Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 49 @ Stoughton, 59 – Final – Stoughton opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, taking the lead early on in the frame and never letting go for an important division win. With the win, the Black Knights qualify for the state tournament and pull into a tie for second place in the Davenport with the Warriors, one game behind Milford. Brett Pendenza had a strong take along the baseline and Tommy Sanda drained a three to kickstart the run. Obinna Ugwuakazi had a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, Myles Grigalunas-Powell added 13 points, and Ahmad Jahed scored all nine of his points in the second half for Stoughton, which trailed by two (11-9) after one quarter and by one at halftime (24-23) and at the end of the third quarter (37-36). Donald Rogers and Brandon Borde each had 14 points for Foxboro.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 52 vs. Holy Name, 43 – Final – In a potential playoff preview, the Panthers held off a second half charge from Holy Name to sweep the season series against the Div. 1 Central challenger. Franklin jumped out to a 34-18 lead at halftime, but the Naps rallied after the break to cut the lead to as little as five. The Panthers shut down the visitors over the final four minutes to extend the lead back out to nine. Ali Brigham led the way with 20 points and Olivia Quinn added 12. Megan O’Connell chipped in with eight points for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip sophomore Nolan Feyler scored the lone goal of the game in the first period and seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera combined for the shutout in net for the Warriors. Feyler lit the lamp at 6:57 of the opening period on an assist from senior Kyle Gray. Ihley and Makudera combined to make 20 saves in net. OA senior goalie Owen Connor had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Taunton, 7 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Mike Albert had a hand in all but one of the Tigers’ seven goals, leading the hosts to a big win over Spellman. Albert scored a hat trick and added three more assists to lead the way while Jack DeMoura scored once along with three assists, Nathan Fernandez and Brady Nichols each had a goal and an assist, and Conor McGrath added a goal for Taunton. Andrew Gomes and Sean Bunker split time in net for the win.
Stoughton, 7 @ Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored five goals and had one assist as the Black Knights skated to a season sweep of Shawsheen. Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker each had a pair of assists in the win, Haley Nelson (assist) and Zofia Bangs each scored once, and Mikayla Snyder and Morgan Johnston both chipped in with an assist.
Wrestling
Scituate Quad (Canton)
Duxbury Super Quad (Sharon, Stoughton) – Sharon added four more wins to its total this season, finishing the dual meet season (28-3) on a high note. The Eagles had wins over Southeastern (36-0), Duxbury (48-31), Pembroke (55-10), and Marshfield (60-12). Kyle Samuels and Conor Grew earned their first varsity wins for Sharon.
2018-2019 Record: 10-10-2 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Mark Homer
The Bombardiers will be looking to stretch their postseason streak to three years this season. It showed how deep the Kelley-Rex division was last year that the Bombardiers, who did not fare well in league games, made it to the state tournament.
One reason that Attleboro is hopeful for a spot in the state tournament is the addition of a couple of transfers to the program. Jake Ward joined the program and will apart of the Bombardiers top line alongside senior captain Ryan Morry and junior Aidan Diggin. Both Morry and Diggin have a plethora of experience at the varsity level so expect Attleboro’s top line to be a dangerous one in the offensive zone. Attleboro picked up some needed depth with the addition of junior Owen Dryjowicz and freshman Aidan Dryjowicz, who will join sophomore Nate Parker on the second line.
The third line could see some rotation but will mostly feature junior Austin Blais at the center spot, and senior Liam McDonough, junior Owen Graney, and senior Kyle Miniati on the wings. The Bombardiers will have some experience on the blue line with senior Sam Flynn and junior Zach Pierce holding down two of the top spots, with sophomore Sean Marshall also in the mix. The fourth spot between the top two defensive pairs is still up for grabs in the early going. Sophomores Nick Piazza and Michael Dutremble are battling for minutes in net.
“We hope to improve our record from last year through commitment and hard work collectively, and gain entry to the state tournament,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Homer.
2018-2019 Record: 25-0-1 2018-2019 Finish: D2 State Champions Coach: Brian Shuman
Having won nine straight Davenport division titles, Canton is used to having a target on its back as the rest of the Hockomock League tries to knock the Bulldogs from the top. But this year, that target is even bigger than before.
Fresh off one of the best seasons in both program and league history that ended with a D2 State Championship, the Bulldogs will be getting everyone’s best game in and game out. And while Canton certainly graduated some key pieces, like two-time HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Ryan Nolte, the Bulldogs enter this season as not only the favorite for a 10th straight division crown but will certainly be in the mix when it comes to the 2020 D2 State title.
While replacing Nolte will be tough, the Bulldogs have several key forwards back from last year’s championship team. It will all start with senior Johnny Hagan, who was named HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year as a sophomore and racked up 51 points with 21 goals and 31 assists on the season. Hagan will have a lot of experience to work with in senior Timmy Kelleher (seven goals, seven assists last regular season), senior Tommy Ghostlaw (five goals, six assists), and senior Chris Lavoie (13 goals, 12 assists). Lavoie could be poised for a breakout year, scoring twice in the season-opening win over Franklin.
Canton also brings back top players along the blue line with Jack Connolly and HockomockSports.com Second Team selection Owen Lehane. Both seniors, Connolly and Lehane not only are among the best defensive players in the league but play a big part of the Canton offense with their shooting. Seniors Ronan O’Mahony and Declan Pfeffer are also experienced defensemen that will see increased roles this year. Canton turns to senior Joe Cammarata to start in between the pipes with junior Liam Polles impressing early on and could push for starting minutes.
“We have a lot of experience returning, but that’s true for a lot of teams across the state,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. If our preseason was any indication, there are a lot of outstanding, talented teams this year that improved greatly in the offseason. We will have our work cut out for us in the Hock and with a tough non-league schedule.”
2018-2019 Record: 12-7-3 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South First Round Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro built upon its 10-season win two years ago with its best season in program history last year, picking up 12 wins including one in the postseason. After posting back-to-back successful seasons, the Warriors are hoping that trend continues.
With a good amount of returners back this year, the Warriors will be in good position to compete in the Hockomock League and will be aiming to make a deeper run into the state tournament behind a beefed-up schedule. One strength for Foxboro this year will be its offense with its two top regular season point producers back in junior Kirk Leach (15 goals, 20 assists) and senior Ronnie MacLellan (14 goals, 20 assists). That duo provided the Warriors with a lot of its offense last season and will be one of the top returning duos this season. Senior Sebastian Ricketts brings a vast amount of experience to the offense while sophomore Jack Watts (10 goals, four assists) will be looking to build on an impressive freshman year. Brady Daly, Eoin Reager, Josh Bertuman, Ryan Jacobs and Ben Ricketts will provide needed depth offensively.
Defensively it all starts with senior goalie Espen Reager, the defending Hockomock League MVP back after a strong junior season between the pipes for the Warriors. Reager has the ability to keep his team in teams, and he showed last year that he can help steal a game like he did against Mansfield. In front of Reager, senior Kyle McGinnis is one of the more experienced defensemen in the league and will be the anchor of the blue line group for Foxboro. Freshman Alex Coviello has impressed early on and will be a key piece of the defense.
“Our strength on offense this season will be our depth and overall team speed,” said Foxboro head coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We have more depth on offense than we’ve ever had. We’re looking forward to this season, with a lot of depth up front, excellent team speed and a great goalie we feel we can compete with any team on our schedule.”
2018-2019 Record: 12-10-4 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Anthony Sarno
A new chapter begins in Franklin boys hockey with Anthony Sarno taking over on the bench after longtime Panther coach Chris Spillane stepped down following last season. While the Panthers might have a bit of a new look, expectations are still high inside Pirelli for the defending Kelley-Rex champs.
Sarno is hoping that momentum will carry over from the Panthers’ impressive playoff run from a year ago when Franklin upset Mansfield in overtime and knocked off Catholic Memorial in the semifinals. But there won’t be any nights off for Franklin with a loaded schedule that features Malden Catholic, Pope Francis, and a loaded Mt. Hope tournament — and that’s just December.
“It will be a work in progress and we will look to develop a solid team chemistry with a relentless work ethic, staying true to consistency, and discipline in an environment where effort and attitude is paramount, and not up for discussion,” Sarno said.
Up front, the Panthers will be leaning on seniors Shane McCaffrey, Kevin O’Rielly, and Shea Hurley to lead the way. McCaffrey is the team’s top scorer returning from a year ago so it will be vital for new players to step up and contribute. Juniors Conor O’Neil and Declan Lovett are also going to be important pieces to the Panthers’ offense. Senior Ray Ivers returns between the pipes are stepping in last season and playing well. In front of Ivers, Franklin will have two of the best defensemen in the league with senior Tom Tasker, a HockomockSports.com First Team selection last year, and junior Joe LeBlanc, who had a breakout sophomore campaign.
2018-2019 Record: 10-11-0 2018-2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Paul Carlow
After missing out on the state tournament in back-to-back seasons, the Warriors have a chance to end that drought in 2020 behind an experienced group of players after losing just five players to graduation.
Head coach Paul Carlow says this is the most experienced group he’s had at his disposal since taking over behind the Warriors’ bench in 2015. There are nine seniors back this year and eight juniors so King Philip certainly boasts a lot of depth, and players that have played plenty of minutes at the varsity level. It starts with senior captain Chris Daniels, senior assistant captain Joe Boselli, and senior assistant captain Jack Coulter. All three have skated plenty of minutes for Carlow over the past couple of years and will be relied upon for their leadership.
Daniels is a crafty forward that scored five goals and had six assists while Coulter is the top returning scorer back this year after scoring six goals and recording nine assists a year ago. Seniors Bryan Lucente and Noah Ray will also be in the mix offensively alongside Daniels, Coulter, and Boselli. The Warriors will also rely on a handful of juniors to chip in offensively including forward Conor Cooke. Cooke had a terrific season with 10 goals and four assists and could be poised for a breakout year.
Defensively, there is a lot of veterans along the blue line for King Philip. Seniors Kyle Gray and Ethan McGuire are joined by junior Rocco Bianculli, a Hockomock League All Star and a HocomockSports.com All Underclassman selection a year ago. Gray is a three-year player that provides physicality while Bianculli is one of the top scoring defensemen in the entire league, scoring seven goals and adding seven assists during his sophomore season. Seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera will battle for minutes in net.
“I’m really looking forward to this season,” Carlow said. “On top of the seniors and juniors, we also have a strong sophomore class competing for spots. We have speed up front, we’re strong on the back end, and we have two good goalies. I’m looking forward to working with this group and fully expect them to make the tournament.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-6-3 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Mike Balzarini
Mansfield head coach Mike Balzarini was a little concerned about his team’s depth coming into the season after graduating nine players and losing two top players to prep school. But after tryouts and a strong preseason, Balzarini believes this year’s squad will be just as deep as last year’ 14-win squad.
Losing a talented senior class hurts, and with Matt Copponi (eight goals, 28 assists, 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year) and Brian Grant (HockomockSports.com All Underclassmen Team) off to prep schools, the Hornets will need new faces to step up and contribute on both ends of the ice. But Balzarini and the Hornets have something that none of the other Hockomock teams have and that’s senior goalie Sean McCafferty. Now in his fourth year starting, McCafferty is a game-changer. Even if the Hornets aren’t having their best games, they’ll still likely have a chance to win because of McCafferty.
In front of McCafferty, the Hornets will turn to senior Joseph Troiano to anchor the defensive unit. He will be joined by Jack Gormley and Conor Benoit, both of whom picked up valuable minutes last season and should help Mansfield be one of the stingiest defensive groups. Offensively, the Hornets do get a boost with the return of senior forward Chris Jenkins. Jenkins was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassmen Team in 2017 after he had 11 goals and 10 assists as a freshman. He will join veterans Jake Lund and Kevin Belanger to form a talented first line for the Hornets. Cam Paige, Liam Anastasia, and Ben Ierardo will team up on Mansfield’s second line.
“We have a little bit of a sour taste after how last year ended,” Balzarini said. “We want to get over that hurdle of the first round of the playoffs. This group really plays well together, they play as a team. They’ve gelled nicely since the first day of tryouts.”
2018-2019 Record: 11-9-2 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinals Coach: Ben McManama
North Attleboro will be leaning on its defense in order to get back to the tournament again this season. With the defending state champs in Canton as well as an improved Foxboro squad, the Rocketeers have their hands full with a difficult three-team Davenport division.
Seniors Jake McNeany, Will Yeomans, Jeff Baker, and junior Charlie Connolly are all back this season to give North Attleboro a veteran defensive group. With a handful of experienced players leading the way defensively, it should make the transition from four-year starting goalie Ryan Warren a bit smoother. Another reason that transition should go smoothly is senior goalie Nick Digiacomo, who has been impressive in the preseason so far this year.
Senior Dennis Morehouse is back after a breakout junior campaign and will be in the mix as one of the top players in the Hockomock League this season. Morehouse was second on the team in points last year with 15 goals and four assists and is the top returning scorer back for the Rocketeers. Senior Jack Connolly is another experienced forward that will be a key piece of the offense while junior Tyler Sarro will look to build upon a solid sophomore season.
“For us to be successful, we need to be discipline and get scoring from our second and third lines,” said North Attleboro coach Ben McManama. “We are not as big as we were in years past so we need to play tough and physical.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-9-1 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Mike Zucarelli
There is a new face at the helm of the Tigers this season, but its a familiar one. Mike Zucarelli takes over after serving as an assistant coach and is optimistic about the upcoming season.
Replacing one of the league’s top forwards in Brett Williams won’t be easy, but the Tigers boast experienced returners at every position on the ice. Senior Owen Connor is back for his third year in between the pipes. He took a big jump from his sophomore to junior year and that Zucarelli expects that trend to continue for the 2019-2020 season. In front of Connor, OA returns senior defensemen Ryan Gottwald and Matt Nosalek. Gottwald, one of the team’s two captains, had an impressive junior year and will be the leader of the defensive group this season.
Offensively, there will be some familiar faces including senior captain Hunter Costello. Costello, who scored nine goals and had 15 assists in the regular season a year ago, is joined by fellow returners Jake Gottwald, Duncan Pereira, and Brad Powers. All four of those seniors will be vital in the attack while juniors Ross Carroll and Matt Nigro should see expanded roles this year.
“We are going to be a gritty, hardworking team this year,” Zucarelli said, citing a preseason scrimmage with Milton. “We held our own during the first as Milton took it to us. We came out flying in the second, tied up the game and took the momentum into the third period with a huge penalty kill. The overall play of the team after one week was great to see.”
The Tigers enter the season with a relatively young squad but the goal is to integrate all of the youth with the returners and make a push for the state tournament by the end of the season.
Junior Mike Albert will be the main guy on the offensive end. Albert, who scored 10 goals and added 19 assists last season, was the leading scorer for the Tigers as a sophomore and is looking to take the next step this year. Junior Steve Roderick and sophomores Jack DeMoura and Michael Lucier are all new to the program and should be in the mix right away to help bolster the Taunton attack.
Head coach Kris Metea is also counting on some of the younger players to have breakout seasons, including sophomores Nathan Fernandes, Loren Corcoran, and Evan Perreira. On the defensive side, junior Brady Nichols will anchor the blue line unit. Although just a junior, Nichols has a wealth of varsity experience and the Tigers will lean on him to guide a young defensive core. Senior Andrew Gomes and junior Sean Bunker will battle for minutes in net.
“We have a group of young players that we will look to continue to develop over the course of the season,” Metea said. “The key to our success will be the meshing of the new players with the development of young players. The sky’s the limit for this group with continued commitment.”
Boys Basketball
Taunton, 54 @ Attleboro, 61 – Final – After a close first half, Attleboro used a 22-point third quarter to create the separation it needed to fend off visiting Taunton. The Bombardiers led 14-13 at one, and 30-26 going into the halftime break. Junior Bryant Ciccio scored eight of his team-high 18 points in the third quarter in his return from injury to help spark the Bombardiers, who connected on 10 three-pointers in the game. Qualeem Charles (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Mason Houle (12 points, six rebounds) each added four points apiece in the third to help Attleboro pull away. Taunton junior Naz Kenion scored a career-high 19 points, with eight coming in the final quarter as the Tigers made a push to get back into the game. Dante Law added 12 points, with 10 coming in the second half.
Foxboro, 78 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Foxboro sophomore Kevin Gallagher poured in a career-high 28 points as the Warriors ran away with a win on the road. Gallagher dropped 12 points in the opening quarter and junior Brandon Borde scored nine of his 16 points in the first as well as Foxboro built a 21-12 lead to start. Gallagher added five threes between the second and third quarters to help Foxboro take a 60-32 advantage into the final quarter. Sharon senior Keenan Delouis had a team-high 12 points, include three three-pointers in the second quarter.
Oliver Ames, 50 @ Franklin, 58 – Final – Franklin scored 20 points in the final quarter to pull away from Oliver Ames to earn the win. The Tigers kept pace with the Panthers through the first three quarters, knotted at 14-14 after eight minutes and trailing by just three at half (25-22) and after three quarters (38-35). Franklin junior Chris Edgehill scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, Jalen Samuels netted a third of his 15 points in the fourth, and Jack Rudolph (10 points) went 4-for-4 from the line to help the Panther secure the win. OA sophomore Amari Brown had a team-high 12 points while senior Jake Erlich added 11 points and senior Ethan Eckstrom finished with 10 points.
Mansfield, 74 @ King Philip, 58 – Final – King Philip scored 20 points in the third quarter to make it a three-point game entering the fourth as the Warriors aimed for a season sweep of the visiting Hornets. But Mansfield’s offense exploded in the fourth quarter, connecting on six three-pointers and scoring a total of 27 points in the final frame to run away with a victory to split the season series. Junior Sam Stevens (eight rebounds) had two threes in the fourth, scoring 11 of his team-high 28 points in the quarter while senior Tommy Dooling (seven assists) splashed in three triples for nine of his 19 points. KP junior Alex Fritz (six rebounds) scored a career-high 28 points, including 13 points in the third quarter to get the Warriors back into the game. Andrew McKinney added 10 points and seven rebonds while Bruce Saintilus finished with six points, eight rebounds, and four assists for KP.
Stoughton, 55 @ Milford, 65 – Final – Milford poured in 27 points in the final quarter and limited Stoughton to eight points in the fourth to erase a double-digit halftime deficit to earn the win. The Black Knights led 16-9 after one an took a 36-24 advantage into halftime, but the Scarlet Hawks got within eight (47-39) to start the final quarter and senior Brendan White took over the in the fourth to lead Milford to a comeback win. White sank four three-pointers in the fourth, scoring 15 of his game-high 26 points in the quarter to spark the comeback. After being held without a field goal in the first, White scored six points in the third to help Milford inch closer. Danny Corsini added 14 points for Milford. Myles Grigalunas-Powell paced Stoughton with 18 points and Obinna Ugwuakazi added 14 points for the Black Knights.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Taunton, 52 – Final – Attleboro led by just two points heading into the fourth quarter but outscored the Tigers by seven in the final eight minutes to pull out the road win. Jordyn Lako scored a season-high 23 points and snagged 12 rebounds for the Bombardiers. Jaelyn Fernandez scored 17 and Alexa White had 13 for Taunton.
North Attleboro, 39 @ Canton, 52 – Final – After allowing the Rocketeers to make 10 three-pointers in the first meeting, Canton did a much better job defending the perimeter, limiting North to just two made threes and only 13 points in the first half to pick up the win. It is the 12th win of the season for the Bulldogs, one away from tying their most wins in a season since 1993. Tayla DeGraw had a great game in her varsity debut, according to head coach Jim Choquette.
Sharon, 34 @ Foxboro, 64 – Final – Katelyn Mollica scored 23 points and Abby Hassman added 10 to lead the Warriors to a big league win.
King Philip, 66 @ Mansfield, 51 – Final – KP jumped out to a 13-point lead in the first quarter and extended it to 19 by halftime, holding the Hornets to just 14 points at the break. But Mansfield closed the gap in the second half, getting the lead down to as little as seven points to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors closed out the win by shooting 8-of-10 at the line in the fourth. Faye Veilleux scored 21 points and Faith Roy continued her strong play in the last week with 16 for KP. Julia Leroux and Emma Glaser each scored seven points in the win. Sydney Mulkern, Maggie Danehy and Mady Bendanillo each scored eight points for the Hornets, while Emily Vigeant added seven.
Boys Hockey
King Philip, 8 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – King Philip senior Brendan Shandley recorded six points as the Warriors skated to a big league win on the road at Attleboro. Shandley netted a hat trick and added three more assists, Conor Cooke had a pair of goals and a pair of assists, and Chris Daniels finished with a goal and three helpers for KP.
Canton, 4 vs. Hanover, 3 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the third period to hand Hanover just its second loss of the season and the Bulldogs improved to 18-0-0 on the season. The Bulldogs opened the scoring less than a minute into the game off the stick of Timmy Kelleher but Hanover tied the game just a minute later. Ryan Nolte put Canton back ahead with a shorthanded goal early in the second but the Indians tied the game just two minutes later on the power play. Johnny Hagan put Canton back on top with just under five minutes to go in the second and Chris Lavoie made it 4-2 just 39 seconds later. Hanover scored four minutes into the third and had a power play in the middle of the period but Canton killed it off and secured the win.
Franklin, 1 vs. St. John’s (Shrewsbury), 6 – Final
North Attleboro, 2 vs. Wayland, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Newton South, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames peppered the Newton South net with 49 shots and outplayed the hosts but could only find the back of the net once in a loss on the road. Newton South converted on a pair of deflections on shots from the point and a breakaway while senior Matt Mullaley made 20 saves in goal. Jake Gottwald had the lone tally for Oliver Ames.
Taunton, 11 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton’s Mike Albert recorded five points and Cam Sneyd added four as the Tigers ran away with a win over visiting Durfee. Albert scored once and had four assists while Sneyd found the back of the net four times. Jordan Couto added a pair of goals while Colton Scheralis netted his first career goal in the win.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Maggie Malloy scored her 100th career point and the Bulldogs recorded a fifth straight shutout.
Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Cassi Ronan and Regan Paterson each scored for the Panthers to earn the road win. Paterson and Amanda Lewandowski each had an assist for the Panthers.
Foxboro, 8 @ Tri-County, 2 – Final – Foxboro senior Brendan Tully recorded five points and Ronnie MacLellan added four points in a win on the road. Tully scored a hat trick and added two assists, MacLellan had three assists and a goal, and Brady Daly, Matt Tully, Tanner Kennedy, and John Watts each scored once for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 9 vs. Brockton, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored three goals in the second period to go ahead 5-2 and added four goals in the third period to secure the win over the visiting Boxers. Sophomore Matt Copponi had a pair of goals and three assists, senior Chris Copponi scored once and had three assists, senior Jack Garland scored twice and had one helper, and junior Kevin Belanger finished with a goal and assist for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 1 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton skated to its second win of the season over the Black Knights behind multi-point games from Mike Albert, Dylan Nichols, Cam Sneyd, and Nathan Fernandes. Albert had a goal and two assists, Nichols and Sneyd each scored once and added an assist, and Fernandes finished with two helpers. Seniors Jack Patneaude and Nick Vandermeel each had assists in the win and freshman Ethan Ross added a goal.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – The top two teams in the Hockomock skated to a scoreless tie, but not for a lack of chances. Both defenses played strong and each team had just one power play: Franklin late in the third period and Canton for the final 30 seconds of the game. Franklin goalie Gabby Colace made 16 saves for the shutout. “She played outstanding tonight, she made a couple of saves that really kept us in the game,” said Franklin coach Margie Burke. Canton netminder Ava Pacitti earned the shutout with 14 saves. “Ava has come so far, she barely saw any time last year and she’s just playing incredible hockey,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich. “The girls rally around her. That was the best high school hockey game I’ve been involved this year.”
King Philip, 1 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – MOA’s Skyler Sharfman took the puck the length of the ice before depositing her a shot into the back of the net early in the third period to give the Warriors a win at home. MOA went up 1-0 on a power play goal in the second period when Kenzi Fraser converted a chance with assists going to Isabelle Shanteler and Emma Pereira. KP responded with a power play goal off the stick of Alli Meehan. Sharfman scored the game-winner with 11:17 left in the third period.
Wrestling
North Attleboro, 30 @ Franklin, 34 – Final
Taunton, 25 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 42 – Final – James Collins (106), Christina Balmain (152), Candido Santos (170), Jackson Wellman (182), and Avery Justa (220) picked up wins for Taunton but the Tigers suffered a setback to Coyle/Bristol Plymouth.
Gymnastics
Oliver Ames, 135.6 @ Franklin, 133.8 – Final
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 14 @ East Boston, 0 – Final
Canton, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final
Franklin, 3 vs. St. Mary’s (Lynn), 1 – Final – Franklin junior goalie Ray Ivers made 29 saves to lead the Panthers to a huge win over highly ranked St. Mary’s of Lynn, who is considered to be a top 10 team in the state by most rankings. Franklin took a 1-0 lead in the first on a goal midway through the period from Kyle Hedvig. Brendan Sicchio made it 2-0 on a redirect of Cam Cassella’s shot with under five minutes in the second period. Cassella then scored himself, blasting in a shot early in the third period to make it 3-0.
Mansfield, 6 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 3-0 lead less than five minutes into the game but Mansfield scored six unanswered over the final 40 minutes of the game to shock the Warriors. Brendan Shandley, Conor Cooke (from Ryan Fitzpatrick), and Rocco Bianculli (from Aidan Boulger) scored each scored within a four minute span to open the game to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. But Mansfield scored three goals in a matter of two mintues to tie the game before the end of the first period. Matty Copponi (from Brian Grant and Brad Grant), Kevin Belanger (from Brian and Brad Grant), and Chris Copponi (from Matty Copponi) scored first period goals to level the scoring. After a scoreless second, Mansfield broke the tie with just over two minutes left in the third period. Jake Lund made it 4-3 on the power play, assisted by Matty Copponi and Brad Grant. Coleman O’Brien (from Belanger) increased the lead with a goal with 1:27 left before Chris Copponi (from O’Brien) iced it with an empty net goal in the final seconds.
North Attleboro, 5 vs. Beverly, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Old Rochester, 5 – Final
Taunton, 6 @ Cardinal Spellman, 2 – Final – Taunton senior Jack Patneaude scored a hat trick and junior Mike Albert recorded four points as the Tigers scored a win on the road. Albert had a pair of goals and a pair of assists for Taunton while Cam Sneyd added a goal and two assists, Andrew Carter had three helpers, and Dylan Nichols finished with two assists. Andrew Gomes made 14 saves in net for the win.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – After a scoreless first period, Canton senior Maggie Malloy scored two of her three goals in the second period to give the Bulldogs a lead it never relinquished. Canton scored three goals in the final period, including a goal and assist from Malloy.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 8 – Final
Wrestling
D1 State Dual Meet (Franklin, Mansfield) – Franklin and Mansfield each won their first matches of the day but lost in the second round. The Panthers took down Needham (55-13) and the Hornets pinned down BC High (53-18) to advance to the quarterfinals. Mansfield lost to top-seeded St. John’s Prep 42-27 and Franklin bowed out with a 30-25 setback to West Springfield. In the fifth place match, Franklin beat Mansfield (36-26) with pins from Jordan Carlucci (132), Dylan Nawn (195), and Matt Leofanti (220). Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos (152) had a pin in the loss to the Panthers.
D2 State Dual Meet (North Attleboro, Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames scored a pair of upset wins to advance to the semifinals and finished third overall, the program’s best showing at the state dual meet. The Tigers upset #11 North Andover (38-35) in the opening round and then shocked #3 Masconomet (11th in the state) with a 33-33 (tiebreaker, coach misconduct on Masco). OA’s Max Anderson (220) and Stavros Constantinous (113) had big wins to help the Tigers knock off Masco. The Tigers lost to #2 Plymouth South (45-27) in the semifinals. North Attleboro pinned down wins over Arlington (52-15) and Dracut (43-20) but lost to top-seeded Central Catholic in the semifinal (44-27). OA beat North Attleboro (1-0) in the consolation match. For OA, Nick McGovern, Joey Savino, and Dean Pacino each went 3-0.
D3 State Dual Meet (Foxboro)
Canton Quad (Canton) – Canton went 1-2 on the day, opening with a win over Scituate (42-27) but dropped its second two matches, falling to New Bedford (42-18) and Hingham (43-24).
Franklin County Tech Tournament (King Philip), 10:00
Bridgewater-Raynham Super Quad (Sharon, Stoughton) – Sharon shined at the B-R super quad, going 4-0 and picking up the program’s 350th win overall. The Eagles had wins over the hosts (61-13), Silver Lake (61-16), Duxbury (54-15), and Southeastern (27-12). Max Pozner and Tyler Freedman both went 4-0 for Sharon while Tyler Chaston, Jon Wald, and Alex Bolt each posted 3-0 records for the day.
Braintree Quad (Taunton) – Taunton first year wrestler James Collins (106) earned a first round pin to help the Tigers clinch a win over Nauset, giving Taunton its second win of the day. The Tigers went 1-2, losing to Braintree (52-0) but bounced back to record wins over Cambridge (33-0) and Nauset (45-34). Other winners for Taunton included Ben Mandeville (113, pin), Tyler Lima (120, pin), Wansly Perceval (126, pin), Jackson Mandeville (138, pin), Christian Balmain (152, two pins), Joseph Kazlauskas (160, pin), Jackson Wellman (182), Nico Sallaway (195, pin), and Mason Frank (285, pin).
Gymnastics
Attleboro, 165.8 vs. Lowell, 137.7 – Final – Attleboro sophomore Andrae Butler set a new school record by scoring a 9.5 on the floor in the Bombardiers’ win.
Boys Hockey
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took a lead in the first period and never trailed, but held on as Attleboro made a late push. The Tigers led 1-0 after one, and 3-1 after two periods of play. After going up 4-2, Attleboro netted a shorthanded goal to make it a one-goal game but Oliver Ames scored an empty net goal to secure the win. Jake Gottwald paced Oliver Ames with two goals and two assists, Hunter Costello scored once and had two helpers, senior Colin Bourne had a goal and an assist, and freshman Bryan Kearns netted one goal. Junior Owen Connor had a strong performance in net with 16 saves. Sam Larkin scored twice for Attleboro and Ryan Morry added one goal.
Taunton, 3 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Taunton’s Mike Albert scored twice and the Tigers built a 3-1 lead in the third period but Foxboro rallied for two unanswered goals to grab a point and a tie. Kirk Leach brought the Warriors within one and senior Brendan Tully tied the game with a power play goal.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Dedham, 2 – Final – Canton senior Lauren Fitzpatrick recorded her 50th career goal as the Bulldogs beat Dedham.
Franklin, 5 @ Westwood, 5 – Final – Cassi Ronan scored four goals to put Franklin into the lead, but the Wolverines clawed back in the third period to go in front. Amanda Lewandowski scored with 1:30 on the clock to earn the Panthers a point and keep them unbeaten on the season.
King Philip, 3 @ Norwood, 2 – Final
Wrestling
Canton, 32 @ Stoughton, 40 – Final
Foxboro, 50 @ Milford, 24 – Final
Franklin, 64 @ King Philip, 12 – Final
Sharon, 15 @ North Attleboro, 44 – Final
Oliver Ames, 19 vs. Plymouth South, 45 – Final – Oliver Ames received wins from Nick McGovern (126), Nelson Malone (132), Joey Savino (152), Billy Tat (170), and Dean Pacini (195).
Mansfield, 66 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Mansfield’s Max Farley (113), Antonios Sevastos (120), Andy Triantafilopoulos (126), Stefan Steyn (138), CJ Glaropoulos (152), George Glaropoulos (160), Jayden Curley (182), Shane Cremmen (195), and Noah Jellenik (285) each had pinfall wins for the Hornets.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 74 @ King Philip, 94 – Final
Taunton, 66 @ Oliver Ames, 95 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 100 @ King Philip, 70 – Final
Taunton, 76 @ Oliver Ames, 89 – Final
Gymnastics
Canton, 108.6 @ Franklin, 137.95 – Final – Franklin sophomore Emma Owens and freshman Kate Rudolph placed first and second, respectively, in the all around to pace the Panthers. Owens scored a 35.55, including a 9.2 on the vault and 9.15 on the beam, while Rudolph had a 35, highlighted by a 9.0 on the vault and 9.0 on the floor.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 7 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Attleboro’s Sam Larkin scored a hat trick to help the Bombardiers get past Foxboro. Ryan Morry added two goals while Cam Littig and Nate Parker each scored once.
Franklin, 1 @ Newburyport, 3 – Final
King Philip, 2 vs. Archbishop Williams, 5 – Final – Ryan Fitzpatrick and Garrett Maxwell scored for King Philip but the Warriors suffered a setback to Archies.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Nauset, 0 – Final – Freshman Bryan Kearns scored the game’s only goal, assisted by Cullen Gallagher and Hunter Costello. Owen Connor was strong in the OA goal, making 25 saves to preserve the shutout and the win.
Stoughton, 1 @ Old Rochester, 8 – Final – Stoughton’s Carter Gerome scored and Thomas McCoy made 35 saves for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 5 @ Somerset-Berkley, 1 – Final – Taunton led by a goal at the end of each the first (1-0) and second periods (2-1), and then scored three third period goals to secure the win. Mike Albert (goal, two assists), Andrew Carter (goal, assist), Nick Vandermeel (goal, assist), and Cam Faria (two assists) each had multi-point games for the Tigers. Andrew Gomes made 26 saves to earn the win.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 8 @ Whitman-Hanson, 0 – Final – Maggie Malloy notched a hat trick, giving her seven goals in the last two games, and freshman Tess Khoury had a pair of goals to lead the Bulldogs to the road win.
Franklin, 4 vs. Algonquin, 1 – Final – Cassi Ronan scored two goals for the second straight game to help Franklin stay unbeaten on the season and hand the T-hawks their first loss. Gina Vignone and Amanda Lewandowski also scored for the Panthers, while sophomore Gabby Colace returned from injury to pick up her first win in net.
King Philip, 2 @ Dennis-Yarmouth, 3 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 0 @ Longmeadow, 4 – Final – MOA freshman Jess Widdop made 28 saves for the Warriors.
Stoughton, 2 vs. Cambridge, 8 – Final
Wrestling
Haverhill Quad (Canton, Mansfield)
Franklin, 51 @ Ashland, 17 – Final
Monty Tech Duals – King Philip finished second overall at the tournament.
Norton Quad – Sharon went 1-2 on the day, beating Danvers (48-28) but losing to Hingham (36-30) and to Norton (45-22). Alex Bolt went 3-0 for the Eagles.
Whitman-Hanson Quad – Stoughton went 4-1 on the day, losing to Plymouth South (46-27) but beating Carver (51-12), Middleboro (54-29), Josiah Quincy (47-18) and Whitman-Hanson (51-30).
Brockton Quad (Taunton) – The Tigers suffered setbacks to Brockton, Wayland, and Sandwich. Mason Frank (285) had two wins for the Tigers, both by pins. Brandon Mendes (106, pin), Ben Mandeville (113, pin), Tyler Lima (126, pin), Candido Santos (160), Ryan Silva (195, pin), and Devin Wilson (220, pin) each had a win for Taunton.
Gymnastics
Attleboro @ Taunton, 4:00
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 4:00
Franklin, 136 @ King Philip, 131.6 – Final – Franklin’s Mia Lizotte won the all-around with a score of 36.35. Lizotte finished with scores of 9.35 on the bar, 9.2 on the vault and the floor exercise, and 8.6 on the beam. Sophomore Emma Owens (8.9), freshman Kate Rudolph (8.85), and sophomore Lexi Lupien (8.5) also had high scores on the vault. On the floor, Franklin got an 8.8 from Rudolph and 8.5 from her classmate Caroline Woelfel, as well as scores of 8.4 from Owens and senior Sadie Rondeau.
Boys Hockey
Taunton, 10 @ Durfee, 1 – Final – Senior Andrew Carter recorded four points while Mike Albert, Jaden Weyant, and Nathan Fernandes each had three points as the Tigers opened the season with a win. Carter scored once and had three helpers, Albert and Fernandes each scored once and had two helpers, and Weyant scored twice and recored one assist.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 100 @ Mansfield, 63 – Final – Attleboro had seven individual first place finishes and won three relay events to score a win over Mansfield. Colton Parkinson won a pair of events, qualifying for sectionals in one event and states in another while Connor Dunn also touched first in a pair of individual races. Parkinson qualified for states in the 200 IM (2:04.70) and sectionals in the 500 free (5:15.71). Alex Harrop (100 fly, 1:06.56), Matt Marcum (100 back, 1:06.68), and Damien Geltrude (100 breast) all had first place finishes. The 200 medley relay (Marcum, Parkinson, Harrop, Dunn) won in 1:55.67, the 200 free relay (Marcum, Zach Moore, Dunn, Parkinson) finished first in 1:41.17, and the 400 free relay (Harrop, Calvin Maragnano, Nick Tellier, Brett Wortham) touched in a winning time of 4:22.90.
Franklin, 64 vs. Bishop Feehan, 106 – Final
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 100 @ Mansfield, 67 – Final – Tiffany Chin and Liz Saltz each won a pair of events and were members of two winning relay teams to help the Bombardiers beat Mansfield. Chin won the 500 free (5:55.80) and the 100 back (1:08.34) while Saltz qualified for sectionals in both the 200 IM (2:25.60) and the 100 free (58.93). Chin and Saltz joined Jackie Lynch Bartek and Corinne Perry to win the 200 medley (2:06.82) and teamed up with Ella Lynch-Barket and Jackie Lynch-Bartek for the 200 free relay (1:53.93), qualifying for sectionals. Jackie Lynch-Bartek also won the 100 breaststroke (1:19.56) while Ella Lynch-Bartek took first in the 200 free (2:12.02).
The Hockomock League boys hockey season is kicking off and should be as competitive as ever. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2017-2018 Record: 9-10-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South preliminary round. Coach: Mark Homer
After a two year drought of postseason hockey, the Bombardiers made it to the playoffs last year and are aiming to make it two years in a row. The Bombardiers only had three seniors on the roster last season, so the majority of the squad is back, plus a familiar face is back in the fold this season.
One of the three seniors that graduated was Jake Parker, who led the Bombardiers in scoring last season with 26 goals and eight assists. But Attleboro is slated to return its next three scorers in senior Cam Littig (12 goals, 14 assists for 26 points), junior Ryan Morry (11 goals, 15 assists for 26 points) and senior Kyle McCabe (three goals, 10 assists for 13 points).
Another positive is that the Bombardiers have some experience in goal. Both senior Evan Andrews (13.66 games played) and junior Derrik Rivet (6.33 games) are set to return. Having an experienced goalie is a huge positive but having a strong backup helps even more. Andrews had 270 saves last season with a 0.882 save percentage while Rivet turned away 144 shots and had a 0.842 save percentage. In front of goal, McCabe, Sam Flynn, and Matt Viveiros will be joined by Liam McDonough, Kyle Miniati, and Zach Pierce as members of the defensive unit.
While Littig and Morry will try to replicate their success from a season ago, one name that could help bolster the offense is senior Sam Larkin. Larkin played his freshman year and had seven goals and seven assists before switching over to juniors. His experience should give Attleboro a boost during the season.
“We have had some additions to our team this year that has created a little more depth that had been absent in previous years,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “We are working on maintaining a better consistency in our play. We are still in our tryout mode and hoping to find the right mix to make us more competitive this season, especially in our league games.”
2017-2018 Record: 17-3-4 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South semifinal. Coach: Brian Shuman
Canton comes into every year with high expectations and the Bulldogs will be favorites to bring home a ninth straight Davenport division title and 11th Hockomock League title in the past 12 seasons. While the league campaign is a priority, the Bulldogs will also be comparing themselves to the top teams in Div. 2 and hoping this will be the year to break through in the South sectional and get back to the TD Garden for the first time since 2010.
After a dominant winter, the top scoring line is back in full for Canton. Senior Ryan Nolte, the reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year, and junior Johnny Hagan, the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, will draw most of the plaudits but junior Timmy Kelleher gives the Bulldogs strong play on the other wing as well. That line combined for 69 points last season (27 apiece for Hagan and Nolte) and will be one of the league’s best going into this year. Canton also has juniors Tommy Ghostlaw and Chris Lavoie back to add scoring punch to the second line.
At the blue line, juniors Owen Lehane and Jack Connolly will both be expected to eat up a lot of minutes after strong sophomore seasons, and the Bulldogs will be looking for other players to step up and fill in defensively. After consistently strong goaltending from Quinn Gibbs over the past few seasons, Canton will turn to senior Mike Staffiere, who has been a backup the past two years and is drawing great reviews for his play during the preseason.
“Overall, we have a lot of experience returning up front at the forward position, but that’s true for a lot of teams in our league and in our division,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “The real question will be how much these players improved from last year, which we won’t know for sure until the games get going.”
2017-2018 Record: 10-9-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South preliminary round. Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro is coming off the best season in program history, as the Warriors won 10 games and qualified for the state tournament without relying on the Sullivan Rule. Now, the Warriors come back this season hoping to build on that season and make another run at the state tournament behind an offense that, according to coach Mark Cedorchuk, is as deep as it has ever been.
Junior Ronnie MacLellan and sophomore Kirk Leach are two of the forwards to keep an eye on this season for the Warriors after the duo combined for 15 goals and 32 points last season. Also up front will be senior Tanner Kennedy and juniors Sebastian Ricketts and Josh Bertumen, who combined for 10 goals last year and are looking to continue their development to add depth to the attack.
Senior Brendan Tully will lead the defensive effort but is also the team’s leading scorer. The blue line standout scored 18 goals and had 19 assists and is going to be a major factor in all three zones as well as a leader on the penalty kill and power play. He will be joined on the blue line by junior Kyle McGinnis, while junior Espen Reager will be between the pipes this year.
“Even though we had a successful season last year, best in team history,” Cedorchuk said, “our players are not satisfied, they are hungry to improve on that.”
2017-2018 Record: 12-6-5 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round. Coach: Chris Spillane
Franklin started well last winter, reaching the final of the prestigious Mount St. Charles tournament and taking a point off Malden Catholic for the first time, but the Panthers couldn’t carry the momentum throughout the season and were knocked out in the first round of the tournament. As usual, Franklin graduated a lot of players, but also return a strong corps of experienced players to take on arguably the program’s toughest regular season schedule, which is loaded with some of the state’s top teams.
The Panthers return 11 seniors for this season, including eight forwards, but also have a group of eight sophomores that are jumping up from the JV to contribute on varsity this season. The forward line has plenty of experience and should be able to fire in the goals this year. Seniors Joey Lizotte, Zac Falvey, Scott Elliott, Dan Magazu, and C.J. Spillane will all be able to jump into the top scoring lines after playing major roles last year.
Defensively, the top five defensemen will be juniors Tom Tasker (who was on the HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman Team last year) and Colin Hedvig and seniors Cam Casella, Matt D’Errico, and Evan Forbes. Three sophomores will also see time on the blue line for the Panthers this season. After graduating three senior goaltenders, the job is open to senior Ryan Cameron and junior Ray Ivers, who are both making the jump from JV.
“Our hope is that team speed will drive the offense and that our returning defense will have the experience to make sound decisions in our end,” said Franklin coach Chris Spillane. “The boys are looking forward to the upcoming season. I see the Hockomock as an extremely competitive league this year. We will also challenge our boys with a high-end non-league schedule.”
2017-2018 Record: 8-12-1 2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason. Coach: Paul Carlow
King Philip brings 11 players back from last year’s squad and is hoping a tough schedule will result in a battle-tested team ready for the D1 South Tournament at the end of February. It starts with the seniors for the Warriors with four of them back, plus a transfer.
There will be a lot of experience in the top line for KP, as well as its first defensive pair and between the pipes. Captain Ryan Fitzpatrick (10 points) had a strong season last year and will be trying to replicate that this year. Fitzpatrick is joined by assistant captain Luke D’Amico (13 points) as wingers while senior transfer Brendan Shandley steps in at center to give the Warriors a formidable line to work with. Juniors Chris Daniels (13 points), Joe Boselli (11 points), and Jack Coulter (10 points) are all back after successful sophomore seasons and should provide KP with good depth.
On the blueline, veteran Garrett Maxwell is the lone senior back from last year so he will be relied on for leadership. He is one of the strongest players in the league and plays in all situations for KP, including the power play plus the penalty kill. There will be some other familiar faces on defense for KP with junior Kyle Gray (seven points) and sophomore Rocco Bianculli (eight points) both back with varsity experience.
Senior James Lewis takes over in the crease as the starting netminder for the Warriors. Lewis saw action in three games last season, including a pair of wins and shutouts. While new to the starting position, Lewis has plenty of experience and that bodes well for the Warriors. Jesper Makudera and Nate Ihley will be pushing for minutes in net as well.
“I expect the team to have some good chemistry and get off to a good start,” said King Philip head coach Paul Carlow. “Practice has been good, and we have good leadership this year with a strong core. The Hockomock League is always competitive, the Kelley-Rex is a strong division, and we have a tough non-league schedule too, so we want to challenge ourselves.”
2017-2018 Record: 9-7-5 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round. Coach: Mike Balzarini
The Hornets have a strong core of players back this season, along with the addition of a couple of new faces, and head coach Mike Balzarini is hoping that combination will result in success this season.
Experience will be a strong suit for Mansfield as five of its top six forwards played significant minutes last year. Chris Copponi (12 points) and Matt Copponi (16 points) will be on the wings around center Coleman O’Brien for one line while Jake Lund (eight points) and Kevin Bellanger are returners on another line. The sixth forward will be center Jack Garland, who played juniors last year but is back in the fold for the Hornets this year. Ben Ierardo, Cam Page, and Braedon Copparini will be in the mix for minutes as well.
Defensively, while there are certainly some holes to fill, Balzarini has some talent to rely on the blue line. Two-time HockomockSports.com selections Mike Arnold and Tyler Oakley graduated so there is a little bit of a void, but Austin Ricker has stepped on early on to anchor the Hornet defensive unit. Ricker is joined by Brad Grant, who played for the Hornets previously before switching to juniors. Nick Levine and Joe Troiano gained valuable experience last year, and Jack Gormley and Brian Grant should be in the mix as well.
Mansfield also has experience in the goalie position with junior Sean McCafferty back between the pipes after having a breakout sophomore campaign. McCafferty was one of the top goalies in the league last year, earning HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman honors. He had 377 saves and a 92 save percentage, which bodes well for the Hornets this year.
“We obviously want to pick up where we left off after making the playoffs the last two years,” Balzarini said. “With the returning players plus new additions, I think we’re a little bit deeper and we know what we need to do to be competitive and make sure we’re playing well at the end of the season.”
2017-2018 Record: 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South first round. Coach: Ben McManama
Defense will be key for the Rocketeers during the 2018-2019 season. With a handful of returners back on the blue line as well as veteran goalie Ryan Warren, North Attleboro boasts a talented defensive unit.
Senior captain Brendan McHugh will anchor the defensive group alongside juniors Jeff Baker and Will Yeomans. All three are very experienced players that put defense first. They can all get involved in the offense as well. Warren has shined between the pipes each of the last three seasons, earning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year as a freshman and was a HockomockSports Third Team selection last season. Warren is pushed in practice each day as Chris Ulrich and Nick Digiacomo push for time.
Offensively, North Attleboro only lost two forwards from last year’s group, but those two players (Drew Wissler, Jason McNeany) combined for nearly half of the Rocketeers’ 76 goals a season ago. So this year, Big Red will need forwards to step up and contribute. Captain Anthony Zammiello scored 13 goals last year and will look to continue his success this season. Todd Robinson, Justin Moccia, Dennis Morehouse, Jake Ebert, and Jack Connolly are all candidates to have big years for the Rocketeers.
“We are a very big and physical team that works hard,” said North Attleboro head coach Ben McManama. “We will need to stay out of the box to have success this year. Defense and depth will be the strength of our team. We will also need three lines that can score. I am very optimistic on the season because it is obvious that all our players put a ton of work in during the offseason.”
2017-2018 Record: 13-9 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South first round. Coach: Sean Bertoni
Speed has been the strength of the Tigers since Sean Bertoni took over the team and Oliver Ames will be relying on that speed and aggressiveness to try and challenge Franklin at the top of the Kelley-Rex division and to make a run in the state tournament. With a few players coming back from juniors to join with an experienced group, OA has high hopes of pushing the Panthers for the league title.
Senior forward Brett Williams will be the key player in the attack, coming off a season in which he scored 21 goals and recorded 15 assists and was named to the HockomockSports.com First Team. Williams will have plenty of help up front from senior Colin Bourne, who is one of the fastest skaters in the league and had 13 points last season. Senior forward Cullen Gallagher will also give the offense a boost, as he comes back to the program after a year in juniors.
Senior Matt McCormack was one of the league’s top defensemen last year and his steadying presence on the blue line will be critical to OA improving on that end of the ice, after giving up 54 goals as a team last year. Senior James Beatty is back after a year in juniors and should be a big boost to the blue line. Junior Owen Connor is back in net and looking to build off last season’s efforts.
“We are a team that will rely heavily on our team speed,” Bertoni said. “Our aggressive style of defense will lead to a successful offense. We will have to establish our forecheck to be effective. Our transition game will be a strength for us this year, creating turnovers and getting on the attack.”
2017-2018 Record: 1-20-1 2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason. Coach: Dan Mark
Overall, the Stoughton Black Knights will be on the young side but they have a veteran first line that will lead the way.
The Knights will be looking to improve on last year’s record, while possibly trying to surprise some teams along the way. Leading the way offensively will be senior Sean Doherty. Doherty was Stoughton’s second-leading scorer last year behind Brendan Campbell (graduated). Doherty was second on the Black Knights with 12 goals and added 11 assists and will be relied upon to be a key piece of the offense this season. Joining Doherty on the first line will be senior Luke Bainton, who brings a lot of varsity experience to the table. Bainton will look to improve on last year after recording seven points (four goals, three assists).
Senior Josh Hough will anchor the blue line for the Black Knights. In his fourth year on varsity, Hough has logged a lot of minutes on the ice over the past couple of seasons and will be one of the most experienced defensemen in the league. Hough is able to create on the offensive end as well, scoring a pair of goals last year along with seven assists. Senior Thomas McCoy is set to return in goal after getting experience between the pipes a season ago.
2017-2018 Record: 12-10-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South semifinal. Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton has been a program on the rise for the past few seasons and last year the Tigers took another big step forward by making a push to the Div. 2 South semifinal. That unexpected tournament run as the No. 13 seed, which included wins over No. 4 Old Rochester and No. 5 Nauset, has boosted the team’s confidence heading into a new year in which all but four players are back.
Scoring has not been a problem for the Tigers in recent seasons. Last year, Taunton scored a league-best 98 goals, five more than Davenport champ Canton, and senior forward Cam Sneyd (30 points) and junior Mike Albert (32 points) both eclipsed the 30-point mark. Senior Jack Patneaude added 15 points last year and he is poised for a big year along with classmates Jaden Weyant, Owen Ross, and Nick Vandermeel.
The defense is almost completely returned from last year, led by senior Andrew Carter, who was solid in the defensive zone but also chipped in with 20 points. Senior Brady Nichols and sophomore Dylan Nichols are also back for the Tigers. Junior Sean Bunker returns in net after a solid performance in the tournament run and he will be backed up by classmate Andrew Gomes, who has shown that he is a capable replacement when needed.
“The players have embraced the enjoyment of the journey, the process, and working hard to get better every day,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “They have the potential to continue their accomplishment of new heights. They will be fun to coach, and watch grow throughout the season.”
Mansfield goalie Sean McCafferty will be one of the player to watch as the Hockomock boys hockey season kicks off. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Albert is coming off a remarkable sophomore season in which he was among the league’s leading scorers and helped the Tigers make an improbable run to the Div. 2 South semifinal. Albert scored 17 goals and recorded 15 assists last year and is a tenacious forward in the attacking zone, chasing every puck and capable of making plays anywhere in the offensive zone. Although not the biggest forward, Albert never shied away from a hit and his speed makes him a threat wherever he picks up the puck. Taunton has been a program on the rise over the past few seasons and Albert’s skill and scoring touch have the Tigers confident of continuing that upward trajectory this winter.
The reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, Hagan is one of the top forwards in the Hockomock League and part of the league’s most dynamic scoring duo, along with senior Ryan Nolte (see below). Hagan was tied for the team lead with 36 points last year, including 14 goals and a team-high 22 assists, and came through in the clutch with nine of his points coming in three playoff games. He seems to love the physical part of the game and is very difficult to dislodge from the puck when he is breaking into the zone and he has the vision to find seams to set up his teammates or take the puck to goal. Hagan has an impressive shot and a love for the big hits (which sometimes gets him in trouble with penalties) and when he is on the ice opposing defenses have to keep an eye out for him at all times. Canton has been consistently among the top teams in Div. 2 and Hagan’s growth on the first line should keep the Bulldogs in that category again this winter.
Lizzotte is one of Franklin’s top returning forwards from last year’s league title-winning side and he could make the move up from the second to the first line for the Panthers this season. His energy and tenacity in the offensive zone made him one of Franklin’s top scoring threats, as the Panthers advanced to the final of the competitive Mount St. Charles tournament and got a point for the first time against Malden Catholic. Lizzotte scored nine times and assisted on four other goals, partnering with Zac Falvey on the second line and both are back to keep Franklin rolling into a new season. Lizzotte utilizes his speed to open up space for diagonal passes and is willing to chase pucks into the corners to try and keep the offense going. In addition to league play, Franklin has a schedule loaded with some of the top teams in Div. 1, so Lizzotte and the forwards will need to be firing right from the start to help the Panthers compete with some of the state’s best.
McCafferty has put in two impressive seasons for the Hornets and he will be one of the top returning goaltenders this winter, as Mansfield looks to challenge Franklin for the league title and make some noise in the state tournament. As a sophomore, McCafferty allowed only 1.85 goals against and saved 92 percent of the shots that he faced. Overall, he made 377 saves last year and had a solid performance in the loss to Xaverian in the tournament. McCafferty is quick with a strong glove and does a good job of positioning to be in the right places to make saves. The loss of graduated defensemen Tyler Oakley and Tim Arnold will make McCafferty’s communication with the blue line group even more important this season, but at least the Hornets know that there will be a solid last line of defense if things do break down. McCafferty will be tested this season, but the Hornets are confident he can come through and give them the type of performances needed to push Franklin and try to win a first league title since 2011.
McCormack has been one of the most consistent defensemen in the league over the past couple of seasons and is an imposing figure on the blue line for the Tigers, who will be hoping to challenge perennial power Franklin for the Kelley-Rex division title. In addition to his physical presence in the defensive zone and his ability to dominate the crease, McCormack also chipped in on offense, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists. His passing in the transition game is a key to the Tigers taking advantage of their speed in the forward lines and he has a rocket of a shot from the point. Teams look for reliability from the blue line and McCormack has provided that for OA the past few seasons, limiting the opposition’s scoring chances and adding toughness to the lineup. With McCormack in the back line, the Tigers will be confident of keeping pace with the top teams in the division.
With the graduation of leading scorer Jake Parker, the Bombardiers will be counting on Morry to continue his development into a top line center. As a sophomore, Morry centered the second line and was part of the top power play and penalty kill units and he contributed 11 goals and 15 assists to help Attleboro get back into the state tournament. This year, the skilled, physical forward will be counted on to make up some of the production lost from Parker’s graduation and continue playing big minutes (more than 25 minutes per game last season). He has solid stick-handling skills and an accurate shot on the move, but it is his vision and ability to pick out the right pass under pressure that makes him effective for the Bombardiers. With Sam Larkin back after a year at juniors and a year of experience for Morry, Attleboro has the pieces in place to make another run at a playoff place.
The 2017 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year and 2018 Player of the Year, Nolte is arguably the top two-way forward in the Hockomock League and leads the top line for the Bulldogs, who went unbeaten in the Hock last year. His partnership with Johnny Hagan (see above) was the league’s most dynamic last year and they are back to try and bring another league title to the Canton Ice House. Nolte scored 18 goals and had 18 assists for the Bulldogs and was also part of both the penalty kill and the power play because of his work in all three zones. Physically strong and with impressive skill with the puck, Nolte can score in a variety of ways and is not afraid of getting into the crease and causing havoc in front opposing goalies. He is also a patient attacker, willing to cycle the puck and wait for the right opening. Canton has high expectations every winter and this season is no different, as the Bulldogs look to secure another league title and make a run at an elusive sectional title.
Tasker jumped into the mix for Franklin and made a quick impression as a solid performer on the blue line in all three zones, providing big hits and a hard shot from the point. Now as a junior Tasker has solidified himself as a mainstay and one of the leaders of the Panthers defense as they try to continue their dominance in the Kelley-Rex division and make another run in the tournament. Tasker is a physical presence in the defensive zone but also showed good touch on his outlet passes to get the Panthers into the attack quickly. He scored four goals and had four assists last season and became a dangerous weapon on the power play. After a year of experience on the varsity level, Tasker will be one of the leaders in the back line and keep driving the team forward from the defensive zone. Expectations are high for Franklin defensemen but Tasker seems more than capable of meeting them.
Tully spent a year in juniors but returned last season to lead the Warriors to the best season in program history. The senior defenseman will hope to repeat that success this year, as not only the leader of the team’s blueline corps but also as one of Foxboro’s top scorers. Tully scored 19 goals and had 18 assists from his defenseman position, which was among the top scorers in the Hockomock League regardless of position. He is a skilled player with the puck, but can also play the physical game necessary to keep opponents away from goal. With his speed and game IQ, Tully can cover a lot of ice and always seems to be in the right position to make plays in either zone. Coming off a 10-win season, the Warriors will be turning to Tully to lead another run at a state tournament berth and continue the program’s forward momentum.
Warren has been one of the league’s top goaltenders for the past three seasons and he enters his senior year with the opportunity to help North Attleboro unseat Canton at the top of the Davenport division. Warren, the 2016 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, allowed only 2.75 goals per game last season and held 11 opponents to two goals or less, which gave the potent North offense the chance in just about every game. A quick and agile goalie, Warren makes some of the most difficult saves seem easy and he came through against some of North’s toughest opponents, such as 36 saves against Franklin or more than 50 stops against Canton. When Warren is on his game, North can compete with anyone in Div. 2 and the Rocketeers will be counting on consistent performances this winter as they make another run at a league title. With Warren back in goal, a tournament run isn’t out of the question for North as well.
