Tag: Nicole Dahlgren

The Campus Report: Looking Back At Fall 2017

Campus Report
The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

Former Foxboro standout Austin Ryan had a very memorable and impressive first year suiting up for the Bentley Falcons. After spending time at Williston Northampton School after graduating from Foxboro High. Ryan was named Northeast 10 Conference Rookie of the Week four times throughout the season, and was named NE10 Offensive Player of the Week in the final week of the season. He was second on the Falcons with 49 receptions but had almost more than triple the yardage of the next highest receiver on the team with 1,237 yards. He also hauled in a team-high and conference-best 16 touchdowns. His 123.7 receiving yards per game also led the NE10.

Franklin’s Quintin McDermott also had a strong season for the Falcons. He recorded 34 tackles, forced a team-high three fumbles and came away with three pass breakups. He had two interceptions on the season, coming in the same game. He picked off Merrimack quarterback CJ Scarpa twice to help Bentley pick up a 17-7 win on the road against the Warriors. Attleboro’s Luke Morrison played in five games, Mansfield’s Kyle Wisnieski (six tackles) played in six games and Bobby Mylod, a freshman, played in all 10 games and made five tackles.

Ryan wasn’t the only former Hockomock star to have a standout first year in the NE10. Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Canton star Jake Ragusa was a monster on the defensive side of the ball for Merrimack. Ragusa led the Warriors with 70 total tackles, and was tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks (for a total of 40 yards). He also had two interceptions from his linebacker spot, three quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Lasy year’s girls’ soccer HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Hannah Reiter made an immediate impact for the Quinnipiac team this fall. Reiter was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Rookie team. She earned a spot as the Bobcats’ primary defensive midfielder and racked up four assists in 17 regular season games (11 starts). Reiter increased her minutes played in all six games prior to earning a starting spot she has since not relinquished at Harvard on Sept. 13. Since Reiter joined the starting lineup, Quinnipiac finished the regular season with a mark of 5-3-3 while she played every minute in seven out of the 11 games she started in 2017. In addition, Quinnipiac allowed more than one goal in just three of the 11 regular season games in which Reiter was in the starting lineup.

Joe Wilder, a former Stoughton standout on the gridiron, was named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year after a great senior year at Framingham State. Wilder, who was also selected to the MASCAC First Team All Offense, helped lead a Rams offensive line that first in the conference in rushing yards (2,044), rushing yards per game (204.4), rushing touchdowns (22) and rushing first downs (104). Wilder started at tackle for the Rams.

Also at Framingham State, Attleboro’s Tom Burns earned Second Team All Defense honors after another solid campaign with the Rams. Burns, a senior, was third on the team with 54 tackles (most among defensive backs). He also recorded two tackles for loss while coming away with three interceptions (totaling 65 return yards) and three pass breakups. King Philip’s Brian Donahue had 14 tackles, including two for loss, while fellow former Warrior Cory Lombardo had five tackles and an interception.

Taunton’s Trevor Wysong continued to pace Bridgewater State’s men’s cross country team again this season. Now a sophomore, Wysong helped the Bears finish second at the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Cross Country Championships held at Stanley Park in Westfield. Wysong garnered All-MASCAC honors as he placed second overall at the meet, covering the eight-kilometer course in a time of 26:07.60. Taunton’s Dylan Lynch, a freshman, finished 41st overall and Attleboro’s Will McKenzie, a sophomore, was 80th. In the women’s race, Milford’s Jenise Madden, a sophomore for BSU, crossed the finish line fourth overall in a time of 19:39.50, earning All-MASCAC honors. She helped the Bears finish fourth overall.

2016 HockomockSports.com Best XI selection Colby Koch made an immediate impact on the pitch at Becker College. Koch was second on the team with four goals and had a team-high four assists, resulting in 12 points during his rooking campaign. He had a team-high 26 shots on goal, and three of his four goals were game-winners.

At Bridgewater State, former Oliver Ames football star Cam Williamson wrapped up his collegiate career with 34 tackles from his defensive back spot. Williamson, who played in eight of 10 tames, averaged 4.3 tackles and a game, had a fumble recovery in a win over Westfield state, had an interception on the road at Fitchburg State and totaled five pass breakups.

Down at Mass. Maritime, a handful of former Hockomock League standouts are factoring to the Buccaneers’ defensive unit. Mansfield’s Alex Ruddy was second on the team with 47 tackles, including two for a loss. He also came up with one interception, two pass breakups and three passes defended. KP alum Leo Munafo had 22 tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups, Mansfield’s Connor Finerty had nine tackles in six games played, KP grad Chris Winbourne had four tackles, former Sharon standout Peter Banks had three tackles, and James Cooke (an offensive lineman) had one tackle.

Kim McNally had her best offensive season during her senior campaign with the Sacred Heart women’s soccer team. McNally, a defender, was one of just four players on the team to start in all 18 games. And even has a defender, she finished third on the team with three goals scored. The former Canton Bulldog scored on the road at Yale, scored the game-winning goal at home against Mount St. Mary’s and added a third tally on the road at Wagner. She finishes her career with six goals and one assist, playing in all 73 games that happened during her four-year career – starting all but four of them.

Mansfield’s Alyssa Kelly finished second in both assists and digs for the Bridgewater State volleyball team. Kelly had 116 sets, averaging 1.15 assist per set. She added 187 digs (1.85 per set) as well as 27 kills and 24 aces (third on the team). Against Lasell, Kelly had a season-high 15 digs while notching a season-best four aces just a week earlier against Worcester State.

Brandies men’s soccer is in the midst of another successful postseason run, with two former Hock players leading the way. Josh Ocel has a team-high 10 assists along with four goals, leading the Judges with 18 points. Ocel, along with King Philip grad Andrew Allen, are just two of nine players to see action in all 19 games this year. Allen has been a weapon off of the bench, making 12 appearances as a substitute. He’s second on the team with five goals and also had three assists during his junior season.

Attleboro’s Michelle Sheehan set the offense in motion for Mass. Maritime’s volleyball team this fall. Sheehan, a sophomore, posted a team-high 307 assists (3.30 per set) and was also a top defensive option for the Bucs, notching 129 digs. Along with 41 kills, she had 24 aces. She had a season-high 24 assists on the road at Pine Manor and a season-best 12 digs on the road at Fitchburg State.

Former Foxboro Warrior Katie Notarangelo finished her collegiate career with her best offensive season in four years with MIT’s field hockey team. During her senior season, she scored a career-high seven goals along with a career-high five assists for 19 points, which was top five for the Engineers. She finished her career with 11 goals and six assists for 28 points while starting in 66 of the 69 games she appeared in over four years.

Franklin’s Alexis Stowell earned Northeast-10 All-Conference Third Team honors after another successful year with the Assumption women’s soccer team. Stowell helped anchor a defensive line that posted five shutouts on the season, including a huge effort against Saint Rose in the NE10 Quarterfinals. She also recorded three assists playing right back for Assumption, including producing the game-winning assist in the Hounds 2-1 win over Le Moyne on October 11th. Twin sister and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Victoria Stowell scored once and had two assists with 18 games started for the Greyhounds.

Former King Philip standout Melissa Daigle finished her collegiate career with an even 800 kills for the WPI volleyball team. She had a career-best 266 kills her freshman year, and finished with 167 during her senior campaign. She also had 565 career digs, 48 aces and 79 career blocks.

Two of Bridgewater State’s three field hockey all-conference honorees hailed from the Hockomock League. Mansfield’s Janet Maher was named to the All-Little East Second Team and Foxboro’s Emma Daly, a freshman, earned honorable mention honors. Maher, who hails from Mansfield, Massachusetts, started all 17 games on the Bears’ back line this season. She tallied four goals and one assist for nine points to go along with a defensive save. In 70 games over four seasons with the Bears, Maher recorded six goals and three assists for 15 points in addition to six defensive saves. Daly put together a solid rookie campaign as she notched eight goals and three assists for 19 points.

Another former Hockomock field hockey player that Little East honorable mention honors was Franklin’s Allison Burke. Burke was the stingiest goalkeeper in the conference, sporting an .824 save percentage that slotted her atop all LEC netminders. The junior shattered her previous season-high for saves, stopping 168 shots in 2017, logging four shutouts with a 2.57 goals against average. UMass Dartmouth’s season-opener against MIT on Sept. 2 was a sure preview of Burke’s outstanding season; she set NCAA Division III’s highest single-game save total of the season with 37, holding the Engineers to just four goals and breaking Seana Golden’s previous school-record of 29 saves.

Anthony Barreira worked his way into the starting lineup by the midway point of the season for Bryant University’s men’s soccer team. Barreira started in six straight games, including both of the Bulldogs’ wins this season. He scored his first collegiate goal at home on October 22nd, netting the opening strike in a 2-1 win over Sacred Heart.

Brett McEvoy became Nichols all-time leading tackler (385) this season and earned his fourth Commonwealth Coast Conference all-conference nod and second First Team selection. He led the Bison and finished second in the conference in tackles with 115 (41 solo) and recorded 10-or-more tackles in seven contests, including a season-high 15 against Westfield State and Endicott. He also led the CCC in fumble recoveries (four) and collected seven tackles for loss. He also owns several punting records at Nichols, including punts (207) and yards (7,237).

Mansfield’s Kerra Anastasia concluded her four-year career with Fitchburg State field hockey with her highest point total during her senior season. Anastasia scored a pair of goals for the Falcons, scoring her first of the season in a rout on the road at Becker, and netting her second in a comeback win against Southern Maine. She finishes her career with three goals and six assists, for a total of 12 points.

At Regis College, Stoughton’s Ashley Chipman was the leading scorer for the Pride’s field hockey team while Oliver Ames’s Yvonne Abate was in the top five in scoring from her midfield position. Chipman, who played forward, notched a team-high five goals to tie for a team-best 10 points this season. Abate, who started in 14 games this season, scored twice and had two assists to finish with six points.

Former Attleboro Bombardier Owen McKenna handled punting duties for the Norwich University team this season, along with getting reps on the defensive side of the ball. In 10 games played, McKenna booted 60 punts, averaging over 35 yards on each kick with six kicks inside the 20-yard line and only one attempt blocked. On defense, the sophomore had 22 tackles.

At Bard College, Franklin alum Nicole Ellin appeared in all 17 games as a junior, starting 16 of them. She totaled 1,316 minutes played, which was fourth on the team, finished with a shot on goal, and was a rock in the middle of Bard’s defense at center back. Another Franklin grad, Meghan Dieterle, became a mainstay on Saint Michael College’s backline. She started in 16 games, and even scored a pair of goals (including the game-winner on a free kick in overtime against Post).

Sharon’s Tim Peng notched his first collegiate goal during his senior season at Trinity College. Peng, who patrolled the midfield for the Eagles four years ago, concluded his college career with his best season. He appeared in a career-high 14 games, along with seven starts. He scored his first goal – the game-winner – in a 1-0 win on the road at Western Conn. State.

Danny McDermott made the most of his senior year, starting under center for Salve Regina. He finished the season with 1,892 yards, 22 touchdowns through the air and an average of 210.2 passing yards a game. He completed 55.8% of his 258 attempts. Attleboro’s Tyler McGovern, a freshman, was McDermott’s backup and completed two of his four attempts for 32 yards. One of those completions went for former Bombardier teammate Brendan Nunes, who was second on the team with 34 receptions, totaling 432 yards and hauling in seven touchdowns. Nunes also had six kick returns for 142 yards and was third on the team in all-purpose yards. Foxboro grad Ronnie Martin, in his first year with the Seahawks, was third on the team with 96 rushing yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.

Two former Mansfield Hornets earned All-MASCAC honors after solid seasons with the Bridgewater State women’s soccer team. Molly Sheild was named to the All-MASCAC First Team and Katie Bongarzone earned All-MASCAC Second Team honors. Shield and Bongarzone anchored an outstanding BSU defensive unit which limited opponents to just 6.7 shots on goal per game and helped produce seven shutouts and a team goals against average of 0.98. As a team, the Bears ranked second in the MASCAC in shutouts and third in goals against average. Bongarzone started all 19 games this season and finished with a goal and six assists, while Shields appeared in 17 games with 16 starts and recorded an assist. Taunton’s Alana Vincent finished with four goals and four assists in just eight games played for the Bears.

Merrimack junior Mary McNeil was named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference Second Team for another solid season with the Warriors. McNeil, a former Canton standout added to her well-decorated career with another all-league selection. The two-time All-American posted totals of three goals, a team-best 10 assists and 16 points over 18 appearances. She ended the season in a tie for fourth in the conference in helpers, one of six players in the league with double-digit assists. She posted three multi-assist efforts in 2017, and a pair of four-point performances. Also at Merrimack, Canton’s Lindsey Nolte scored five goals and had two assists while Milford’s Jess Palmer scored once. All three started in all 18 games this season.

There was another familiar face on the NE10 All-Conference Second Team, as former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Hannah Friend, who now plays forward for Saint Anselm, was also selected to the team. Friend earned Second Team recognition by leading her team with 21 points of offense (9-3=21) against NE10 foes, scoring nine goals and three assists. Overall on the season, she notched a team-best 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points (12-7=31) and currently ranks 13th nationally in points per game (1.72). Another former OA standout, Kendall Clifford, was named to the NE10 All Rookie team. She led all Saint Anselm freshmen in 2017 by scoring three goals and as many assists for nine points. Making 16 appearances in a reserve role, Clifford has boosted a midfield that has scored more than four goals per game on eight occasions and has blanked its opponents in eight games as well. Franklin’s Maddie Bressler scored five goals and added two assists and Canton’s Mary Nee had three goals and five goals for the Hawks.

Former Stoughton standout Malachi Baugh concluded an injury-riddled career at Stonehill with his best season. After being limited to 27 carries through his first three years, Baugh was second on the Skyhawks with 96 carries this season and totaled 472 yards (52.4 per game and five touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in five of his last six games, helping Stonehill go 4-2 in those contests.

Luke Albertini concluded a four-year career at Central Connecticut State. The former Red Rocketeers started in 56 games over his four years, including 17 in each of the past two seasons. He made 63 appearances in total for the Blue Devils, patrolling the midfield. He scored a pair of goals, one as a freshman, and one as a junior.

Taunton High grad Adam McLaughlin hauled in a pair of touchdowns in his rookie year at UMass Dartmouth, finishing fifth on the team in receptions with 14. He scored his first touchdown of the season in the second game of the year, hauling in a 10-yard touchdown. He had a season-high four catches for 66 yards in a win on the road at Mass. Maritime and then scored his second touchdown of the season in the finale at Fitchburg State, a 29-yard reception in the third quarter. Also at UMass Dartmouth, Attleboro’s Andrew Gingras started all 10 games at left tackle during his freshman season.

Lauren Berman capped a rollercoaster ride of a collegiate career with a great final season with the Boston College women’s soccer team. Berman finished second on the squad in points this season, scoring a team-high seven goals while adding three assists for 17 points. She started in all 20 games this season and was fourth on the team in minutes played. She was named New England Soccer Journal Midfielder of the Year. She finishes her BC career with 14 goals and 15 assists.

Former two-time HocomockSports.com Player of the Year Taylor Cogliano finished the season fourth in scoring for the Merrimack Warriors. Cogliano made 12 starts, and a total of 19 appearances as the Warriors reached the NE10 semifinal game. The former Frankin star scored a pair of goals – one against Molloy and one against Le Moyne – and finished with two assists (against Dominican and Stonehill). Milford’s Nicole Dahlgren made six appearances off the bench for the Warriors this season.

King Philip grad Joe Kellett continues to be a mainstay in the midfield for the talented UMass Lowell men’s soccer program. After starting in all 16 games as a freshman, Kellett was just one of three River Hawks to start in all 18 contests in 2017. He was second on the team in minutes (1,670), and had one assist on the season. He set up a goal in UMass Lowell’s 3-2 win at home over Monmouth.

Elias Camacho, a former Canton gridiron standout, concluded his career at Wesleyan fourth on the team in tackles. He had 26 solo tackles, and 35 total tackles, including two for a loss. He also had an interception in the final game of the season – his third career pick – and had five pass breakups. For his career, Camacho finished with 67 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.

After just one appearance during her freshman campaign, former Franklin standout Dani Lonati lead the Colby women’s soccer team with eight starts in net and nine total appearances. She posted 48 saves with an impressive 1.42 goals against average, earning a shutout win on the road against Thomas. Lonati made a career-high 13 saves in a scoreless tie to open the season against Tufts.

Franklin’s Sammy Rondeau was named to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Field Hockey All-Conference Second Team after a strong season with Simmons – her second straight year on the second team. The senior enjoyed the best season of her career, racking up 40 points to rank sixth among GNAC players, while scoring 16 goals to stand fifth and recording eight assists for the fourth-most in the league. The forward’s four game-winners place her fifth among GNAC leaders. The former Panther’s season was one of the best in school history with the fourth-highest point total in school history, the fifth-highest assist count and the sixth-most goals in a season at Simmons. She started all 19 matches for the Sharks and was named the GNAC Player of the Week as well.

Milford’s Eric Nunez had a strong senior season for the Worcester State football team. From his linebacker spot, he finished fifth on the team with 44 tackles and had a team-high four sacks, and six tackles for loss. He also forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble as well. Mansfield grad Aurian Dawkins had 12 tackles during his senior year, as well as a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Former Red Rocketeer and New England Revolution academy standout Justin Freitas wasted little time making an impact at the University of Vermont. After spending time at Dean College, Freitas scored eight goals and had three assists while starting 13 games for the Catamounts. Freitas had a pair of goals in a 3-1 win at home against UMBC and again notched two goals two games later in a 2-3 setback at home against Northeastern.

For the third time in four years, Franklin graduate Joe Kalil was honored by the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Now anchoring Wentworth’s defense, Kalil was named to the all-conference second team for his strong 2017 campaign. Kalil earned honorable mention during his freshman year, and was named to the first team a year ago. In 2017, Kalil started 20 games and picked up a pair of goals. He finishes inside the top 10 all-time in program history in starts.

2017 Hockomock League Girls Basketball All Stars

Below are the official 2017 Hockomock League Girls Basketball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Ashley Sampson, Foxboro

Hockomock League All Stars

Sarah Deyo, Attleboro
Julia Strachan, Attleboro
Hannah Jerrier, Canton
Ashley Sampson, Foxboro
Lily Sykes, Foxboro
Ali Brigham, Franklin
Shannon O’Connor, King Philip
Meg Hill, Mansfield
Jen Peel, Mansfield
Kate Irwin, Milford
Ashley Ahern, North Attleboro
Caroline Collard, North Attleboro
Kayla Raymond, Oliver Ames
Emma Eberhardt, Sharon
Val Whalen, Stoughton
Lily Patneaude, Taunton

Honorable Mentions

Mish Logie, Attleboro
Emma Murphy, Canton
Grace Tamulionis, Foxboro
Carli Koffinke, Franklin
Julia Leroux, King Philip
Ann Maher, Mansfield
Nicole Dahlgren, Milford
Samantha Taggart, North Attleboro
Niyera Mitchell, Oliver Ames
Shira Stoller, Sharon
Lili Njeim, Stoughton
Mackenzie Handrahan, Taunton

Hockomock Girls Basketball State Tournament Preview

State Tournament Preview
Attleboro’s Sarah Deyo (32) and Mansfield’s Meg Hill (31) could meet for a third time in the second round of the state tournament. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


Six girls’ basketball teams will begin their quests for a state championship when the state tournament begins this week. League champions Mansfield (Div. 1 South) and Foxboro (Div. 2 South) both earned the top seed in their respective brackets, but neither will have an easy road with league rivals like Attleboro, Oliver Ames, and North Attleboro posing major threats to bringing home a trophy. Milford will also represent the league as the lone Hock team in Div. 2 Central.

As usual, Div. 1 South is a loaded bracket with some of the top programs in the state, including defending state champion Bishop Feehan and perennial powers Braintree and Newton North. Mansfield (18-2) earned the top seed in a coin flip with the Shamrocks, who beat the Hornets in an exclusion game during the regular season. More important than the seed, Mansfield will now avoid the Shamrocks, the Wamps, and the Tigers until the South final.

Led by senior guard Jen Peel and junior center Meg Hill, the Hornets like to slow the pace down and focus on strong defense, which held teams to a league-best 38.0 points per game. Mansfield is young this season, but deep and versatile and head coach Mike Redding’s squad should match up well against the teams on its side of the bracket, including potential semifinal opponents Wellesley or Marshfield (which Mansfield beat 52-47 in December).

In order for the Hornets to get to the semifinals, they may have to go through Kelley-Rex rival Attleboro (15-7), which claimed the No. 8 seed and will host Brockton (Attleboro beat the Boxers 63-55 in December). The Bombardiers have scuffled down the stretch, losing seven of its final 14 games of the regular season, but closed it out by putting 94 points up on Durfee in the season finale.

With seniors Sarah Deyo and Julia Strachan, Attleboro has a potent inside-out combo and has been one of the top offensive teams in the league this year, averaging a league-best 61.4 points per game. The issue for the Bombardiers will be trying to slow down Jen Peel and Mansfield in the quarterfinal, if they can get past a dangerous Brockton team in Tuesday’s playoff opener. Attleboro struggled in two losses to Mansfield in the regular season, but will be hoping third time is the charm to set up a potential rematch with Wellesley, which knocked the Bombardiers out of last year’s tournament.

Foxboro (18-2) has been on fire to close out the season, winning 12 in a row entering the playoffs, including a 20-point win over North Attleboro to claim the league title and an impressive overtime win over Lincoln-Sudbury in the end-of-season tournament. The Warriors will be led by league MVP Ashley Sampson, who scored 31 in that win over L-S and nailed a three-pointer that forced OT, but a strong supporting cast includes Lily Sykes and Grace Tamulionis. The scary part is that all three are juniors and will be back next winter as well.

The Warriors will not have an easy path in Div. 2 South, which is another loaded bracket, and will have to face one of the two finalists from 2016, either Hingham or Oliver Ames, in the quarterfinal and could potentially face the Rocketeers for a third time in the semifinal. Westwood, Nauset, and Falmouth, which knocked Foxboro out of the tournament last year, could wait in the sectional final.

Oliver Ames (13-7), the defending Div. 2 South champ, has had an up and down first season in the Kelley-Rex but managed to claim second in the division and is a sleeper to retain its South title. The Tigers will have a very difficult road to try and repeat with a trip to last year’s South finalist Hingham waiting in the first round and a potential meeting with Foxboro looming in the quarterfinal (the Warriors won the league meeting between the teams 51-35).

Kayla Raymond will be the focus of all of OA’s opponents, but trying to slow down the junior forward is easier said than done. If the Tigers can get support for Raymond from senior Niyera Mitchell and find consistent outside shooting, then OA will be a tough matchup. Losing sophomore guard Sadie Homer during the season and senior Francesca Calabraro prior to it has made things tougher but no one will take head coach Laney Clement-Holbrook’s team lightly.

North Attleboro (16-6) is another sleeper in Div. 2 South. Last year, the Rocketeers were knocked out in the first round by OA on a last second Raymond basket and could have made a similar run to the Tigers if they had made it through. This year, North comes in with six losses, but only one to a team in Div. 2 and that was the league final against Foxboro. Despite missing senior guard Ashley Ahern to injury, North earned an impressive come from behind win against Attleboro in the final week and has the potential to make a deep run this year.

The Rocketeers are loaded with experienced seniors, including forward Caroline Collard and guards Samantha Taggart and Emily Schromm, who have shown the ability to win close games against good teams this season. North beat Foxboro in the first meeting, beat Oliver Ames by one, and has also beaten potential tourney opponents Hingham and Westwood this year. North faces Madison Park to start and likely will face Duxbury in the quarterfinal to try and get a rubber match with Foxboro in the semifinal.

Milford (10-10) qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2012 and has shown immense progress in head coach T.J. Dolliver’s second season in charge. But, the Hawks have also struggled down the stretch, albeit against a tough stretch of league opponents including North Attleboro and Foxboro twice, OA, and Attleboro. The Hawks will be in Div. 2 Central and will likely face Marlboro in the playoff opener, which is a team similar to the Hawks that shoots a lot of threes and does not have a true post presence.

The Hawks will be counting on a big game from junior guard Kate Irwin, who has been among the league’s top scorers this season, but Milford has a lot of versatile players that can cause teams problems on the perimeter and in the paint, including senior Nicole Dahlgren. If the Hawks do get through the first round, then they will travel to No. 3 seed Groton-Dunstable and could face a couple of Eastern Mass. transplants in Hopkinton and Medfield.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/15/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Canton, 68 vs. Middleboro, 34 – Final – Canton built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, racing out to a 17-7 lead after eight minutes. The Bulldogs extended that lead to 33-15 at halftime and then blew the game open in the third, taking a 59-26 advantage into the third. Sophomore Devin Foster had 16 points for Canton while Tony Harris had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Danny Hartnett chipped in with 12 points.

Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 59 @ Milford, 44 – Final – Samantha Taggart scored 18 points and Liz Morehouse added 12, as North Attleboro set up a winner-take-all game with Foxboro on Friday night to decide the Davenport division title. Kate Irwin scored 15 points and Nicole Dahlgren had 14 for the Hawks.

Hockey
Attleboro, 1 vs. Shawsheen, 5 – Final

Canton, 1 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 1 – Final

Foxboro, 2 @ Saint John Paul II, 5 – Final

Franklin, 1 @ Malden Catholic, 4 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap from this game.

Mansfield, 5 @ Plymouth South, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Matt Farragher scored his first of three goals in the first period, which turned out to be the game-winner. The Hornets added three goals in the second period, including one on the power play and one shorthanded. Mansfield added an empty netter in the third period. Mansfield senior Tony Rullo had the shutout in net.

Oliver Ames, 4 vs. St. Peter Marian, 0 – Final – After a scoreless first period, OA seniors Jared Costello and Evan DiMartinis each scored a goal in the second to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Brett Williams netted a pair of goals in the third period to ice the game for OA. Sophomore Max Ward recorded two assists in the game and freshman Owen Connor made nine saves in net to record his first career shutout.

Wrestling
King Philip @ Mansfield, 7:00

Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Medway/Ashland, 0 – Final
Franklin, 1 @ Ursuline, 7 – Final
King Philip, 2 vs. Cohasset/Hanover, 2 – Final

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/03/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ King Philip, 58 – Final – Attleboro sophomore completed a traditional three point play with 14 seconds left in the game to give the Bombardiers a 59-58 lead and Jake Dunkley and Andrew Milliken each hit a free throw in the waning moments to earn the win. The Bombardiers rallied from a 20-point deficit in the first half to get the win. Dunkley finished with 14 points, Milliken had 10 and Victor chipped in with 10 points.

Canton, 34 @ North Attleboro, 59 – Final – North Attleboro scored 17 points in the first quarter while holding the Bulldogs to just six and never looked back, snapping a three-game losing streak. “I’m proud of how are kids played tonight,” relayed North coach Sean Mulkerrins. “We weren’t happy with how we played Wednesday so this was important. We challenged our kids to play with more passion tonight. If we continue to play hard on defense and smart on offense we know the results will take care of themselves.” Senior Brent Doherty scored a game-high 17 points while hauling in seven rebounds and classmate Jonny Friberg dropped 16 points and had 14 rebounds. Thomas Reynolds chipped in with 11 points for Big Red. Canton’s Tony Harris and Paul Corcoran each scored seven points.

Foxboro, 67 @ Sharon, 54 – Final – Foxboro erased a first quarter double digit deficit to get within a point at halftime (33-32) and then used a 10-0 to begin the second half. The Warriors went on to win the second half 35-21. Sharon built a 19-5 lead in the first quarter, taking a 21-11 lead after eight minutes. But Foxboro clawed back to get within one by halftime. Junior Joe Morrison and senior Andrew Block each scored 14 points for the Warriors while Mark Clagg added 12 points, Jamaine Few had 11 points and freshman Brandon Borde chipped in with nine points. Sharon junior Malik Lorquet had a game-high 16 points while senior Ricardo Ripley finished with 14 points.

Franklin, 64 @ Oliver Ames, 52 – Final – Click here for a recap from this game.

Mansfield, 80 @ Taunton, 72 – Final – Mansfield senior Sam Goldberg scored 18 of his career-high 30 points in the first half and the Hornets held off a late surge from the Tigers to get the win. The Hornets built an early 15 point lead by Taunton battled to get within four (42-38) at halftime. The Tigers used a 6-0 run to start the second half to take the lead but Mansfield took a 59-58 lead into the fourth quarter. Taunton’s Tommy MacLean (14 points) drained a three with just over four minutes to go to bring Taunton with three at 68-65, but Mansfield responded with seven points to extend the lead to 10 with just over two minutes to play. Christian Weber also scored a career-high for the Hornets, netting 23 points including 10 in the final quarter. Taunton freshman Dante Law and sophomore Lou Vendrell each had 15 points for the Tigers while junior Malik Charles had 12 points.

Stoughton, 47 @ Milford, 67 – Final – Milford got off to a strong start and never looked back. Senior Zack Tamagni netted a career-high, dropping 26 points in the win, Shane Cosquete added 11 points and Kayden Kelley notched another double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Stoughton senior Matt Valle scored a career-high 17 points for the Black Knights.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 57 @ King Philip, 41 – Final

Canton, 37 @ North Attleboro, 56 – Final – Caroline Collard scored a team-high 11 points for North, while Julia Feid chipped in with 10. Hannah Jerrier was the top scorer for the Bulldogs with a game-high 19.

Foxboro, 65 @ Sharon, 28 – Final _ Ashley Sampson continued her strong week for the Warriors with a game-high 20 points.

Franklin, 59 @ Oliver Ames, 48 – Final – Click here for a recap from this game.

Mansfield, 62 @ Taunton, 32 – Final – Jen Peel was the top scorer for the Hornets with 16 points and also dished out seven assists. Meg Hill also had a strong game for Mansfield with 12 points and nine rebounds. Alexa White led the Tigers with eight points and eighth grader Sonya Fernandez added seven.

Stoughton, 24 @ Milford, 55 – Final – Kate Irwin paced the Hawks to a big division win with 23 points. Senior Nicole Dahlgren added 16 for Milford, which moves back to .500 in the league and within one win of tournament qualification.

Hockey
Taunton, 1 @ Dartmouth, 6 – Final

Boys Swimming
Hockomock League Championships (@ Milford) – Click here for full results and photos.

Gymnastics
Attleboro, 137.2 @ Mansfield, 144.0 – Final
Mansfield, 144.0 vs. Medway/Ashland/D-S, 143.6 – Final
Canton, 117.85 @ King Philip, 135.4 – Final

Rocketeers Rally In Second Half to Get Past Milford

North Attleboro girls basketball
North Attleboro senior Caroline Collard (25) scored 16 points, 10 in the third quarter, to help the Rocketeers rally past Milford on Tuesday. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro was trailing by a point as the clock wound down under 90 seconds remaining in Tuesday’s game at the Kenneth Pickering Gym. The Rocketeers needed someone to make a play to avoid the upset against an upstart Milford team that was trying to tie North for the Davenport division lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Senior Ashley Ahern picked the pocket of Jill Burley, her fifth steal of the game, and raced the length of the court for a layup to give North a 46-45 lead. It turned out to be the game-winning basket, as the Rocketeers locked down on defense and Ahern sealed the 51-45 victory by knocking down 5-of-6 free throws.

It was an impressive come from behind win for the hosts, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, but also an indication of how far Milford has come in head coach T.J. Dolliver’s second season that the Hawks had the division leaders on the ropes.

“They did,” replied North coach Derek Herber about Milford having the Rocketeers on the edge. “We’ve seen enough of them…I told my girls that they’re scrappy like us and they can shoot a little bit, so we’ve got to be ready to play. They came out right away and did exactly that.

“They’ve come a long way and credit to T.J., he’s put a team together over there and they’re going to be a problem throughout the season.”

The opening quarter was an indication of the confidence that the Hawks are playing with this season. In an end-to-end period that resembled a track meet as much as a basketball game, the Hawks got points from six different players and scored 19 points.

Christine Pye (eight points) knocked down a pair of long jumpers and Burley scored four of her eight points on a pair of runners in the lane. Nicole Dahlgren (12 points, eight rebounds, five assists) scored on an offensive rebound plus the foul then assisted on a three-pointer by Juliana Tracy.

North kept it close in the opening quarter with a strong offensive attack of its own. Ahern scored four of her game-high 16 points and sophomore Julia Feid added six of her seven points in the first.

The pace continued in the second quarter, but the scoring slowed down. The teams scored six points apiece and headed into halftime with the Hawks ahead 25-21.

In the third quarter, Milford came out strong and took a double digit lead. Kate Irwin flipped a pass over the defense to Dahlgren for a layup then Gillian Valanzola used a pump fake to get past Caroline Collard in the post for a basket. After Dahlgren scored on one of Burley’s six assists, she then managed to keep a play alive while falling to set up Irwin (six points) for a three.

North trailed 36-26 and Herber called timeout.

“We’ve got to execute better on offense,” Herber told his team. “We have a height advantage, so lets try to get the ball to Collard and if we get the shots off that look that’s what we need to do. We were able to put some pressure on their guards and get in their face a little bit.”

Feid snagged a rebound of a missed free throw and fed it to Collard for a layup to get North started. Collard then scored a layup in transition off an Ahern assist and another off of a Feid inbound pass to get the Rocketeers back within three. Collard scored 10 of her game-high 16 in the quarter.

North regained the lead before the end of the third on back-to-back steals and transition baskets by Ahern. Dolliver was left rueing the missed opportunity to put North away.

“We just turned the ball over too much and it was just…careless,” he said. “They played good defense on it, but they were passes that we could avoid. We definitely have to take care of the ball a little more and that was the difference.”

North extended the run to 13 straight points with a pair of free throws and then Samantha Taggart answered a Dahlgren jumper with a three-pointer that made it 42-38. Pye scored on a layup to cut the lead in half, but Liz Morehouse scored her only points of the night to push the lead back to four.

Pye was left open on an inbounds play for a layup and then Dahlgren buried a straightaway three-pointer that put Milford back in front by a point with time running out for North.

“I was happy to see that they bounced back,” said Dolliver of his team’s response to the North run. “I really love this group. That’s the No. 1 seed [in the division] and you had them, so it’s a good sign in that aspect but I hold them to higher standards now. They know how to take care of end-of-game situations.”

The North defense was aggressive throughout the second half with Ahern causing problems for Burley and Emily Schromm holding Irwin, who currently leads the Hockomock in scoring, to just six points. It was Ahern who made the biggest play, turning the game around for North when it needed a stop and scoring the final seven points of the game.

“They all know it too, she’s the heart of the team,” said Herber of Ahern. “They take their cue from her. If she’s up on her person and in their face then everyone else has to have the same mentality. She’s still a little banged up and she fought through it today.”

North Attleboro (9-2, 6-0) will continue a tough stretch when it hosts Foxboro on Friday in another game against a team that is one game back in the division. Milford (6-2, 4-2) will have no time to dwell on the loss, as the Hawks host Hopedale on Wednesday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Strong Start Helps Irwin, Milford Run Past Stoughton

Milford girls basketball
Milford’s Kate Irwin drives to the basket in the second half against Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
STOUGHTON, Mass. – There are a lot of things that TJ Dolliver wants his Scarlet Hawks to accomplish over the course of a game. Getting off to a strong start is near the top of that list.

Milford did just that, limiting Stoughton to just four points in the opening quarter and built on that advantage over the next three quarters for a 51-37 win on the road.

“We definitely started out strong…on the road, that’s the best you can ask for,” Dolliver said. “Honestly, in any game, if you have a great start that’s what you want. There’s been times when we haven’t started strong and the confidence level goes down. The girls can lose sight that it’s a 32 minute game. It’s nice when you can start strong and get that early lead.”

Christine Pye got things going early for the Scarlet Hawks, netting six of her seven points in the opening quarter. Kate Irwin, who had a four point play in the first quarter, paced Milford with a career-high 27 points.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Scoring from Pye and Irwin paced Milford’s offense early on while its defense blanked Stoughton for over six minutes. The Black Knights were able to finally break through with a free throw from Val Whalen (11 points, 10 rebounds) but the Scarlet Hawks held a 12-4 lead after eight minutes.

Stoughton got within six points halfway through the second quarter after a pair of free throws from Jordan Motley (15 rebounds) but Milford came back with an answer. Over the next four minutes, the Scarlet Hawks hit a trio of trifectas – one each from Nicole Dahlgren (six points, seven rebounds), Irwin and Jess Tomaso – and scored 12 points total to take a 27-16 lead into halftime.

Milford kept its 10 point cushion throughout the third quarter, coming back with an answer anytime Stoughton scored. Stoughton freshman Aliyah Wright (12 points) drained a three late in the third to cut it to eight but Milford’s Emily Piergustavo converted an offensive rebound on the ensuing possession. Wright scored again to make it single digits but a traditional three point play from Irwin put the lead back to 11.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We seemed to have an answer each time,” Dolliver said. “Stoughton’s a very physical team, I really like that team a lot. They play so strong, they rebound very well and they’re hard to play against. Luckily our offense, when Stoughton went on a run here or there, we just found a way to get a bucket.”

Irwin scored nine of her 27 points in the third quarter and added five more in the final frame to help the Scarlet Hawks ice the game.

“She’s done a really good job of increasing her intensity,” Dolliver said of Irwin. “She’s evolved as a point guard over the last two years. One big focus point was getting her to take better shots. She’s taking less shots this year but averaging twice as many points this year.

“She’s making good decisions for us. If she has a good shot, we want her to take it but if it’s not a great shot, she moves the ball. She’s been very coachable about it and I love watching her play.”

Milford girls basketball (5-1 overall, 3-1 Hockomock) is back in action next week when it travels to Canton on Tuesday. Stoughton (1-5, 0-4) will be back in action on the same day with a trip to Foxboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Girls Basketball: 2016-17 Davenport Division Preview

2016-2017 Davenport Girls Basketball Preview
Shannon Smally (15) of Foxboro and Val Whalen (14) of Stoughton battle in the post in one of last season’s Davenport division meetings. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2016-2017 Davenport Girls Basketball Preview

CANTON

2015-16 Record: 6-14 (3-13)
2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs
Head Coach: Jim Choquette

The Bulldogs continue to add to the program both on the court and on the bench with former Canton and UMass Boston star Olivia Murphy joining the coaching staff this season to help out with the freshman team. It is a sign of the continued growth of the program under head coach Jim Choquette, who is hoping that the momentum built at the end of last season will carry over to this year.

Senior forward Emma Murphy returns after a league all-star season and will be joined on the front line by returning starters senior Casey Shea and juniorHannah Jerrier, who was an honorable mention for all-star last winter. Adding depth on the front line will be sophomore forwards Molly Ludwig and Erin Devine, who lacks inexperience but adds significant height.

Jess Powers is recovering from an injury suffered during lacrosse season and her return will add more scoring punch to a deep and quick backcourt group. Sophomore Julia Hamilton is back to run the point for the Bulldogs and will be joined by classmate Maggie Connolly, junior Lindsey Barrett, senior Taylor Carrington, and junior twins Lillian and Evelyn Carrington. This group will allow Canton to keep defensive pressure high all game long.

“Our strengths will be scrappy defense and rebounding on both ends,” said Choquette. “our goal is to improve each game and be playing our best headed into the last part of the season…the faster we find chemistry the faster we’ll find the win column.”

FOXBORO

2015-16 Record: 15-7 (11-5)
2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South quarterfinal
Head Coach: Lisa Downs

Despite a lot of youth in the lineup, Foxboro has been one of the top teams in the Davenport division for several seasons and this year should be no different, as the Warriors enter the winter with very high expectations and as one of the favorites for the league title.

A lot of the interest in the Warriors stems from the continued development of junior point guard Ashley Sampson, who has turned into one of the best all-around guards in the Hockomock and is the player that the Foxboro offense flows through. Sampson has plenty of help in the backcourt with classmate Lily Sykes, who offers scoring from the perimeter, and seniors Lauren Flahive, Riley Collins (back after an injury), and Hailey Maling, who are all strong on the ball defenders.

In the front court, Kristen Bortolotti is back after missing last year with an injury and will add speed and a strong mid-range game. Junior Grace Tamulionis is another matchup nightmare for the opposition with her size on the boards and on defense and her ability to step outside and shoot the three. Junior Shannon Smally continues to improve and gives the Warriors an inside presence, while newcomers Chelsea Gibbons and Abby Hassmancould make big contributions for the Warriors.

“The girls have been playing together throughout the summer and fall and this familiarity should work to our benefit this season,” said head coach Lisa Downs. “We will continue to focus on our running game and our defensive efforts and I am fortunate to have the players that not only buy into this system, but, also appreciate this pace.”

MILFORD

2015-16 Record: 9-11 (5-11)
2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs
Head Coach: T.J. Dolliver

After missing out on a playoff spot by one game a season ago under first-year head coach T.J. Dolliver, Milford enters this winter with high hopes of making the leap into the postseason with a deep and versatile roster that has gained a lot of experience together over the past few seasons.

The enthusiasm for the Hawks begins with dynamic junior point guard Kate Irwin, who has shown the ability to get to the basket at will, draw defenses to get open looks for her teammates and also be a pesky on the ball defender. With Irwin creating open shots, junior Emily Piergustavo’s return after missing last year with an injury will be a big boost on the perimeter along with senior guard Jill Burley.

Milford will also have plenty of players to contribute on the glass and in the paint. Senior Nicole Dahlgren, a two-year captain, is a strong rebounder but can also step out and hit threes as can junior Jess Tomaso. Five-foot-8 senior Christine Pye, 5-foot-11 junior Gillian Valanzola, 5-foot-8 senior Emma Liskov, and 5-foot-10 Juliana Tracy give Milford an imposing group of front line players.

“These girls have been playing together for a while and their team chemistry is amazing,” said Dolliver. “We are starting to learn the minor details of offense and defense in order to give our team a better chance of success.”

NORTH ATTLEBORO

2015-16 Record: 11-10 (9-7)
2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South tournament
Head Coach: Derek Herber

The Rocketeers head into their first season in the Davenport division with eight returning players from last year’s team that was two points away from a first round victory in the Div. 2 South tournament against Hock rival Oliver Ames.

Senior Ashley Ahern is a three-year starter at guard and was the team’s leading scorer last winter. Ahern will be the player that gets the offense going, but she will get plenty of help from her classmates, Emily Schromm and Samantha Taggart. Schromm was one of the top defenders in the league and can stretch a defense with her outside shooting and Taggart can play all three guard positions and led North in assists last year. In the paint, senior Caroline Collard is the team’s leading rebounder and showed a soft touch around the basket.

North can also look for improvements from sophomore Julia Feid, who got valuable minutes as a rookie last year, senior Liz Morehouse, who adds depth in the post, and juniors Julia Santos, who both brought athleticism off the bench at the wing positions. Sophomore forward Mackenzie Roberts is a newcomer who adds size and outside shooting and junior Emily Pastore can step in at all three guard positions.

The Rocketeers have plenty of experience on the roster and will be one of the favorites for the league title at the beginning of the season. While head coach Derek Herber can count on a number of returning players, he hopes to “mix in a few new faces into the lineup to help with depth.”

SHARON

2015-16 Record: 5-15 (3-13)
2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs
Head Coach: Cliff Tomassian

Sharon is another team that has been building with youth and has created a lot of depth on its roster and, despite losing three of its top four scorers from last winter, has garnered preseason hype as a potential sleeper to make a return to the postseason for the first time since the Eagles made a run to the Div. 2 South final in 2013.

The Eagles will be hoping for an improvement on the offensive side of the ball, which was a challenge at times last winter. Junior point guard Shira Stoller, a three-year starter, is continuing to improve at limiting turnovers and looking for her own shot as well as setting up teammates. One of the players that benefits from Stoller’s ability to get into the lane is sophomore Emma Eberhardt, who was third on the team in points as a rookie and continues to develop into a consistent wing scorer.

Sophomore Veronica Wallace has emerged as one of the top backcourt defenders during the preseason and is one of the fastest players on the Sharon roster. Senior Ana Crosby, who is also a standout on the soccer and lacrosse fields, is another player that is continuing to improve and will have an increased role this season. Freshman Kaitlyn Wallace is a newcomer to watch and could have a bigger role to play over the course of the year.

“Our defense is going to have to be our key in order to compete, and our girls know that,” said third-year coach Cliff Tomassian. “We get our best looks on offense off of great defensive stands. Our girls are going to have to be patient and vigilant on both ends and be ready to take chances.”

STOUGHTON

2015-16 Record: 7-11 (7-9)
2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs
Head Coach: Charmaine Steele Jordan

The Black Knights lost six seniors to graduation but this offers plenty of opportunities for a new crop of younger players to get playing time and learn the system of second-year head coach, and former Stoughton star, Charmaine Steele Jordan.

Two of the players that will be counted on most this season are junior forwards Val Whalen and Jordan Motley, who are two of the best rebounders in the league and can also get out on the break and score in transition. Their development in the half-court offense will be a key for Stoughton making a playoff push in the Davenport division this season. Senior Lili Njiem is another player that could make a big impact, as one of the team’s three captains.

The Black Knights will have as many senior as freshmen on this year’s roster (three) along with four sophomores and three juniors, so the foundation for the future is in place. Shyanne Trinh, Lexi Baptista, and Aliyah Wright are the three newcomers to the program who will be hoping to make an instant impact.

“So excited for the upcoming season,” said Steele Jordan. “We lost six seniors so there is lots of opportunity for our players to step up. Our returnees from last year will contribute for us despite being pretty young.”

Irwin Paces Milford to Opening Win Over Taconic

Milford Girls Basketball
Emily Piergustavo (22) and the Hawks opened the season with a non-league victory over Taconic. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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MILFORD, Mass. – For the first two or three minutes of the game, it was Milford that looked like the team that had driven more than two hours from Pittsfield for Saturday’s non-league matinee. The Hawks fell behind 6-0 and look a little out of sorts in the season opener.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Then senior guard Jill Burley buried a three to cut the Taconic lead in half and the hosts kicked into gear. Milford went on an 18-2 run in the opening quarter to take a lead that it would never relinquish.

Sparked by junior Kate Irwin’s 21-point, four-assist, five-rebound performance and double-digit rebounds from senior Christine Pye (10) and junior Jess Tomaso (14), Milford held off Taconic 52-45 in a game that the visitors managed to keep close right to the end.

“The reason for it was we’re putting them at the line too many times,” said second-year Milford coach T.J. Dolliver of the Hawks inability to put the game out of reach in the second half. Taconic went to the line 19 times in the second half (30 times in the game) and made 10.

Dolliver added, “We fouled way too often and they were fouls that could be avoided. I said at halftime that if we’re going to keep them in the game then it’s going to be at the line and we need to stop fouling.”

The fouls started in the first quarter with Milford putting Taconic in the bonus before the end of the opening eight minutes and both Burley and fellow captain Nicole Dahlgren (seven rebounds) were forced to the bench for a long stretch due to foul trouble.

Milford showed its depth by finding other players to step up. Emily Piergustavo, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, had one of her three first half steals to get Irwin a transition basket and then the combo repeated it to tie the game at 8-8. Piergustavo (six points) buried a three off an Irwin assist to give Milford its first lead and Irwin added another basket off an offensive rebound.

Pye scored off a rebound and Gillian Valanzola scored off an inbound pass by Emma Liskov to give Milford an 18-8 lead. Taconic turned momentum around and went on a 10-2 run that cut the lead back to just two points, but Irwin scored with a drive to the left and a Dahlgren offensive rebound and kick-out gave Tomaso (six points) an open look from three to extend the lead back to eight.

Milford went into the break ahead 30-19 and rebounding played a big role in the Hawks lead. Dolliver said, “The nice part about our team is that we rebound from top to bottom. Our bigs rebound the ball very well and our guards rebound the ball very well. They’re very fundamental in their box outs and that’s huge.”

The third quarter was a struggle for both teams. Irwin buried a three to give Milford its largest lead of the game at 14 points, but the Hawks only managed one more made field goal for the rest of the quarter when Tomaso followed her own shot twice before finishing.

Luckily for the Hawks, Taconic was also finding it tough to score. The Braves had only two made field goals and three free throws in the third and could only cut two points off the halftime lead, trailing 35-26 into the fourth.

Milford started the fourth like it wanted to finally put Taconic away. Irwin hit a runner and then Dahlgren buried a long jumper. After being forced to the bench because of foul trouble, Burley finally got her chance and buried a pair of three-pointers that put the Hawks up 45-31.

“I was happy to see her hit those,” said Dolliver of Burley, “because I know she was frustrated because she got into early foul trouble and honestly didn’t play a lot until the end and then knocks down a couple shots and in her mind it’s forgotten.”

If Milford thought the game was done, Taconic had other ideas. After a two-hour drive, the Braves were going to keep it interesting for the full 32 minutes of game time. Taconic was 7-14 from the line and closed the gap to as little as six points with a few minutes remaining, but Dolliver called timeout to settle his team down.

When asked if in those pressure moments it helps having Irwin to give the ball to, Dolliver replied, “Of course…and now that we get Emily back as well it’s another ball-handler, which is huge when we’re getting pressured.”

Milford (1-0) will try to keep the momentum going at the start of the season in its league opener on Tuesday against King Philip.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.