Boys Hockey
Mansfield, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sophomore Vincent Sica and junior Eamon Kelly each scored as the Bulldogs skated to a non-league win over Mansfield. Sica scored in the first and Kelly doubled the lead with a goal in the second.
Oliver Ames @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin scored three times in each half to pick up a key two points in the Kelley-Rex division title race. CJ Jette scored the opening two goals, the first assisted by Justin Magazu and Dom Lampasona, and the second by Patrick Dolan and Will Sheehan. Magazu then scored just before the end of the half on an assist from Justin Abely. Ben Jarosz (JT Dwyer), Declan Lovett (Dylan Marchand), and Ryan Sicchio (Aiden Hunt, Christian Shabbick) scored second half goals for Franklin while Jack Paterson made 27 saves in net.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 8 @ Stoughton/Sharon, 1 – Final – Lizzie Tassinari scored three time to power Canton to its third straight win to open the season. Tess Khoury and Ellie Bohane both scored twice and Payton McDonough added one for the Bulldogs. Jillian Parker had the lone goal for the Black Knights, assisted by Ava Buckley.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final
Swimming (Virtual Meets)
Mansfield vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 3:30
Mansfield vs. Plymouth, 3:30
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 4 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Braintree, 2 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Walpole, 2 – Final – King Philip scored the tying goal early in the third period but Walpole jumped back ahead with the game-winning goal with three minutes to go. After the Rebels scored in the second period, Conor Cooke (from Jack Coulter and Aidan Boulger) brought the Warriors level with 10:05 left in the third. Nate Ihley made 25 saves in net for KP.
Mansfield, 2 vs. Shrewsbury, 1 – Final – Mansfield senior Chris Jenkins scored a pair of goals as the Hornets scored an upset win over Shrewsbury, who was on the latest Super 8 watch list. Jenkins scored midway through the first period on a feed from Jack Gormley, and then doubled the lead early in the second with an assist from Conor Benoit. “We played 45 minutes of hockey, it was a great game,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. The Hornets killed a power play late in the second period while senior goalie Sean McCafferty made 28 saves in the win.
Taunton, 3 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Loran Corcoran, Steven Roderick and Dillon Parker each scored once for Taunton as the Tigers skated to a win on the road. Cade O’Connell scored for Stoughton/Brockton while Nathan Petti made 40 saves in net for the Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 3 vs. St. Joseph’s Prep, 1 – Final – Haley Nelson scored twice and Morgan Lessa had a pair of points as the Black Knights skated to a win over St. Joseph’s Prep. Lessa scored once and had one helper while Jillian Parker and Zofia Bangs each had an assist.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Walpole, 3 – Final – Mansfield/Oliver Ames saw a two-goal lead disappear in the third period but the Warriors found the game-winner in dramatic fashion with less than a minute to play. Emma Pereira scored her second goal of the game to put MOA up 3-1 early in the third period, with Tess Luciano adding a second period goal for the Warriors. After Walpole scored twice to tie the game, MOA goalie Jess Widdop was sidelined with an injury, forcing the Warriors to play the final 2:15 without a goalie. Because of a penalty, MOA had just five skaters but Reese Pereira linked up with Ella Waryas, who found Alex Ledin for the game-winner with 55 seconds to go. MOA held Walpole off in the final minute without a goalie.
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 49 @ Stoughton, 59 – Final – Stoughton opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, taking the lead early on in the frame and never letting go for an important division win. With the win, the Black Knights qualify for the state tournament and pull into a tie for second place in the Davenport with the Warriors, one game behind Milford. Brett Pendenza had a strong take along the baseline and Tommy Sanda drained a three to kickstart the run. Obinna Ugwuakazi had a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, Myles Grigalunas-Powell added 13 points, and Ahmad Jahed scored all nine of his points in the second half for Stoughton, which trailed by two (11-9) after one quarter and by one at halftime (24-23) and at the end of the third quarter (37-36). Donald Rogers and Brandon Borde each had 14 points for Foxboro.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 52 vs. Holy Name, 43 – Final – In a potential playoff preview, the Panthers held off a second half charge from Holy Name to sweep the season series against the Div. 1 Central challenger. Franklin jumped out to a 34-18 lead at halftime, but the Naps rallied after the break to cut the lead to as little as five. The Panthers shut down the visitors over the final four minutes to extend the lead back out to nine. Ali Brigham led the way with 20 points and Olivia Quinn added 12. Megan O’Connell chipped in with eight points for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip sophomore Nolan Feyler scored the lone goal of the game in the first period and seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera combined for the shutout in net for the Warriors. Feyler lit the lamp at 6:57 of the opening period on an assist from senior Kyle Gray. Ihley and Makudera combined to make 20 saves in net. OA senior goalie Owen Connor had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Taunton, 7 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Mike Albert had a hand in all but one of the Tigers’ seven goals, leading the hosts to a big win over Spellman. Albert scored a hat trick and added three more assists to lead the way while Jack DeMoura scored once along with three assists, Nathan Fernandez and Brady Nichols each had a goal and an assist, and Conor McGrath added a goal for Taunton. Andrew Gomes and Sean Bunker split time in net for the win.
Stoughton, 7 @ Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored five goals and had one assist as the Black Knights skated to a season sweep of Shawsheen. Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker each had a pair of assists in the win, Haley Nelson (assist) and Zofia Bangs each scored once, and Mikayla Snyder and Morgan Johnston both chipped in with an assist.
Wrestling
Scituate Quad (Canton)
Duxbury Super Quad (Sharon, Stoughton) – Sharon added four more wins to its total this season, finishing the dual meet season (28-3) on a high note. The Eagles had wins over Southeastern (36-0), Duxbury (48-31), Pembroke (55-10), and Marshfield (60-12). Kyle Samuels and Conor Grew earned their first varsity wins for Sharon.
Boys Hockey
Taunton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Taunton pulled out a one-goal win over Attleboro to earn its first league victory of the season. Michael Albert had a goal and an assist while Xavier Abel and Connor McGrath each scored once in the win. Jack DeMoura, Brady Nichols, Noah Gravel, and Colton Scheralis each had an assist in the win. Ryan Morry and Nate Parker scored for the Bombardiers while Aidan Diggin, Sam Flynn, and Owen Dryjowicz each had an assist.
Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin senior Tom Tasker scored in the third period to help the Panthers overcome Foxboro goalie Espen Reager and earn a point on the road. Tasker scored just under five minutes into the third to bring the Panthers level, the only time Franklin could solve Reager (54 saves). Sophomore Jack Watts put the hosts in front with a goal in the first period.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Waltham, 1 – Final – Canton put more than 30 shots on goal and came away with a win in the battle of unbeaten teams at the Bentley rink. Junior Faith Nelson opened the scoring in the first period and, after Waltham had tied it, freshman Olivia Maffeo scored the eventual game-winner on a second period power play.
Franklin, 2 @ Dedham, 5 – Final
King Philip, 5 vs. Medway, 1 – Final – Makenzie Shandley scored twice to lead the Warriors to a win over visiting Medway. Morgan Cunningham, Sydney O’Shea, and Bridgett Nally each scored once in the win.
Stoughton, 3 @ Cohasset, 10 – Final – Morgan Lessa scored a pair of goals and Jillian Parker found the back of the net once but the Black Knights dropped the contest to Cohasset. Zofia Bangs had two assists for Stoughton.
Wrestling
Peckham Tournament – Four Hockomock teams competed in the annual Peckham Tournament with Sharon having the best team finish, taking second overall. Mansfield was third, Stoughton took sixth, host Canton was eighth overall, and all four schools had at least one individual champion. The Eagles had two first place finishes and 11 total wrestlers place fourth or better in the tournament. Adam Landstein (106) and Amit Levin (120) grappled their way to individual titles while Eric Rabkin (195) finished second overall for the Eagles. Mansfield had six wrestlers go to the finals with Antonios Sevastos (126) and CJ Glaropoulos (170) winning their brackets. Ciaran Connolly (160), Max Farley (132), Noah Jellenik (220), and Will Stratton (145) were second for the Hornets. Stoughton’s John Santos (113) and Canton’s Eddie Marinilli (152) also won individual titles.
Hingham Quad (Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames earned one win on the day but suffered a pair of setbacks to finish 1-2. The Tigers pinned down a win over Sandwich (47-36) but fell to host Hingham (61-18) and Walpole (44-30). Junior captain Remi Creighton (126) and sophomore Giovany Juste (145) each went 3-0 on the day.
Midland Duals (King Philip), 10:00 (@ Quabbin)
Cumberland (RI) Tournament (North Attleboro), 9:00AM
Wilmington Quad (Milford), 9:30AM
Durfee Quad (Taunton) – Taunton picked up a pair of wins at the Durfee meet, pinning down wins over the host Hilltoppers (60-12) and Everett (63-9). Brandon Mendes (113), Tyler Lima (120), Jackson Mandeville (138), Christian Balmain (152), and Jackson Wellman (195) each went 2-0 with two pins on the day for the Tigers.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 47 @ Norwood, 46 – Final – Canton erased a double-digit halftime deficit and sophomore Lanse Dorcelus hit a pair of huge three-pointers later to help the Bulldogs knock off previously unbeaten Norwood. The Bulldogs trailed 26-16 at halftime but outscored the Mustangs 18-7 in the third to make it a one-point game going into the fourth. Trailing 42-38, Dorcelus’ three-pointers helped Canton take a 46-44 lead. Robbie Gallery (eight points) added a key free throw and Canton got a stop on the final possession to secure the win. Dorcelus finished with a team-high 12 points while Kyle Fitzgerald and Eric Mischler each added eight points in the win.
Stoughton, 91 vs. Boston English, 83 – Final – Stoughton scored 20 or more points in each quarter, picking up the separation it needed by holding Boston English to 14 points in the third quarter to pick up a win in the first round of the Blue Devils Holiday Classic at Randolph High. Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell scored 11 of his 18 points in the opening quarter as the Black Knights trailed by just one, 25-24, at the first break. Tied 44-44 at halftime, Stoughton poured in 25 points in the third quarter with Ahmad Jahed scoring half of his 16 points in the fame and Obinna Ugwuakazi scoring eight of his team-high 27 points. Senior Tahkwan Gates Brown added eight of his career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to help the Black Knights seal the win. Stoughton will play host Randolph in the tournament final on Monday at 6:30.
Taunton, 71 @ Durfee, 44 – Final – Taunton pushed its win streak to four with its third straight double-digit victory, earning the Skip Karam championship title. The Tigers built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, putting up 22 points, and never looked back. Six players entered the score sheet in the opening period led by eight points from sophomore Trent Santos, who finished with 13 points. Junior Tyler Stewart scored six of his team-high 15 points in the second quarter to help Taunton build a 40-19 lead by halftime. Sophomore Faisal Mass added 13 points in the win while sophomore Tristan Herry, junior Josh Lopes, and junior Nigel Choate each added eight points in the win.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 65 vs. Concord-Carlisle, 21 – Final – The Warriors tossed a shutout in the first quarter, essentially putting the game away with a 27-0 lead after eight minutes. Katelyn Mollica led all scorers with 20 points and Shakirah Ketant added 12. Nine Warriors got on the score sheet.
Mansfield, 48 vs. Fontbonne, 52 – Final – Fontbonne used a big third quarter to build a sizable lead, which grew to as many as 16 points in the fourth, but the Hornets went on a 20-6 run to get back within two points (50-48) with 30 seconds remaining. Fontbonne hit a pair of free throws with 14 seconds to play to seal the win in the consolation game of the holiday tournament. Kayla Vine scored 13 points to pace the Hornets. Ashley Santos scored nine and was named to the all-tournament team and Ally Prentis chipped in with seven points in the loss.
Milford, 40 vs. Greater Lawrence, 26 – Final – Junior Emma Lawrence scored a team-high 14 points as the Scarlet Hawks knocked off Greater Lawrence in the opening round of the Edmund Murphy Winter Tournament. Jillian Michaelson added 12 points in the win while Carly Ferreira had a strong game on the boards with 12 rebounds. Milford will take on host Dracut in the championship game on Sunday at 7:00.
Oliver Ames, 69 vs. Brockton, 38 – Final – Oliver Ames bounced back from its first loss of the season with a dominanting performance in the consolation of the Sue Rivard Holiday Classic, knocking off Brockton, 69-38. Caroline Flynn led the charge for the Tigers, going 15-for-17 from the free throw line to finish with a team-high 23 points. Caroline Peper added 11 points and Hailey Bourne chipped in with 10 points.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 7 @ Westwood, 0 – Final
Franklin, 0 @ Mount St. Charles, 2 – Final – Franklin goalie Ray Ivers made 28 saves to keep the Panthers in the contest, which was a one-goal game until the final minute until Mount St. Charles tacked on an empty net goal with 18.6 seconds left. Franklin will take on Fairfield Prep out of Connecticut on Sunday at 4:00.
King Philip, 1 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final – King Philip tied the game in the first period but entered the final period down a goal. The Warriors dominated the third period but couldn’t find an equalizer and the Raiders tacked on an insurance goal with just under two minutes to play. Joe Boselli’s first period goal was assisted by Nolan Feyler.
North Attleboro, 4 vs. Cumberland (R.I.), 1 – Final
Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 2 vs. Boston Latin/Fontbonne, 4 – Final – Morgan Lessa scored the first for the Black Knights, assisted by Jillian Parker, and Haley Nelson had Stoughton’s second.
King Philip, 1 vs. Norwell, 4 – Final
Wrestling
Lowell Tournament (Canton, Franklin, Stoughton, Taunton), 9:00
Marshfield Tournament (Mansfield, North Attleboro, Oliver Ames, Sharon), 10:00
2018-2019 Record: 12-6-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 First Round Coach: Dennis Aldrich
The Bulldogs will be using a mix of veterans and new faces as they try to get back on top of the Hockomock League. After winning the first league championship in 2018, the Bulldogs finished second last year but will be aiming to take back the title in 2020.
The strength of the team will be along the blue line with senior captains Alexa Maffeo and Meg Aldrich leading the way. Both have a ton of varsity experienced, including playing in a state championship game, and Canton will lean on them heavily for their leadership both on and off the ice. The defense will also feature sophomore Allie McCabe, who picked up valuable experience as a rookie a season ago. The defense will also get a boost from a pair of new faces with freshmen Olivia Maffeo and Maya Battista expected to be big time players for the Bulldogs.
Offensively, head coach Dennis Aldrich said he expects his side to be very quick and opportunistic in the attacking zone. Junior captain Maria Femia (two goals, nine assists), junior Lizzie Tassinari (five goals, 13 assists) and junior Ellie Rae Roberts (four goals, eight assists) are familiar with the system and have high expectations for the season. Sophomore Tess Khoury (six goals, five assists) returns after an impressive freshman senior. Freshman goalie Carolyn Durand has impressed early on with senior Vicky Revanche give the Dogs an experienced option in net.
“The early energy and closeness of this team has been remarkable,” Aldrich said. “I look for us to make some noise both in the Hockomock League and the state tournament this season.”
It’s been back-to-back very successful seasons for the Panthers, and head coach Margie Burke is looking for that success to continue in 2020. Franklin won 14 games two years ago, and then went unbeaten in Hockomock League last year and finished with 17 wins overall.
The defending Hockomock champs have a lot of experience back on the defensive end. Junior goalie Gabby Colace is back between the pipes for Franklin and will be one of the top netminders in the area. She posted a 0.905 save percentage in the regular season a year ago, allowing just 1.77 goals a game while making 242 saves. She will have some familiar faces in front of her with seniors Tina Pisano, Gina Vignone, and Gianna Cameron all back playing defense. Franklin was tough to score against last year and that will likely be the case again this year.
The biggest question mark offensively will be trying to replace the production of Regan Paterson and Cassi Ronan, who were two of the top three point producers in the entire league last year. But Franklin has a good cast of players ready for expanded roles this year. Juniors Libby Carter (five goals, three assists), Amanda Lewandowski (eight goals, 10 assists), Katelyn Brown (five goals, three assists), and Maddy Dolan, give the Panthers plenty of options on the attacking end. The Panthers will be looking to get some production out of the eight underclassmen on the roster as well.
“We are looking forward to building on the successes of last year and to be competitive in a very strong Hockomock League,” Burke said.
2018-2019 Record: 4-13-2 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Ken Assad
After helping the Franklin boys team for over a decade, Ken Assad has traded in his Panther blue for the green and gold of King Philip, taking over the helm of the girls’ hockey program. Coming off a four-win season, Assad and his staff are very optimistic about the upcoming season.
The Warriors only have three seniors on the roster, so they will need contributions from every player on the roster to compete for a Hockomock League title and try to get back into the state tournament. Although it’s a small senior class, all three are important pieces to the team and are spread out on the ice. Makenzie Shandley is a newcomer to the program but will be leaned on to guide the offense on the first line. She is joined by returning forwards Avari Maxwell (seven goals, two assists) and sophomore Morgan Cunningham. Assad is hoping to have a deep offense with Jennifer Daniels, Olivia Donovan, Sydney O’Shea, Katarina Precobb, and Meg Sherwood all in the mix to get plenty of ice time.
Defensively, the Warriors are going to lean on senior captain Sami Robison. Fresh off a terrific field hockey season, Robison will be the veteran leader of the blue line unit for the Warriors. Junior Gabriela Trujillo should see an expanded role this year and will be an important part of the defensive unit. Junior Libby Curran, sophomore Ally Donovan, and freshman Maggie Griffin and Brielle Hearon are also apart of the KP defense. In goal, senior captain Cristina Coleman and freshman Mallory Johnston will push one another for time in between the pipes.
“Being a young team is great for the future of this program which is exciting,” Assad said. “We are always optimistic for a good start and to compete at a high level and I know the chemistry we have and the great leadership the girls will come out giving their best.”
The Mansfield/Oliver Ames/Foxboro girls hockey team is relying on a mix of youth and veterans to push for a return to the state tournament in 2020. Although there are just two seniors on the squad, there is still a handful of experienced players that have played in plenty of contests at the varsity level.
Senior Liz Healy, junior Emma Pereira, and junior Melissa Shanteler will lead the way for the Warriors this season. Healy will be a leader on the offensive end while both Pereira and Shanteler will provide MOA with talent and leadership on the blue line. Joining that junior duo on the blue line will be classmate Megan O’Hara and sophomore Julia Muttart. The Warriors added some depth to the defensive unit with the addition of freshmen Brooklynn Levins and Maya Manganaro. Behind that talented group of defensemen will be sophomore goalie Jess Widdop, who had a terrific freshman year and earned team MVP honors.
On the offensive end of the ice, the Warriors return the speedy line of junior Alex Ledin (six goals, three assists), sophomore Sam Ledin (three goals, six assists), and sophomore Kylie O’Keefe, all representing Foxboro. Healy will be joined by Tessa Luciano and Emma Garland on another line while OA freshman Reese Pereira will be working with Foxboro’s Ella Waryas and Mansfield’s Lily O’Brien, giving the Warriors a lot of depth offensively. MOA is also looking for contributions from Elle Weinstein, Pam Nelson, Maeve O’Keefe, Erin DiCenzo, Cataline Kipp, Ciera Doherty, Ava Adams, and Mya Waryas.
“With a team comprised of two seniors, ten juniors, nine sophomores, and four freshmen, the program can look forward to continued consistency and success for the next few seasons,” said MOA head coach Roy Bain. “This team should compete against the talent-rich and always tight Hockomock League race.”
After a down year, the Black Knights are looking to getting back on track as they team up with Sharon High for the second straight season.
Stoughton boasts skill at each position with junior Morgan Lessa back for her third year with the program, junior Haley Nelson returns to anchor the defense, and senior Brianna Buckley gives the Black Knights plenty of experience between the pipes. Stoughton will need contributions from everyone on the roster with four seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, and four freshmen.
Lessa is among the league’s top players at forward, scoring nine goals and adding three assists last year. Senior Abbey Kashian is one of the team’s three captains and will provide leadership on the offensive end. Look for Sharon junior Sam Sherman, another captain on the team, to fill in both offensively and defensively depending on the team’s needs. Seniors Carly Lader and Hannah Duff will provide depth on the attack this season.
Nelson, who logs a ton of minutes, will be the leader of the defensive unit. Sophomore Zofia Bangs and Sharon junior Jillian Parker are going to be key pieces on both ends of the ice this season for Stoughton. Freshman Ava Buckley has impressed early on this preseason and could give the blue line a big boost.
Another competitive Hockomock League field hockey season is about to kick off. Read a full team-by-team breakdown of Hock field hockey teams below. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2018 Record: 6-11-1 2018 Result: Missed Playoffs Coach: Lindsay Antunes
The Bombardiers are looking to climb off the foot of the Kelley-Rex division standings this fall and challenge for a return to the state tournament. With a number of players making the move up after successful seasons on JV, Attleboro coach Lindsay Antunes is confident that her team will have the firepower to compete with the league’s top teams this year.
Senior Anna Beck will lead the way for Attleboro again this fall. The midfielder led the team in scoring last year and was one of the top scorers in the Hock, and she will be counted on to open up chances for her teammates. Junior Campbell Compton will add to the midfield group with her playmaking and stick skills. Junior Kiera Murray will be the lynchpin of the defensive unit, providing leadership at the back. The forwards are going to be a combination of returning players and new faces that are expected to provide additional scoring this season.
“Though spots are still being established and player combinations being determined,” Antunes said, “we are confident that this year’s offensive line is going to make a significant impact on the league.”
2018 Record: 15-4-1 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Chrissy O’Connor
Canton finished just one point shy of back-to-back league titles and for the second season in a row saw its season ended by the eventual South champion, but the Bulldogs remain one of the teams to beat in the Davenport thanks to a roster filled with returning, experienced players ready to make another tournament run.
Midfield will be an area of strength for the Bulldogs this season with senior Kaitlyn Goyetch back to create scoring chances for her teammates. She was second on the team in scoring last year and is capable of opening up space for the attackers. Juniors Maria Femia and Meghan LaBelle will help Goyetch out in the middle of the field, adding to both the attack and the defense, and senior Meg Aldrich provides energy to push the team on both ends of the field. Junior Riley O’Connor returns in goal to shore up the defense. The attack will certainly miss leading score Maggie Malloy, but there are a number of players that are ready to step in and try to make up for that loss of production.
“Canton field hockey is excited for the regular season to begin,” said head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “Our captains Kaitlyn Goyetch, Meg Aldrich and Rose Malloy along with several key returning players will be major contributors to our success this season. We are working towards a strong showing in the always competitive Hockomock League”
The Foxboro Warriors will have almost an entirely new look this season after graduating 10 starters and 14 seniors overall.
While it will be almost an entirely new team, there is definitely plenty of talent and a lot of team speed. Jaime Notarangelo is the lone starter to return and will see time at both center forward because of her goal-scoring abilities plus time at center mid because of her distribution skills. Ella Waryas will see a significant increase in her role in the midfield alongside Molly McElhinney. Anna Marcucella and Mikayla Cloherty will see time both in the midfield and defensively for head coach Melissa Bordieri, who is still moving all the pieces around in search of the right combination. Lauren Foster is a team captain and will be tasked with anchoring the defense while junior Hannah Trombley and sophomore Lily Jones battle for minutes in goal. Kate Collins picked up some valuable minutes last year and will be relied on offensively alongside Olivia Simoneau.
“We still have a lot of talent, it’s just a matter of piecing together who fits where and who works well together,” Bordieri said. “We are a tenacious team so we are optimistic about the season.”
2018 Record: 13-6-2 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Michelle Hess
After finishing second in the Kelley-Rex division and making a run to the Div. 1 South semifinal, where they led perennial power Walpole by two goals with 10 minutes remaining, Franklin wants to build on that momentum and return to the top of the league standings for the first time in three seasons. The experience of last year’s run, which included finishing on an 11-2-2 run, has confidence brimming through the program.
The loss of do-everything midfielder Cassi Ronan will certainly hurt, as well as defender Emily Valentino and goalie Christina Luccini, but the Panthers still have a solid foundation of returning standouts to rely on. Senior Maeve Ledwith will continue to lead the defensive unit and is one of the league’s top distributors out of the back. Junior Amanda Lewandowski saved her best for the end of the season and playoffs and will be one of the team’s top attackers. Freshman Kaitlyn Carney is expected to contribute right away and possibly ease the loss of Ronan from the midfield. Junior Neilee Hess will take over between the pipes.
“The players worked very hard in the offseason, and I am proud of them for their dedication and determination,” said Franklin coach Michelle Hess. “I look forward to watching this team come together and earn a top spot in the Hockomock League along with another deep run in the tournament.”
2018 Record: 18-2-1 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Lisa Cropper
After winning the league and South titles in 2017, the Warriors made a coaching change. After making it back-to-back Kelley-Rex crowns and getting back to the South semifinal last season, the Warriors are making another change on the sideline. Former Franklin coach Lisa Cropper is back in the Hock after two years at Dean College and she will be trying to keep the momentum going for KP this fall.
While the Warriors dominated the league in goals scored last year, thanks in large part to HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Alli Meehan, and that drew a lot of attention, but the Warriors were even more impressive defensively, allowing only 15 goals in 21 games. Senior Sammy Robison is back to hold down things on defense along with classmate Grace May and junior Mackenzie Manning, who may end up sharing duties in goal. Sophomore Christina Gifun and junior Paige Berdos will drive the team in the midfield.
In addition to the graduation of Meehan, KP will be without reigning Underclassman of the Year Meghan MacDonald, who transferred to Tabor Academy. Senior Raegan Simeone and juniors Abby Nixon and Grace Crocker will be counted on to try and make up that production in the attack.
“We have a lot of really solid players with no real superstars, which should give us a very balanced team,” said Cropper.
2018 Record: 9-8-2 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Theresa Nyhan
The Hornets are only four years removed from back-to-back league titles and a trip to the South final and the experience on this year’s roster gives Mansfield hope that another deep tourney run could be on the cards. With seniors in every layer of the field and talented underclassmen to fill in the depth, the Hornets look like a serious contender at the top of the Kelley-Rex division standings.
In attack, Mansfield will count on a speedy trio of seniors to try and boost the goal totals. Paige Peterson, Becca Hottleman and Gabby Devlin are all back on the front line. In midfield, Kelly Doherty and Grace Doyle provide the engine that pushes the Hornets forward, while also providing the necessary cover for the defense. Senior Kayla Hunter is back in goal and will try to organize the back line, which will include seniors Grace Maher, Mallory Burke, and Angela Burnham.
“Overall we have a good balance of juniors and seniors at each level,” said Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhan. “We should be able to keep fresh legs on the field at all times. Looking forward to a good season.”
2018 Record: 2-14-2 2018 Result: Missed Playoffs Coach: Katie Blackburn
The Hawks have a number of players returning who have several years of varsity experience and will try to blend in players that are making the leap from JV in order to improve from last year’s two-win season, which included five games that Milford lost by only one or two goals.
Senior goalie Paige Reisman will be the key on the defensive end, solidifying a back line that will see several new faces that are trying to get up to varsity speed. Her communication and vision will help the newcomers be ready for opposing attacks. Senior Megan Hart is also back on defense to add leadership in front of Reisman. Junior Olyvia White can play in midfield or defense, while senior Kathryn Swineford will try to push the Hawks into the attack from the middle of the field.
“We have a lot of returning players on offense that have experience playing together,” said Milford coach Katie Blackburn. “This experience will help in creating an offensive attack throughout games. The players have worked hard this offseason to improve on skills and come into the season conditioned.”
2018 Record: 6-10-2 2018 Result: Missed Playoffs Coach: Karen Folan
The Rocketeers are hoping that an experienced lineup will be the key to challenge the top teams in the Davenport division and also to make a return to the state tournament. North Attleboro only missed out on a playoff spot by four points last season and there is the potential to make a bigger push this fall.
Senior Emma Strachan will be in her third year as the starting goalie and will continue to lead the defensive unit. Senior Lindsay Robinson heads into her second year as a force in the North midfield and senior Michelle Pothier will start her third year generating offense as one of the starting forwards. Senior Grace Cole adds speed on the wings to open space for the attack and senior Faith Graveline will move into the midfield from defense, adding another layer of cover for the back line and another weapon in the offensive circle.
“We have a solid group of returning varsity players for the 2019 season,” said North coach Karen Folan. “We hope to utilize our knowledge and experience to come out strong at the start of the season and continue to build on our strengths as the season moves forward.”
2018 Record: 8-9-2 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Sharon Lawrence
While Oliver Ames brings back 11 returning players from last year’s playoff team, the Tigers remain relatively young, with a strong junior class anchoring the team throughout the roster. That level of experience gives OA the potential to make noise in the loaded Kelley-Rex division and be competitive with the perennial title challengers.
The offensive unit is deep and expectations are high for an improvement on last year’s 31 goals scored as a team. Juniors Haley Gilman and Hannah Stryke and seniors Maura Kiernan, Ellie Waters, and Cassie Gennis will all play up top and are all capable of making plays inside the offensive circle. Several younger players will get the chance to impress right away, including sophomores Ava Costello and Lily Gaskill and freshman Julia Maclaine.
Junior Maggie Woods is the leader of the midfield group, constantly finding herself around the ball and propelling the Tigers forward. Sophomore Georgia Costello will join her in the middle of the field. Juniors Emily Han and Emily Dionne will lead the defense, while juniors Abbey Boyce and Courtney Lake are newcomers to the defense that will contribute right away. Senior Kara Ostrander and junior Peyton Phillips are both capable of being the starter in goal.
“The team shows improvement in skill and confidence from last season after a strong off-season commitment to the game,” said OA coach Sharon Lawrence. “We have a deep bench with lots of talent in the forward and midfield lines to keep legs fresh and performance strong, giving us good game endurance.”
2018 Record: 0-18-0 2018 Result: Missed Playoffs Coach: Ashley Courville
After a winless season, with no goals scored, there is plenty of room for improvement for the Eagles this fall. Sharon ended that goalless stretch in the opening game of the season against Norwell and there is an increased level of confidence that the program is mixing in more experienced players with newcomers that can help make the team more competitive this year.
The defense will be led by an experienced corps of players. Seniors Holly Davis, Blaize Hanna, and Anya Lane are all back to solidify a back line that reduced the goals allowed by 27 from 2017 to 2018. Senior Lauren Glass will be the team’s primary playmaker in midfield and she will get help from junior Jenna Goldstein. There are a lot of new faces in the attack, including sophomore Ashley Young, who got Sharon’s first goal of the season in the opener. Juniors Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker will also chip in up front.
Sharon coach Ashley Courville said, “Our strengths on defense this season are consistency and strength. We have a handful of returning players back on defense giving us stability. Our offensive strengths are added speed leading to the ability to carry the ball on the field more effectively.”
2018 Record: 7-11-2 2018 Result: Missed Playoffs Coach: Dan Mark
The Black Knights would love to make a push for a playoff appearance this fall and Stoughton will rely on is experience in midfield and attack to overcome some of its inexperience in defense to try and make that run possible.
In the midfield, seniors Skylar Carroll, Madison Araujo, and Juliana Rush give the Black Knights speed and stick skills to push forward and make the transitions that will break down opposing defenses. In the attack, senior Brittni Paul and juniors Haley Nelson and Sarah McGrath have a nose for being in the right spots around the goal to create scoring chances. While the defense is relatively new, junior Kayla Laboy will be back between the pipes to add leadership and organization at the back.
Stoughton coach Dan Mark said, “We have a good nucleus of returning players, but do have some inexperience defensively. I think the key to our team will be a strong offense.”
2018 Record: 8-7-4 2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Liz Hathaway
The Tigers have made great strides as a program, becoming a regular in the state tournament and competing with the top teams in the Hock, but after graduating 10 seniors Taunton will have its work cut out to make sure that another playoff berth is secured this fall.
Junior forward Alana Tavares will carry a lot of the scoring load for the Tigers this season. Tavares led the team in scoring last year and showed that she can also play in the midfield to create opportunities for teammates. Senior Kathryn Robinson will move up from defense into the midfield and her stick skills added to her defensive mindset will give the Tigers cover on both ends of the field. In defense, junior Jocelyn Pagliuca returns to provide leadership and cover in the back line with her ability to step into a challenge.
“We graduated 10 seniors last year and have many players stepping up for this season,” said Taunton coach Liz Hathaway.
