04/11/202204/13/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/11/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 7 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – Attleboro senior Christian Dame blasted a grand slam over the fence in the bottom of the third inning and the Bombardiers’ bats exploded for 16 runs in a win over visiting Milford. Milford got off to a strong start with a run in the top of the first and added three more in the second to claim a 4-0 lead but Attleboro’s offense bounced back with a six-run second inning and followed with a seven-run third inning. Dame finished with three hits and six RBI, Danny Johnson also had three hits and five RBI, and Cian Kelleher and Ben Hochwarter (two RBI, four runs) each added a pair of hits. Billy Saltmarsh got the win on the mound while Johnny Pagano struck out four in three innings out of the bullpen.

Canton, 6 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Canton scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the stalemate and earn a win on the road over rival Stoughton. The Dogs and Knights went back-and-forth, the visitors scoring one run in each of the first, third, and fifth innings with the hosts responding with single-run innings in the second, third, and one in the bottom of the fifth to tie it 3-3. Hayden Rose tossed a complete game for the Bulldogs to get the win, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out three. Rose helped his cause at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, including the go-ahead hit in the seventh. Nico Bonanno added three hits and four RBI, plating the two insurance runs in the seventh on a single. Andy Butler added three hits, three stolen bases, and two runs for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 9 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North pushed across five runs in the top of the third and added a run in each of the next three innings to score a win on the road over Foxboro. Derek Maceda (three runs) and David Floyd (two RBI, two runs) had three hits apiece to account for half of North’s 12 hits on the day. Maceda’s one-out triple sparked a big fifth inning for North, who had three consecutive two-out doubles in the frame. Christian Bates added a hit, a run scored, and three RBI on the day. Anthony Wescott had a strong defensive performance at first for the Rocketeers and Danny Curran tossed five scoreless innings to get the win. Foxboro freshman Nolan Gordon recorded a pair of hits and classmate Mike Marcucella knocked in a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 7 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Mansfield surged ahead with a three-run fourth inning but King Philip had an immediate answer in the bottom half, plating four to take the lead for good. Conner Zukowski (two hits), Jared Fraone, and Jake Maydak each drove in a run to give the Hornets a lead after 3.5 innings. In the bottom of the half, Rudy Gately drove in both Shawn Legere (single) and Brendan Sencaj (single) to cut the deficit to one, and a single from Dan Nineve brought Gately home to tie it. Nick Viscusi, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch to take the lead. In the fifth, Legere singled, stole second, took third on a single from Sencaj, and scored on a ground ball from Viscusi. Gately got the win on the mound for the Warriors, allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks, striking out eight. Sophomore Tommy McLeish struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief, and Sencaj closed the door with a scoreless seventh inning.

Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tacked on two key runs in the bottom of the sixth and held off a last-inning comeback bid from Sharon to get the win. Patrick Finnerty smashed a home run to center in the bottom of the first for an early lead, and after a double from senior Andrew Rodgers, courtesy runner Brendan Connolly scored after a pair of ground outs. Sharon cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI from Will Hippler but the Tigers responded with two runs, the latter coming off an RBI double from Nathanial Lewis (two hits). Sharon loaded the bases in the seventh and Dan Okstein drove in two runs to make it a one-run game, but OA’s Jo Jo Gaultier closed the door to secure the win. Nick Clark pitched well for OA, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out nine in five scoreless innings of work.

Softball
Attleboro, 17 @ Milford, 2 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro’s offense was on fire from the start, plating eight runs in the first and six more in the second to secure a win on the road over Milford. Kayla Goldrick recorded three hits on the day, including a double and a home run, to pace the offense. Sarah Maher added three hits for the Bombardiers, who totaled 16 hits as a team, and Emily Eby went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Lindsey Perry was the winning, allowing three hits with three strikeouts and one earned run. Milford freshman Olivia Baglione had two hits and two RBI for the Hawks, including her first career home run (solo home run).

Stoughton, 17 @ Canton, 8 – Final – For the second time in the last three games, Stoughton’s offense exploded for double-digit runs, this time in a win on the road over rival Canton. Senior Sydney Menz continued to rake at the plate, going 4-for-6 with three base hits and a triple while Julie Powers added three singles in the win. Kate Bulger pitched in with a pair of singles and Alyssa Edwards had a double and played stellar defense. Kerry Driscoll threw the complete game for her third win of the season.

Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Kelly Colleran struck out 16 batters, allowed two infield hits, and faced only three batters over the minimum to pick up the win for North. The Rocketeers manufactured a run in the third. Mandi Hanewich got things started with an infield hit and then stole second. Ally Levine drove her in with a single. North got the winner in the fifth. Emma Hanwell walked and Julia Forman bunted her into scoring position. Hanwell would eventually come home on a passed ball. Maddie Bailey had a couple of strong defensive plays at second to help North hold on for the win.

Taunton, 5 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (8 Inn.) – Taunton rallied with a run in the top of the seventh on a solo homer by Angie Lynch to force extra innings and then, after scoring three runs in the eighth, held off a Panthers rally in the bottom half to pull out the extra-innings win. Taunton and Franklin each scored a run in the first, but the Panthers grabbed the lead in the sixth before Lynch tied the game in the seventh. Franklin’s first run came off an RBI single from junior Avery Chalk. Chalk then put Franklin ahead, 2-1, after a fielder’s choice saw Katy Liberman score. Brooke Aldrich went 3-for-4 with two RBI and gave the visitors the lead with a home run in the first, and Kaysie DeMoura (triple) also drove in two for the Tigers. Reece Allen had two hits for the Panthers, while Hailey Fales was 3-for-4 and drive in a pair. Aislinn Lavery went the distance for Franklin, giving up nine hits and four earned runs. Liv Mendonca went six innings for Taunton and allowed seven hits and two runs. Cate Larson picked up the win for the Tigers, pitching two innings of relief, striking out three, and allowing a pair of runs.

King Philip, 4 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip held Mansfield off the board to pick up a fourth straight win to start the season. King Philip cashed in with a three-run fifth inning and added another in the top of the sixth in the win. Ava Kelley drove in the first run with a sac fly, Taylor Regan drove in Charlotte Raymond (walk) with a single, and Mia Bennett singled up the middle to bring Meg Sherwood (walk) for a 3-0 lead. In the top of the sixth, Raymond smacked a two-out single to plate sophomore Caitlyn Sencaj (double). Jordan Bennett got the win, tossing a complete-game shutout with five strikeouts. The Hornets had eight hits and had runners on base in all but one inning. They left 11 on base, including the bases loaded in the sixth. Callie Lake and Jill Koppy each had a pair of hits for Mansfield, with Lake also making six out in center. Liv Madeira, Alanna Conley, Molly Kucharski, and Olivia DeTrolio each had one hit in the loss. DeTrolio also made a nice play at third in the third inning, cutting down the lead runner at the plate after the Warriors had loaded the bases.

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Katie Melendy tossed a one-hit shutout to lead Oliver Ames into the win column for the first time this season as the Tigers took down rival Sharon. Melendy struck out eight in the circle while adding a double and a run scored offensively. After two scoreless innings, Oliver Ames scored in each of the final five innings, including a pair of runs in each the third and fourth innings. Freshman Devon Morris (2-for-3, RBI, two runs) and Madison Monteiro (RBI, run) scored in the third off a hit from Maddie Homer (two hits), and Morris and Monteiro each added an RBI in the fourth to push the lead to 4-0. Freshman Emily Martin drove in a run in the fifth and Sammy Johnson had an RBI in the sixth to score Caitlin Miller (two hits, triple).

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 22 @ Milford, 6 – Final

Sharon, 11 @ Canton, 10 – Final – After a pair of one-goal losses, Sharon ended up on the right side of a close contest with an 11-10 win on the road over Canton. Ben Shocket went 20-for-25 at the faceoff X and added four goals while Brady Daylor had a big day offensive, scoring four times with three assists. Gabe Korn chipped in with a hat trick for the Eagles and Matt Powers made 13 saves in net.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Franklin, 24 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Luke Davis scored seven times and Jayden Consigli had six goals, as Franklin scored more than 20 goals for the third straight game to start the season. It was a close game through the first quarter. Davis and Consigli each had hat tricks in the opening 12 minutes, but Matt Antonetti, Connor Ruppert, and Brady Backner each scored for North o go into the first break at 6-3. Franklin broke the game open in the second with four goals in just 1:27. Tyler Sacchetti had the first two, just 16 seconds apart, Consigli fed Connor Sullivan for a rip, and then Davis whipped a lefty shot under the bar to make it 10-6. Consigli fired in a man-up goal and Chris Drake took a hit to find the back of the net and extend the lead to nine. Antonetti made a nice steal on a clearance and scored in the last minute of the half, but Franklin led 12-4. Clayton Billingkoff started the third with a goal for North, but Franklin scored the next nine to put the game away. Davis added three more, and Sacchetti and Consigli each had a pair. Ryan Grasso and Ravin Chaudhury also scored and CJ Perro got his first of the night. Billingkoff got a second to make it 21-6 after three. Antonetti completed his hat trick in the third. Perro would add two more and finished with a hat trick as well. After a tough first quarter, Justin Alexander ended up winning 21-of-28 draws and Matt Corvi made seven saves for the Panthers. JT Gallagher had six saves for North.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – For Oliver Ames senior Wyatt Fritchman and sophomore Ryan Jaco each scored a pair of goals while junior Noah Isleib made 17 saves in net for the Tigers.

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 15 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Milford evened its record at 2-2 by picking up its second road win of the season, knocking off the Bombardiers. Junior captain Caitlyn Bangert had a standout performance in net for the Scarlet Hawks, turning away 13 shots in the win. Aislinn Bennett (seven goals), Carly Haley (four goals), and Emily Croteau (three goals) led the offense for Milford, who built a 5-0 lead early. Senior Stephanie Goulet also scored in the win for Milford.

Canton, 17 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Seven different Bulldogs found the back of the net in a win on the road over Sharon. Allie McCabe paced the offense with a hat trick plus three assists, Emily McCabe added five goals, and Devan Spinale also netted a hat trick in the win. Annie McLean and Maggie Dailey scored their first career goals and Canton’s Elyse Broderick made nine saves in the cage. Tess Letendre had a strong game in the Sharon goal, making 13 saves to keep the Eagles in the game. Keira Lydeard led Sharon with four goals and Bailey Garte had the other two.

Foxboro, 10 vs. Hingham, 18 – Final – Hingham outscored the Warriors 10-3 in the second half to pull out the win and hand Foxboro its first loss of the season. Paige Curran, who reached 100 career points last week, and Mya Waryas each scored four goals and each had an assist. Cate Noone and Val Beigel also found the back of the net for the Warriors. Lilli Jones made six saves in the loss.

Franklin, 20 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin hit the 20-goal mark for the third straight game to open the season, this time rolling to a win over the Rocketeers on the road. The Panthers dominated on draw controls, winning 21-of-23 attempts, led by four from Katie Peterson, and three apiece from Peyton Crandall, Kate O’Rourke, and Kaitlyn Carney. Stella Regan paced the Franklin offense — which featured 10 goal scorers — with four goals and an assist. Brigid Earley made seven saves in net for the win.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 16 – Final – King Philip secured its third straight win to open the season and second shutout of the year, taking down visiting Taunton. Makenzie McDevitt led the charge with a hat trick while Julia Marsden (assist), Haley Izydorczak (assist), and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of goals. Sammy Cloutier had four draw controls and added a goal as well for KP.

Mansfield @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – A doubles sweep plus two more wins from singles action gave Attleboro a win on the road over Milford. At first doubles, the team of Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf continued their strong start to the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win and Malachi Jefferson and Connor Coleman teamed up for a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Ethan Johnson was victorious at first singles (6-1, 6-0) and Arvov Sodhani emerged with a 7-6, 6-1 win at third singles. For the Hawks, Tyler Andreotti earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at second singles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Max Kupferman and Suraj Ramanathan swept at first and second singles, respectively, and the Bulldogs defended home court against visiting Stoughton. Canton’s Kevin Moltenbrey and Charlie Doody won 6-3, 6-2 at first doubles and the team of Max LaRose and Davis Lamb grabbed a win at second doubles, taking a third-set tiebreaker. Stoughton’s Anish Sinha won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles.

Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro senior Bo Canfield bounced back from a loss in the second set to win the third, completing the Warriors’ singles sweep over North. Canfield took second singles 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, senior Garrett Spillane secured a 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles and freshman Raj Jette took a 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 decision at third singles. North’s Griffin Rodden and Arnav Raghuvanshi teamed up to take first doubles (6-2, 6-1), and the team of sophomore Caleb Cheney and Ashman Gupta prevailed 7-5, 6-4 at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin earned a clean sweep, taking all five matches in straight sets in a win over visiting Taunton. Seniors Vayshnav Malhotra (6-0, 6-1), Thomas Broyles (6-1, 6-1), and Drew Mahoney (6-0, 6-0) all had strong showings sweep singles action. Senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Jay Gorgas battled to a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the Panthers’ second doubles team of senior Aidan Karlowicz and sophomore Ahan Shetty didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Sophomore Nikhil Nain and junior Jesse Colchamiro won a pair of tiebreakers to take second doubles in straight sets, completing Mansfield’s win over King Philip. Nain and Colchamiro prevailed 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4), and Mansfield’s first doubles team of junior Benson Delaney and senior Jonah Fine gabbed a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani (6-0, 6-0), Kailash Elumelai (6-0, 6-1), Iniyan Karruppusami (6-3, 6-0) combined to lose just four total games in sweeping singles action.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final

Girls Tennis
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Attleboro broke into the win column on the season, taking all five matches from visiting Milford. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Maddie Fuscaldo won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles, and junior Zoe Stanley earned a 6-4, 6-2 decision at third singles. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf only lost one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win while the sophomore duo of Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller battled to a 7-0 (9-7), 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in singles action and another from doubles, Foxboro secured a key 3-2 win over division foe North Attleboro. Athena Li rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Hailey Kornbluth battled to a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles, and Foxboro’s first doubles tandem of Juliana Preston and Abby Costa grabbed a 6-3, 6-4 win.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – A pair of singles wins and a pair of doubles wins was enough to lead Franklin to a victory on the road. Freshman Izzy Trull earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles for the Panthers while senior Sarah Schiavo continued her strong start to the season with a 6-4, 6-2 third singles win. Senior Amulya Jayam and junior Shriya Rasish bagged a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles, and sophomore Chloe Essam and junior Allison Bagley emerged from double seconds action with a 6-3, 6-1 win.

Mansfield @ King Philip, 3:45

Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames got one win in singles and one in doubles to put the Eagles on upset alert, but Sharon took home a win to stay unbeaten in league action. Ale Aguilar won 6-4, 6-1 at second singles and Hannah Faberman added a 6-0, 6-1 third singles win for the Eagles, who also got a point from a second doubles win from Sash Fein and Sophia Oh (6-3, 6-3). OA freshman Hannah Farber secured a 3-6, 6-2, 10-5 win at first singles, and the Tigers’ first doubles tandem of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-4, 7-5 win.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Norwood, 4:00
Milford vs. Norton, 5:00
Taunton, 0 @ Brockton, 3 – Final

04/05/202204/07/2022

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.

It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.

Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.

In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.

“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”

Canton

2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.

The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.

“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”

Foxboro

2021 Record: 5-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.

Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.

Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.

Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.

“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 16-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.

Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.

King Philip

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.

King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.

Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.

“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.

The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.

The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.

“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”

Milford

2021 Record: 5-9
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.

Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.

The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.

“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 12-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.

Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.

One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.

A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.

“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 3-12
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.

It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.

Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”

Stoughton

2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.

Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.

Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.

“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”

Taunton

2021 Record: 13-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.

The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.

Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.

“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”

05/27/202105/28/2021

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/27/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames scored one run in each the fourth and fifth innings and that was enough offense for junior pitcher Jack Richardson. Richardson didn’t allow an earned run in a complete game effort, striking out seven to get the win. Offensively, Will Whiteside went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI and Ryan McKenney added a hit and an RBI.

Canton, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final (8 Inn.) – Canton erased a one-run deficit in the top of the sixth and then tacked on three runs in the top of the eighth to earn a win in extra innings on the road. The Bulldogs totaled eight hits on the day with Cam Sanchez (run) chipping in with two and six others registering one. Sawyer Julier-Albert drove in a pair of runs and scored once while Matt Chafin and Andrew Middleton each had one RBI. Zach Peters allowed just one unearned run on two hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts in five innings of work. Matt Quan, Andrew Butler, and Nico Bonanno each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

Foxboro, 6 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford took advantage of eight hits and nine walks to score 12 runs and get a win at home over visiting Foxboro. Mario Lee drove in three runs for the Hawks while Evan Cornelius (run) and Grant Scudo (two hits, run) each had two RBI in the win. Carter Scudo added a pair of hits, a pair of runs, and one RBI for Milford, who scored six runs in the second inning to take a 7-2 lead and pulled away for good with four runs in the sixth. Ryan LeClair went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run for Foxboro while Sean O’Leary added three hits and an RBI.

Sharon, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin erased an early one-run deficit, scoring once in each the second and third with two big insurance runs coming in the fourth inning. Ethan Voellmicke tossed 4.1 innings of shutout ball with just two hits allowed, striking out nine to get the win. James Kuczmiec came in to get the save with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Offensively, CJ Jette had a pair of hits including a double, and drove in one run, Marcus Baker slapped a pair of hits, Jake Fitzgibbons drove in a run, and Jack Marino had a hit, a walk, and scored a run.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton scored once in each of the first four innings, tacked on two more in the fifth, and pulled away for good with three runs in the sixth to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ty Cali (run, RBI) and Colby DeCouta (run, RBI) each had two hits for the Tigers while Danny MacDougall had four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI in the win. Matthew Ferrara got the win on the mound with two runs allowed on 10 hits and one walk, striking out two in 6.2 innings of work.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Junior Shawn Lagere and senior Conor Cooke hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and King Philip never trailed in a win over Stoughton. Stoughton cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third but KP answered with four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth inning. Cooke finished with three runs and a pair of stolen bases while Lagere had two stolen bases and two runs.

Softball
Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Lindsey Perry picked up her fourth win of the season, tossing a one-hit shutout on the road to lead the Bombardiers. Perry carried a no-hitter in the final inning before OA registered its first hit. Perry struck out seven and issued just one walk in the win. Attleboro played solid defense throughout and offensively the Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team with Hailey Perry accounting for three hits and Brenna Morse and Meghan Gordon each with two. Taylor Lake had the hit for OA while Katie Melendy allowed five earned in a complete game effort.

Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final

Franklin, 13 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Franklin found its offense late in the game, pulling away to pick up its fourth win of the season. The Eagles kept it close early, trailing by just four after four full. Sophomore pitcher Ally Foulsham had four strikeouts for Sharon.

Mansfield, 8 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Mansfield jumped out to an early need, Canton rallied to jump in front in the fifth inning, but the Hornets were able to come back and scored two runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win. After taking a 1-0 lead in the second, Mansfield scored four times in the third. Jill Koppy got it started with a lead off single, followed by hits from Ashlyn Conley, Alanna Conley, and Abby DeCoste. The Bulldogs answered back with four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to go up 6-5. Hits from Casey Moussette and Molly Kucharski led to the tying run for the Hornets in the sixth. In the seventh, DeCoste, Callie Lake, and Moussette each had hits to plate the game-winning runs. Canton got one back in the bottom of the seventh but the Hornets held on. Lake, Moussette, and Kucharski each finished with three hits for Mansfield, which had 17 as a team.

Taunton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Taunton scored a pair of runs in each the second and seventh innings while Kelsey White was lights out in the circle as the Tigers passed their toughest test to date. White allowed just two hits and issued one walk while striking out 14 batters. McKenzie McAloon drove in two with a base hit in the top of the third to give the visitors the lead. Taunton tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh with Angie Lynch and Kylie Thorpe coming in to score their second runs of the game. North Attleboro sophomore Zoey McDonough had a strong showing in the circle with four runs allowed (three earned) on six hits and four walks, striking out five.

King Philip, 10 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – King Philip set the tone early with three first inning runs and never looked back in a win on the road. The Warriors added four runs in the third and three more in the fourth. Sophomore Sarah Cullen belted out a team-high three hits (including a triple) along with three RBI and one run scored while Mia Bennett also drove in three runs on a pair of hits. Sophomore Charlotte Raymond (two RBI, two runs), freshman Ava Lanza (two runs), and freshman Maddie Paschke each had two hits in the win. Junior Emma Sheehan earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on three hits and one walk, striking out five in a complete game effort. Sydney Menz hit a triple for Stoughton while Nicole Baker and Julie Powers each hit a double.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames won all three singles matches in straight sets to secure a win over visiting Attleboro. Junior Kylash Ganesh picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Rapheal Vache earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and freshman Nick Westerbeke prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at third singles to give the Tigers the win at home. Attleboro’s Alejandro Jimenez and Malachi Jefferson emerged with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win at first doubles while the pairing of Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – By sweeping all three singles matches, Canton defended home court with a 3-2 decision over visiting Mansfield. Suraj Ramanathan earned a big win at first singles with a 6-1, 6-4 score, Max Kupferman added a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles and Minh Duong prevailed 6-2, 7-5 at third singles. Mansfield won both doubles matches with Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle taking a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles while Adam Elsner and Jonah Fine won 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles.

Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro swept all three singles matches and added another point from doubles play in a 4-1 win over visiting Milford. Garrett Spillane was victorious 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Justin Neale earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Jason Kandula walked away with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Bo Canfield and Visruth Chavalam took care of business at first doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 win. Milford’s second doubles team of seniors Connor MacLeod and Mike Tersarotto secured a 7-5, 6-2 win.

Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Franklin’s Vayshnav Malhotra emerged from a three-hour marathon match at second singles with a three-set victory to give the Panthers a 3-2 decision over Sharon. Malhotra won the first set in a tiebreaker, dropped the second set, and then prevailed in a back-and-forth third set, the score finishing 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5. Liam Marr (6-2, 6-2) added a win at first singles while the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (7-5, 6-4) battled to a tight win at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro dropped just one total game in a clean sweep against visiting Taunton. Jonah Manso, Sam Gallager, and Will Folan all won in straight sets in singles action while both of North’s double teams — Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq at first doubles and Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan at second doubles — won 6-0, 6-0.

King Philip, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – King Philip won both doubles matches in straight sets and junior Jon Cohen emerged with the deciding point for the Warriors in a win on the road. Cohen picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles to give the match to the visitors. The team of Diego Nieto and Jackson Hom dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while juniors Adam Gousie and Connor Connor Sachleben earned a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon battled to a 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 win at first singles while Rayan Sablon secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro defended home court with a singles sweep and one more win in doubles in a victory over visiting Oliver Ames. Ella Lynch Bartek (6-3, 6-1), Lauren Anthony (6-1, 6-4), and Tina Lam (6-2, 6-3) all won in singles action while Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson emerged with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win at second doubles. OA’s first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou recorded a 6-0, 6-2 win for the Tigers.

Canton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Canton picked up a close win on the row, scoring points with a pair of singles wins and one from doubles action. Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Laura Correal rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 win at second singles, and the first doubles pairing of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles. For Mansfield, Alexis O’Keefe was victorious at third singles 6-4, 6-2 while Ally McDavitt and Alexis Togue teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Foxboro’s second doubles team of Sara Brennan and Emily Stow rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a win to complete the sweep on the road over Milford. Brennan and Stow picked up a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win while the team of Abby Costa and Alyssa Cloherty notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles. Athena Li (first singles) and Sarah Prag (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Maggie McAuliffe earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.

Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro freshman Lauren Hunt emerged from a back-and-forth evenly matched first singles match with a tiebreaker win in the third set to clinch the deciding point for the Rocketeers in a win over Taunton. Senior Haley Strom rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles while Kyna Sha and Lauren Consentino battled to a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory at second doubles. Hunt prevailed with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9) win at first singles to clinch the match. For Taunton, Kayla Parrett secured a 6-4, 6-4 win at second singles and the team of Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett battled to a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at first doubles.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final

Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 88 @ Canton, 48 – Final – Canton’s Deyontai Dennis took first place in four different events: the 400M hurdles (58.3), the 110M hurdles (16.3), the long jump (20’9.5″), and the triple jump (44’9.5″).

Franklin @ Milford, 5:00

King Philip, 39 @ Mansfield, 97 – Final – Mansfield took first place in 14 of the 16 events to earn a big win on senior day. Seniors Trevor Flint took first in the 1 Mile (4:44.2), Ryan Rispoli won the 2 Mile (11:01.6), Stephen Saba added a first place finish in the javelin (118’6), and DaSean Peters-Wolfe clocked a new PR with a first place time of 22.8 in the 200M. Jake Wall qualified for nationals and broke his own school record with a leap of 23’2 in the long jump.

Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 80 @ Canton, 56 – Final – For Canton, Tayla Mendez-DeGraw broke the school record in the 100M (12.5) and anchored the winning 4×400 team (52.0).

Franklin @ Milford, 5:00

King Philip, 63 @ Mansfield, 73 – Final – Mansfield took first place in both relays and swept the javelin for key points in a close win over visiting King Philip. Caitlin Dumouchel won the javelin for the Hornets with a throw of 109’9″, Kelsey Hubler was second at 69’8″, and Aimee Cowles took third at 68’4″. In the 4×100 relay, Abbie Scott, Meghan Driscoll, Brooke Penney, and Anna Buckley teamed up to cross first in 51.1 while the Mansfield 4×400 relay team of Katie Miller, Norah Puleo, Caitlin Dumouchel, and Anna Darlington won that event in 4:11.6. Dumouchel picked up her third win with a first-place time of 67.2 in the 400M hurdles.

Wrestling
North Attleboro, 48 @ Taunton, 30 – Final

Oliver Ames, 21 @ Milford, 44 – Final

05/21/202105/22/2021

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/21/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 6 @ Canton, 8 – Final – Canton pushed across four runs in the bottom of the sixth for insurance and then held off a last inning rally from Milford to get the win. Holding a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth, Canton scored four runs to double their offensive output. Milford rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to get within two but Nico Bonanno came in and got a strikeout for the final out to preserve the win. Sawyer Julier-Albert drove in three runs, Matt Quan had two RBI, and Steve Burbank and Jay Kelleher each had one RBI in the win.

Softball
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 14 – Final – Jordan Bennett and Emma Sheehan combined for a one-hitter with seven strikeouts to lead the Warriors to a win at home. Junior Meg Sherwood went 2-for-2 including a home run, driving in four total runs while freshman Maddie Paschke was 3-for-3 wit a three-run home run. Sophomore Charlotte Raymond added a pair of hits, including a triple, for the Warriors. Trinity Payne hit a solo home run for the Eagles.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Sharon, 5 – Final

King Philip, 6 @ Franklin, 14 – Final – Franklin dominated the first half to the tune of 11 goals and that was enough for the Panthers at home against visiting King Philip. Senior Matt Lazzaro and sophomore Jayden Consigli each scored four goals and added four assists to pace the Panther’s offense. Luke Davis added three goals and one helper, Joe Consigli scored once and had three assists, and Justin Abely and Cody DiMatteo both finished with one goal and one assist.

North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 19 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Nine different Franklin players found the back of the net as the Panthers swept the season series with King Philip. Kaitlyn Carney led the way with five goals and one assist, Kate O’Rourke added three goals and one assists, and Jackie O’Neil (assist) and Stella Regan (two assists) each scored once. Head coach Kristin Guarino praised the defensive leadership of Sydney Hawkins and Ali Socci.

Taunton, 6 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – For Taunton, senior Alana Tavares scored a hat trick which including her 250th career goal.

Boys Tennis
Sharon, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – Final

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final

Wrestling
Taunton @ Canton, 4:30
North Attleboro @ Mansfield, 5:00
Foxboro @ Milford, 7:00

05/11/202105/11/2021

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

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