Tag: Kyle Wisnieski

Teams of the Decade #3: 2013 Mansfield Football

Mansfield football

Team: Mansfield Football
Year: 2013
Record: 13-0
2013 Kelley-Rex Division Champions
2013 Division 2 State Champions

One of the signatures of the Mansfield football team over the past decade has been its ventures out of Massachusetts to play against top competition in other states. Not only do the trips allow the Hornets to see how they stack up on the field, but the off-field activities can also boost team morale and camaraderie.

Mansfield’s lone loss of 2010 came in New York when they visited Aquinas, who went on to win a state championship as well that season. A year later, the Hornets picked up one of their more impressive out-of-state victories with a decision over Christian Brothers of Syracuse inside the Carrier Dome.

Mansfield ventured out of state again to start the 2013 season, heading south to Maryland to take on three-time defending D1A State Champions Dunbar. After coming up short in the state final a year before, the Hornets entered the season with high expectations and put the rest of the Hockomock League and the state of Massachusetts on notice with their performance in the Old Line State.

“After those two experiences (in 2010 and 2011), we really felt like doing it was such a great experience, to see football in another part of the country,” said longtime Mansfield head coach Mike Redding. “The Dunbar trip was really cool because we did a lot of touring in Washington D.C., we went to the U.S. Naval Academy so beyond football it was going to be a great trip. Our concern was, ‘Can we compete with them?. They were three-time defending state champs, they had kids back, their QB had committed to West Virginia…so we knew it would be a great challenge on the road.”

Mansfield built a 21-6 lead in the game but Dunbar quarterback William Crest, who went on to play at West Virginia, rallied the Owls to take the lead in the fourth, up 26-21. The Hornets didn’t panic, driving down the field and senior quarterback Kyle Wisnieski connected with classmate Michael Hershman on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left to secure a 29-26 victory.

“We went down there and played one of the best games I’ve seen as a coach and win it on the road against a great team, I think that was definitely a sign for us…let’s go back to Massachusetts and keep this rolling,” Redding said. “If we can beat Dunbar at Dunbar, we can compete with anybody when we get back home.”

And not only did the Hornets compete with everyone back home, they blew most of the competition out of the water. They beat both Milton (21-0) and North Attleboro (35-14) by three scores each, scored over 30 points in wins over Attleboro, Taunton, and Franklin.

“Expectations were high, we had played a lot of seniors the year before as juniors,” Redding said. “We had kind of an up and down year in 2012, I think we were 2-2 before we went on a little run to win the league title. I think the highlight of that year, we knocked off Duxbury who had something like a 40-game win streak so it was a big upset. But then we ran into Reading in the final, which was probably an All-Decade team in the Middlesex League. But I think beating Duxbury and getting to a Super Bowl gave the senior group a lot of experience and a lot of motivation to try and finish the deal.”

The Hornets installed a new offense at the beginning of the season, going with the spread as Wisnieski worked mostly out of shotgun compared to the normal Wing-T/I-Formation approach Mansfield fans had become accustomed too.

As you can see, the offense worked just fine. Wisnieski set a handful of program records this season, including passing yards (2,541) and touchdown passes (27). Not only was Hershman (who finished with a total of 85 career receptions, third in program history) one of the most talented receivers around, junior Brendan Hill was a matchup nightmare and hauled in a program-record 54 receptions that season. Tight end Kyle Hurley and back Miguel Villar-Perez were both threats in the passing game as well.

To complement the passing game, Villar-Perez was a handful to deal with out of the backfield, finishing with 1,500 all-purpose yards that includes returns and a total of 18 touchdowns. Chris Buchanan helped lead the way from the fullback spot.

The team averaged 382 yards per game, which is second-most in program history, and it resulted in 428 total points, which came out to an average of 32.9 points per game.

The toughest game back in Massachusetts came a week before the regular season finale as the Hornets, the top-ranked team in the state, traveled to Wrentham to take on #8 King Philip.

With yards incredibly hard to come by, Villar-Perez broke free for an 88-yard touchdown in the second quarter that tied the game. Redding still recalls the play being a jet to the left side and the senior back made the play himself, cutting back up field when the first option wasn’t there. Wisnieski connected with Hurley in the second half to put Mansfield football ahead and Villar-Perez sealed it with his second score.

Mansfield’s defense pitched a second-half shutout to help pick up the win.

“When we played KP on the road, it was a different type of game, a physical, low-scoring, defensive battle…that really challenged the toughness of our group. I think winning on the road there gave our players a lot of confidence they could play a different style of game, We could score points but when push came to shove, we could line up and play tough physical defense to win a game.”

The defense was led by a strong group of linebackers featuring Alex Ruddy, Joe Moreshead, and Q’Ra Guichard. On top of that, the Hornets had a strong secondary with the likes of Aurian Dawkins and Mike Barresi.

“Defense was a lot like most of the defenses we’ve had,” Redding said. “[Defensive coordinator] Mark DeGirolamo got guys on the field that ran around and made plays for us. A real physical and fast group led by a group of good linebackers like Ruddy, Moreshead, Guichard…not a lot of size, we didn’t impress people when we lined up for stretching but when the game started, the kids played hard, played physical and were a real aggressive group on defense.”

This season also marked the start of the new tournament format. In years prior, only the league champion advanced to the tournament and needed to win only one or two games to reach the final. In the new format, eight teams qualified based on a rating system.

Mansfield football opened in style, taking down a good Wellesley at home before hosting Needham for what turned into one of the more entertaining contests of the postseason. The Hornets were their dominant selves as they raced out to a 28-7 halftime lead, and took advantage of an early second half turnover to push the advantage to 35-7.

But the Rockets refused to go away, scoring three straight, including a kickoff return and one after an onside kick recovery. The Rockets even got the ball back down just 35-28 but Barresi forced a fumble and recovered the loose ball to get possession back. On the next play, Wisnieski connected with Hill for a 51-yard touchdown to push it back to a two-score lead.

Mansfield won the South sectional title with a convincing win over #2 Barnstable, and went on the road up to Cawley Stadium in Lowell and destroyed Waltham, 41-0. The Hornets scored at will in the first half with Wisnieski connecting with Hill twice for scores. Villar-Perez also had a receiving score and Ruddy rushed one in as Mansfield held a 35-0 lead by halftime.

Mansfield took care of business against rival Foxboro on Thanksgiving but suffered a loss in the form of Hill, who went out with an injury and had to miss the state championship.

In the first-ever true state championship, the Hornets took on Central champion St. John’s of Shrewsbury. The Pioneers boasted a highly touted offense, scoring over 50 points in all three of their sectional wins, and ousting Springfield Central, 37-32, to reach Gillette Stadium.

As good as Mansfield had played all season long on the offensive side of the ball, the Hornets had one of their worst halves of the entire season. Not only were they limited to just one score, they had five turnovers in just the first two quarters alone. Those turnovers led to extra possessions for a St John’s team averaging nearly 50 points per game in the postseason.

But similar to the King Philip win, Mansfield’s defense was back in the spotlight, this time under the bright lights in Foxboro at Gillette Stadium. Despite plenty of chances, the Hornets held St. John’s to just a pair of touchdowns, both after a fumble from Mansfield. The other three turnovers, Mansfield got a turnover on downs, another a three-and-out, and Hershman came up with an interception to end the first half to keep the deficit at 14-7.

“I don’t know if it was nerves, being at Gillette for the first time, or guys trying to do too much but the first half was just a disaster. The key there was the defense. They were really talented on offense and we were handing them too many possessions. The defense played unbelievable…we gave up 14 but other teams, it could have been over.

“We couldn’t have played worse in terms of turnovers, and we were only down seven. If we just hold onto the ball, I don’t think they can stop us and we can score points. The second half was exactly what we hoped for.”

Barresi came up with another big postseason play, intercepting a pass three plays into the second half. Mansfield’s offense quickly capitalized with a touchdown run fro Ruddy but a rare missed extra point kept the Hornets down.

Nonetheless, Mansfield seemed to seize the momentum it needed. They didn’t turn the ball over at all in the second half and the offense orchestrated two real impressive drives to take the lead and add onto it. First came a 10-play, 59-yard series capped by an 8-yard rush from Hershman (six catches, eight carries, 138 total yards), and a two-point play from Villar-Perez gave Mansfield football a 21-14 advantage with just over three minutes to play in the third.

After another stop from the Hornet defense, Mansfield’s offense went back to work and made sure to take all the time it needed. The Hornets marched 80 yards on 14 plays, taking off nearly eight minutes of time off the clock before Villar-Perez (18 carries, 118 yards) punched it in from in close for a 28-14 lead with 2:38 to play.

“We played probably our best half of the year after playing probably our sloppiest half,” Redding said.

With the win, Mansfield football capped the perfect season at 13-0 and claimed the first-ever true D2 State Championship.




Listening Options:

                                        

Mansfield football
Mansfield football

Opponent
Result
Dunbar (MD)W, 29-26 (Preview)
MiltonW, 21-0
North AttleboroW, 35-14
AttleboroW, 49-42 (Recap)
TauntonW, 42-8
King PhilipW, 20-7 (Recap)
FranklinW, 35-13 (Recap)
WellesleyW, 31-14 (Recap)
NeedhamW, 42-35 (Recap)
BarnstableW, 41-16
WalthamW, 41-0 (Recap)
FoxboroW, 14-7
St. John's ShrewsburyW, 28-14 (Recap)




Mansfield football
Mansfield football

Mansfield football
Mansfield football

Mansfield football

Mansfield football

2013 Mansfield (MA) Hornets Football Highlights from Ryan Lanigan on Vimeo.

Teams of the Decade #4: 2013 Mansfield Boys Hoops

Mansfield boys basketball

Team: Mansfield Boys Basketball
Year: 2012-2013
Record: 25-3
2013 Kelley-Rex Division Champions
2013 Division 1 State Finalists

There are few teams that have had as much success as the Mansfield boys basketball program over the past decade. Not only have the Hornets been the class of the Hockomock League, but they’ve also won multiple sectional championships and a pair of trips to the state championship.

So there’s certainly a long list of impressive wins, but one that remains near the top of the Hornets’ resume is the 55-50 win over Central Catholic on the parquet floor inside the TD Garden in a state semifinal matchup. Timely shots, impressive defense, and a dramatic finish highlighted what head coach Mike Vaughan calls one of his most proud wins in his tenure at the helm.

The 2012-2013 Mansfield boys basketball team, which earned its first-ever appearance in the state championship game with that win over Central Catholic, was loaded with talent from top to bottom. A very talented sophomore group complemented a strong junior class and a handful of seniors that led the way.

“It was a team that had a little bit of everything,” Vaughan said of the 2013 squad that posted a 25-3 record. “We just really had no weaknesses with the exception of our youth. We had three sophomores playing a lot, three juniors that played a lot…as the season went on, we started to realize this team could win in a number of different ways and were super talented.

“And the other that really goes unmarked about this particular team, we had some guys at the end of this roster that didn’t necessarily play a whole lot who probably on other teams in the league or in the state probably would have played a lot of minutes. Guys like Cole Cummings and Zach Wisnieski, guys that were just great practice kids and great teammates. When they had the opportunity to play, they went in and played really hard and did everything we asked them to do. In any other varsity program, they would have played their fair share but this particular year we had some dynamite underclassman. But they were great teammates, great leaders, great in practice and they were unsung heroes for us.”

Greg Romanko was the lone senior in the starting lineup, a 6’3 forward that gave the Hornets leadership on the court, could stretch the floor with his shooting, and provided interior defense. Rocky DeAndrade, Kevin Conner, and Kyle Wisnieski played the most minutes among the junior class. DeAndrade took a huge step forward from his sophomore campaign and ran the show from the point, Wisnieski was one of the best defensive players in the area, and Conner provided a lot of flexibility, giving the Hornets size but his athleticism made him a tough matchup for opponents. Michael Hershman, who was selected as a league all star as a sophomore, played very limited minutes throughout the season due to injury.

And the sophomore class featured Brendan Hill, who went on to win the Hockomock League MVP that season, along with Ryan Boulter and Michael Boen. Hill was a true star on the court, with the size of a forward but could play any position on the court. Boulter emerged as an offensive boost off the bench as a sharpshooter while Boen was another defensive option as the season started.

But the importance of depth was a theme among the players too. DeAndrade stressed how important practice was and how the competition among one another helped improve the entire squad.

“Everyone had a role and everyone played it perfectly, and that’s from one through 15,” DeAndrade said. “A lot of our success we had that season comes from practice. It was the battles we had in practice, the guys getting the minutes on the court had to play better. The competitiveness…every drill was a battle. It didn’t matter if you were a starter or on the bench, it was all about winning. Everybody stepped at some point when we needed it. That’s what made it so tough to beat us, we always had an answer.

“Everyone had the same mission on the team, everyone was there to win. It sounds cliche but no one was there with a personal agenda, it was all about what can we do to help the team win that game. I think it was our chemistry, just how well we all played together and how it translated off the court. We all hung out even outside of basketball so we were around each other all the time. And we had all played together since middle school. We were so used to playing with each other.”

The Hornets started the season 4-0, sweeping its first three Hockomock League games by an average of over 25 points per game, as well as an impressive double-digit win over BC High. At the Shooting Touch tournament at Emmanuel College, Mansfield knocked off Amityville out of New York before suffering their first setback, a six-point loss to D2 power New Mission.

Mansfield got back on track in the new year, picking up 12-straight wins. The Hornets picked up a key 68-62 win over Taunton early in January and followed it up with one of their most impressive results of the year, a 65-42 win over rival Franklin. Mansfield clinched the Kelley-Rex title with their second close win over Taunton but just six days later, their winning streak came to a screeching halt at the hands of their rival Franklin.

The Panthers edged out the Hornets with a three-point win in overtime, splitting the regular season series. Despite suffering that loss, Mansfield was quick to correct things and five days later picked up a marquee win. In the RoundBall tournament, Mansfield hosted Wakefield, who was one of the favorites in D2 North. Mansfield notched a 69-46 win.

“At the end of the season, we played in the RoundBall tournament against Wakefield and Bruce Brown Jr., who went on to play in the NBA, and we dominated that game,” Vaughan said. “They were ranked higher in the city papers, they were one of the favorites for the North, and we dominated that team from start to end. It was one of my more proud games we played that year. At that point, it felt like the sophomores were playing like juniors, the juniors were playing like seniors, and the seniors were just great, playing with a veteran mentality. That’s when I thought we could do something special in the South section…but I never thought we would get beyond that or play in a state championship because it’s so hard to do, it’s not necessarily part of the thought process.

“So how did we get there? We had length, we were athletic, smart, we could do things game-to-game, adding things or taking things out, we had toughness, and we had basketball junkies. So you look back now and say, that was a pretty special team and that’s why.”

After knocking off Newton South in the opening round of the tournament, Mansfield ran into rival Franklin to settle the season series. The Hornets survived regulation, going into overtime after the Panthers had a chance to win it late, and eventually came away with a 57-48 win. DeAndrade was the star late, scoring 11 of his game-high 21 points between the fourth and overtime.

“We watched the film recently, it was an absolutely crazy game,” Vaughan said. “There’s a play that happened late, where if that ball goes in, we lose and Franklin wins. There was a time I asked Paul Connolly over at Newton North, who had won back-to-back state titles, I asked what’s the secret. He said you have to be good, you have to be disciplined, you have to be a well-oiled machine but you have to get lucky somewhere. For us, that definitely happened there. There were no secrets between us and Franklin, we already went into overtime before. If that game is different, then we’re not even talking about playing in the state championship.”

While the next two games were far from easy, the Hornets took care of business with a 68-50 win over Brookline behind some hot shooting from Boulter, and then a 57-45 win over North Quincy, sparked by its bench, to win the D1 South Sectional title.

Defense was the key to the game at the TD Garden as both Wisnieski and Boen took turns limiting Central Catholic star Tyler Nelson. Nelson, who was named to the Boston Herald’s All-Decade EMass starting lineup, was one of the most lethal scorers in Massachusetts this decade. In the end, it was Conner who came up with key baskets late to elevate Mansfield to the win.

“One thing I remember is the defense Kyle and Boen played on Nelson in the first half,” DeAndrade said. “I don’t know why it’s stuck with me, but after the game we all were on about the defense those two played. We made some big plays when we needed to, when they counted most and that’s why we were able to come out with the win.

“We just played great from the start,” Vaughan said. “Kevin Conner hit some big baskets for us, Michael Boen and Kyle Wisnieski did a tremendous job on Tyler Nelson. We played a near-perfect game for what you’d consider a perfect game for a high school game. We got contributions from almost everyone in that group. That was probably one of the best victories we’ve had in our program history.”

While the win over Central Catholic remains as one of the best in program history, the game that followed is one the Hornets wish they had a chance to play over. A team that averaged over 66 points per game throughout the course of the season had its worst shooting performance of the season, falling to Putnam in overtime, 50-47.

Mansfield’s defense did its part, holding the Beavers to just 17 points in the first half. But the Hornets couldn’t get things going in the second half and saw its halftime lead evaporate by the start of the fourth. And then things went from bad to worse as Mansfield trailed by seven late in the fourth as its offense sputtered (only nine second half points, 4-for-26 three point for the game).

A three-point play from Boen sparked the comeback, and the sophomore followed it up with another triple. After Putnam sank two free throws, Romanko battled to keep possession off of a miss and, on the ensuing inbounds play, Boulter was fouled while shooting the tying three with 7.5 seconds to go.

Despite all the pressure on the shoulders of a sophomore, Boulter delivered and sank all three free throws to force the extra period. Boulter connected on a pair of three’s in the overtime period as well, the second tying the game at 48-48. In the end, it was a pair of free throws from Ty Nichols with under 10 seconds to go that put Putnam ahead for good as Mansfield’s last second shot was off the mark.

“It was one of those nights, and that happens in sports,” Vaughan said. “It’s why you play the games, you can’t just walk in and win the game. I don’t think that particular game takes away from the level of talent this team had and what they were able to accomplish all year.”




Listening Options:

                                        

Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield boys basketball

Opponent
Result
SharonW, 70-51
AttleboroW, 73-40
King PhilipW, 69-45
BC HighW, 69-57
Amityville (NY)W, 65-58 (OT) (Recap)
New MissionL, 60-54
Oliver AmesW, 82-54 (Recap)
TauntonW, 68-62 (Recap)
FranklinW, 65-42
StoughtonW, 72-57 (Recap)
North AttleboroW, 69-30
CantonW, 81-46
AttleboroW, 69-36
BrocktonW, 66-41
King PhilipW, 58-26
FoxboroW, 90-43
MilfordW, 76-52 (Recap)
TauntonW, 45-41 (Recap)
FranklinL, 59-56 (OT)
North AttleboroW, 68-32
WakefieldW, 69-46
Dighton-RehobothW, 65-44
#17 Newton SouthW, 72-56
#9 FranklinW, 57-48 (OT) (Recap)
#12 BrooklineW, 68-50 (Recap)
#6 North QuincyW, 57-45 (Recap)
Central Catholic (State Semifinals)W, 55-50 (Recap)
Putnam (State Final)L, 50-48 (OT) (Recap)




Mansfield boys basketball

The Campus Report: Looking Back At Fall 2017

Campus Report
The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

Former Foxboro standout Austin Ryan had a very memorable and impressive first year suiting up for the Bentley Falcons. After spending time at Williston Northampton School after graduating from Foxboro High. Ryan was named Northeast 10 Conference Rookie of the Week four times throughout the season, and was named NE10 Offensive Player of the Week in the final week of the season. He was second on the Falcons with 49 receptions but had almost more than triple the yardage of the next highest receiver on the team with 1,237 yards. He also hauled in a team-high and conference-best 16 touchdowns. His 123.7 receiving yards per game also led the NE10.

Franklin’s Quintin McDermott also had a strong season for the Falcons. He recorded 34 tackles, forced a team-high three fumbles and came away with three pass breakups. He had two interceptions on the season, coming in the same game. He picked off Merrimack quarterback CJ Scarpa twice to help Bentley pick up a 17-7 win on the road against the Warriors. Attleboro’s Luke Morrison played in five games, Mansfield’s Kyle Wisnieski (six tackles) played in six games and Bobby Mylod, a freshman, played in all 10 games and made five tackles.

Ryan wasn’t the only former Hockomock star to have a standout first year in the NE10. Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Canton star Jake Ragusa was a monster on the defensive side of the ball for Merrimack. Ragusa led the Warriors with 70 total tackles, and was tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks (for a total of 40 yards). He also had two interceptions from his linebacker spot, three quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Lasy year’s girls’ soccer HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Hannah Reiter made an immediate impact for the Quinnipiac team this fall. Reiter was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Rookie team. She earned a spot as the Bobcats’ primary defensive midfielder and racked up four assists in 17 regular season games (11 starts). Reiter increased her minutes played in all six games prior to earning a starting spot she has since not relinquished at Harvard on Sept. 13. Since Reiter joined the starting lineup, Quinnipiac finished the regular season with a mark of 5-3-3 while she played every minute in seven out of the 11 games she started in 2017. In addition, Quinnipiac allowed more than one goal in just three of the 11 regular season games in which Reiter was in the starting lineup.

Joe Wilder, a former Stoughton standout on the gridiron, was named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year after a great senior year at Framingham State. Wilder, who was also selected to the MASCAC First Team All Offense, helped lead a Rams offensive line that first in the conference in rushing yards (2,044), rushing yards per game (204.4), rushing touchdowns (22) and rushing first downs (104). Wilder started at tackle for the Rams.

Also at Framingham State, Attleboro’s Tom Burns earned Second Team All Defense honors after another solid campaign with the Rams. Burns, a senior, was third on the team with 54 tackles (most among defensive backs). He also recorded two tackles for loss while coming away with three interceptions (totaling 65 return yards) and three pass breakups. King Philip’s Brian Donahue had 14 tackles, including two for loss, while fellow former Warrior Cory Lombardo had five tackles and an interception.

Taunton’s Trevor Wysong continued to pace Bridgewater State’s men’s cross country team again this season. Now a sophomore, Wysong helped the Bears finish second at the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Cross Country Championships held at Stanley Park in Westfield. Wysong garnered All-MASCAC honors as he placed second overall at the meet, covering the eight-kilometer course in a time of 26:07.60. Taunton’s Dylan Lynch, a freshman, finished 41st overall and Attleboro’s Will McKenzie, a sophomore, was 80th. In the women’s race, Milford’s Jenise Madden, a sophomore for BSU, crossed the finish line fourth overall in a time of 19:39.50, earning All-MASCAC honors. She helped the Bears finish fourth overall.

2016 HockomockSports.com Best XI selection Colby Koch made an immediate impact on the pitch at Becker College. Koch was second on the team with four goals and had a team-high four assists, resulting in 12 points during his rooking campaign. He had a team-high 26 shots on goal, and three of his four goals were game-winners.

At Bridgewater State, former Oliver Ames football star Cam Williamson wrapped up his collegiate career with 34 tackles from his defensive back spot. Williamson, who played in eight of 10 tames, averaged 4.3 tackles and a game, had a fumble recovery in a win over Westfield state, had an interception on the road at Fitchburg State and totaled five pass breakups.

Down at Mass. Maritime, a handful of former Hockomock League standouts are factoring to the Buccaneers’ defensive unit. Mansfield’s Alex Ruddy was second on the team with 47 tackles, including two for a loss. He also came up with one interception, two pass breakups and three passes defended. KP alum Leo Munafo had 22 tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups, Mansfield’s Connor Finerty had nine tackles in six games played, KP grad Chris Winbourne had four tackles, former Sharon standout Peter Banks had three tackles, and James Cooke (an offensive lineman) had one tackle.

Kim McNally had her best offensive season during her senior campaign with the Sacred Heart women’s soccer team. McNally, a defender, was one of just four players on the team to start in all 18 games. And even has a defender, she finished third on the team with three goals scored. The former Canton Bulldog scored on the road at Yale, scored the game-winning goal at home against Mount St. Mary’s and added a third tally on the road at Wagner. She finishes her career with six goals and one assist, playing in all 73 games that happened during her four-year career – starting all but four of them.

Mansfield’s Alyssa Kelly finished second in both assists and digs for the Bridgewater State volleyball team. Kelly had 116 sets, averaging 1.15 assist per set. She added 187 digs (1.85 per set) as well as 27 kills and 24 aces (third on the team). Against Lasell, Kelly had a season-high 15 digs while notching a season-best four aces just a week earlier against Worcester State.

Brandies men’s soccer is in the midst of another successful postseason run, with two former Hock players leading the way. Josh Ocel has a team-high 10 assists along with four goals, leading the Judges with 18 points. Ocel, along with King Philip grad Andrew Allen, are just two of nine players to see action in all 19 games this year. Allen has been a weapon off of the bench, making 12 appearances as a substitute. He’s second on the team with five goals and also had three assists during his junior season.

Attleboro’s Michelle Sheehan set the offense in motion for Mass. Maritime’s volleyball team this fall. Sheehan, a sophomore, posted a team-high 307 assists (3.30 per set) and was also a top defensive option for the Bucs, notching 129 digs. Along with 41 kills, she had 24 aces. She had a season-high 24 assists on the road at Pine Manor and a season-best 12 digs on the road at Fitchburg State.

Former Foxboro Warrior Katie Notarangelo finished her collegiate career with her best offensive season in four years with MIT’s field hockey team. During her senior season, she scored a career-high seven goals along with a career-high five assists for 19 points, which was top five for the Engineers. She finished her career with 11 goals and six assists for 28 points while starting in 66 of the 69 games she appeared in over four years.

Franklin’s Alexis Stowell earned Northeast-10 All-Conference Third Team honors after another successful year with the Assumption women’s soccer team. Stowell helped anchor a defensive line that posted five shutouts on the season, including a huge effort against Saint Rose in the NE10 Quarterfinals. She also recorded three assists playing right back for Assumption, including producing the game-winning assist in the Hounds 2-1 win over Le Moyne on October 11th. Twin sister and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Victoria Stowell scored once and had two assists with 18 games started for the Greyhounds.

Former King Philip standout Melissa Daigle finished her collegiate career with an even 800 kills for the WPI volleyball team. She had a career-best 266 kills her freshman year, and finished with 167 during her senior campaign. She also had 565 career digs, 48 aces and 79 career blocks.

Two of Bridgewater State’s three field hockey all-conference honorees hailed from the Hockomock League. Mansfield’s Janet Maher was named to the All-Little East Second Team and Foxboro’s Emma Daly, a freshman, earned honorable mention honors. Maher, who hails from Mansfield, Massachusetts, started all 17 games on the Bears’ back line this season. She tallied four goals and one assist for nine points to go along with a defensive save. In 70 games over four seasons with the Bears, Maher recorded six goals and three assists for 15 points in addition to six defensive saves. Daly put together a solid rookie campaign as she notched eight goals and three assists for 19 points.

Another former Hockomock field hockey player that Little East honorable mention honors was Franklin’s Allison Burke. Burke was the stingiest goalkeeper in the conference, sporting an .824 save percentage that slotted her atop all LEC netminders. The junior shattered her previous season-high for saves, stopping 168 shots in 2017, logging four shutouts with a 2.57 goals against average. UMass Dartmouth’s season-opener against MIT on Sept. 2 was a sure preview of Burke’s outstanding season; she set NCAA Division III’s highest single-game save total of the season with 37, holding the Engineers to just four goals and breaking Seana Golden’s previous school-record of 29 saves.

Anthony Barreira worked his way into the starting lineup by the midway point of the season for Bryant University’s men’s soccer team. Barreira started in six straight games, including both of the Bulldogs’ wins this season. He scored his first collegiate goal at home on October 22nd, netting the opening strike in a 2-1 win over Sacred Heart.

Brett McEvoy became Nichols all-time leading tackler (385) this season and earned his fourth Commonwealth Coast Conference all-conference nod and second First Team selection. He led the Bison and finished second in the conference in tackles with 115 (41 solo) and recorded 10-or-more tackles in seven contests, including a season-high 15 against Westfield State and Endicott. He also led the CCC in fumble recoveries (four) and collected seven tackles for loss. He also owns several punting records at Nichols, including punts (207) and yards (7,237).

Mansfield’s Kerra Anastasia concluded her four-year career with Fitchburg State field hockey with her highest point total during her senior season. Anastasia scored a pair of goals for the Falcons, scoring her first of the season in a rout on the road at Becker, and netting her second in a comeback win against Southern Maine. She finishes her career with three goals and six assists, for a total of 12 points.

At Regis College, Stoughton’s Ashley Chipman was the leading scorer for the Pride’s field hockey team while Oliver Ames’s Yvonne Abate was in the top five in scoring from her midfield position. Chipman, who played forward, notched a team-high five goals to tie for a team-best 10 points this season. Abate, who started in 14 games this season, scored twice and had two assists to finish with six points.

Former Attleboro Bombardier Owen McKenna handled punting duties for the Norwich University team this season, along with getting reps on the defensive side of the ball. In 10 games played, McKenna booted 60 punts, averaging over 35 yards on each kick with six kicks inside the 20-yard line and only one attempt blocked. On defense, the sophomore had 22 tackles.

At Bard College, Franklin alum Nicole Ellin appeared in all 17 games as a junior, starting 16 of them. She totaled 1,316 minutes played, which was fourth on the team, finished with a shot on goal, and was a rock in the middle of Bard’s defense at center back. Another Franklin grad, Meghan Dieterle, became a mainstay on Saint Michael College’s backline. She started in 16 games, and even scored a pair of goals (including the game-winner on a free kick in overtime against Post).

Sharon’s Tim Peng notched his first collegiate goal during his senior season at Trinity College. Peng, who patrolled the midfield for the Eagles four years ago, concluded his college career with his best season. He appeared in a career-high 14 games, along with seven starts. He scored his first goal – the game-winner – in a 1-0 win on the road at Western Conn. State.

Danny McDermott made the most of his senior year, starting under center for Salve Regina. He finished the season with 1,892 yards, 22 touchdowns through the air and an average of 210.2 passing yards a game. He completed 55.8% of his 258 attempts. Attleboro’s Tyler McGovern, a freshman, was McDermott’s backup and completed two of his four attempts for 32 yards. One of those completions went for former Bombardier teammate Brendan Nunes, who was second on the team with 34 receptions, totaling 432 yards and hauling in seven touchdowns. Nunes also had six kick returns for 142 yards and was third on the team in all-purpose yards. Foxboro grad Ronnie Martin, in his first year with the Seahawks, was third on the team with 96 rushing yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.

Two former Mansfield Hornets earned All-MASCAC honors after solid seasons with the Bridgewater State women’s soccer team. Molly Sheild was named to the All-MASCAC First Team and Katie Bongarzone earned All-MASCAC Second Team honors. Shield and Bongarzone anchored an outstanding BSU defensive unit which limited opponents to just 6.7 shots on goal per game and helped produce seven shutouts and a team goals against average of 0.98. As a team, the Bears ranked second in the MASCAC in shutouts and third in goals against average. Bongarzone started all 19 games this season and finished with a goal and six assists, while Shields appeared in 17 games with 16 starts and recorded an assist. Taunton’s Alana Vincent finished with four goals and four assists in just eight games played for the Bears.

Merrimack junior Mary McNeil was named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference Second Team for another solid season with the Warriors. McNeil, a former Canton standout added to her well-decorated career with another all-league selection. The two-time All-American posted totals of three goals, a team-best 10 assists and 16 points over 18 appearances. She ended the season in a tie for fourth in the conference in helpers, one of six players in the league with double-digit assists. She posted three multi-assist efforts in 2017, and a pair of four-point performances. Also at Merrimack, Canton’s Lindsey Nolte scored five goals and had two assists while Milford’s Jess Palmer scored once. All three started in all 18 games this season.

There was another familiar face on the NE10 All-Conference Second Team, as former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Hannah Friend, who now plays forward for Saint Anselm, was also selected to the team. Friend earned Second Team recognition by leading her team with 21 points of offense (9-3=21) against NE10 foes, scoring nine goals and three assists. Overall on the season, she notched a team-best 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points (12-7=31) and currently ranks 13th nationally in points per game (1.72). Another former OA standout, Kendall Clifford, was named to the NE10 All Rookie team. She led all Saint Anselm freshmen in 2017 by scoring three goals and as many assists for nine points. Making 16 appearances in a reserve role, Clifford has boosted a midfield that has scored more than four goals per game on eight occasions and has blanked its opponents in eight games as well. Franklin’s Maddie Bressler scored five goals and added two assists and Canton’s Mary Nee had three goals and five goals for the Hawks.

Former Stoughton standout Malachi Baugh concluded an injury-riddled career at Stonehill with his best season. After being limited to 27 carries through his first three years, Baugh was second on the Skyhawks with 96 carries this season and totaled 472 yards (52.4 per game and five touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in five of his last six games, helping Stonehill go 4-2 in those contests.

Luke Albertini concluded a four-year career at Central Connecticut State. The former Red Rocketeers started in 56 games over his four years, including 17 in each of the past two seasons. He made 63 appearances in total for the Blue Devils, patrolling the midfield. He scored a pair of goals, one as a freshman, and one as a junior.

Taunton High grad Adam McLaughlin hauled in a pair of touchdowns in his rookie year at UMass Dartmouth, finishing fifth on the team in receptions with 14. He scored his first touchdown of the season in the second game of the year, hauling in a 10-yard touchdown. He had a season-high four catches for 66 yards in a win on the road at Mass. Maritime and then scored his second touchdown of the season in the finale at Fitchburg State, a 29-yard reception in the third quarter. Also at UMass Dartmouth, Attleboro’s Andrew Gingras started all 10 games at left tackle during his freshman season.

Lauren Berman capped a rollercoaster ride of a collegiate career with a great final season with the Boston College women’s soccer team. Berman finished second on the squad in points this season, scoring a team-high seven goals while adding three assists for 17 points. She started in all 20 games this season and was fourth on the team in minutes played. She was named New England Soccer Journal Midfielder of the Year. She finishes her BC career with 14 goals and 15 assists.

Former two-time HocomockSports.com Player of the Year Taylor Cogliano finished the season fourth in scoring for the Merrimack Warriors. Cogliano made 12 starts, and a total of 19 appearances as the Warriors reached the NE10 semifinal game. The former Frankin star scored a pair of goals – one against Molloy and one against Le Moyne – and finished with two assists (against Dominican and Stonehill). Milford’s Nicole Dahlgren made six appearances off the bench for the Warriors this season.

King Philip grad Joe Kellett continues to be a mainstay in the midfield for the talented UMass Lowell men’s soccer program. After starting in all 16 games as a freshman, Kellett was just one of three River Hawks to start in all 18 contests in 2017. He was second on the team in minutes (1,670), and had one assist on the season. He set up a goal in UMass Lowell’s 3-2 win at home over Monmouth.

Elias Camacho, a former Canton gridiron standout, concluded his career at Wesleyan fourth on the team in tackles. He had 26 solo tackles, and 35 total tackles, including two for a loss. He also had an interception in the final game of the season – his third career pick – and had five pass breakups. For his career, Camacho finished with 67 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.

After just one appearance during her freshman campaign, former Franklin standout Dani Lonati lead the Colby women’s soccer team with eight starts in net and nine total appearances. She posted 48 saves with an impressive 1.42 goals against average, earning a shutout win on the road against Thomas. Lonati made a career-high 13 saves in a scoreless tie to open the season against Tufts.

Franklin’s Sammy Rondeau was named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Field Hockey All-Conference Second Team after a strong season with Simmons – her second straight year on the second team. The senior enjoyed the best season of her career, racking up 40 points to rank sixth among GNAC players, while scoring 16 goals to stand fifth and recording eight assists for the fourth-most in the league. The forward’s four game-winners place her fifth among GNAC leaders. The former Panther’s season was one of the best in school history with the fourth-highest point total in school history, the fifth-highest assist count and the sixth-most goals in a season at Simmons. She started all 19 matches for the Sharks and was named the GNAC Player of the Week as well.

Milford’s Eric Nunez had a strong senior season for the Worcester State football team. From his linebacker spot, he finished fifth on the team with 44 tackles and had a team-high four sacks, and six tackles for loss. He also forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble as well. Mansfield grad Aurian Dawkins had 12 tackles during his senior year, as well as a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Former Red Rocketeer and New England Revolution academy standout Justin Freitas wasted little time making an impact at the University of Vermont. After spending time at Dean College, Freitas scored eight goals and had three assists while starting 13 games for the Catamounts. Freitas had a pair of goals in a 3-1 win at home against UMBC and again notched two goals two games later in a 2-3 setback at home against Northeastern.

For the third time in four years, Franklin graduate Joe Kalil was honored by the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Now anchoring Wentworth’s defense, Kalil was named to the all-conference second team for his strong 2017 campaign. Kalil earned honorable mention during his freshman year, and was named to the first team a year ago. In 2017, Kalil started 20 games and picked up a pair of goals. He finishes inside the top 10 all-time in program history in starts.

The Campus Report: Fall 2016 Midseason Update

Hockomock Campus Report
Former Oliver Ames teammates David Stapleton (left, Curry) and Gaston Cetrangolo went head to head earlier this season. (Submitted photo)

The Hockomock Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

Football

Milford’s Jarrod Casey currently leads Assumption in tackles through six games this season. Casey has a team-best 50 tackles (8.3 per game), including two tackles for loss and two interceptions as the team’s starting strong safety. Stoughton grad Brandon Swain-Price is third in receptions for the Greyhounds with 11 for a total of 250 yards and two touchdowns. The former Black Knight is averaging 19.1 yards per catch for Assumption (5-1). Another Milford alum – Patrick Corcoran – has played in five of six of Assumption’s games.

King Philip graduate Sam McDonald has started in all six of Bentley’s games this season and is second in tackles with 32 – best among defensive backs. McDonald has two interceptions, four pass breakups and three tackles for loss on the season for the Falcons. Taunton’s Shane Wellman has played in six games this year with five tackles, Mansfield’s Kyle Wisnieski (four tackles, one interception), Attleboro’s Luke Morrison (two tackles) and Franklin’s Quintin McDermott (one tackle) have all appeared in four games for the Falcons.

Former Franklin Panther Colton Cardinal has made four appearances on the gridiron for Boston College this season. Cardinal, who made two tackles for the Eagles last season, switched to the offensive side of the ball for 2016. From his fullback position, the sophomore has three receptions for 52 yards on the year.

Oliver Ames alum Cameron Williamson has been a steady contributed for the Bridgewater State Bears so far this season. A junior, Williamson has played in all six games so far this season with 19 solo tackles and 21 total. He came away with his lone interception of the season so far in a close win over Western Connecticut and has three pass breakups.

Although Brown is off to a 1-3 start, North Attleboro’s Alex Jette continues to be a bright spot. He leads the team with 25 receptions and has a team-best 271 yards through the air through four games, including one touchdown. He is fourth on the team in rushing as well with 48 yards on six carries (12 yards per carry), giving him a team-high 319 all-purpose yards. Jette is also the team’s punter, averaging 37 yards per punt with a long of 61 and six of his 24 punts landing inside the 20-yard-line.

Franklin’s Craig Anderson has been a key piece as Endicott has bounced back from a slow start to the season. After an 0-3 start, the Gulls have picked up two straight conference wins heading into a trip to Maine Maritime this weekend. Anderson is fifth on the team with 17 tackles and has appeared in all five games so far. Anderson has one sack and six tackles for loss, and blocked a field goal against Nichols. Oliver Ames grad Joe Tepper has two tackles this season and returned a kick for 13 yards.

Canton alum Sterlin Garvin is making an impact during his sophomore season at Fitchburg State. The former Bulldog is second in rushing for the Falcons with 133 yards on 43 carries (3.1 yards per carry). He found the end zone in Fitchburg’s win over Castleton in early September, scoring on a five-yard pass.

A handful of former Hockomock players continue to contribute to Framingham State’s success. On the defensive side of the ball, Attleboro alum Tom Burns is fourth on the team in tackles with 28 with just four of the team’s six games played. Burns has also recorded three pass breakups for the Rams. King Philip graduate Brian Donahue has appeared in all six games as a linebacker for Framingham with 18 tackles, including one sack and a pass breakup. Foxboro’s Derek Gilreath has a pair of tackles in five games played. Offensively, Stoughton’s Joe Wilder, a captain, has started all six games on the left side of the offensive line for the Rams.

A pair of former Kelley-Rex division rivals are now teammates at Nichols College, helping the Bison to two wins so far this season. Attleboro’s Brenden Massey has hauled in a team-high 20 catches this season for 323 yards (16.2 yards per catch). Masssey has also scored two touchdowns this season. King Philip’s Brett McEvoy is second on the team with 44 total tackles, including three tackles for a loss. McEvoy has also forced a fumble for the Bison through five games.

Attleboro’s Brendan Nunes and Franklin’s Danny McDermott are both making plays all over the field for the undefeated Salve Regina Seahawks. McDermott, a junior, has completed a pass, run the ball three times and even hauled in a 20-yard reception for Salve (4-0). Nunes, a freshman, is third on the team in all-purpose yards with 210 after emerging as the team’s primary return man. Nunes (one catch) has returned five kickoffs for a total of 171 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown against Worcester State. Nunes has also made a tackle on defense for the Seahawks.

UMass Dartmouth has three wins so far this reason with four former Hockomock athletes making plays on the defensive side of the ball. Mansfield’s David Collins in second on the team in tackles with 44, including 5.5 that went for a loss. Taunton’s Marcel Flynn has recorded 22 tackles, six of which have been for loss and has two blocked kicks on the season. Mansfield’s Louis Petrella had 18 tackles on the season, including a fumble recovery while Canton’s Anthony LaRose has 17 tackles and a team-high 2.5 sacks for the Corsairs.

Worcester State picked up its first win of the season this past week with a close 17-14 decision over Fitchburg. On the season, Milford’s Eric Nunez is fifth on the team with 28 tackles, including one sack. Mansfield’s Aurian Dawkins has recorded 22 tackles so far in four games played with three tackles for a loss and one interception. Offensively, Milford’s Jay Rodriguez has 37 yards on nine rushing attempts this season.

Men’s Soccer

Attleboro graduate Spenser Powell is having an impressive senior year at Adelphi. Powell has been honored as the NE-10 Conference Goalkeeper of the Week three times already this season while the Panthers are now ranked #14 by the NSCAA. Powell has started in all 10 games with a 0.41 goals against average and 34 saves. He has an 8-1-1 record with six shutouts.

Franklin’s Zach Scafati has started on defense in all 11 of Assumption’s games so far this season. The Greyhounds are allowing fewer than two goals per game. Scafati, a captain for the squad, also has four shots this year. Oliver Ames’ Chris Romero has appeared in seven games so far, including the last six straight. Romero recorded his first career point, scoring his first collegiate goal off a rebound.

Over at Brandeis, two former Hockomock players are making an impact for the Judges’ offense. North Attleboro’s Josh Ocel leads Brandeis in points with 11, tying for a team-high in goals (4) and assists (3). King Philip’s Andrew Allen is third in points (7), having netted a pair of goals this season while tying Ocel for the team-high with three assists.

The defending MASCAC champion Bridgewater State Bears have five former Hockomock athletes on the roster this season. The Bears (5-5-1) have Foxboro’s Sawyer Fleck, Riley Fleck and Brian Bortolotti along with Milford’s Justin Borges and Mike Da Silva. Sawyer Fleck is currently tied for third on the time with three points on three assists this season while Bortolotti has scored one goal. Riley Fleck has started in eight games this year while Borges had made three appearances off the bench.

Oliver Ames alum Adam Borbely has been a key player in Colby Sawyer’s 6-4-1 start this season. Borbely has notched one assist by has started in all 11 of the Chargers’ games so far this year. His 722 minutes played ranks sixth most on the team and he has registered two shots on goal.

Wentworth has recorded an 8-2-4 record so far this season with a pair of Hockomock grads contributing. Franklin’s Joe Kalil has started 13 of the team’s 14 games and registered five points – two goals and one assist. Kalil scored in a win at MIT and then again at home against Western New England. OA graduate Gaston Cetrangolo has made six appearances for Wentworth this season.

Keegan Nutt continues to make an impact in Easton, this time for the Stonehill Skyhawks. The former Oliver Ames standout and 2015 HockomockSports.com Best XI selection has played in and started all 12 games for Stonehill (5-7), just one of four players to do so. Nutt netted his first collegiate goal against Franklin Pierce back in September and has two assists this season.

King Philip graduate Joe Kellett has played nearly every minute of his rookie season so far for the 8-0-2 River Hawks of UMass Lowell. Kellett has started in all 10 of the team’s games (10) – just one of seven players to do so. His 930 minutes played rank fourth on the team and he’s registered four shots on goal.

Women’s Soccer

A trio of Hockomock alum have played in all 13 of Assumption’s games so far this year, helping the Greyhounds to a 6-6-1 record. Taunton’s Tayla Morais, a senior forward, has scored once and started a pair of games. Franklin’s Alexis Stowell has made five starts with a goal and assist while 2015 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Victoria Stowell has come off the bench in each game so far.

A pair of former teammates and MIAA State Champions found themselves on the same pitch again, this time as opponents when Kristi Kirshe and Williams College hosted Nicole Ellin and Bard College. Kirshe and Ellin were both part of Franklin’s title winning team in 2012. Kirshe notched two assists in the game and the Ephs emerged with a 5-0 win. Earlier this month, Kirshe became Williams’ (defending 2015 NCAA DIII National Champions) all-time leader in points with 102 and was named NESCAC Player of the Week two days later. For Bard, Ellin has started on defense in all 12 of the Raptors’ games this season. Bard is 7-5 overall this season.

North Attleboro’s Jamie Grinavic has been a key piece for Bentley this year as the Falcons are off to a 6-3-2 start this season. Grinavic, a senior midfielder, is fourth on the team in points after registering three assists and scoring one goal for five points. She’s just one of seven players to start in all 11 games so far this season.

Goals have been hard to come by in Bridgewater State’s games this year – both for and against – but a trio of Hockomock alums have helped the Bears in getting points in eight of their 11 matches. Taunton’s Alana Vincent leads BSU in scoring, netting four goals so far this year. The Bears have only allowed seven goals this season with Mansfield’s Katie Bongarzone (11 starts) and Molly Shield (10 starts) being big reasons why.

The Boston College Eagles are off to a 10-4-1 start this year with former Hockomock League MVP Lauren Berman playing a big role. Berman has started all 15 games and played 1,205 minutes, good for fourth on the team. She has netted four goals so far and six assists, good for 14 points, third most for BC this year.

Milford’s Kaley Pratt has been a spark off the bench for Eastern Connecticut State this season and netted the game-winner in overtime against Keene State this past weekend. Pratt has three goals and one assist on the year, which puts her second on the team in points. Stoughton’s Rachel Berkowsky has started eight games so far for the Warriors (8-2-2) with one assist.

Oliver Ames’ Nicole Taylor has helped Endicott to a strong 9-2-2 start this season. Taylor, a senior captain, has started in seven games so far with the Gulls recording a 7-1-1 record in that stretch. The Gulls have limited opponents to just nine goals in those nine games with Taylor being a key piece on defense.

Stoughton’s Shelby Sprague continues to be an offensive juggernaut for Massasoit. After scoring 25 goals last season, Sprague has already scored 22 goals this year for the Warriors.

Providence College women’s soccer is off to a 9-4-2 start and is allowing less than a goal per game so far with two Hockomock alums playing big roles in the Friars’ defense. OA’s Kendall Andrew has appeared in 14 of the 15 games so far for the Friars while Canton’s Hailee Duserick has appeared in 10 games with seven starts.

Canton’s Kim McNally has played a big part in Sacred Heart’s 5-4-3 start this year, playing her usual strong defense but also contributing on the offensive side of the ball. McNally scored her first goal of the season in a 1-0 win on the road at Saint Peter’s in early September and then netted her second goal of the year in a 3-0 win over Robert Morris in early October.

Brianna Duserick has helped Stonehill to an incredible start, one that included the Skyhawks being ranked as high as #4 in the NSCAA Poll. Duserick, a Canton alum, is third in points for Stonehill (10-2-1) with one goal, which came at Franklin Pierce, and five assists, the last two coming in consecutive games against Assumption and Saint Michael’s.

Sharon graduate Meg James is just one of seven players to start in all 13 of the University of Vermont’s games this season. A defender, James has been a vital piece for the Catamounts over the years. Check out our feature on James from earlier this year.

Volleyball

Canton graduate Avery Devoe is seeing a lot of action for Ball State University this fall, the Cardinals registering eight wins through 20 matches so far. Devoe has 14 starts and played in 60 sets so far, notching 61 kills and serving over 90% so far. She leads Ball State with a total of 48 blocks so far.

At Bridgewater State, Mansfield’s Alyssa Kelley continues to contribute on defense for the Bears. Kelley has 115 digs and 193 serve receives thus far. Oliver Ames grad Megan Tamasanis has registered 23 kills in 33 sets played this season for the Bears.

Junior outside hitter Lauren Beecher is fourth in kills for the 9-9 Dickinson Red Devils. Beecher, a former Mansfield Hornet, has played in eight of Dickinson’s nine game, twice hitting double digits in kills. Beecher had 10 kills in a 3-1 win over Haverford and then 10 more kills on the road in a 3-2 win at Keystone.

Attleboro’s Michelle Sheehan is making an impact already for Mass Maritime as a freshman. Sheehan is second on the team with 170 assists and has 41 kills (fifth on the team) and has registered 150 digs so far for the Buccaneers.

Two former Hockomock rivals are now teaming up for the Suffolk Rams, who have played 18 matches this season. Canton’s Chidera Nwankwo is third in kills for the Rams with 82, hitting at a team-best .212 clip. Nwankwo also has a total of 28 blocks, which is second on the team. Taunton’s Alyssa Gibson, a freshman, has played in 14 matches so far and registered 18 kills and seven blocks.

Julia Murphy has hit a couple of milestones in her final year with the UMass Boston volleyball team. The Canton alum recorded her 1,000th career kill in a 3-0 win over Western Connecticut back on September 17th and was named Little East Offensive Player of the Week just two days later. In Murphy’s next game, she recorded her 121st career solo block, which set a new program record for the Beacons.

Westfield volleyball has 10 wins already this season with King Philip graduates Brigid Murray and Micaela Murray both factoring in. Bridget Murray leads the Owls with 499 assists this season, ranking fourth in the MASCAC with 6.61 assists per set. Bridget also has 21 aces on the season, tied for fourth on the Owls. Micaela Murray, in her first year, has three kills, four assists and a team high 53 aces, 0.76 per set – good for first in the MASCAC.

WPI volleyball has three Hockomock players to thank in part for its 17-4 start to the season. King Philip’s Melissa Daigle is third on the team in with 114 kills and also has 55 digs and 13 blocks. Franklin’s Shay Feeley is second on the team in assists with 319 and also has 101 digs and 24 aces, first on the team. Oliver Ames’ Caroline Meyer is third in assists with 35.

Field Hockey

Mansfield’s Janet Maher is just one of five players on Bridgewater State to start all 11 games so far, with the Bears posting a 7-4 record. Maher, a defender, has helped limit opponents to 26 goals against while also registering an assist herself. King Philip’s Kathryn Jacobson has appeared in nine games for the Bears and Foxboro’s Jill Delaney has played two games in goal with just one goal allowed.

Attleboro’s Kelsey Wagner has made two appearances for Duke Blue Devils, the #2 ranked team in the country with an 11-2 record. Wagner has played just under 40 minutes so far this season with three saves.

LIU Post is off to an 8-3 start this season and has been ranked as high as #1 in the NFHCA poll. Oliver Ames graduate Molly Cunha has appeared in nine games so far for the Pioneers.

Four former Hockomock players are making an impression for Merrimack (4-6) field hockey this season. Canton grad Mary McNeil is second on the team in points with four goals and four assists while Franklin’s Hannah Magerman is fourth, having scored three goals with two assists. Milford’s Jessica Palmer has appeared in nine games so far with four starts while Canton’s Lindsey Nolte made her first collegiate appearance earlier this year.

Katie Notarangelo is just one of five players to have started all 11 games of the season for MIT. The Engineers are off to a 9-2 start with Notarangelo playing a big role in midfield. The Foxboro alum has scored twice this season, once in a win over UMass Dartmouth and again in a win over WPI.

Regis College is off to a 6-5 start this season with a pair of former Hockomock players playing a big part. Oliver Ames’ Yvone Abate has started in every single game for the Pride so far. Stoughton’s Ashley Chipman has played in all 11 games with four starts and has netted a pair of goals. For her efforts, Chipman was named NECC Rookie of the Week earlier this month.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Hannah Friend picked up her second NE-10 Rookie of the Week honor earlier this week, helping Saint Anselm’s to a 10-2 start. Friend leads the Hawks with seven goals and two assists for a team-high 16 points. Franklin’s Maddie Bressler and North Attleboro’s Rose Mooney each have a pair of goals and assists for six points. Franklin’s Elizabeth Alie, a senior defender, has started in all 12 games for the Hawks this season while Canton’s Mary Nee, a freshman, has appeared in 11 games and registered one assist.

Former Franklin Panther Sammy Rondeau is second in points for the 7-5 Simmons field hockey squad. Rondeau has potted six goals and notched four assists for the Sharks. Rondeau has scored twice in two games this season, in home wins over Nichlos and Wheelock in September.

Springfield College’s field hockey team has picked up five wins in its first 12 games this season with a pair of Hock alums factoring in. North Attleboro’s Emily Knobel is tied for fifth on the team with five points, scoring once with three assists. Knobel scored against Husson and had assists against Keene St., Husson and Saint Joseph’s. Mansfield’s Allie Skinner has started in all 12 of the Pride’s games so far with one assist.

Taunton’s Katelin Morrissey is tied for second in points for the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth (4-10). Morrissey has scored six goals and added one assist for a total of 13 points. Franklin’s Allison Burke has started five games in net and played more than 400 minutes so far. She has a team-high 48 saves with a 2.33 goals against average.

Oliver Ames graduate Carly Cidado is making an impact in her first year at WPI. The freshman has started all 12 games this season for the Engineers, registering two goals and three assists for seven points – tied for fourth best on the team. Cidado scored in her first ever game and then netted another in a win over Clark last week. She had assists against Bridgewater State, Elms and Smith.

Cross-Country

Former Milford standout Jenise Madden has had an incredible start to her collegiate career, being named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Cross-Country Rookie of the Week an astounding four times already. Madden was the Bears’ top runner at the James Earley Invitational at Westfield State, finishing in 23:14.83 (22nd out of 459).

Also at Bridgewater State, another first year runner is turning heads. Taunton’s Trevor Wysong was named the MASCAC Men’s Cross-Country Rookie of the Week for the third time this season. Wysong was 50th out of 432, finishing in 27:00.24 at the James Earley Invitational.

Golf

Oliver Ames’ Nick Carter has played in three matches for Saint Anselm’s this season. In the season opening Bowdoin Invitational, Carter shot a 153 to finish ninth overall. At the NE-10 Championships, Carter was 56th with a 169 and then finished 36th at the St. Rose Shootout with a 161.

North Attleboro’s Eric Marchetti has played in three tournaments so far this season for the University of Rhode Island, finishing in the top 65 in each of them. At the Doc Gimmler at Bethpage State Park, Marchetti tied for 35th with a 216, just six strokes over par. At the Hartford Hawks Invitational and the Quechee Club Collegiate Challenge, Marchetti finished 61st overall both times.

The Campus Report: Franklin Alum Shine Bright

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail RyanLanigan@HockomockSports.com.

Football

Bentley suffered a one point loss to New Haven over the weekend that saw a lot of former Hockomock players in action. King Philip grad Sam McDonald had seven tackles with a pass break up and an interception. North Attleboro’s Paul Norris had a tackle for the Falcons while Mansfield’s Kyle Wisnieski and Taunton’s Shane Wellman each fielded a kick return. Franklin alum Andrew Parent saw some time for New Haven in the win.
Former Franklin star Colton Cardinal notched his first two career tackles for Boston College over the weekend. In the Eagles’ drubbing of Howard, Cardinal had two tackles that were both for losses. His first was for a loss of three yards and the second for a loss of two yards. BC is now 2-0 on the season with just three points against.
Bridgewater State fell on the road on a trip to New Jersey but got some Hockomock alums made an impact. King Philip grad Michael Viola was the team’s leading receiver with four catches and 20 yards. Oliver Ames’ Carlton Williamson had a team-high 17 carries for 65 yards on the ground. OA’s Cameron Williamson was one of the top players for the Bears’ defense with five tackles.
It was a defensive battle between Mount Ida and Plymouth State over the weeknd and a pair of two Hockomock alums played their part. For Mount Idea, Mansfield alum James Comer recorded three tackles. For Plymouth State, Foxboro’s Alton George had four tackles, including a sack and a forced fumble.
A handful of former Hockomock athletes made their way onto the box score in Springfield’s win over UMass Dartmouth. For Springfield, Oliver Ames grad Colin Lozzi had three tackles and Stoughton alum Brandon Alves had one. For UMass Dartmouth, Mansfield’s Lou Petrella had seven tackles, Taunton’s Marcel Flynn had six tackles, Canton’s Anthony LaRose had five tackles, including one for a loss and Mansfield’s David Collins had one tackle.
Western New England picked up a huge win over Westfield State, 31-0. For WNE, Foxboro’s Balaz Busznyak got his first touch of his collegiate career with a four yard rush, OA’s Dean Soucie had six tackles, a forced fumble, two tackles for loss and a pass break up. For Westfield, Mansfield alum Nick Bosari had nine tackles, including a half a sack, King Philip’s Pat Lydon notched a tackle and Stoughton’s Pat Raeke had a tackle.
It was the connection between two former Hockomock stars that lead WPI to another victory over the weekend. Stoughton’s Dan Eckler tossed for 381 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown pass came in the first quarter on a 96 yard connection to Franklin’s Brandon Eccher, who finished with eight receptions for 168 yards. Stoughton grad Marcus Middleton caught a pair of passes from Eckler for 34 yards, including a 27 yard reception. Check out the video of Eckler’s pass to Eccher, courtesy of WPI athletics.

Boys Soccer

Canton’s Chris Murray noticed a pair of assists to help WPI continue its undefeated start of the season. Against Framingham State, Murray linked up with Pav Christidis in the first half and then set up Ryan Tropeano for the game winner just minutes before the final whistle. Through six games, Murray has a team-best six points with a pair of goals and two assists.
Former HockomockSports.com Boys Soccer Kelley-Rex Player of the Year Zach Scafati netted her first goal of the season for Assumption, but the Greyhounds suffered a 2-1 loss to LIU Post. Scafati finished off a corner at the back post. It was Scafati’s second career goal for Assumption after he scored his first last year at Saint Rose.
North Attleboro’s Josh Ocel helped to deliver Brandeis head coach Michael Coven his 500th career victory against Babson – literally. Ocel’s free kick found the head of senior Jake Picard in double overtime to give the Judges the win. Ocel’s perfectly placed free kick into the area was headed home to the near post for the win. It was Ocel’s second assist of the season and second in the last three games.
There was a lot of Hockomock influence in Wentworth’s 2-1 double overtime win over Mass. Maritime last week. It was Franklin’s Joe Kalil who tied the game in the second half to open up his 2015 account. For Mass. Maritime, Mansfield’s Taylor Sjoberg and Attleboro’s Eoin Grimes each started while Mansfield’s Alex Thompson made an appearance off the bench.

Girls Soccer

Bentley picked up its biggest win of the season last week with an 8-0 throttling over Concordia. In the win, North Attleboro grad Jamie Grinavic scored her first two goals of the season inside a seven minute span. First Grinavic converted a breakaway and then just over six minutes later she slotted home her second.
The matchup between Boston College and Providence over the weekend featured some of the Hockomock’s best talent from recent years. Canton grad and former Hockomock League MVP Lauren Berman picked up an assist for the Eagles. However, it was Canton alum Hailee Duserick and Oliver Ames grad Kendall Andrew and Providence that got the win. Andrew has started all of the Friars’ games while Duserick has started four and appeared in all eight.
Former Stoughton standout Rachel Berkowsky netted her first goal of the season earlier this month in Eastern Connecticut State’s 5-1 win over Johnson and Wales. It was Berkowsky’s third career goal so far as the Warriors are off to a 3-1-1 start.
The 2013 HockomockSports.com Girls Soccer Kelley-Rex Player of the Year Kristi Kirshe scored a game winner in overtime for Williams on Sunday to complete the Ephs comeback against Castleton. Kirshe’s goal marked her second of the weekend after she opened her 2015 account on the road at Trinity. Against Castleton, Kirshe put her shot into the side netting in the 99th minute for the win.

Volleyball

WPI is off to a 5-1 start this season and a couple of Hockomock graduates have been a big reason. Franklin’s Shay Feeley leads the team with 83 assists, averaging 4.37 assists per set. Feeley also has four kills, 12 aces and 14 digs. Offensively, King Philip grad Melissa Daigle has 40 kills, which is second on the season. Her 49 digs rank third on the team and she also has six aces.
Former Franklin star Alicia Wilde has helped Babson start with a 6-1 record this season. Wilde, playing for head coach Eric Neely, brother to Franklin hoops coach CJ Neely, is currently tied for second on the team with 46 kills, averaging 2.19 kills a game. Wilde has nine aces so far, which is second on the team and has 53 digs, which is also second on the team.
Mansfield alum and former Hockomock League All Star Lauren Beecher has played a big role for Dickinson so far. Despite the team’s 3-7 record, Beecher has been strong with 57 kills, 13 blocks and 12 digs.
Meanwhile at Stonehill, senior Kelsey Weymouth has helped the Skyhawks to a 4-3 start. Weymouth, a former North Attleboro Rocketeer, has a team-high 76 kills (3.04 kills per set), 10 blocks and 79 digs. In Stonehill’s 3-0 sweep of Dominican College, Weymouth slammed home a match best 12 kills with a 41% attack percentage.

Field Hockey

A pair of the 2014 Kelley-Rex winning Mansfield Hornets have helped Springfield off to a bright start. The Pride has gone 3-1 this season, allowing just five goals. Former Hockomock League MVP Allie Skinner has played in all four of Springfield’s games while fellow former Mansfield alum Hannah Boylan has appeared once.
Former Hockomock League MVP Katie Notarangelo has played a bigger role for MIT in her sophomore season so far. Notarangelo scored her first goal of the season back at the beginning of the month when the Engineers beat Lasell College 6-3.
The 2013 HockomockSports.com Field Hockey Player of the Year Kellie Stigas has only started one game for Northeastern this season but she ranked fourth on the team in points. Stigas has appeared in all six games so far and netted her first goal in a 2-1 win against Dartmouth.
Franklin alum Samantha Rondeau is one of Simmons top players are just a sophomore. Rondeau has three goals and an assists for seven points. Simmons is off to a 5-1 start this season and Rondeau scored a gaol in a 2-1 over MIT and then added a pair of goals and an assist in a 9-0 blanking of Wheelock.