Tag: Nick Viscusi

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/25/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Dillon James went six innings, striking out four, and allowing just two hits to pick up his first career win and helping Attleboro split the home-and-home with Mansfield. Cam Foster pitched a scoreless seventh to close the game out. Owen Taber had a big game at the plate and in the field, scoring two runs, hitting a homer, starting two double plays, and making a leaping grab in the first. Jake Gorman provided the game-winning hit in the first inning when he blasted a two-run homer. Taber scored for a second time when he hit a solo homer in the third. Attleboro tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Nate George walked and stole second and then scored on a Matt McMahon double. Luke Urban and Jared Fraone had the only hits for the Hornets. Aaron Blinn and Colby Geddis combined for four innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and striking out seven between them.

Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 12 – Final – Foxboro scored three times in the third, added six runs in the fifth to take the lead for good, and added three more in the sixth to seal the win and keep the Warriors tied with OA at the top of the league standings. Sean Yoest went 3-for-4 with a walk and scored a pair of runs, Sean O’Leary went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and also scored twice, and Mike O’Toole was 3-for-4 with a run scored and drove in two. Mike LaVita added two hits, a double, and three RBI, as Foxboro had 16 hits and drew nine walks as a team. Cam Prescott went the distance, allowing one earned run and striking out eight. Kyle Doolin, Brandon Mantilla-Mercado, and Brad Franey each had two hits for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 10 – Final – KP scored at least once in each of the first five innings, including three runs in each of the third and fifth innings to split the two-day series with Milford. Nick Viscusi, Conor Cooke, and Dan Nineve each had three hits and two RBI apiece for the Warriors, while Grayden Lawrence added a hit and drove in two. KP scored once in the bottom of the first when Rudy Gately’s sac fly plated Eli Reed. In the second, Reed came in again, this time on a single by Viscusi. Nineve drove in Gately with single in the third and then Lawrence brought in two with a single. Cooke had singles in the fourth and fifth, driving in runs with both, and Viscusi and Nineve each knocked in runs in the fifth as well. Gately was strong on the mound, pitching a complete game with 10 strikeouts to get KP the win.

Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – OA won its second game in two days to stay level with Foxboro at the top of the Davenport division standings. Matt Nigro grabbed the win with five innings of work, allowing one run and striking out a pair. Kosta Spiliakos closed it out with two scoreless innings of relief and the Tigers turned a 6-4-3 double play to end it. Derek Milliken and Will Whiteside both went 2-for-3. Milliken had a double, an RBI< a run scored, and stole a base, while Whiteside had two steals, a run scored, and an outfield assist when his throw from center cut down a runner at the plate. Jadon Ricci and Nate Carpentier both had a hit and RBI and Jack Morley celebrated his birthday by plating one run with a sac fly and played good defense at second.










Softball
Mansfield, 7 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – After giving up 24 hits to Attleboro on Monday, Mansfield bounced right back, holding the Bombardiers to just four hits and splitting the season series. Attleboro grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, but the Hornets scored twice in the sixth to take the lead and then added a five-run rally in the seventh to seal the win. Callie Lake singled and scored on a sacrifice by Olivia Medeira that turned into an error. Madeira scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on a fly ball to center. In the seventh, Alanna Conley, Nicole Kobasa, and Abby DeCoste singled to load the bases and Mansfield took advantage of two walks, a passed ball, a slow roller to first, and a single by Molly Kucharski to score five times. Kucharski went 3-for-4 on the day and Kobasa came up with a pair of nice catches in the sixth inning to help keep Attleboro off the board.

Foxboro @ Stoughton, 4:00

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Kelsey White continued to dominate in the circle, striking out 11 batters and allowing just one hit over five innings. It was the eighth shutout in nine games this season for the Tigers, who also had seven homers and 17 hits as a team. Hanna Aldrich went 3-for-3 and hit two homers (and a double), driving in three runs and scoring three times. McKenzie McAloon also hit a pair of solo homers and White helped her own cause with two homers (for the second straight day) and two RBI. Tayah DaCosta had the seventh homer, going 3-for-3 and scoring a pair of runs. Carly Johnson-Pellegri had the lone hit of the day for the Panthers.

King Philip, 17 @ Milford, 3 – Final – KP, the league’s leading offense, pounded out 17 hits and scored 17 runs for a ninth straight win to start the season. Paige Berdos went 3-for-5 with a walk, scored three runs, and drove in one from the leadoff spot and Mia Bennett was 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Anna Bradley was 2-for-3 with two walks and scored three runs from the eight-hole. Freshman Jordan Bennett picked up the win in the circle, allowing one earned run on four hits, and striking out 13. Elise Fauerbach went 1-for-3 and had an RBI for the Hawks, who also got hits from Sarah Wengel, Carly Fereira, and Camille Bonina.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Trinity Payne struck out five and allowed five hits in a complete game victory that earned a split of the season series with OA. Payne also scored once for the Eagles, while Sneha Kini came in to score twice and Ciara McAuliffe scored an important insurance run. Sharon coach Heather Poliferno called it an overall great performance at the plate and in the field!” Emma Varella pitched three innings, striking out three, and Katie Melendy closed the game with three innings of relief and struck out six for the Tigers. Lexi Galsband and Kalei Clark both went 2-for-3 at the plate and Galsband had OA’s lone run.




Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield took all five matches in a sweep on the road at Attleboro, also sweeping the season series with the Bombardiers. Kailash Elumelai (first singles) and Dheeraj Valluru (second singles) each rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win while Nikhil Nain picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win to round out singles action. In doubles play, the team of Pratham Tallam and Diwakar Sandhu emerged with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles while Sashu Panaganti and Justin Weiner battled to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Just one day after dropping a close match on the road to Foxboro, Stoughton flipped the script and earned a 3-2 decision over the Warriors on their new courts. Waseem Sablon continued to dominate at first singles for the Black Knights, this time with a 6-0, 6-1 decision. Stoughton then swept doubles action to get the win; sophomores Jake Berry and Evan Khang prevailed 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) at first doubles while the pairing of sophomores Murtaza Khalil and Ben Dias earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles. For Foxboro, Justin Neale won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles and Bo Canfield earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at third singles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Franklin swept its match with Taunton to stay perfect on the season and stay tied with Mansfield at the top of the Kelley-Rex division. Liam Marr, Vayshnay Malhotra, and Drew Mahoney didn’t drop a game between them to earn straight set wins at the singles. Tyler Fitzpatrick and Tim O’Keefe won 6-3, 6-0 at first singles and Ryan Essam and Ahan Shetty had a clean sweep (6-0, 6-0) at second doubles. Franklin will face the Hornets next week.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon won all but four games to sweep OA for the second day in a row and remain unbeaten on the season and stay one up in the loss column on second-place North Attleboro in the Davenport title race. Mehul (6-0, 6-0) and Ruemon Bhattacharyya (6-1, 6-1) won at first and second singles and Max Chen (6-0, 6-0) made it a sweep with a win at third singles. Wenhao Yang and Savir Basil won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles and Rowan Gran and Hyojai Park won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip earned a series sweep against the Hawks after winning all five matches on the road. Senior Nick Putney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, junior Brady Jannell added a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Jon Cohen was victorious 6-1, 6-0 at third singles for KP. The first doubles team of sophomore Jackson Hom and junior Diego Neto won 6-4, 6-1 while the pairing of juniors Connor Sachleben and Adam Gousie secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles.




Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final– Mansfield earned wins at second and third singles and first doubles to earn its second victory over Attleboro in two days. Aryanna Khosravani went to a third set with Lauren Anthony at second singles before pulling out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win. Kate Martin won in straight sets (6-0, 6-3) at third singles and the team of Sarah Harrington and Avdi Sameer came through with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 victory over Attleboro’s team of Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf, sealing the win. Ella Lynch-Bartek won in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) at first singles and freshmen Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson won 6-4, 6-3 to get points for the Bombardiers.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – Foxboro continued to roll in singles action with all three players winning in straight sets and the Warriors added another point in doubles play this time around in another win over Stoughton. Athena Li, Pam Nelson, and Sarah Prag all secured 6-0, 6-0 wins for the Warriors while the team of Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. Stoughton’s second doubles team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Emilia Lada picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win.

Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – The Panthers swept the singles and won at second doubles to bounce back from Monday’s loss, split the series with Taunton, and move back to .500 in league play. Freshman Hailey Morin won 6-4, 6-3 at first singles and juniors Vedika Vinayak (6-1, 6-4) and Sarah Schiavo (6-1, 6-3) also won in straight sets. Taunton’s doubles team of Brooke Belle and Sam Parrett won 6-3, 6-3, but Franklin’s Shriya Rajesh and Amulya Jayam won 6-1, 7-6 at second doubles to get a fourth point.

Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final

Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Sharon won at second and third singles and second doubles to earn the sweep of Oliver Ames. Allie Aguilar earned the straight sets (6-1, 6-1) win at second singles and Hannah Faberman won 6-1, 6-2 at third singles to put Sharon on the brink and Sophia Oh and Ritu Sreeram clinched the win with a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles. Kate McCormick made history for the Tigers at first singles, becoming the first Tiger to win at first singles against Sharon in more than a decade. After winning only five games in Monday’s match with Navya Shulka, McCormick won in straight sets (6-2, 6-4). OA coach Danielle Erickson said, “She truly left it all on the court and played a match to remember.” OA’s second point came from the first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou, who won 7-5, 6-2.




Boys Outdoor Track
Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:00

Sharon, 70 @ Foxboro, 65 – Final

Girls Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 82 @ Taunton, 53 – Final – Kamsi Igbobi had three first-place finishes to lead the Bombardiers to their first dual meet win of the season. Igbobi took first in the 100 meters (13.4), the 100-meter hurdles (18.2), and the shot put with a throw of 34-1. Madison Ellis also had a strong overall meet with three second-place finishes (mile, two-mile, and high jump), and Angela Cooney took third in the 100-meter hurdles and 2-mile in her first meet back after an injury. Eleanor Graber ran the 400-meter hurdles for the first time and took first in a time of 1:34.3 and Kelly Neuendorf qualified for sectionals with PR of 11:52 to win the 2-mile. Dana Blouin also had a PR (5:33.2) to take first in the mile.

Sharon, 63 @ Foxboro, 73 – Final

Wrestling
Taunton, 40 @ Mansfield, 37 – Final – Heavyweight Peter Ye clinched a win for Taunton in the final match, pinning his opponent to turn a three-point deficit into a three-point win in a back-and-forth dual meet. Michale Leskoski, James Collins, Ryan Jones, Ben Mandeville, Christian Balmain, and Jackson Mandeville also won their matches for the Tigers.

Canton @ Milford, 6:00
Stoughton @ Sharon, 7:00

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/20/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final – Attleboro had one of its most complete games of the season, pushing across 10 runs while securing its first shutout of the 2021 campaign. Junior Billy Saltmarsh pitched five shutout innings, letting up just a pair of hits while striking out three to get the win. Offensively, Matt McMahon smashed a three-run home run while seniors Bailey Camacho, Jake Gorman, and Ben Lehane all had big hits in the win.

Taunton, 8 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Danny MacDougall blasted a three-run home run in the middle of a five-run sixth inning as the Tigers turned a one-run deficit into an 8-4 win on the road. Foxboro scored in each the first and second innings, the latter to take a 2-1 lead. Taunton jumped ahead 3-2 in the top of the fourth but the Warriors regained the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Colby DaCouta added two RBI and two runs for the Tigers while Ty Cali and Ethan Ross each had two hits and scored a run. Evan Cali picked up the win in relief for Taunton, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings with two hits and one walk allowed, striking out four. Tom Marcucella stayed hot offensively for the Warriors with a hit and two RBI while Cam Prescott went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.

Franklin, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Holding a 2-0 lead through three innings, Franklin tacked on two runs in each the fourth, fifth, and the seventh innings to leave Frothingham Park with an 8-0 win. Ethan Voellmicke (4.2 IP, two hit, no walks, five strikeouts) and James Kuczmiec combined for the shutout on the mound for the Panthers. Chris Goode (two hits) and Eisig Chin (three hits, three runs) each hit a triple in the win, Ryan Gerety added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored, and Luc Boudreau drove in a pair of runs and scored twice for the Panthers. Christian Papasodero allowed just two earned runs in five innings of work for the Tigers.

Mansfield, 8 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Mansfield collected 11 hits as a team and took the lead with a four-run second inning and never looked back in a non-league win over Davenport foe Stoughton. The Black Knights scored first in the bottom of the first inning but the Hornets pushed across four runs in the top of the second and tacked on two runs in each the fifth and sixth innings. Anthony Sacchetti belted out three hits, knocking in one run and scoring twice while Eric Sullivan (double, RBI) and Jake Maydak each had a pair of hits in the win. Brandon Mantilla-Mercado (two RBI) and Kyle Doolin (two runs) each had a pair of hits for Stoughton.

Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – The first two batters King Philip sent to the plate earned walks and came around to score and that was enough offense for sophomore Rudy Gately, who tossed a complete game shutout. Nick Viscusi and Shawn Lagere earned back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the first and each scored and that was all of the scoring on the day. Gately allowed just four hits while striking out five to earn the win. Sharon freshman Luke Meixel allowed just two total hits in a complete game effort.










Softball
North Attleboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro erased a one-run deficit and took a lead all in one play in the fifth inning and that was enough for the Bombardiers to keep the Blue-Red Cup. In the bottom of the fifth, Kayla Goldrick and Lindsey Perry both reached after being hit by a pitch and freshman Rylie Camacho connected for a base hit to right field to bring Goldrick home to tie the game. Perry came around to score on an errant throw, which allowed Camacho to reach third. Camacho then came home after an another throw got away, putting the hosts ahead 3-1. Perry tossed a complete game for the Bombardiers, retiring the last 12 batters she faced. She also had four strikeouts with five hits allowed. North took the lead on a solo home run from sophomore Kelly Colleran, who also pitched a strong game with sevens strikeouts and four hits allowed.

Foxboro, 0 @ Taunton, 16 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton senior Hanna Aldrich blasted two home runs and Kelsey White and Kylie Thorpe each one as the Tigers rolled to a win at home. Aldrich finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored while Thorpe had three total hits, three runs scored and drove in six runs. White was nearly flawless in the circle with five shutout innings, striking out 14 of the 15 batters she faced.

Oliver Ames, 14 @ Franklin, 16 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Franklin rallied from nine runs down to build a seven-run lead, but then had to hold on as OA stormed back and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh. It was all OA early. The Tigers took the lead in the first on an RBI single by Grace Simone and then extended the lead to 4-0 heading into the fourth. In the fourth, the Tigers scored five times to break the game open. Taylor Lake had a bases-clearing double and Caitlin Miller brought in a run with a single. Franklin got one back in the fourth, but it still looked like a comfortable advantage for the Tigers until the Panthers exploded for 15 runs in the bottom of the fifth. Molly Collins drove in five runs, including a bases loaded triple, in the inning and Lauren Cote had a couple of hits and three RBI during the rally. From 9-0 down, the Panthers now held a 16-9 lead. OA didn’t go quietly. In the top of the seventh, OA scored five times, including two more RBI for Lake and had runners at first and second with two outs. Gabby Colace was able to turn a grounder in the hole at short into a force at third to seal a wild win for the Panthers.

Stoughton, 11 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final (11 inn.) – Stoughton scored three runs in the top of the 11th and held off a Mansfield rally in the bottom half to come out on top in a back-and-forth game at the East St. field. The Black Knights jumped ahead early, leading 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. Junior Sydney Menz (four runs) homered to lead off the game, freshman Alyssa Edwards hit a home run to lead off the second and the Black Knights added four runs on four hits in the third. Mansfield stormed back with seven runs on six hits to grab the lead. Olivia Madeira led off the inning with a triple, and later singled in the same rally, followed by base hits from Jill Koppy, Casey Moussette, and Alanna Conley. Abby DeCoste also tripled in the inning. Stoughton would get the run back on a two-out single from Julia Driscoll, who stole second and scored on a fielding error to force extra innings. Menz hit her second home run in the top of the eighth to regain the lead, but the Hornets answered back to stay alive. With the tiebreaker in place, the visitors plated three runs in the top of the 11th to lead 11-8. Menz led off with a double and scored on a double from Driscoll, who scored herself on a sac fly from Mel Casna. Mansfield nearly managed to send the game to the 12th. Koppy, who had three hits on the day, tripled to score the runner from second and Moussette (two hits) singled to make it a one-run game. Ashlyn Conley’s infield single put runners at the corners with just one out, but Stoughton was able to escape the jam and snag the road win. Nicole Baker pitched a complete game for the Black Knights with 14 strikeouts.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 15 @ Milford, 5 – Final

Foxboro, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Wyatt Fritchman and Doug Oliveira scored for OA, sophomore Noah Isleib made 15 saves in net and Jack Magit played a great defensive game while making his first career start.

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 8 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final

Sharon, 7 @ Canton, 10 – Final – Canton came from behind to pick up the league win, scoring the only two goals of the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Jenna Goldstein had three goals and an assist for Sharon, which led 4-2 after the first. Molly McAlevey had two goals and an assist and Athena Merck and Anna Hertzel each scored once for the Eagles. Tess Letendre had a big game in the loss, making 17 saves.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final – The Warriors completed the season sweep of OA with another impressive offensive display. Seven different Foxboro players found the back of the net, led by Lilly Vey with five goals and an assist, and five players had at least four points. Ella Waryas scored four times and assisted on one and Mary Collins had three goals and three helpers. Kate Collins also scored three goals for the Warriors and recorded one assist, while Paige Curren added two goals and three assists. Val Beigel (two goals and an assist) and Mya Waryas (one goal and two assists) each totaled three points in the win. Maddie Maher came up with seven saves for Foxboro. For OA, Reese Pereira had a strong showing on the draw, Emma Sharkansky scored twice, and Emma O’Donnell had some great saves in net.



Boys Tennis
North Attleboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – North Attleboro picked up its sixth win of the season, earning a sweep over rival Attleboro. The Rocketeers dropped just one game in singles action and won both doubles matches in straight sets. Jonah Manso and Sam Gallagher both won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while junior Will Folan picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of seniors Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq emerged with a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) win in a hard fought match at first doubles while the team of senior Niteesh Saravanan and sophomore Brody Carter earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Canton went on the road and picked up a win over Kelley-Rex division foe Milford. Suraj Ramanathan, Max Kupferman and Minh Duong swept singles action for the visiting Bulldogs. The team of Jalen Townsend and Charlie Doody battled to a 7-6, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of Huy Hoy and Elias Jabbour earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Foxboro took all five matches in straights to record a 5-0 win on the road at Taunton. Junior Bo Canfield (third singles) and the team of senior Jason Kandula and freshman Justin Kandula (first doubles) each rolled to 6-0, 6-0 wins. Junior Garrett Spillane added a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles, senior Justin Neale prevailed 6-1, 6-0 at second singles, and the team of senior David Marroquin and freshman Visruth Chavalam recored a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin took care of business in its crossover match with Oliver Ames, winning four matches in straight sets (a fifth match ended by default). Liam Marr rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Vayshnav Malhotra picked up a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles, the team of Thomas Broyles sand Jay Gorgas added a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles, and juniors Tyler Fitzpatrick and Tim O’Keefe secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles to knock off visiting Stoughton. Sophomore Benson Delaney was victorious 6-2, 6-4 at second singles while senior Kai Schirmacher picked up a 6-0, 6-4 win at third singles. The senior of seniors Nikhil Lankipalle and Adam Elsner earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles while Mansfield’s second doubles team of junior Jonah Fine and freshman Nikhil Nain walked away with a 6-1, 6-0 win. Stoughton senior Waseem Sablon continued to impress with a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles.




Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro’s pairing of freshmen Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson overcame a one-set deficit on the road to prevail in three sets, giving the Bombardiers the clinching point in a win over rival North Attleboro. Fulscado and Johnson picked up a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles while Attleboro’s first doubles team of Saharla Yusuf and Rachel Rainey won 7-5, 6-4. Attleboro also got a win from senior Lauren Anthony (6-3, 6-2) at second singles. North Attleboro freshman Lauren Hunt won 6-1, 6-3 at first singles while senior Haley Strom earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.

Milford, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton defended home court by winning all five matches in straight sets against the visiting Hawks of Milford. Rachel Kupferman (6-0, 6-0), Laura Correal (6-1, 6-1), and Grace Powers (6-3, 6-4) swept singles in order, Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles and the pairing of Olivia Mahoney and Allie Wong picked up a 6-4, 6-2 decision at second doubles.

Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro’s Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa picked up a win in straight sets while the Warriors swept all three singles matches in a win over Taunton. McAuliffe and Costa earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while all three of Foxboro’s singles players (Athena Li, Pam Nelson, Sarah Prag) won 6-0, 6-0. Taunton’s Morgan Smith and Courtney Martin secured a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames broke into the win column with a win over Franklin prevailing 4-1 in contest that featured five well-played and well-contested matches. OA’s Kate McCormick was victorious at first singles 6-2, 6-2 while Mae Holmes prevailed 7-6 (8-6), 0-6, 12-10 in a battle at third singles. OA’s double success continue as Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou turned in a 6-1, 6-4 win at first doubles and the team of Marina Mierzwinski and Elizabeth O’Brien emerged with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) win at second doubles. Franklin’s Hailey Morin won 6-2, 6-2 at second singles.

Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – For Stoughton, senior co-captain Lena Allie rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at second singles while senior co-captain Brooke Bulger won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at third singles.

Outdoor Track
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Nipmuc, 0 – Final

Wrestling
Franklin, 48 @ Sharon, 26 – Final

King Philip, 48 @ Oliver Ames, 30 – Final – For Oliver Ames, junior captain Gio Juste moved to 4-0 on the season with his fourth first period pin of the season at 160. Senior captain Stavros Constantinou added a first period win at 126 and junior Anthony Hoffman picked up his first career win at 182.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – North Attleboro senior Dennis Colleran tossed a complete game one-hitter to help the Rocketeers earn a split with the Tigers on the season. Colleran allowed a total of three baserunners with a walk and one batter hit by a pitch but struck out 11 in the win. North scored one run in each the first and second innings, OA halved the deficit with a run in the third, but the Rocketeers scored twice in the fifth and added another insurance run in the seventh. Sophomore Derek Maceda had three hits, including a triple that he eventually scored on a single by Tyler Bannon in the seventh. Evan Vigorito knocked in three runs, driving in two of those with a triple in the fifth while Aidan Weir had an RBI single in the second.

Mansfield, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Mansfield took the lead with a run in the top of the third but King Philip responded in a big way, plating six runs in the bottom half and never looked back to earn head coach Jeff Plympton his first career win. Senior Conor Cooke collected two of his three RBI in the third with a base hit, adding another with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Sophomore Tommy Martarano also drove in two runs in the big third inning while Mikey Malatesta and Nick Viscusi each had one RBI. Sophomore Rudy Gately earned the win, allowing just one run through six innings before Mansfield tried to mount a last-inning comeback. Jack Mullen came in and struck out two to close the door. Luke Urban (RBI) and Eric Sullivan (two RBI, run) each registered a pair of hits for Mansfield.

Softball
Franklin, 16 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed hot and got contributions throughout the lineup in a win on the road at Milford. Senior Gabby Colace had three hits, including a home run, while driving in three runs and scoring four times to pace the Panthers. Freshman Carly Johnson-Pellegri (two hits) also had a home run with three RBI, Georgia Harvey drove in four runs on three hits, and Lauren Cote had two hits and three RBI for Franklin. Aislinn Lavery, who added two hits and an RBI, struck out five in six innings of work.










Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 14 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Foxboro had a strong first half, outscoring the Eagles 7-0 and never looked back to get the win in the first meeting of the two teams. For the Eagles, Drew Litner, Jace Neatler, and Brady Daylor each scored a pair of goals while Ben Shocket won 18-of-26 faceoffs. Adam Rabb made 12 saves in net for Sharon.

Franklin, 19 @ Milford, 0 – Final

King Philip @ Mansfield, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 13 – Final – For Oliver Ames, sophomore Ben Reardon had a goal and two helpers, Ben Cohen scored his first career goal, and Wes Tower found the back of the net once.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 11 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Taunton senior Alana Tavares found the back of the net eight times to help the Tigers score a win on the road. In their second win over the Bombardiers this week, Taunton also got two goals from Tasia Lajoie (one assist) and one from freshman Cali Melo. Emily Gannon made eight saves in net for Taunton.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Tess Letendre had a great game in goal for the Eagles, making 15 saves. Jenna Goldstein scored three of Sharon’s four goals. Athena Merck had the fourth, assisted by Molly McAlevey.

Milford, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Sydney Hawkins and Riley Cross each registered their first goals of the season for the Panthers while Brigid Earley made six saves in net.

Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip raced out to an 8-0 lead by halftime and never looked back in a win over visiting Mansfield. Julia Marsden and Haley Izydorczak each scored a hat trick to pace the Warriors’ offense, Peyton Mellman and Lily Brown each scored twice, and Ally Donovan and Morgan Cunningham (assist) each found the back of the net once. Emily Campbell turned aside eight shots to get the win in net for KP.

North Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Oliver Ames scored twice in the final 30 seconds to steal a win away from North Attleboro. Emma Pereira set up both goals, coming up with a loose ball in her own half before finding Emma Sharkansky, who quickly dished off to Catie Wilson for a goal with 12 seconds left to make it 11-11. Pereira won the ensuing draw for the Tigers, sprinted up the field and passed to Sharkansky who ripped a quick shot in for the game-winner with three seconds to go. Head coach Gen Rogan praised the defensive work of Taylor McAndrew, Emilee Nuss, and goalie Emma O’Donnell.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton continued its unbeaten start to the season with a 3-0 sweep (25-21, 25-16, 26-17) on the road at Quincy. Daniel Medina had a strong game distributing the ball offensively, dishing out 33 assists to go along with three aces. Jakob Thorpe put down 10 kills for the Tigers while Tyler Stewart had another strong all around game with 18 kills, nine digs, and a pair of blocks. Mattia Casagrande (nine digs) and Travis Nunes (seven digs) both played well defensively and in serve receive for the Tigers.

Milford, 3 @ Medfield, 0 – Final

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton senior Danny MacDougall, pictured here as a sophomore in 2019, is one of the few returners for the defending D1 State Champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 14-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Steve Dunlea

Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.

“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”

Canton

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Shuffain

Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.

The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.

Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.

“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”

Foxboro

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Derek Suess

For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.

Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.

Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.

“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 22-3
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Zach Brown

While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.

Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.

Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.

“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”




King Philip

2019 Record: 8-12
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jeff Plympton

There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.

Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.

“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 18-7
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Chris Hall

Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.

Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.

Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.

“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”

Milford

2019 Record: 11-11
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.

The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.

Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.

“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 11-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.

Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.

“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 12-13
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Abarr

After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.

Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.

Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.

“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 2-18
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Andrew Poliferno

The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.

Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.

“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”

Stoughton

2019 Record: 14-9
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Armour

Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.

The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.

Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.

“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”

Taunton

2019 Record: 21-7
2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Blair Bourque

It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.

Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.

“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

King Philip Stuns Franklin With Late Touchdown

King Philip football Danny Clancy
King Philip junior Danny Clancy comes down with the game-winning touchdown catch with just over a minute left in the game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
WRENTHAM, Mass. – For three quarters, Franklin and King Philip were locked in a rock fight on Mactaz Field.

Then came the fourth quarter fireworks.

After neither team found the end zone in any of the first three quarters, there were three touchdowns in the final period including two in the final five minutes. Franklin took the lead with just over three minutes to go but King Philip answered with a game-winning drive, scoring with just over a minute to go to secure a 14-10 win.

King Philip football

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I don’t know [how we won it], there were so many ups and downs in that one,” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee. “It was the type of game that we’ve had success in the past, the type of game we’ve competed in but this group, we’re very young and we don’t have many seniors out there, and throughout this year we were having trouble in the close games. But they kept coming back, it was just awesome to see.

“It wasn’t a beautiful game but I’m proud of the kids. We got seven games, I’m not sure I like this season but I like tonight. I saw a little bit of Warrior of football for the first time.”

Neither team scored in the first half and the only points of the third quarter came off the foot of Franklin senior Parker Cheuvront as the Panthers carried a 3-0 led into the final 12 minutes of action. King Philip took the lead with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and was in position to close it out with just over five minutes to go.

But a penalty and an incomplete pass on third down forced KP to punt, and a low snap forced a scramble. Franklin was able to track the punter down, eventually forcing the ball free and senior Damon Carmignani, who had the initial pressure on the punter, came away with the ball and the Panthers were suddenly in business with the ball at the KP 34-yard line with just over five minutes to play.

King Philip football

Five plays later, including one of five hookups between quarterback Jared Arone (11/19, 102 yards) and receiver Jake O’Brien (five catches, 58 yards), the Panthers went to the ground and Mack Gulla (17 carries, 69 yards) burst up the middle, going airborne before falling on the goal line for a touchdown. Cheuvront’s point after gave the hosts a 10-7 lead with 3:17 to play.

As quickly as the momentum swung in favor of the visitors, it came right back for the hosts. Sophomore Rudy Gately (31 carries, 157 yards), who had the majority of carries with senior back Crawford Cantave out injured, moved the sticks with a 10-yard gain.

Facing 3rd and 7, junior quarterback Charlie Grant found senior Michael Zagordny as he fell out of bounds but it was ruled he got a foot down for a complete catch. The Panthers were also whistled for a personal foul for a late hit, moving the 38 yards (23 on the catch, 15 on the penalty) all the way down to the Franklin 19-yard line with 1:33 to play.

Franklin’s Jay Gulla and Xander Honor stopped Gately for a loss on first down so the Warriors went to the air on second down. Grant floated one to the corner of the end zone and junior Danny Clancy used his size to go up and get it despite good positioning from the defensive back, getting his feet inbounds for a 10-yard touchdown and a 14-10 lead with 1:08 to go.

“Those guys have been doing that a long time together, we just really haven’t been able to maximize it this year,” Lee said. “I’ve been jabbing at Clancy, asking when he was going to make the big plays we saw him make on JV on varsity. The kid had position on him and he was still able to pull it down, it was unreal.

“I thought Charlie played well for us and showed a lot of poise and leadership for us when we needed it.”

The Panthers didn’t get a chance at a final drive after fumbling on the ensuing kickoff with KP’s Nick Viscusi coming away with the loose ball.

“As a coach, you want to see competition and you want to see your guys compete to the end and I think we did that,” said Franklin head coach Eian Bain. “We certainly didn’t help ourselves tonight with penalties, miscues, putting the ball on the ground even if we got it back. End of the day, I thought we were our own worst enemy. King Philip is a good program, they played a really good game don’t get me wrong. This year felt like four years ago when we were in a lot of close games, learning how to win.

King Philip football

“You never want to let that adversity go to waste, hopefully, we learned a little bit about what it takes to close games in the Hockomock League. They are young too so hopefully both our programs are rising together and next year, when we see them on Thanksgiving, hopefully we’ll be right back here battling it out with them.”

There was a total of six drives in the first half, each team getting the ball three times. Franklin got the ball from the opening kickoff and moved the chains once but had to punt, which happened again on its next drive. The Panthers’ final drive of the opening half resulted in a turnover on downs. Franklin nearly had a touchdown on a pass from Arone into the end zone but Viscuti made a great play to knock the ball free and prevent six.

Things didn’t go much better for the Warriors on the offensive side of the ball. KP’s first drive went 15 plays and covered 74 yards but stalled in the red zone. The Warriors tried a fake field goal but Franklin was ready and junior Joseph Tirrell forced a fumble and classmate Jonathan Martins grabbed the loose ball. KP’s second and third drive combined for just seven yards on eight plays, taking the game to halftime.

The Warriors started to move the ball on its first possession of the second half but it came to a halt on a fumble, recovered by Franklin’s Jacob Briggs. The turnover resulted in points for the Panthers, who moved 31 yards on 8 plays. Cheuvront split the uprights from 32-yards out for a 3-0 advantage.

King Philip responded with a 9-play, 66-yard drive to take its first lead of the game less than two minutes into the fourth. Lining up with two fullbacks — senior Mike Malatesta and sophomore William Astorino — and with a tight end on either side of the line — Nathan Kearney and Harry Brown — the Warriors continued to pound the ball on the ground.

Gately had a trio of runs for 22 yards on this drive, following the blocking of Hunter Hastings and Dan Nineve on the left side, Kevin Pierro up the middle, and Amro Ismail and Chris Sesay on the right side, Gately racked up 157 total rushing yards on 31 carries.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

KP mixed things up on the next play as Grant dropped a perfect pass into Clancy’s hands down the right sideline for a 38-yard gain. Four plays later, Malatesta went up the middle on fourth down for a 2-yard touchdown, and Matthew Kelley’s point after made it 7-3, setting up the wild finish.

“[Gulla] is a dude so I was very pleased with the overall effort and the battle,” Lee said of the KP defensive effort, which held Franklin to 1-of-7 on third and 1-of-3 on fourth down and under 200 total yards of offense. “I was nervous, Crawford is our safety and has been playing really well on defense and now we’re going against a pretty good passing attack without him. But I was happy with the effort from the guys.”

King Philip finishes the year at 4-3 while Franklin closes out the Fall II season at 3-4.

King Philip football

Football: 2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Preview

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview
Mansfield can’t defend its D2 state title, but the Hornets will be looking to bring home a third straight league title when the new Fall II season kicks off. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Football Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 6-5
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Mike Strachan

Key/Returning Players: Christian Dame, Jr., TE/DE; Alvin Harrison, Jr., OL/DL; Chris Leonardo, Jr., OL/DL; Kaiden Murray, Jr., RB/FS; Trainor Sherck, Sr., OLB; Michael Strachan, Sr., LB/RB; Freddy Wheaton, Jr., LB

Outlook:
Attleboro was able to incorporate a number of underclassmen last season and will be hoping that experience pays off with the junior class being asked to step up all across the field this season, as the Bombardiers look to challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Size won’t be an issue for Attleboro and the offensive line should be a strength this season led by junior tackles Chris Leonardo (6’3, 275 pounds) and Alvin Harrison (6’3, 255) along with seniors Trainor Sherck and Ryan Grover and junior Adam Struminski. The Bombardiers are going to use that line a lot this season with new quarterback Blake Garzaro, who saw some action as a sophomore, handing the ball off frequently to junior Kaiden Murray, who looks poised for a breakout season, and bruising fullback Michael Strachan. Junior Freddy Wheaton is another physical back who will get touches this year. In the passing game, Garzaro can look for 6’4 tight end Christian Dame, who leads a largely new cast of receivers.

The strengths on offense should mirror the strengths for Attleboro’s defense as well. Leonardo, Dame, and Harrison will be the core of the defensive line with junior Isaac Pereira another big body that will be tough for opposing teams to run against. Strachan leads the linebacking corps. The URI-commit is the program’s all-time leading tackler and he’s a four-year varsity player. Wheaton will join Strachan at inside linebacker and Sherck and Ryan Betts will be on the outside. The secondary will have several new faces, but Murray is a tough tackler at free safety and William Runey will be one of the more experienced cornerbacks on the roster.

Franklin

2019 Record: 7-4
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Eian Bain

Key/Returning Players: Jared Arone, Jr., QB; Parker Cheuvront, Sr., K; Dan Cormier, Sr., LB; Brady Duncan, Sr., OL; Mike Griffin, Sr., WR/S; Mack Gulla, Jr., RB; Xander Honor, Sr., LB; Isaac Hughes, Sr., WR; Shane Kindred, Jr., WR; Vincent Lackey, Sr., T; Jonathan Martins, Jr., DE; Jake O’Brien, Sr., WR; Anthony Quintina, Sr., DL;

Outlook:

Franklin is coming off an impressive run to the Div. 1 South final but the Panthers also graduated a host of important pieces from last year’s team, particularly at the skill positions, and will need some younger players to step in to stay competitive in the Kelley-Rex this season.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Junior Jared Arone will step in at quarterback this season, hoping to have the same level of success running Franklin’s up-tempo style as Thomas Gasbarro did last year. Junior running back Mack Gulla got some time in the backfield last season but will be getting the bulk of the touches this year. A new receiving corps will also have to learn on the job, including senior Jake O’Brien and junior Shane Kindred, and junior tight end Jonathan Martins, but there is potential for this to be an explosive group. Seniors Brady Duncan and Vincent Lackey will be counted on to provide leadership on the offensive line. The consistency of senior kicker Parker Cheuvront will be a huge boost to a Franklin offense that may have some growing pains early in the season.

Defensively, the Panthers return several players and will rely on that experience to combat the top offenses in the league and to allow time for the younger players to get up to speed. Seniors Xander Honor and Dan Cormier will spearhead the defense from their linebacker positions, while seniors Anthony Quintina and Lackey are stout in the middle of the line. Martins will be a force at defensive end and Griffin is a playmaker at safety.

“We need to focus on getting better every day,” said Franklin coach Eain Bain. “Appreciate, and focus on, the here and now. Don’t look ahead or behind, but stay in tuned to the task at hand. And always, Row the Boat.”




King Philip

2019 Record: 8-3
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Brian Lee

Key/Returning Players: Crawford Cantave, Jr., RB/SS; Drew Danson, Jr., TE; Mike Malatesta, Sr., MLB; Kevin Pierro, Sr., C; Nick Viscusi, Jr., SS; Michael Zagrodney, Sr., WR; Patrick Zarba, Sr., G/DT

Outlook:
This is an atypical season in so many ways, not least of all because King Philip, one of the perennial powers in the Kelley-Rex, is going through a transition. The Warriors will have a lot of new faces this year, using a number of underclassmen who will have to quickly learn the KP style of play through a tough slate of divisional games.

KP returns only two starters on offense from last year’s team that reached the D2 South semifinal. Senior guard Pat Zarba and junior tight end Drew Danson will be the lone holdovers, although several other players did see action at times. Junior Crawford Cantave filled in for an injured Ryan Halliday at running back last year and has the potential to be next in a long line of standout backs at KP. Mike Malatesta will also be in the backfield at fullback and sophomore Ryan Gately is a newcomer to keep an eye on. Junior Charlie Grant is set to be the new quarterback and will have Danson, senior Michael Zagrodney, and junior Nick Viscusi as targets in the passing game. Senior Kevin Pierro will be the center to add some experience to what is otherwise a largely new group on the line.

Defense has always been a priority for KP and this year’s group has a lot of players who will be learning on the job. Zarba and Danson will be on the defensive line, along with junior Hunter Hastings and senior Harry Brown. Malatesta and Gately will be joined by junior Jake Sullivan at linebacker. The secondary is young but has some experience, as Cantave and Viscusi both are coming off strong sophomore seasons at safety.

“I am hoping that our weakness (inexperience and lack of seniors) will be a strength in the fall as we are forced to play a lot of juniors and sophomores now,” said KP coach Brian Lee. “I’m also worried about injuries, as we have not been in our weight room in a year.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 11-1 (Kelley-Rex Division Champion)
2019 Finish: Won D2 Super Bowl
Coach: Mike Redding

Key/Returning Players: Nick Bertolino, Sr., CB/WR; Matt Boen, Sr., WR/QB/DB; Anthony Comer, Sr., RB/DB; Mark DeGirolamo, Jr., G/DT; Joe Forte, Jr., C/NG; Cincere Gill, Sr., RB/DB; TJ Guy, Sr., OT/DE; Nico Holmes, Sr., FB/LB;Everett Knowlton, Sr., TE/DE; Jake McCoy, Sr., G/DT

Outlook:
It has been 15 months since Mansfield rolled to a D2 state title at Gillette Stadium and the Hornets are excited to get back on the field, searching for a third straight league title and looking forward to a 90th anniversary game against Foxboro at Alumni Field to close out the season.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

While Mansfield graduated a number of key players from last year’s state championship-winning team, the Hornets return plenty of offensive firepower, especially in the backfield. Senior Cincere Gill will be the focus after racking up nearly 1,000 rushing yards last season, but he will get plenty of help from classmates Anthony Comer and Nico Holmes and newcomer sophomore Rocco Scarpellini. In addition, the Hornets will have Matt Boen and Nick Bertolino back at receiver and Everett Knowlton returns at tight end. Juniors Jake Wall and Dana Johnson will add to the depth in the passing game. The offensive line should be a strength for Mansfield this season with three returning starters, seniors TJ Guy and Jake McCoy and junior Joe Forte. Juniors Jimmy Gilleran and Braedon Veno will fill out the rest of the line.

The Hornets were dominant on defense last season and they remain solid on that side of the ball, particularly in the front seven. With Guy on the end and junior Mark DeGirolamo and McCoy in the interior of the defensive line, Mansfield will be stout up front. Holmes is a standout at linebacker and senior Sean Weber will be a player to watch in his outside linebacker position. The secondary has depth with a handful of players fighting for three defensive back spots.

“Toughest part is mentally, everything’s backward with the weather – feels like November and the end of a typical season, but it’s pre-season,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “Just hoping Friday nights under the lights feel the same once games get going and it feels like we’re starting to finally get into a groove with execution. We’re all thankful to be playing and trying to enjoy every day we can go out and be a team.”




Milford

2019 Record: 4-7
2019 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Dale Olson

Key/Returning Players: Evan Hazard, Sr., SS; Josh Kravets, Sr., DL; Mario Lee, Sr., DL; Max Martin, Sr., WR; Sean Murray, Sr., OL; Kevin O’Connor, Sr., LB; Brady Olson, Sr., QB; Angelo Romero, Jr., LB; Dom Schofield, Sr., DE; Carter Scudo, Sr., WR; Grant Scudo, Jr., DB; Matt Varteresian, Sr., WR; Nick Yohn, Sr., OL

Outlook:
There are a lot of changes at Milford this season, with a new coaching staff taking over and the Hawks making the switch to the Kelley-Rex for the first time, but there is a lot of experience on the field to make that transition with nine starters returning on both sides of the ball.

One of the biggest changes for Milford will be under center, as Brady Olson takes over following his transfer from Bishop Feehan. The UMass-commit will have plenty of targets to aim for, as Milford returns arguably the deepest group of receivers in the league led by seniors Carter Scudo, Max Martin, and Matt Varteresian. They combine deep threat potential with the willingness to make the tough catches in traffic. Up front, Sean Murray and Nick Yohn will lead the protection for Olson and try to open up lanes for a new crop of running backs.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Experience will be a strength on the defensive side of the ball as well. Dom Schofield highlights a tough defensive line. Another of the team’s UMass commits, Schofield will be a force at the defensive end position, while Mario Lee and Josh Kravets return in the heart of the line. Milford lost a couple of standout linebackers from last year’s squad, Luke Rosa and CJ Cerrella, but Kevin O’Connor and Angelo Romero are playmakers who should be ready for breakout seasons. Grant Scudo and Evan Hazard are back in what should be a strong secondary for the Hawks.

“I have a strong senior class that has played a ton of football and we’ll lean on them to help us compete in the Hock large this year,” said new Milford coach Dale Olson.

Taunton

2019 Record: 4-6
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Brad Sidwell

Key/Returning Players: Tommy Ambrose, Sr., OL/DL; Nathan Arieta, Sr., TE/DE; Nigel Choate, Sr., WR/DB; Bretton Heggs, Sr., RB/DB; Josh Lopes, Sr., RB/LB; Dan Macdougall, Sr., QB/DB; Jorden Manning, Sr., OL/DL; Deandre McPhail, Sr., DL; Kedrick Santos, Sr., LB/WR; Trent Santos, Jr., WR/DB; Nolan Tomaszycki, Sr., WR/DB

Outlook:
With 10 returning starters and 18 returning lettermen, Taunton will be relying on its senior leadership to stay competitive against what has the potential to be a daunting Kelley-Rex division schedule.

The Tigers have plenty of athleticism on both sides of the ball and also versatile players who can line up in multiple positions, making it difficult for opponents to match up. Senior Danny MacDougall moves under center this season, although he has also lined up at receiver in the past. Seniors Josh Lopes and Bretton Heggs give Taunton a pair of dangerous backs, while Trent Santos, Kedrick Santos, Nigel Choate, and Nolan Tomaszycki are weapons in the passing game. Senior Nathan Arieta, at 6-foot-5, is a big target at tight end. Seniors Tommy Ambrose and Jorden Manning are two returning starters on the offensive line. The depth on the line will be tested, as Taunton has several underclassmen with the size to step in but not a lot of experience.

Defensively, Taunton relies on its quickness and athleticism, but also has plenty of size up front. Ambrose, Manning, and Arieta will all play on the defensive line, along with classmate Deandre McPhail and junior Faisal Mass. Lopes, Kedrick Santos, Caleb Nicholson, and Evan Perrotta have experience in the linebacking corps. The secondary is filled with playmakers, including Trent Santos, MacDougall, Heggs, Tomaszycki, and Choate.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 11/01/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
D1 South
#7 Attleboro, 0 @ #2 Franklin, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (F) Thomas Gasbarro 16-yard pass to Jack Nally, Parker Cheuvront XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) T. Gasbarro 23-yard pass to Jake Davis, P. Cheuvront XP good.

D2 South
#2 Mansfield, 24 vs. #7 Marshfield, 6 – Final
1st Quarter: (Mans) Michael DeBolt 2-yard fumble recovery, M. DeBolt XP good; (Mans) Cincere Gill 14-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (Mans) Jack Moussette 16-yard pass to Vinnie Holmes, M. DeBolt XP good; (Marsh) Masterson 48-yard pass to Chabra, 2-point conversion failed.
3rd Quarter: (Mans) M. DeBolt 38-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

#3 King Philip, 34 vs. #6 Barnstable, 6 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring
2nd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 2-yard rush, XP good; (KP) Robert Jarest 9-yard pass to Drew Danson, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: (KP) Nick Viscusi 78-yard kickoff return, XP failed; (B) Nick Wilson 36-yard rush, two-point rush failed; (KP) R. Halliday 5-yard rush, R. Jarest 2pt pass to D. Danson.
4th Quarter: (KP) R. Jarest 4-yard rush, XP good.

D3 South
#3 Stoughton, 41 vs. #6 Whitman-Hanson, 12 – Final
1st Quarter: (S) Christopher Ais 78-yard rush, XP failed; (S) Clayton Rahaman 2-yard rush, 2pt conversion good.
2nd Quarter: (WH) Jason Murphy 58-yard pass to Colby Garden, XP failed; (S) C. Rahaman 10-yard pass to Christian Georges, XP good; (S) C. Georges 4-yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (S) John Burke 85-yard pass to Eddie St. Hilaire, XP good; (S) C. Georges 39-yard rush, XP failed.

#5 Milford, 19 @ #4 Walpole, 34 – Final

D5 South
#1 Canton, 34 vs. #8 Scituate, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 1-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: (C) Kyle Fitzgerald 40-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) J. Hagan 2-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good; (C) K. Fitzgerald 7-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good; (S) Matt Scibilio 65-yard pass to Nick Gould, XP good; (C) K. Fitzgerald 56-yard rush, XP failed; (S) M. Scibilio 48-yard pass to N. Gould, XP good.

#4 Foxboro, 21 vs. #5 Norton, 0 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (F) Shayne Kerrigan 21-yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) S. Kerrigan 3-yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) Chris McNamara 15-yard rush, XP good.

Non-Playoffs
North Attleboro, 14 @ Dennis-Yarmouth, 39 – Final
Oliver Ames, 7 @ North Quincy, 12 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ Dedham, 7 – Final
Taunton, 0 vs. Xaverian, 28 – Final

Field Hockey
D2 South
#4 Foxboro, 5 vs. #20 Seekonk, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Volleyball
D2 Central
#11 Foxboro, 2 @ #6 Medfield, 3 – Final – Foxboro battled back from an 0-2 deficit to force a deciding fifth game but host Medfield was the first to 15 to earn a 3-2 (14-25, 18-25, 25-11, 25-22, 11-15) win. Grace Boudreau paced Foxboro with 10 kills, 11 digs, four aces, and a pair of blocks while Pam Nelson and Grace Fortune each had 11 digs. Emma Keefe added five aces, five digs, and two kills, Shakirah Ketant picked up eight kills, three blocks, and two aces, and Maddie O’Brien dished out 19 assists along with seven digs for Foxboro.

#13 Milford, 0 @ #4 Westboro, 3 – Final

King Philip Uses Ground Game, Defense To Beat Franklin

King Philip football Ryan Halliday
King Philip’s Ryan Halliday breaks a tackle during a run against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
FRANKLIN, Mass. – The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The King Philip offense has had some success from the new wrinkles it’s added this season, but when it mattered most, the Warriors turned to their signature ground and pound running attack.

Senior Ryan Halliday rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and scored a pair of touchdowns to pace the Warriors to a 26-14 win over rival Franklin, KP’s 16th straight win over the Panthers.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After getting just one touch on each of King Philip’s first two drives of the second half — both quickly ended in punts — and Franklin playing with the momentum after cutting the deficit to six at 20-14, the Warriors turned to Halliday.

The senior back was the focal point in the game-clinching drive that spanned 75 yards over 13 plays, taking over eight minutes off the clock. Halliday ran behind an offensive line featuring senior Nolan Gunning, senior Wyatt Manzi, senior center Sean Piller, junior Pat Zarba, and senior Dan Mullen.

The senior back took 10 consecutive handoffs, picking up four first downs that included a fourth down conversion on 4th and 1 on the Panthers’ 28-yard line after an offside call on the defense.

After sophomore Crawford Cantave burst up the middle for nine years, the Warriors went back to Halliday for back-to-back carries, the latter an 11-yard dart up the middle that put the visitors ahead 26-14 with just 5:23 left. The drive started with 1:34 left in the third quarter.

“We’ve switched up the offense a bit this year and we’ve been passing a lot,” Halliday said. “But in the end, we kind of just played old KP football, played some nice defense and ran the ball.

“I’m gassed but I’m sure my hoggies are gassed too, I give a lot of the credit to them.”

Franklin ran just seven offensive plays after that King Philip drive and was limited to a total of 16 offensive snaps total in the second half.

“It worked for us last year,” said KP head coach Brian Lee of going back to the ground game. “[Franklin] is so explosive on offense, they have so many playmakers that you feel like if keep giving them chances…our defense was hanging in there but we just wanted to slow it down a little bit.”

King Philip’s defense did its part as well, holding the Panthers to 175 yards of total offense, 0-for-5 on third down, forcing three turnovers, and limited Franklin’s high-powered offense to just three plays over 20 yards.

“It’s hard to get pressure on them, the ball is out quick and they have a lot of playmakers,” Lee said. “Overall I’m very pleased with how the defense played.”

The Panthers didn’t help themselves much in the first half, fumbling on the opening possession after a completed pass. A quick three-and-out was followed by another fumble, giving KP great starting position at the Franklin 25-yard line.

It took KP just three plays to take advantage of the good field position as senior quarterback Robbie Jarest (11-for-17, 93 yards passing; 8 carries, 75 yards rushing) hit Brian Wassersug, who broke a tackle and sprinted up the sideline for a 25-yard touchdown. Dylan Conti’s point after attempt was good to put KP up 7-0.

Franklin had a quick response as senior quarterback Thomas Gasbarro (16-for-22,193 yards) scrambled to buy some time before finding a wide-open Cole Lakatos on the sideline, and the senior took it the rest of the way, getting a big block from Jake Davis, for a 51-yard touchdown. Parker Cheuvront connected on his first of two extra points to tie it 7-7.

Jarest got it done with his legs on KP’s ensuing drive, taking a QB option for 48 yards to get the Warriors’ offense going. A pass to Alex Behling got the Warriors into the red zone, and six plays later, Halliday followed Gunning into the end zone for a 1-yard score, converting a 4th and goal situation.

“He’s come a long way, he’s really bought in,” Lee said of Jarest. “For us to be throwing the ball as much, it’s different. But we have a new offensive coordinator [Cory Bailey] and he’s really stretching me to try and do some other things and take more risks. Robert’s making those plays with his arm and his legs, and in the end, I think that makes us more balanced.”

Franklin’s defense came up big two series later, stopping the Warriors on 4th and 1 from the Panthers’ 30-yard line with under a minute to go in the half.

But the momentum didn’t last long as KP’s Shawn Conniff applied pressure, forcing a fumble and sophomore Nick Viscusi came out of the pile with the ball.

Franklin nearly stopped the series when they grabbed an interception, but the Panthers were flagged for roughing the passer and KP kept possession. On the ensuing play, with just eight seconds left on the clock, Jarest delivered, finding an open Andrew McKinney for an 11-yard touchdown with only two seconds left on the clock, giving KP a 20-7 lead at halftime.

“We had the recipe of how to never play American football never again,” said Franklin head coach Eian Bain of the first half. “I’m at a loss for words for how to describe that first half really. You can’t beat great teams like KP when you have that many self-inflicted errors. Credit to a good opponent, sometimes they make you do that. We felt comfortable with our game plan but you can’t win putting the ball on the turf.”

Momentum swung in favor of the hosts as Franklin forced a three-and-out on King Philip’s opening drive of the second half. The Panthers’ offense capitalized, driving 77 yards on nine plays to make it a one-score game.

Highlighted by a pass and catch from Gasbarro to Jack Nally, and a fourth down completion between the same pair, Franklin marched down the field to the KP 1-yard line. Sophomore Mack Gulla punched it in from there, making it 20-14 with 4:27 left in the third quarter.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Franklin only ran seven more offensive plays the rest of the game.

“They took the fourth quarter,” Bain said. “That’s what they do well, and that’s what we don’t do well. And by that point, they made us one dimensional but we continued to make mistakes. I’m disappointed because I think we can play better and execute better.”

King Philip football (1-0 Hockomock, 3-0 overall) now turns its attention to Mansfield, as the two rivals will do battle on Macktaz Field on Friday night. Franklin (0-1, 2-1) will try to get back into the win column when it travels to Oliver Ames on Saturday.

Defensive Adjustments Effective for KP at Foxboro

King Philip Football
KP quarterback Robert Jarest (6) celebrates after scoring the first of his two touchdowns in a 20-10 victory at Foxboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FOXBORO, Mass. – For the second week in a row, King Philip reacted to the offensive game plan of its opponents, made changes to its defensive approach, and clamped down to secure a victory.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Last week, KP held North Attleboro to only two first downs following the Rocketeers’ opening drive. On Friday night at Jack Martinelli Field, KP gave up 94 passing yards in the opening half against Foxboro but then after the break held the hosts to just 20 yards of offense (11 of those with seconds remaining) and intercepted three passes.

One of those interceptions came on the first possession of the second half and led to a KP touchdown that opened a two-score lead and was decisive in a 20-10 victory.

“We gave up some things and they had some wrinkles that we weren’t ready for and we had to make some adjustments,” said KP coach Brian Lee. “It got to the point that we thought, if we don’t make any more mistakes on ‘O’ and give them the short field then I think we’re going to be okay.”

KP’s offense scored three touchdowns in the second half of the opener against North and that momentum appeared to carry over to week two. The Warriors marched 68 yards on 10 plays on their opening drive to grab the lead. Senior Robert Jarest (4-10, 64 yards) hit Alex Behling on a 37-yard completion to get down to the Foxboro 20-yard-line. Jarest capped the drive with a four-yard keeper for a 6-0 advantage.

Jack Norberg ended the first Foxboro drive with a big sack of Shayne Kerrigan, but TJ Perry got the ball right back for the hosts when he read Jarest’s eyes as the QB rolled out and picked off the pass. Perry returned it to the KP two. Two plays later, Kerrigan punched it in from a yard out and Foxboro grabbed a 7-6 lead.

Foxboro struggled offensively last week against Norton, but things were clicking for the Warriors early on Friday night. Kerrigan (7-18, 94 yards) was causing problems with his ability to make throws on the run. He found Luis Sulham for a 17-yard completion and Ryan Hughes for 23 yards. On third down from the KP eight, Sam Callanan pressured Kerrigan and forced an incompletion.

Despite a low snap, Tyler James managed to split the arms of several KP players and split the uprights on a 25-yard field goal.

Needing a response, KP’s offense put together an eight-play, 58-yard drive that gave it a lead that the Warriors wouldn’t relinquish. Ryan Halliday (23 carries, 87 yards) got the ball four times on the drive, for 25 yards, and then Jarest hit Drew Danson for 15 yards down to the Foxboro five. Jarest (12 carries, 57 yards) kept it himself for his second touchdown of the night.

The hosts didn’t go quietly. Tommy Sharkey returned the ensuing kick out to the 35. On third down, Kerrigan connected with Sulham for 14 yards into KP territory. Two more completions got the ball down to the KP 35. Halliday and Callanan sacked Kerrigan and a spike gave Foxboro fourth and eight from the KP 38 with only eight seconds left in the half.

Kerrigan looked underneath the deep coverage to find Brian Derba down the far sideline. The play went for 23 yards and Derba went out of bounds with one second on the clock. James had a chance to tie the game heading into the break, but KP blocked the kick.

“We had a shot to tie it before the half and it shouldn’t have made an emotional difference but maybe it did,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli. “We improved on a few things offensively in the first half but they dominated the second half.”

Foxboro got the ball to start the second half, but on third and 13 Kerrigan was picked off by Nick Viscusi. After completing 6-of-10 passes in the first half, Kerrigan would complete only 1-of-8 after the break for zero yards. Two plays after the interception, Halliday burst through the line and ran over a couple of defensive backs to score a 15-yard TD.

Lee said, “I think when happened we all felt, okay we’ve got the short field and we can execute. There’s plenty of good things there, but as I said to the guys we have a long way to go.”

KP started to control the line of scrimmage. Pat Zarba stuffed Bobby Yerardi as Foxboro was forced to punt. The visitors would put together a 12-play drive, including a pair of fourth down conversions, and marched to the Foxboro seven, but KP was unable to add to its lead. Sean Ferguson made a big stop on third down to keep KP out of the end zone.

“That was a good football game, a lot of good hitting in there, good plays either way,” said Martinelli. “We just couldn’t muster enough in the second half, gave them the short field, and that kind of spelled the difference.”

Three snaps later, Jack Collentro ended any momentum from that defensive stand when he picked off a deflected pass over the middle. Charlie Grant would add the third interception of the half with seconds remaining, as KP clamped down and Foxboro never got past its own 30-yard-line in the second half.

“We’re still working the kinks out with some of our offensive stuff but I think the upside is still there,” said Lee. “We just need to get better at executing and of course their kids had something to do with that.”

King Philip (2-0) will have a week off before opening league play at Franklin. Foxboro (1-1) will also have next week off and opens Davenport play the week later at North Attleboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.