Sharon senior midfielder Jenna Goldstein will be one of the players to watch in girls lacrosse this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
KP has a lot of turnover from the 2019 team, so there will be a lot of opportunities for players to take on bigger roles this spring. Brown is one of the players that has the potential for a breakout season. The junior midfielder is the team’s top returning scorer after notching 11 goals and six assists as a freshman. Her quickness, vision, and creativity around the goal forces defenses to react and leaves openings for her teammates. KP has already scored 33 goals in the opening two games so the Warriors have the potential to put up big numbers. After four goals against North Attleboro, Brown has settled right into her role as one of the primary playmakers and has KP thinking about the possibility of dethroning Franklin from its perch atop the Kelley-Rex.
After two seasons as a standout for the field hockey team, Carney will finally get the chance to show off her skills for the Panthers on the lacrosse field. Coming into a dominant program and an already loaded roster, Carney will bring an aggressive mindset and a physical presence to the Franklin midfield. Already drawing national attention for her club play, Carney gets the chance to showcase those skills for Franklin this spring and continue the program’s dominance in the Hockomock, as it looks to bring home another Kelley-Rex title and keep its long unbeaten run intact.
Goldstein continues a run of talented midfielders for the Eagles and the Colby College-commit is back for her senior season looking to keep Sharon’s recent success in the Davenport division going. She scored 60 goals in 2019 and added six assists to help Sharon tie for second in the division and make another tournament appearance. A strong, all-around performer in midfield, Goldstein will have extra responsibility this season as it will be her first without 2019’s leading scorer Emma Eberhardt. The offense will run through Goldstein this year and her talent will go a long way to determining how the season goes for the Eagles.
Between injuries and then a pandemic, Jones has yet to really have a chance to show what she is capable of in the Franklin attack. She has made several appearances, including a four-goal performance against Concord-Carlisle in the 2018 Div. 1 East final as a freshman, but the UConn-commit will be hoping her senior season can be her best. With the size, athleticism, and ability to find open spaces in the defense, Jones is a weapon around the cage that the Panthers will look to exploit. Surrounded by playmakers, Jones should have plenty of scoring chances this spring to try and keep Franklin’s remarkable unbeaten run in the league going for another season and retain the Kelley-Rex title.
A three-sport standout, McCabe may only have one season of Canton lacrosse under her belt but she is more than prepared for competing at the varsity level, one of the reasons that she has been named a captain as a junior. A leader on the field, McCabe is a solid midfielder with loads of energy and an aggressive mindset. She will be a key to slowing down the opposition in transition and using her size and stick skills to open up scoring chances for herself and her teammates. McCabe’s experience, along with the other returning players, has Canton confident that it can compete with the top teams in the Davenport division and make a move up the standings from 2019’s fourth-place finish.
Another three-sport standout, including league MVP this past hockey season, Pereira is a player who can dominate the midfield with her physicality, athleticism, and aggression. In 2019, she scored 17 goals and recorded 17 assists and will be the top returning scorer for the Tigers, who will be returning to the Davenport division this spring and hoping to move up the standings to challenge the usual contenders, Foxboro, North Attleboro, and Sharon. Having Pereira in the midfield and relying on her experience will be a good way for the Tigers to start.
Mansfield will get its first chance to play under former Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry and with a lot of turnover from the 2019 team, the Hornets will lean on their seniors to set the tone. Shanteler will be that leader for Mansfield’s defensive unit. Aggressive, especially around the cage, with quick hands, and good reading of the game, Shanteler makes big interceptions and chases down a lot of ground balls. Her energy will be important to get the Hornets into the transition game and spark their attack. Mansfield is always looking to pose a challenge to Franklin’s dominance in the Kelley-Rex and Shanteler will be one of the players that the Hornets hope will keep them in the league title mix this spring.
Tavares has had a remarkable career for the Tigers and the reigning Hockomock League MVP and HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year returns for her senior season already with more than 200 goals to her name. A quick, skillful midfielder, the Marist College-commit did everything for Taunton in 2019, scoring 95 goals and dishing out 13 assists as a sophomore. That accounted for more than half of the Tigers’ 189 goals as a team. She also had 97 draw controls and grabbed 66 ground balls, showing off her all-around game that helped Taunton get within one win of a playoff spot in 2019.
Vey stepped into an experienced team two years ago and emerged as a dynamic scorer, adding another important piece to Foxboro’s run to the Div. 2 East title. With a quick first step, the ability to find seams in the defense, and an eye for a pass, Vey tied for second on the Warriors with 38 goals and was third on the team with 12 assists in 2019. It’s been a couple of years and there is a new coaching staff at Foxboro, but Vey has the potential to be the centerpiece of another Davenport division-winning squad this spring.
Since moving back to the Davenport division, North Attleboro has consistently been in a battle with Sharon for the second spot behind Foxboro in the league standings. The Rocketeers will have a new coach and a lot of new faces this season but Weir is one of several players returning from 2019 with varsity experience who will be counted on to keep the team playing at the same level. The senior midfielder is the team’s top returning scorer with 17 goals and six assists as a sophomore, but it’s also her leadership, athleticism, and ability to impact the game on both ends of the field that will be critical for North to once again challenge the top teams in the division.
Foxboro junior Julia Kelley (27) scored three times and had an assist, but the Warriors couldn’t get past South champ Cohasset in the state semifinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
WELLESLEY, Mass. – With back-to-back goals, Foxboro rallied to tie South champion Cohasset in Tuesday night’s Div. 2 state semifinal at Babson College’s MacDowell Field. The Skippers, who won the state title in 2017, took a timeout to regroup and proceeded to break the game wide open.
Cohasset scored five goals in the final 4:04 of the first half, propelling the Skippers on a game-closing 12-3 run and a 17-8 victory that ended the most successful season in the Foxboro program’s history.
“That four, five-goal lead they got going into half was killer,” said Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry. “It’s too hard to dig yourself out of those. We’ve had games where we’ve been in positions where we’ve had to do it but we’ve never had the result that we needed. We’ve dug ourselves out but not enough.”
The Skippers had the first good look of the game but the shot caromed off the far post, after a loose ball was scooped up by the Warriors an outlet pass sent Molly Murphy on a break. She picked out Julia Kelley at the ‘X,’ who hesitated to draw a defender and open space for a pass to sophomore Lilly Vey for a close-range finish.
Northwestern University-bound Jane Hansen (five goals and two assists) cut through the Foxboro defense to tie the game, but the Warriors answered back. This time Vey played provider, setting up Sophia DiCenso as she cut across the front of goal and the University of Richmond-commit unleashed a side-arm shot under the bar to make it 2-2.
After three straight goals by the South champions, DiCenso scored her second goal of the night, this time with a lefty shot from a tight angle to bring the Warriors back within one.
Hansen assisted on Cohasset’s fifth of the night to restore the two goal lead, but Foxboro scored two in rapid fire to tie the game. Sara Addeche (four saves) made a big stop on a free position on one end and the Warriors again broke quickly with Meghan Curran getting the ball up the near sideline to Murphy, who bounced a shot through the five-hole to make it 5-4.
Right off the ensuing draw, DiCenso was inches away from tying it, but her shot came off the post. Kelley (three goals and one assist) was in the right spot to snag the rebound and finish.
It was the high point for the Warriors, as the favorites took control. Kate Cunning scored to break the deadlock and 12 seconds later assisted on a goal by fellow sophomore Gennie Littlejohn. Hansen scored back-to-back goals only 30 seconds apart to extend the lead to four and with just 22.9 left in the half Cunning got another assist on a Madie Donovan goal.
“Going into half, it was just about putting pressure on the ball and not letting them have a relaxed thought,” Sherry said about the frame of mind of the Warriors at the break. “I think we kind of did that but they had too much time to find their feet and hit their cutters. They got space and they got open, so that was an adjustment that we needed to make and we didn’t make it enough.”
The Warriors came out of the break with the right attitude and gave themselves hope of a comeback with the first goal of the second half. DiCenso was unlucky again, as another shot came off the post, but Curran chased down the ground ball to keep possession and seconds later Vey (two goals and two assists) combined with Kelley to bring the score to 10-6.
Foxboro had two opportunities to cut into the lead further, but the Cohasset defense forced a turnover and Hansen made it 11-6 with 19:30 to play. The Skippers added two straight, including a nice give-and-go between Hansen and Molly Greer, to push the lead up to seven.
Vey got a goal on a free position but another three-goal run by the Skippers eliminated any momentum that may have been gained by Foxboro. Jaime Notarangelo added the eighth and final goal for the Warriors from a free position with two minutes left.
Experience was a benefit for the Warriors in the East final against Medway and Foxboro (16-8) brought home its first-ever sectional title. It was the main goal of the season, Sherry explained, and she thinks it will help the returning players to have gotten a taste of the state semifinal atmosphere.
“They have so much exposure in this environment,” Sherry said about Cohasset. “I think we played really well. I think this was the best competition they’re going to see (outside the South). I think we gave them a fight and we hung in with them and it just wasn’t enough.”
Foxboro captains Molly Murphy (9) and Sophia DiCenso (1) lift the Div. 2 East trophy, the first sectional title in the program’s history. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
WALPOLE, Mass. – With seven minutes to go in Friday night’s Div. 2 East final at Walpole High, Medway scored its second straight goal and grabbed its first lead since midway through the first half. Having managed to pull out close wins in each of the first two rounds, Foxboro needed to keep its composure and find a way to make it three in a row.
The Warriors could call on the experience of 14 seniors who were part of the program’s first sectional final appearance two years ago, a disappointing loss in the East quarterfinal last season, and a regular season that featured many of the state’s best teams. All of that came into play on Friday.
Of course, it also helps having a player like senior midfielder Sophia DiCenso. The University of Richmond-commit, and recently announced member of the U.S. U-19 national team, split the defense to tie the game and then scored her sixth goal of the night with three minutes to play to put Foxboro ahead for good. Julia Kelley tacked on another goal with 1:05 left and the Warriors celebrated an 11-9 win and the program’s first East title.
“She’s on cloud nine,” Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry said of DiCenso. “She puts the weight of the world on her shoulders. She carries this team and we really look to her to get it done and she got it done.”
DiCenso said, “I feel like everyone’s just been wanting it since we lost to Walpole our sophomore year and every day at practice we talk about this is our year, we’re going to win a trophy, and we did it. Everyone’s literally on top of the world right now.”
Similar to the semifinal against top seed Wayland, it took a while for someone to get on the scoreboard. Sophomore Lilly Vey cut though the defense and put Foxboro ahead 10 minutes into the game. Medway scored twice over the next five minutes to grab the lead, while Foxboro was struggling to finish off the chances that it was creating.
Senior Meghan Curran hit the post twice on free positions and Molly Murphy smacked the post with a shot on a fast break. Curran also had a chance in the final second of the half that bounced up off the turf and kissed the bar.
“If we’re hitting the post then it means we’re placing the ball, we’re not throwing it randomly, but they needed to drop eventually,” said Sherry. “Wayland [in the East semifinal] really helped us knowing that we could make mistakes offensively and still prevail.”
DiCenso finally got a chance with three minutes left in the half and she made it look easy from a free position. A little more than a minute later, DiCenso added her second of the night, again from a free position, to make it 3-2 at the break.
Abby Hassman had an early free position opportunity saved and Medway raced down field to tie the game at 3-3 just two minutes into the second half. DiCenso completed her hat trick from a free position but then had one miss the net and Medway took advantage to tie the game again at 4-4.
Curran came through with her next direct opportunity, picking the top corner with an unstoppable shot. Ninety seconds later, DiCenso cut across the defense from the left and went side-arm to rip a shot under the bar for a two-goal lead, the largest lead of the game for either team.
Medway bounced back with two straight goals to tie it again. Foxboro once again had the response to avoid allowing the Mustangs to grab the lead. Curran scored her second of the night, going side-arm after spinning back to her left.
The lead was short-lived and the Mustangs scored back-to-back goals to put Foxboro on its heels and take its first lead since the score was 2-1. No surprise to anyone, but the Warriors again turned to DiCenso. She showed good patience as she worked her way across goal, making the goalie commit before firing in the tying goal.
With the clock winding down on three minutes to play, Medway was inches from tying the game, but a shot came flying back off the post and ricocheted out towards midfield. Senior Molly Murphy reacted first and chased the ground ball down at the near sideline and got possession for the Warriors.
DiCenso drove towards the back of the cage but then spun back on her marker, tried to split two defenders, and earned a free position and a yellow card for her opponent. She made no mistake on the big opportunity and put the Warriors ahead 10-9 with 2:58 to play.
Foxboro got the ball back and tried to run out the clock. With a minute to play, Kelley drove to the cage and finished from close-range to make it a two-goal game. The Warriors won the next draw and proceeded to run the clock down, smiles stretching across their faces as they realized that the dream that started two years ago, the chance to make history for the program, was coming to fruition.
“It feels amazing,” said Sherry, who may have had the biggest smile on the field at the final whistle. “Even in the semifinals when they started picking away at leads, I think that exposure of playing top D1 teams, we do it because we learn from it every single time.” She added, “We’ve battled and we’ve gotten tested and we prevailed because of it.”
When asked about playing a schedule with perennial D1 powers like Notre Dame Academy, Longmeadow, Walpole, Franklin, and others, DiCenso joked, “At first we saw it and were like what is she doing but honestly now I can say it was so worth it.”
She added, “I think there were moments when we were like, wow we’re getting beat pretty bad by these teams and going into tournament we need to step our game up, but I feel like those losses were more motivators. Our schedule prepares us for 30 seconds left and we’re up by one or two and we’re so composed on the field because of the competition that we face.”
Foxboro (16-7) will play South champion Cohasset in the state semifinal on Tuesday night at Babson College.
Foxboro junior Jaime Notarangelo scored with 18 seconds remaining to propel the Warriors past Weston and into the D2 East semifinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – It appeared that the game had been won when Foxboro pulled ahead by five goals midway through the second half of Thursday night’s Div. 2 East quarterfinal, but after a furious comeback by Weston the Warriors found themselves in a tie game with just a minute on the clock and without star player Sophia DiCenso, who was with the U.S. U-19 national team for a training weekend.
Needing someone to step up and keep the season alive, Foxboro got the ball into the hands of junior Jaime Notarangelo. She delivered. Cutting across the front of goal, Notarangelo took a couple of bumps but managed to squeeze into space and fired a shot to the back post with 18 seconds on the clock, securing Foxboro a 15-14 win and a return to the East semifinal.
“We had individual meetings yesterday and when I spoke with Julia, when I spoke with Jaime, when I spoke with Lilly, it was just who’s going to fill that role?” said Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry. “We always focus on Soph and what she can do, but Jaime knows that it kind of has to go on her shoulders. That she’s next in line and Julia [Kelley’s] next in line. She went to ‘X,’ got the ball, and just went.”
Thursday was always going to be a tough matchup for Foxboro. Playing without DiCenso, the two-time league MVP, and fellow senior Caroline McGeary, the Warriors were also coming off a two-week break since the close of the regular season and that rust showed at the beginning when Weston ran out to a 3-0 lead.
“We were a little more focused on not having Soph and there were players who needed to step up, and I think they did, but having those two weeks showed big time,” Sherry explained. “Then I think we got a little complacent.”
After four minutes, Foxboro righted the ship, starting with a fast break goal. Abby Hassman picked out Lilly Vey in front to make it 3-1. Two minutes later, Meghan Curran assisted on a Hassman goal to get Foxboro within one and two minutes after that it was tied thanks to the first of five goals from Julia Kelley.
Kelley gave the Warriors their first lead a minute later, as she turned the corner on the left side of the cage and beat the Weston goalie. Notarangelo got the first of her four goals from a free position to make it five straight for the hosts before a Wildcats free position goal ended the run.
That goal did nothing to stop Foxboro’s momentum and the Warriors grabbed control of the game before halftime. Curran scooped a loose ball on the edge of the crease and scored her second to make it 6-4. Molly Murphy led another break, finding Kelley for her hat trick and then Kelley fed Vey for another goal to double up Weston, 8-4. Hassman hit a cutting Notarangelo and suddenly the Warriors had gone from down three to up five in the span of 15 minutes.
Weston scored twice before the break, sandwiched around Curran’s second of the half, to keep the score close, but it felt like the home team was on the brink of putting the game away.
Notarangelo got her third on a free position in the opening minute of the second half and Kelley spotted Murphy down the middle to give the Warriors their largest lead of the night at 12-6. Weston scored back-to-back goals to put the pressure on again and nearly had the lead down to just three by Foxboro goalie Sara Addeche (12 saves) made a big stop on a free position chance.
A couple minutes after that stop, Kelley tallied another goal to restore the five-point lead. After Weston got one back, Kelley went side-arm after going around the edge to make it 14-9 with 12:38 to play. There was a feeling around the field that Foxboro had done enough to advance. Weston didn’t share that feeling.
The Wildcats stormed back into the game, despite some controversy. Weston scored to get within four and appeared to have another one shortly after only to have the ref rule out the goal for a charge that took place after the shot was released. After some confusion and discussion, the goal remained off the board.
Four minutes later, the Wildcats got the goal to cut the lead to three with 5:57 to play. Less than a minute later, the lead was down to two. Three minutes later, the lead was down to one and things were starting to slip away for the Warriors, while the visiting bench got louder. With 1:03 on the clock, Caitlyn Tabors got free for the Wildcats and finished from in close to tie it.
Foxboro needed to win the draw to avoid the upset, a part of the game that would also have been helped by DiCenso’s presence, and the Warriors did just that, scrambling to chase down a loose ball in the defensive half of the field.
“We just wanted to keep it alive,” Sherry said about the draw with the game tied. “If we got it in her stick, obviously that’s ideal, but if we didn’t then just keep it on the ground and keep pushing it.”
With no timeouts left, Foxboro played it forward and patiently moved it around, until Notarangelo moved behind the cage to take over and win it.
Sherry said, “They wanted it. We had meetings and I’m looking for potentially two more weeks out of them to just grind. It’s going to get more fun.”
Foxboro (14-7) advances to face top seed Wayland in the semifinal on Tuesday at Weston High.
Erin Walsh (1) scored twice and assisted on another goal to help Franklin continue its long league unbeaten streak by beating fellow division champion Foxboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – For nearly a decade, two teams have dominated Hockomock League girls lacrosse. Foxboro and Franklin have each won eight straight division titles, including the league crowns that both have already clinched this spring. The last time a team other than those two finished on top in the league was 2012, when King Philip shared the Kelley-Rex title with the Panthers.
On Wednesday evening, the league’s top two teams squared off at Sam Berns Community Field. Behind a quick start that saw it jump ahead 5-0 and seven goals from senior midfielder Annie Walsh, Franklin pulled out a 14-10 victory to extend its remarkable league winning streak to 80 straight games dating back to April 2012.
“I thought we did really well on the draws early, we were really feisty in the circle, and just took good shots in the first half,” Franklin coach Kristin Igoe Guarino said of the good start. “I think their goalie played awesome and really stepped up her game as it went on but we got on her early.”
The Panthers got off to the perfect start, scoring the game’s first five goals, all but one from free position chances. Freshmen Jackie O’Neil and Stella Regan got the visitors going, the second goal created after freshman Kate O’Rourke scooped a ground ball to keep the possession alive.
After Annie Walsh hit the post, Erin Walsh went over the top of Foxboro goalie Sara Addeche (11 saves) to make it 3-0. The Walsh sisters combined for nine of Franklin’s goals and Erin also chipped in with an assist. O’Rourke bounced in a free position goal for Franklin’s fourth and then O’Neil picked out a cutting Annie Walsh for her first, forcing a Foxboro timeout.
“We’ve struggled all year with playing the entire game,” Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry explained. “When you have to start at a deficit and have to pick away, it’s too much. We can’t let a team like Franklin have that lead. It’s a momentum-changer for us and puts us in a slump and we have to work the rest of the game to get out of it.”
Following a draw control, Foxboro got on the board. Sophomore Lilly Vey cut across the front of goal and managed to bounce a shot inside the post. Two minutes later, Sophia DiCenso set up Abby Hassman in front of goal to make it 5-2.
A free position goal by Kelsey MacCallum restored Franklin’s four-goal lead, but only for a short time. Julia Kelley hit the outside of the cage from a tough angle and then Meghan Curran sliced through the defense to make it 6-3. Addeche stuffed Erin Walsh on one end and the Warriors converted on the other, as DiCenso’s head fake opened a sliver of space down the right channel to make it 6-4.
Just when it looked like Foxboro might be taking control, Annie Walsh stepped up. She went straight down the middle of the Warriors’ defense to score with 2:30 left in the half and then she forced a turnover and scored on the resulting free position just 17 seconds before the break to extend the lead to 8-4.
Igoe Guarino said, “Annie is an excellent dodger and I thought she did a good job of taking good, smart dodges in space and mixing up her shot placement so she could finish.”
Walsh made it a five-goal game early in the second half when she scooped a rebound, after Addeche made another good stop, and flicked it in from close-range.
Foxboro needed a spark and junior Jaime Notarangelo provided one. She used a big pump fake to free herself in the middle of the Franklin defense and scored to make it 9-5. After winning the draw, Notarangelo twice beat the defense and Franklin goalie Gianna Cameron (five saves) only to see the ball come back off the post both times. The second rebound was gathered by Vey, who fired into the open net.
“Jaime came up huge,” Sherry said. “She does it in defense, in midfield, and if she loses the ball in attack she’s right back playing defense and getting the ball back for us.”
Walsh used a head fake and a quick step to beat her marker and then split two other defenders to get the goal back for Franklin, but Carly Stern got the Foxboro bench going when she carried the ball out of defense almost 60 yards before scoring to make it 10-7.
Another Walsh goal got the lead back to four and then Cameron came through with a big stop on Curran. Walsh followed that with her seventh goal to give the Panthers a 12-7 edge. “Gianna always steps up in the most critical time and is always so focused,” said Igoe Guarino. “She knows when we need her the most.”
Vey completed her hat trick, spinning her way into the middle of the defense, but then Erin Walsh got her second on a feed from O’Rourke and Regan added another in transition to make the score 14-8 with less than two minutes remaining.
Sherry said, “The draw wasn’t consistent enough for us. If we don’t win the draw, then we don’t win the game. We had bits and spurts but in those key moments they were beating us.”
The Warriors kept coming. Curran scored off a free position and then Notarangelo added another to make it a four-goal game in the end.
“It totally helps us and that’s the reason that we have those games,” Sherry said of playing the likes of Div. 1 powers Walpole, Wellesley, and Franklin this season. “But, we also have to hold ourselves accountable. At this point in the season, only about a week away from finding out where we are in the playoffs, it can’t just be helping us. We have to use it successfully. It has to be we played hard teams and we got a win from it.”
With 80 straight wins in the Hock and the potential for a seventh straight perfect league campaign, Igoe Guarino was pleased with the way her team responded to the challenge from their rivals.
“We take pride in it and we know that Foxboro is going to be the toughest league game every year,” she said. “[The players] just have a lot of pride and they know Foxboro is out to get us. Foxboro was ready for us but we had to be just as ready back.”
Franklin (14-2, 9-0) can complete another undefeated league season if it beats Canton on Monday. Foxboro (9-7, 7-1) will face Div. 2 East rival Medfield on Friday and look to secure an outright league title when it faces Milford on Tuesday.
King Philip’s Ava Tormey defends Foxboro’s Sophia DiCenso in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – The Foxboro girls lacrosse team might not have one of the best records in the state, but the hope is that facing top competition throughout the season will have the Warriors primed for the postseason.
The battle-tested Warriors showcased their talents in a battle of league unbeatens on Monday afternoon, earning a 19-6 win over visiting King Philip in dominating fashion.
“Our record isn’t great, not what it usually is but we’ve played so many of the top teams in the state that we’re so mentally prepared for the games now,” said Foxboro head coach Brittany Sherry. “The end result hasn’t always been what we want but we’re competing for the most part with those teams. We knew this was a big league game and we wanted to prove ourselves, the games leading up to this have prepared us for this.”
Foxboro entered the contest at 7-6 overall, but four of those losses were to four of the top seven teams in Eastern Mass — Notre Dame Academy (1), Walpole (2), Norwell (5), and Wellesley (7) — another to Western Mass powerhouse Longmeadow, and the sixth to Natick, who is ranked in the top 20.
After trading a pair of goals each to start the game, Foxboro’s offense went into high gear and rattled off eight straight goals to turn a close game into a comfortable lead for the host Warriors.
King Philip closed the first half strong to give themselves a shot in the second half, but Foxboro once again had eight straight goals and pull away for the win.
“We had a long talk after the Walpole game about what we can do to better prepare for games, and we haven’t put together two halves yet,” Sherry said. “Just because we say to be here at 3:00, doesn’t mean you can’t come early and get some shots up. It was the first time it hasn’t rained and they came early today and got ready for the game.”
Foxboro junior Julia Kelley scored a pair of goals inside the first four minutes to give the hosts the lead, the first off a feed from junior Jaime Notarangelo and the second assisted by sophomore Lilly Vey.
King Philip responded with a pair of goals to tie it 2-2 six minutes into the contest. First, freshman Julia Marsden carried possession from her own half and sliced through the Foxboro defense, finishing with a shot in close. Caroline Klim followed with a goal off a feed from Victoria Tormey to tie the score.
But from that point on, Foxboro owned the first half. The host Warriors dominated on draws, winning 11 of 16 in the first half, and won eight of the first nine which directly led to a big lead.
Senior Sophia DiCenso scored back-to-back goals, the first off a free position and the second off a feed from Vey. Vey then took a pass from Kelley and scored to make it 5-2. Senior Molly Murphy netted her first of three goals with a bounce shot with 12:31 left to make it 6-2 and force a KP timeout.
Foxboro didn’t take its foot off the gas though with Notarangelo tucking in a low shot for a 7-2 lead. King Philip goalie Caroline Watson (12 saves) was strong in net and turned away a Warrior chance with just under 10 minutes to go but Foxboro was first to the rebound and Abby Hassman connected with DiCenso to make it 8-2.
Vey scored back-to-back goals, the latter with four minutes to play in the first half.
King Philip put together a mini-run to end the first half and stay within striking distance. Buoyed by some draw controls, Klim scored off a nice individual effort, senior Allie Wilson found the back of the net off a free position chance, and junior Jessica Sullivan buried a nice shot with a minute to go to make it 10-5.
But Foxboro was relentless in the second half, holding King Philip to just one offensive possession through the first eight minutes. Watson made some stellar stops in close to keep Foxboro off the board but the host Warriors’ continual pressure paid off.
Vey found DiCenso in transition and just 17 seconds later, Notarangelo scored after controlling the draw. Hassman, Notaragenlo, and Murphy scored over the next five minutes to push Foxboro’s lead to 15-5.
“Credit to Foxboro, they came out strong with high energy and really wanted to play today from start to finish,” said King Philip coach Kourtnie Wilder. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to play that full 50 minutes. We had a few good sparks but not a full game of lacrosse and it showed, and they were able to pile it on.
“Having that short term memory is something we need to work on. Even if they score a couple of goals, we have to move on and focus on the next play. Credit to our goalie Caroline Watson, she had a lot of saves and kept us in it for most of the game.”
Even when King Philip was able to get a stop, Foxboro’s pressure made it tough for the visiting Warriors’ to clear the ball cleanly.
“We haven’t been that strong [pressuring defenses] but we did a nice job today,” Sherry said. “We wanted to put pressure on the goalie, the girls did very well with their ride today.
“I think we had the edge [on 50/50 balls]. We haven’t had that every game so far but today we did and that’s been one of our biggest things. We’re either really strong or really weak, and today we were on the strong end of things.”
Meghan Curran added two goals, Murphy scored once more, and senior Kristin Whalen found the back of the net once to cap the Foxboro scoring. Klim scored King Philip’s lone goal of the second half with 2:30 to play.
Foxboro girls lacrosse (6-0 Hockomock, 8-6 overall) is back in action on the road at Attleboro on Wednesday. King Philip (5-1, 8-3) is on the road at Canton on the same day.
Sharon and King Philip battled in the opening round of the D1 East tournament and both have their sights set on a return to the postseason as the spring gets underway. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Attleboro is a relatively young program that is looking to build on a talented group of returning players, particularly in the attacking end of the field. New head coach Chrissy Quinn has a dynamic group of attackers that she is hoping will build on last season’s 113 goals, which was the second-lowest goals tally in the league.
The key player in the midfield and attack is senior Kyra Lyons, who accounted for nearly half of the team’s goals last spring despite drawing the attention of opposing defenders. Lyons will be joined by senior midfielder Rylee Fontes, a Worcester State-commit, who adds a secondary playmaker around the opponent’s goal. Junior attackers Sydney DiLiddo, Kelly Johnson, Rylee Turnes, and Ashley Piazza will get helped by sophomore Hannah Webster, Campbell Compton, and Isabella Salviati.
On the defensive side of the ball, seniors Sam Fasoldt and Sydney Viera will be the leaders of the back line, trying to protect sophomore Maggie Porreca and junior Dee Graham, who will both see time in goal this season. Juniors Julia Willis, C.J. Westwater, and Lynn McDonald will also be jumping into the defensive unit to add depth at the back for the Bombardiers.
2018 Record: 4-13 2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs Coach: Laurie Chabot
Like many of the teams in the Davenport division, Canton comes into the spring eyeing a return to the state tournament. The Bulldogs last made it in 2016 after finishing in a three-way tie for second behind Foxboro in the Davenport division. With a mix of new faces and experienced returning players, second-year coach Laurie Chabot is hopeful that this season with see Canton make a run up the standings.
Canton will have a lot of experience in the defensive unit even after graduating a few key pieces. Senior Molly Cummings will be the leader at the back and will be joined by classmate Devyn McGrann and freshman Sydney Gallery, whose twin sister Fay will jump into the midfield this season. Junior Alexa Maffeo and seniors Maggie Connolly and Leah McLellan will also be critical for the Bulldogs to take control of the middle of the field and transition from defense into attack. Communication at the back will be key. There are several new faces in the attacking unit but Chabot is already seeing that chemistry is building. She was pleased with results in the preseason and is hoping that confidence will carry over into the games that count.
“We are off to a great start this spring,” Chabot said. “This year we not only have a strong team with both skill and speed, but we have size on our side. The team is coming together, starting with a win against Norwood in our scrimmage. We have strong players in all areas it’s hard to pinpoint just one.”
2018 Record: 14-6 2018 Finish: Reached D2 East Quarterfinal Coach: Brittany Sherry
Expectations may be as high for this year’s Foxboro team as any under head coach Brittany Sherry because the Warriors have a roster filled with talent and experience (14 returning seniors). Foxboro will be looking to clinch an eighth straight league title but also will have its sights set on bringing home the program’s first sectional title as well. With the weapons at the Warriors disposal, there is the potential for plenty of silverware to come their way this spring.
It all starts with two-time reigning Hockomock League MVP (and reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year) Sophia DiCenso. The senior midfielder has spent the off-season playing with the youth national team and will be the cog on which the Warriors build their attacks. She is joined in the midfield by classmate Molly Murphy, who is closing in on 100 goals in her career, juniors Abby Hassman and Jamie Notarangelo and sophomore Ella Waryas, who each provide Foxboro with solid two-way play. In attack, seniors Meghan Curran and Caroline McGeary have consistently provided goals in big games and sophomore Lilly Vey is a newcomer to watch this spring. The loss of Alex Stamatos to injury will be tough on defense, but senior Carlie Stern will provide the leadership for an experienced group that includes seniors Mary Spillane and Jenna Stamatov and junior Grace Boudreau. Of course, if anyone gets through then University of Louisville-commit Sara Addeche will be waiting in goal.
“This year our main goal is to take it game by game,” Sherry said. “We’re putting whatever has happened these last few years, as far as previous wins/losses and playoffs go, and putting it in our past. We need to continue to work hard every day, play as a team and have fun while doing it. We all have a common goal and know what it’s going to take to get there.”
It is a sign of just how far the Franklin program has come that being knocked out in last season’s East semifinal could almost be considered a disappointment. After winning the East title in 2016 and 2017, the Panthers come into the spring with another roster loaded with talent and experience and a schedule loaded with the top teams in the state to prep for a deep tournament run as well as trying to make it eight straight league titles.
Senior Annie Walsh will be the focal point for the Panthers again this year and the player that the offense typically runs through. Her sister Erin, a junior attacker, is one of the best finishers in the league and gives Franklin a dynamic one-two punch on offense. Junior Kelsey MacCallum adds another talented attacker to the forward line, while senior Hailey Toolin adds versatility as either a midfielder or defender and junior Alex Field will be a key piece of a defensive unit that was by far the best in the Hock last season. Junior goalie Gianna Cameron is another reason for the Panthers having such a strong defensive record after two straight seasons on the HockomockSports.com First Team. The Panthers haven’t lost a league game since 2012 (more than 70 straight wins) and have added an exciting freshman class with loads of potential, including six players making the instant jump to varsity.
“We have a ton of versatility where a lot of different players can play all positions. I am excited about the athleticism and skill level of our team,” said Franklin coach Kristin Igoe Guarino. “We have a ton of players with high level stick work and IQ that are capable of scoring and feeding. I am looking forward to us becoming a team with a high powered offense!”
Under first-year head coach Kourtnie Wilder, King Philip built on the momentum of its run to the 2017 East semifinal to put together a 14-win season and finish comfortably in second place in the Kelley-Rex division. The Warriors took Franklin to triple-overtime, coming as close as anyone has in recent years to ending the Panthers’ long league win streak, and battled with Lincoln-Sudbury in the East quarterfinal. Now, KP is hoping to use that experience to make a run at ending Franklin’s dominance in the division.
The key for KP may be the attack, which returns a lot of goals from last season. Senior Caroline Klim is back and will be a player that opposing defenses will have to watch out for after leading the league with 73 goals last season, including nine against Sharon in the playoffs. Klim will be joined up top by classmate Dana Truini and junior Jessica Sullivan. Defensively, Wilder points to the team’s aggressiveness and communications as being the keys to building on a season in which the Warriors only allowed 153 goals, which was second-best in the Hock. Senior Victoria Tormey, a HockomockSports.com First Team defender last season and Boston University-commit, will be the leader at the back and will have classmate Caroline Watson back in goal behind her to make a formidable group for opponents to break down.
Wilder said, “We are excited for the season and have a great group of returners. This season will be competitive as we are playing some strong teams, but we are up for the challenge! We are looking to build off of our success from last season and continuing to work hard and improve each day at practice.”
2018 Record: 9-10 2018 Finish: Reached D1 East First Round Coach: Lauryn Wilkie
New coach Lauryn Wilkie takes over the program this spring, looking to push an experienced Mansfield roster up the league standings, challenge Franklin at the top of the division, and make another run at a state tournament berth. The Hornets will be counting on its 11 returning seniors to keep things heading in the right direction this spring.
Senior attacker Katie Garvin will lead the forward line again this season after being among the league’s top scorers in 2018. Seniors Lauren Whitman and Maggie Danehy bring verve, energy, and experience to the Mansfield midfield, covering on draw controls and the transition game. Seniors Emily Vigeant and Kylie Tryder will cover the back line just in front of senior goalie Katie McCarthy, all of whom have multiple years of experience on varsity and should be a strength of the team. There are some underclassmen who will contribute right away for the Hornets, including sophomore midfielders Annemarie McCoy, Abby Varricchione, and Grace Fernandez and sophomore defender Melissa Shanteler.
“We are coming back this year with a brand new coaching staff looking to make some changes to the program,” said Wilkie. “We are breaking down the sport back to the basics and building it back up. Once this team finds their groove, I expect big things.”
Milford has a number of players back and a new head coach, Nicole Serra, looking to make a quick turnaround from last season in which the Hawks won only twice overall. With an athletic group back, Serra is working on building chemistry and putting the players in position to take advantage of their speed in transition. After scoring a league-low 82 goals last season, the attack will be a primary area of focus this spring.
Seniors Emily Haley, Katie Drysdale, and Sophia Bucal will give the Hawks leadership on the field, with Bucal providing a vocal presence in the attack. Senior Briana Maietta will join Bucal up front and they will be helped by junior midfielders Annie Flanagan and Elena Bon Tempo, who add athleticism whether in the attack or tracking back to help out on defense. Junior Hannah Bangert will be the leader at the back, controlling the defensive zone, along with sophomores Katie Maietta, Jillian Michelson, and Eva Parson.
“I am hoping to see the team really push themselves to improve every day and treat each practice like a game,” said Serra. “We are working on improving our speed, adding to our repertoire of offensive plays, and beating our record from previous years. I am looking forward to a great season.”
While North Attleboro finished below .500 last season, the Rocketeers only missed a postseason berth by a single game, ending up one game behind Sharon and in third-place in the Davenport division. Second-year coach Colleen Carchedi, who came over from Sharon last spring, is counting on the team’s young core (and the new turf at Beaupre Field) to help North get back into the postseason hunt and even challenge Foxboro’s reign at the top of the division.
Senior attacker Alexa Sinacola and senior defender Lauren Pezzi will be leaders on either end of the field, but North also has a strong junior class that will be counted on to produce this season, especially after the graduation of perennial all-star Kenzi Rosenberg. Junior Katie Lindstrom will be the focus of attention in the midfield after committing to UMass Lowell in the off-season, but she will have help from classmates Kathryn Kayata, Regan Fein, Lily Cameron, and Lindsay Spratt. Junior Faith Graveline will step into goal to try and help Pezzi lock down the defense along with sophomore starters Camryn Gonrdell and Aimee Baiungo. Sophomore Maggie O’Brien will add a spark to the attack.
Carchedi said, “We are young, but we are fresh. We are full of potential and certainly have the ability to compete at a high level of lacrosse. It is going to be a great season for us. Having the turf will be crucial in creating success for the program. I am very excited for this season and the future looks bright.”
2018 Record: 8-12 2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs Coach: Nicole Lang
Oliver Ames continues to build the depth within its program to try and get that elusive berth in the state tournament. The Tigers have won eight games in each of the past three seasons, making the postseason in 2016 and narrowly missing out by two wins each of the last two years. This spring, OA will send out a relatively young squad that will look to get the Tigers over the hump and into the playoffs.
While there is plenty of youth on the roster, OA has leadership from a core of experienced players, including senior midfielder Olivia Piazza, who was on the HockomockSports.com Second Team last year and is committed to Merrimack College. She scored 91 points last season and will be the engine at the heart of the OA midfield. Senior Maddie Kullen will be in goal this season for the Tigers and classmate Grace McCallum returns to lead the defensive unit.
OA will try to improve its defensive record and make strides up the league standings under second-year coach Nicole Lang, who said, “We have a young team this year but with a lot of determination to learn the game. We continue to work hard each day to continue to build a competitive team for this League. The girls are definitely excited for the season so we are looking forward to their hard work paying off.”
2018 Record: 11-8 2018 Finish: Reached D1 East First Round Coach: Shara Ginthwain
Sharon has made the playoffs each of the past three seasons and has gone 7-3 in league play for the past two years. It has been an unprecedented run of success for the program and the challenge for the Eagles is to keep that momentum going even with the loss of key players to graduation. Second-year coach Shara Ginthwain will hope that new players can step in and that the team’s chemistry and effort will allow Sharon to continue battling at the top of the Davenport division standings.
Senior midfielder Emma Eberhardt is the key to the Eagles staying on track. The Lehigh University-commit scored 69 goals last year, including five against KP in the playoffs, and has been one of the top playmakers in the league the past three seasons. Eberhardt’s normal running mate in midfield, Sabrina Robbins, is now playing at the University of Colorado, so it will be important for her to build a rapport with sophomore Jenna Goldstein, who had an impressive rookie campaign, and senior Maeve Barbera. Senior goalie Rose Wald will be back between the pipes and classmate Bridget McManus is back to guide the defensive unit after being a HockomockSports.com Second Team performer last spring. Sophomore Molly McAlevey is a newcomer in defense to keep an eye on.
“Based on tryouts, practices, and scrimmages early this season, I can already tell that this team has a lot of heart, a lot of grit, and does not give up,” said Ginthwain. “I think their mental toughness is going to be a big strength for us this year!”
Taunton has been on the verge of getting into the postseason in each of the past two seasons, missing out by just two wins last year, including a one-goal loss to Canton and a pair of non-league losses to New Bedford. With a young crew coming into this spring, the Tigers will be looking to improve their performance in the league (2-8 in the Hock in 2018) to push themselves into the postseason conversation.
The key for the Tigers is sophomore Alana Tavares. The three-year starter has been one of the league’s most dynamic attacking threats since jumping onto the varsity scene as an eighth grader and so much of the Taunton attack runs through her. Junior Kamryn Li is also back for the Tigers after scoring 23 goals last season. The only seniors on this year’s team are Emma Sheehan and Mabel Smith, but Taunton will have 10 sophomores, eight freshmen and an eighth-grader on this year’s roster, so the underclassmen are going to have roles to play right away this spring.
“We are a young group this year, but added some promising players to our roster,” said Taunton coach Kerry Northup. “We are excited to work with and grow the young talent we gained towards building us as a confident, strong competitor in the league.”
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 6 vs. Norwell, 17 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – Sophomore Lilly Vey scored three goals and the Warriors kept pace with the defending state champs for nearly a half, but the Clippers flexed their offensive prowess in the second half. Goals from Vey, Julia Kelley, and Abby Hassman helped Foxboro tie it 5-5 in the first half but Norwell used a 3-0 burst over the final three minutes to take an 8-5 lead into half. Sophia DiCenso scored early in the second to make it 8-6 but the Clippers scored the final nine goals.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 5 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – Taunton opened its season with a sweep of rival Coyle, dropping a total of three games. Brett Beaulieu (first singles), Dylan Kullas (third singles) and the team of Barrett Hodgson and Ryan Hebert (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0. Charlie Fiske earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and the team of Trevor Hart and Alex Pugh emerged with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at first doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – Taunton lost just one game among the five matches in a sweep of rival Coyle & Cassidy. Jillian Pagliuca, McKenzie Lucie, and Jocelyn Pagliuca each won 6-0, 6-0 at first, second, and third singles, respectively. The team of Sam Martin and Briana Fevrier picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Kayla Parrett and Ogechi Ariguzo earned a 6-0, 6-1 victory at second doubles.
