2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Taunton is coming off a state championship and a perfect season, but there will be plenty of competition for the league crown this season. Read team-by-team previews below. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 9-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Mark Homer
Last spring, Attleboro was an inning away from upsetting crosstown rival Bishop Feehan and reaching the Div. 1 South quarterfinal. The Bombardiers were also the only team to score on state champ Taunton. That is a good foundation to build on coming into a new season, as Attleboro brings back a strong core of players looking to challenge the top two in the Kelley-Rex and make another state tournament push.

Senior Lindsey Perry, who can also play second base, will be in the circle for the Bombardiers to start the season and will be throwing to sophomore Rylie Camacho, who had an impressive debut campaign at the plate and in the field. Senior Hailey Perry is coming back from a knee injury but should be at shortstop early in the season. Attleboro added pitching depth this season with junior Lily Routhier transferring in from Wheelock School (R.I.). Routhier will also play center field when she’s not pitching.

Sophomore Kayla Goldrick is another player coming off a standout rookie season and she will be at third and in the middle of the order. Junior Lauren Eby will return at the other corner and junior Sarah Maher gives Attleboro versatility by being able to play multiple positions. The Bombardiers have a balanced lineup and will be able to incorporate new faces to the program and players pulled up from JV to find the right combinations.

“The team’s goal is to stay competitive for every practice and game, and qualify for states,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “We must be consistent in every aspect of the game. It’s always a tall order, but this team has the potential and determination to make it happen. We’re gonna have fun doing it.”

Canton

2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Sandy Lombardi
Canton returns seven players from last year’s team, which went on the road to beat Cardinal Spellman in the first round of the state tournament. After Dave Bohane stepped down, Sharon girls basketball coach and former Duxbury softball coach Sandy Lombardi has taken over the Bulldogs hoping to take the mix of experience and new talent on another trip to the postseason.

The Bulldogs will have depth in the circle this season with seniors Gillian Gordon and Sophia Santos bringing experience to the position and sophomore Jess Wright adding another option. Senior Taylor Reynolds brings a strong bat to the top of the order and will play in left field. Senior Emily Ciampa will return at second base, with Wright playing mostly at first, and junior Olivia Mackwell behind the plate. Sophomore Laura Valkanas will be at shortstop.

Freshman Chloe Guerschuny is a new face at third base and classmate Klara Redquest will take over from Liz Bickett in center. Senior Jessica Vo, junior Sam Vrabel, and sophomore Anna Lehan are all newcomers on varsity who will give Canton additional options in the outfield and in the lineup.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Lombardi said, “We have a good mix of upper and underclassmen. The girls are working hard and we are looking forward to competing in a tough Hockomock League.”







Foxboro

2021 Record: 11-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Mark Maguire
With two eighth graders in the starting lineup, including one in the circle, no one was quite sure how good Foxboro could be last spring. As it turned out, the Warriors were good enough to make a run all the way to the Div. 2 South quarterfinal. With additional pitching depth and critical varsity experience, Foxboro will try to build on that momentum and make another deep tournament run.

Senior Peyton Feldman was one of the top hitters in the league last season and she will be moving to shortstop while continuing to lead off. Senior Allie Willis will add leadership from the catcher position, as she is in her third year behind the plate. Her experience is critical when working with Foxboro’s young pitching staff. Freshman Emma Callahan had a breakout season as the starter last year and she will get the chance to play some second and third base as well to make sure her bat stays in the lineup. Freshman Vittoria Cuscia and sophomore lefty Angelina Rifai will give Foxboro more options in the circle.

Foxboro will have plenty of speed in the lineup this season. Freshman Jillian Slattery and Natalia Leach are athletic outfielders and will add production from the bottom half of the order. Freshman Ava Hill is back to start at first base after a solid eighth grade season and Fiona Dunn will get the start in right field.

“We are a young team that is looking to compete for the Davenport division,” said Foxboro coach Mark Maguire. “We have some very good athletes that look to take their softball skills to the next level. They are a group of kids who are a pleasure to coach.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 6-9
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Katie Holbrook
Last season, Franklin showed that it could score runs in bunches, hitting double digits in five of its 15 games, but the Panthers could also allow runs in bunches with teams reaching double digits six times. With seven returning players, second-year coach Katie Holbrook is hoping that experience and depth will carry the Panthers back up the standings and into the postseason.

Franklin will have depth in the circle this season with senior Aislinn Lavery taking the bulk of the innings and junior Kiera Kotwicki able to step in when needed. Both will mix pitches and keep teams off-balance. Junior Hailey Fales will be back behind the plate, adding another layer of experience to the pitching staff. Senior Julia White battled an injury all spring in 2021 but she is back healthy and back in the middle of the infield and the order. Junior Georgia Harvey is a versatile player who can fill in at multiple positions and batted 0.426 as a sophomore.

Sophomore Carly Johnson-Pellegri had an impressive rookie season and will be moving from second to short and senior Hannah Cacciapaglia is back at first, and in the middle of the order, after recovering from an injury that kept her out all of last spring. The outfield looks strong for the Panthers this season. Senior Kelly Moussa has a strong arm in right and juniors Reece Allen and Dana Stott are two newcomers that could play big roles for the team this season.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

“We have a lot of different players who can jump in and be the spark at any given moment,” Holbrook said. “There are a lot of new players in the mix, but they are already showing signs of coming together as a team and leadership is not lacking in this group. If they can remain poised and confident and play their game, we should do well this season.”




King Philip

2021 Record: 14-3
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Kate Fallon-Comeau
King Philip lost only three games last season and all of those were to league and state champion Taunton. The Warriors bring back a lot of players from last season and that has put high expectations on one of the state’s perennial powers to get back on top not only in the Kelley-Rex division but also once the tournament kicks off.

A year of varsity experience might be most beneficial in the circle where senior Emma Sheehan and sophomore Jordan Bennett give the Warriors a lot of depth for a long season. Both saw plenty of action last year, including in the playoffs and they should be ready for the challenge of the new season. Junior Sarah Cullen will also be back behind the plate for the Warriors after an impressive debut season in which she batted nearly .500.

Infield defense was a strength for the Warriors, even after an injury to junior shortstop Libby Walsh. Senior Mia Bennett returns at second base and sophomore Maddie Paschke will be back at third base, after an impressive playoff run at the hot corner. Senior Meg Sherwood will add leadership in the outfield, while juniors Charlotte Raymond and Ava Lanza provide a spark in the lineup.

KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau said, “We’re hoping to have a solid season, make the tournament, and see where it goes from there!”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 9-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Lori Letendre
Mansfield made a surprising run to the quarterfinal of the South sectional last spring, winning at Needham and at No. 2 seed Natick before falling to perennial power Silver Lake. With seven starters returning, the Hornets will be aiming at another tournament run this year and building the confidence that they can challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex.

Pitching will be a question mark for Mansfield this year after graduating last year’s starter Ashlyn Conley. Senior Julia Kelly, better known for her exploits on the volleyball court, will join the team for the first time in her career and will get the chance in the circle. Junior Amanda Schwarz will also be given time in the circle, as she makes the jump up from JV.

The lineup was young and inexperienced last season, but still proved to be dynamic and most of the players who came through with big at-bats have returned. Seniors Alanna Conley, Olivia DeTrolio, and Casey Moussette are all back along with sophomores Molly Kucharski, Callie Lake, Jill Koppy, and Liv Madeira, who all had impressive rookie seasons.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

“It’s been fun to get back on the field and start working with a great group of girls and we are looking forward to the season!” said Mansfield coach Lori Letendre.

Milford

2021 Record: 0-14
2021 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Steve DiVitto
The Kelley-Rex division is loaded every year and a young Milford roster is hungry to move past a couple of tough seasons to be more competitive in a difficult league schedule. While the Hawks went winless in 2021, they lost twice to Mansfield by a combined five runs and lost by only two runs to Franklin and Sharon, so the Hawks had opportunities to come out on top. Now, with a year that is closer to normal, Milford hopes to take the next step and turn those close defeats into victories.

While the roster is almost all underclassmen, Milford does return seven players from last year. Only two of the returners are upperclassmen, senior pitcher and outfielder Olivia Morelli and senior third baseman Gianna Cacciola. Both captains are entering their third seasons on varsity and going to be expected to provide leadership for the rest of the lineup, which is almost all freshmen and sophomores.

Also returning this year are sophomores Maddie Burns (catcher and first base), Camille Bonina (first base and outfield), Grace Bonina (middle infield), Maeve Driscoll (pitcher, shortstop, and outfield), and Sarah Wengel (outfield and first base). Each player gained valuable experience as freshmen and provide a lot of versatility in how the team will line up. The Hawks will also look to a trio of freshmen for instant impact as starters or off the bench, including pitcher Cae Pellegrini, outfielder Jianna Fernandes, and shortstop Olivia Baglione.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

“With such a young crew, we will rely on our two seniors, our captains, who have four years of experience to help lead the way,” said Milford coach Steve DiVitto. “We pride ourselves on keeping strong team chemistry; something that will be an important part of this season. We’re hungry to get back on the field!”




North Attleboro

2021 Record: 12-4
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Bill Wallace
North Attleboro has won back-to-back league titles for the first time in program history and would love to make it a three-peat before moving to the Kelley-Rex division next season. The Rocketeers graduated four starters, so there will be opportunities for underclassmen to step in and contribute right away, but North also has a strong core, particularly with two strong starting pitchers, to make a run in the Div. 2 tournament.

Juniors Zoey McDonough and Kelly Colleran are back and give North an impressive one-two punch in the circle. Both players were all-stars in their debut seasons, and both are Div. I college recruits. Since they’re also important to the lineup, McDonough will play first and Colleran will play short when they’re not pitching. Senior Mandi Hanewich is battling a hand injury at the start of the season, but the four-year varsity player will add leadership in center, while senior Ally Levine will be behind the plate working with North’s staff. Junior Grace Simmons is the fifth returning starter and the right fielder will also get the chance to produce at the plate as well.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Senior Shaelyn Burns will take over at third after being the DP for most of last season, while freshman Maryellen Charette gets the nod at short or at first, depending on who the starting pitcher will be. Junior Emma Hanwell and senior Grace Barry will both get chances in the outfield, while juniors Maddie Bailey and Julia Forman will play second and be the DP. Freshman Aryanna McDavitt provides much-needed versatility, as she can play anywhere in the infield and pitch when called on.

“Our goals don’t change – what does change is the approach to get there,” said North coach Bill Wallace. “We’re working at it, let’s see if we retain it. The girls are focused – they know what’s in front of them!”

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Lindsey Allison
Despite having no seniors on the roster this season, Oliver Ames has set a goal of getting back into the state tournament picture and moving up the standings in the Davenport division. The Tigers return five players from last year’s team but there is excitement about the underclassmen who will be stepping into the lineup this year and the energy that they’re bringing to the team.

Junior Maddie Homer is the team’s top returning hitter and was also an all-star at shortstop last spring. She will provide leadership in the infield. Junior Katie Melendy has a year of varsity experience in the circle and will look to build on her four wins as a sophomore. Lexi Galsband will be at first base and fellow junior Caitlin Miller returns in center, while sophomore Katherine Farley is stepping in behind the plate.

The underclassmen will give OA important versatility to find the right spots for everyone in the lineup. Sophomores Madison Monteiro, Paige Taylor, Sammy Johnson, and freshmen Emily Martin and Devon Morris will fill out the roster this season. Although young, there is a lot of club experience that they will add to the Tigers.

“Overall, I am impressed with the attitudes, hard work, and teamwork that I have seen so far this season and I am looking forward to watching them grow together as a team,” said OA coach Lindsey Allison. “We expect to be competitive in the Hockomock League and get back to the culture of making tournament an expectation.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 2-12
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Heather Poliferno
For Sharon to move up the Davenport division standings, the Eagles are going to need to produce more runs this season. Sharon was last in the league with 31 runs scored in 14 games last year, but there is optimism around the team this spring that the combination of returning players and talented new faces is making good contact, being aggressive on the base paths, and look ready to create more opportunities to manufacture runs.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Senior Trinity Payne will be a second-year captain for the Eagles, and she will need to produce in the circle (60 strikeouts last year) and at the plate (0.343 average in 2021). Senior catcher Ciara McAuliffe can hit for power and is an experienced battery mate for Payne, which will be a key to Sharon limiting the opposition’s base runners. Senior Savannah Gray is another power hitter in the middle of the Sharon order and a leader at first base.

Junior Ally Foulsham gives Sharon important versatility, being able to play solid defense at several positions and even jump in the circle to give Payne a breather. Foulsham, who will start at third base this spring, played third, short, and pitched last year and had a fielding percentage over 90 percent. Sophomore Maddie Hu will be the new shortstop this season and junior Natalie Kessler will start in the outfield but could see time at a few positions, including catcher.

“Our players have worked incredibly hard the last couple of weeks,” Sharon coach Heather Poliferno, “and we are all eager for them to get out on the field and show everyone what Sharon High softball is capable of.”

Stoughton

2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Deb Parker
After a year off, Stoughton got to experience the postseason in 2021, and a playoff win, and now the Black Knights will enter a normal spring with confidence that they can build on that foundation to make another run for a state tournament spot. With depth and talent throughout the lineup, Stoughton will be hoping to be back in the mix in the Davenport division standings as well.

Senior Sydney Menz will be the anchor for the team in center and as one of the top hitters in the middle of the order. She will be joined in the outfield by classmate Kate Bulger and freshman Angie Berry, who is going to get the chance to step right into the lineup this spring. Pitching is always critical and junior Kerry Driscoll will get the nod as the starter after getting a taste of facing varsity lineups last season.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

The infield will be led by senior shortstop Melody Casna. Surrounded by underclassmen, Casna will give a dash of experience and is a vocal leader. Sophomore Alyssa Edwards is back at the corners, primarily at third, after a freshman season that saw her lead the team with a 0.417 batting average.

“I have so much confidence in this team and I expect big things from them this year,” said Stoughton coach Deb Parker. “They have come together really quickly and have chemistry that I have not seen in a long time. I am excited to see what this team will accomplish together this season, they have talent, depth, and personality, and they are willing to work. They are really fun to coach!”

Taunton

2021 Record: Won Div. 1 State Title
Coach: Carrie Consalvi
Not every team rebuilds in the same way. After graduating five starters from last year’s state championship-winning team, including in the circle and the heart of the order, Taunton will have plenty of new faces stepping into big roles this spring, yet the expectations remain high for the Tigers to challenge for a third straight league title and make another tournament run.

Senior Kylie Thorpe will be the anchor in the middle of the infield and add strong leadership at the top of the order. Freshman Brooke Aldrich will take over for her sister Hanna at shortstop and has already shown off a strong arm and a strong bat. Junior Kaysie Demoura will give the Tigers vocal leadership from behind the plate and looks set for a breakout season at the plate, while senior Angie Lynch was one of the stars of Taunton’s playoff run as a leadoff hitter and center fielder.

Junior Ava Venturelli is back in the fold this spring and the University of Louisville-commit will bring her big bat to left field, having hit a pair of homers during the preseason jamboree at the PAL fields. It won’t be easy to fill the shoes of Kelsey White in the circle, but senior Olyvia Mendonca will get that assignment and has had a strong preseason.

“We have a great crew this year, very different team from last year,” said second-year coach Carrie Consalvi, noting her team will have plenty of personality and rely on key leaders this year.

2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview

Taunton Wins Rain-Delayed Final, Secures Sixth Title

Taunton softball
The Taunton softball team poses with the 2021 MIAA Division 1 State Championship trophy after beating Wachusett. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
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TAUNTON, Mass. – The players seemed unfazed by the lightning in the distance, but at the end of the fifth inning and the Div. 1 state championship game still scoreless, the athletic directors and MIAA officials gathered the umpires and coaches to deliver the news that the game would have to be halted.

Ominous clouds turned into a torrential downpour and the rain delay stretched into another day, then another, eventually forcing a five-day wait before the game could be resumed at Jack Tripp Field on Monday night. After a grueling tournament of games every other day (and a back-to-back) played in mostly sweltering heat, the teams suddenly had nothing to do but wait.

When the game restarted, Taunton (20-0) put together a two-out rally in the sixth and senior McKenzie McAloon delivered an RBI single that put the Tigers in front. Kelsey White shut the door in the seventh, striking out the final two batters (finishing with 13 in the game) to beat Wachusett 1-0 and deliver the second state title in three seasons and the sixth overall for the Tigers.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It’s the team who’s mentally stronger that’s going to pull this out at the end of the day and it ended up being us thank goodness,” said first-year Taunton coach Carrie Consalvi. “With our big three (seniors White, McAloon, and Hanna Aldrich), we talked about it, they’ve got the better of you the last couple go arounds, it can’t keep happening. We went back and we prepared. I said just mentally be tough and ready to go and it will happen.”

She continued, “They were overdo and I’m happy for them because I know they wanted it and they’ve worked at it and the last couple of games haven’t sat well with them. So, you know they’re going back and they’re working. You just need to get in the mindset that you’re ready to go and they did.”

Asked about how the five-day break impacted the team, White replied, “We obviously had an off day on Wednesday, so it gave us a chance to regroup and work on what we needed to, like laying off the rise ball and taking time to find our pitches and hunt down our pitches. Those five days really helped me relax and stay focused.”

In the sixth, Wachusett had pinch hitter Mia Cassella start things off and she bounced one to third. Tayah DaCosta bobbled it but then calmly collected herself and threw a strike to first for the out. After White struck out the next hitter, she went to 0-2 on Hannah White, but the next pitch hit the Mountaineers’ two-hole batter. White made sure there would be no more drama, as Ella Pender couldn’t catch up to the rise for the third out.

Taunton had the top of the order due up in the sixth. Riley Quirk, who struck out nine and allowed only three hits through the first five innings, quickly retired Angie Lynch on a pop up to the first baseman and Kaysie DeMoura on a strikeout.

The middle of the order had been struggling to make solid contact all game, but Aldrich battled to a full count before crushing a two-out double that one-hopped the fence in right center. McAloon wasted no time, going after the first pitch and knocking a grounder right back up the middle and into center to plate the game’s only run.

“She comes with a lot of first pitch strikes,” McAloon explained. “I like to go after that first pitch and I like to attack it because it’s usually the best pitch I’m going to get. So, as soon as I saw it come over the plate, I knew I was going to go for it.”

Aldrich added, “Going in I was more nervous than I thought I was going to be, but finally not swinging and missing felt great and then for Kenzie to send it all the way and to get home was awesome too.”

White drew a walk and DaCosta hit a deep fly ball to right, but it stayed in the yard and Quirk was out of the jam with the heart of the order due up in the seventh. Wachusett had one last chance to be the first team in 18 games to score a run against the Tigers.

Quirk, whose ringing double in the second was one of only two hits allowed by White, popped up to Lynch in right center for the first out. White did the rest herself, striking out the next two batters to seal the title.

“In her beast mode, take no prisoners tonight,” Consalvi said of White. “You could tell there was a little extra pop on that ball tonight. She was ready to go.”

Coming into the final, Taunton had been taking advantage of early runs to ease some of the pressure in games, but Quirk had the Tigers off-balance. She struck out the side in the first and allowed only two balls out of the infield through the first five innings.

She also gave the Mountaineers a big lift at the plate with a lead-off double in the second, but the courtesy runner was cut down at third on a nice play by Aldrich at short. White was then able to snare a comebacker and get the lead runner at second.

White got Taunton’s first hit with a line drive single in the bottom half of the inning but courtesy runner Katelyn Bizarro got not further than first. Lynch had a two-out infield single on a swinging bunt in the third, but Quirk struck out the side around that hit. White came right back by striking out the side in the Wachusett half of the fourth, but the middle of the Taunton lineup was again held quiet in the bottom half.

Wachusett got a leadoff single in the fifth, but White got a strikeout, a good play by McAloon on a bunt, and another strikeout to end the threat. Olyvia Mendonca had a one-out single in the fifth, moved to second on Hayley Krockta’s bunt, and then reached third on a wild pitch, but Quirk got her ninth strikeout of the game to end the inning.

Little did everyone know at the time that it would be five days later before the next pitches were thrown, and that they would be the last ones of the 2020-21 season.

Aldrich noted, “Every day we’d get ready thinking we had a game then get the text that it was postponed to the next day. We have our superstitions so we’d do the exact same things every day before our games, so actually being able to play today was a big reset and the joy and enthusiasm from everyone, they were just pumped for today.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It’s awesome,” said McAloon. “To come out here and just come out and win, this is what we wanted all season. We worked hard for this, every practice, every pitch, we all worked hard for this and it’s just a dream to finish on a state championship.”

White added, “Definitely leaving high school this was our one goal, just to win the state championship and leave high school with that title. We really wanted this. We’re so excited that it finally happened.

“It’s great that it’s our last season and we end on a great note with great memories as well as great people.”

Taunton Grinds Out Win, Returns to State Title Game

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Taunton players congratulate shortstop Hanna Aldrich (11) after her grab that ended the sixth inning in the 2-0 win over Billerica. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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TAUNTON, Mass. – After rolling through the South sectional, outscoring opponents 37-0 along the way, Taunton had yet to look anything but perfectly comfortable during its playoff run. That changed on Monday night in the Div. 1 state semifinal at Jack Tripp Field.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Tigers were pushed for seven innings by a scrappy Billerica team that was the No. 17-seed coming into the playoffs but knocked off a pair of unbeaten teams on it way to the North title. Taunton rode its pitching, defense, experience, and a big hit from the bottom of the order to pull out a 2-0 win and advance to the state title game.

When asked if this time of game might help the Tigers as they look ahead to a state championship game, first-year coach Carrie Consalvi said, “One hundred percent. Actually, as a coach, this is the most rewarding type of win because this is what you preach all year.

“It’s a star-studded team and it’s been driven by the big three (White, Aldrich, and McAloon) all year and your challenge as a coach is you have to keep preaching team, team, team and that’s exactly what came through tonight.”

She added, “Complete team effort. Our big three were a little bit quiet and the other ones responded and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Billerica came into the semifinal as a significant underdog, but that was nothing new for a team that finished the regular season at 8-7 and knocked off the top two seed in the North. The Indians put a pair of runners on in the second on walks, got a runner to third base in the third, and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh.

Despite all the pressure on her shoulders, the 90-degree weather, and without her team jumping out to the early lead that has become common over the past few games, Kelsey White continued to dominate. She finished with 15 strikeouts for the second game in a row, continued her shutout streak, and allowed only one hit, while also making a pair of put outs in the field.

It started in the first, as White struck out a pair and chased down a popped up bunt over her head by Samantha Gaona. In the bottom half of the inning, Angie Lynch continued her hot stretch at the plate with a leadoff single, took second on the throw back to the infield, and then stole third. Billerica lefty Analise Grady got pop ups from Hanna Aldrich and McKenzie McAloon to get out of the jam.

In the second, White walked a pair, but got a strikeout to end the threat. One inning later, with the game still scoreless, Zaria Jean-Pierre belted a one-out shot to right center. For a second it looked like it might leave the yard but it one-hopped the fence for a double. Jean-Pierre got to third base when a pitch bounced a couple feet away from McAloon, but White struck out the next two hitters to keep the game scoreless.

Taunton finally grabbed the lead in the bottom half of the third. A one-out single by Lynch, who has reached base eight times in her past three games, got the rally started and Kaysie Demoura reached on a throwing error, putting two runners in scoring position for the heart of the order. Grady induced an Aldrich swinging bunt back to the circle. Lynch waited until the throw went to first and then raced home, sliding in just ahead of the tag.

White inadvertently helped her own cause leading off the fourth when she took a pitch off the helmet. Katelyn Bizzaro came in as the courtesy runner and moved to second on a bunt by Tayah DaCosta and then stole third.

After Olyvia Mendonca was robbed on a great diving grab in shallow right by Emily West, Consalvi elected to let Hayley Krockta come up for her second at-bat rather than pinch hit with Kyleah Plumb. Krockta came through, knocking a single into left with the help of a well-timed bounce over the third baseman’s glove to bring in a key insurance run.

“I almost did,” Consalvi said about making the switch. “[Kyleah] had her helmet on and at the last second I said, not yet. Hayley comes in and gets that big hit. Perfect timing. We worked hard at practice, so I’m happy for her.”

Taunton now had a small cushion and White seemed to be getting stronger. She struck out a pair and grabbed a line drive in the fifth and struck out the first two in the sixth. Aldrich ended the inning by chasing down a sinking liner behind third.

Still leading just 2-0 in the seventh, White found another gear, striking out the first two batters before walking one to bring the tying run to the plate. She made sure there would be no unnecessary drama, recording her third strikeout of the inning and 15th of the game to seal the win and the second title game appearance of her career.

When asked about the stretch of games that her team has had to get to this point, including five games in the past eight days, Consalvi said, “Grueling, a lot of pressure, there’s a lot of expectations here to win and to produce and it’s been tough. It’s been hot, there’s been back-to-back games, it’s been what five games in seven or eight days or something like that? You try to do what you can and keep it light and just keep it rolling at this point.”

Taunton (19-0) will be back home again on Wednesday night, hosting Central champion Wachusett, the defending state champ, in a rematch of the 2018 final that the Tigers won.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Taunton Continues Shutout Streak to Win South Title

Taunton softball Hanna Aldrich
Taunton senior Hanna Aldrich runs home after hitting her team-record 15th home run of the season against B-R. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
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TAUNTON, Mass. – In the second game of the season against Attleboro, Taunton senior Kelsey White gave up two runs to visiting Attleboro. Sixteen games later, those remain the only runs allowed by the Tigers this season. Taunton is outscoring its opponents 200-2.

The shutout streak extended to 16 straight games on Saturday night, as Taunton blanked Bridgewater-Raynham 4-0 at Jack Tripp Field to continue its unbeaten season and win the Div. 1 South title for the second time in three seasons. White was dominant in the circle yet again, striking out 15 batters, allowing only three hits, and not allowing a single ball to leave the infield.

First-year Taunton coach Carrie Consalvi said of White, “For me this is kind of tough to have your first playing season like this because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime player. We are literally spoiled by her dominance and perseverance and no emotion, it’s like a machine out there. She actually leaves me speechless. She’s just brilliant to watch.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

White struck out at least two batters in every inning. She also had three assists, showing her ability to field her position. Over the first four innings, she personally accounted for 11 of the 12 outs. The two-time league MVP and Villanova-commit deflected praise onto catcher McKenzie McAloon and the way she called the game against the Trojans.

“She plays with my travel team too so she knows me, how I pitch, my pitches that work well, and when to throw them,” White said. “We have a great relationship and coach actually let McKenzie call the whole season and it’s just been working really well. I give her a lot of kudos for my success.”

B-R came in with the game plan of attacking White and the Taunton defense with small ball. Riain Keefe started the game with a bunt down the third base line and reached on a throwing error. White struck out the next batter and then was able to back pedal and field Taylor Feist’s bunt to get the force at second. A perfect changeup got the second strikeout to end the first.

Consalvi said, “All we did is work bunt and slap defense, over and over and over, so we were prepared for the little game and I think that showed. The mindset was try to take that away from them and just have the defense be there with the gloves and come up with some timely hits.”

Taunton has flipped the pressure on its opponents by getting early runs throughout this playoff run. The Tigers did it again on Saturday.

Angie Lynch has been the spark plug for the offense, leading off the final with a single to right. She moved to second on a sac bunt by Kaysie Demoura and then stole third. Lynch got an easy trip to the plate because Hanna Aldrich, who set a program record for homers in a season, blasted a shot halfway up the trees beyond the left field fence for a 2-0 lead.

“It definitely take a little pressure off of me because I get a little nervous in the beginning when it’s a tie game,” White admitted. “When we get those runs, it takes a little pressure off my shoulders.”

The score stayed the same into the bottom of the third. Lynch, who reached base three times for the second straight game, started the inning by taking a pitch off of her arm. Demoura had another perfect sac bunt, and Lynch took advantage to go first to third. Aldrich was hit by a pitch and then McAloon drove fly ball to center to get the run home.

“Angie Lynch is that key, when she does that, we just roll right off that,” said Consalvi. “Angie sets us up and then you’ve got one of those big bats and one of them is going to come through. Hannah, Kelsey, McKenzie, they’re just going to be irreplaceable.”

In the fifth inning, the Tigers missed a chance to break the game wide open. Olyvia Mendonca battled to draw a one-out walk, pinch hitter Kyleah Plumb beat out a bunt single, and, after a strikeout, Lynch hit a grounder into the hole between short and third. Mendonca beat the throw to third, loading the bases. B-R pitcher Lily Welch was able to get her third strikeout of the inning to escape the jam.

White has not only been outstanding in the circle this season, but also at the plate. With two outs in the sixth, she belted a solo shot to left, helping her own cause and giving Taunton an extra insurance run.

Meanwhile, White was also dealing against a B-R lineup focused on bunting and trying to put the ball in play. She struck out the side in the second, freezing the third batter with a pitch on the corner, added two more in both the third and fourth and added a comebacker to close out the frame.

In the fifth, Riley Sroczinski led off with a grounder to deep short. The infield single was the first hit allowed by White. After fielding a sac bunt, White then struck out the final two batters to end B-R’s best threat to that point. After a one-out infield hit in the sixth, White struck out the next batter and got a pop up to Aldrich at short to end the inning.

B-R tried to rally in the seventh, taking advantage of a second Taunton error and another infield hit to put two runners on with two outs, but White seemed unfazed by the noisy visiting dugout, striking out the final batter to secure another title.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

It has been four years since White pitched Taunton to a state title as a freshman. Despite all that has gone on since then, including a season lost to Covid (and a knee injury), she explained, “It doesn’t feel any different, but it’s a new team, a new philosophy, so it feels really good.”

Consalvi said, “[Kelsey] did a great job tonight, like she has all season. You have to remember this is her fourth game this week. After coming off a Covid year and an injury, she’s still a machine, so it’s really a true testament to her strength.”

Taunton (18-0) will host North champion Billerica (the No. 17 seed) in the state semifinal on Monday night at 7:00.

Taunton Beats KP For Third Time, Returns to South Final

Taunton softball
Taunton junior Angie Lynch comes home with the first run in the D1 South semifinal against King Philip. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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TAUNTON, Mass. – It is never easy to face a team three times in a season, especially a talented rival that would love nothing more than to get revenge for losing the league title and put an end to an unbeaten season. Add in the second tough game in 24 hours and it was a recipe for an upset in Thursday night’s Div. 1 South semifinal at Jack Tripp Field.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Nights like this is where experience, especially championship experience, pays off. Taunton used it tournament nous, a quick start, and another solid pitching performance to beat King Philip 7-0 and advance to the South final for the second time in three seasons.

“Two really good back-to-back games,” Taunton coach Carrie Consalvi said of playing Walpole and then KP. “Honestly, the score doesn’t reflect our feeling these last two games. I felt like that was a much closer game.

“KP is such a good team, I did not want to see them a third time. They’re good, they’re young, and they’re seeing Kelsey a third time, they’re going to make adjustments and they did.”

While KP (14-3) came up short of reaching the final, there was plenty of optimism coming from the Warriors bench. Only two of the 10 Warriors who started Thursday’s game have graduated, two were juniors, and the rest were freshmen or sophomores getting their first taste of varsity action. Consalvi mentioned that KP will be a problem for the rest of the South next year.

“I’m excited because I have, as I call them, my seven fresh-mores,” said KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau. “Seven in my starting lineup. I’m ecstatic and just the experience they got today from playing this caliber of team just sets us up for the future. The future is bright.”

The Warriors put the bat on the ball against Taunton starter Kelsey White as any team has this year. KP had a pair of two-out infield singles from Charlotte Raymond and Sarah Cullen in the first inning, but White ended up striking out the side to get out of the jam.

White, who has allowed only two runs all season (both in the second game of the season against Attleboro), struck out eight and only gave up four hits, and only one of those got to the outfield grass, but also only had two clean innings. She struck out five of the first seven hitters she faced but had only three more in the final 5-1/3 innings.

Fallon-Comeau joked, “Each time I played them I said no more than eight [strikeouts]. It’s an attainable goal and, you know what, third time’s the charm.

She added, “We finished our game last night and it was late and I huddled with the kids and said, hey, we’ve got to go to Taunton tomorrow. ‘Okay, coach can we hit tomorrow morning?’ We hit for an hour and a half. They put that pitching machine at the front of the circle, and they had that thing jacked up as fast as it would go. I can’t ask for anything more from them.”

Of course, it makes things easier to be pitching with a lead and Taunton made sure to get out in front early. Angie Lynch (3-for-4) led off the first with a single to center and moved to second on a bunt by Kaysie Demoura. Hanna Aldrich lined a pitch from KP starter Emma Sheehan to right for an RBI single.

McKenzie McAloon followed with a double just over the head of left fielder Ava Kelley. Aldrich had to hold up and make sure it dropped so she stopped at third. White was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tayah DaCosta had a swinging bunt up the first base line and Sheehan’s attempt to get the runner at home was late. Olyvia Mendonca followed with a sac fly to center to score McAloon for a 3-0 lead.

After White made quick work of the top of the second, Taunton tacked on two more runs. Lynch again was the spark with a one-out single, moving to second on a throwing error. Demoura singled as well to put runners at the corners for Aldrich. KP brought in Jordan Bennett to face one of the league’s top hitters and Aldrich lined another single to right center, scoring both runners.

Bennett would settle into her relief outing, throwing 5-2/3 innings (after throwing seven the night before) and allowing only two more runs. One of those runs came in the third, when DaCosta (1-for-3, two RBI) belted a leadoff homer into the trees in left center. Mia Bennett would have three assists in the inning, retiring each of the next three batters on nice plays at short, including a rangy play up the middle on a bloop from Kylie Thorpe.

The Taunton defense hasn’t been tested often this season, thanks largely to the dominance of White (and freshman Sam Lincoln) in the circle, but the Tigers were forced to make plays on Thursday and came through it cleanly. A nice running grab by right fielder Skylar Rheaume on a drive by Taylor Reagan in the seventh was the pick of the bunch.

Consalvi explained, “This game, the Walpole game, and we had a couple of good scrimmages…it finally gave a chance for our defense to get some work in. Tonight you saw it come through with the composure. Get runners at first and second, second and third, and they’re okay, keeping it together, and ready to go.”

Taunton’s offense came close to extending the lead in the fourth and fifth innings, as first Aldrich and then White both sent Kelley back to the fence in left. DaCosta was also robbed of a hit when Jordan Bennett nonchalantly snared a hard-hit line drive back up the middle.

KP’s best chance at getting on the board came in the sixth, but with two runners in scoring position Kelley smacked a line drive right to Aldrich at short. The Tigers tacked on one more in the bottom half of the inning. Mendonca led off with a single, Kyleah Plumb bunted her way on, and Lynch brought in the run with her third hit of the night.

“For a little while my big three kind of went quiet and everybody else just picked them up,” Consalvi said about the balance in her lineup. “When you’re squeezing out wins when the big three are quiet, that’s a good sign. Hopefully it’s coming together at the right time.”

Taunton (17-0) will try to continue its perfect season on Saturday night when it hosts No. 11 seed Bridgewater-Raynham, the defending South champion, at 7:00.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/09/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Taunton, 13 @ King Philip, 2 – Final (5 inn.)A day after a 1-0 win in 11 innings, Taunton’s offense exploded for 13 runs in a big win on the road over King Philip. Sophomore Braden Sullivan had three hits in the win while classmates Ryan MacDougall and Shawn Cali each had two to help the Tigers win. Ty Cali, Dawson Bryce, and Colby Decouta all had two hits as well. Senior Danny MacDougall tossed a five-inning complete game, allowing two earned runes on three hits and one walk, striking out six for the win.

Sharon, 6 @ North Attleboro, 11 – FinalNorth Attleboro set the tone early with a five-run second inning and went on to score in four other innings to knock off Sharon, clinching at least a share of the Davenport division title. Sophomore Aidan Conrad (four hits, three RBI) smashed a solo home run in the third but Sharon rallied to make it a two-run game at 6-4 through three innings. The Rocketeers used a double and a pair of singles in the fourth for a run and then tacked on three more runs on three walks and two hits in the sixth inning. North added one more run in the seventh, off a pair of walks and a pair of hits. Danny Curran struck out four in four innings of work for the win while both Joe Hartnett and Anthony Wescott pitched well in relief.

Softball
Taunton, 18 @ Milford, 0 – FinalTaunton belted out 21 hits on offense while Sam Lincoln and Olyvia Mendonca combined for a one-hit shutout in the Tigers’ big win. Senior Hanna Aldrich went 4-for-4 and hit her 12th home run of the season, finishing with two RBI and three runs, Lianna Oliveira added three hits and three RBI, and Tayah DaCosta and McKenzie McAloon each hit a home run in the win. Lincoln struck out eight in three scoreless innings while Mendonca had one hit allowed and one strikeout in two innings.










Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final

Canton, 7 @ Foxboro, 6 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

North Attleboro, 10 @ Sharon, 11 – FinalSharon came out with a one-goal win in a hard fought battle from both teams in the heat. Drew Litner notched six assists to go along with a pair of goals to set the Eagles up for the win. Brady Daylor netted a hat trick and had one assist, Ben Shocket (14-for-19 faceoffs) added a pair of goals and one assist, Dylan Cummings scored twice, and Ryan Zunenshine found the back of the net once. Adam Rabb played well in net with 16 saves.

Oliver Ames @ Stoughton, 3:45

Milford, 7 @ Bellingham, 6 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 23 @ Attleboro, 3 – FinalFranklin stayed undefeated on the season with a strong defensive effort, allowing just three goals agaisnt in a win on the road over Attleboro. Anna Grasso, Sydney Hawkins, Ali Socci and Emma Sousa all played well defensively in the Panthers’ win. Maura Cogavin netted a hat trick in the win, Kate O’Rourke and Katie Peterson each scored twice and had three assists, and Kaitlin Carney scored four times.

Foxboro, 16 @ Canton, 2 – FinalFoxboro’s Lilly Vey scored a team-high five goals, including the 100th of her career, to help the Warriors earn a big win on the road. Mya Waryas added four goals and an assist, Ella Waryas and Mary Collins each had a pair of goals and one helper, Dylan Rappoli and Paige Curran both recorded two assists and a goal, Kate Collins found the back of the net once, and Val Beigel had two assists in the win.

Sharon, 14 @ North Attleboro, 20 – FinalThe Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter but North Attleboro was able to hold them off and grab the win. Jenna Goldstein had a big game for Sharon, scoring seven goals and assisting on another, while also grabbing three draws. Cass Barbera and Molly McAlevey each scored twice with Barbera adding a pair of helpers. Athena Merck, Vivian Pedicone, and Katelyn Galeota each scored once and Tess Letendre made nine saves in the loss. Amelia Scappaticci had six draw controls and McAlevey had four for Sharon.

King Philip, 18 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalKing Philip picked up its sixth straight win, rolling to a big win on the road over Taunton. Julia Marsden led the charge offensively with five goals and one assist while Peyton Mellman, Haley Izydorczak (two assists), and Lily Brown (three assists) each scored a hat trick in the win. Margo Riley had a great game defensively for the Warriors.




Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – FinalBrady Jannell moved up to first singles and overcame a one-set deficit, rallying to win in a tiebreaker to help King Philip take a 5-0 win over visiting Taunton. Jannell dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but won the second set and prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-7. Jon Cohen (second singles), Jackson Hom (third singles), and the team of Adam Gousie and Noah Ihley (second doubles) all won by 6-0, 6-0 scores while the pairing of Connor Sachleben and Diego Nieto secured a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first doubles.

Sharon, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took a pair of wins from both singles and doubles to secure a 4-1 win over North Attleboro, clinching the Davenport division title outright. Freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles while junior Max Chen added a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles for the Eagles. Sophomore Rithvik Neti and freshman Matthew Lally grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 decision at first doubles and the team of junior Mitch Weiss and freshman Alex Budovalcev prevailed 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. North Attleboro senior Sam Gallagher was victorious with a 6-2, 6-2 result at second singles.

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

Milford, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Bellingham, 5:30

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/30/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Wrestling
King Philip, 30 @ Franklin, 45 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this meet. Despite having to forfeit three weight classes and starting the match down 12-0, Franklin rolled to a win that clinches the outright league dual meet title. It is the third Kelley-Rex title in the last four years for the Panthers. Drew DiFillipo started the comeback at 120 with a 10-2 win that cut the KP lead to 12-4. Devin Bramson got the hosts within two with a first round pin at 126 pounds and then a forfeit at 132 put the Panthers ahead 16-12. Jackson Kelley wasted little time putting the Warriors in front with a first round pin, but Alex Fracassa put Franklin ahead for good with a 10-2 win at 145. Following a KP forfeit at 152, Dom Sackley added six more points with a first round pin. At 170, Liam Cogavin jumped ahead 7-2 after two periods, but Cole Ricci battled back in the third with a takedown cutting the lead to three and then forcing Cogavin to hold on for the win and three points. Dylan Nawn put Franklin ahead 41-18 with a second round pin at 182, but Shawn Conniff answered back with a first round pin at 195. It was Conniff’s 130th career win and his 100th career pin. He is now two wins shy of the program record. Matt Walker closed out the meet with a 13-2 win at 220 before another forfeit at 285.

Swimming
Hockomock League Dive Championships, 4:00 (@ Massasoit)

Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Attleboro, 39 – FinalOliver Ames took first and second in three events and had six more first place finishes, including one relay, to earn a win over Attleboro. Junior Kyle Sarney clocked in at a league-best 9:44.64 to win the 2 Mile and sophomore Owen McMorrow (10:01.38) was second (third best in the Hock), senior Rory McLaughlin (4:40.07) and junior Nathan Reservitz (4:46.44) took first and second in the 1 Mile, and sophomore Ashton Hart (6.92) and junior Jaiden Daly (6.93) were the top two finishers in the 55M to lead OA. Hart also won the long jump (19-07.75), junior Ryan Petrillo was a double-winner, taking first in the high jump (5-10.00) and 55M hurdles (8.41), junior Jimmy Keane won the 1000M (2:49.88) and senior Ryan Hilliard crossed first in the 300M (37.87). Attleboro junior Nathan Seybert won the 600M (1:29.47) with classmate Joey Soucy taking second (1:32.81), and junior Ethan Crosby won the shot put (46-02.00).

Milford, 46 vs. Canton, 54 – FinalCanton swept both the 55M dash and the 300M race, taking first in three other events to earn a win over Milford. Jonathan Chery had another stellar showing, winning both the 55M (league-best 6.61) and the 300M (36.87). Junior Sainvil (6.76) and Cam Sanchez (6.87) took second and third, respectively in the 55M dash while Zachary Goldstein (37.12) and Andrew Butler (40.03) did the same in the 300M. Sophomore Kyle Downing won the 2 Mile (10:36.77), junior Deyontai Dennis took first in the high jump (5-10.00), and senior Nate Quan won the long jump (18-03.75). Milford senior Max Manor was a double winner, taking first in both the 1000M (2:52.70) and the 1 Mile (4:52.56).

Foxboro, 34 vs. North Attleboro, 65 – FinalThe Red Rocketeers registered sweeps in both the shot put and the high jump on their way to a win over Foxboro. Emmett Ruote took first in the shot put with a toss of 43-08.25 while Joseph Beckett (39-10.00) and Jack Perriello (37-03.50) were second and third, respectively. Nick Taylor (5-08.00) took first in the high jump with Colby Feid (5-06.00) and Isa Siddiq (5-02.00) following. Kyle Robinson was a double-winner for the Big Red, crossing first in each the 1 Mile (4:59.14) and the 2 Mile (10:40.98) while Jack MacLaughlin earned a first place finish at 1:32.66 in the 600M. Foxboro’s Adam Connolly won both the 55M (7.06) and 300M (37.71), Ryan Proulx crossed first in the 1000M (league-best 2:40.43), Ali Nasri won the 55M hurdles (8.52), and Tyler Hagan set a new PR in a win at the long jump (19-00.00).

Franklin, 63 vs. King Philip, 36 – FinalSenior Jacob Cummings and junior Shane Bissanti each took home a pair of individual wins and the Panthers won three more events, plus both relays, to earn a win over King Philip. Cummings won both the long jump (19-09.25) and the 300M (37.98) while Bissanti crossed first in the 55M hurdles (9.44) and won the high jump (5-04.00). Alec Hanley (1:27.53) and Camden Harrington (1:27.95) went 1-2 in the 600M while Griffin Sieczkiewicz (10:47.01) and Joseph Zercie (10:49.74) did the same in the 2 Mile race. KP’s Mike Griffin and Franklin’s Tyler Brogan put on another show in the 1 Mile Race with Griffin (4:18.22) edging out Brogan (school-record 4:18.95), with KP’s Michael Norberg (4:24.56) taking third, the three clocking in the best three times among Hock runners on the night.

Stoughton, 52 vs. Sharon, 48 – FinalStoughton won one of two relays and got key points from each the shot put, high jump, and long jump to edge out Sharon in a battle of unbeatens and win the Davenport division title. The Black Knights took first and second in both the high jump (Elisha Claude, 6-06.00 and Nathaniel Peters, 5-10.00) and the long jump (Claude, 21-06.25 and David Peters (21-02.25) while taking first and third in the shot put (Mark Edge, 46-11.25 and Jaden McCall, 39-07.00) to earn a close win. David Peters also won the 300M (36.40, PR) and the 55M hurdles (7.40, PR), Nathaniel Peters took first in the 600M (1:24.47), and Anthony Pizzano earned key points with a second place finish in the 55M hurdles (8.00). Sharon’s Patrick McManus won the 55M (6.70, PR), juniors Jordan Saks (2:48.33, PR) and Mark Starovoytov (2:48.79) took first and second in the 1000M, Starovoytov (4:58.73), Siddarth Reddy (5:00.98), and Bradley Weiss (5:02.67) swept the 1 Mile, and the Eagles swept the 2 Mile with Reddy (10:44.52) taking first, James Kong (10:59.69) crossing second, and Weiss (11:20.40) taking third.

Mansfield, 78 vs. Taunton, 22 – FinalThe Hornets took first in all but one event to cruise to a win over Taunton and the 2020 Kelley-Rex division championship. Senior Andrew Williams continued his dominance, taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.36), the high jump (6-00.00), and the long jump (20-06.75). Mansfield swept the long jump with Jake Wall (20-02.50) and Joe Cappelletti (19-04.75) rounding out the top three as well as the 55M hurdles as Dylan Buchanan (8.61) and Chris Verros (9.03, PR) took second and third. Wall took first in the 55M dash (6.91, PR), Jack Rivard won the 300M (36.89), Peter Oldow placed first in the 600M (1:29.12), Mike Mullahy clocked in at 2:43.66 to win the 1000M, sophomore Chris Leonard set a new PR at 4:55.79 to win the 1 Mile (by 0:00.01 over Taunton’s Nolan Tavares), and Nico Holmes won the shot put (41-06.00). Taunton junior Ty Cali ran a PR in the 2 Mile, taking first in 9:56.61.










Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 47 vs. Attleboro, 53 – FinalAttleboro swept the 55M hurdles and took first and second in both the 300M and 1 Mile races to earn its first win of the season. Junior Meghan Panzer set a new PR, clocking in at 9.68 to win the 55M hurdles with sophomore Angela Cooney (10.00, PR) and junior Eleanor Graber (11.18) taking second and third, respectively. Junior Diana Blouin clocked in at 5:43.55 to win the 1 Mile while classmate Kelly Neuendorf took second in 5:51.96. Junior Cassondra Stuger crossed first in the 300M (43.49) and senior Jessica Matheson took second, setting a new PR (47.30). Neuendorf also earned key points by winning the 2 Mile (12:11.48) while Stuger took second in the 55M dash (7.97). Oliver Ames’ Madison Perry won a pair of events, taking first in the 55M dash (7.76) and the long jump (14-11.00).

Milford, 68 vs. Canton, 30 – FinalThe Scarlet Hawks swept the 300M race and took first place in seven more races plus one relay to pick up a win over Canton. Sophomore Sarah Flanagan clocked in at 43.30 to take first place with classmate Maren Halpin (46.92) and senior Juliana France (48.09) crossing next. Flanagan also won the 55M dash (league-best 7.48), Sara Comisky won both the 1000M (3:34.36) and the 1 Mile (6:04.03), Kerry O’Connor placed first in both the long jump (16-02.25) and the 600M (1:40.58), Sarah Brogioli was a double-winner with first place finishes in each the 55M hurdles (9.27) and high jump (4-08.00), and freshman Sydney Kalil took first in the 2 Mile (13.29.57). Milford’s 4×400 relay team of O’Connor, Bella Gonzalez, Flanagan, and Halpin broke the school record by seven seconds, clocking in at 4:10.57. Canton’s Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (33-10.00) while the 4×200 team of Mia Walsh, Morgan Quinn, Leah Murphy, and Kiley Hanlon won in 1:57.59.

Foxboro, 25 vs. North Attleboro, 66 – Final By sweeping both the high jump and 55M hurdles, and taking first and second in each the shot put and long jump, North Attleboro earned a win over Foxboro. Olivia Etienvre won the high jump with a leap of 5-02.00 with Ari Preacher (4-10.00) and Cassidy Becker (4-10.00) rounding out the top three while the same three swept the 55M hurdles in the same order, Etienvre winning in 9.07. Etienvre (16-06.50) and Becker (15-11.50) went 1-2 in the long jump while Alivia Byrne (30-01.00) and Arianna Newth (27-01.00) did the same in the shot put. Foxboro junior Emma Dahl took first in the 600M (1:45.67, PR) and freshman Emilia Lacy won the 1 Mile (6:03.88, PR).

Franklin, 42 vs. King Philip, 58 – FinalFranklin swept a pair of events but King Philip showed off its depth, taking wins in both relays and six other events to get the win. Junior Sofia DelVecchio won the 55M dash (7.66), junior Allison Beltramini took first in the 300M (45.03), juniors Isabelle Crocker (3:18.29) and Charlotte Majer (3:19.87) went first and second in the 1000M, sophomore Maya Evans won the 2 Mile (12:32.69), junior Milan Simmons (9.42) and senior Victoria Priestley (9.53) went 1-2 in the 55M hurdles, and seniors Sarah Vigevani (30-01.00) and Bailee Ziolkowski (29-10.00) took the top two spots in the shot put. Franklin swept the long jump with sophomore Jillian Fenerty (14-11.00) taking first and sophomore Ava Fraulo (14-10.50) and junior Katelyn Guidi (14-03.00) following as well as the 600M race, won by senior Samantha Powderly (1:45.84) and Sydney Hawkins (1:48.31) and Riley Fitzpatrick (1:50.06) rounding out the top three.

Stoughton, 40 vs. Sharon, 60 – FinalSharon won eight events plus one relay to earn a win over Stoughton and clinch the Davenport division crown. Elizabeth Lee and Jada Johnson each won a pair of events for the Eagles, with Lee taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.65) and the 300M (44.95) while Johnson won both the high jump (5-02.00) and the long jump (17-04.75). Other winners for Sharon included Wendy Wooden in the 55M dash (7.78), Carolyn Bayha in the 600M (1:50.13), Daphne Theiler in the 1000M (3:12.79), and Taylor Saks in the 1 Mile (5:38.70). Stoughton picked up wins from freshman Elaine McCarty in the 2 Mile (13:52.97, PR) and senior Chinazo Odunze in the shot put (30-09.00).

Mansfield, 36 vs. Taunton, 63 – FinalThe Tigers used a sweep in the 300M, took first and second in three other events, and won both relays to earn a win over Mansfield and force a three-way tie for the Kelley-Rex division title with the Hornets and KP. Junior Morgan Zakrzewski (44.08) won the 300M while Kerla Sylvestre (44.38) and Abieyowa Olaye (45.72) rounded out the top three. Junior Olivia Dias won the 600M in 1:43.04 while Nia Mainer-Smith (1:43.91) took second, Braelyn Nichos won the 1000M in 3:17.15 while Tatyana Mainer-Smith (3:18.05) took second, and Jaylin Couto took first in the shot put (28-07.50) with Olyvia Mendonca (28-05.00) taking second for the Tigers. Taunton also got wins from Amanda Labrecque in the 55M hurdles (9.28), Julia Labrecque in the high jump (5-00.00), and Victoria Gravel in the long jump (16-01.25). Mansfield swept the 1 Mile race with Tessa Lancaster clocking in at 5:38.07 for first, and Grace Doyle (5:51.15) and Celia Puleo (5:51.40) following behind. Jessica Alestock won the 2 Mile (12:46.14) and Gabrielle Devlin took first in the 55M dash (7.84, PR)

Girls Gymnastics
Canton, 121.3 @ Oliver Ames, 137.4 – Final

Taunton Bounces Back With Big Win Over King Philip

Taunton softball
Taunton’s Hanna Aldrich (11) slides in safely for a stolen base as King Philip’s Meghan Gorman awaits the throw. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – No team wants to lose a game, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any benefits from doing so.

Taunton softball dropped just its second game of the season on Friday night, falling behind North Attleboro early and seeing its rally come up short. With one game left to correct things before the state tournament, the Tigers bounced back in a good way.

The defending state champs belted out 12 hits, scoring three runs in each the fourth and fifth innings before exploding for five more in the sixth to earn a 12-0 win over potential playoff foe and league rival King Philip.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The win clinches the Kelley-Rex division title outright for the Tigers, their third ever Hockomock title and second division crown since 2016.

“I don’t take losses very lightly myself but you’d like to think some good can come out of a game like [last night],” said Taunton head coach Dave Lewry. “Cocky is too strong of a word but maybe we were a little overly confident. Hopefully, it let us know we are human, that you have to play the game. Hopefully, we can look back on it and that is the one that propelled us.

“We started the hitting last night and it seemed like it carried over to today. It took us a couple of innings to get going but we started putting the bat on the ball and started looking more like the Tigers that we think we are.”

The hosts took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with a solo run but the offense really got going over the final three innings. Taunton pushed across three runs in the fourth (all with two outs), three more in the fifth, and ended the game via mercy rule with a five-run sixth inning against the Warriors, the two-time defending division champs.

“It’s nice to get the Kelley-Rex, that’s not an easy championship to win,” Lewry said. “There are some really good teams in this league. Franklin had a heck of a year, KP came back and played well…everybody. It feels good to win it. I really didn’t want jackets with co-champs on it.”

Kelsey White got back on track after suffering a loss to the Rocketeers the night before. The sophomore tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits — a two-out grounder up the middle in the first, a bloop single that didn’t reach the outfield in the third, and a dribbler up the third base line in the fourth. She had one walk (in the first inning) and struck out five, retiring the final seven batters in order.

KP had one of its best changes in the opening inning as senior Meghan Gorman drew a two-out walk and Liliana Rolfe singled to put runners on first and second, but White got a chopper back to the circle for the third out.

The Warriors’ biggest threat came in the third when Destiny Goyco hit a bloop single to second. Courtesy runner Kara McWhinnie took second after a nice basket catch from Jaime Brown in foul territory on the third base side and advanced to third on a sac bunt. But White prevented what would have been the tying run from crossing by getting a strikeout for the third out.

“Kelsey pitched much better today, she definitely did,” Lewry said. “She didn’t have all of her good breaking balls but they were good enough and her changeup was excellent tonight, and she was spotting everything. She did a real nice job and she needed that too, she was a little bit shaken by her quick exit last night.”

Taunton took the lead in the bottom of the first inning behind a leadoff walk from Payton Ceglarski. Courtesy runner Kylie Thorpe moved to second on a sac bunt from Kelsey White and came around to score on a two-out bloop single from Alexa White to make it 1-0.

Kelsey White helped her own cause in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out double. Paige Silvia and Alexa White followed suit with back-to-back RBI doubles, and the latter scored on a single from Ava Venturelli up the middle to push the advantage to 4-0.

The Tigers stayed hot in the fifth inning, putting up three more runs. Abbie McDonough showed off her wheels with a leadoff triple and scored on a single from Hanna Aldrich. McKenzie McAloon clubbed an RBI double, Tayah DaCosta advanced the runner with a fly ball, and Kelsey White drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Venturelli got the big sixth inning started with a leadoff walk and pinch hitters Skylar Rheaume and Olyvia Mendonca both walked to load the bases. Aldrich hit a hard ground ball to third and beat the throw at first to bring courtesy runner Haylee Hartung in and keep the bases loaded.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Pinch hitter Kaysie DeMoura brought a run in by drawing a bases-loaded walk and Thorpe, in a pinch-hit situation, drove in two more runs with a hard hit ball through the right side. Kelsey White brought in the final run with a hard hit ball to left that was mishandled, allowing DeMoura to score.

“We swung the bat good, we made good contact,” Lewry said. “We have to hit…we have the pitching and defense but we have to hit to score runs, you’re not going to score many unless you do.”

Both Taunton (14-2 Hockomock, 20-2 overall) and King Philip (11-5, 12-8) will now await seeding for the MIAA D1 South Sectional tournament. The Tigers are likely to be a top four seed while the Warriors could potentially host a preliminary game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/08/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Mansfield, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – FinalAttleboro prevailed on the right side of a pitcher’s dual, earning a 2-0 win in a game that took just 80 minutes to complete. Attleboro senior Eoin Kelleher needed just 72 pitches to toss a complete game, scattering three hits with no walks, striking out one. Mansfield threatened in the second when Sam Nugent (error) and Jake Lund (double) reached to put runners on second and third but Kelleher got an infield ground ball and a fly ball back to himself to escape. Attleboro took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Alvaro Espinal singled and advanced to second on a pickoff attempt. Ryan Morry used a sac bunt to advance the runner and Lorenzo Wilson brought Espinal in with a sacrifice fly. The Bombardiers added a run in the fifth when Camden Fitzpatrick doubled and Tom Callahan had an RBI single to make it 2-0. John Carney was strong on the mound for Mansfield, allowing three hits in six innings, with one walk and one strikeout.

Foxboro, 9 @ Canton, 4 – FinalFoxboro got off to a strong start, scoring seven runners between the first two innings on its way to a win over Canton. The Warriors plated two runs in the first and then added five more in the second to build a 7-0 advantage. Foxboro tacked on two runs in the seventh while Canton scored once in the sixth and three in the seventh. Sophomores Sean Yoest (run) and Tom Marcucella (RBI, run) each had two hits to pace the Foxboro offense while Michael Devlin (run) and Joe Cavaleri (hit) each had two RBI. Canton’s Sawyer Julier-Albert and Nate Quan had two hits each. Yoest earned the win, allowing one run (unearned) on eight hits and two strikeouts in six innings of work.

King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 11 – FinalFranklin had three pitchers combine for a one-hitter scored double-digit runs for the fourth straight game. Liam Dailey allowed one unearned run on one hit and two walks, striking out four in five innings of work. Ben Guzman (two strikeouts) and Will Pacheco (three strikeouts) each pitched an inning in relief. Scott Elliott led the offense with three hits, including a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Alex Haba (two runs, RBI), Jake Macchi (two runs), and Brennan Rivera (run, two RBI) each had two hits for the Panthers.

Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 11 – FinalMilford senior Tyler Almeida drove in four runs and junior Colby Pires was strong on the mound and offensively to help the Scarlet Hawks beat Sharon. Almeida went 3-for-4 with a triple, Matt Shaver added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored, and Pires chipped in with two hits, including a double, and three runs scored. Pires allowed three runs in four innings of work, striking out a pair to earn the win.

Stoughton, 11 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalAfter trading runs early on, Stoughton exploded for eight runs in the fifth inning to turn a close game into a blowout. The Black Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Robbie Seaman (3-for-4, two RBI, two runs, stolen base) singled, took second on a passed ball, stole third, and scored on another passed ball. North responded with a run in the bottom of the second. In the fifth. Cian Swierzewski got things going with a leadoff single, Zak Paquette and George Currier drew walks, Seaman had a two-run single, Jacob Kaplan had an RBI single, Paquette added a sac fly, and mixed in with a couple of Rocketeer errors, the Black Knights jumped ahead 9-1. Sophomore James Genest was strong on the mound, needing just 83 pitches to get the win. He allowed one run (unearned) on five hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

Taunton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalTaunton senior Josh Lajoie had one of his best outings of the season, striking out 10 in a complete game effort to help the visiting Tigers take down Oliver Ames. Lajoie scattered five hits and walked two while allowing one run (unearned). Offensively, sophomore Danny MacDougall had three hits and knocked in two runs while Lucas Martins had a pair of hits and one RBI.

Softball
Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 3 – FinalAttleboro scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and then stranded a pair of Hornet baserunners in the bottom of the seventh to grab a win on the road. Attleboro took a 2-0 lead in the third but the Hornets knotted the score in the third when Mady Bendanillo smacked a two-run triple to make it 2-2. In the bottom of the seventh, with the Hornets down two, Mary Muldoon launched a one-out homer and the Hornets put two more on base but Attleboro closed out the win. Makenzie Killough went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Bombardiers, Lora Woyton added three hits, including a double, and an RBI, and Brenna Morse hit a triple. Megan Letendre had two hits for Mansfield while Kara Bendanillo and Ella Verheggen each added a hit. Sarah Cahill had eight strikeouts for the Hornets while Emily Gittle (seven strikeouts) pitched a complete game for Attleboro.

Foxboro, 6 @ Canton, 5 – FinalPeyton Feldman (3-for-4) tripled for the second time in the game and aggressively took home when the throw went down to first on a dropped third strike to score the game-winning run. Feldman scored three times for the Warriors, who picked up and important Div. 2 win. Chelsea Gibbons also went 3-for-4 for Foxboro, while Camryn Willis went 2-for-4 and threw a complete game in the victory. Taylor Reynolds went 3-for-4 for the Bulldogs and scored a pair of runs, while Liz Bickett tripled and homered and Steph Trendell tripled and doubled in the loss. Caroline Hughes threw five innings in relief and allowed one run, striking out three. Canton coach Dave Bohane called it a great game between two improved teams.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 6 – FinalKing Philip Faith Turinese had a strong performance in the circle, scattering five hits in a complete game shutout. Meghan Gorman had two hits, including a home run, to lead the Warriors’ offense. Liliana Rolfe also had two hits and Abby Carey came through with a key single with the bases loaded. Franklin’s Maddy White went 2-for-3.




Milford, 9 @ Sharon, 11 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this gameSharon scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, four coming with two outs, and then held off a final inning charge from Milford to secure a season sweep of the Hawks. Sharon sophomore Julia Earley went 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI, and played strong defense at short with three putouts and two assists to pace the Eagles, which totaled 11 hits as a team. Savannah Gray (double, RBI, run), Ciara McAuliffe (two RBI, run), and Penny Rabatsky (run) each had two hits for Sharon. Emily Botvin pitched three innings in relief, allowing just one earned run, with four strikeouts to get the win. Milford’s Amanda Wenckus went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four RBI, Lucy Creedon (three runs) had three hits, including a home run that put Milford up 7-6 in the top of the sixth, and April Swain (run), Carly Ferreira (RBI), and Olivia Morelli (run, double) each had two hits.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro belted out five consecutive hits, all with two outs, to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 lead, and junior pitcher Bella Erti took care of the rest as the Rocketeers swept the season series with the Black Knights. Emily Nardelli, Abby Gallagher (two hits), Ashley Cangiano (2B), Annabelle Hebard (three hits), and Katie Daby had consecutive hits to put the Rocketeers ahead. Erti tossed a one-hitter, limiting the Black Knights to one base runner (error) through six innings before Stoughton sophomore Nicole Baker recorded the team’s first hit. North coach Bill Wallace said Alex Moulson had a strong game in the field.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 15 – Final (5 inn.)Taunton senior Alexa White was nearly perfect in four innings of work, striking out nine with just one hit allowed as Taunton completed a season sweep of Oliver Ames. Olyvia Mendonca pitched a scoreless inning in relief with one strikeout. Jaime Brown (two runs, RBI), Alexa White (double, run, three RBI), Hanna Aldrich (triple, three runs, two RBI, two stolen bases) Tayah DaCosta (run), and Ava Venturelli (two runs) each had two hits for Taunton. Kenzie McAloon (double, two RBI), Rylie Murphy (three RBI), and Kelsey White (two RBI) also contributed to the Taunton offense.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 10 @ King Philip, 9 – FinalCanton junior Tommy Vaughan scored the game-winning goal with just over five minutes left in the game to help the Bulldogs knock off previously unbeaten King Philip. Vaughan scored his fourth of the game with 5:07 left and the Bulldogs took advantage of a three-minute locked in penalty to possess the ball and kill the final moments of the game. Griffin Roach and David Allen each added two goals while Chris Lavoie and Andrew Canton found the back of the net once each for the Bulldogs. Dylan Coyne had a strong game in net for Canton while Brendan Albert anchored the defense.

Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 17 – FinalFoxboro raced out to a 6-0 lead after a quarter and took an 11-1 advantage in halftime and never looked back to knock off visiting Attleboro. Junior Bobby Yerardi (four goals) and sophomore Charlie Baughan (three goals, one assist) each accounted for four points to pace the Foxboro offense. Junior Aidan Stapleton added two goals and two assists, sophomore Max Biegel had a goal and an assist, and freshman Tom Sharkey and junior Ronnie MacLellan each scored once for the Warriors.

Franklin, 21 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalFranklin built a 13-1 lead by halftime and then pitched a shutout in the second half, rolling to a win over the Hornets. Senior Jacob Alexander continued to dominate at the face-off X, winning 20-of-22 draws to help the Franklin offense control possession. Sophomore Matt Lazzaro scored six goals and had two assists, junior Jake Davis scored five times and added two helpers, senior Nitin Chaudhury had a pair of goals and one assist, and both junior Ben Greco (three assists) and senior Tim Kolb (two assists) scored once. Senior Will Davis made nine saves in net.

Oliver Ames, 15 @ Milford, 4 – FinalOliver Ames picked up a win on the road to punch its ticket for the state tournament, marking the first time in program history that the Tigers have qualified for the playoffs in consecutive seasons. Junior Shane Kilkelly paced the offense with six goals and two assists, sophomore Remi Creighton added a pair of goals and three helpers, senior Colin Bourne scored a hat trick and added an assist, and junior Sam Stevens netted a pair of goals with one helper.

Stoughton @ Sharon, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final

King Philip, 17 @ Canton, 3 – FinalKing Philip exploded for 10 goals in the second half to run away with a win over Canton on the road. Caroline Klim paced the offense with eight points, scoring six goals and adding two assists while Jess Sullivan (assist) and Olivia Tormey each found the back of the net four times for KP. Haley Izydorczak, Julia Marsden, and Mackenzie Mazur each scored once for the Warriors while Caroline Watson made eight saves in the win.

Mansfield, 3 @ Franklin, 16 – FinalFranklin ran away with the game, picking up its seventh straight win with a 16-3 decision over visiting Mansfield. Senior Annie Walsh (four goals, three assists) and junior Erin Walsh (five goals, two assists) led the offense with seven points apiece, while Kelsey MacCallum added a hat trick and assists. Junior Gianna Cameron had a strong game in goal with 11 saves.

Milford, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final Milford scored two straight late in the game to get within one but Oliver Ames held on for the win. Senior Emily Haley paced the Hawks offense with five goals while senior Savannah Rosado had a strong game in net. Sophia Bucal added two goals while Alyssa Williamson and Stella Amour each found the back of the net once for Milford.

North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – FinalMansfield’s Luke Devine filled in at first singles and picked up a win in straight sets to help the Hornets defend home court. Devine won 6-0, 6-1 while Nilay Pangrekar secured a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles for Mansfield. The team of Sam Shirmacher and Yash Sakhalkar picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles while Jonah Fine and Ben Newcomb earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles for the Hornets. Attleboro’s Jared Cooper won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at second singles.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – FinalCanton freshman Suraj Ramanathan won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles.

Franklin, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalFranklin won two matches in singles action and won one doubles match in a three-set thriller to edge King Philip in a battle of top teams in the Kelley-Rex division. The Panthers, who entered tied with the Warriors in first in the division, got the deciding win from Saket Gandham and Shoumik Sompally, who pulled out a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win at second doubles to give Franklin the win. Liam Marr won at 6-3, 6-3 at first singles and Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. King Philip sophomore Nick Putney won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles and the team of Jack Cannon and Nate Ihley, both juniors, secured a 6-4, 6-0 win at first doubles.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro won a pair of singles matches and both doubles matches, all in straight sets, to earn a 4-1 win over Stoughton. Junior Alex Pfeffer won 6-2, 6-1 at second singles and sophomore Sam Gallagher grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Vikram Senthilakumaran and Tomas Bentley lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 decision at first doubles while Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom dropped a total of two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles. Stoughton sophomore Waseem Sablon earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Taunton, 4 – FinalTaunton earned two wins in both singles and doubles action to knock off visiting Oliver Ames. Brett Beaulieu won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Charlie Fiske picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and Barrett Hodgson and Tyler Goddard earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Oliver Ames junior Yusaf Hameed earned his fifth straight win with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – FinalSharon won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep on the road. Senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-1, 6-3 at first singles, junior Alberto Olivei earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and freshman Max Chen grabbed a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Max Brody and Jake Ross didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Sharon’s second doubles team of Deyan Kassev and Mitch Weiss earned a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalMansfield’s Lizzy Elsner prevailed in a super tiebreaker to win at first singles as the Hornets battled for a 4-1 win over the Bombardiers. Elsner won 6-2, 4-6, 10-2, Aryana Khosravani earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles, Hannah Podolske and Sam Sternburg earned a 6-2, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Lauren Hobaica and Alex Burnham notched a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Brianna Aronne picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles.

Foxboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – FinalFoxboro’s second doubles team of Maggie McAuliffe and Neha Jammula prevailed with a win in a tight three-set thriller, helping the Warriors edge Canton. McAuliffe and Jammula earned a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 win for the Warriors, who also picked up wins from Pam Nelson (6-4, 6-2) at first singles and the team of Kendall Milender and Paige Krockta (6-1, 6-3) at second singles. Canton’s Natalie Keppler rallied for a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 win at second singles, and Sarah Hernandez earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles for the Bulldogs.

King Philip, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalNorth Attleboro defended home court, winning all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of the visiting Black Knights. Senior Tara Nair won 6-0, 6-4 at first singles, senior Mae McLaughlin picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Olivia Wills emerged with a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The Rocketeers’ first doubles team of sophomore Haley Strom and junior Sam Martino dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win while junior Brototi Nandi and sophomore Jayli Carmichael secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – FinalTaunton won all three singles matches to secure a tight 3-2 victory over Oliver Ames. Jillian Pagliuca had a strong showing with a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, McKenzie Lucie picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca recorded a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Eva Belanger and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles, and the second doubles team of Kate McCormick and Sarah Marley recorded a 6-1, 6-3 win for the host Tigers.

Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – FinalSharon lost a total of two games in singles action and won all five matches on the road at Milford. Nupur Shukla didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while freshman Valeria Barajas (second singles) and sophomore Charlie Martinez (third singles) each won 6-0, 6-1. The team of senior Sophia Fein and freshman Sasha Fein earned a 6-3, 7-6 win at first doubles while freshman Alice Zaniewski and sophomore Lena Lee won 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 at second doubles.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/06/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 4 @ Attleboro, 5 – FinalAttleboro used a walk, a pair of stolen bases, and a base hit to bring in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a win over Milford in a back-and-forth battle. The Hawks took a 1-0 lead, Attleboro responded with two runs to go ahead, Milford answered with three runs for a 4-2 lead and the Bombardiers plated two with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to tie it. In the bottom of the seventh, junior Alvaro Espinal walked, stole both second and third, and scored on the game-winning hit from junior Lorenzo Wilson. Attleboro took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Tim Callahan knocked in Rob Furtado (walk) and Espinal singled in Camden Fitzpatrick (single). Trailing 4-2 in the sixth, Furtado was hit by a pitch and Fitzpatrick had a sac fly to knot the score. Ryan Morry was strong on the mound for Attleboro, tossing six innings with no earned runs allowed and three strikeouts. Eoin Kelleher pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win.

Canton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalOliver Ames scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead, tacked on two more in the third and added an insurance run in the sixth to get the win over visiting Canton. Senior Reid Latham pitched 6.1 innings, allowing no earned runs while striking out four. He chipped in offensively as well, going 2-for-2 with a sac bunt. Chris Pearsons added two hits, including a double, scored a run, and earned the save on the mound with two strikeouts. Freshman Jack Richardson had a double and three RBI while Jacob Levine and Jared Spillane (two RBI) each had two hits for OA. Owen Lehane had two hits and two RBI for Canton.

Foxboro, 18 @ King Philip, 2 – Final (6 Inn.)Foxboro pounded out 16 hits, breaking the game open with a nine-run third inning and never looking back to earn a win on the road. Michael Devlin had team-high three hits while adding three runs and two RBI, and Brian Duncan (two RBI, two runs), Kyle McGinnis (two RBI, two runs), James Kaeser (four RBI, run), Sean Yoest (RBI), and Adam Lanctot (three runs) each recorded two hits for the Warriors. Joe Cavaleri earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, three walks, and one strikeout in six innings of work.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 15 – Final (5 inn.)Franklin senior Alex Haba drove in four runs and classmate Scott Elliot went 2-for-4, including a three-run home run, to pace the Panthers to a win over Sharon. Jack Nally added two hits, including a double, and scored three runs, Cooper Ross knocked in two runs and scored once, Jake Fitzgibbons had two RBI, and Joe Lizotte went 2-for-3 and scored twice. Junior Brennan Rivera allowed just two hits in four innings of work, striking out three with one walk. Cody Trotin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final Mansfield seniors Jake Gerraughty and Matt Scibilia combined to throw a one-hitter and the Hornets used early runs to get by North Attleboro. The Hornets scored twice in the bottom in the first and added one more in the third but only had a total of three hits in the game. The Hornets took advantage of four walks and two Rocketeer errors. John Carney (run, RBI), Kyle Moran (RBI), and Scibilia each had a hit for the Hornets while Eric Longley (two walks) and Sam Nugent scored runs. Gerraughty allowed one hit, walked three and struck out three in five innings while Scibilia issued two walks and struck out four in two innings of work.

Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 6 – Final Taunton recorded 11 hits as a team on its way to a 6-2 win over visiting Stoughton. Evan Melo had three hits and knocked in two runs and Jared Roderick added a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored for the Tigers. Jack Moynihan was strong once again on the mound, allowing four hits and one walk with no earned runs allowed, striking out 11 in a complete game effort.

Softball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 8 – FinalCanton freshman Sophia Santos tossed a complete game, striking out four with two earned runs allowed to lead the Bulldogs to a win over Oliver Ames. Nikki Desjardins and Liz Bickett each hit a home run in the win. Oliver Ames sophomore went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Katie Abreu had an RBI, Kalei Clark had a hit and a run scored, and freshman Anna Balestino scored a run for the Tigers.

King Philip, 12 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalKing Philip senior Faith Turinese pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out four as the visiting Warriors pulled away from Foxboro for the win. KP broke open a one-run game with four runs in the sixth, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple off the bat of Liliana Rolfe. Paige Berdos had three hits for KP while Turinese (three RBI), Rolfe, Grace Kelley (three RBI), and Destiny Goyco each had two hits for KP.

Franklin, 17 @ Sharon, 1 – Final (6 inn.)Franklin sophomore Gabby Colace (2-for-4) knocked in four runs, including a two-run triple in a six-run first inning as the Panthers earned a big win on the road. Junior Tina Pisano had a triple for Franklin and Kristen Smith had a hit and a run scored. Emily Valentino got the win, scattering five hits while striking out eight. Sharon senior Rebecca Clayman went 2-for-2 with a double and scored a run while Julia Earley had the RBI for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 4 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalMansfield scored three runs in the fifth inning and tacked on one more in the seventh inning that turned out to be the winning run for the Hornets, who had 10 hits. The Rocketeers took a 1-0 lead in the third but the Hornets went ahead in the fifth. Mary Muldoon led off with a double, a single from Kara Bendanillo put runners on the corners and both runners scored on a two-out double from Mady Bendanillo. Caty DeMassi added an RBI double to make it 3-1. In the seventh, Kara Bendanillo singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice from Megan Letendre, and scored on a tag up play from second on a deep fly ball by Mady Bendanillo. Sarah Cahill scattered five hits and had 15 strikeouts for the win, striking out the side in each the first, second, and fifth innings. Bella Erti struck out nine for the Rocketeers while Emily Nardelli and Katie Daby each had an RBI triple in the game.

Taunton, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalTaunton plated five runs in the third inning, one in the fifth and added three more in the seventh to earn a win on the road at Stoughton, qualifying for the state tournament for the 36th straight season. Sophomore Kelsey White allowed just two hits (both in the fourth inning), struck out seven and didn’t issue a single walk for her eighth win of the year. Sophomore Hanna Aldrich paced the offense with three hits, three stolen bases, and two runs scored. Kenzie McAloon added two doubles and three RBI, Tayah DaCosta had two hits, including a double, and an RBI, Haylee Hartung knocked in two runs with a single, and Olyvia Mendonca added an RBI double. Payton Ceglarski had an RBI on a suicide squeeze.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 9 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final Mansfield raced out to a 6-2 lead at halftime but Canton rallied to earn a win on the road. David Allen exploded for four goals to give the Bulldogs a big lift while Griffin Roach had three goals and two assists. Junior Tommy Vaughan scored the winning goal with 4:47 left in the game. Nico Holmes had three goals for Mansfield, Michael Reed added two goals, Aidan Sacco scored once and had two helpers, and Brady Kessler and Connor Quirk each found the back of the net once.

Sharon, 9 @ Attleboro, 4 – FinalSharon freshman Ben Shocket won 15-of-17 faceoffs and sophomore Adam Rabb turned away 11 of the 15 shots he faced to help the Eagles earn a win on the road. Drew Litner paced the Sharon offense with three goals and three assists, Brandon Buckman scored a hat trick, Mitchell Director chipped in with two assists, and Daniel Lillenfeld, Zack Waxman, and Brady Daylor each scored once.

Foxboro, 8 @ King Philip, 12 – FinalKing Philip senior Chris Longobardi won 12 faceoffs and classmate Colin DeVellis accounted for six points to help the host Warriors earn a win in a battle of top Hockomock teams. DeVellis scored five goals and had one helper, Sam Mattson scored twice and had one assist, and Tyler Bartlett, David Lawler, Wes Bishop, Andrew Sajdak, and Robbie Tartaglia each scored once for KP. Andrew McKinney made nine saves in the win. Foxboro’s Shayne Kerrigan scored three goals and had one assist while Brendan Tully scored twice.

Franklin, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalFranklin senior Jacob Alexander went a perfect 23-for-23 at the face-off X, leading the Panthers to a big win on the road. Sophomore Matt Lazzaro scored a hat trick and had four assists, junior Jake Davis scored four goals and added one helper, and Ben Greco recorded five points with two goals and three assists. Frankie Ireland scored twice for Oliver Ames and Remi Creighton netted one tally.

North Attleboro, 12 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 10 @ Sharon, 19 – FinalSenior Emma Eberhardt recorded nine points and sophomore Jenna Goldstein had six points to lead Sharon to a win over visiting Attleboro. Eberhardt had six goals and three assists, Goldstein finished with four goals and two assists, Mia Lappen scored four times and had one helper, and Cass Barbera, Maeve Barbera, Maxine Gordon, Bridget McManus (assist), and Athena Merck (assist) all scored once in the win. Amelia Scappaticci had an assist and Rose Wald made seven saves in net for the Eagles.

Mansfield @ Canton, 3:45

King Philip, 6 @ Foxboro, 19 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Franklin, 19 – FinalFranklin had 12 players record a point in a convincing win at home against Oliver Ames. Sophomore Sydney Hawkins and freshman Anna Grasso each scored their first career goals for the Panthers in the win. Oliver Ames goalie Maddie Kullen had nine saves in net, Olivia Piazza had two goals and two assists, Ella Hogan scored twice with one assist, and Olivia Carroll and Sam Cathie had a goal and an assist each.

Milford @ Taunton, 4:00

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Milford, 3 – FinalMilford swept singles action to earn a 3-2 win over the visiting Bombardiers. Brendan O’Shaughnessy earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles, Riley Lynch prevailed 6-4, 5-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-5), and Zach Austin earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles to lift the Hawks to a win. Attleboro’s Eli Araujo and Luis Sandoval won 6-1, 3-2 (injury default) at first singles while the team of Tyler Evans and Ryan Solari picked up a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalOliver Ames junior Yusaf Hameed prevailed in a three set thriller, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, to earl the lone point for the Tigers.

King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – FinalKing Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets and picked up a fourth point with a win at first doubles in a victory over Foxboro. Nick Putney won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Marco DiStefano earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jack Cannon emerged with a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Jake Mager emerged with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win. Foxboro’s Justin Neale and Ben Wasserman earned a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalSharon senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won the first and third sets, both by tiebreaker, to emerge with a win and give the Eagles a victory against the Panthers. Thirumavalavan emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 2-7, 7-6 (7-3) win in a battle with Franklin sophomore Liam Marr. Alberto Olivei added a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0 win at second singles and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya grabbed a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Franklin’s Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra (first doubles) and the team of Lucas Gulick and Shoumik Sompally (second doubles) both won 6-2, 6-2.

Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalNorth Attleboro grabbed two wins in singles action and one more in doubles play to beat the visiting Hornets. Junior Alex Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles while sophomore Sam Gallagher picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles for Big Red. Vikram Senthilakumaran and Tomas Bentley earned the third point for North with a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles. Mansfield senior Luke Nickerson won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles while the team of Dheeraj Vallaru and Sam Donellan won 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles.

Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – FinalStoughton defended “home court” by winning two matches in singles play and one more in doubles to beat Taunton. Sophomore Waseem Sablon won 6-3, 6-0 at first singles, senior Erik Anderson picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and the team of Hassan Khan and LJ Ferrandiz emerged with a 7-5, 2-6, 10-6 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Dylan Kullas won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles and Ryan Hebert and Trevor Hart teamed up for a 6-0, 6-4 win at first doubles.

Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – FinalAttleboro won two singles matches and swept doubles action to knock off visiting Milford. Freshman Ella Lynch-Bartek won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles and junior Jill See picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of junior Nicole Matheson and sophomore Lauren Anthony earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles while juniors Rena Danho and Jordan Bernardo picked up a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win at second doubles. Milford’s Juliana France won 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 at second singles.

Canton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalCanton swept all three singles matches and added another win at second doubles to record a road win at Oliver Ames. Rachel Kupferman (first singles) and Natalie Keppler (second singles) both won 6-0, 6-0 while Sarah Hernandez earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. The Bulldogs’ second doubles team of Kiara Cerruti and Lily Hazam earned a 6-2, 6-2 win. OA’s first doubles team of Eva Belanger and Morgan Vasiliou won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles.

Foxboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalFoxboro picked up a pair of wins in singles play and got a third point with a victory at second doubles to beat King Philip. Pam Nelson won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles, Julia Muise earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles, and the team of Maggie McAuliffe and Neha Jammula earned a 6-1, 7-5 decision at second singles for Foxboro. King Philip’s Katarina Schneider picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles while Grace Ely and Katie Welch secured a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro won both doubles matches in straight sets and picked up two more wins in singles action to knock off Mansfield. Sam Martino and Hayley Strom won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles, the team of Brototi Nandi and Liana Nichols earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles, Mae McLaughlin prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 10-5 at second singles, and Olivia Wills earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. Mansfield’s Lizzy Elsner emerged with a 6-4, 6-4 at first singles.

Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton won all five matches in straight sets, dropping a total of three games in a strong showing. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Norwood, 0 – FinalKing Philip continued to get stronger as the season goes on, this time earning a 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-9) sweep on the road at Norwood. Cam Corey paced the offense with 29 assists and added 15 service points and Max Armour had 11 service points, five digs, and two kills. Eric Altobello had a team-high 12 kills, Jimmy Peterson added seven kills, and Shea Duffy and Mike O’Brien each put down six kills.

Taunton, 3 vs. Brockton, 1 – FinalAfter dropping the first game, Taunton rallied to win three straight to record a 3-1 win (22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23). Gage Kingman had a strong game all around with seven kills, 12 digs, two aces, and going a perfect 14-for-14 on serve receive. Jason Khang was also strong on serve receive (23-of 24), setting the table for a strong attack. Chris LaCourse dished out 36 assists with Tyler Stewart (12 kills, five blocks), Fabio Goncalves (11 kills, three blocks), and Alex Tavares (10 kills, five blocks) pacing the Tiger offense.