Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 1 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Hayden Rose spun a gem, firing Canton to an important division win. Rose went the distance, pitching around five walks and allowing just one hit. He struck out 11 batters, including striking out the side in the seventh to seal the victory. Canton’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Hart drew a walk and came around to score on Matt Lesser’s triple over the right fielder’s head. Owen Lane also added three of Canton’s seven hits from the leadoff spot. Jeriel Cuello had Stoughton’s only hit. Black Knights starter Joseph Rush took the loss despite a strong start. He allowed just the one run and five hits in 3-1/3 innings. Hunter Malkin pitched 2-2/3 scoreless innings of relief with four Ks.

Taunton, 4 @ Franklin, 7 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 10 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalMansfield scored three runs in the third and four more in the fourth to break things open and seal a win that keeps the Hornets close with Foxboro in the Davenport title hunt. Sam Martin (two doubles) and Wyatt Bolduc (double) each had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, scoring three runs combined as well for the Hornets. Mansfield also got a hit and three runs scored from Conner Zukowski, a hit and two RBI from Jake Maydak, and a hit and RBI from Luke Rogan. Maydak also picked up the win on the mound, throwing six innings with three earned runs, three walks, and two strikeouts. Rogan closed the game with a scoreless seventh. Harrison Fitzpatrick was 3-for-3 leading off for OA, scoring twice. Matt Lawson added two hits and a run, Patrick Finnerty had an RBI triple, and Jack Morley drove in one for the Tigers.

Milford, 10 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalMilford scored 10 unanswered to come from behind and pick up a big road win. Damien Carter starred at the plate and on the mound for the Hawks. He went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a triple, a homer, and five RBI. Carter also overcame allowing three runs in the first two innings to throw a complete game with eight strikeouts. Nick Koch had two hits and reached base five times, Evan Cornelius had a pair of hits, and Sean McGee had a hit and reached base four times for the visitors. Jordan Paradis had a hit, a run, and an RBI and Ayden Delaney had a hit and drove in two for North.




Softball
Canton, 5 @ Stoughton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.)Canton scored four runs in the second and added a fifth in the third to take early control of Friday’s divisional matchup, but the Black Knights put together a remarkable rally to pull out the win. Stoughton scored nine runs in the fourth and then added nine more in the fifth to seal the victory. The hosts had 14 hits as a team. Freshman Julia Monaghan had three hits to lead the way, scoring once and driving in a pair. Kerry Driscoll drove in four with a pair of hits. Julie Powers (three runs and two RBI), Anna Hobbs (three runs and three RBI), and Alyssa Edwards (two runs and an RBI) all had two hits apiece. Camryn Whitman scored twice and brought in another. Driscoll picked up the win in the circle, going the distance with no earned runs and a pair of strikeouts. Jess Wright scored once and drove in two for Canton, while Kailyn Durham drove in two, Chloe Guerschuny had two hits, and Laura Valkanas had a run and an RBI in the loss.

Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 9 – FinalFoxboro scored four times in the first and never looked back, picking up a win that keeps it in the running for the Davenport title. Ava Hill went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored, and two RBI. Emma Callahan was 3-for-4 and scored three times. Vittoria Cuscia had a pair of hits and drove in two. Cuscia picked up the win in the circle, giving up no earned runs and striking out five. Maddie Hu and freshman Annabel Gruss each had two hits for the Eagles. Manasa Josyula struck out seven in the loss.

Taunton, 13 @ Franklin, 0 – Final (5 Inn.)Taunton pounded out 16 hits and had its fifth straight shutout to stay unbeaten. The Tigers broke things open with a six-run fourth inning. Kaysie DeMoura went 3-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in three. Bella Bourque also was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Kyleah Plumb (two runs, RBI), Ava Venturelli (two runs, two RBI, and a homer), and Mia Fernandes each had two hits. Brooke Aldrich tripled and drove in three and Hayley Krockta had a double, run scored and RBI. Sam Lincoln made the runs stand up with another strong outing in the circle. She struck out 11 in five innings and allowed just two hits. Sarah Boozang and Hailey Fales had the hits for the Panthers.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – FinalOliver Ames plated four runs in the second inning to take the lead and then held off a late rally from the hosts, getting the final out with the tying run at the plate. Maddie Homer, Devon Morris (run), Katie Melendy (RBI), Katherine Farley, Erin Martin (RBI, run), Crystyliah Covel (double), and Paige Taylor each had a hit for the Tigers. Melendy earned the win in the circle, allowing three unearned runs on six hits and one walk, striking out five in a complete game. For Mansfield, Liv Madeira had a pair of hits and Callie Lake, Erin Radley, Molly Kucharski, Jill Koppy, Avery Lake, Dani Jameson, and Allie Koppy each added one hit.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 0 – FinalKelly Colleran set a new program record (breaking the one she has set several times already this spring) by striking out 21 batters in seven innings. She also scored the winning run, drew a pair of walks, and stole a base. The big hit for the Rocketeers was a pinch-hit, two-run homer from freshman Grace Forman to break the game open in the fifth inning. Arianna McDavitt set the tone offensively with three hits and a run scored and Maryellen Charette had a pair of hits. Emma Hanwell had a double and a run scored, while Maddie Bailey, Molly Willey (RBI), and Lucy Palmer all had one hit. Milford had four hits as a team, with Olivia Baglione going 2-for-4 from the lead-off spot. Ava Baglione and Grace Bonina each had one hit. Maeve Driscoll allowed only two earned runs for the Hawks, striking out seven in the loss.








Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 17 @ Dedham, 14 – FinalFreshman Michael Thomas scored six times to lead the Bulldogs to their second win of the week. Jeffrey Chaput and Ethan Keleher each scored five times and AJ Thomas scored once for Canton. The Bulldogs did the bulk of the scoring in the first half, going into the break with a 12-8 lead.

Mansfield, 10 vs. Silver Lake, 11 – Final (OT)Mansfield lost a tough game against a fellow tournament contender. Drew Sacco scored three goals and dished out an assist. Twice in the fourth quarter Sacco scored to tie the game and eventually force overtime. Cody Gordon added a hat trick and a pair of assists and Tommy Smith had two goals and an assist. Andrew DeGirolamo found the back of the net once for the Hornets. Ryan DeGirolamo made 18 saves in the loss.

North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15

Sharon, 20 vs. Medway, 2 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 6 @ Notre Dame Academy, 15 – Final

King Philip, 8 vs. Weymouth, 13 – FinalKP lost a tough challenge against a fellow playoff contender. Makenzie McDevitt (one assist), Alyssa Legere, and Nicole McDonald all scored twice for the Warriors. Emily Campbell made 16 saves in the loss.

Mansfield, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final Ella Palanza, Brooke Butler, and Stella Moore each scored once for the Hornets. Palanza added an assist.

Taunton, 7 @ North Attleboro, 15 – FinalFor Taunton, Cali Melo found the back of the net four times, Caroline Vallarelli added a pair, and Hailey Tanguay scored once. Maddi Szala added an assist and Mel Jesus registered six saves.

Sharon, 5 @ Medway, 19 – Final




Boys Tennis
Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalA clean sweep in singles action highlighted Canton’ 4-1 decision on the road over neighboring Stoughton. Max Kupferman, Bharat Ramanathan, and Justin Ngan each won 6-0, 6-0 in singles action and the Bulldogs added another win at second doubles. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Writer overcame a one-set deficit to emerge with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Stoughton’s Anthony Maylack and Aadit Khond secured a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalSharon swept Foxboro and remained unbeaten in league play. The first singles match was the closest, as Jacob Slavsky pulled out a super tiebreaker win over Raj Jetty. Jetty took the opening set 6-4, but Slavsky came right back to win the second 6-0 and then took the tiebreaker 10-5. Matthew Lally (6-4, 6-1) and Alex Budovalcev (6-1, 6-1) both won in straight sets. The doubles matches were also straight set wins for the Eagles. Sava Kassev and Rithvik Neti won 6-0, 6-3 and Kevin Li and Hyojae Park won 6-2, 6-1.

Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin earned a win that keeps it just one back in the win column in the battle for the Kelley-Rex title. Jay Gorgas won a 9-7 tiebreaker in the first set to get a straight sets win (7-6, 6-2). Tyler Fitzpatrick won the opening set 6-4, dropped the second by the same score, but then won the third set tiebreaker 11-9 to get the point. The doubles teams of Eric Tomaino and Ahan Shetty (6-4 7-5) and Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy (6-3, 6-3) each won in straight sets for the Panthers.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – FinalMansfield swept the Tigers to hang around in the Davenport title race, just one back in the loss column of leader Sharon. The Hornets took the three singles matches in straight sets. Neema Khosravani (6-1, 6-2), Nikhil Nain (6-0, 6-4), and Iniyan Karruppusami (6-1, 6-3) earned three points for Mansfield. Freshmen Kingston Carey and Justin Curtis also won in straight sets at second doubles – 6-1, 6-1. The first doubles match was the lone point to require three sets. Josh and Jacob Weiner pulled out the win after dropping the first set to Nick Wagner and Brendan Teehan. The Weiners won 6-7, 6-3, 10-8.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalNorth pulled out a win that moves it back into a first-place tie with Attleboro atop the Kelley-Rex. Although the Rocketeers earned four points, it was a hard-fought battles, as four of the five individual matches went to three sets. At first singles, Brody Carter dropped the opening set against Tyler Andreotti 2-6, but bounced back to win the next two sets 6-1, 6-3. Darren Ling had a similar experience at second singles, dropping the first 2-6 against Connor Wong, but then winning 6-3, 6-2 to take the point. Milford’s Corey Rattray won the lone point for the Hawks. After splitting the first two sets with Quinn DiFiore (6-7, 6-4), Rattray won the super tiebreaker 10-6. The doubles matches were also close. Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna needed three sets to hold off Sean Prevelige and Todd Ostertag 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Neo Shum and Jeremy Carter won the only match that went in straight sets, taking second doubles 6-1, 6-2.

Girls Tennis
Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.

Foxboro, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – FinalSharon clinched the Davenport title with the win over Foxboro. It is the seventh league title in the past eight seasons (two of those shared with Foxboro). Hailey Kornbluth continued to roll for the Warriors and earned the 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles. Sharon won the rest. Navya Shukla (6-0, 6-0) and Ale Aguilar (6-1, 6-2) won at straight sets to round out the singles matches. Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand (6-0, 6-1) and Olivia Landstein and Sophia Oh (6-0, 6-1) won the doubles matches while only dropping two games combined.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalFranklin stayed in the running for the league title with a big road win. Izzy Trull (6-1, 6-0) and Brooke Taylor (6-0, 6-0) each won their singles matches in straight sets. Taunton also got a point at second singles with Ava Alves taking her match 6-4, 6-2. The Panthers swept doubles. Sydney Tolonen and Brooke Daniels won 6-4, 6-3 and Allison Bagley and Ava Davies won 6-3, 7-5.

Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalOA won the first and second singles matches without dropping a game and added a win at second doubles to secure the victory and a sweep of the season series with the Hornets. Hannah Farber and Olivia Querzoli breezed through their matches, both winning 6-0, 6-0. The doubles team of Ella and Marina Mierzwinski finished off the win for the Tigers with a 6-2, 6-1 win. In the first meeting, Mansfield was swept, but the Hornets made this a tough match for the Tigers. Caroline Guravage took her third singles match 6-4, 6-2 and the doubles pairing of Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey won 6-1, 6-3.

Milford, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalNorth won all three of the singles matches to secure a win that moves the Rocketeers slightly ahead of KP in the Kelley-Rex title race. Lauren Hunt, Megan Atwood, and Grace Noreck all won their matches without dropping a game. Ava Merril and Lily Bogonis won their doubles match for the Hawks and Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon won 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final
Milford vs. O’Bryant, 5:15

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/12/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalAttleboro junior Jonny Pagano had a stellar outing on the mound and the Bombardiers used a late run to slip past visiting King Philip. Pagano tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits (two singles, two doubles) and five walks while striking out five in the win. The game stayed scoreless for five-and-a-half innings before the Bombardiers were able to break through in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Victorio drew a two-out walk and Jackson Huntington sent the third pitch he saw into left for an RBI double for the lone run of the game. Rudy Gately had a strong game on the mound for KP, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.2 innings of work.

Canton, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – FinalCanton rallied from a 5-2 deficit to take the lead in the fifth inning, before breaking the game open with a six-run sixth to earn a big bounce back win. Jack Digirolamo was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. Owen Lane sparked the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. Matt Hart was also 2-for-3 and drove in three, while Nick Gillis had a double and a triple and drove in two. James Young added two hits and an RBI from the nine-hole. Hunter Malkin had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for the Black Knights, who also got a double and an RBI from Sean Farley. Freshman Chris Pirrera hung tough after giving up five runs (one earned) in the first two innings and ended up going 4-2/3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Redquest earned the win in relief, throwing 2-1/3 scoreless innings.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final (6 Inn.)Foxboro jumped out to an early lead with five runs between the first two innings and exploded for six more in the fifth to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored to pace the offense. Ben Angelini (two RBI, two doubles, run), Mat Sullivan (two runs), and Aidan Stow (run) each added two hits in the win. Tyler Prescott reached four times from the leadoff spot with a hit and three walks, driving in three runs with four runs scored. Nolan Gordon earned the win on the mound after tossing five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, striking out two. Palash Raina had a double and a triple with a run scored for the Eagles while sophomore Casey Stengel went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalIn a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s state championship game, Franklin edged out Taunton by a run in the first meeting between the two teams. Junior Austin Campbell had another stellar start as he allowed just two runs on six hits and no walks, striking out nine to earn the win. The Panthers plated all three of their runs between the first two innings, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Back-to-back two-out singles from Henry Digiorgio and Jase Lyons resulted in the first run of the game as Eisig Chin (who reached on a fielder’s choice) crossed home plate. In the second, Ethan DePaolo singled and Luke Sidwell reached on an error, and two batters later, both came home to score on a single from Lyons. Taunton got two back in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan MacDougall smacked a one-out, two run triple to score both Dwayne Burgo (double) and Brayden Cali (single). Shawn Cali pitched well in the loss with three unearned runs allowed on nine hits and no walks, striking out one in a complete game.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – FinalJake Maydak went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs, helping Mansfield end its three-game losing streak and get back to .500 in Hock play. Maydak also went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mansfield opened the scoring in the first but the Tigers tied it with a single run in the top of the second. The Hornets broke the game open with three in the third. OA cut the lead to two with a run in the fourth but Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matthew DeShiro had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs, Sam Martin scored a run, and Connor Curtis drove in one for the Hornets. Patrick Finnerty was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Harrison Fitzpatrick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Colin Costello drove in one for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Milford, 4 – FinalMilford erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning but North Attleboro responded with four more in the top of the sixth to get a key win on the road at Fino Field. The Rocketeers built a four-run lead with single runs in the second, the third (Dillon Harding sac fly), the fourth (two-out RBI single from Jack Munley), and the fifth (Nate Kelly infield single), but that lead was quickly erased by the Scarlet Hawks in the bottom of the fifth. Joey McGee drove in Louis Consigli (leadoff walk), Damien Carter drew a bases loaded walk, and Keith Lee tied the game with a two-out, two-run single to score both Sean McGee and Joe Butler, who had both walked. But in the top of the sixth, North loaded the bases when Munley was hit by a pitch, Kyle Conroy and Derek Maceda drew consecutive walks, and Harding came through with a bases-clearing double. After two more walks, Gio Martello brought Harding home with a sac fly to make it 8-4. Martello pitched two scoreless innings in relief, walking two and striking out two with no hits against.








Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 16 – Final (6 Inn.)King Philip’s offense continued its strong start to the season, scattering 14 hits — including three home runs — to land a big win over upset minded Attleboro. The Bombardiers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first (helped by a solo home run by Rylie Camacho) but the Warriors wasted little time erasing that deficit with five runs in the bottom of the first, including a two-run triple from Ava Kelly and an RBI single from Maddie Paschke. The Bombardiers got back on the board with a run in the top of the second when Lily Routhier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but KP answered with a run of its own in the bottom half, and then tacked on 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Freshman McCoy Walsh was strong in relief for KP for the second straight came, coming in in the top of the third with the bases loaded and getting a strikeout to end the threat. Walsh finished with just one hit allowed and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, striking out nine. Sarah Cullen set the offense in motion from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored while Kelley (3-for-4, three runs) and Paschke (2-for-4, run) each finished with four RBI. Libby Walsh and Liv Petrillo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Paschke ended the game with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.

Stoughton, 8 @ Canton, 9 – FinalCanton walked off with a big division win over Stoughton. Jess Wright led the Canton offense with three hits. Olivia Mackwell, Kailyn Durham, Anna Lehan, Sam Grady, and Kiera Redquest each 2 hits apiece in the win.

Foxboro, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalEmma Callahan and Ava Hill each went 4-for-4 to power the Warriors to a big road win. Callahan also picked up the win in the circle with five innings of one-run ball. Autumn Stowell threw the final two innings for the Warriors. Manasa Josyula went the distance in the circle for the Eagles, striking out seven. Isabella Zelenchuk scored twice and Maddie Hu had the third run scored for Sharon.

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.)After two scoreless innings, Taunton’s offense roared to life with 11 runs between the third and fourth innings while Sam Lincoln had another dominant performance in the circle for the Tigers in a win over Franklin. Taunton was limited to just one hit in the first two innings but Mia Fernandes launched a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third and the Tigers rolled from there. Ava Venturelli and Kaysie DeMoura had back-to-back two-run doubles to push Taunton’s lead to 5-0 after three innings. After Lincoln struck out the side in the top of the fourth, Mia Torres had an RBI single, Kyleah Plumb drove in a pair with a single, and Hayley Krockta smacked a one-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 11-0. An RBI double from Abbey Doherty in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. Lincoln allowed just one hit — a single in the first inning — while striking out nine with no walks allowed.

Mansfield, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – FinalOliver Ames scored in every inning, including a huge seven-run sixth inning that featured three home runs to pull away from Mansfield in an offensive showdown. After teams traded runs back-and-forth, the game stood knotted at 6-6 after five innings of play. The Hornets jumped back in front after Molly Kucharski smacked a two-out double, stole third, and came home to score on an error. But OA had another response, this time in a big way. Maddie Homer (three RBI, three runs) smacked a three-run home run with two outs and three batters later, Katherine Farley (five RBI) did the same, and Crystaliah Covel followed with a solo blast as the Tigers surged ahead 13-7. A pair of bases loaded walks to Devon Morris (two home runs, four RBI) and Katie Melendy added insurance for the Tigers. Mansfield rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from Julia Marnikovic but the Tigers closed it out.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – FinalKelly Colleran continued her dominant season, striking out 19, walking none, and allowing only four hits. She also led the way on offense. Batting leadoff, she went 1-for-2 with two walks, a homer, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Arianna McDavitt had a two-run single in the second inning, helping North jump out to a 5-0 lead. Molly Willey added two hits and an RBI for North. Cae Pellegrini had two of Milford’s four hits and was 2-for-3 on the day.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 9 – FinalFoxboro bounced back from its first loss of the season by holding off Attleboro in a defensive battle. Tony Sulham scored two and assisted on two others to lead the Foxboro attack. Conor Noone added two goals and one assist and Jon Sachetti had one of each. Aidan Waller and Ian Foley each found the back of the net once. Adam Addeche recorded eight saves for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Canton, 13 – FinalOA got three goals and an assist from Ben Reardon. Shawn Teehan chipped in with a score and a pair of assist and Jake Manthous and Ryan Jaco each got a goal apiece.

Sharon, 7 @ Franklin, 22 – FinalFranklin’s Jake Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each scored five goals and had three assists as the Panthers rolled to another league win, this time over visiting Sharon. Franklin jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter as, Davis, Sacchetti, Jayden Consigli (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Grasso each scored once. The Panthers then rattled off 11 unanswered goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 15-1 lead by halftime. Justin Alexander went 21-for-23 on face offs and had an assist in the win.

King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 7 – FinalKP had 11 players record a point in a big win. Donovan DeVellis was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and three assists. Mason Thompson scored twice and dished out five assists, Hayden Schmitz had two goals and three assists, Jacob Booth had three goals and one helper, and Aiden McCarthy had a pair of goals. James Boldy was big in the cage, coming up with 15 saves for KP.

Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 5 – FinalThe Warriors stayed perfect with a big win over Attleboro. Mya Waryas and Paige Curran each scored five goals for Foxboro. Waryas added three assists. Val Beigel had a hat trick, Mary Collins had two goals and two assists, Addie Riley had two goals and a helper, and Cate Noone scored one and added a hat trick of assists. Audrey Campbell had a pair of saves in the win. Amelia Collins and Isabella Cavallini each scored twice for the Bombardiers, while Addison Papagolos had one goal and Makenah Stones had one assist. Cavallini also chipped in with five draw controls.

Canton, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – FinalSierra Abbott had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who picked up an important division win. Nara Giannacopoulos added her first varsity goal, one of seven Canton players to record at least one point. Ashley Balunas came up with seven big saves to help secure the win.

Franklin, 20 @ Sharon, 1 – FinalFranklin went on the road and came back home with another league win, rolling to a 20-1 decision at Sharon. Katie Ryan had a strong game with three goals and two assists, Payten Crandall added two goals, and Norah MacCallum had a strong game defensively for the Panthers.

Milford, 4 @ King Philip, 19 – FinalTen players recorded points for the Warriors, who bounced back with a big home win. Makenzie McDevitt continued her strong start to the season with a career-high nine points. She scofred four goals and added five assists. Nicole McDonald also tallied four goals, while Alyssa Legere, Lily McNulty, Emily Heslin, and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of scores. Haley Bright made five saves in the win. Emily Croteau scored twice for the Hawks, Carly Haley and TJ Downing each scored once, and Rhea Mathew and Erin Michelson each recorded an assist. Caitlyn Bangert played well in net for Milford with 11 saves.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 16 – FinalMansfield built a three-goal lead but pulled away with a strong second half to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ava Adams led the charge offensively with five goals while Cammy Shanteler, Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore (two assists) each scored twice. Rose Maher added a goal and two helpers with Carys Colby and Ella Souza each had one assist in the win. Caitlyn Zajac made eight saves for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 9 @ Taunton, 13 – FinalTaunton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Stoughton on Wednesday. Cali Melo paced the offense with five goals and two assists while Maddi Szala had a strong game with three goals and one assists. Raquel Azevedo added two goals while Caroline Vallarelli and Talia O’Leary each scored once; Mel Jesus turned away 12 shots for the Tigers. Stoughton had its best performance of its debut season. Morgan Groppi led the way for the Black Knights with six goals, while Amanda Reid added two and Nicole Reid had a goal and an assist. Mia Rivera added an assist and Jordan Coleman made six saves for Stoughton.




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – FinalAttleboro won a pair of matches — one singles, one doubles — in three sets to secure a 4-1 decision on the road at KP. Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two tight sets in a row at second singles (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) while the team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at second doubles to help swing the match to the Bombardiers. Kyle Neuendorf picked up another win at first singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win while the team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. KP’s Luke Bailer didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalCanton’s first and second singles players Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan continued to roll early in the season, helping the Bulldogs knock off neighboring Stoughton. Both Kupferman and Ramanathan won in straight sets without dropping a game while sophomore Justin Ngan added a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles to complete the singles play sweep. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Wright added a 6-2, 6-0 win for Canton.

Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon defended home court by taking all five matches in straight sets against Davenport foe Foxboro. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Matthew Lally dropped just one game in each set for a 6-1, 6-1 win, and Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti emerged from a hard-fought match with a 6-2, 7-5 win while junior Savir Basil teamed with senior Hyojae Park for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalAll three singles matches went three sets and first doubles was a back-and-forth battle but it was Franklin that came out on top in all five matches in a win at Taunton. Jay Gorgas prevailed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win at first singles, Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and Will Forrest rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 second doubles victory.

Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalMansfield had one dominant doubles win and swept all three singles matches to return home from Easton with a win over Oliver Ames. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani earned a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at first singles, Nikhil Nain added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Iniyan Karruppusami picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. OA’s Nick Washner and Jared Murphy emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalNorth Attleboro senior Brody Carter battled his way to a three-set victory, completing the Rocketeers’ sweep on the road at Milford. Carter took a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a competitive third singles match. The team of Brody Gaulin and Quinn DiFiore added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna didn’t drop a game in a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalKing Philip made it back-to-back wins, handing Attleboro its first loss of the season with a 5-0 verdict. Senior Ahunna James had a terrific showing, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first single, Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Caroline Freese emerged from a hard-fought three-hour marathon of a match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Rirar used strong net play in a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalIt came down to a third set tiebreak at second singles but Canton’s Olivia Duruham was able to pull it out and secure the win for the Bulldogs. Durham dropped the first set but rallied to take the second and third, the latter in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)) to help complete Canton’s victory. The Bulldogs also got a pair of hard-fought victories in doubles play as Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth went the distance, overcoming a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Canton’s second doubles pairing of Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while Dhruvi Patel secured a 6-3, 6-3 third singles victory for the Black Knights.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – FinalSharon took two wins from both singles and doubles action to earn a key division win on the road at Foxboro. Navya Shukla dropped just one game in each set in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Ale Aguilar had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles squad of Olivia Landstein and Ellie Zhao emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Foxboro sophomore Hailey Kornbluth earned an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles.

Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalTaunton picked up two wins from singles matches and one more in doubles to prevail over Franklin. Junior Morgan Smith battled to a key three-set win at third singles (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) while the all-junior second doubles pairing of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik emerged victorious in three sets (6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5). Taunton junior Ava Alves added a win at second singles, splitting the first two sets before getting the win when her opponent retired. Franklin’s Chloe Essam picked up a 7-6 (1), 6-0 victory at first singles and the Panthers’ first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Ava Davies won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – FinalOA rallied for a pair of three-set wins in the doubles matches to earn the sweep. Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth dropped the first set 6-4 to Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey at first doubles, but battled back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. At second doubles, Marina and Ella Mierzwinski lost the opening set 6-0 to Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman, but the Tigers bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Hannah Farber (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Querzoli (6-4, 7-6), and Stella Zachos (6-2, 6-1) all won their singles matches for OA.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – FinalNorth won four of its matches in straight sets to earn a big road win and stay perfect on the season. Lauren Hunt (6-0, 6-1), Megan Atwood (6-0, 6-4), and Grace Noreck (6-1, 6-0) swept singles for North. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The second doubles match went to three sets. Sophomores Grace Manning and Jayla Stone pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 match against Milford’s Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford, 1 @ Newton North, 3 – Final

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/06/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 14 @ Norwell, 11 – FinalThe Bulldogs scored in double digits for the third straight game to start the season and picked up their third win. Canton’s offense was on fire from the start, as the visitors scored five in the first and went into the bottom of the fifth leading 12-1. Norwell made it interesting with three in the fifth and then six runs in the sixth. The Clippers added a seventh run in the final inning but Canton had done enough to improve to 3-0. Owen Lane was 0-for-2 in the leadoff spot, but he drew three walks and scored three runs. Lane also pitched the first four innings and allowed just one earned run. Matt Chafin was 2-for-2 with a walk and four runs scored. Jack Digirolamo was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Hayden Rose also drove in four runs, while Nick (two RBI) and Andrew Gillis (two runs) each had two hits. Digirolamo closed out the game, throwing the final 1-1/3 innings, striking out three and allowing one run.

Mansfield, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final

Softball
Canton, 10 @ Rockland, 3 – FinalShaelyn Murphy went the distance, striking out 13 batters to win her second game in as many days. Murphy also helped herself with two hits and two RBI. Olivia Mackwell powered the Canton offense with four hits and four RBI. Kailyn Durham had three hits and made a great defensive play in center. Jess Wright and Chloe Guerschuny added two hits apiece for the Bulldogs.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalOliver Ames overcame a two-goal deficit midway through the fourth quarter to pull out a win against visiting Attleboro. Ryan Jaco scored the game-winning goal with 30 seconds left to cap the comeback and complete a hat trick. Jason Zalis, Landon Grothe, Liam Dunlap and Lawrence Dear all played well on defense for the Tigers while Noah Isleib recorded 12 saves in net.

Canton, 5 @ Mansfield, 14 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this gameMansfield junior Tommy Smith and freshman Nico Smith each scored four goals to lead the Hornets to a win over Davenport rival Canton. Both Tommy Smith and Nico Smith, along with Drew Sacco (two goals), scored early to give Mansfield a three-goal lead and the Hornets never relinquished that advantage. Cody Gordon added two goals an an assist, Andrew DeGirolamo had a goal and two assists, and Grady Sullivan had one goal and one assist. Senior Jeff Chaput and freshman Ethan Keleher each scored twice for Canton, AJ Thomas scored once, and Brendan Tourgee had three assists. Ryan DeGirolamo made 12 saves in net for Mansfield while Thomas Gormley had a strong game defensively. Canton’s Pat Drury had nine saves.

Foxboro, 18 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalFoxboro won for the second straight game to start the season. Michael McCabe had a goal and an assist in the win, while Michael DeBarros, Josiah Lewis, and Evan Vieira also found the back of the net for the Warriors, each recording their first varsity points. Freshman Cam Deleskey added two goals in the win.

North Attleboro, 8 @ King Philip, 11 – FinalKing Philip raced out to a three-goal lead in the first quarter and stayed ahead of the visiting Rocketeers the rest of the way for an 11-8 win. Donovan DeVellis led the offensive charge for the hosts with a team-high seven points, scoring a hat trick and adding four assists for the Warriors, who held a 7-5 advantage at half. Hayden Schmitz also had a hat trick for KP and added two assists, Noah Minkwitz notched a pair of goals and a pair of helpers while Mason Thompson (two assists), Alex Viscusi, and Aiden McCarthy each scored once. Henry LeClair added an assist while senior goalie James Boldy had a strong game in net, turning away a handful of point blank chances from North.

Milford, 1 @ Sharon, 14 – Final








Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Attleboro, 11 – FinalThe Tigers erased a six-goal halftime deficit to stun the Bombardiers on the road. Attleboro had a terrific first half as Addy Papagolos’ six draw controls led the Bombardiers to a 9-3 lead at the break. OA opened the second half with four straight goals to get back into it and used that momentum, outscoring the hots 6-1 down the stretch. Catie Wilson and Erin Cottam paced OA with four goals apiece while Leanna Hudson added three and Kayla Magit had two goals and four assists. Attleboro’s Bella Cavallini and Amelia Collins each had three goals, Molly Moore found the back of the net twice, and Papagolos, Makenah Stokes, and Gigi Sprovieri each had one. Jordan Mooney chipped in with a pair of assists for Attleboro.

Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 13 – FinalEmily McCabe scored six times and dished out three assists to lead Canton to an important division win over Mansfield. McCabe scored the 100th goal of her career in the win. Ella Yeaton added a hat trick and Devan Spinale had two goals and two assists for the Bulldogs, who got eight saves from goalie Ashley Balunas. Canton led by two at halftime but turned it on in the second half with a 6-1 run. Mansfield got goals from Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Maeve Anastasia, Rose Maher (two assists), Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore. Caitlyn Zajac made 10 saves to keep the Hornets in it.

Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – FinalSeven different players found the back of the net for the Warriors, who wrapped up a perfect 3-0 opening week of the season. Paige Curran sparked Foxboro’s attack with five goals an three assists and Cate Noone added four tallies and a pair of helpers. Mya Waryas had a hat trick and two assists, while Val Beigel, Mary Collins (three assists), and Grace Riley (two assists) each scored twice. Addie Riley added a goal for Foxboro. Audrey Campbell made three stops and Sofia Lucente had one save to get the win.

Franklin, 19 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Fifteen Panthers scored on Thursday, as the perennial Hock power took on the first-year program. Vera Hansen, Maeve Grasso, Norah MacCallum, Raena Crandall, Erin Peterson, Ella Griffin, Morgan Lovell, Abby O’Rourke, and Juliana Owen all scored their first career goals for the Panthers. Ella Mahoney and Maise Streeseman both played well in goal to secure the win.

King Philip, 17 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalKing Philip secured its third win of the young season, this time with a big win over North Attleboro on the road. Makenzie McDevitt (two assists), Abby MacDonald (assist), and Nikki McDonald (assist) paced the offense with four goals apiece while Sammy Cloutier added a goal and three helpers. Sierra King had a great defensive effort for KP with three caused turnovers and three ground balls while Kelly Holmes had a strong game in the midfield, commanding the draw.

Sharon, 9 @ Milford, 16 – FinalBuoyed by a big start, Milford earned its first win of the season with a 16-9 decision against visiting Sharon. The Scarlet Hawks raced out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. The Eagles did make a game of it by going on a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 9-4 but a three-goal spurt from the hosts just before halftime restored the big lead. Sophomore TJ Downing had a team-high four goals to pace the offense, sophomore Yasmin Martinez added three goals, and sophomore Alexa Landry notched one goal and two assists. Seniors Jordan Douglas (three goals, two assists), Carly Haley (two goals, two assists), Emily Croteau (one goal, two assists), and Ava Lebel (one goal) all played well for Milford. Caitlyn Banger made five saves in the win, Erin Michelson chipped in with a goal and an assist and senior Cailyn Paccico chipped in with one assist. Milford’s Bailey Garte had a team-high four goals while Keira Lydeard finished with a hat trick and one assist.




Boys Tennis
King Philip, 0 @ Xaverian, 5 – Final

North Attleboro vs. Dartmouth – Postponed.

Sharon, 1 vs. Brookline, 4 – FinalJunior Alex Budovalcev was the lone winner for the Eagles, rally from a one-set deficit to win in a third-set super tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.

Taunton, 5 vs. Durfee, 0 – FinalTaunton won all five matches in straight sets to take down visiting Durfee. Mike Kimmer had the closest match of the day, prevailing from a hard-fought first single match with a 6-4, 7-5 win. Martin Frankimet added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles and Heitor Sens completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-3 decision. The team of Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault only dropped two games, winning 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles while Kenny Dias paired with Rowan Kimmer to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Milford, 3 vs. Whitinsville Christian, 2 – FinalMilford swept both doubles matches and added one more win in singles action to break into the win column with a 3-2 decision over Whitinsville Christine. The team of Ava Merrill and Lily Bogonis secured the win for the Hawks, prevailing victorious in a three-set thriller at first doubles (6-3, 3-6, 6-2). Milford’s second doubles team of Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon earned a 6-1, 6-2 win while Kaylee Whitney earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

North Attleboro @ Dartmouth – Postponed.

Taunton, 2 @ Durfee, 3 – Final

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Bellingham, 4:45

Milford, 3 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 2 – Final

Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 0 – FinalTaunton improved to 3-0 to start the season, landing a sweep over visiting Quincy (25-22, 25-18, 25-17). The Tigers’ two setters both continued to play well as Ty Ekstrom dished out eight assists and have four digs while Daniel Freitas had 14 assists and three digs. Matt Freitas and Antonios Dimakis each had five kills, Owen Kelley and Josh Duncan both had four kills, and Bradley Hylander continued to anchor the defense with nine digs and a strong serve receive.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/05/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 4 – FinalMilford junior Damien Carter dazzled on the mound in his first start of the season, leading the Hawks to a win on the road at Attleboro. Carter allowed just one run on one hit and six walks, striking out 11 in five innings of work. Mason Baldic came in for a two-inning save, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out four — three in the seventh inning. Offensively, Milford took an early lead on a two-out bases loaded walk from Louis Consigli. In the top of the second, Carter helped his own cause as he reached on an error that allowed Brady Butler (single) to score, and the Hawks pushed the lead to 3-0 on a sac fly from Evan Cornelius that scored Joe Butler (walk). Consigli’s patience paid off again as he drew yet another two-out bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 4-0. Attleboro got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Jackson Huntington scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cooper Johnson.

Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 10 – FinalCanton jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the fifth, but Sharon, which was the home team in this game, rallied with a five run bottom of the fifth to get back within one. After each team scored once in the sixth, Canton put the game away with a three-run seventh to pull out a second straight win. Matt Hart went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs scored to lead the Canton offense. Matt Lesser (3-for-5) also had three hits for the Bulldogs, scoring once and driving in one. Owen Lane went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot, scoring twice, and driving in a run. Matt Chafin was 1-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI, while Jack Digirolamo was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Freshman Chris Pirrera went 4-1/3 innings giving up five runs to earn the win. James Young (one run allowed) and Kyle Redquest each went 1-1/3 innings in relief. Sharon’s offense was led by Cole Arundale, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. Drew Yaffe (1-for-4) also drove in two, while Palash Raina and Liam Conway each drove in runs.

Mansfield, 3 @ Foxboro, 9 – FinalBuoyed by a big third inning and a strong pitching performance from senior Mat Sullivan, Foxboro earned a key early win over division rival Mansfield. The Hornets had a strong start to the third as Will Lund drove in two runs on a single and Matt DeShiro plated another with a single to right for a 3-0 lead but the Warriors answered with five runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Foxboro started the inning with three straight singles from Louis Carangelo, Ben Angelini, and Ryan O’Leary, the latter scoring the former to get the hosts on the board. After a one-out walk to Alex Stern, freshman Aidan Stow ripped a two-run double to left to tie the game. Tyler Prescott drew another walk to load the bases and Ryan LeClair delivered a two-run single to put Foxboro head. Foxboro tacked on another run in the fourth (Carangelo RBI single) and three more in the sixth, including a two-out, two-run single from sophomore Mike Marcucella. Sullivan earned the win, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out a pair in five innings. Tommy Watts tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

Franklin, 11 @ King Philip, 0 – Final (6 Inn.)Franklin’s offense plated double-digit runs for the second straight game to start the season, this time on the road over rival King Philip. The Panthers scored one run in the first and another run in the third, then pulling away for good with four runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth inning. Junior Austin Campbell was dominant on the mound for the visitors, allowing just two hits (both singles) and one walk, striking out six in five shutout innings. Dillon Cashin came in and threw a shutout inning in relief with one strikeout. Ryan Gerety went 2-for-4, including his first career home run, and Eisig Chin (RBI), Ben Jarosz (run), and Luke Sidwell (RBI, two runs) each added two hits in the win.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalTaunton’s Jack Cali impressed in his first start of the season and the Tigers used two runs in the third inning to land a close win over visiting North Attleboro. The Rocketeers got off to a strong start when Derek Maceda led off with a double and came around to score on a one-out single from Dillon Harding, but Cali and Dawson Bryce combined to silence North the rest of the way. Cali allowed just one more hit in six innings of work and one walk, striking out four to earn the win. Bryce pitched a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout for the save. In the bottom of the third, Andrew Cali had a one-out single, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on an infield single from Brayden Cali. AJ Lewis moved Brayden Cali to second with a single, and both runners advanced on a double steal. Brayden Cali then scampered home on a throwing error to make it 2-1. Jordan Paradis was strong on the mound for North with just two runs (one earned) allowed on four hits and no walks, striking out nine in six innings of action.

Stoughton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 15 – FinalOliver Ames got off to a great start with six runs in the first inning and then pulled away for good after a Stoughton comeback bid, plating six more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Matt Lawson went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored to pace the Tigers’ 11-hit game. Patrick Finnerty added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored while senior Ryan Lemay drove in a team-high three runs and had a double.








Softball
Attleboro, 21 @ Milford, 3 – Final (5 Inn.)Attleboro’s lineup continues to rake. The Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team, including 14 from the first six batters in the order, to open the season with a third straight win. The visitors wasted no time on Wednesday, scoring four in the first, nine in the second, and four each in the fourth and fifth innings. Lily Routhier went 3-for-5 with a homer, three runs scored, and four RBI and Lauren Eby went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI to lead Attleboro’s attack. The Bombardiers also got two hits apiece from Sarah Maher (2-for-4, four runs, and two RBI), Rylie Camacho (2-for-2, five runs, one RBI, three walks), Emily Eby (2-for-4, three runs, and three RBI), and Jenna Callahan (2-for-5, three RBI). Callahan also picked up the win in the circle. Grace Bonina went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Olivia Baglione was 1-for-3 with an RBI for Milford.

Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.)Canton’s offense exploded and the Bulldogs earned their first win of the season. Olivia Mackwell had three hits and four RBI, while Jess Wright and Kailyn Durham each had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs. Shaelyn Murphy picked up the win for Canton.

Foxboro, 10 @ Mansfield, 6 – FinalFoxboro scored eight straight runs to take an 8-1 lead and then scored a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to hold off a Mansfield comeback, pulling out a big division win. Freshman Mia Flannagan had a big game for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a solo homer. Ava Hill also went 3-for-3 and scored once, while freshman Meghan Kelly went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Autumn Stowell was 0-for-4 but drove in a pair of runs for the Warriors. Mansfield scored first with a single run in the first and then battled back, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut Foxboro’s lead to 8-5. The Hornets added a sixth run in the seventh. Callie Lake had a pair of hits, pair of runs, and a pair of walks from the leadoff spot, reaching base all four times. Julia Marnikovic was 1-for-4 with two runs, four RBI, and a homer.

King Philip, 16 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (6 Inn.)KP pounded out 12 hits, four home runs, and scored 16 runs to earn a big division road win. The Warriors scored five in the first, five more in the third, three in the fourth, and sealed the win with a pair of runs in the sixth. Franklin scored twice in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman Ali Gill (1-for-3, two runs scored), junior Maddie Paschke (2-for-4, run scored), and senior Charlotte Raymond (2-for-2, three runs scored) each hit homers and drove in three runs for KP. Libby Walsh went 1-for-3 with a homer and a pair of runs scored and Taylor Regan (1-for-3) also drove in two. Jordan Bennett gave up an earned run over 4-1/3 innings to earn the win. Carly Johnson-Pellegri was the star for Franklin’s offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI.

Taunton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this game. Taunton was able to manufacture just enough runs to score a close win on the road, emerging victorious from a pitcher’s duel between junior lefty Sam Lincoln and North Attleboro senior righty Kelly Colleran. The Tigers pushed a single run across in the second and third innings while North had a single run come home in the fourth inning. Lincoln was the winning pitching, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks, striking out 16. Colleran tied the program record for strikeouts in a seven inning game, fanning 19 batters while allowing three hits and two walks. In the top of the second, Brooke Aldrich hit a dribbler that stayed on the third baseline and fair for an infield single. Aldrich stole second, moved to third on a dropped third strike, and came home for a run on a wild pitch. In the top of the third, Ava Venturelli had a one-out single and moved to second on a throwing error. A sac bunt from Kaysie DeMoura moved Venturelli to third, and that allowed her to score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. Colleran led off the bottom of the fourth by reaching on an infield error and raced to third on an infield single from Maryann Charette. An RBI ground out from Molly Willey cut the deficit down to one but Lincoln was able to strand runners at second and third to escape the inning.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Stoughton, 6 – FinalStoughton rallied with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure a bounce-back win against a fellow Davenport title contender. Camryn Whitman and Angelina Berry each went 2-for-3 for the Black Knights, with Whitman driving in a pair and Berry plating one. Alyssa Edwards also went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Kerry Driscoll went the distance, overcoming a four-run third inning and striking out seven to pick up the win. Maddie Homer was 2-for-4 for OA, while Devon Morris was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Katie Melendy was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Melendy would pick up the loss in the circle, despite allowing only one earned run and striking out six.




Boys Lacrosse
Taunton, 8 vs. Norton, 7 – Final (2OT)Taunton broke into the win column in its second game of the season as senior Connor McGrath potted the game-winning goal in overtime to hand the Tigers a thrilling double overtime win over Norton. Senior Israel Cruz paced the offense with four goals and an assist, Tommy Selfridge added three goals, and Colton Scheralis had one assist. Freshman Brody Coute had a strong showing in net with 10 saves.

Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 14 @ Norwood, 20 – Final

Boys Tennis
Attleboro. 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalAttleboro’s Kyle Neuendorf rallied from a one-set deficit to take the win at first singles, highlighting the Bombardiers 4-1 victory on the road at Milford. Neuendorf dropped a tight first set but lost just five games between the final two sets for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles. Tyler Rocchio added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, the team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen secured a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Noem Cook and Clayton Tyler dropped just two games in a win at second doubles (6-2, 6-0). Milford sophomore Corey Rattray earned his first win of the young season with a 6-4, 6-1 win at third singles.

Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – FinalSharon swept both doubles matches and won two more in singles action, all in straight sets, to earn a 4-1 decision on the road in Canton. Junior Matthew Lally earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and classmate Alex Budovalcev dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 victory at third singles. The senior of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Kevin Li rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 first doubles win and sophomore Joel Zwicker and senior Savir Basil earned a 6-2, 6-1 victory at second doubles. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles.

Foxboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – FinalMansfield junior Iniyan Karruppusami prevailed in a second-set tie break to secure a win at second singles and the Hornets edged out visiting Foxboro. Karruppusami was one of two singles players to win for the hosts, taking a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second singles while sophomore Neema Khosravani grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles. Mansfield’s second doubles team of Jesse Colchamiro and Dhruv Jain helped clinch the win with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Foxboro sophomore Luca Meyer earned his second win of the week with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 decision at third singles and the Warriors’ first doubles team of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi battled to a 6-4, 6-3 win.

King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin swept a pair of competitive doubles matches and added two more straight-set wins in singles action to knock off visiting King Philip. The team of junior Ahan Shetty and senior Eric Tomaino prevailed in a third set super tiebreak 6-2, 5-7, 10-6 at first doubles while Franklin’s second doubles pairing of sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy and junior Andrew Amante grabbed a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 win at second doubles. Junior Jay Gorgas added a 6-1, 6-2 first singles win and senior Tyler Fitzpatrick was victorious with a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. KP sophomore Arjun Kollu rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalAfter dropping the first set, North Attleboro senior Brody Carter rallied to win two straight to complete the comeback, capping a 5-0 sweep for the Rocketeers. Carter emerged with a hard-fought 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. North swept both doubles matches with junior Quinn DiFiore and senior Collin Lufgren taking a 6-1, 6-3 win and junior Arjav Raghuvanshi and freshman Rowan Kimmer winning 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final




Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – FinalWith a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play, Attleboro moved to 2-0 on the season by knocking off visiting Milford. Junior Maddie Fuscaldo had an impressive showing with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while junior Presley Biller earned a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 6-2 win at second singles for the Bombardiers. Senior Zoe Stanley teamed up with junior Kyra Johnson and the duo earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while the sophomore pairing of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles. Milford sophomore Mallory Brickley secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles.

Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalAfter dropping a tight second set in a tiebreaker, Sharon’s Sophia Oh emerged with a win in a third set super tiebreak to complete the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep against visiting Canton. Judy Song (first singles) and Ale Aguilar (second singles) each won by a 6-2, 6-1 score while Oh emerged with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-8 win. In doubles play, Ellie Zhao and Abby Vilk grabbed a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and the pairing of Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – FinalFoxboro won a pair of singles matches and both doubles matches to pull out the league win. For the second time this week Haley Kornbluth took the win at first singles without dropping a game and Makayla Peck added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles. The doubles teams of Analise Jia and Audrey Paolino (6-2, 6-3) and Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen (6-3, 6-2) also won in straight sets to keep Foxboro unbeaten through three matches. Mansfield’s Kristin Coombes earned the team’s lone point with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles.

Franklin, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalFranklin earned one win in singles action and swept both doubles matches, overcoming a one-set deficit in all three matches to edge out KP on the road. Junior Chloe Essam rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles, the sophomore team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen erased a three-game deficit in the third set to prevail with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles, and seniors Shriya Rajesh and Allison Bagley landed a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback win at second doubles. KP senior Ahunna James rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and senior Caroline Freese landed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalAnchored by a sweep in singles play, North Attleboro picked up a close win on the road at Taunton. Junior Lauren Hunt continued her strong start to the season, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Megan Atwood grabbed a 6-3, 6-1 win at second single, and senior Grace Noreck was impressive in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. Taunton’s Morgan Smith and Janelle Garcia took a 6-3, 6-1 first doubles win and the team of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik earned a victory at second doubles (6-1, 6-2) for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – FinalOliver Ames swept all three singles matches and both doubles to grab a win over Stoughton at home. Hannah Farber picked up another win to start the year, earning a hard-fought 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli took the win at second singles after an incredible back and forth battle (6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 10-2), and Ava Barth picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski grabbed their frist win of the year with a 6-0, 6-3 first doubles win, and the team of Emily Beaulieu and Abby Borden completed the sweep with a three-set victory (5-7, 6-1, 6-3).

Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 70 @ Milford, 66 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final King Philip kept the match going with a tight win in the third set, but Taunton completed the win by taking the fourth for a 3-1 (25-9, 25-17, 23-25, 25-16) decision. Matt Freitas paced the Tiger attack with 14 kills, adding five aces, a pair of blocks, and eight digs in a solid all-around performance. Owen Kelley added four kills, two aces, and eight digs while Josh Duncan pitched in with five kills and an ace. Ty Ekstrom (14 assists) and Daniel Freitas (16 assists, four digs) set the offense in motion while Bradley Hylander (five digs) played well defensively in the back row.

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Taunton has won back-to-back D1 state titles and the Tigers will be among the favorites to bring home another championship this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Attleboro

2022 Record: 15-7
2022 Finish: Reach Div. 1 Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Mark Homer
Attleboro is hoping a mix of experienced veterans and skilled newcomers will keep the squad playing competitively in the best league in the state, and more specifically maybe the most talented division across any sport in the league.

Senior Lily Routhier returns to the circle after going 8-2 last season, striking out 47 with a 2.24 ERA during the regular season. Routhier will likely see an increase in innings with the graduation of Lindsey Perry (69 innings), and she’s also one of the best offensive weapons in the league after posting a 0.510 average (fourth in the Hock) with 41 hits and 45 RBI. There are a lot of weapons in the lineup back with senior captains Rylie Camacho (0.410) and Lauren Eby (0.490) leading the way, and senior Sarah Maher, fresh off a 36-hit, 22-RBI regular season, will take over in center field and set the table offensively from the leadoff spot. Paige Quaglia, Merry Bosh, Lilly McGilvray, Jenna Callahan, and Nina Sullivan are all in the mix to get some time in the outfield and provide offensive depth.

In the infield, there are some newcomers looking to find a spot in the lineup. Maddie Moran and Victoria Parent are in the mix for time at third base while Emily Eby, who had an impressive freshman campaign with 20 hits, will play at second base. Destiny Miranda is also competing for time behind the dish while Ari Amaral will continue to be a force with her bat in the lineup.

“Things will not change for us as far as offense and defense, and we will work to be consistent and continue to improve as the season goes on,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Homer. “We want to be at our best when the competition calls for it and find positives in all adversity that we will face during the season. We want to continue the success we had as a team last season and improve. Every game will be a challenge for us.”

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Canton

2022 Record: 4-16
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Sandy Lombardi
With seven returning players, Canton coach Sandy Lombardi is confident that the Bulldogs can make a jump in her second year in charge. Playoff contention is the aim for a team that won only four games in 2022 but also lost four games by four runs or less, including a pair by just one run.

Junior first baseman and pitcher Jess Wright was the team’s MVP last season and she returns to the heart of the lineup along with senior catcher Olivia Mackwell. The pair combined for 48 hits and 30 RBI last season, so will be important pieces in the heart of the order. Also returning for the Bulldogs are junior shortstop Laura Valkanas, sophomore infielder Chloe Guerschuny, and an outfield of junior Anna Lehan and sophomores Klara Redquest and Kailyn Durham. Senior Abby Chin carries an injury into the season but Canton will hope that she can return to contribute.

Canton is hoping that a group of newcomers will add the depth it needs to compete over a long season. Junior Alexa Gordon and freshman Shaelyn Murphy can both step into the circle to give the Bulldogs big innings. Freshmen Abby Stock and Caitlin Reynolds and junior Sami Grady can all fill spots in the infield and junior Kaitlyn Bigham is a versatile player off the bench.

“We have a great mix of returning varsity players and new varsity players,” Lombardi said. “We are looking to improve on our record from last year and to qualify for the tournament.”

Foxboro

2022 Record: 12-10
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Mark Maguire
It has been over 51 years since Foxboro last won a softball league title, but with experienced pitchers and a versatile lineup of players who can fill in at multiple positions, this might be the season that the Warriors can finally come out on top.

Pitching depth should be a strength for the Warriors this season. Sophomore Vittoria Cuscia was a league all-star after being Foxboro’s ace last year and classmate Emma Callahan was an all-star as an eighth grader. Despite their youth, both pitchers have already won games in the postseason. Both players will also fill in at third base. Sophomore Ava Hill, who is already entering her third season on varsity, will move from first to behind the plate.

The Warriors should be athletic this year. Freshman Meghan Kelley will get the start at short, the latest in a line of talented underclassmen to step into that position, and will bat third. Freshman Mia Flanagan and sophomore Autumn Stowell can each play second base, while junior Angelina Rifai, sophomore Natalia Leach, and Stowell will get time at first. The outfield is experienced with all three starters returning. In left is Leach, while sophomore Jillian Slattery is back in center, and junior Fiona Dunn will be in right. All three will also be in the middle of the order for the Warriors. Freshman Emma Fisler will get chances to contribute in multiple positions.

“Our strengths are our young, tough pitchers,” said Foxboro coach Mark Maguire. “We are very athletic in the outfield and we have pretty good team speed. Although we are a young team, mostly freshman and sophomores, this group has been ‘battle tested’ the last couple of years playing significant games in the Hockomock League and state tournaments.”

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview







2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Franklin

2022 Record: 11-10
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Breanna Shaffer
Last season, Franklin won nine games in the league, but was only able to take fourth in the Kelley-Rex division. This year, the addition of North Attleboro makes the division even deeper, but the Panthers will turn to King Philip alum, and two-time state champion, Breanna Shaffer and lean on an experienced lineup to try and make a push up the standings.

The Panthers will have plenty of pitching depth this year. Senior Kiera Kotwicki returns in the circle and has the experience of battling the top teams in the league. Senior Caroline Bruso and freshman Sophia Scaramone will also get their chances to toe the rubber. Senior catcher Hailey Fales will guide the pitching staff as well as being a big bat in the heart of the Franklin lineup.

Junior Carly Johnson-Pellegri is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign and returns at short. Senior Katy Liberman is back at third base, while sophomore Sarah Boozang takes over at first base and junior Katie Dowley will be at second. Seniors Reece Allen and Dana Stott are back as starting outfielders and classmate Avery Chalk will step into the outfield as well.

“This group of seniors work hard and lead by example every day,” said Shaffer, who previously coached JV at Canton and Sharon. “The leadership and experience that they bring to this team will leave such a positive impact on this program. I am excited to see what this team will accomplish this season!”

King Philip

2022 Record: 22-3
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal (Kelley-Rex champion)
Coach: Kate Fallon-Comeau
King Philip comes into every season with state title aspirations. This spring, the Warriors have added motivation, as the defending Kelley-Rex division champions watched rival Taunton, who KP beat twice in the regular season, go all the way for the second year in a row. The league seems as competitive as ever, but the Warriors return a strong core that looks ready to make a run at another title.

There is plenty of experience and leadership coming back this season. Junior Jordan Bennett will be in the circle for the third year in a row and has developed into an ace who can be relied upon against even the strongest lineups. Freshman McCoy Walsh and junior Taylor Regan will add depth to the pitching staff and can eat up some innings. Junior Maddie Paschke will be behind the dish to work with the pitchers.

Seniors Charlotte Raymond and Sarah Cullen will both patrol the outfield this season, while classmate Ava Lanza will be at third. Sophomore Liv Petrillo returns to the left side of the infield while senior Libby Walsh is back in the mix this season. Junior Ava Kelley had a big season at the plate in 2022 and she returns to take the third outfield spot.

“We’re looking forward to another exciting season and competing in one of the best and most respected leagues in the state,” said KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau.

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Mansfield

2022 Record: 10-12
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Lori Letendre
Mansfield finished 4-2 in non-league play a season ago and reached the Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen. This year, the Hornets will play in the Davenport division for the first time and could benefit from not having two games apiece against perennial powers like Taunton, King Philip, and North Attleboro. With a roster that is still relatively young, only two seniors and nine freshmen, Mansfield will hope that being battle-tested in 2022 could help in a fight for a league title in 2023.

The Hornets graduated seven seniors, including five starters, from last year’s team, so there will be a lot of new faces in the lineup, but a talented group of juniors will provide leadership for the younger players. Junior Callie Lake was a spark plug for the Mansfield offense last season and a strong defensive center fielder. Junior Live Madeira returns at shortstop, giving the Hornets another good glove and tough out, while classmate Jill Koppy controls the game from behind the plate and fellow junior Molly Kucharski will start again at second.

Senior Amanda Schwarz will be the starting pitcher for the Hornets at the beginning of the season after sharing time with Julia Kelly last year. Mansfield will have plenty of depth in the circle this spring, as freshmen Molly Crowley and Dani Jameson can also step in and give them important innings.

Mansfield coach Lori Letendre said, “We have a lot of new players on the team this year and will be looking for leadership from our captains and returning starters. They are a talented group and I am starting to see the chemistry that will bring us together as a team. It should be a fun season!”




2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Milford

2022 Record: 3-17
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Steve Divitto
With a young squad last season, Milford struggled through some growing pains during the spring of 2022. After only graduating a pair of seniors from the roster, the Scarlet Hawks are looking to compete against one of the most talented leagues in the state and make a push for the postseason.

Milford is still young as they don’t have any seniors on the roster this year but the majority of the players on the team have one or two years of experience already. There is a group of seven juniors that include catcher Maddie Burn, first baseman Camille Bonina, middle infielder Grace Bonina, pitcher/shortstop Maeve Driscoll (who can also play in the outfield), outfielder Olivia Luchini, who is back from injury, infielder/outfielder Maeve Williams, and outfielder Sarah Wengal. Head coach Steve DiVitto will be leaning on their experience and leadership to guide a young squad.

Cae Pellegrini, Jianna Fernandes, and Olivia Baglione emerged as key contributors as freshmen last year and are looking to take the next step this time out. Pellegrini returns to third base, Fernandes will patrol the outfield, and Baglione is back at shortstop. A group of freshmen featuring Ava Baglione, Angelina Bonina, Katelyn Kearnan, and Isabella Loscerbo will look to make an impact right away. In the circle, Driscoll will look to pick up where she left off last year before being derailed by injury, with freshman Angelina Bonina in line to get some innings as well.

“With no seniors this year, we will be looking to our juniors and returners as leaders,” DiVitto said. “While still considered young, the vast amount of game experience that our players have had makes us a veteran team. No more excuses; we are ready to compete in the best league in Massachusetts. The girls are ready to get on the field.”

North Attleboro

2022 Record: 17-7
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion)
Coach: Bill Wallace
After three straight Davenport titles, which was the first three-peat in program history, and reaching the Div. 2 Final Four for the first time last season, North Attleboro returns to the ultra-competitive Kelley-Rex division with a lineup that features a lot of new faces and a lot of underclassmen. The Rocketeers still expect to be right in the title mix and make another run in the tournament.

Pitching will be the key for North this season. Reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Kelly Colleran will be back in the circle as the team’s main starter. Colleran was dominant last year, both as a pitcher and a hitter, and will have big expectations this spring. Sophomore Arianna McDavitt got a couple of starts last year and freshman Grace Forman can step in to eat some innings as well. Sophomore Maryellen Charette will be behind the plate for North after a solid freshman campaign.

Colleran and McDavitt will also play short when not pitching. Senior Maddie Bailey and sophomore Mary Rogers will play second and freshmen Lucy Palmer (first base) and Molly Willey (third base) will take over at the corners. Sophomore Emily Tucker gives North versatility off the bench. The outfield will be relatively experienced, as seniors Emma Hanwell and Grace Simmons will be in center and right. Senior Julia Forman and her sister Grace can play multiple positions.

“If our hitting continues to improve, we should be a dangerous team,” said North coach Bill Wallace. “We will continue to work on defense and hitting but team chemistry and leadership will give us the opportunity to continue to grow as a team. I really enjoy coaching this group.”




2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Oliver Ames

2022 Record: 7-14
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Lindsey Allison
Oliver Ames didn’t graduate a single player from last season and the Tigers will be aiming for another playoff appearance and to make a run at their first league title since 2014. The Tigers should be solid defensively and have a lineup able to manufacture runs and they will hope to build on last year’s postseason experience.

Pitching is always critical and senior Katie Melendy returns for her third year in the circle. After a strong offseason, Melendy could be ready for a breakout year after putting up a 2.03 ERA last spring. Senior shortstop Maddie Homer and senior center fielder Caitlin Miller give OA a strong spine and junior catcher Katharine Farley brings her cannon of an arm back behind the plate.

Juniors Madison Monteiro, Paige Taylor, Sammy Johnson, and Skylar Dearborn are all back for the Tigers, while sophomores Emily Martin and Devon Morris round out the infield after solid freshman campaigns. Junior Crystaliah Covel and sophomore Ava Tracia are newcomers who will add versatility to the OA roster.

“It has been a really smooth transition into the season in order to get game-ready,” said OA coach Lindsey Allison. “We are looking forward to a great season and continuing to build on last year’s successes. In practices, the defense has been really solid, as they are all used to each other mostly from last season. Katie Melendy has put in a lot of work in the offseason, and we are looking forward to seeing her build on her success from last year with support from the power and speed of the OA lineup.”

Sharon

2022 Record: 2-16
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Heather Poliferno
Sharon swept a season series with Duxbury last year, but struggled in Hockomock play, scoring only 13 runs in the 16 league games. The Eagles will go into this season hoping to pull some surprises and, with a roster that includes eight freshmen and sophomores, build some momentum for the future as well.

Ally Foulsham will get the call in the circle this season. The senior has worked this offseason to finetune her pitches and Sharon coach Heather Poliferno is hoping for big things from her captain both as a pitcher and in the middle of the lineup. Senior Natalie Kessler also returns for the Eagles. After spending 2022 in a utility role, playing multiple positions, Kessler will start in center this season.

Junior Natalie David will be moving from the outfield to first base this spring and is another hitter that the Eagles will be counting on to try and improve their offensive output. Junior Maddie Hu will be at shortstop, using her speed to cover a lot of ground in the field and causing havoc on the base paths.

Poliferno said, “Every year, we go into the season with the mentality of ‘why not us?’ We will be going into every game this season with that thought.”

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Stoughton

2022 Record: 11-10
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Laura Whittaker
Stoughton heads into the spring with a new coach, as Laura Whittaker takes over in the dugout. The expectations will remain high for a team hoping to challenge for the Davenport division title, which would be its first league title since 2005, and to make a run in the Div. 2 tournament.

The Black Knights will have a lot of returning talent to lean on this season. Senior Kerry Driscoll will be back in the circle, after an 11-8 season, and also in the heart of the order here she was the team’s leading hitter in 2022. Senior Camryn Whitman returns at shortstop with junior Alyssa Edwards next to her at third. Both players provide leadership and swing big bats to add to a potent lineup. Junior Julie Powers gives the Black Knights a lot of stability from behind the plate.

Juniors Leila Alaoui (second base) and Maddie Hinds (first base) round out an experienced, tested infield. Sophomores Caitlin Driscoll and Angelina Berry and newcomers Anna Hobbs and Lauren Price will give Stoughton plenty of speed in the outfield and some big arms to slow down runners. Julia Monaghan, Emersyn Grover, and Megan McGowan add depth and consistency to the lineup, while Alyssa Antonino, Grace Weisenberger, and Isabella Kuznitz give Whittaker a lot of versatility off the bench.

Taunton

2022 Record: 21-4
2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Michelle Raposo
The two-time defending Div. 1 state champions have a new coach this season, as Michelle Raposo, a starter on the Taunton teams that won titles in 2002 and 2003, takes over the Tigers this spring. Taunton looks poised to make a run at a three-peat with the return of six starters and the addition of one of the state’s top pitching prospects.

Pitching is always the place to start when thinking about a team’s state title qualifications and the Tigers will bring back sophomore Cate Larson, who was part of a pitching duo that helped Taunton win it all in 2022. In addition, junior lefty Sam Lincoln is back after a year away from the program and the Texas Tech commit would be a boost to any team’s staff. Senior Kaysie DeMoura is back behind the plate after a breakout season and her leadership and ability to work with both pitchers will be critical.

There is plenty of experience on Taunton’s roster. Senior Ava Venturelli had a standout season in 2022 and the Louisville commit is back in the outfield this year. Senior Kyleah Plumb is the spark plug at the top of the order, senior first baseman Hayley Krockta added power in the heart of the order, and senior Mia Fernandes will return at second base. Sophomore Brooke Aldrich returns at short following her solid freshman season. Eighth-grader Bella Bourque will take over at third and freshman Mia Torres will start in the outfield. Senior transfer Morgan Fitzgerald and Molly Carnes will give the Tigers extra depth in the outfield as well.

“The team chemistry these 15 girls have in such a short amount of time is remarkable,” Raposo said. “Not only do these girls have chemistry, they all have talent and determination to work hard and get better every day. I am excited to see where this season takes us as my first year taking over as head coach.”

2023 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Attleboro Avoids Canton Upset Bid in Defensive Battle

Attleboro girls basketball
Lily Routhier knocked down a pair of jumpers in the fourth quarter, helping Attleboro hold off Canton’s bid for an upset of the Kelley-Rex title challengers. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


CANTON, Mass. – With just under four seconds left to play in Monday night’s game at the Masciarelli Gym, Samya DaSilva got two hands on a defensive rebound and Canton was able to get a quick timeout to draw up one last play. Down three points and needing to go the length of the court, the attempted baseball pass was picked off near mid-court by Vanessa Ellis (five steals), who dribbled out the clock.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The steal allowed Attleboro to squeak past the Bulldogs 32-29 in a competitive game that featured plenty of energy and effort but not much offensive flow and even less scoring.

“It’s a ‘W’ in the win column, so I’ll take it, but there’s things we need to work on,” said Attleboro coach Bri Bracken. “We learned a lot and again we’ve just got to play through contact. I think we look a lot for drawing fouls and just go up strong. It’s going to be a long week ahead of us, so we just need to take it day-by-day.”

Canton has lost seven times this season by 10 points or less. In the past two weeks, the Bulldogs have faced the top three teams in the Kelley-Rex and lost by a combined 11 points, while holding all three to under their season scoring marks.

Defense has been Canton’s calling card all season, but the Bulldogs, who graduated a combined 3,100 career points from last year’s roster, haven’t gotten the baskets they need to covert those impressive defensive performances into victories.

“We knew coming into the summer that defense was probably going to have to be something we hang out hat on and at least give us a chance to play with any of the teams,” Canton coach Jim Choquette explained. “In the third quarter we didn’t even give them a field goal, it was just a couple of free throws. The girls work so hard to set screens the right way, run plays the right way to get themselves opportunities.”

Things started out fine for the Bombardiers, who scored nearly half their total points in the opening quarter and jumped out to a 15-7 lead. Avery James buried a three and Kayla Goldrick (10 points, nine rebounds, and four steals) took a long lead pass from Lily Routhier for a quick layup.

Han Hong (five points) grabbed an offensive rebound to get Canton on the board and Erin Beatty followed a Goldrick layup with a put-back that cut the lead to 7-6. It set a pattern, as Canton was aggressive on the glass to limit the Bombardiers to one shot and earn extra possessions on offense. Beatty (four points) would finish with 19 rebounds, including 13 in the first half.

“She might be the best player I’ve ever coached in terms of overall rebounding in her career,” Choquette said of Beatty. “Without those extra possessions that Erin and Emily and all the girls come up with defensively, we’d be in real trouble. Those extra opportunities give us the chance to take extra shots, get back into our sets.”

Attleboro closed the first on an 8-1 run. Routhier (eight points and eight boards), who recorded a triple-double last week, drilled a three and James followed with a tough, pull-up jumper. Merry Bosh then closed the scoring for the Bombardiers by knocking down a deep two for an eight-point lead at the first intermission.

The Bombardiers scored 15 points in the opening eight minutes. Over the next 16 minutes, they managed just two field goals and eight points.

“We were just being too passive,” Bracken said. “Kids were trying to give it to another girl, thinking they may have a better shot. They were trying to be unselfish, but they always play unselfish. There’s a difference between playing passive and unselfish. It was a mess.”

Canton was hardly lighting up the scoreboard on the other end. The Bulldogs would score seven in the second and just five in the third, managing to only cut the first-quarter deficit in half heading to the fourth.

Bosh opened the second with a three to extend the lead to 11, Attleboro’s largest of the night, but those would be the only points for either team until the final 2:30 of the quarter. Beatty again turned an offensive rebound into points, using a nice post move to score. After freshman Tia Williamson got her only basket of the night (off a nice entry pass by Bosh), Jess Wright knocked down a pair at the line and DaSilva (seven points and three blocks) drained a three from several steps behind the line. Attleboro went to the locker room ahead 20-14.

Offense seemed to get even harder to come by after the break. Emily McCabe (five points and nine rebounds) turned a steal into a layup, but the score remained the same until Goldrick made a pair at the line with 3:19 left in the third. A minute later, Hong was able to slice through the lane for a layup and cut the lead to just three, but Ellis would add one free throw (her only point of the night) in the final minute of the quarter.

The fourth quarter almost felt like an offensive explosion compared to the previous two. Mercia Kolokithas drilled a three on a kick-out by DaSilva. Routhier followed with a baseline jumper to go back up three, but then Kolokithas got free from straightaway and nailed a second triple to tie the game at 25-25 with 6:06 to play.

Attleboro finally got a little going on the other end when Routhier restored the lead on another jumper. Goldrick followed with a tough runner in the lane to make it 29-25. Down five with 2:14 to go, McCabe would get a clean look at a straightaway three and brought Canton to within just two points.

DaSilva had a chance to tie the game at the line with 1:38 left, but hit one of two. As the shot clock was winding down 35 seconds later, Goldrick hit the biggest shot of the night, pulling up on the baseline for a short jumper and a three-point lead.

Attleboro was 4-of-8 from the line coming into the fourth, but went just 1-of-8 in the final eight minutes, giving Canton chances to tie, but the Bulldogs couldn’t find the clutch shot and the Bombardiers escaped, pulling even with Franklin in the win column.

Bracken told her team after the final whistle, “You guys need to have confidence in yourself. I know I have confidence in them. We’re a really good team. We have a long road ahead of us but, and I didn’t want to jinx it, us and Franklin are battling right now and you have to keep that in the back of your mind and we need to grind it out. Keep working hard and hustling every game no matter what.”

Attleboro (9-3) travels to Durfee on Wednesday in a game that could have a lot of say in Div. 1 power rankings. Canton (2-10) gets a second look at Notre Dame Academy, which held off the Bulldogs by four points in Hingham in early January.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

2022 Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars

Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Maddie Homer, Oliver Ames

Hockomock League All Stars

Julia Leonardo, Attleboro
Natalie Brojek, Attleboro
Jess Wright, Canton
Zoe Scibelli, Canton
Alyssa Cloherty, Foxboro
Taylor Lacerda, Franklin
Makayla Kuykendall, Franklin
Emily Sawyer, King Philip
Ahunna James, King Philip
Sami Shore, King Philip
Elyssa Bucahnan, Mansfield
Aliza Syed, Milford
Mariah Barbosa, North Attleboro
Maddie Homer, Oliver Ames
Sarah Hilliard, Oliver Ames
Clare Kavolius, Oliver Ames
Emily Coplan, Sharon
Maya Ashu, Stoughton
Hayley Krockta, Taunton

Honorable Mentions
Sadie Whitmarsh, Attleboro
Liana Lamparelli, Canton
Mallorie Meyer, Foxboro
Georgia Harvey, Franklin
Olivia O’Neil, King Philip
Lilly Verheggen, Mansfield
Emily Croteau, Milford
Hayley Carr, North Attleboro
Courtney Raymond, Oliver Ames
Sonja Gray, Sharon
Annalia Eschelman, Stoughton
Anna Abouzeid, Taunton

Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. 2022 Hockomock League Volleyball All Stars

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/15/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
Sharon, 41 @ Canton, 47 – FinalCanton turned defense into offense to pull out a win at home over Sharon. Trailing 41-40 with a minute to go, the Bulldogs forced four turnovers and turned that into a 7-0 surge to close the game out. Emily McCabe, who was battling foul trouble all night and hadn’t scored until that point, scored all seven of the points, starting with a three-pointer off of a pass from Han Hong (15 points, six rebounds, five steals). McCabe was first to a loose ball on the next possession and went in alone for a layup. Erin Beatty (eight points, nine rebounds) and Hong each had a steal with McCabe tacking on two more free throws. After a slow start, Sharon surged ahead with a big second quarter to take a 17-16 lead at halftime. Jasmine Davis finished with 19 points and 21 rebounds before fouling out with three minutes to go while Rachael Hager added nine points, five rebounds, and three assists. Jess Wright added five points, 12 rebounds, and three steals for Canton.

Swimming
Attleboro @ Seekonk, 3:45

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/13/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Mansfield, 62 @ Attleboro, 33 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

North Attleboro, 51 @ Canton, 60 – FinalCanton took the lead early and played from ahead, doing just enough to shake a resilient North Attleboro squad for a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs had different players step up throughout the game with juniors Zaza Francoeur (career-high 18 points) and Jamaal McConnell (17 points in his Bulldog debut) leading the way. Francoeur and McConnell each scored seven points in the second to help the Bulldogs establish a 29-24 lead at halftime. In the third, Caden Mirliani hit a pair of threes while sophomore Anthony Diletizia also scored to keep Canton ahead by five, 40-35, going into the fourth. Senior Matt Chafin and Diletizia each had a three in the fourth, McConnell added four more, and Francoeur (5/6 from the free throw line) helped the Bulldogs close it out with seven more points in the fourth. Ayden Delaney led a balanced scoring effort from North Attleboro with 11 points while Givany Carney and Derek Maceda each had nine points.

Milford, 53 @ Foxboro, 60 – FinalMilford rallied to shrink a 23-point second half deficit down to three with under two minutes to go by Foxboro senior Alex Penders came up with a big bucket and Ryan LeClair forced a key turnover two plays later as the Warriors escaped with a win over the Hawks. Penders finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the charge while LeClair chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Ryan Kelley scored all of his career-high 10 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors build a big lead. The Warriors led 15-12 after a quarter and thanks to a pair of threes from LeClair and seven points from Penders, Foxboro increased its lead to 31-20 at halftime. Kelley’s big third, plus two threes from Penders, saw the lead balloon to as much as 49-26 midway through the third. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera scored half of his 16 points in the fourth to help rally the Scarlet Hawks, who went 13-for-18 from the free throw line, including seven of those makes in the fourth. Freshman CJ Farrell added a career-high 14 points for the Hawks.

Franklin, 55 @ Oliver Ames, 42 – FinalFranklin overcame a slow start to erase a double-digit deficit and pick up a win on the road in Easton. Oliver Ames came to play, racing out to an 18-5 lead after eight minutes with senior Chris Elias (11 points) and sophomore Cole Craffey (14 points) each hitting a three. But the Panthers flipped the switch and dominated the second quarter, holding the hosts to five points while its offense got going with 24 points. Justin Allen, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of threes in the quarter, junior Andrew O’Neill (13 points) added one, and junior Sean O’Leary went off for 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second. Allen, O’Neill, and O’Leary each connected from downtown in the third to keep the Panthers ahead (44-30) going into the fourth.

Taunton, 67 @ Sharon, 63 – FinalTaunton junior Troy Santos exploded for a career-high 44 points to lead the Tigers to a win on the road at Sharon to open the season. The Eagles led after each of the first three quarters but the Tigers continued to rally, especially in the second half, to get the win. Seniors Jack Bates and Dante James each hit a three in the second quarter, Jacob McLoughlin had eight of his 18 points in the first half, and junior Nate Katznelson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Eagles carried a 30-23 lead into the second half. Santos carried the Tigers in the first half, scoring all but four of their 23 points. Santos got some help in the third as Chris Volcy had five points and Chris Perault added eight points but a three-pointer from Bates at the buzzer put Sharon ahead, 44-42, going into the fourth. With just one three-point field goal and two free throws, Santos connected on seven two-pointers to shoulder the load in the fourth as Taunton went up by as much as 10 in the final minutes. Taunton had a 65-55 lead with a minute to go before the Eagles made it interesting as McLoughlin converted a traditional three-point play, James scored off of a steal and then hit a three off another Taunton turnover, this time with under 5 seconds to play. An errant whistle stopped the clock but Taunton used a full court heave to Santos, who finished at the buzzer, to survive.








Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 53 @ Attleboro, 63 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 47 – FinalAva McKeon scored a game-high 18 points, powering North Attleboro to a season-opening win. McKeon scored 10 points in the first quarter and 15 before halftime to help the Rocketeers jump out to a seven-point lead at the break. Canton cut it to one in the closing minute but North was able to pull out the win. North was 19-of-26 from the line as a team, which helped the Rocketeers hold on, despite having McKeon foul out late in the fourth. North coach Nikki Correia said, “I am so proud of the girls. They played as a team executed the offense and played hard D for four quarters.” Samya DaSilva nearly matched McKeon in the first half, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring nine of her team-high 13 in the first quarter. Sam Sweeney helped North hold off the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring seven of her 15 points in the fourth. Sam Faria chipped in with nine points for the hosts, including 6-of-6 from the line. Jess Wright also reached double digits for Canton, adding 11 points.

Foxboro, 67 @ Milford, 29 – FinalSophomore center Addie Ruter scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win in the season opener. Kailey Sullivan added 17 points and Camryn Collins scored 14 for the Warriors. Foxboro scored 19 in the opening quarter but then broke the game wide open with an 18-5 second that increased the lead to 22 at the break. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and freshman Ava Baglione scored eight on her varsity basketball debut.

Oliver Ames, 45 @ Franklin, 54 – FinalFranklin was able to hold off a fourth quarter charge by OA to pull out a foul-filled season opener and continue its long win streak in league play. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first and extended the advantage to 14 heading into the final eight minutes. OA rallied, scoring 18 points in the fourth and twice cutting the lead down to as little as seven, but Franklin made enough plays to seal the victory. Katie Peterson battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished as the game’s top scorer with 13 points. Chloe Fales, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each scored 10 points for the Panthers and Bridget Leo added eight. Freshman Kamryn Derba scored a team-high 11 points on her varsity debut for OA. Maeve Horsman added nine points, including seven in the fourth, Annie Reilly had eight points and eight rebounds, and Maddie Homer had seven points and five boards in the loss.

Stoughton, 41 @ King Philip, 64 – FinalKP came alive offensively in the third quarter, outscoring Stoughton 24-7 to break the game wide open. Emily Sawyer scored 12 of her game-high 16 in the third to help the Warriors pull away and seal the season-opening win. Maddie Paschke added 13 points for KP, including seven in the first half. Kylie Watson chipped in with nine and Jordan Bennett and Jackie Bonner each scored seven points for the hosts. Stoughton was able to hang around in the first half with help from Katrina Varnum, who score 10 of her 13 points before the break and added 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, and three blocks. Freshman Kirsten McKay had a big debut for the Black Knights, scoring 10 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Alyssa Edwards added 10 points, eight boards, a block, and four steals, while Raina Tat finished with seven in the loss.

Sharon, 37 @ Taunton, 46 – FinalCali Melo scored a team-high 17 points, nine in the first half, helping Taunton pick up a win in the season opener and give new coach Gretchen Rodrigues a win on her debut. Taunton held the Eagles to just 11 points in the first half and then held on as Sharon tried to mount a late comeback attempt. Freshman Taryn Campbell added 10 points in her first varsity game (eight in the opening half) and Jillian Doherty chipped in eight points (four in each half). Sharon picked things up offensively after the break, led by Jasmine Davis, who scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Davis added 24 rebounds and three blocks. Rachael Hager (seven rebounds and four steals) added eight of her 11 points after halftime and Eva Poulton contributed seven points and five boards for Sharon.

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview
Oliver Ames is coming off a Div. 2 state title, but the Tigers will face a tough challenge to repeat as league champ this winter. Read our full team-by-team previews below. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 16-7
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Brianna Bracken
Former Attleboro standout Bri Bracken took over the coaching duties late in the preseason a year ago, but she stepped right into her first varsity job and led the Bombardiers to a 16-win season and a return to the state tournament. The graduation of top scorer Meg Gordon will be tough to replace, but the Bombardiers have a versatile lineup and a focus on the defensive side of the ball that still makes them a tough challenge even for the top teams in the league.

Attleboro returns only two starters from last season. Junior Kayla Goldrick impressed in her first two years on varsity, playing on the wing or as the primary ball-handler. Her control on both sides of the ball will be critical this season. Senior Lily Routhier, who transferred from Wheelock last year, is a strong rebounder and can score in multiple ways around the paint. Sophomore Vanessa Ellis wasn’t a starter for most of last year, but she came through with some big games down the stretch, scoring in bunches around the rim and being a force on the glass.

An injury to junior Rylie Camacho will deprive the Bombardiers of one of their best perimeter shooters, but Bracken will be hoping that juniors Merry Bosh and Molly Moore and sophomore Avery James can step into bigger roles in the backcourt and add scoring punch. Senior Sarah Maher is going to have a bigger role on both ends this season, bringing the energy and intensity every game. This will be a different look from last year, as the Bombardiers will have different go-to players every night.

“We have a great mix of experience and youth,” Bracken said. “We are excited about what lies ahead. Practices have been intense and the girls have been working really hard.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Canton

2021-2022 Record: 16-7
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Quarterfinal
Coach: Jim Choquette
How do you move on from graduating not just one but three of the best players in program history? That will be the challenge for Canton coach Jim Choquette this season, as the Bulldogs are coming off a winter that included a rare home playoff game and a trip to the Div. 2 quarterfinals and return a group of players that have experience but will need to step into bigger roles this year.

There is a veteran core that the Bulldogs will be relying on. Senior forward Samya DaSilva can score in the paint and knock down shots from the perimeter, while classmate Erin Beatty has been a force on the boards and brings a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. Senior guards Emily McCabe, Marissa Staffiere, and Han Hong all can run the point and are strong defensive players who will be tasked with keeping the ball moving for Canton on offense to find the best shot.

In addition to those familiar faces, juniors Fatima Sidibay and Jess Wright will provide additional athleticism in the frontcourt. Junior Mercia Kolokithas can stretch defenses with her perimeter shooting and sophomore Sally Hoban will provide depth on the wing along with Ava McCoole. Deanna Kolokithas is another newcomer to watch this season, as she can give Canton a boost at point guard, allowing the veteran guards to move off the ball.

“Every season is different, even if you have similar players,” Choquette explained. “We have spoken about that this year and I’ve encouraged our team to write their own narrative, what they want, how they want to get it, and the sacrifices they’re willing to make to accomplish it. I’m so excited to see how we respond as coaches to help them and as players to achieve.”

Foxboro

2021-2022 Record: 14-8
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Lisa Downs
While head coach Lisa Downs knew there would be some growing pains for a roster loaded with underclassmen, Foxboro was not only building for the future in 2021-22 but showing that it could already compete with the league’s top teams. This season, adding a year of experience to their talented core, the Warriors will be aiming to get back to the top of the Davenport division and make a run in the state tournament.

The backcourt was the key for Foxboro last winter. Sophomore Kailey Sullivan burst onto the scene and was the rare freshman that could lead a team in scoring and also look right at home running the point against the tough defenses in the Hock. Junior Camryn Collins finished just behind Sullivan in the scoring charts, but her handle, her athleticism, and her ability to read the game made her an impact player on both ends of the court. Add in junior Erin Foley’s tenacity on the defensive end and it is a backcourt that can cause any team problems from baseline to baseline.

Foxboro also got solid contributions in the front court from sophomore Ava Hill, who looked increasingly comfortable as the season wore on, and junior Isabelle Chamberlin. Sophomore Adie Ruter will be a new piece to the puzzle this season. The 6-foot-2 center gives a new dimension to the Warriors’ offense and her development in the off-season has her poised for a breakout year. Freshmen Kylie Sampson and Adrianna Porazzo continue the tradition of underclassmen jumping right onto varsity with an opportunity to contribute.

“I’m anxious to get started working with this team,” Downs said. “I really envision a pretty high ceiling once we get established. We will continue the Foxboro team culture of hard work on defense and team play on offense, so it will be pretty exciting to see what they are able to accomplish.”







Franklin

2021-2022 Record: 22-2
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal
Coach: John Leighton
Franklin has dominated the Kelley-Rex division for the past four years, which included a state title run as well, but with a lot of new faces jumping into the lineup this season, the league title race could be a lot closer this winter. The Panthers may not be able to overwhelm teams with size like they have in past few years, but an athletic core of players returns to play typically tough defense and get out and run on the break.

The focal point this season will be senior forward Katie Peterson. After a breakout junior year in which she led the team in scoring, the UMass girls lacrosse commit comes back as one of the top wings in the league. Her athleticism will be critical on both ends of the floor. Senior guard Bridget Leo is also back to run the offense and will be one of the team’s top perimeter defenders. Senior Lizzie Newman emerged last season as a solid rebounder and post defender and her outside shooting could be a major factor.

There are also several players who stepped in at times last year that will need to take on bigger roles for the Panthers this season. Junior Sasha Tracey gives Franklin good length on the wing and adds another athlete that can get out on the break and finish. Her improved outside shot will also help stretch defenses. Sophomore Chloe Fales is a newcomer to watch with her athleticism and ability to score at multiple levels.

“This team is working to find its identity and play unselfish basketball,” said Franklin coach John Leighton. “I have been very impressed with the leadership of our seniors who have stepped up and provided mentorship to our younger players to speed their integration into the team.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

King Philip

2021-2022 Record: 11-11
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Jeff Miszkiewicz
Only the two division winners allowed fewer points per game than King Philip last season, as the Warriors focused on strong half court defense under first-year coach Jeff Miszkiewicz. Defense will remain key for KP this season, but there is also an effort to bring more balance to an offense that struggled to keep up with some of the top teams in the Hock. With a year of experience in the new system, the Warriors will be looking to provide a challenge to Franklin and Oliver Ames in the Kelley-Rex.

Senior center Emily Sawyer has developed into a force on both ends of the floor and her presence in the paint will be a major piece of KP’s play this year. An almost automatic double-double every night, Sawyer has improved her offense every year and remains an imposing shot blocker and disruptor on defense. Fellow senior Jackie Bonner will give KP much-needed balance on offense with her ability to shoot from distance and take defenders off the dribble. KP looked like a different team when she went down with an injury last season.

While Bonner and Sawyer get a lot of the attention, KP has solid depth in both the front and backcourt. Senior guard Leah Santoro gives the Warriors a tenacious perimeter defender and junior Jordan Bennett runs the offense well at the point and showed flashes of being a threat from three-point range. Junior forward Maddie Paschke provides energy, rebounding, and finishing in the paint, and classmate Kylie Watson continues to improve on shot-making both in the paint and from the outside.

Miszkiewicz is also counting on several new faces to add to his squad this season. “They all bring something different to the court and have a chance to really impact games this year,” he said. “We can score on all three levels consistently, so we look to attack any advantages that we can get. Last year, we prided ourselves on playing tough, gritty defense. We try to make every shot difficult and hold teams to one shot.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Mansfield

2021-2022 Record: 12-11
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Heather McPherson
Mansfield will play in the Davenport division for the first time this winter and, with only three players graduating from last year’s playoff team and both of its leading scorers back, there are hopes that this could be a title-winning debut for the Hornets.

Senior Abby Wager is the team’s top scorer from a year ago and the athletic wing will be the focal point for most teams defensively this year. The Southern New Hampshire-commit causes problems on both ends of the floor with her length and speed and her addition of different facets to her offensive game. If teams want to extend out to the perimeter, Mansfield can also hurt them in the paint with junior forward Kara Santos, who emerged as a consistent scorer on the block.

Experience should be no problem for the Hornets, who have a host of players that gained valuable experience last season. In the backcourt, seniors Olivia Salisbury and Bridget Hanley can run the point and step up with big scoring nights when needed. Senior Natalya Gill was instant offense off the bench for the Hornets, while classmate Rose Maher can knock down big shots from the outside. Senior Brooke Butler gives the Hornets another strong rebounder and paint presence.

“Extremely excited for the season,” said McPherson. “The level of focus and pace that we have committed to this preseason makes me extremely excited for the season with these girls!”




Milford

2021-2022 Record: 5-14
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: TJ Dolliver
Milford brings back five seniors from last year’s team, including a pair of four-year varsity players at captain, which the Hawks hope can provide the leadership for a move up the Kelley-Rex standings. After winning five games a year ago, Milford continues to set its sights on getting back into the playoff picture.

Senior forward Emily Croteau is an all-energy player at forward and will be one of the players that Milford counts on at both ends of the floor. She crashes the boards, defends, and her hustle is infectious. Classmate Brooke Ferreira is more of a calming presence in the backcourt, getting the Hawks into their sets and knocking down shots on the perimeter. Fellow seniors Molly Hartman and Aliza Syed will add experience and strength in the paint.

Junior forward Khatrina Leger could be ready for a breakout year after impressing in flashes as a sophomore. Leger used her athleticism to keep possessions alive and was able to get creative with her finishing around the rim. Classmate Erin Michelson uses her length on the wing to cause problems on the defensive side and junior Maeve Driscoll can come into the game and make some big shots on the perimeter.

“We have a lot of versatile players with different skills so our offense and defense is going to rely on execution during the games,” said Milford coach TJ Dolliver. “I have a great group of girls who are ready to compete on a daily basis. We have a lot of room to grow and I am looking forward to seeing where it takes us.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

North Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 4-16
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Nikki Correia
North Attleboro incorporated plenty of youth into last year’s rotation and those young players will need to be ready from the start this winter because the Rocketeers are only returning four varsity players from 2021-22 and have as many underclassmen (four) as seniors on this year’s team. It is a guard-heavy rotation, which fits into head coach Nikki Correia’s preferred up-tempo style, but there will be a learning curve for a relatively inexperienced group.

Senior Ava McKeon will be the leader on the court for North this season. A four-year varsity player, McKeon gives the Rocketeers an edge with her tenacity, toughness, and athleticism. The rest of the team can feed off the energy that she provides on both ends of the court. Sophomore guards Sam Faria and Sam Sweeney both showed as rookies that they can knock down shots from the outside, but need to be more consistent to take the North offense to the next level. Classmate Maryellen Charette also impressed at times as a freshman and could be ready for a breakout year at forward. Confidence will be important for the younger players to meet the expectations that come from being regular starters.

North has added some new faces to the roster this year to contribute off the bench and give teams different looks. Senior guard Emma Hanwell and forwards Kylie James and Kayla Dominique, as well as junior forward Katie Corsetti will make the jump up from the JV team this season. Freshman guard Ella McLaughlin is another player with the potential to make instant contributions.

“I think our strengths on offense will be our quick guard play,” Correia said. “Our offense seems to be a little more organized and the guards are able to control the tempo. I am really looking forward to the season with this group of players. We are young and have so much potential to really surprise some opponents this year.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Oliver Ames

2021-2022 Record: 22-3 (Davenport champions)
2021-2022 Finish: Won Div. 2 state title
Coach: Brittany Engle
The defending Div. 2 state champions are going to have a very different look this season. Not only did Oliver Ames lose its top two scorers (Caroline Peper to graduation and Jasmyn Cooper to transfer) but also saw the retirement of legendary coach Laney Clement-Holbrook after more than four decades in charge. OA has turned to former assistant coach Brittany Engle, who is also a 1,000-point scorer and former state champ for the Tigers, who inherits a roster with only four returning players from last season.

Junior guard Kaydance Derba is the team’s top returning scorer and is one of the best long-range shooters in the league. Her length, her passing, and her ball-handling will all be critical for a team that is going to rely on a lot of relatively inexperienced players. Classmate Sarah Hilliard might be ready for a breakout season. The junior forward showed flashes of being a dominant post player last year, coming up with huge games on both ends of the floor during OA’s tournament run and her athleticism is a tough matchup for most teams.

A pair of seniors round out the returning players. Maddie Homer, who was voted volleyball MVP this fall, missed time last year due to injury but she came back to play a role in the state title game win against Norwood. She brings a lot of intensity on the defensive end and is another solid ball-handler that can get the Tigers into their sets. Classmate Grace Dupill will bring more athleticism to the forward position and leadership for a young squad that wants to challenge Franklin for the Kelley-Rex title.

“I’m excited for the season,” Engle said. “We’ve got a lot of good athletes who work hard, and are coachable and competitive. Coming off of a state title, expectations are high, but measured. This is a different team, but one with a lot of potential.”




Sharon

2021-2022 Record: 4-16
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Matt DellaBarba
Coming off a four-win season, Sharon returns four starters and nine players from last year’s roster, intent on making a move up the standings in the Davenport division. There is a change on the sidelines, with former Plymouth South coach Matt DellaBarba taking over this season and he will be hoping to utilize the experience that the Eagles have to make a run at a potential playoff spot.

Most of the focus this winter will be on junior center Jasmine Davis. After a stellar first varsity season in which she introduced herself with a 30-point, 20-rebound debut against Milford, Davis was one of the most prolific post players in the league as a sophomore. Sharon can take advantage of the attention Davis will draw to create shooting space for classmate Rachael Hager, who can force defenses to stay home with her ability to knock down shots from distance. Senior Tess Letendre and junior Eva Poulton round out the returning starters and both are solid ball-handlers and defenders in the backcourt and give the Eagles balance on both ends of the floor.

There is going to be plenty of experience coming off the bench for Sharon as well. In the backcourt, senior Clara Armon and juniors Carmen Leonardi and Natalie David will give the Eagles good energy and aggressiveness. Seniors Samantha Dunham and Emily Freeman add depth, rebounding, and solid defense in the front court. DellaBarba wants to make sure all of his players are threats to score on offense and communicate well in his team defense scheme.

“Being completely new to the Hockomock League I’m not entirely sure what to expect in my first season in the league,” DellaBarba said. “I know year in and year out the Hockomock League is one of the most competitive leagues in the state, so our focus right now is making sure we’re approaching every practice and game with energy and giving maximum effort in every opportunity that we receive.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Stoughton

2021-2022 Record: 1-19
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Eric Adams
Stoughton had its struggles in 2021-22, winning just one game, but the Black Knights are in the process of rebuilding through youth. With former assistant Eric Adams taking over for Charmaine Steele Jordan this winter, Stoughton will have continuity on the sidelines despite the coaching change and that should be a boost for a lineup that features only two seniors.

While young, Stoughton does have some varsity experience to call on. Senior guards Andrea Khouzami and Anna Hobbs will provide much-needed leadership in the backcourt. Junior Maiya Merritt is a quick guard who can get into the lane and sophomore Raina Tat showed that she has the ability to stretch defenses with her range, and the confidence to not pass up an open look.

In the front court, junior Alyssa Edwards is a three-sport athlete and she uses her strength and quickness to good effect on both ends of the court. Junior Katrina Varnum gives Stoughton a rim protector and a solid rebounder to protect the paint, while she also showed increasing confidence as a finisher around the rim. Sophomore Leah McCarty returns to give more depth on the block. Stoughton also has four freshmen on the roster, guards Kristen McKay, Molly Fox, Isabel Belmonte, and Cecelia Squires, who could be stepping in and getting minutes right away.

“This team is a young team; two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and four freshmen,” Adams explained. “This year is going to be a building year and we are eager to grow as a program.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Basketball Preview

Taunton

2021-2022 Record: 4-16
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Gretchen Rodrigues
The transfer of the league’s leading scorer from last year, Kameron St. Pierre, will be a big challenge for Taunton this season. Losing more than 20 points per game, nearly half of the team’s nightly output, will obviously require more than just one or two players to step up. First-year coach Gretchen Rodrigues is counting on her team’s athleticism and focusing on the defensive end of the floor first to get the Tigers out and running this season.

Junior point guard Cali Melo will be a key player for the Tigers in this system, not only setting the pace for the team but also providing the energy on the defensive side of the floor. Melo is a tenacious defender and rebounder and will be like a coach on the floor. Junior guard Lexi Haywood provides long-distance shooting for the Tigers and is one of the players that could benefit from a few more touches on the offensive end. Sophomore Jillian Doherty gives Taunton more speed and finishing on the break and senior McMina Clermont adds more vocal leadership, defense, and rebounding.

While a lot of the focus is on the outgoing players, Taunton also got a transfer in who could be a major factor in the paint this season. Sophomore Skylar McCrohan has come from Somerset Berkley and Rodrigues will be counting on her crashing the boards and getting buckets in the post. Freshman Taryn Campbell is a quick guard and solid shooter, who will come in and contribute right away.

“We are going to push the ball, play hard all the time, play unselfish, and be in great shape,” Rodrigues said. “My style is up and down, pressure a lot, and utilize all 94 feet.“