to lift Canton to the division victory. Adam Eastman scored twice in the first half for the Eagles. The first came after three minutes when he ran onto a through ball and side-footed his finish into the far corner. His second was in the 24th minute as he rounded the keeper and was able to slide his shot in from a tight angle. Dylan Baird equalized for Canton after a nice turn and a shot through a defender’s legs into the bottom corner. After falling behind again, Canton was able to get back level six minutes before halftime. A low cross from Jake McCabe was partially deflected by Jacob Crugnale into the path of Charlie McKinney and he curled it from 18 yards. Three minutes into the second half, Valdovinos hit a low cross from the left that deflected off a Sharon defender and into the corner for the go-ahead goal. Sharon’s best chance at a tying goal came on a breakaway in the final 10 minutes but Amjad Kordab’s shot was parried by Canton keeper Giovanni Ruggeri and cleared by Jay Kelleher.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to earn a key division win over Foxboro, pushing its win streak to five games. Senior Clide Neau put the hosts ahead in the first half, finishing off a pass from Antonio Fernandes. The Tigers doubled the lead in the second half when freshman Casey Milliken played sophomore Joey Carney for a goal. Mathias Taylor and Michael Haikal played well in the middle for OA.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Franklin and Milford traded first half goals and the match finished level with each team taking home a point. The hosts struck first to take the lead when Jack Moran scored off of an assist from Rex Cinelli in the 14th minute. But just five minutes later, Bill Silva knotted the score on a pass from Avi Serri.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro twice erased a one-goal deficit and then scored the final two goals in the last 20 minutes to take a win on the road over Stoughton. The Black Knights opened the scoring in the 16th minute only for North Attleboro’s Brody Rosenberg to equalize in the 35th minute, finishing off a corner from Connor Ward. Stoughton regained the lead early in the second half but Bryce Newth nodded in a cross from Griffin Rodden in the 57th minute to bring the game level again. Quinn Conley gave the visitors their first lead by finishing off a cross from Ward in the 64th minute and tacked on an insurance goal in the 71st minute off a feed from Carson Dameron.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Ella Pisani and Mikayla Thompson each recorded a brace and KP scored three times in each half to pick up the big win and remain atop the Kelley-Rex. Pisani opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing a corner kick from Morgan Norrman. Thompson doubled the lead eight minutes before the break, after a great pass by Dani Lomuscio, and then added her second two minutes later, this time off an assist from Pisani. Pisani scored in the opening minute of the second half on a free kick. Norrman had her second assist, setting up Kylie Menendez to make it 5-0 and Sarah Harper wrapped up the scoring with four minutes to play after being played behind the defense by Danielle Gresham.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Jordan Carman found the back of the net with four minutes left in regulation to lift Foxboro to a dramatic win and into a tie for first place in the Davenport division. Camryn O’Connor broke the deadlock with 25 minutes to play, putting the Tigers in front by a goal, but Kailee McCabe equalized from the penalty spot. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said, “I am so proud of my team and the fight they gave today. All-around amazing effort by all!” Kyla Melton and Mary Cross both had strong games for OA.
Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Anya Zub had a hat trick to lead the Panthers to the road win and keep them within two points of first place in the division. With three goals on Thursday, Zub hit double digits (12) for the season. Kelly O’Connor added the fourth for Franklin. Stella Regan, Bridget Leo, Reilly Lorenzo, and Tori Carmignani all had assists for the visitors. Kailany Ferreira had a big game for the Hawks, making 18 saves to keep the hosts in the game. Brooke Ferreira, Serena Borges, and Aislinn Bennett also played well for Milford, whose head coach Lou Colabello said he was proud of how his team competed despite not getting the result.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Emma Pratt had a goal and an assist and North Attleboro earned its second straight win, moving back to .500 on the season. Steph McKenna opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, off a pass from Pratt. Autumn Hewitt set up Pratt for what turned out to be the game-winner, as Pratt was able to beat the keeper to the ball and finish. Sivannah Marcy got the lone goal for the Black Knights in the closing minutes. North coach Bill Wallace praised the play of midfielders Brayden Rice, Charlotte Moynihan, Brooke Sullivan, and Lily Adams. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima is hoping that his team can carry momentum from a solid performance into Friday’s game with Norwood. He highlighted Morgan Cook for her playmaking and Shayla Ford for being able to create scoring chances. Lima also credited Bianca Casna and Emma Byrne for being able to put pressure on the North defense.
Boys Cross-Country
Taunton, 24 @ Franklin, 32 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Girls Cross-Country
Taunton, 40 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Franklin took first and second overall, three of the top five, and used its depth to take a win over Taunton. Senior Charlene Peng clocked in at 20:20 for first overall while sophomore Alexandra Batla took second in 20:30. Taunton freshmen Colby Dunham (20:39) and Emerson Deponte (20:49) finished third and fourth, respectively, while Franklin sophomore Vivienne Loukota took fifth in 21:33.
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Golf
Canton, 147 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Canton’s Will Gefteas fired a two-under par round to lead the Bulldogs to a big win on the road. Gefteas came in with a two-under round of 34 for medalist honors while Mekhala Costello shot a 37, and both Conor Hunter and Mike Leonetti carded rounds of 38. Jack Gobin led the way for Taunton with a 38.
Mansfield, 164 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Junior Drew Urban fired a 41 in his first varsity match, helping the Hornets pick up their 10th win of the season against Taunt. Senior Cian Goulet shot a team-low round of 39, senior Hunter Tang added a 40, Urban came in with a 41, and Jordan Tavares, Ryan Doherty and Nathan McLean all shot a 44. Jack Gobin earned medalist honors, leading Taunton with a low-round of 38.
Attleboro, 161 @ Milford, 170 – Final – Brendan Raymond earned medalist honors, coming in as the lone golfer under 40 for the day to lead the Bombardiers past Milford at Hopedale Country Club. Raymond shot a 36, Evan Houle and Leo Lombardo each carded a 41, and Jackson Sweeney finished with a 43 for Attleboro. Nate Lawrence led the Scarlet Hawks with a 40 while Ronan Fleming shot a 43.
Foxboro, 162 @ King Philip, 148 – Final – Mike Matheson had the best individual round of any Hock golfer this season as King Philip took down Foxboro. Matheson had three birdies (three, four, six) and added an eagle on the fifth hole to finish with a 31. Jared Curran added a 37 while both Pat Reardon and Gavin Croke shot a 40 for the hosts. Jack Watts led Foxboro with a team-low round of 37.
Oliver Ames, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jo Jo Gaultier recorded four birdies and the Tigers rolled to a win at Easton Country Club. Gaultier birdied on two, six, eight, and nine to finish with a two-under medalist round of 34. Senior Jake Kaplan added a 38 in the win while sophomores Sean Kearns and David Rodgers each carded a 39. Anthony Hern led the way for the Black Knights with a 41.
Baseball
Milford, 6 @ Canton, 8 – Final – Canton pushed across four runs in the bottom of the sixth for insurance and then held off a last inning rally from Milford to get the win. Holding a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, Canton scored four runs to double their offensive output. Milford rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to get within two but Nico Bonanno came in and got a strikeout for the final out to preserve the win. Sawyer Julier-Albert drove in three runs, Matt Quan had two RBI, and Steve Burbank and Jay Kelleher each had one RBI in the win.
Softball
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 14 – Final – Jordan Bennett and Emma Sheehan combined for a one-hitter with seven strikeouts to lead the Warriors to a win at home. Junior Meg Sherwood went 2-for-2 including a home run, driving in four total runs while freshman Maddie Paschke was 3-for-3 wit a three-run home run. Sophomore Charlotte Raymond added a pair of hits, including a triple, for the Warriors. Trinity Payne hit a solo home run for the Eagles.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
King Philip, 6 @ Franklin, 14 – Final – Franklin dominated the first half to the tune of 11 goals and that was enough for the Panthers at home against visiting King Philip. Senior Matt Lazzaro and sophomore Jayden Consigli each scored four goals and added four assists to pace the Panther’s offense. Luke Davis added three goals and one helper, Joe Consigli scored once and had three assists, and Justin Abely and Cody DiMatteo both finished with one goal and one assist.
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 19 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Nine different Franklin players found the back of the net as the Panthers swept the season series with King Philip. Kaitlyn Carney led the way with five goals and one assist, Kate O’Rourke added three goals and one assists, and Jackie O’Neil (assist) and Stella Regan (two assists) each scored once. Head coach Kristin Guarino praised the defensive leadership of Sydney Hawkins and Ali Socci.
Taunton, 6 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – For Taunton, senior Alana Tavares scored a hat trick which including her 250th career goal.
Boys Tennis
Sharon, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – Final
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final
Wrestling
Taunton @ Canton, 4:30
North Attleboro @ Mansfield, 5:00
Foxboro @ Milford, 7:00
Sophomore Jeffrey Chaput celebrates his second period goal that turned out to be the game-winner for Canton against North Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – North Attleboro got bodies in the way all game long, not letting pucks get through on goal, but sometimes it only takes a sliver of space to find the back of the net.
Sophomore Jeffrey Chaput got that one chance in the second period and buried it in the top corner and it turned out to be all that the Bulldogs would need. Canton added an empty net goal in the final minute and skated to a 2-0 victory over North Attleboro that puts the teams in a tie for first in the Davenport division.
“North Attleboro does a great job blocking shots, they always have,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “They sell out, they take away the shooting lanes. Also a failure on our part, too many shots above the knees, which are the easiest shots to block. We have to keep it low, along the ice, and find shooting lanes. Stop trying to go top shelf on their goalie and try to create more rebound opportunities.”
It was an even game, despite Canton’s edge in shots on goal. Both teams came out flying and the Bulldogs showed no rust from having a week off between games.
Shuman explained, “We’ve been fortunate enough to be skating normally, so I think that in itself is keeping us in a good flow and a good rhythm. We’re just lucky to be playing right now because there are a lot of teams that unfortunately aren’t.”
Jack Digirolamo sprung Brendan Tourgee down the left wing for an early chance that was saved by North goalie Kyle Gruber (23 saves). Andrew Valkanas stayed with the puck after his initial shot was blocked and had a good look coming off the right wing boards, but again Gruber stood tall.
The chances kept coming for Canton in the first. Digirolamo had a shot blocked in front and the rebound fell to Tourgee at the post, but the freshman forward was denied by the freshman goalie’s pad. AJ Thomas had another chance between the circles with a quick spin and shot but Gruber, who was making his first varsity start, was again equal to it.
“Why not?” chuckled North coach Ben McManama when asked about having his goalie make his debut against the Bulldogs. “I was a little worried about doing that but you can tell he’s a tough kid mentally and you know what? You’re going to have to learn sometime and we thought it would be good experience for him.”
North started to get more looks in the offensive zone as the first period wore on. Charlie Connolly angled a shot from the right point that was tipped in front by Joe Quinn, but went just wide of the post. In the final seconds of the first, Nik Kojoian pushed towards goal from the left circle but was denied at the post by Canton goalie Liam Polles (15 saves).
Despite starting on the kill, Canton dominated zone time in the second, keeping North pinned back in its defensive zone. Even with all that pressure, it was North that had the edge in shots on goal (6-5) in the period. The Rocketeers defensemen continually got in the way of shots and kept Canton out of the middle.
“It can be a little deceiving sometimes,” said McManama. “There may be a lot of zone time, but are we giving up quality shots? I think we didn’t give up too many except for the goal they scored. They did a good job of keeping everything to the outside and our goalie did a great job and we also helped him out.”
Jake Gruber had a good chance for North when he forced a turnover near his own blue line and then forced a blocker save from Polles on the other end of the ice. Mark Ayvazyan almost had a breakaway for the Rocketeers, but pulled up short of the crease to avoid a defenseman and then fired just wide.
By that point, Canton had gotten its one good chance. After a spell of pressure in the zone that saw a couple of shots blocked in front, the puck kicked out to Chaput just inside the left circle. He barely settled the puck before whipping a shot into the top corner that gave the goalie no chance.
“Jeff had a great shot and a quick shot, quick release that kind of surprised the goalie,” said Shuman. “He worked hard. He had the best game I’ve seen him play in his two years for us and he deserved that.”
The pattern continued in the third period, with Canton using its speed to gain the zone and put pressure on the North defense, but with the visitors holding firm and creating the occasional scoring opportunity on the other end.
“Coach Spillane said it best on the bench, let’s get some breathing room and get that goal early in the period,” Shuman said of Canton’s approach to the third period. (With his assistant coaches unavailable this week, Shuman asked former Franklin coach Chris Spillane to help out on the bench.) “We had a couple good chances, just couldn’t bury it.”
Sam Clarke nearly tied the game inside the first minute of the third. He blocked Jay Kelleher’s shot from the point and raced past the Canton defense before forcing a blocker stop from Polles.
It was a warning for the Bulldogs that the game wasn’t over. The best chance to double the lead came when Dylan Coyne’s shot from the slot was blocked and the rebound fell to Eddie Gillis, but his tip slid just wide of the post.
North came closest to tying the game with 2:30 remaining. Tyler Sarro stretched to tip a clearance in the neutral zone to avoid an icing and, after a battle behind the Canton net, the puck came out to Nick Longa on the edge of the crease. Polles kept his pads on the ice and was able to cover up.
Just a few seconds after North pulled its goalie, Canton wrapped up the win. Sam Carlino blocked a pass on one end, chased the puck down, and flicked into the empty net to make it 2-0 with 40.2 on the clock.
“We’re going to have to look at the film and see how we can generate more offense,” said McManama. “Sometimes they do such good job with our ‘D’ zone coverage that we get stuck down there. We’re going to have to work on ways to get ourselves better entries through the neutral zone.”
Canton (3-0) and North Attleboro (1-2) will meet again on Wednesday at the New England Sports Village.
