Tag: Matt Casamento
2018 Hockomock League Baseball All Stars
Below are the official 2018 Hockomock League Baseball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Tyler Dalton, Mansfield
Hockomock League All Stars
Jon Candiales, Attleboro
Matthew Casamento, Canton
Chad Bearce, Foxboro
Alex Haba, Franklin
Jake Macchi, Franklin
Jake Noviello, Franklin
Bryan Woelfel, Franklin
Jeremy Rhines, King Philip
Tyler Dalton, Mansfield
Kevin Dow, Mansfield
Daniel Saraceno, Mansfield
Aidan Wilde, Milford
Zach DeMattio, North Attleboro
Brendan McHugh, North Attleboro
Nathan Pearce, North Attleboro
Nick Sinacola, North Attleboro
Mitch Goulet, Oliver Ames
Matthew Muir, Oliver Ames
Chris Pearsons, Oliver Ames
Ruben Gonzales, Stoughton
Robert Seaman, Stoughton
Tyler DaSilva Medeiros, Taunton
Jack Moynihan, Taunton
Honorable Mentions:
Alvaro Espinal, Attleboro
Matthew Pigeon, Canton
Joseph Freitas, Foxboro
Colby Fitzgibbons, Franklin
David Morganelli, King Philip
Justin Pena, Mansfield
Matthew Shaver, Milford
Peter Cohen, North Attleboro
Michael Mulrean, Oliver Ames
Max Tarlin, Sharon
Evan Gibb, Stoughton
Josh Lajoie, Taunton
Stoughton Picks Up Emotional Win Over Canton
STOUGHTON, Mass. – It has been a long week for students at Stoughton High School.
On Friday morning, the Black Knights baseball team were among the hundreds of students that attended the funeral of classmate David Bell, one of four Stoughton High students, along with Nick Joyce, Eryck Sarblah, and Christopher Desir, who tragically passed away in an accident this past Saturday.
On Friday afternoon, the Black Knights took the field for the third time this season and came away with a 14-5 win over rival Canton, their second win over the Bulldogs this week.
“There wasn’t a doubt in my mind they’d want to play today, I’m just so proud of these young men,” said Stoughton head coach Mike Armour. Many of the players on the team were teammates with Bell for football or basketball.
“Going back to Monday, tip of the cap to Canton. They had ribbons and everything when we got there, and then over to Attleboro, it was their senior day but their parents were all wearing orange ribbons and they had stuff hanging up for us. The support we’ve felt from the rest of the league has been amazing. Just to see everyone come out and pick us up has been great. You’re OK one minute and then it kind of hits you, the kids and coaches included. These kids lost four friends. We were at one funeral today. It was a long day, it was a long week, but unsurprisingly these kids dug down and I was proud of them.”
Stoughton’s offense had its best game of the season, scoring a season-high 14 runs on 16 hits. The Black Knights scored in every inning except the third, scoring at least three runs in the second, fifth, and sixth innings.
Senior Ruben Gonzalez, who was teammates with Bell in both football and basketball, earned the win on the mound with two strikeouts in five innings of work. He walked four and allowed just three hits and three runs.
Matt Hadley got Stoughton’s offense going in the bottom of the first with a one-out single. A pickoff error allowed Hadley to get to third and he scored on a groundout from sophomore James Genest for a 1-0 lead after one.
The Black Knights had their best inning in the bottom of the second. Will Eckhart (walk), Cian Swierzewski (single) and Zak Paquette (error) all reached to load the bases with one out. Gonzalez and Hadley reached on back-to-back infield singles, each driving a run in to make it 3-0.
Evan Gibb drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to make it 4-0 and then a single from James Genest turned into two runs. Genest’s line drive to center was misplayed, allowing both Hadley and Gibb to score but Genest was thrown out at home on a nice relay throw from shortstop Nate Quan.
Canton stuck back for two runs in the top of the third. Niko Donovan singled and then scored on a two-out inside the park home run from Matt Pigeon to cut Stoughton lead to 6-2.
Stoughton loaded the bases in the fourth inning but Canton reliever Ryan Hickey limited the damage to one run. Gonzalez (double), Hadley (single), and Gibb (walk) were on base with one out. Gonzalez scored on a sacrifice fly from Genest to make it 7-2 but Hickey got the final out to escape further damage.
Quan helped Canton cut into Stoughton’s lead with a run in the top of the fifth. Quan had a leadoff walk, took second on a walk to Tommy DiLello and scored on an RBI single up the middle from Hickey to make it 7-3.
But Stoughton was quick to respond, scoring three runs in the bottom half. Swierzewski (fielder’s choice) and Paquette (single) were on first and second with two outs before Gonzalez ripped a shot to right-center field. Gonzalez used his speed to round the bases for a three-run inside the park home run, his third, fourth, and fifth RBI of the day.
“Ruben didn’t have any RBIs coming into this week,” Armour said. “He got his first one on Monday, got another against Attleboro and then the big day today. He’s been due, he’s a heck of a ballplayer.”
Mike Konzal led off with a triple for Canton in the top of the sixth and scored on an RBI groundout from sophomore Owen Lehane. An error allowed Rob Sullivan to reach, and a throwing error brought him to third and Lucas Bryant to second. Matt Casamento drove Sullivan in with an RBI single up the middle to make it 10-5.
But the Black Knights put the game out of reach with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, all with two outs. George Currier got things going with a single and scored after a triple from Robbie Seaman. Eckhart followed up with an RBI triple of his own and scored on a single from Ryan Semler to make it 14-5.
With the win, Stoughton qualifies for the postseason by securing a 0.500 record or better. The Black Knights were already headed to the playoffs because of a second place finish in the Davenport division.
While the offense has been a constant throughout the season, Armour is excited about the progress of the pitching.
“More important our pitching is coming along,” Armour said. “Ruben’s developed into a starter for us, Evan [Gibb] has been throwing, Will [Echkart] is getting back in the mix, and Zak [Paquette] is eating a ton of innings for us. We feel we have four guys that can man the mound and that puts us in a good position for the postseason. We’re looking forward to competing.”
Stoughton baseball (9-6 Hockomock, 9-8 overall) will finish the regular season with a visit from Sharon on Wednesday. Canton finishes the season 4-15 in the Hock and 5-15 overall.
Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/14/18
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames scored two runs in the second, added another in the third and stranded 13 Attleboro base runners to earn a win on the road. CJ Deveau had a two-RBI hit in the second inning to give Oliver Ames the lead while Chris Pearsons (double), Jake Erlich, and Matt Muir each scored for the Tigers. Tom Parker earned the with five scoreless innings of work while Muir got the save, striking out two in the seventh. Ryan Morry allowed five hits and two walks, striking out three in a complete game effort for the Bombardiers.
Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sharon tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the seventh but Canton came back with the game-winning run in the bottom half, walking off with a win over the Eagles. Mike Konzal led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and scored on a base hit down the first base line from Nate Quan for the win. The Dogs took the lead in the fourth off when Matt Casamento (double) scored on a passed ball. Sharon’s Ben Stamm singled in the top of the seventh to tie it. Robbie Wilkinson tossed a complete game for Canton, striking out six and walking four with just three hits allowed. Sharon’s Max Tarlin also threw a complete game, striking out six with three walks and seven hits allowed.
Foxboro, 7 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Foxboro senior Devin Hassett allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings of work and sophomore Anthony Mollica didn’t allow any hits in 3.1 innings of relief to lead the Warriors to a win on the road. Milford took a 1-0 lead (Aidan Wilde three walks, run) into the sixth inning but Foxboro exploded for seven runs in the frame to take the lead. Joe Freitas (1-for-3) had two RBI while Joe Cavaleri and JT Burke each had two hits and an RBI in the win. Matt Rongione and Hassett each added a hit and an RBI for the Warriors.
Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final –Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Taunton, 11 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Taunton’s offense had its best showing of the season, scoring two runs in each the third, fourth, fifth innings and then putting the game out of reach with a five-run sixth inning. Jacob Crawford led the Tigers with three hits while Jack Moynihan (two RBI), Jakob Roberts, and Tyler Medeiros each had two hits. Tyler Pietrzyk had a team-high three RBI for the Tigers. Moynihan tossed five scoreless innings for the win, striking out three.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – North Attleboro rallied with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a walk off win over visiting Stoughton. Brendan McHugh got things going with a two-out single and then stole second to get into scoring position. Nick Raneri delivered the big hit with a single to right center to bring McHugh (1-for-2, walk, two stolen bases) home for the win. North took the lead in the fifth inning when Nick Sinacola had a one-out single, pinch-runner Jackson Billingkoff moved to third on a single from Zach DeMattio, and Billingkoff scored on a squeeze dropped by McHugh. Stoughton kept the game alive with a run in the top of the seventh behind a leadoff single from Zak Paquette. Pinch runner Jack Brown stole second and took third on an infield hit from Ruben Gonzalez. Brown then scored on a sacrifice fly from Evan Gibb. Stoughton had Gonzalez in scoring position with just one out but Nick Sinacola (CG, 8 H, 1 BB, 8 K) got two strikeouts to keep the game level. Nate Pearce added two doubles and a walk in the win for North.
Softball
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman Emma Varella struck out four in a complete game effort but the Tigers fell just short against Attleboro. Katie Abreu was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. Abbi Holmes had an RBI and Lexie Campbell scored the other run for the Tigers.
Canton, 11 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Canton sophomore Caroline Hughes went 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and three RBI while freshman Liz Bickett also was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a big win on the road. Hughes also pitched four scoreless innings to earn the win. Sarah Kelly added a double, Torie Anglin chipped in with a triple, and Ally Chin had a pair of singles for the Bulldogs.
Milford, 19 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Milford’s offense exploded for 22 hits, earning a big win on the road at Foxboro. Shannon Cormier (double, two runs, two RBI), Sabrina Haarstick (RBI), and Maddie Bonvino (double, two RBI) each had three hits to lead the Hawks’ offense. Emily Hartman (four RBI, two doubles), Jess Tomaso (three runs, RBI), and Emily Piergustavo (triple, three runs, RBI) added two hits apiece. Kelley Reichert struck out three while allowing three hits in four innings pitched.
Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Franklin’s offense continued to roll, plating nine runs to sweep the season series against Mansfield. Franklin scored runs in all but two innings, plating three in each the second and fourth innings. Jackie Cherry tossed a one-hitter, striking out nine to earn the win in the circle. Maddy White (two doubles, run, three RBI) had three hits for the Panthers while Gabby Colace (two runs, RBI), Anna Balkus (three runs, three stolen bases, two RBI) and Meg Caron chipped in with two hits apiece. Megan Letendre had the lone hit of the game for the Hornets, doubling in the fourth inning to score Kara Bendanillo, who had reached on a walk.
King Philip, 3 @ Taunton, 4 – Final –Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Andrea Miceli had a two-out single to drive in a run in the fifth and Olivia Capobianco broke the game open with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Bella Erti picked up the win, striking out five and allowing four hits, and helped her own cause with a pair of hits and an RBI. Abby Gallagher and Katherine Munley each had three hits for the Rocketeers, while Ashley Cangiano (two RBI) and Katy Daby both had two hits. Stoughton’s Karly Estremera was 1-for-3 with a triple, scoring both of the Black Knights’ runs. Jordan Lyons was 2-for-3 at the plate and played an outstanding game at shortstop. Haley Stone, Sarah McGrath, and Taylor Levine each had a single for the Knights.
Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 7 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final
Canton, 11 vs. Scituate, 10 – Final (OT) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
King Philip @ Falmouth, 5:00
Sharon @ Mansfield, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 19 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Steve Heino registered a shutout in his second career varsity start. The Tigers’ offense was balanced with 11 different goal scorers, led by four from Owen Gallagher and three from Colin Bourne.
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 14 vs. Brookline, 13 – Final – Vicki Revanche made 21 saves to help Canton earn a one-goal victory on senior night. Canton coach Laurie Chabot said, “We controlled the game with quick transition, great defense and great shots on goal.” Leah McClellan sparked the Bulldogs offensively with four goals and six assists, while Maggie Connolly added two goals and two assists. Senior Molly Colburn chipped in with a hat trick in the win.
Franklin, 8 vs. Walpole, 9 – Final (OT) – Sophomore Gianna Cameron made 15 saves to keep the Panthers in the game, helping send the game against unbeaten Walpole to overtime, but the Rebels netted the winner to prevail with the win. Annie Walsh had three goals and an assist, Erin Walsh scored once and had an assist, and Kate Jones finished with two goals for the Panthers.
King Philip @ Bishop Feehan, 3:45
Mansfield, 8 @ Sharon, 12 – Final – Rose Wald had a big game for the Eagles, making 15 saves in the win. Sabrina Robbins led the Sharon attack with three goals and an assist, while Emma Eberhardt added two goals and two assists. Lydia Chase and Maeve Barbera each scored twice for the Eagles and Jenna Goldstein, Abbi Solomon, and Cass Barbera each had one goal apiece.
North Attleboro @ Braintree, 4:00
Taunton, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Taunton freshman Alana Tavares scored six goals, including the 100th of her career in the loss.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon didn’t lose a single game in four of the five matches to earn a convincing win on the road at Canton. Fred Bondar (first singles), Andre Olivei (second), Arie Chinnappan (third), and Max Brody and Russell Rapaport (first doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0. The team of Alex Aspel and Eric Zhang earned Sharon’s fifth point with a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final
Mansfield, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin picked up two wins in singles play and another in doubles to slip past the Hornets in a close match. Liam Marr picked up a big point with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win at second singles, Saketh Saipalli didn’t lose a game at third singles, and the team of Tony Calderone and Dan Angermeier won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles and the team of Jalaj Singh and Sethu Odayappan won 6-7 (6), 6-2, 10-6 at first doubles.
King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Taunton’s Francois Hennaux saved six match points at first singles en route to a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win but King Philip won the other four matches to get the victory. Nick Putney won 6-3, 6-2 at second singles, Jack Cannon earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles, the team of Nate Ihley and Sean Desroches rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles, and Nick Ihley and Aidan Ignatius won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles for the Warriors.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro won all five matches in straight sets to get a sweep on the road. Richard Bermudez won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, freshman Jonah Manso earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, and sophomore Alex Pfeffer notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles for Big Red. The team of Vikram Senthilakumaran and Ben Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and Alex Rinaldi and Sam Gallagher notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Sarah Barron won a third set tiebreaker and the team of Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke rallied back from a one-set deficit to highlight the Tigers’ sweep of Attleboro. Barron won 7-5, 3-5, 10-4 at third singles while Tate Hadges (first singles) won 6-3, 6-4 and Maura Kiernan (second singles) earned a 6-3, 6-2 win. Groebe and Stryke rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Emily Yu and Eva Belanger took a 6-2, 7-5 decision at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in straight sets to earn a win on the road over Canton. Nupur Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Lulu Yuan earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Emily Win prevailed 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein won 7-5, 6-4 at first doubles and Ellie Romantz and Makaila Cheung picked up a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the road Warriors, winning all five matches in straight sets. Sophia Prinos (first singles) and Pamela Nelson (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Kayla Prag earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at third singles. Foxboro’s first doubles team of Sarah Prag and Julia Muise won 6-0, 6-1 while the team of Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender picked up a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second doubles.
Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets defended home court by winning two singles matches and sweeping doubles play against visiting Franklin. Sarah Doyle picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and Elizabeth Elsner followed suit with a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. The team of Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first doubles, and Samantha Sternburg and Aryana Khosravani won 7-5, 6-3 at second doubles. Franklin’s Lucia Kehoe won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles.
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro punched its ticket to the state tournament with a sweep of visiting Stoughton. Jordan Willis (first singles) and Emily Chiasson (second) each won 6-0, 6-0 while junior Mae McLoughlin earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles for Big Red. Azka Siddiq and Katie Ovoian won 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles while Shurobhi Nani and Brototi Nandi picked up a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Xaverian, 0 – Final
Taunton, 3 vs. North Quincy, 0 – Final – After beating North Quincy on the road in five sets earlier this season, the undefeated Tigers flexed their muscles on home with a clean sweep (25-22, 25-15, 25-20). Lance Law paced the attack with 14 kills and an ace, Lens Esquil added 10 kills and five blocks, and Collin Hunter chipped in with three kills, three blocks, and three aces.
Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/18
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Canton, 2 @ Wellesley, 4 – Final – The Raiders scored once in the first and three runs in the second to take a 4-0 lead that they never relinquished thanks to a strong pitching performance that included 10 strikeouts as a team. The Bulldogs cut the lead in half on a pair of RBI singles from Matt Casemento (3-for-3) in the third and the fifth. Owen Lehane also went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Canton, which out-hit Wellesley 6-to-4 in the loss. Canton starter Niko Donovan allowed only three hits in his three innings of work and Matt Connolly allowed only one hit in three scoreless innings of relief. Canton coach Greg Digirolamo said, “We competed hard against a good Wellesely squad today! If we continue to put in effort like that, the results will come.”
Softball
Franklin vs. Bridgewater-Raynham – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 11 vs. Bellingham, 6 – Final – Brendan White had a big game for the Hawks, figuring in eight of the team’s 11 goals. He scored six times and assisted on two others. Andrew Gallagher chipped in with a pair of goals and an assist. The defense was led by Ryan Donnelson with five ground balls. Freshman Jack LeBlanc won eight face-offs and Ryan Hazard won 6-of-7 that he took.
Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/03/18
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final (8 Inn.) – Attleboro took a lead in the top of the eighth inning, breaking open a scoreless game, with an RBI single by Alvaro Espinel, but the Bulldogs rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning to walk off with the win. With one out, Tommy DeLello reached on an error and Nate Quan drew a walk. Matt Casamento singled to left to bring in the tying run and Matt Pigeon dropped a single just fair down the line to score Quan with the game-winning run. Robbie Wilkinson went five innings on the mound for the Bulldogs and Kevin McGonigle got his first varsity win in relief. Attleboro starter Drew Pagano went seven scoreless but ended up with a no-decision as the Bombardiers lost to a walk-off for the second straight day.
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 11 – Final – Bryan Woelfel went six innings to pick up the win for the Panthers, striking out two and allowing only two hits. Will Pacheco threw a scoreless seven and struck out two to finish the game for Franklin. Brendan Rivera, Cooper Ross, Jake Noviello, and Alex Haba each scored a run and drove in a run in the game, while Jake Macchi scored three times in the win. Ben Schwartz and Max Tarlin had the two hits for the Eagles.
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – David Morganelli had a great game on the bump for the Warriors, picking up a complete game shutout with six strikeouts and only three hits allowed. Collin Cooke had a hit an RBI for the KP offense, while Pat Limerick and Chris Sawyer each had two hits and each scored a run.
Softball
Canton, 5 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Caroline Hughes struck out five for the Bulldogs and picked up a complete game win on the road. Hughes also hit a double. Freshman Liz Bickett went 2-for-4 with a homerun and drove in three runs for Canton. Evelyn Carrington went 2-for-4 and scored the eventual game-winner. Steph Trendell threw out a pair of Attleboro runners, including one in the bottom of the seventh that ended the game.
Franklin, 15 @ Sharon, 1 – Final (6 Inn.) – Franklin broke the game open with a seven-run second inning to put the Panthers on the way to a third straight win. Jackie Cherry held the Eagles without a hit in her three innings in the circle, striking out seven. Cherry also went 2-for-3 with a triple, homer, and four RBI at the plate. Natalie Stott also went 2-for-3, drove in a pair of runs and scored three times. Gabby Colace went 2-for-2 with two RBI for the Panthers and Macie Phillips threw three innings in her varsity debut, allowing only one hit and striking out three. Nickie Martinez drove in the lone run for the Eagles and junior catcher turned a nice double play from behind the plate.
Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 22 @ Taunton, 1 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Mairead Goguen scored two goals and had two assists for the Panthers, while Corinne Lewis had two goals. Kate Morse and Sydney Hawkins both scored their first goals of the season in the win.
Sharon, 17 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain said that the Eagles “played a strong game today and worked together to get the win” Sharon collected 29 ground balls as a team, won 16-of-19 draws, and assisted on 10-of-17 goals. Abbi Solomon and Sabrina Robbins each scored five goals for the Eagles and Emma Eberhardt collected a hat trick. Jenna Goldstein scored a pair and sisters Maeve and Cass Barbera each tallied once in the win.
Boys Tennis
Canton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
Franklin @ Sharon, 3:45
King Philip @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final
Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Canton, 3:45
Sharon @ Franklin, 3:45
Stoughton @ King Philip, 3:45
Taunton, 5 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final
Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/26/18
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 6 – Final – Canton’s Robbie Wilkinson tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits to help the Bulldogs not their second win of the season. Offensively, Matt Casamento went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Matt Pigeon had two hits and three RBI for Canton.
Taunton @ Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, 5/17 at 3:30
Mansfield @ King Philip – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/30 at 3:45
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (6 inn.) – Kelsey White allowed just two hits in four innings of work, striking out five to help the Tigers earn a shutout win over visiting Attleboro. Jaylin Couto struck out four in two innings of relief work. Offensively, McKenzie McAloon went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI, Jaime Brown was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs, and Kya Enos had two hits, two runs, and a stolen base. Mackenzie Handrahan added a pair of hits, two RBI, and two runs while White helped her own cause with a double, triple, and two runs scored.
Foxboro, 5 @ Canton, 6 – Final – Canton freshman Steph Trendell had two singles, including the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh as Canton walked off with a win over visiting Foxboro. Trendell knocked in classmate Nikki Desjardins from second on a two-out hit to get the win. Freshman Liz Bickett added three hits in the win, including a home run and sophomore Caroline Hughes added two hits for the Bulldogs.
Stoughton, 8 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Stoughton built and 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Eagles rallied for four runs in the final frame, but Sharon couldn’t sustain the rally and lost its home opener. Lexi Baptista went 4-for-4 for the Black Knights with three triples and a single, drove in a pair of runs and scored three times. Gina Carafa earned the win with a complete game, striking out 10 while also going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Jamie Kessler drove in a pair of runs with a single in the seventh and Rebecca Clayman plated two more with a double for Sharon.
King Philip @ Mansfield – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 5/31 at 3:45.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Eric LeBlanc had four goals and Owen Gallagher had three goals as Oliver Ames picked up a win over visiting Attleboro. Shane Kilkelly and Sandro Mascierelli each scored twice and Hunter Costello chipped in with one goal. OA head coach Ben Devlin said Frankie Ireland (three assists) had a great all-around game and Shane Murphy, Matt Saba, Mark Vasapollo, and Cullen Gallagher all had strong games defensively for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 4 @ King Philip, 16 – Final
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 13 – Final – With Mansfield’s defense focused on Franklin All American Eric Civetti (two goals), Panthers’ freshman Matt Lazzaro stepped up and netted a team-high four goals to lead the way. Zach Alexander, Will Davis, and Chase Tanner all had two goals apiece while Nitin Chaudhury scored once and had one assist. Connor O’Rourke made eight saves in net for the Panthers.
Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 20 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final – Attleboro used a second half surge to get the deficit to five (12-7) but Oliver Ames closed the door with a big run to end the game. Seven different players scored for the Tigers, led by seven goals and three assists from Olivia Piazza and four goals and one helper from Chloe Kilkelly.
Franklin, 18 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Frankin jumped out to a 10-1 lead at halftime and never looked back against the Hornets. Kelsey MacCallum paced the offense with three goals and two assists, Annie Walsh added four goals and four draw controls, Hailey Toolin chipped in with a pair of goals and four draws, and Haley DeStefano finished with a goal and an assist. Gianna Cameron made six saves in net for Franklin.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro @ Taunton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – King Philip’s second doubles team of Aidan Ignatius and Nick Ihley pulled out a 7-5, 7-5 win to help secure the win for the visiting Warriors. Nick Putney grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles and Jack Cannon notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for KP’s other two wins. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and the team of Jalaj Singh and Sethu Odayappan won 7-5, 6-3 at first doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Jack Redding prevailed with a 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles to help Big Red complete the sweep and continue its unbeaten start to the season. Richard Bermudez (first singles), Christian Bermudez (second singles) and the team of Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilakumaran (first doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0 for North. The team of Alex Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon senior Fred Bondar recorded a 6-3, 6-3 win in a tight match at first singles to help the Eagles complete the sweep. Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and Ashwin Sreevatsa won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Max Brody and Russell Rapaport didn’t lose a game in their match at first doubles and Alex Aspel And Arie Chinnappan won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Taunton lost just two games total in its two doubles matches, helping the Tigers pick up a 4-1 win on the road. McKenzie Lucie and Samantha Martin didn’t lose a game in a win at first doubles and Amanda Pugh and Brianna Fevrier won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Senior Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles and eighth-grader Kayla Parrett notched a 6-3, 6-1 in her varsity singles debut. Attleboro’s Brianna Aronne pulled out a 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 10-2 win ay second singles.
Foxboro, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Foxboro picked up a pair of wins in singles and another two wins in doubles play to beat Canton. Sophia Prinos won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Julia Muise recorded a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of Sarah Prag and Olivia Dantona picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles and Foxboro’s Kendall Milender and Margaret McAuliffe prevailed at second doubles with a 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 win. Canton freshman Rachel Kupferman won 3-6, 6-1, 12-10 at second singles.
Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip won all five matches in straight sets, getting a win over Mansfield at home. Erin Regnier won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Meghan Sepich notched a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Caitlin Gonser recorded a 6-0, 6-1 victory at third singles. The team of Mia Valencia and Grace Ely took a 6-2, 6-4 decision at first doubles and Hannah Putney and Lucy Barnard picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/11/18
Today’s games are listed below.
Baseball
Attleboro, 6 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Attleboro senior James Weir shined on the mound, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in a complete game effort. Weir earned the win with just one earned run allowed. Eoin Kelleher (double) and Dakota Kirby each had a pair of hits for the Bombardiers along with an RBI each. Jon Candiales added a pair of hits and three runs scored for Attleboro.
Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Sharon junior Noah Kamens tossed a complete game without allowing an earned run to help the Eagles pick up their first win of the season. Kamens stuck out four while walking three in the win. Senior Drew Naisuler went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI while junior Jared Reef added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.
Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro broke open a tie game with three runs in the top of the fourth and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to earn a win over Canton. In his varsity debut, senior Ben Arrighi came on with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and induced a ground ball to get out of the inning. Arrighi then escaped another bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh to earn the save (2.1 IP, 0 R). Jeff Gale went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, including a triple, and had an RBI single in the sixth inning to put Big Red up 6-2. Nick Sinacola added two hits while Peter Cohen earned the win on the mound. Canton’s Matt Casamento had a two-run home run in the third that tied the game 2-2.
Franklin, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield took the lead in the bottom of the first inning but Taunton answered with three runs in the top of the second to earn the win. Jack Moynihan earned the win on the bump, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and just on unearned run allowed. Josh Lajoie didn’t allow a hit in two innings of relief, striking out four to earn the save. Offensively, Trevor Pietrzyk (2-for-4) knocked in one run and Jacob Crawford had two RBI. Moynihan also had a hit and scored a run. For Mansfield, Sam Nugent went 2-for-3 and Tyler Dalton had an RBI single. Sophomore John Carney struck out five without allowing a hit in 3.2 innings of relief.
Stoughton, 10 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Stoughton’s offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning to pick up a victory on the road. Sophomore James Genest went 3-for-5 (double, run, RBI), while Ruben Gonzalez (double, run), Robbie Seaman (double, two runs), and George Currier (run, RBI, SB) each had two hits. Sophomore Michael Nazzaro chipped in with a two-run double. Zak Paquette started for Stoughton and went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts. Junior Evan Gibb got the win pitching 2.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit.
Softball
King Philip, 7 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip’s Elise Pereira allowed just four singles and one run while striking out 12 batters to lead the Warriors to a win on the road. Brianna Lacy paced the offense with three hits, including a home run. Faith Turnese added two hits and Sydney Phillips had two RBI in the win.
North Attleboro, 20 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Bella Erti (three innings, one hit allowed) and Jaclyn Buckley (two innings and two hits allowed) combined for the shutout for North, which has scored at least 20 runs in each of its two games this season. Ashley Cangiano and Olivia Capobianco each went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, while Abby Warren went 3-for-3 with two triples and six RBI. Erti also went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in a pair and Emily Nardelli had one RBI and three runs scored. North coach Bill Wallace said Andrea Miceli had a great game in the field.
Sharon, 7 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final – Foxboro seniors Hannah Davis and Mandy Ryan, and freshman Nicole Theriault each had three hits to pace the Warriors to a big win at home. Junior Emma Rohan recorded 10 strikeouts for the Warriors.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back to secure its first win of the season. The Panthers tacked on four more in the second, five more in the fourth and a single run in the sixth inning. Kylie Bouzan and Meg Caron finished with two RBI apiece while Emily Valentino earned the win, striking out four while scattering six hits. For Oliver Ames, Marissa Guarino was 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Kayla Georgeu added a double, and Katie Abreu scored a run.
Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton sophomore Jaylin Couto allowed just one earned run on four hits in four innings of work. Couto also struck out four while Kelsey White finished with three innings of no-hit ball with three strikeouts. McKenzie McAloon (3-4, two doubles, three RBI), Hanna Aldrich (2-3, two doubles, three RBI), Jaime Brown (2-3, double), Kya Enos (1-2, two RBI), and Kelsey White (triple, two RBI) paced the Tigers’ offense. Grace Benton went 2-for-3 on the game for the Hornets, recording half of the team’s hits on the day.
Milford, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Milford rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning to escape Stoughton with a win. The Hawks put the bat on the ball but Stoughton played phenomenal defense to keep them off the board for six innings. In the top of the seventh, Emily Hartman (2-for-2, run) led off with a double, Shannon Cormier walked and Maddy Bonvino loaded the bases with a bunt single. Kelley Reichert gave Milford the lead with a two-run single and Sabrina Haarstick gave the Hawks insurance with another two-run single. Antonia Bonina had another strong day offensively, going 3-for-3 while Reichert earned the win, striking out seven with three hits allowed and just one unearned run. Stoughton took the lead when Nikki Coppola led off the bottom of the first with a walk, took second on an error and scored on a ground ball to short from Jordan Lyons. Gina Carafa tossed a complete game for Stoughton, allowing just six hits.
Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 18 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final
Milford, 2 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Canton senior Charlie O’Connor made his season debut and didn’t lose a face off, scoring two goals as well, to help the Bulldogs pick up a win over visiting Milford. The Bulldogs had eight different players score a goal including junior Teddy MacDonald, who notched his first career goal. Freshman goalie Dylan Coyne had a shutout in net in the fourth quarter for Canton.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Louis Piccolo recorded six points while Andrew Whalen and Pete Conley each picked up five points as Foxboro improved to 4-0. Piccolo had three goals and three assists, Whalen scored once and had four assists, and Conley scored four times and chipped in with one helper.
Mansfield, 10 @ King Philip, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 7 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final – North Attleboro senior Jason McNeany dominated the face off X (18-for-20) to help the Rocketeers pick up a win at home over OA. Sophomore Andy DeMattio scored five goals, Damien Curtis scored four goals, and McNeany added four points in the win. Nate D’Amico made eight saves in net for the Rocketeers. Eric LeBlanc had three goals for Oliver Ames while Shane Kilkelly found the back of the net twice.
Sharon, 14 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Brothers Brett and Drew Litner each finished with six points to pace the Eagles to a win on the road. Brett had five goals and one assist while Drew had one goal and five assists. Kadin Nestler added three goals for Sharon while Johnny Greenberg posted the shutout.
Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 2 @ Sharon, 15 – Final – Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain called the Eagles’ win a “total team effort,” as eight different players scored goals. Sabrina Robbins had another strong overall game with three goals, three assists, and six ground balls, while Emma Eberhardt also finished with a hat trick and three assists and added 10 draw controls as well. Freshman Jenna Goldstein made it a hat trick of hat tricks for the Eagles and Cass Barbera chipped in with six ground balls. Taunton’s Hannah Moniz and Alana Tavares each scored once while Lorna Li made 11 saves in net.
Attleboro, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Halle Atkinson and Shannon D’Arcangelo each recorded three goals to pace the Panthers to a win at home. Alex Field scored her goal of the season while Victoria Quinn had a strong game in midfield with four draw controls. Grace MacCallum anchored the defense with three ground balls.
Canton, 7 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Maggie Connolly scored a first half hat trick to help the Bulldogs pull out their first win of the season and first under new coach Laurie Chabot.
Foxboro, 10 @ Norwell, 11 – Final
King Philip, 12 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final – KP made it three wins in three games to start the season with six different players finding the back of the net. Katie Crowther and Caroline Klim each scored three goals for the Warriors, while Alli Meehan added two goals and an assist, Dana Truini had a pair of goals, Jess Sullivan had a goal and an assist, and Olivia Tormey scored in the win. Caroline Watson made 13 saves in the win.
North Attleboro, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ella Hogan and Olivia Piazza each netted three goals while Chloe Kilkelly and Sofia Masciarelli added two goals apiece.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip lost a total of three games in singles play on its way to a sweep on the road at Attleboro. Marco DiStefano won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Nick Putney didn’t lose a game in a win at second singles and Jack Cannon took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Nick Ihley and Nate Ihley registered a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles and Zak Ryan and Jake Mager made their varsity debuts with a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro picked up its third win of the season, sweeping Canton on the road. Senior Richard Bermudez won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Christian Bermudez won with the same score at second singles. Freshman Jonah Manso won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. The team of Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilkumaran won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Alex Pfeffer and Sam Gallagher teamed up for a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Sharon picked up its third win of the season with a sweep on the road against division foe Foxboro. Fred Bondar notched a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, Andre Olivei picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and Danujan Thirumavalavan didn’t lose a game at third singles. Junior Max Brody and senior Russell Rapaport won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles while Sharon’s pairing of Ashwin Sreevatsa and Arie Chinnappan, won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin earned a clean sweep, dropping just one game in the five matches. Rohan Herur and Saketh Saripalli each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and third singles, respectively. Liam Marr recorded a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles for the Panthers. The team of Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu (first doubles) and the pairing of Tony Calderone and Dan Angermeier (second doubles) each won 6-0, 6-0.
Mansfield @ Taunton, 3:45
Milford, 0 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win of the season, sweeping Milford. Freshman Waseem Sablon picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, junior Erik Anderson recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles and LJ Fernandiz won 6-3, 6-3 at third singles. Stoughton’s team of Hassan Khan and Andrew Chiang won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and the pairing of sophomores Brendon Buckley and Mike Veliotis won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Taunton won in straight sets in all five matches to notch a victory on the road. Jillian Pagliuca won by default at first singles, senior Vanessa Rosa won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles, and freshman Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of juniors McKenzie Lucie and Sam Martin won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles for the Tigers and senior Amanda Pugh and junior Brianna Fevrier won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.
Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:30
Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a pair of wins in both singles and both doubles to beat Canton. Senior Jordan Willis won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and senior Katie Ovoian won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles. The team of seniors Leah Marceau and Shurobhi Nandi won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles while juniors Mae McLaughlin and Tara Nair emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton freshman Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles.
Foxboro, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon emerged with a 3-2 victory in a showdown with division rival Foxboro. The Eagles picked up wins at second singles and both doubles matches. Lulu Yuan won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, Katie Merport and Emily Wen prevailed with a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles and Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein teamed up for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Sophia Prinos won 6-2, 7-5 at first singles and freshman Pam Nelson earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.
Franklin, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home court with a sweep of visiting Franklin. Sarah Leger won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Tate Hadges took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles and Maura Kiernan didn’t lose a game in a win at third singles. The team of Kristin Bloumbas and Emily Yu recorded a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rachel Stryke and Olivia Groebe prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.
Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final
2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff
2018 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Attleboro
2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Matt Bosh
After missing out on the postseason a year ago, Attleboro head coach Matt Bosh believes his team’s depth and versatility will help the Bombardiers get back there.
Junior Eoin Kelleher is back to lead the pitching staff after a stellar sophomore season in which he earned HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year honors. Kelleher posted a 1.00 ERA in 35 innings of work, including throwing a no-hitter against rival North. Senior captains Jason Weir and Jon Candiales, senior Drew Pagano along with junior Sam Larkin will all see time on the mound for Big Blue as well.
Candiales and Weir also anchor the offense with the former patrolling shortstop and the latter seeing time in both the outfield and first base. Candiales gives the Bombardiers power from the left side of the plate while Weir is a three-year starter that gives Bosh flexibility in the lineup. Larkin will be in the outfield when he isn’t pitching and can use his speed to hurt teams. Corey McKenna returns as the starting second baseman while senior Dakota Kirby is back behind the dish after a year off. Kirby will add pop to the lineup as he hit 0.425 as a sophomore with 10 RBI.
“The biggest improvement that I see from last year is our team speed and athleticism,” Bosh said. “We have a lot of guys that can play multiple positions and we’re very athletic. We have a high number of kids who can play anywhere.”
Canton
2017 Record: 6-12
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Greg Digirolamo
A strong core of returning players and a good amount of depth will be keys for the 2018 Canton Bulldogs baseball team.
After losing just four players from last year’s team, there is a good mix of experienced players and talented youth for head coach Greg Digirolamo to work with. The Bulldogs will look to three senior captains to the lead the way: Matt Casamento, Robbie Wilkinson, and Tommy DeLello. Casamento is a three-year starter in center field, DeLello will man first base and Wilkinson will try to carry over the momentum from an impressive junior year into 2018. Wilkinson went 3-1 last year with a 1.58 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.
Wilkinson will be joined in the pitching staff by seniors Austin Maffie, Niko Donovan, and Ryan Hickey, along with juniors Paul Corcoran, Robbie Sullivan, and Kevin McGonigle. Freshman Matt Connolly will also figure into the mix on the mound.
Casamento anchors the defense from the center field spot while junior catcher Matt Pigeon and sophomore shortstop Nate Quan bolster the defense up the middle.
“It’s a good group of kids that like to compete every day, what else can you ask for as a coach?” Digirolamo said. “For us the biggest thing will be seeing live pitching. If we’re to have any success this year we’ll need to do a better job at the plate.”
Foxboro
2017 Record: 7-14
2017 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Derek Suess
New Foxboro head coach Derek Suess sees a little bit of the past in his first team as head coach. Suess, a former Warrior himself, said the 2018 version of Foxboro reminds him of a team that won 15 games during his senior year just over a decade ago.
“This team is hungry to put the program back on the map,” Suess said. “I couldn’t ask for a better senior group to lead us. They remind me of the senior group I was a part of in 2007 in which we won 15 games. With a good mix of underclassmen, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s hard work pay off on the field.”
After losing a painful eight games by just one run a season ago, including a near upset of third-seeded and D3 South Finalist Norton in the playoffs, the Warriors will be looking to turn those losses into wins this time around.
“We need to make more winning plays to put those tallies in the win column,” Suess said.
Junior Anthony Mollica will spearhead the offense after leading the Warriors with a 0.367 batting average a year ago. Senior Chad Bearce and sophomore Joe Cavaleri will bolster the middle of the lineup, freshman Sean Yoest has shown flashes early on at the dish, and seniors Joe Freitas, Matt Rongione, and Jack Franceschelli provide the Warriors with some speed.
Senior Steve McLaughlin returns after an impressive 2017 season. Despite posting an 0-6 record, McLaughlin struck out 24 batters in 32.2 innings of work and posted a 1.73 ERA. McLaughlin will be joined by Cavaleri, Yoest, and junior Guy Quartarone in the rotation while senior Robert Theriault returns behind the dish after getting a year of experience last season.
Franklin
2017 Record: 18-6
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Zach Brown
Focusing on pitching and defense, the Panthers will be looking to get better each and every day as they try to replicate the success from a season ago.
Franklin won the Kelley-Rex division last year, its first league title since 2012. And the mix of pitching and offense put the Panthers in some conversations for Super 8, but the Panthers ended up in the D1 South and bowed out in the quarterfinals after being forced to play on back to back days.
The arms that helped the Panthers have so much success last year as almost all back, starting with staff ace senior Jake Noviello. The Fairfield-commit struck out a Hockomock-best 61 batters a year ago, going 6-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 55.1 innings of work. Noviello is complemented by lefty Jason Ulrickson (7-0, 0.80 ERA, 35 K), Bryan Woelfel (3-2, 0.91 ERA, 4 SV, 31 K) and senior James Leofanti.
The defense will be anchored by a pair of returning starters in junior shortstop Alex Haba (0.360, 12 runs) and junior catcher Jake Macchi.
“While we are returning a number of experienced arms we are also turning over a number of positions last season,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “So, we will be young or inexperienced at a number of positions. Offensively, my hope is that as the season progressing we will be able to develop an identity and find a way to manufacture runs.”
King Philip
2017 Record: 10-11
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Greg Kessler
After just squeaking into the postseason a year ago, first-year KP head coach Greg Kessler is hoping his team will be in contention for a Kelley-Rex division title in 2018.
One reason for that is the senior class and the handful of returning players that have plenty of experience at the varsity level. Ben Furfari returns as a key piece of the Warriors’ outfield and lineup. He hit 0.298 last season and will provide the power on offense. Senior Pat Limerick, committed to play at St. Joseph’s (ME), will set the tone as the leadoff hitter.
On the mound, senior Jeremy Rhines (2-1, 1.45 ERA) and junior David Morganelli will be the main options while hard-throwing senior Liam Rohan will also be in the mix. Nolan Bradley returns behind the plate as one of the top catchers in the league while sophomore Robbie Jarest will step in to take over at shortstop.
“We have a great group of senior this year,” Kessler said. “They have been dedicated to the weight room and leading our underclassmen. They continuously strive to build a team that will compete for the Hock championship. They deserve to have a great year. I guarantee that will be the most vocal and most energetic team in the Hock. We pride ourselves on being positive and enthusiastic every pitch.”
Mansfield
2017 Record: 14-8
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Joe Breen
There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Mansfield baseball program this season. And with the arms they have back, there’s good reason for it.
Senior Tyler Dalton, a UMass Amherst commit, returns after missing the majority of his junior year with an injury. Dalton was tremendous during the 2016 season as a sophomore, posting a 6-2 record while striking out 35 batters and posting a 1.78 ERA. He will be joined on the Hornets’ staff by senior Kevin Dow (UMass Amherst commit, 4-1, 1.93 ERA), junior lefty Connor Sheehan (2.82 ERA, 28 K), and junior Kyle Moran (three saves). Sophomore John Carney will also likely see time on the mound for the Hornets.
Senior catcher Cullin Anastasia returns after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com Second Team. Anastasia had 19 hits a year ago, knocking in 10 runs and scoring 10 runs as well. Sam Nugent will give the Hornets a spark in center field and on the base path with his speed, Moran picked up plenty of experience at third base last season, and Eric Longley will provide Mansfield with some pop in the middle of the lineup.
“We will rely heavily on our pitching staff this season to keep us in games and look to make the plays behind them and be aggressive with our offensive and baserunning approach to get those guys a few runs per game,” said Mansfield head coach Joe Breen. “As always, we will turn to our senior class to set the tone and for our underclassmen to blossom under their leadership.”
Milford
2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Alex Dion
Milford baseball starts a new chapter in its historic history as longtime assistant Alex Dion takes over the reigns of the program.
Dion’s first challenge will be having to overcome the loss of a dozen seniors, including team ace Alex Macek, reliable infielders Zack Tamagni and Anthony Arcudi, and hard-hitting outfielder Ryan Goncalves. However, the good news is that Dion has one of the best players at his disposal in Stonehill-commit Aidan Wilde. Wilde had 59 hits between his freshman and sophomore years and added 21 more in the regular season a year ago. After seeing time as a catcher last season, Wilde will mainly man the corner infield positions in 2018.
Wilde will be complemented by junior Matt Shaver, who picked up some experience a year ago at both shortstop and on the mound. The Hawks will rely on Shaver to anchor the defense from short and give the offense a spark from the leadoff position. Junior Tyler Almeida will step in behind the dish and will provide some offense from the left side of the plate. Sophomores Luke Rosa and Colby Pires look to be in the mix as well as junior Nick Marcolini, who will pitch and patrol the outfield.
“We graduated a strong senior class this past year and are now in a situation where we have a lot of new players who we will look to take advantage of new opportunities,” Dion said. “I am excited about the athleticism that we have on our roster and the energy that these guys bring to practice each day. I think our philosophy is simple, but we preach a team-first mentality to our guys and strive to get quality pitching, play clean defense and get timely hits to win games.”
North Attleboro
2017 Record: 8-10
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mike Hart
North Attleboro didn’t have to go far to find its new coach. Mike Hart takes over for Paul Tobin and Hart truly bleeds Big Red – a graduate from the school and three-sport coach.
And expectations are high for the Rocketeers after just missing out on the postseason a year ago. Senior captain Nick Sinacola returns after having an MVP-caliber junior season. Big Red will rely on Sinacola on both sides of the plate, leading the offense (he batted 0.415 last year with 15 runs scored) and being the ace of the staff (48.1 IP, 49 K, 2.01 ERA). Senior captain Zach DeMattio is also back after being named to the 2017 HockomockSports.com First Team, batting 0.333 with 15 RBI and three home runs. Big Red also gets senior Nate Pearce (0.371) back after a strong junior year.
Senior Peter Cohen (24 IP, 0.29 ERA) will look to build upon a superb junior year while Nolan Buckley and Jeff Gale bring experience to the outfield. Aidan Harding also has varsity experience and will be in the mix to get innings on the mound along with juniors Matt Wanless, Jake Palmer, Matt Seavey, Nick Raneri, and Ben Arrighi.
“We have a truly industrious group of players,” Hart said. “We’re going to keep moving guys around until we find the lineup that works for us. Some may have to play multiple positions, depending on whose pitching on any given day. We had a decent season last year, with many guys getting some varsity time, but we’re still unproven. We need to continue to improve every day and only worry about the things we can control. Guys will be competing every day all season, which will only make us better. We will approach each day, with a great attitude, high effort, and a steadfast approach.”
Oliver Ames
2017 Record: 14-9
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals
Coach: Joe Abarr
A lot of the players that helped Joe Abarr have a successful first season as head coach last year are back, which means the Tigers are aiming to replicate that success.
Despite finishing in a tie for third in the Kelley-Rex, the Tigers put together the best playoff run of any Hock team, knocking off #2 Dighton-Rehoboth on the road to reach the sectional semifinals. Junior Matt McCormack is back after earning a spot on varsity late in the season this year, and along with classmate Tom Parker, should give OA a solid 1-2 punch. With a handful of capable arms in the mix, the third spot in the rotation is still up for grabs.
Abarr won’t have to worry much about anything hit to the left side of the infield as the Tigers return third basemen Chris Pearsons and shortstop Matt Muir, two of the top defensive players at their positions. Both are capable hitters as well and will provide some pop to the lineup. Another returning starter is senior Mitch Goulet. Goulet had a breakout junior campaign in center field (0.347, 7 RBI), catching fire in the second half of the year. Abarr is hoping that momentum will carry over to this season.
The Tigers have a battle for the spot behind the plate as both junior Jake Erlich and junior Reid Latham are back, both with experience behind the dish.
“We have a great core of returning players that will be the backbone of the program,” Abarr said. “We have to fill positions in the outfield and at first. If we have some guys step up in that role we should have a decent lineup from top to bottom.”
Sharon
2017 Record: 6-14
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kee Arguimbau
Sharon is aiming to improve on its six-win season in 2017, and will be looking to ride its senior leadership to do so.
Senior captains Max Tarlin and Drew Naisuler are two of the most experienced players in the league and will be spearheading the Eagles’ offense and defense this year. Tarlin (5-4, 46 K, 1.11 ERA) is the anchor of the pitching staff, picking up five of Sharon’s six wins last season. When he’s not on the mound, expect to see Tarlin patrolling shortstop. Naisuler returns as the team’s No. 4 hitter to provide some pop to the lineup and will be a key defensive piece at both center field and first base.
The Eagles will also rely on senior Ben Schwartz, who will mainly be catching this year as well as being a major offensive contributor. Junior Noah Kamens will be a major piece of the pitching puzzle after impressing during his sophomore year. Similar to Tarlin, Kamens will be a major player in the offensive lineup and will see time off the mound spent in the outfield. Spencer Singer is transitioning to the outfield and will continue to be one of the players the Eagles look at for offensive production.
“I have a lot of guys who are multifaceted baseball players and I can foresee a lot of games being played with straight nine in the lineup,” Arguimbau said. “We have great senior leadership and some very promising sophomores that are going to play a major role in our season’s success.”
Stoughton
2017 Record: 15-6
2017 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Armour
There are a lot of questions to be answered for this year’s Stoughton baseball team, but head coach Mike Armour is excited for his players to rise to the challenge.
The Black Knights graduated nearly their entire team (10 of its 13 rostered players), which won its second straight Davenport division title. So not only will Armour be leaning heavily on his three returning players, he is looking for new faces to seize the opportunity.
“This is an exciting year for our program,” Armour said. “It’s an awesome opportunity for our younger guys. The JV and freshmen teams both over 15 or more games last year, so we’re looking for them to carry that winning attitude into this season. I expect our team to play with heart and execute the fundamentals to make us a competitive team.”
2017 HockomockSports.com First Team selection and senior captain Ruben Gonzalez returns as one of the top players in the league, both defensively at shortstop and offensively at the plate. Senior Matt Hadley and junior Evan Gibb, both captains, are the other two returning players for the Knights. Gibb has plenty of varsity experience behind the plate and Hadley, although he will miss some time with injury, will be key piece in the outfield.
Meanwhile, Armour is looking for sophomores James Genest (first base) and Michael Nazzaro (third base/catcher) to step up and play important roles both offensively and defensively this season. Juniors Kyle Gagnon, Kevin Dixon, and Cian Swierzewski will see time in the outfield and classmate Robbie Seaman will be in the mix for middle infield.
For pitching, Gibb will see time on the mound as well as behind the play. Senior Will Eckhart has some varsity experience and junior Zak Paquette will likely log some meaningful innings for the Knights. Seniors Tim Kellogg, Talyor Atkinson, and Mike Anderson provide infield depth and Jack Brown and Ryan Semler will be in the mix in the outfield.
Taunton
2017 Record: 12-10
2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Blair Bourque
There are a lot of good pitchers in the Hockomock League this year, and it looks like the Tigers’ staff could be right near the top of the list.
Taunton returns senior Tyler Medeiros, who had a terrific junior campaign and will get junior Jack Moynihan back on the mound. Moynihan was impressive during his freshman year two seasons ago but an injury limited his action on the mound last season. Medeiros fanned 68 batters in 56.1 innings of work, posting a 1.98 ERA to anchor the staff. Look for senior Trevor Pietrzyk and juniors Griffin Tomaszycki and Josh Lajoie to get some meaningful innings on the mound as well.
“Tyler clearly emerged as our top pitcher last year,” said second-year head coach Blair Bourque. “Fortunately, he’s a big kid and was able to put us on his back and carry us. Hopefully, we’re able to provide more support for him this year.”
Moynihan will also play a big role in Taunton’s offense this year. While patrolling third base, Moynihan will try to provide some pop in the middle of the lineup. The Tigers also get their top two batters back with senior shortstop Jacob Crawford (0.350, 15 runs) and senior Christian Simoes (0.340, 12 RBI).
Taunton will carry nine seniors and eight juniors this season so experience will be key.
Dogs Deliver Drubbing In D2 South Opener
CANTON, Mass. – When the end of February rolls around, and March on the horizon, expectations in Canton are sky high.
The Bulldogs have been the most successful team in the Division 2 South bracket over the past decade, reaching the semifinals nine times and the finals four times. Only one team made the finals more (Franklin) in that span but no one has been as consistent as the Bulldogs.
With another playoff season upon us, the Bulldogs made a statement that they plan on making another deep run.
#2 Canton dominated from start to finish, skating past D2 newcomer #15 Somerset-Berkley with an 11-0 decision.
“A lot of these guys have been here before, they want it,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “They know there are expectations and pressure. As much as we like to say there aren’t seeds and everyone is 0-0, they expect a lot of themselves so it was good to see them work through those first 10 minutes when they weren’t playing up to their potential and comeback and have a good second period.”
Canton scored a pair of goals in the first period but delivered the knockout blow with seven goals in the second period. The Bulldogs scored the first two goals of the period just 22 seconds in and then buried three goals in a period of 92 seconds later in the frame.
“I thought the first 10 minutes or so we played very nervous,” Shuman admitted. “You could feel it on the bench, they weren’t talking on the bench, they weren’t talking on the ice.”
But after those 10 minutes, Canton went on cruise control.
Sophomore Owen Lehane finally broke the statement just over 10 minutes into the game. He took possession behind his own goal, skated the length of the ice and past the defense but had his bid in close denied.
While the puck bounced around in front of goal, Lehane alertly got back into position at the blue line. The puck popped free onto the stick of the sophomore and he ripped a low shot through traffic to give Canton a 1-0 lead.
The Dogs capitalized on the momentum, adding a second tally with under a minute to play. Off of an offensive zone faceoff, junior Ryan Nolte was the draw clean right back to sophomore Johnny Hagan. Hagan skated between the circles and fired a wicked wrister top shelf to make it 2-0.
“I think goal scoring is equally as mental as physical,” Shuman said when asked how scoring the first goal changes his team. “All it takes is to squeeze the stick a fraction of a second too long or squeeze the stick half a pressure too tight and that makes all the difference. When you get the first one, and then the second, guys start to relax a little more and make some more plays.”
It didn’t take nearly as long for Canton to find the back of the net in the second period. Nolte won the opening draw back to Hagan who skated along the boards on the left side. He tossed a pass back in front to Nolte and the junior played the puck off of his skate and onto his backhand and flipped in his shot to make it 3-0.
Nolte gained possession of the puck himself on the ensuing faceoff. After losing it briefly, he picked the puck back up again, circled into the center of the ice and rifled a wrist shot in for a 4-0 lead just 22 seconds into the second.
Canton continued its offensive pressure with a fifth goal less than five minutes into the second. Sophomore Jack Connolly dumped a puck in, senior Jack Goyetch did well to keep possession, eventually getting it back to Connolly. The sophomore delivered a shot through traffic that senior Bubba McNeice got a tip on, making it 5-0 with 10:05 to play.
The Bulldogs went on the power play for the first time in the game shortly after their fifth tally and cashed in late with the man advantage. After a lengthy possession in the offense zone, senior Matt Casamento to across the blue line to junior Brad Murphy. Murphy took his time, allowing the forwards to get possession in front of goal. Murphy then released his shot and Joe Robinson redirected it off the post and in to make it 6-0.
The offense continued to dominate for Canton, especially its top line of Hagan, Nolte and Timmy Kelleher. Just a minute over Robinson’s tally, Nick Allen dumped the puck in deep, Hagan touched it along to Nolte, Nolte lifted a pass in the air in front of goal and Kelleher batted it out of the air and into the net to make it 7-0.
“That was a good start, that’s the line that’s getting that’s sort of getting a lot of the production this year,” Shuman said of the Hagan-Nolte-Kelleher line. “Ryan Nolte had the two goals and Johnny Hagan threw that nice pass to Timmy Kelleher for one. That line seems to get the big goals for us when we need it, to get us going. They like to be the go-to line.”
Off the ensuing face-off, Tommy Ghostlaw won it back to Murphy, who connected up ice to Chris Lavoie. Lavoie skated to his left and fired a wrist shot to make it 8-0.
Less than two minutes later, Goyetch found the back of the net himself to make it 9-0 with 4:42 left in the period.
In the third period, Charlie O’Connor and Ryan Colby set up Kevin Murphy on the right side, and the senior drilled his shot off the post and in. The Dogs added a final goal when Colby tipped in a shot off the stick of senior Brian Ghostlaw.
Bulldog senior Quinn Gibbs made one save in two periods of play while senior Niko Donovan turned away two chances in the third period.
Canton boys hockey advance to the D2 South Quarterfinals and will take on either #7 Westwood or #10 Oliver Ames. The Dogs are familiar with both teams, sharing a home rink with the Wolverines while splitting the season series with the Tigers. The game is scheduled for Saturday with the time and location to be determined.
“Our side of the bracket is brutal, anybody can beat anybody,” Shuman said. “OA has proved that, Westwood has proved that. The difference among these teams is razor thing. Whoever plays well on any given night can get the win. From now on in there are going to be some tough games.”