Nathan Fernandes scored a pair of goals to lead Taunton to a 4-0 victory over Attleboro at the NESV. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass – After recording 15 shots in the first period, Taunton was in control of the play, but had yet to find the back of the net. That changed in the second, as the Tigers found the breakthrough, grabbed momentum, and then tacked on two more goals in quick succession to break open Sunday afternoon’s game at the New England Sports Village.
Taunton added a fourth in the third period to beat Attleboro 4-0. It was an ideal win for the Tigers, who are battling for a spot in the state tournament. Not only did they get the result, but they also added the margin of victory bonus and freshman goalie Cam Tomaszycki recorded his first career shutout.
“Between COVID and injuries and the flu, it’s been one guy in, one guy out, two guys in and three guys out, no continuity, but the last week we’ve been able to have solidified lines in practice and some sort of rhythm,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea about his team’s three wins in the last four games.
“You can definitely see it with the boys,” he continued. “In the last week, we’ve finally gotten three lines that have been healthy. We’ve been playing with 10, 11, 12 players and to have some energy and to have the guys not be tired when they hit the third period has been nice.”
The visitors came out flying from the opening face-off and immediately put the Bombardiers on the back foot. Despite the pressure and having far fewer scoring chances (being outshot 15-5 in the first), Attleboro still managed to get several quality looks on goal.
Nate Parker created a good opening for Attleboro five minutes into the game when his forechecking forced a turnover in the attacking zone. He fed the puck back to Nathan Conroy, but Tomaszycki (12 saves) had a quick glove to prevent a shorthanded goal.
Taunton was able to create some noteworthy chances on that power play. Colton Scheralis played the puck up the far boards and into the path of Nathan Fernandes, who fired a shot from the right wing circle that was blockered aside by Attleboro goalie Nick Piazza (36 saves). Loran Corcoran then had a blast from the other side that Piazza kicked away.
Tomaszycki wasn’t tested often but he had to be alert to deny a tip in front off the stick of either Conroy or Austin Bessette. He also showed quick reactions to get a pad on a deflected shot from the point by Dane Holske. Scheralis had a good shorthanded chance for the Tigers in the final two minutes with a steal at his own blue line and long rush up ice that ended with Piazza denying his close-range backhander.
Attleboro nearly provided a shock at the start of the second period. Sean Marshall went on a weaving rush from his own defensive zone and got all the way to the slot on the other end only to have Tomaszycki make the save.
Taunton finally broke the deadlock just about two minutes later, with its first shot of the period. Fernandes took advantage of a turnover to get free beyond the right wing circle and his wrister went high to the glove side past an unsighted Piazza.
Metea said, “First goal is always important. You need to play with the lead because it changes the game. If they had capitalized and gone up 1-0 then it changes the whole momentum of the game, so it was great to get the first one. Our captain stepped up and made a nice play.”
The Attleboro goalie made amends almost immediately after giving up the goal when he flashed a glove to rob Dillon Parker on a breakaway. Corcoran also tested the Attleboro goalie with a shorthanded slap shot from the point. Attleboro’s best chance came with five minutes left in the period, when a slip gave Michael Lachance a free run on goal but Tomaszycki stayed tall and then the freshman also was well-positioned to save a tip from right in front.
After nearly allowing Attleboro to tie it, Taunton broke the game open with two goals in just 26 seconds. Fernandes got the first with another seeing-eye wrist shot and Connor McGrath made it 3-0 when his wrister on a two-on-one also found its way past Piazza.
“Once you get the first one, hopefully you get the momentum and the second one comes pretty quickly, so once they had the momentum and that confidence then they were able to keep going,” Metea explained.
Nick Fernandes had a chance for the Bombardiers early in the third period, but his backhander from the slot was kicked away by Tomaszycki. Piazza twice denied Nathan Fernandes his hat trick. The first was on a shot from the edge of the crease that the Attleboro netminder smothered and then he stopped another breakaway chance, closing up the five-hole to keep it a three-goal deficit.
Scheralis would put the game away for the Tigers with six minutes to go. He went on a long rush up the right wing, before angling towards goal. His patience forced Piazza to open up and then the defenseman slipped the puck under the pads for a 4-0 lead. Taunton finished with a 40-12 edge in shots.
“Power rankings change the whole dynamic of everything,” said Metea when asked about how to approach the third period leading 3-0. “Every moment of a game becomes more important. It’s not just the matter of getting the win, now it’s the matter of making sure you have the three-goal margin, after that making sure you don’t give up a goal. It’s great for the kids because every game is important.”
Taunton (5-8-1) will try to keep its momentum going on Monday when it travels to Foxboro. Attleboro (0-11-0) will travel to league leader Franklin on Wednesday.
Boys Basketball
Mansfield @ Bridgewater-Raynham – Postponed to Wednesday, 2/2 at 6:30.
Girls Basketball
Stoughton, 30 @ Brookline, 62 – Final – Stoughton dropped a contest on the road at Brookline on Monday evening. Evie Lam led the offense for the Black Knights with 11 points while Alyssa Edwards hauled in seven rebounds.
Milford, 71 vs. Burncoat, 59 – Final – Maddalena Mannucci Pacini scored a career-high 40 points, including 24 in the second half, to lead the Hawks to a big non-league win. Pacini buried seven threes, went 11-for-13 from the free throw line, and scored in double digits in three of the four quarters to set a new career mark. Erin Michelson added eight points for the Hawks, all in the first half, and Brooke Ferreira and Jess Douglas chipped in with six points apiece. Milford jumped out to a 23-9 lead after the first quarter and carried that advantage for the rest of the night.
Boys Hockey
Franklin, 6 vs. Weymouth, 1 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the first, once in the second, and three times in the third to win its opening round matchup of the Ed Burns Hockey Classic with Weymouth, avenging its loss to the Wildcats from earlier this season. Ben Jarosz scored a hat trick for the Panthers, scoring once in each period while Logan Marchand, Ben Paterson, and Christian Shabbick each had one goal. Sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter made 20 saves in the win. Ryan Sicchio, Anthony Lampasona, and Shabbick each had a pair of assists in the win.
Canton, 4 vs. Burlington, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Eamon Kelly scored twice and Brendan Tourgee had a goal and two assists, as Canton dominated its first round game in the Ed Burns Hockey Classic. Kelly opened the scoring just 28 seconds into the game, as he followed up Tourgee’s initial shot and then lifted the rebound high to the clove side from close range. Six minutes into the second period, Kelly doubled the lead. He took a pass from Tourgee in the right wing circle, dragged it past a stick check and then roofed his shot from a tight angle. Tourgee sealed the win with 6:59 left to play, finding space inside the left wing circle and picking the far corner. Billy Delello tacked on a fourth inside the final minute, as he was in the right place to finish off a chance created by fellow senior Michael Leonetti. Freshman Colin Davis made 12 saves to record the shutout, as Canton outshot Burlington 34-12. The Bulldogs will take on Natick in the next round on Sunday.
Foxboro, 5 vs. Norton, 2 – Final – Foxboro scored four goals between the first two periods and tacked on one more in the third for a win over Norton. Derek Axon scored twice for the Warriors while Steven Bridges, Ben Ricketts, and Tom Marcucella each lit the lamp once in the win. Alex Coviello and Ricketts each recorded a pair of assists and Sullivan Keneally, Henry Diamond, and Bridges each had one helper. Sophomore Trevor Marder earned the win in between the pipes for Foxboro.
Mansfield, 2 @ Bishop Feehan, 8 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 vs. Silver Lake, 4 – Final
Stoughton, 3 @ Southeastern, 1 – Final – Chris Andrade shined between the pipes and Colin Alessi accounted for all three goals to lead the Black Knights to a win over Southeastern. Alessi scored a hat trick while Andrade turned in 25 saves in the win.
Taunton, 3 vs. Apponequet, 2 – Final (OT) – Colton Scheralis scored with five seconds left in overtime to give Taunton its second win over Apponequet in the past week. After skating to a 2-2 tie in regulation, the Tigers looked destined for a tie until Scheralis lit the lamp just before the buzzer to give Taunton the two points. Loran Corcoran and Evan Pereira also scored for Taunton while Conner Goranson, Connor McGrath, and Nathan Fernandes each had an assist. Freshman Cam Tomaszycki recorded 23 saves to get the win in net.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 66 @ Southeastern, 67 – Final – Oliver Ames led after each of the first three quarters but Southeastern scored the go-ahead bucket with just over two seconds to play to steal the win from the Tigers. Junior Zach Tagliamonte scored a team-high 25 points for the second straight game to pace the Tigers. Jake Grimaldi chipped in with 17 points and Drew Baxter had 10 for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 72 @ Weymouth, 61 – Final – Deadlocked after three quarters, Stoughton poured in 24 points and get some key stops to secure a win on the road at Weymouth. Freshman Matt Greenspoon hit a big three and added another field goal in the fourth quarter to spark the Black Knights, finishing with 11 points (all in the second half). Senior Connor Andrews scored nine of his team-high 24 points in the final frame and junior Rayan Sablon had 11 of his 19 points in the last frame to help Stoughton get the win.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 46 @ East Bridgewater, 63 – Final – Jasmine Davis scored 27 points and added 20 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles fell on the road in a non-league game. Rachael Hager chipped in with 12 points for the second straight day.
Stoughton, 35 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Fay Gallery led the way for the Bulldogs with 23 points, including four three-pointers, as Canton extended its win streak to five games. The Bulldogs held a three-point lead after one and extended it to 10 by halftime. The Black Knights stayed within 13 heading to the fourth, but Canton outscored the visitors 19-7 over the final eight minutes to pull away for a big win. Kiara Cerruti scored 14 and Sydney Gallery added seven for Canton. Kate Bulger scored 13 for the Black Knights, including six in the first, and Vanessa Phelimond and Raina Tat each scored six.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Troy Carlisle scored a pair of goals and assisted on two other, helping North sweep the season series against Attleboro. Carlisle opened the scoring with a breakaway goal four minutes into the game and then picked up an assist about four minutes later when he set up Jack Dluhy in the slot. Attleboro goalie Nick Piazza made a pad stop but Joe Quinn knocked in the rebound. North hit the post twice in the first and Attleboro had a shot cleared off the line. Carlisle got his second when he stole the puck in the attacking zone and found the top corner. Nick Longa made it 4-0, assisted by Nik Kojoian and Mark Ayvazyan. North then got two more 39 seconds apart to lead 6-0 after two. Quinn scored his second off a Dluhy assist and Brody Gaulin was credited with a tip of Austin Comery’s shot from the point. Kojoian got his second assist early in the third when Anthony Westcott’s shot from the point went in off the bar. Gaulin added a 4-on-4 goal with 8:37 to play, assisted by Brady Sarro. Attleboro got on the board in the final 90 seconds, as Sean Marshall went the length of the ice on the power play and buried his shot in the top corner past North goalie Nate Kelly (eight saves). Piazza finished with 46 saves in the loss.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – King Philip sophomore Brad Guden scored a hat trick to lead the Warriors to a league win over Foxboro at the Foxboro Sports Center. King Philip scored twice in the first, three times in the second, and tacked on one more in the third to get the win. Guden set up KP’s first goal, carrying possession into the offensive zone before teeing up classmate Sam Naggar for a one-timer from the blue line that found its way through. Less than two minutes later, John Campbell used a nice move in front to beat the goalie, assists going to Sean Crowther and Kevin Birenbaum. Foxboro cut the deficit in half with 8:08 to play in the first as senior Ben Ricketts intercepted a clearance attempt and fired a wrister that was partially stopped but trickled over the line. Guden lit the lamp twice in the second, first firing a low wrister from the blue line that found the back of the net, and then minutes later, had another low shot take a fortunate deflection off a Foxboro skate and into the back of the net. Crowther came flying down the left side before roofing a shot with less than two minutes to go to make it 5-1 after two periods. Guden completed the hat trick in the third, finishing off a pass from Crowther for a 6-1 edge. Senior Josh Marcoux made 33 saves in net for Foxboro.
Franklin, 7 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin scored three goals in each the first and second periods on its way to a league win on the road over Taunton. Christian Shabbick scored a hat trick for the Panhters, scoring with eight minutes left in the first (on an assist from Ben Paterson) to make it 3-0, again less then two minutes into the second (from Anthony Lampasona) to make it 4-0, and then completed the hat trick (on another assist from Paterson) to push the lead to 6-0. Dylan Marchand added a pair of goals, Ryan Sicchio scored on the power play in the first period, and Paterson lit the lamp once and had a total of three assists. Freshman Jack O’Connor made 16 saves for the win. Taunton sophomore Conner Goranson scored off of an assist from senior Nathan Fernandes in the third period. Freshman Cam Tomaszycki made 46 saves in net for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 7 @ Cardinal Spellman, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Sean Farley scored a pair of goals to help the Black Knights pick up their second win over Cardinal Spellman this month. Ryan Summers, Joe McNulty, Cooper Card, Colin Alessi and Charlie Caputo each added one goal for Stoughton.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Medway/Ashland, 1 – Final – Audrey Koen scored a pair of goals to lead Canton to a third straight win and its fifth win in the last six games.
Franklin, 0 @ Medfield, 1 – Final (OT)
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Westwood, 2 – Final
King Philip, 9 @ Dedham, 0 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 2 vs. West/East Bridgewater, 7 – Final
Wrestling
Canton, 12 @ North Attleboro, 69 – Final
Sharon, 62 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – Ashmith Yeruva, Vehnil Rangaraman, Adam Landstein, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Kyle Samuels, Aaron Cashton, Phil Varvak, Cormac Horlbogen, Ethan Siao, and Ron Loebl each won for the Eagles, who clinched at least a share of the Davenport division title with the victory.
Mansfield, 21 @ Franklin, 49 – Final
Milford @ King Philip, 6:00
Oliver Ames, 78 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Senior Gio Juste, juniors Ryan Widdop, Kyle Hardie, and Victor Romeiro, and freshman Rory Gallagher-Lambert each earned a pinfall win for the Tigers.
Taunton, 72 @ Keefe Tech, 9 – Final – Ryan Jones (113), Christian Balmain (152), John Mandeville (160), Peter Ye (195), and Logan Frank (220) all won by pin to help Taunton secure a win on the road over Keefe Tech.
Boys Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 29 @ Taunton, 43 – Final
Girls Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 63 @ Taunton, 17 – Final
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 55 @ Milford, 43 – Final – Attleboro made it two wins in two days by jumping out to a big halftime lead and holding off a Milford comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Meghan Gordon scored a game-high 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while Maddalena Mannucci Pacini led the Hawks with 19 points. After scoring 17 in the first half on Tuesday night, Gordon was held to three points in the opening quarter on Wednesday, but Kayla Goldrick scored five of her 14 to help the Bombardiers take a 16-10 lead. Attleboro’s defense stepped up in the second, holding the Hawks to just four points (all of them by Pacini). Gordon caught fire in the second quarter, scoring 12 of Attleboro’s 16 in the frame, including a pair of threes. Leading 32-14 at the break, Attleboro kept up the offensive barrage in the third, adding another 16 points, but the Hawks found the range to match them. Goldrick had six in the quarter for Attleboro, while Pacini had five in the third and Jess Douglas knocked down one of her two second half threes. In the fourth, Brooke Ferreira scored five of her seven points and helped Milford close out the game with a 13-7 quarter and cut the lead down to a dozen. Lily Routhier chipped in with six points in the game for Attleboro.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD.
Foxboro, 3 @ Taunton, 4 – Final (OT) – Taunton earned its first league win of the season, scoring an overtime goal to hand Foxboro its first loss of the season. Junior forward Connor McGrath scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the way for the Tigers. McGrath also registered an assist while junior Colton Scheralis scored once and recorded two assists. Junior Dylan McCaughey scored and had an assist, and Nathan Fernandes, Travis Cashman, and goalie Cam Tomaszycki (25 saves) each had an assist. The Warriors got goals from Dylan Pothier, Tom Marcucella, and Connor Hayes.
Franklin, 4 vs. Hingham, 2 – Final – Franklin saw its two-goal lead disappear in less than three minutes but the Panthers had an immediate response and secured one of their best wins of the season over one of the state’s top teams in Hingham. The Panthers had a dream start when Adam Quinn (from Ben Jarosz and Liam O’Reilly) scored just 14 seconds into the contest for a 1-0 lead. Dom Lampasona netted an unassisted goal with just over three minutes left in the first for a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. Midway through the second, Hingham scored a pair of goals in 2:31 but Franklin’s Anthony Lampasona (from Quinn) put Franklin back ahead just 27 seconds later. Lampasona (from Logan Marchand) netted his second of the game with 3:20 left to secure the win. Sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter had a strong game between the pipes with 34 saves against the Harbormen.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 @ Dedham, 0 – Final
Franklin, 0 @ Westwood, 5 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 3 @ Norwood, 4 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Medfield, 0 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 vs. Medway, 9 – Final
Wrestling
Foxboro, 57 @ Canton, 21 – Final
Taunton, 37 @ Franklin, 27 – Final – Taunton won eight matches, including four by pinfall, to secure its first win over Franklin since joining the Hockomock League nearly a decade ago. Mike Lesksoki (106, 3:03), Christian Balmain (152, 3:29), Avery Justa (220, 0:44), and Logan Frank (285, 3:13) all won by pin to score six points each, Brandon Mendes (120, 17-4) won by major decision, and Anthony Vieira (126, 6-2), Xavier Sandoval (132, 8-5), and Ethan Harris (182, 3-1) each one by decision. Franklin picked up wins from Riley Carlucci (113, 16-0), Tim O’Leary (138, 0:51), Alex Fracassa (145, 11-0), Connor Dillon (160, 9-4), Alex Foley (170, 3;45), and Nolan Sheridan (195, 14-7).
Milford, 39 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Milford won five of the seven matches by pinfall to secure a victory over a shorthanded Hornets squad. The Hawks picked up wins from Michael Boulanger (113, 5:02), Robert Lyons (120, 3:39), Paul Hough (152, 5:08), Dan Alves (160, 3:42), Ryan Donovan (170, 12-4), Cameron Phillips (195, 0:13), and Hampton Kaye-Kuter (220, 4:50).
North Attleboro, 46 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final
Sharon, 37 @ Oliver Ames, 33 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – Vehnil Rangaraman’s pin at 113 gave the Eagles a big momentum boost, Adam Landstein and Cam Brinbaum followed with back-to-back pins at 120 and 126, respectively, and Aaron Cashton’s pin at 152 clinched the match as the Eagles secured a key division win over Oliver Ames, moving to 3-0 in Davenport action. Mason Lelling earned a key three points at 182, Ethan Siao won a close 2-1 match for three points at 220, and Nick Varvak prevailed in overtime at 132 for three more points. Ashmith Yeruva had a major decision at 106 to secure four points. Oliver Ames got wins from Gio Juste (170), Anthony Hoffman (195), Jaden Hinton (285), John Dobbin (138), Kyle Hardie (145), and DJ Lipski (160).
Boys Swimming
Canton, 74 @ Milford, 93 – Final – Click here for full results – Canton had more individual winners and won two of the three relays, but Milford’s depth was on full display as the Hawks took two of the top three spots in all but one individual race. Jack Weiner was a two-time winner for Milford, taking first in both the 50 free and the 100 free, and Corey Rattray added a first place finish in he 100 backstroke. Weiner was joined by Aaron McIsaac, Ben Pezza, and Josh Anderson to take first in the 200 free relay, and all three of those swimmers added key points with individual top three finishes. Canton’s Talis Veidis won a pair of individual races (500 free, 200 free) and was apart of both of the Bulldogs’ two winning relay teams.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Boys Hockey
Attleboro vs. Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk, 5:30
Canton, 1 vs. Barnstable, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 2 vs. Northbridge, 1 – Final – Jack Watts and Ben Ricketts each scored once as the Warriors opened their season with a win over Northbridge. Matt Grace had the helper on the first goal while Brady Callahan and Dylan Pothier set up Tickets for the second goal. Josh Marcoux earned the win in net for Foxboro.
Franklin @ Catholic Memorial – Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield, 2 @ Barrington (R.I.), 2 – Final
Taunton, 4 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Taunton’s Conner Goranson scored a pair of third period goals, his second with less than a minute to help the visiting Tigers take a point one the road at Asiaf. Nathan Fernandes and Michael Lucier each had a goal and an assist while Colton Scheralis and Loran Corcoran both chipped in with a pair of assists. Charlie Caputo and Colby Strunk both scored a pair of goals for the Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final (OT)
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 vs. Hanover, 7 – Final
Wrestling
Marlboro Quad (Canton), 11:00
Foxboro Super Quad (Foxboro, Sharon) – Sharon went a perfect 3-0 on the day, picking up wins over Plymouth North (60-38), Boston Latin (53-30), and Plymouth South (44-36). Ashmith Yeruva won all three of his matches at 106, picking up three pinfall wins including one in 40 seconds against Boston Latin. Adam Landstein (120, three pins each less than a minute in), Aaron Cashton (152, two pins), and Cormac Horlbogen (182, three pins) all went 3-0 as well for the Eagles.
Braintree Quad (Mansfield), 10:00
Milford Tournament (King Philip, Milford) – Milford took first place with eight individual champions while King Philip finished third after sending four grapplers to the finals. The Hawks soared to a first place finish with 269.5 points, Ashland took second with 177, and KP finished third at 139.5. Aidan Baum (106), Michael Boulanger (113), Robert Lyons (120), Joseph Testa (132), Paul Hough (152), Dan Alves (160), Cameron Phillips (195)m and Hampton Kaye-kuter (220) all won for the Hawks while William Conniff (170) was the lone champion for the Warriors.
North Attleboro Quad (North Attleboro), 10:00
Marshfield Super Quad (Oliver Ames), 9:30
Weymouth Super Quad (Stoughton), 9:00
Sandwich Early Bird Invitational (Taunton) – Taunton continued its strong start to the season by cruising to a first place finish at the Sandwich Early Bird, recording 243 points with six individual winners and two more finalists. Brandon Mendes took first in the 120 bracket, winning all four matches by pinfall, taking out the top three seeds along the way. After a bye in the first round, Xavier Sandoval had back-to-back pins before winning the 132 final with a 6-0 decision. Ben Mandeville had four pinfall wins to claim the 145 bracket, top-seed Christian Balmain took two matches by pinfall then two more by decision to win at 160, Ethan Harris won two matches to secure the 182 title, and Peter Ye beat all three of his opponents by pin for the 195 title. Michael Leskoski (106) and Anthony Vieira (126) each took second for the Tigers.
2020-2021 Record: 1-8-0 Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro had a difficult 2020-21 season, as delays and big breaks early in the season led to three games in three days to close things out. The Bombardiers will be hoping that they can build off that experience and make a push to get back into the postseason mix with several underclassmen stepping in to supplement the returning corps.
The offense has depth to it this season and head coach Greg Chamberlain is expecting a lot of grit and effort in the attacking zone to create scoring chances. Senior Nate Parker will be the leader of the forward line but he will get help from juniors Colin Flynn and Mike Lachance, who have both had two seasons on varsity already. Freshmen Austin Bessette and Nate Conroy have impressed the coaches in the preseason and could be ready to contribute right away.
Defense could be a strong unit this season, as the Bombardiers have decent skaters and decent depth along the blue line. Senior Sean Marshall will be the key to that group, providing on-ice leadership. Sophomore Dane Holske had a good first season on varsity and can help out both in defense and at forward. Senior Nick Piazza is capable of being one of the top netminders in the league and will be back between the pipes for Attleboro this season.
“Biggest thing that is a positive for us is the guys wanna earn some respect and be tough to play against,” said Chamberlain. “We understand what we have but we think our schedule can help us gain some real confidence.”
2020-2021 Record: 11-0-1 Coach: Brian Shuman
The Davenport division has been ruled by Canton, which has won the title every season since the league split. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of returning players to hunt a 12th straight league title and defend the Div. 2 state title that they won back in 2019-20, but for many of the players, this will be their first season with a full slate of games.
Canton is known for its goalscoring, but the Bulldogs typically start from the defensive zone and this year should be no different. Senior Sean Connolly, the reigning league MVP, will be back at the blue line alongside classmate Ryan Doucette. Juniors James Young and Leo Owens should also see plenty of time on the ice with seniors Brennen Pecararo and Jay Kelleher slotting in at defense or at forward. The goalie job is up for grabs coming into the season with a three-way battle going on between senior Aiden French, junior Carson Eagles, and freshman Collin Davis.
As usual, the Bulldogs should be potent in front of the goal this winter. Senior Eamon Kelly, the team’s leading scorer last year, is back for his fourth season on varsity. Seniors Andrew Valkanas, Tommy Phaneuf, Sam Carlino, and Eddie Gillis will all chip in and junior Jeff Chaput could be poised for a big season after scoring 13 points last year.
“Solid team defense is the expectation as always this season, and we ask all positions to be important players all over the ice,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “Our forwards need to be able to shut down opponents and our defense must contribute to our offensive production to have a successful year.”
2020-2021 Record: 4-6-0 Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Just two years removed from one of the best seasons in program history, Foxboro comes into the winter with an experienced squad, featuring nine seniors, to try and make another push for a state tournament berth. Although the Warriors went 4-6 in the shortened 2020-21 season, four of those losses were against Franklin and Canton and the other two were to North Attleboro by a combined three goals, so there is potential for the Warriors to get back to their 2019-20 form.
The forward line should have plenty of firepower this season with the return of seniors Jack Watts, Matt Grace, and Ben Ricketts, who combined for 13 goals in 10 games last year. Fellow forwards Derek Axon and Steven Bridges will give Foxboro good leadership and depth in the forward line. The Warriors also got plenty of scoring from the blue line, with senior Tom Marcucella adding four goals and three assists last winter.
Improvements in the defensive zone (and not playing almost every game against the league’s top-scoring teams) will be expected this season. Marcucella is listed as a defenseman but has the versatility to line up in multiple positions and he will be helped on defense by classmates Dylan Pothier and Brady Callahan. Junior Alex Coviello and sophomore Sully Kenneally are also going to step into bigger roles on the blue line this season.
“I would say all nine of our seniors are going to be major contributors and that’s definitely a first for Foxboro hockey and it’s a good thing!” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “I would say we will be skilled and experienced.”
2020-2021 Record: 10-2-1 Coach: Anthony Sarno
This will be a new-look Franklin team that takes the ice this season, looking to win its 11th straight league title and make a deep run in the postseason. The Panthers graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team and only return seven players with significant varsity experience to try and manage a schedule loaded with some of the best teams in the state.
Senior forward Dylan Marchand is the key returning player in the forward line. The team’s leading scorer last year, the speedy center scored eight goals and nine assists in 13 games. Seniors Justin Magazu and Domenic Lampasona and juniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio will also return to add more firepower to the attacking end of the ice. With 14 new players on the roster, there could be a lot of new names on the score sheet this winter.
Defensively, the Panthers will lean on experienced players like seniors Aidan Hunt and Jack MacKinnon to guide the younger players, as they take on the high-end talent that Franklin will face right from the start of the season. In goal, sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter and freshman Jack O’Connor will both get chances between the pipes.
“I am optimistic with the youth we have and excited to watch us grow together,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “We will just have to weather the ebbs and flows, try to remain even-keeled, communicate, and trust each other as a team in order for us to grow and move forward as a complete unit.”
2020-2021 Record: 9-1-0 Coach: Paul Carlow
Last season, King Philip won a share of its first league title since 2006, picking up a rare win against rival Franklin in the process. With 12 returning players and a roster that has 16 upperclassmen, the Warriors will try to make more history by winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history and also put together a run in the state tournament.
There are four players coming back this year that averaged a point per game in 2020-21. Three of those players are forwards. Seniors Shaun Fitzpatrick and Sean Crowther and junior James Boldy, who combined for 15 goals and 22 assists in 10 games last season. Senior Nolan Feyler will be a big boost, as the forward had a strong sophomore season but missed all of last year due to an injury. Senior Kevin Birenbaum is another of the nine seniors on the forward line.
Sophomore defenseman Brad Guden is the fourth Warrior who averaged a point per game last year. He broke into the lineup and scored 10 times and had 10 assists in his first varsity season. Seniors Nolan Jackson and Quin Garstka add leadership and experience at the blue line and sophomore Max Robison returns after an impressive rookie season. Senior Kyle Abbott will be back between the pipes for the Warriors.
“We have a tough schedule this season but we are looking to challenge for another Hockomock League title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. We have great leadership from our seniors and a good mix of skill and speed with the younger players. I’m really looking forward to working with this group and build on last year’s success.”
2020-2021 Record: 5-6-0 Coach: Mike Balzarini
With its top six forwards all back from last year, there is optimism that Mansfield will consistently put the puck in the back of the net and in turn, challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title.
And another big positive for the Hornets is junior Chris Hormann back between the pipes with a solid amount of varsity experience now under his belt. That combination of experience in the offensive zone and in the crease is what Mansfield is hoping translates to success. The challenge will be getting a new mix of defensemen working together as the Hornets graduated the majority of that unit.
Leading scorer Mark DeGirolamo returns with a lot of varsity experience under his belt, coming off a season with eight goals and five assists. He’s joined by Dillon Benoit (7 goals, 5 assists), Kyle Oakley (2 goals, 5 assists), Doherty (2 goals, 3 assists), Liam Anastasia (6 goals, 5 assists), and Brayden Purtell (4 goals, 2 assists). As the stats suggest, the Hornets have a very even top two lines which means head coach Mike Balzarini can trust both units to get it done.
Looks for the line of Cullen Egan, Cody Gordon, and Connor Davey to provide energy and some offensive punch throughout the season. Balzarini is looking for some new faces to step up on the blue line. A mix of depth pieces are back, and the Hornets have converted some forwards to defensemen looking to solidify that unit. Patrick Gormley, Brendan Flynn, Will Cameron, Ryan DeGirolamo, and Ty Carroll are all in the mix to get some minutes.
“Last season was difficult for everyone so we’re excited for a more normal year,” Balzarini said. “We’re going to be quick and we have multiple lines that can be a factor for us. We’ve seen some success on offense in our scrimmages so scoring should be a strength, these kids are working well together.”
2020-2021 Record: 8-6-0 Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro returns 14 players from last year’s roster, including two of the league’s top three scorers, and the Rocketeers will be looking to use that experience under first-year coach Kyle Heagney (who formerly coached Norton and was a North assistant the past two seasons) to challenge Canton at the top of the Davenport division and to put together a playoff run.
Although the Rocketeers bring back senior forwards Nik Kojoain and Brady Sarro, who combined for 41 points in 14 games last year, North is a team built on hard work and team effort in the offensive zone, rather than on individual stars. Seniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and juniors Joe Quinn and Mark Ayvazyan will provide plenty of help in front of goal and all have plenty of experience at the varsity level.
North graduated only one of its defensemen from last year. Senior Austin Comery will be the leader for North at the blue line and he will be assisted by classmate Anthony Westcott. Sophomore Kyle Gruber is back in goal for North after an impressive debut season, where he was thrown in against some of the league’s top teams, including a first appearance against Canton.
“Our strength is that we are not a team of superstars,” said Heagney. “We are a team of hockey players that will win first in the locker room before the ice. We look forward to the season and having fun. These are memories that will live forever with our players.”
2020-2021 Record: 1-10-0 Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames has been in a rebuilding phase under head coach Mike Zucarelli. The Tigers won just once in the shortened 2020-21 season and head into this winter with a roster loaded with underclassmen. While this may be a difficult season, Zucarelli is excited for the potential on his team and the growth the program is making for the future.
Seniors Cam Tower and Eliot Cohen will be instrumental in shoring things up at the blue line. The two defensemen will need to provide leadership for the younger players and help limit the opposition scoring chances. Junior forwards Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron will hope to improve the team’s scoring punch as well, after OA was held to 10 goals in 11 games last year. Zucarelli is already seeing more confidence and better decision-making in the offensive zone and is hoping the team’s work rate will lead to more chances.
With seven sophomores on the roster, OA will rely on its youth movement to turn things around. After a lot of growth in the offseason (both physically and mentally), Zucarelli thinks that the septet is ready for the challenges of playing varsity hockey day-in, day-out. Winger Andrew Livingstone and center Matt Lawson will add to the team’s production in the offensive zone and defenseman Landon Grothe could be a standout in the defensive end of the ice. Junior Brandon Burke had a solid summer with his club team and will be the starting goalie for the Tigers this winter.
“If we continue to put in the effort I have seen both on and off the ice to start this year, I believe these young men have the opportunity to do something special,” Zuccarelli said.
2020-2021 Record: 0-6-1 Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton had a tough 2020-21 season, as the Tigers were only able to six games, and come into a winter of transition. The roster is going to be very young, with only nine upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) in the program, so there will be a lot of younger players getting their first taste of varsity action and others experiencing a full season for the first time.
The forward line has a lot of speed and the Tigers are going to rely on that energy to try and create scoring chances. Senior Nathan Fernandes is the most experienced forward returning and he will be joined up top by junior Connor McGrath.
Defensively, the Tigers will be an inexperienced group but there is potential and the desire to get better over the course of the season. Senior Ethan Ross will be the leader at the blue line and junior Colton Scheralis can add his experience there as well. Freshman Cameron Tomaszycki will be jumping between the pipes this season to get his first varsity action.
“We are happy to be back for a full year,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “Last season was full of delays, pauses, and feelings of frustrations that made for a very long, short, season. The lessons learned from last season has made the players within the program grateful for a return to a more normal season. We will plan to improve every day and be a better, more complete team by the end of the season.”
The reigning Davenport division MVP returns to man the blue line for the Bulldogs this season in search of another league title and another deep run in the state tournament. Connolly is the latest in a line of smooth-skating defensemen for Canton and he is just as comfortable mixing it up in the corners to win possession back as he is carrying the puck up ice to get the Bulldogs into their transition game. He finished last year with five goals and seven assists, as well as being a force in the defensive zone and kept the Bulldogs rolling in Hock play. With a strong shot, quick hands, and good hockey IQ, Connolly always seems to pop up in the right spot, whether it’s breaking up an attack or jumping in to give the Bulldogs numbers on the other end. Canton is still the defending Div. 2 co-champs (and open the season with fellow champ Lincoln-Sudbury) so expectations are high that the Bulldogs can make another deep run to retain that title and Connolly’s impact on both ends of the ice will be key to that success.
While everyone experience a shortened season last year due to COVID, Taunton’s year was cut short more than most with just six games played total. With many delays and pauses, it was tough for the Tigers to develop any sort of consistency on the ice so Taunton is excited for a full season ahead of them. Senior captain Nathan Fernandes is one to keep an eye on this year, one of the fastest skaters in the Hock. Fernandes has been with the program since he was in eighth grade and has been an impact player for the past couple of seasons. He scored five goals and had 10 assists during his sophomore season and had three goals and nine assists as a freshman. He will be one of the leaders both on and off the ice as a captain and he will spearhead the Taunton offense as they try to navigate through the always difficult Hockomock League schedule.
King Philip is coming off its first Hock title in 15 years and first-ever Kelley-Rex division crown, and with 12 returners and all three of its top scorers back from a year ago, the Warriors are aiming to be in the mix again this year. One of those returners and top scorers is senior left wing Shaun Fitzpatrick, who scored eight goals and added five assists to help the Warriors compile a 9-1 record with 61 goals scored last season. A crafty forward, Fitzpatrick has strong stick skills and an accurate shot on the move, but his decision-making under pressure makes him effective. With his speed and game IQ, Fitzpatrick can cover a lot of ice and always seems to be in the right position to make plays in either zone.
King Philip had the recipe for success last year, earning its first-ever Kelley-Rex division title and first Hock title in 15 years. One of the key ingredients was the emergence of then-freshman Brad Guden, who gave the Warriors an instant boost. He scored 10 goals and added 10 assists, finishing second in scoring with 20 points in the COVID-shortened season. This year, Guden makes the switch back to defense to help the Warriors shore up the blue line group. His ability to carry the puck out of the defensive zone and join into the offense will make King Philip a dangerous team offensively. KP has a lot of experience in its forward group so getting a boost to the scoring from the blue line will balance out the offense.
Mansfield had the luxury of Sean McCafferty between the pipes for a couple of years but there was no drop off when he graduated and Chris Hormann stepped in a year ago. Hormann was under a lot of pressure a season ago, recording a league-best 220 saves to help the Hornets grab five wins. Now with a year of experience under his belt, Hormann will be among the top goalies in the Hockomock League. The Hornets are going to lean on his experience heavily as they sort out their new defensive pairings, having graduated the majority of that unit from last year. Hormann does a really good job putting himself in position to make the stop and doesn’t give up many good rebound opportunities.
Canton rarely lacks for scoring punch and this season should be no different. Kelly is back as the team’s leading scorer after recording eight goals and nine assists in just 12 games last year and he will be the focal point for this season’s high-powered offense. Strong with the puck and with a motor that doesn’t seem to stop, Kelly is hard to stop when he gets a head of steam entering the zone and has a willingness to chase pucks into the corners to keep plays alive. He is also willing to get into the physical battles in front of goal to get the rebound goals and tips that you need to keep scoring over the course of a long season. Kelly’s tenacity has made him a regular, when healthy, for the past three seasons and, with the Bulldogs aiming at yet another Davenport division crown and another deep playoff run, he will be counted on again to be the spark plug for one of the league’s top offensive units.
The league’s leading scorer last season, Kojoian scored nine goals and recorded a league-high 14 assists in 14 games last winter and the Rocketeers will be leaning on his experience in the offensive zone to make a challenge for a league title and to get back into the postseason mix. A high-energy player, Kojoian is a good decision-maker in the offensive zone and has the vision to create chances for his teammates. He is also a scrappy player who puts constant pressure on the defense in the forecheck, which leads to additional chances. Kojoian’s speed makes him a threat on the break out and North will look to take advantage of those transition situations. With a new coach and a full season ahead of them, the Rocketeers will have high expectations and experienced forwards like Kojoian will be the key to how far North can go this winter.
A dynamic forward, Marchand is one of the fastest skaters in the league and one of those rare players that seems to be going just as fast with the puck as he is without it. Franklin’s leading scorer from a year ago, he finished with eight goals and nine assists in 13 games. He has a strong, accurate shot even on the move and is a threat to score from anywhere inside the blue line. Marchand brings a lot of energy to the ice and is always driving towards the goal, putting pressure on the defensemen who are trying to stay in front of him. Never shying away from contact, he also starts the forecheck for Franklin and can provide defense from the front. With a schedule loaded with the top teams in Div. 1, the Panthers will be preparing themselves for a postseason run and Marchand’s scoring could be the key for Franklin extending its season well into March.
Last season was a difficult one for Attleboro, which recorded only one win and had to battle long layoffs over the course of the shortened season. Piazza will be hoping to put last year behind him and get back to the form that made him a standout goalie as a sophomore. In 2019-20, he allowed fewer than three goals a game and stopped more than 91 percent of the shots that he faced, finishing with 489 saves. Strong between the pipes with good positioning, Piazza reads the play well to be in the right spots but also has the quickness to react act the last second and make a big save. His size and his strength going post-to-post means he can come up with a stop even when it looks like the net is open. If Piazza can get back to his play from two seasons ago, the Bombardiers could make a quick recovery from last season and be in position to earn a way back into the state tournament.
Foxboro lost six games last year but four of those were to Franklin and Canton and the other two were against North Attleboro by a combined three goals. The Warriors will lean on experienced players this year and Watts, a four-year varsity player, will be one of the leaders in the offensive zone. A strong, physical presence on both ends of the ice, Watts is a tough combo of size and speed and adds an accurate shot. He can go into the corners and battle but also can get out on the break and beat defenders down the ice. Watts had four goals last season but in a full sophomore campaign he had 13 goals and 14 assists and the potential is there for another big winter. The Warriors will have the goal of getting back into the state tournament this season and they will be leaning heavily on Watts and the senior class to provide the firepower to get them back in the playoff mix.
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Highlighted by a five-goal outburst in the second quarter, Franklin continued to roll with another big win. Sydney Rogan scored the lone goal of the first quarter in the 10th minute before Kaitlyn Carney scored two in a row in the second to make it 3-0. Payten Crandall sandwiched a pair of goals around one from Raena Crandall while Emily Carney, Kendall Jones, and Ella Mahoney all had first half assists. Ella Aldred scored twice in the second half while Kaitlyn Carney and Emily Carney each scored once. Shaw Downing and Jill Finerty recorded second half assists. Megan Sullivan and Chloe Strassner combined for the shutout in net.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip carried a 3-0 lead into the final minutes of the game and held off a comeback bid from the visiting Tigers. Senior Margo Riley and freshman Makenzie McDevitt scored in the first half to help the Warriors build a 2-0 advantage by the halftime break. Riley tacked on another goal to push the KP lead to 3-0; McDevitt, Sydney O’Shea, and Christina Gifun all had an assist in the win. KP received strong defensive play from seniors Morgan Cunningham and Haley Izydorczak. OA’s Lauren Mularzcyk scored her first career goal to jumpstart the Tigers, who got a goal from Erin Cottam with five seconds to play. Both Ava Costello (assist) and Julia Maclaine had strong performances for OA.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – North Attleboro’s Julia Puccio scored a pair of second half goals to help the Rocketeers record a close win on the road at Taunton. After a scoreless first half, Puccio and Taunton’s Kaysie DeMoura traded goals in the third quarter. Caroline Folan help set up the game-winner, which saw Puccio fire a nice backhand shot while in traffic in front for the game-winner. Sophomore Gracie Leary made a pair of key kick saves in the final moments to help preserve the win. Em Gannon recorded nine saves for the Tigers.
Volleyball
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Natalie Brojek dished out 23 assists and Attleboro picked up a 3-0 (25-11, 25-25, 29-27) win at home for its seventh victory of the season, the most in over a decade. Brojek added four aces in the win, freshman Julia Leonardo was a force at the net with 16 kills, and Lilly Boedeker anchored the defense with nine digs.
Foxboro, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final
Canton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two games, Mansfield went on to win the final two sets to secure a 3-1 win (25-23, 22-25, 25-11, 25-20) over the visiting Bulldogs. Julia Kelly paced the offense with 15 kills, Nicole Santos added 10 kills and had a strong showing from the service line with six aces, and Lexie Scibilia added six kills in the win. Christina Lydon (20 assists) and Izzy Flint (17 assists) ran the offense for the Hornets. Anne Verille had another stellar showing for Canton with outstanding defense and aggressive serving while Fatima Sidibay and Amaiah Christian played well in the middle, combining for nine kills and four blocks.
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – It was a day to remember for Franklin senior Cailyn Mackintosh, who recorded the 1,000th assist of her career and had a strong all-around game to lead the Panthers to a dominant sweep, 3-0 (25-7, 25-6, 25-7). Mackintosh finished with 24 assists along with seven digs, five kills, and four assists for the undefeated Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip prevailed in a tight second set that went down to the wire and went on to complete the sweep, 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-11) of Oliver Ames. Stella Bailey had a big day at the service line with 14 service points, including five aces, while Samantha Asprelli added four more aces to go along with five digs. Sami Shore chipped in with four aces as well to go with eight kills and three digs while Ahunna James recorded a pair of aces and seven kills for the undefeated Warriors. For OA, sophomore Sarah Hilliard had a strong showing with 14 kills to pace the Tiger offense. Senior Hadley Rhodes added 20 assists and junior Maddie Homer finished with 15 digs and 18 serve receptions.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Taunton saw its 1-0 lead disappear as North rallied to grab all the momentum with back-to-back close wins in the second and third sets, but the Tigers bounced back to win two straight sets and the match, 3-2 (25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 25-22, 15-12). Taunton had a balanced attack on offense led by Hayley Krockta (12 kills, six digs, four aces), Mikayla Cleary (11 kills, five blocks, two aces), and Angie Lynch (nine kills) while Aislinn Campbell had a big game at the net with seven blocks and six kills. Anna Abouzeid put the offense in motion with 25 assists as well as two kills and two aces while Jess Foley, Dani Lofgren, and Mia Fernandes all played well defensively with eight digs apiece.
Boys Cross-Country
Attleboro, 31 @ Mansfield, 26 – Final – Mansfield took five of the top eight spots to earn a close win at home over Attleboro. Senior Collin Stevens paced the Hornet pack with a team-best time of 17:42 for second overall. Senior Chris Leonard (18:17) took fourth, sophomore Talon Johnson added key points with a fifth place finish (18:24), senior Riley Tremblay took seventh (18:55), and junior Clark Mackin rounded out the Mansfield scoring at 18:59 for eighth overall.
North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/7 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 34 @ Foxboro, 21 – Final – Senior Nick Olson crossed first and Foxboro took five of the top seven spots in a win at Payson Road against Stoughton. Olson won the race in 17:27, junior Brooks Stone took third overall (19:32), and junior Stephen Haney (19:37) was fourth. Senior Jared Ciora and junior Cooper Hassman rounded out the scoring for the hosts by taking sixth and seventh, respectively.
Franklin, 36 @ King Philip, 21 – Final
Taunton, 22 @ Milford, 38 – Final – Taunton continued its strong start to the season, improving to 4-0 with a win on the road over Milford. The Tigers took five of the top seven spots, including three of the first four, to get the win. Brayden Cali was the top runner for Taunton, taking second overall in 17:08. Sam Dennis clocked in at 17:12 for third while Andrew Cali took fourth overall (17:18). Ryan Strawbridge (17:25) and Cam Dorr (18:26) rounded out the scoring for the Tigers.
Sharon, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 20
Girls Cross-Country
Attleboro, 48 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – The first five runners to cross the finish line were all members of the Mansfield Hornets, who knocked off Attleboro on a 5K course at the Plymouth Street Soccer Complex. Sophomore Anna Moore led the charge for the hosts, who had eight of the top 10 overall runners in the race. Moore clocked in at 21:48 for the win, senior Meghan Johnston took second (22:09), senior Alanna Conley crossed third (23:43),senior Sophia Allen was fourth (23:55), and junior Devin Anderson rounded out the scoring with a fifth place finish (25:02). Freshman Emily Quaglia was the top runner for Attleboro, crossing the finish line in a time of 25:59 for seventh overall.
North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/7 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 31 @ Foxboro, 24 – Final – Foxboro swept the top three spots all within a 30-second time span and that was enough to lead the Warriors to a win over the visiting Black Knights. Junior Casey Dahl won the race in 22:03 while classmates Aine Fitzpatrick (22:09) and Mabel Linck (22:30) rounded out the top three. Juniors Kyla Palmer and Sarah Howard took eighth and 10th, respectively, for the Warriors.
Franklin @ King Philip, 3:45
Taunton, 22 @ Milford, 38 – Final – Taunton freshman Emersyn Deponte set a new program record with her third dual meet win of the season and all five of the scorers for the Tigers clocked in a new personal records in a win over Milford. Deponte won the race in 20:27 with classmate Colby Dunham taking third overall just three seconds later. Kiley Quinlan (22:06) was fourth, Phylicia Dias (22:30) took fifth, and Jakhai Nicholson (24:36) earned ninth for the Tigers.
Sharon, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 22 – Final
Golf
Franklin, 169 @ Mansfield, 164 – Final – Mansfield kept its division title hopes alive with a close win over Franklin, splitting the season series with the Panthers. Senior Cian Goulet fired a team-low round of 38 to help the Hornets get the win at Norton Country Club. Seniors Ryan Doherty (41), Hunter Tang (42), and Jordan Tavares (43) rounded out the scoring for the hosts.
Milford, 174 @ Taunton, 190 – Final – Jacob Hipolito and Anthony LaPierre each shot 42 to lead the Hawks to a win on the road over Taunton. Nate Lawrence added a round of 45 in the win and Tommy Donato added a 46 for Milford. Loran Corcoran and Nathan Fernandes both shot 46 to pace the Tigers.
Sharon, 163 @ King Philip, 154 – Final – King Philip avoided an upset bid from Sharon to grab its 10th win of the season, staying undefeated on the year. Mike Matheson birded the fifth hole on his way to a match medalist round of 36 to lead the way for KP. Jared Curran birdied both the first and fifth holes to finish at 38 while both Pat Reardon and Ethan Sullivan shot a 40. Sharon’s Nathan Daley also birded the fifth hole and had a team-low round of 38. Eric Carter added a 40 for the Eagles and Owen Kevorkian shot a 42.
Canton, 156 @ Foxboro, 160 – Final – Foxboro nearly pulled off the upset of the season on the Front 9 at Foxborough Country Club but Canton came away with a close win to keep its lead in the Davenport division. Canton’s Will Gefteas and Mekhala Costello each shot a 38 on the day, sharing match medalist honors with Foxboro’s Dylan Pothier. Charlie Cohen and Nate MacDonald each added a 40 in the win. Jack Rounds shot a 39 for the Warriors and Louie Carangelo added a round of 40.
North Attleboro, 170 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Senior Jo Jo Gaultier fired an even par round of 35 as Oliver Ames picked up its eighth win of the season by beating North Attleboro at Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton. Jake Kaplan, David Rodgers, and Sean Kearns all shot 40 to round out the scoring for the hosts.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – After earning a corner kick, Billy Badger dropped a left-footed service into the area to the six-yard line to an open Cashel Stuger, who headed it to the far post and in for the lone goal of the game in the 13th minute.
Taunton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton scored a pair of goals in each half to knock Taunton from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Dogs built a 2-0 lead before the Tigers got on the board before halftime. Canton came out and tacked on two more in the second half to put the game away. Carson Eagles scored his first career goal while Jacob Crugnale, Caden Mirliani, and Dylan Baird also scored for the hosts.
Franklin, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro took the lead in the first half but Franklin leveled the match early in the second half and the two teams split the points. North struck first in the 12th minute as Patrick McDermott finished off a cross. Givany Carney sent in the pass and Connor Ward made a nice run to draw the defender and dummied it to free McDermott for an open look. Franklin pulled level less than two minutes into the second half when Will Krysak scored on a cross from Jack Moran.
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – King Philip scored three second half goals to earn their second win of the season, handing Sharon its first loss at home in the process. Sharon took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break but the Warriors equalized and went ahead inside the first 15 minutes of the second half. The Eagles equalized shortly after but KP went back ahead with the eventual game-winner in the 62nd minute. Stephen Griffin scored the first two goals for the visitors, the first unassisted and the second off a feed from Tommy Lomuscio. Oliver Blackburn netted the winner with an assist from Josh Canning.
Mansfield, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield found the back of the net three times in each have, rolling to another win this season. Junior Aidan Steele scored in each half to pace the Hornets’ offense, Danny Rowe and Liam Anastasia scored in the first half, and Matt Hyland added another in the second half. Senior Anthony Klimas scored his first career goal in the win. Jack Lasbury-Casey earned the shutout in net.
Milford, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – After trading goals twice, Oliver Ames found the game-winner at the death to pick up two points against Milford, snapping a three-game skid to the Hawks. The visitors opened the scoring on a goal from Nick Ribeiro (assisted by Arthur Tome) but OA responded a minute later on a goal from Hector Bucio (from Christian Haikal). This time it was the Tigers who took the lead, with Bucio setting up Joey Carney for the hosts’ first lead of the afternoon. But Milford had the answer in the form of an equalizer from senior Avi Seri (from classmate Christian Dinis). In the final minute, Haikal finished off a pass from Carney for the winner. Senior Mathias Taylor had a superb game in the midfield for OA while Jake Williams, Collin Lozano, Diego Rivera, and Antonio Fernandes played well in the back.
Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kailee McCabe put on a show to lead the Warriors to another impressive win, the team’s fifth in a row. McCabe, the league’s leading scorer, recorded all five of Foxboro’s goals, including the 50th of her career. She scored direct from a free kick and had a pair of “olimpicos” (goals direct from corner kicks). McCabe also scored one from a Jordan Carman assist and another off a pass from Kylie O’Keefe.
Canton, 5 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Emily Calederon scored both goals for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Anya Zub continued to be on fire in front of goal for the Panthers. After scoring four times on Monday, Zub added a brace to help Franklin beat North and stay a point back of KP in the Kelley-Rex standings. Riley Fitzpatrick opened the scoring off an assist from Avery Greco, who moved into a new position and had a strong game. Steph McKenna tied the game in the 48th minute for North, scoring off a Caroline Ferrin assist. Bridget Leo’s through ball to Fitzpatrick led to Franklin’s second goal, finished off by Zub. Fiztpatrick added her second assist, and third point of the afternoon, to set up Zub for the third Franklin goal that sealed the two points. Chloe Barca, Stella Regan, and Leo played well in midfield for the Panthers and Norah Anderson controlled the back line. North had other chances in the first half, with Charlotte Moynihan and Casey Butanowicz both striking the woodwork. Victoria Donnelley, Abby Pratt, and Lily Adams each had great games in the loss.
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – After falling behind by a goal inside the opening five minutes, KP scored five in a row to get the win, remain perfect in league play, and stay in first place in the division. Olivia Soby opened the scoring for the Eagles, ripping a 30-yard shot just under the bar. Ten minutes later, Dani Lomuscio took a pass from Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn and found the back of the net from 25 yards. Ella Pisani also scored from distance to put the Warriors ahead before the break. Midway through the second half, Sarah Harper doubled the KP lead off an assist from Rihanna Mason. Rachel DeFlaminis was then played through on goal by Pisani and made it 4-1. Delia Mahoney wrapped up the scoring with eight minutes to play, finishing a corner kick from Danielle Gresham. Sofia Goclowski and Amber Marcus-Blank both played well for Sharon.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – The Hornets ended a two-game losing streak with a shutout of Stoughton. Tarynn Smith scored twice and assisted on another to power the Mansfield offense. Abby Jean and Olivia Homsi each had a goal and an assist. Avery Hawthorne added a goal and freshman Gabby Smith scored her first career goal. Olivia Salisbury and Caitlyn Zajac combined for one save and the clean sheet. Morgan Cook had her best game of the season for the Black Knights, passing the ball well and taking on defenders to create scoring chances. Emma Tran was close to getting on the board for Stoughton, but her shot came back off the inside of the post. Sophia Issa played well at both defensive mid and left back.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Camryn O’Connor had a hat trick and an assist to lead the Tigers on the road and keep them unbeaten on the season. Halle Kandar, Lucinda Li Cotter (two assists), Jenna Gilman, and Carly Gibson also scored for OA. Dani Atherton had the lone goal for the Hawks.
Golf
Attleboro, 167 @ Mansfield, 153 – Final – Mansfield earned its seventh win in nine tries, defending its home course against the visiting Bombardiers. Cian Goulet fired a medalist round of 37, Ryan Doherty and Cody Nieratko both shot a 38, and Hunter Tang came in with a 40 for the Hornets.
Franklin, 160 @ Oliver Ames, 139 – Final – OA senior Jo Jo Gaultier birdied the first two holes and added another on seven while sophomore Sean Kearns also had three birdies as the Tigers had one of the best performances by any team this season in a win at Pine Oaks over visiting Franklin. Kearns had birdies on two, five, and eight while Gaultier’s third birdie of the day came on seven. Both finished with a two-under 32 to share medalist honors. Senior Carter Allbritton added a 37 and classmate Jake Kaplan shot a 38. Sophomore Anthony Lampasona had a low-round of 39 for the Panthers.
Taunton, 196 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – Sharon picked up its second win at home in as many days, this time knocking off Taunton at The Cape Club of Sharon. Nathan Daley led the way for the Eagles with a medalist round of 38, Rosie Leonard added a 43, Owen Kevorkian chipped in with a 45, and Eric Carter finished with a 47. Nathan Fernandes led Taunton with a 47.
Canton, 148 @ Stoughton, 179 – Final – All four of Canton’s scorers came in under 40 for the day as the Bulldogs earned their fifth win of the season. Will Gefteas took his turn as the match medalist for the visitors, carding a low round of 35. Conor Hunter added a 37 in the win while Mekhala Costello and Mike Leonetti both came in at 38. Anthony Hern led Stoughton with a 41 while Pat Smith fired a 43.
2019-2020 Record: 5-14-1 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro struggled down the stretch last season, losing nine of its final 11 games (five of those losses by two goals or fewer) and narrowly missing out on a postseason berth. Former Canton assistant Greg Chamberlain has taken over this season with the goal of making the Bombardiers competitive in the Kelley-Rex division.
Goalie will be a position of strength this year, as Attleboro has three players that can step in between the pipes. Junior Nick Piazza will be the starter after a breakout sophomore year where he made nearly 500 saves. Junior Michael DuTremble and freshman Julien Horton are the other goalies on the roster. In front of Piazza, Attleboro has three solid pairings. Senior Owen Dryjowicz moved from forward to defense late last season and looked comfortable on the blue line. Junior Sean Marshall and senior Zack Pierce are also returning defenders that the Bombardiers are counting on.
Offensively, the Bombardiers will miss the scoring of Ryan Morry, who led the team with 21 points, but with several returning players Attleboro has the potential to put together solid forward lines. Senior Aidan Dryjowicz is the team’s top returning scorer with nine goals and classmate Jake Ward, junior Nate Parker, and freshman winger Dane Holskie have the potential to contribute to the attack this season.
“I think the key to this season,” said Chamberlain, “is that everyone needs to pull their weight. If you look around the league teams that win have three or four lines that they can roll out every night. That is going to be the name of the game for us. Keeping it simple and do your job.”
2019-2020 Record: 21-1-3 2019-2020 Finish: Div. 2 State Co-Champion Coach: Brian Shuman
Although Canton didn’t get the chance to go to the TD Garden to face Lincoln-Sudbury and try to avenge its only loss of the past two seasons, the Bulldogs brought home a second straight Div. 2 state championship. Even for a program with the sustained success of Canton, last year’s senior class had a uniquely impressive record and that class’ graduation leaves a lot of holes that new faces will need to step into.
Last year’s top scorers, Johnny Hagan and Chris Lavoie, combined for 37 goals and 68 points, so it will be tough to reproduce that output. Senior Dylan Coyne will be hoping to make up some of that scoring punch and the Bulldogs will hope junior Eamon Kelly can return from an injury and get back to the form he showed last year.
While the defense was also hit hard by graduation, Canton returns a pair of defensemen that saw considerable time on the blue line last season. Junior Sean Connolly and sophomore Vincent Sica both jumped right into the lineup and looked comfortable competing at the top level, but this year they will also be experienced veterans and leaders in that group. Senior Liam Polles will get the chance to jump in goal this year.
Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “I can say that after the first two weeks, things are certainly different in many ways, but I am confident that we will adapt and adjust like most teams our league to give our players a much-needed physical outlet and important connection to a team.”
2019-2020 Record: 12-5-5 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Semifinal Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro has grown by leaps and bounds in recent seasons. Each of the past three years have seen the Warriors set a new standard for the best season in program history, culminating in last winter’s 12 wins and run to the Div. 3 South semifinal.
Depth at the forward line will be a strength this season and Foxboro should be capable of scoring plenty of goals. Senior forward Kirk Leach was second in the Hock last year with 20 goals and he leads an experienced group. Junior Jack Watts had 13 goals and 14 assists last year and is another big, physical forward. Senior Brady Daly will look to add to his nine points from last season and junior Eoin Reager can play multiple positions, including forward, and added 14 points as a sophomore.
The Warriors will obviously miss former Hock MVP Espen Raeger, who was one of the league’s top goalies. Senior Jack Spinney was the backup goalie last year and could step in between the pipes after seeing a few minutes of action as a junior. Junior Dylan Pothier and sophomore Alex Coviello are two of the returning defensemen from last year’s team and both played big roles in the team’s strong performance in the postseason. Eoin Reager can also play in the back line.
“We have a lot of forwards returning, so the depth is there,” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We also have a lot of skilled defenseman holding the blue line. Looking forward to the season, even though it will look and feel a lot different, I’m just happy for our guys get to play.”
2019-2020 Record: 11-8-4 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Anthony Sarno
Head coach Anthony Sarno can’t help but wonder what could have been for this season. Franklin had a strong group of returners back from last year’s squad and Sarno had a schedule filled with top teams from around the state ready to see how his Panthers stacked up to the elite talent. But now Franklin will focus on its 10-game Hockomock schedule with a chance to prove it’s the top team in the league.
Franklin will rely on its senior class to lead the way. The Panthers will be very solid in the back, starting with senior goalie Jack Paterson. After serving in a backup capacity previously, Paterson steps into the starting role but is getting pushed in practice by classmate Gary Mandia. Along the blue line, Franklin has plenty of familiar names with the likes of Joe LeBlanc (nine points), Will Sheehan, Justin Abely, and Pat Dolan — all four are seniors with a good amount of varsity experience.
Offensively, the Panthers have a good variety of attacking options led by last year’s HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Dylan Marchand (13 points). Sarno is carrying 20 players and plans to use them all, rolling four lines offensively. JT Dwyer and Declan Lovett are both senior centers and have been strong in the face off circle so far. Sophomore Ben Jarosz should see an expanded role after getting some time last year. Franklin will look to expand on its puck possession after making the switch from a dump-and-chase team.
“We were looking forward to playing against some of the best teams in the state but we’re going to make the most of this opportunity,” Sarno said. “We’re going to give it our all each game. We’ve going to practice as hard as we play in games, the energy the kids have brought has been contagious. We’re treating every game like a playoff game, that’s the type of energy we want to bring to each game.”
2019-2020 Record: 10-6-5 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Paul Carlow
King Philip pushed Franklin to the final week of the regular season in its quest to win a first league title since 2013 (and end the nine-year reign for the Panthers in the Kelley-Rex). The Warriors did get back into the postseason, although again Franklin stood in the way in the preliminary round, and will return 13 players to make another run at that elusive league championship.
Experience on both ends of the ice will be the strength for KP this season, with eight seniors and eight juniors on the roster, including a pair of four-year players. Senior forward Conor Cooke and senior defenseman Rocco Bianculli have been critical players for each of the past three seasons. Bianculli is not only a leader at the blue line, but also one of the league’s top offensive defenders. KP returns three of its top four scorers from last year. In addition to Bianculli, senior Aidan Boulger and junior Nolan Feyler provide the scoring punch on the forward line and are a good mix with Cooke’s physical presence up front. Seniors Paul McDonald and Justin Yatsuhashi add speed and depth.
Defensively, senior David Lawler will join Bianculli on the blue line. More of a defensive-minded player, Lawler adds solidity in his own zone and is counted on to make the right plays under pressure. Seniors Shea Cunningham and Geoff Bowes are also returning defensemen that couple size and experience around their own net. Sophomore Kyle Abbott will take over between the pipes
“As always we are looking to build on last year and compete for the league title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. “Our team this season has some good experience. We also have some real skill and speed in the younger group.”
2019-2020 Record: 7-8-6 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Mike Balzarini
The Hornets aren’t focusing on how many games are on the schedule but focusing on taking it one game at a game instead. Mansfield brings back a lot of players that picked up varsity experience last season during the team’s postseason run.
Replacing three-year starter Sean McCafferty in goal won’t be easy but head coach Mike Balzarini has praised the work of Chris Hormann, who will be taking over in between the pipes. Balzarini said Hormann learned a lot last season in his backup role, is coming off a stellar fall season and has looked strong so far in practice this year. Captain Jake Quirk will anchor the blue line unit for the Hornets and will be joined by some familiar faces. Senior Joseph Gormley will bring a lot of experience to the defensive group and will be joined by sophomore Patrick Gormley as well as Ben Levine and James Hughes.
Senior captain Cam Page will spearhead the attack for the Hornets this season. Mansfield lost most of its point production to graduation so there will be plenty of opportunities for new faces to take advantage of. Mark DiDiralamo, Kyle Oakley, Dillon Benoit, Ryan Doherty, and Liam Anastasia are all in the mix for the top six for Mansfield.
“It’s a shortened season but we have looked good thus far in practice and in our scrimmage,” Balzarini said. “We’re looking to push the pace this year and play a faster-paced game.”
2019-2020 Record: 7-8-6 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Ben McManama
On the ice, it’s been business as usual for the Red Rocketeers, who have a strong returning core ready to make a run at dethroning Canton atop the Davenport division. The biggest challenges for head coach Ben McManama and his squad so far have been adapting to all of the changes off of the ice.
Expectations are high for the Big Red with some familiar names at each position. The most returners come from the offense where the Rocketeers have a handful of forwards back, giving McManama the flexibility to run at least three lines. Senior captain Tyler Sarro will be a leader on and off the ice and will be joined by his brother Brady as the wings on the top line. Nik Kojoian is back after missing almost all of last season and will center the top line. McManama notes his second and third lines are interchangeable, more “2A” and “2B” rather than second and third lines. Juniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and sophomores Mark Ayvazyan and Joe Quinn will all be in the mix.
The Rocketeers will have a lot of spots to fill along the blue line after graduating a strong corps of defensemen from last winter. Senior Charlie Connolly and junior Austin Comery are the veterans in the group, entering this season with the most experience. McManama has tabbed junior Anthony Westcott as another option along the blue line while the final spot is up for grabs. Senior James Burtch will take over in net for the Rocketeers while freshman Kyle Gruber is pushing for time.
“The big thing for us this year is being a system team,” McManama said. “We have to be disciplined with our system. We’re really harping on sticking to our system and what we do, and we have to be really disciplined and do our jobs. That’s how we’re going to generate goals and it’s going to be how we stop shots too, it works on both ends. We’ve had great practices, it’s been fun getting the kids back.”
2019-2020 Record: 6-13-2 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames finished 2019-20 with six wins, but also had four losses by a single goal (all four to teams in the playoffs), so the Tigers were closer to earning a postseason berth under first-year coach Mike Zuccarelli than the final record may indicate. This season, the Tigers return to the Davenport division for the first time since 2016 and with only six returning players there will be opportunities for new faces to step in and contribute right away.
Seniors Ross Carroll and Matt Nigro will provide leadership in the forward line and much-needed experience for a young group. Sophomores Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron both saw action last year and their development will be important for the Tigers to get consistent production from the forward lines.
Defensively, senior Kevin Tremblay and junior Elliot Cohen both grew into bigger roles last year and will be expected to lead the blue line corps this season. Sophomore Brandon Burke will take over in net after backing up Owen Connor last winter. Zuccarelli is also counting on a strong freshman group to come in and provide an instant impact and is excited about the potential for the program going forward.
“Patience and resilience are going to be two major themes this year as we have already experienced,” said Zucarelli. “Our goal is to grow as a team and tackle each challenge we are presented together both on and off the ice. I am confident with our senior leadership, outstanding assistant coaches, and the support we receive from the OA community that we will have a season to remember.”
2019-2020 Record: 4-16-1 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Dan Mark
After an up-and-down first year in a co-op with Brockton, the Black Knights are aiming for an improved 2021 season. After a year away, Stoughton is back in Hockomock League competition and will be vying for the Davenport title.
With just four players gone to graduation, longtime head coach Dan Mark has a veteran squad at his disposal for the upcoming 10-game schedule plus a small postseason planned. The foundation of the team starts between the pipes as the Black Knights have two goalies back with experience. Sophomore Chris Andrade will compete with senior Ryan Spano for the starting job in net.
In front of goal, Mark is leaning on a trio of juniors plus one senior to get the job done. Senior Kenny Young will be joined along the blue line by Josh Greenspoon, Anthony Hern, and Steven Westerlund — all returners from a season ago. Offensively, the Black Knights will turn three-year starters in junior Colin Alessi and Joe McNulty to anchor the offense. They’ll be joined by seniors Kyle Cruickshank, Cade O’Connell, Mike Andrade, and Ryan Flannery to bolster the attack.
“We have a veteran team blended with some younger players and are looking to improve on last year’s record,” Mark said.
2019-2020 Record: 10-11-3 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton is returning a plethora of players from last year’s varsity squad that had double-digit wins and made a trip to the postseason. Now, the Tigers are just hoping to play a complete — albeit shortened — season.
The Tigers got a couple of days on the ice before the school district paused all athletic activities over the winter break. Head coach Kris Metea and his 18 returning players are hoping to resume practice on Monday and get their season back on track. While the break will certainly be a setback for the Tigers, having such an experienced squad will help when Taunton does get back on the ice. Leading the way will be a pair of defensemen: senior captain and Hockomock League All Star Brady Nichols and junior Jack DeMoura, a HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman Team selection.
Having reliable options on the blue line will be key as the Tigers sort out the situation between the pipes. Senior Jason Frates, who only has a handful of years of experience at the position, is set to start in net. Offensively, the challenge will be replacing the production from Michael Albert, one of the most productive players in program history. Metea will look to juniors Nathan Fernandes and Loren Corcoran as well as sophomores Colton Scheralis and Connor McGrath to replicate that production. Senior Camden Faria will be a leader of the offensive group
“2020 has been a challenging time and we are hoping that athletics can provide respite for players and families as we enter 2021,” Metea said. “We will take whatever games guidelines allows us to play and be thankful for the opportunity to skate in the presence of friends!”
