10/30/2019

Crocker, Riley Help King Philip Knock Off Pembroke

King Philip field hockey — King Philip sophomore Margo Riley controls a pass in the second half against Pembroke. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

PEMBROKE, Mass. – King Philip junior Grace Crocker has created plenty of chances for teammates throughout the season, but Warriors’ head coach Lisa Cropper has been waiting for Crocker to emerge as a goal scoring threat herself.

Crocker picked the perfect time to do so, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the second half, to lead the 17th-seeded Warriors to a 3-2 win over #16 Pembroke on the road.

After the visitors fell behind just over five minutes into the contest, Crocker latched onto a loose ball in the area to bring KP level. And she added a second midway through the second half that proved to be the game-winner for the Warriors.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Grace Crocker was just on, I kept telling her she was on fire today,” Cropper said. “She anticipated really well, that’s what got her the first goal. And she was aggressive in the circle on the third goal. I’ve been trying to get her to do that all year. She’s a great passer, she’s a great teammate. But she has great individual skills herself so I’ve been trying to get her to score more. I think she only had one goal in the season.”

Warriors’ goalie Makenzie Manning (nine saves) was forced into a pair of early saves, including a sprawling one across the goal line to keep the ball out. But the Titans continued to press, and after KP was unable to make a clearance, Pembroke’s Kaleigh Murphy buried a shot from inside the circle to make it 1-0 just 5:14 into the game.

“We’ve had that happen before,” Cropper said. “It was so early so we had time to reset, and that’s exactly what we talked about.”

King Philip did indeed reset, and in turn, dominated the next 15 minutes of play. The ball almost never left KP’s attacking half with Sammy Robison patrolling the middle of the pitch to help keep the Warriors on offense. That pressure led to five penalty corners in a short span.

Sophomore Molly Piller smacked a hard shot off a corner that was deflected just wide by a Pembroke defender. Two minutes later, Robison tried a lift shot that went just over the bar. Seconds later, freshman Lauren Barriero put a shot on net that was kicked aside but Paige Berdos’ bid on the rebound was just wide.

The Warriors’ pressure finally paid off in the 15th minute. Robison took a pass and switched the field, connecting with Abby Nixon out wide. Nixon used her speed to race down the left sideline before firing a cross into the circle. The service was deflected into the middle of the circle and Crocker was the first to the loose ball, ripping a low shot into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

Pembroke started the second half in similar fashion to the first, applying a lot of pressure early. Manning came up with a big save on an original shot and Piller cleared a shot off the line from Pembroke’s Megan Dorsey.

But as the half went on, King Philip began to assert itself offensively. The Warriors were able to get the ball to the right wing to Berdos, who raced forward and fired in low hard crosses. After the first pair went unanswered, Cropper turned to her assistant Alli Burke to try and find a new option.

Burke suggested sophomore Margo Riley, and the substitute paid off almost immediately. Berdos’ hard cross was met by sophomore Isabella Crocker’s stick. Her deflection on goal was stopped by Riley was in the perfect position and buried the rebound chance for her first career goal, giving KP a 2-1 lead with 20:17 left in the game.

“Margo Riley, that’s her first varsity goal,” Cropper said. “Raegan [Simeone] is really steady and smart but she doesn’t always have the wheels to constantly get up and back. She couldn’t quite get to the circle for Paige’s cross. I asked my assistant Alli [Burke] and she said Margo. The second she gets in, she scores so it was a great call by Alli.”

The momentum stayed with the visitors as they continued to press in the offensive half. Five minutes after taking its first lead, King Philip extended its advantage with Grace Crocker grabbing her second goal.

Nixon was the catalyst again, this time carry possession to the circle before Pembroke’s defense intervened. A failed clearance ended up on the stick of Crocker and she deposited a close-range shot into the back.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Pembroke made it a one-goal game with just over five minutes in the game but the KP defense didn’t allow any chances in the final moments as the Titans pushed numbers forward.

“Charlotte Colella stepped up big time, Sammy Robison of course always plays great, Molly [Piller]’s hits were on point, Haley Izydorczak is always hustling,” Cropper said. “We made a couple little mistakes on their goals, they were quick and have good forwards. They do a lot of switching and we got a little confused but otherwise, I thought we played a good game.”

King Philip field hockey (10-6-3) advances to play top-seeded Somerset-Berkley (18-0-0) on Saturday at 3:00. It marks the fourth straight year the teams have met in the postseason, with KP taking wins in 2016 and 2017 and S-B in 2018. It’s also a matchup between the past two sectional winners.

10/17/201910/18/2019

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/17/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 2 @ Milton, 0 – Final

Girls Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ Milton Academy, 1 – Final

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 6 – Final – Canton’s Kaitlyn Goyetch scored a hat trick to pace the Bulldogs to a win at home over visiting Stoughton.

Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro’s Lauren Foster scored the only goal of the game to help the host Warriors earn a close win over Milford.

Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Franklin’s Amanda Lewandowski scored an unassisted goal with just over five minutes left to help the Panthers grab a tie on the road and stay undefeated in league play. Mansfield’s Grace Danehy scored in the first half to put the hosts ahead. Neilee Hess made four saves in for for Franklin.

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip scored its second goal of the game just before halftime and held on in the second half to earn a win and post its ticket to the postseason. Raegan Simeone put the Warriors ahead before Taunton’s Jocelyn Pagliuca tied the game midway through the first half. Abby Nixon scored with two seconds left in the first half to regain the lead.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Volleyball
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton celebrated senior night with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-21) sweep over visiting Stoughton. “The seniors played great and led us to victory tonight,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. Taylor Harris (16 kills) and Claire Quinn (eight kills) paced the Bulldogs’ offense while Emily Morrison had a strong showing serving with five aces. Katie Lynch added two kills and played great defense in the win. Jenna Larson played well at the net and Rosana Cho (10 service points) had a great game defensively for the Bulldogs.

Milford, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro pulled out a close win in the fifth set to earn a key 3-2 (25-19, 17-25, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13) win over division foe Milford. Maddie O’Brien dished out 34 assists with Grace Boudreau (13 kills) and Shakirah Ketant (nine kills, five blocks) leading the charge at the net. Kelsey Treweek (28 digs) and Pam Nelson (21 digs) shined defensively for the Warriors.

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield pushed the Panthers to the brink in the fourth set, nearly forcing a fifth game before Franklin earned a 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-17, 30-28) win. Allyson Bonnet-Eymard led the charge offensively for Franklin with 19 kills and nine digs, Sophie Lyons had a strong game with 12 kills and 10 digs, and Bridget Jackson added nine kills and five aces. Sophomore Cailyn Mackintosh continued to play well with 45 assists, seven digs, and three blocks. Mansfield’s Sam Sternburg registered 11 digs and 11 service points while Julia Kelly added nine kills and 13 digs.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip bounced back from a league loss on Tuesday with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-10, 25-13) sweep at home over Taunton. Catherine Waldeck had another strong game with 15 kills, Nicole Coughlan added eight kills and two aces, Kiley Sullivan chipped in with eight service points, and Emma Brooks had a strong all-around game with four aces, five digs, and 15 service points.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Golf
Hockomock League Championships (@ Blue Hill Country Club) – Click here for complete results and over 200 photos from the event.

10/07/2019

KP Holds Off Second Half Comeback Bid by Oliver Ames

WRENTHAM, Mass. – With a minute left in the first half, King Philip appeared to be running away with a comfortable win. The Warriors scored the first four goals against Oliver Ames on Monday night at Macktaz Field, but then the Tigers got on the board and stole the momentum.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Twice in the second half OA cut the lead to just two goals, but each time the Warriors were able to find a response, taking back control long enough to hold on for a 5-3 victory that keeps KP within five points of league leading Franklin.

“We fell asleep a little bit,” admitted KP coach Lisa Cropper. “We got a little too comfortable and they weren’t going to quit. They’ve got some really good goal scorers, some really nice crossing balls that we just fell asleep on. We’ve been really tight and good defensively lately and I think we felt a little too comfortable with that 4-0 lead.”

KP got off to the perfect start to the night. Only two minutes into the game, the Warriors broke quickly and a centering pass from the right found Olivia Kulesza in front. She was able to find the touch in a crowd and knocked it in.

In the 12th minute, KP nearly doubled the lead when Paige Berdos stole the ball and raced clean through on goal, only to be denied by OA goalie Kara Ostrander.

Four minutes later, the Warriors did find a second goal and then just seconds later made it 3-0.

Berdos started the move by racing free down the right wing before passing it ahead to Kulesza. The junior, who was moved up from defense to forward earlier this season, managed to keep the ball alive on the end line and then slipped a square pass across the front of goal where Abby Nixon was on hand to tap it in. Just 30 seconds later, Raegan Simeone finished off another nice KP move.

“We were so hyped up for the game,” said OA coach Sharon Lawrence. “I think we played a little frazzled in the beginning, very panicky, couldn’t settle the ball. We play a good possession hockey game and we were off of that game in the beginning. It took us a few minutes to get settled in.”

With about a minute remaining in the first half, King Philip appeared to put the game away. Berdos got space to take a whack from the right side and was able to find the back of the net to make it 4-0.

OA was on the brink of being run off the field, but then the Tigers finally found a successful attack of their own. Hannah Stryke got her first of the night to give some hope to the visitors before the break.

“Huge, we needed some momentum for sure,” Lawrence said of that late goal. “We just said, forget about the scoreboard. We’ve got some momentum, we’re chipping away and let’s just keep putting the pressure on.”

The message seemed to have gotten through as the Tigers dominated the opening portion of the second half, creating a series of corners and dangerous scoring chances. KP goalie Grace May made a big stop to keep the three-goal lead but then OA got its second. Cassie Gennis created space on the righthand side and crossed it to Stryke in front for a one-time finish.

Cropper said, “I called a timeout and I said, look we need to answer back. All of a sudden we stopped playing with each other and using each other and once we started doing that again we had our way down in their circle.”

Nixon helped KP respond and restore a three-goal edge. She weaved her way through the KP defense down the left side, getting all the way to the crease before the ball was knocked away. It fell to the stick of Christina Gifun, whose shot was saved by new OA goalie Peyton Phillips and the rebound came right to Nixon in front of an empty net.

“She’s getting better and better at that and she can do it from the left side, which is rare in a high school player,” Cropper said of Nixon. “Sometimes the left wing gets left out but with Sammy Robison at center back and Grace [Crocker] at center mid and Raegan at left mid, we look for her. Those four have combined really nicely.”

If there was any concern that OA may fold once KP added to its lead, it was quickly wiped away. Again it was Gennis that created the opening with a good run on the right and she sent the ball through the middle to Stryke, who capped her hat trick with another first-time hit.

“We got Hannah Stryke back on the scoreboard tonight, she was firing away,” said Lawrence. “Cassie Gennis was bringing the ball down on the right, she had an amazing game.”

The KP defense managed to stifle the Tigers from that point forward. Haley Izydorczak, Molly Piller, and Robison held down the OA right side, where Gennis was frequently running at goal, and limiting the impact of midfielders Maggie Woods and Georgia Costello in the center.

“Part of our game too is transferring the ball, which we didn’t do enough of tonight,” Lawrence explained, “but usually those two in the middle are good at kind of switching the field so we could move the ball up and around.”

It was the fifth win in six games for the Warriors, who remain in second place in the Kelley-Rex. King Philip (7-3-1, 7-2-1) will have a quick turnaround with a trip to Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) on Tuesday. Oliver Ames (5-7, 4-6) enter the closing stretch of six games needing four to clinch a playoff spot. The Tigers start by hosting Canton on Thursday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

10/02/201910/04/2019

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/03/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Stoughton, 51 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.
1st Quarter: (St) Christian Ais 10-yard rush, Anthony Girolamo XP good; (St) Christopher Ais 17-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (St) Clayton Rahaman 15-yard pass to Christopher Ais, XP no good; (St) Christopher Ais 20-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good; John Burke 22-yard pass to Jonah Ly, A. Girolamo XP good; (St) Christian Georges 30-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good; (St) Jake Queeney 50-yard interception return, A. Girolamo XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (St) A. Girolamo 21-yard field goal; (Sh) Ike Ogbonnanze 67-yard rush, XP no good.

Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Mansfield took a 1-0 lead into halftime but Stoughton came out and scored a pair of second half goals to earn two points. Sagar Koul put the visitors ahead in the first half, finishing off a through ball from Cam Eddy. Mason Eschleman scored the game-winning goal for Stoughton.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Madison Ellis and Emma Briggs each scored once to lead Attleboro to a win on the road at Sharon.

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once in each half to grab a win over visiting Taunton. Freshman Ellie Bohane scored the game-winner in the first half while senior Kaitlyn Goyetch added an insurance tally in the second half for the Bulldogs.

Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game.

North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip scored the lone goal of the game midway through the first half and goalie Makenzie Manning and the Warriors’ defense posted a shutout to beat North Attleboro. Junior Abby Nixon converted at 14:32 on a feed from Sammy Robison for the lone goal of the game. Manning made four saves for the shutout while senior Raegan Simeone and junior Christina Gifun both played well in the midfield for KP.

Mansfield, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Stori Rounds and Paige Peterson each scored once to lead Mansfield to a win on the road at Stoughton.

Oliver Ames @ Milford, 4:00

Volleyball
Attleboro @ Sharon, 5:00

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton defended home court by earning a clean 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-11, 25-17) of visiting Taunton. Jackie Morrissey ran the Bulldogs’ offense with 16 assists and six digs while Claire Quinn, Taylor Harris, and Liz Bickett combined for 20 kills. The Nikki DesJardins, Stephanie Trendell and Emily Morrison played well defensively for Canton. For Taunton, Ella Dunderdale had 10 kills and two aces, Hailey Sullivan added 10 digs, and Jaelyn Fernandez dished out 18 assists.

Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-19) over a gritty Foxboro side. Allyson Bonnet-Eymard led the way with 14 kills and nine digs while Bridget Jackson added seven kills and Jill Benoit chipped in with 12 digs. Sophomore Cailyn Mackintosh put the offense in motion with 26 assists.

King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip earned its second win over North Attleboro, this time in a league match, taking a 3-0 (25-6, 25-8, 25-23) decision. Kristen Masse (four aces) and Emma Brooks (three, seven digs) had strong showings at the service line while Nicole Coughlan (12 kills, three aces) and Catherine Waldeck (seven kills, four blocks) continued to shine at the net for KP.

Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield got back into the win column with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-7) sweep on the road at the new Stoughton High School. Sam Sternburg paced the Hornets with 14 service points and six digs while Julia Kelly also played well with 13 service points and seven kills.

Golf
Foxboro, 166 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – Foxboro’s depth played a big role in a win on the road over Sharon on Thursday afternoon. Luke Davies was the match medalist, firing a match-low round of 40 while Dylan Quinn, Matt Lathrop, and Noah Hicks all finished at 42 to help the Warriors earn a close win. Ethan Skelly led Sharon with a round of 41.

Franklin, 164 @ Oliver Ames, 157 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home course, knocking off the visiting Panthers to avenge a loss from earlier in the season. Senior captain Brad Powers was the medalist for the match with a round of 37. JoJo Gaultier added a 39 for the Tigers and Sam Becker chipped in with a round of 40. Franklin’s Jack Paterson had a team-low round of 38.

King Philip, 169 @ Mansfield, 160 – Final – Mansfield’s Ava Haggis earned match medalist honors to help the Hornets knock off KP and clinch at least a share of the division title. Haggis finished with a 39 while Ryan Dow and Cian Goulet each shot 40 for the Hornets. Brian See and Jason See each shot 41 in the win.

North Attleboro, 178 @ Taunton, 194 – Final – North Attleboro’s Jillian Barend fired a 40 to earn match medalist honors, helping the Rocketeers earn a win on the road at Taunton.

Stoughton, 184 @ Canton, 142 – Final – Canton’s Thomas Singleton fired off an even-par round of 34 to earn medalist honors and lead the Bulldogs to a win over Stoughton. The Bulldogs clinched at least a share of the Davenport division title with the win. Will Gefteas finished at one-over at 35 while Mike Leonetti (36) and Nate MacDonald (37) also played well for Canton. Stoughton’s Patrick Smith finished with a team-low round of 40.

Boys Cross Country
Franklin, 21 @ Taunton, 37 – Final – Franklin had the top two runners and four of the top six spots to earn a win on the road over Taunton. Tyler Brogan took first place for the Panthers, crossing the finish line in 16:10.

Results: 1. Tyler Brogan, Frank (16:10) 2. Nicholas Calitri, Frank (16:22) 5. Declan Walmsley, Frank (17:19) 6. Joseph Zerice, Frank (17:24) 7. Griffin Sieczkiewicz, Frank (17:27) 9. Clancy Golden, Frank (17:33)

Girls Cross Country
Franklin, 15 @ Taunton, 43 – Final – Franklin had the top five finishers in the race on the 3.1 mile course on the campus of Taunton High School. Sydney Hawkins led the way for the Panthers, taking first in 20:43. Taunton sophomore Nia Mainer-Smith took sixth overall in 21:12.

09/25/201909/26/2019

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/26/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Canton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored a pair of goals in the final 30 minutes of the game to grab a win over visiting Canton. The Hornets took the lead just five minutes into the contest before Canton knotted the score in the 50th minute. Mansfield regained the lead just a couple of minutes later and added an insurance strike in the final minutes. Cam Eddy finished off a throw in from Dylan Buchanan to put the hosts up. After Canton tied it, Cam Bovey scored off a corner kick from Tommy Lanzillo. Buchanan put the game away with two minutes left, connecting on a cross from Matt Hyland.

Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a pair of first half deficits, and then added two goals in the second half to take down visiting Sharon. After the Eagles took a 1-0 lead, Anthony DaCosta answered for OA. Michael Baur ripped a shot to the upper corner from distance to put Sharon back in front but sophomore Mathias Taylor scored his first career goal to pull the hosts level to send the game into halftime tied 2-2. Colin Milliken gave OA its first lead of the game, finishing in alone on the keeper after a through ball from Kevin Louhis. Senior Matt Nosalek netted his first goal on a feed from Milliken to give the Tigers a two-goal lead.

Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames opened the scoring just before the halftime break before tacking on two more in the second half to grab two points on the road. Erin Holmberg put the Tigers ahead with two minutes left in the first half, and then set up Camryn O’Connor, who scored on a header to make it 2-0. Leah Johnson found the back of the net to make it 3-0 for OA.

Field Hockey
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Attleboro converted a pair of penalty corners in the first half and added a late insurance tally to get a win over visiting Taunton. Anna Beck scored all three goals for the Bombardiers, using low hard shots off corners from Amanda Burns to give the hosts a 2-0 lead by halftime. Beck added a third with 2:58 to play.

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin continued its strong start to the season, racing out to a 3-0 lead at halftime and scoring eight straight overall to beat visiting Oliver Ames. Stephanie Bell scored a pair of goals and assisted on another all in the first half for the Panthers. Amanda Lewandowski scored twice, Leila Frankina and Olivia Rondeau each scored and had an assist, and Kaitlyn Carney and Hanna Richardson each scored once. Neilee Hess made five saves in the win. Ellie Waters (from Cassie Gennis) scored for Oliver Ames.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip scored the lone goal just moments into the second half to earn a win over Mansfield in an evenly played game. Senior Raegan Simeone tapped in a rebound off a shot from Molly Piller with 28:17 to play in the second half for the game-winning goal. Junior Makenzie Manning made four key stops to preserve the win for the Warriors. KP coach Lisa Cropper said Sammy Robison, Char Colella, and Haley Izydorczak all played extremely well on defense for the Warriors.

Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Milford senior Kat Swineford recorded four points and classmate Paige Reisman made 23 saves to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a win over visiting Stoughton. Swineford scored a hat trick and also had an assist in the win. Olyvia Whyte added a goal and two assists, Julia Kidman scored once, and Maddy Carneiro chipped in with an assist for Milford.

Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro won a key fourth set to force a game five, but Taunton emerged with a tight 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 16-25, 16-4) win on the road against the Bombardiers. Alyssa Turcotte paced the offense with nine kills while Sonya Fernandez added seven kills, four digs, and a block for the Tigers. Fabiana Pereira and Jaelyn Fernandez each had eight digs for Taunton.

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro picked up its biggest win of the season, earning a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-17) over division rival Canton. Hayley Gaskin set the offense in motion with 31 assists as Kylie Melanson (14 kills) and Grace Munley (seven kills, three blocks) shined at the net. Brooke Street led the defense with 10 digs, Meghan McCormack added eight digs, and Lauren Antonetti chipped in with seven digs. For Canton, Taylor Harris put down 17 kills along with 10 digs and a pair of aces, and Talya DeGraw added two kills, two blocks, and played a great defensive game for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Foxboro fell behind twice but won back-to-back sets, including a close fifth set, to grab a 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11) win over Sharon. Sara Addeche had a strong showing at the service line with 12 service points (two aces) while adding five kills. Shannon McDonald also had five kills, Pam Nelson (12 digs) and Kelsey Treweek (11 digs) paced the defense, Maddie O’Brien dished out 31 assists, and Grace Boudreau shined a the net with 22 kills, six blocks, and 13 digs.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames rallied to win the third set to keep the match going, but Franklin closed it out in the fourth set to grab a 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 26-28, 25-23) win over the Tigers. For OA, Jordan Bosse had 16 kills, 15 digs, and three aces, Allie Kemp added 31 assists, and Alison Barth finished with 32 digs and 35 serve receptions.

Mansfield, 2 @ King Philip,3 – Final – King Philip and Mansfield traded wins, forcing a fifth game where the Warriors emerged with a 3-2 (25-23, 27-29, 25-17, 20-25, 15-8) victory. Nicole Coughlan shined at the net for KP with 21 kills and two blocks while Catherine Waldeck (12 kills) and Kristen Masse (six kills) both had strong showings offensively as well. Emma Brooks added five aces, four kills, and 11 digs, while Lily Carlow chipped in with 17 service points (three aces) and six digs. For Mansfield, Sam Sternburg (11 service points) had a strong showing defensively with 25 digs, Olivia McGrath added six blocks and 12 service points, and Kacey Veiking finished with six blocks.

Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final

Golf
Foxboro, 162 @ Canton, 143 – Final – Canton completed the season sweep of division foe Foxboro behind an even-par performance from Chris Lavoie. Lavoie, the match medalist, shot a 34 to lead the Bulldogs while Will Gefteas and Conor Hunter each shot 36, and Thomas Singleton finished with a 37. Dylan Quinn led the Warriors with a team-low round of 39.

Mansfield, 165 @ Taunton, 185 – Final – Mansfield bounced back from its first loss of the season to earn its ninth win of the year, with junior Brian See leading the way with a medalist round of 40. Jason See added a 41 while Cian Goulet and Mike O’Neil each finished with a 42.

North Attleboro, 164 @ Milford, 180 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a division win over Milford on the road. Jillian Barend was the match medalist, shooting a match-low round of 37. Jake Gaskin (41), Sam Gallagher (42), and Justin Strom (44) also scored for the Rocketeers while Tyler Wetherbee had a 41 for Milford.

Stoughton, 147 @ Sharon, 136 – Final (7 holes)

Medway, 185 @ Franklin, 165 – Final – Franklin notched its 11th straight win of the season with a non-league decision over Medway. Jack Paterson earned match medalist honors with a 39 while Pat Dolan added a 41 and Sean Connelly finished with a 42.

09/23/201909/25/2019

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/24/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro senior Dylan Barreira and sophomore Matt Angelini each scored once to lead the hosts to a win over Stoughton. Nolan Gerome made 11 saves in net for the Black Knights.

Franklin, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game.

Mansfield, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Kevin Louhis scored and had an assist to help the Tigers earn two points against visiting Mansfield. Louhis set up classmate Anthony DaCosta in the 30th minute to put the hosts ahead. Louhis then added an insurance goal in the 70th minute, running onto a through ball from Colin Milliken and finishing in alone on the keeper to make it 2-0. Anthony Salisbury had a strong game in net, making 18 saves.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Four different players scored for Foxboro as the Warriors picked up two points on the road. Jordyn Collins and Katelyn Mollica scored in the first half for Foxboro while Lizzy Davis and Kailee McCabe netted second half strikes. Jordan Carman, McCabe, and Mollica each had an assist in the win. Mackenzie Manning scored for Stoughton while Brianna Buckley had a strong game in net for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – The Panthers made their possession count in the second half with a pair of goals to seal a league win. Erin Quaile opened the scoring midway through the second half and Sydney St. Marie added the second from the spot inside the final 10 minutes. Taunton goalie Grace Pimenta kept the Tigers in the game with numerous saves. Breanna Atwood made four saves to keep a clean sheet.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to lead the Tigers to a win on the road. Sophomore Katie Gibson finished off a cross from classmate Lauren Sellmayer midway through the first half to put the visitors up 1-0. Erin Holmberg curled in a corner kick in the 54th minute to make it 2-0. Sophomore Emily Meyers made six saves in net to earn the win while sophomores Caroline Peper and Allison Evin had strong showings for OA.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – An early penalty kick gave Milford the advantage and the Hawks made it count with a big division win. Ashleigh Starks converted from the spot to put the Hawks up 1-0, and Juliana France converted off a corner kick as Milford led 2-0 at the break. Freshman Dani Atherton added a goal in the second half while Carly Ferreira played well in net for Milford. Melissa McDermott, Abby Valdez, Caroline Ferrin, and Ari Rice all had strong games for the Rocketeers.

Field Hockey
Foxboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro’s Madison Ellis scored on an assist from Sarah McMahon in the 39th minute.

Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Canton junior Meghan LaBelle and sophomore Erin Lane each scored to help the Bulldogs pick up a win on the road at Mansfield. Alex Burnham scored for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip sophomore Christina Gifun opened the scoring with seven minutes left in the first half and the Warriors scored four more in a win over visiting Stoughton. Junior Abby Nixon scored once and added two assists, while senior Raegan Simeone, junior Kayla O’Brien, and freshman Lauren Barriero each scored once. Senior Grace May earned the shutout for KP.

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton had four different players find the back of the cage in a win at home over visiting Milford. Braeley MacDonald, Meaghan DeCouta, Alana Tavares, and Kat Robinson each scored for the Tigers while Jocelyn Pagliuca and Haylee Hartung played well in the win. Paige Reisman had 15 saves for Milford.

Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro rallied from a 2-1 deficit, winning the last two sets to grab its second straight 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 10-25, 25-12, 15-12) win. Kelsey Treweek (11 digs) had eight service points and three aces to help the visitors close out the fifth game. Maddie O’Brien added 19 assists, Pam Nelson had 13 digs, Shakirah Ketant put down seven kills, and Grace Boudreau finished with 17 service points (five aces) and 11 kills for the Warriors.

Canton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Canton rallied from a two-game deficit, winning three straight to steal a 3-2 (15-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16, 15-9) decision on the road. Taylor Harris continued to dominate at the net with 18 kills along with three aces, Angie Elias added six blocks and six kills, and Jackie Morrissey dished out 31 assists to go with four kills. Mansfield’s Alina Nowakowski paced the Hornets with 10 kills, Olivia McGrath and Julia Kelly each added even kills, and Sam Sternburg grabbed 17 digs.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a win in the third set to keep the match going but Franklin finished off the win in the fourth set to grab a 3-1 (25-15, 25-11, 20-25, 25-17) victory on the road. Allyson Bonnet-Eymard had a great game for the Panthers, slamming down 18 kills while sophomore Cailyn Mackintosh dished out 32 assists in the win. Grace Munley had seven kills for North while Eliza Dion added eight digs.

Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-2, 25-21) of the visiting Black Knights. Junior Emma Brooks continued to be a force at the service line, registering 13 aces to go along with 10 digs while Catherine Waldeck (13 kills) and Ali McNamara (four kills) paced the Warriors’ offense at the net.

Milford @ Taunton, 5:00

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-14) win at home, the team’s eighth straight win. Junior Sarah Morley had a strong showing for the Tigers with 10 digs and four aces, Allie Kemp registered 29 assists, and Jordan Bosse played well offensively with 13 kills and four aces.

Boys Cross Country
Attleboro, 36 @ Oliver Ames, 21 – Final – Oliver Ames had four of the top five finishers in a win over visiting Attleboro. Junior Kyle Sarney took first place in 16:47.6 while Attleboro junior Nathan Seybert took second overall in 17:08.8.

Results: 1. Kyle Sarney, OA (16:47.6) 2. Nathan Seybert, Att (17:08.8) 3. Owen McMorrow, OA (17:19.3) 4. Rory McLaughlin, OA (17:26.1) 5. Owen Nipoti, OA (17:57.7) 6. Ethan Sylvia, Att (18:02.2) 7. Francis Wenner, Att (18:03.3) 8. Joey Looney, OA (18:10.3) 9. Neil Bowie, Att (18:18.7) 10. David Fiedorczyk, OA (18:38.7)

Canton @ Stoughton, 3:45

Foxboro, 43 @ Milford, 20 – Final – Foxboro’s Ryan Proulx won the race but Milford had the next seven runners cross the finish line to get the win as a team. Proulx won the race in 16:12 while senior Max Manor (16:31) was the Hawks’ top runner, taking second overall.

Results: 1. Ryan Proulx, Fox (16:12) 2. Max Manor, Mil (16:31) 3. Liam Bennett, Mil (17:46) 4. Samuel Vilt, Mil (17:57) 5. James Comisky, Mil (17:59) 6. Gabriel Pardo Cota, Mil (18:02) 7. Mark Butters, Mil (18:06) 8. Andres Alvzrez-Romero, Mil (18:23) 9. Nate Palter, Fox (18:28) 10. Gabe Soares, Mil (19:48)

Mansfield, 31 @ Franklin, 24 – Final – Franklin had the first two runners cross the finish line, and four of the top six, to pick up a win over visiting Mansfield. Senior Tyler Brogan won the race in 16:54 with junior Nicholas Calitri shortly behind for second place (16:59).

Results: 1. Tyler Brogan, Frank (16:54) 2. Nicholas Calitri, Frank (16:59) 5. Camden Harrington, Frank (17:37) 6. Declan Walmsley, Frank (17:56) 10. Clancy Golden, Frank (18:16).

King Philip @ Taunton, 3:45

Sharon, 19 @ North Attleboro, 40 – Final – Sharon took five out of the top seven spots, and seven out of the top 10, to earn a win on the road at North Attleboro. Mark Starovoytov won the race in 17:02 for the Eagles while North Attleboro’s Daniel Nobrega took third overall as the Rocketeers’ top runner.

Results: 1. Mark Starovoytov, Shar (17:02) 2. Jordan Saks, Shar (17:05) 3. Daniel Nobrega, NA (17:15) 4. Bradley Weiss, Shar (17:18) 5. James Kong, Shar (17:19) 6. Chris Galligan, NA (17:32) 7. Siddharth Reddy, Shar (17:46) 8. Griffin Gouch, NA (18:12) 9. Jacob Dubin, Shar (18:15) 10. Michael Williams, Shar (18:21)

Girls Cross Country

Attleboro, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 21 – Final – Oliver Ames juniors Meghan Reardon and Catherine O’Donnell were the first two finishers and the Tigers claimed six of the top eight spots in a win over Attleboro. Reardon won in 20:28.6 while O’Donnell was shortly behind at 20:36.7. Junior Kelly Neunendorf (21:01.7) took third overall.

Results: 1. Meghan Reardon, OA (20:28.6) 2. Catherine O’Donnell, OA (20:36.7) 3. Kelly Neunendorf, Att (21:01.7) 4. Kimberly Esteban, Att (21:24.1) 5. Julia Sarro, OA (22:36.0) 6. Ava Lerman, OA (23:35.9) 7. Kiersten Chan, OA (23:38.4) 8. Rachel Davis, OA (23:59.5) 9. Jazlyn Miller-Villanueva, Att (24:07.8) 10. Haley Braga, OA (24:13.9)

Canton @ Stoughton, 3:45

Foxboro, 28 @ Milford, 28 – Final – Foxboro and Milford split the points with 28 apiece but the Warriors earned the win via tiebreaker. Abby Hassman (19:41) won the race by over a minute while Jenn Yeomans took third for the Warriors. Milford’s Emma Lawrence took second overall at 20:51 while the Hawks took fourth through sixth.

Results: 1. Abby Hassman, Fox (19:41) 2. Emma Lawrence, Mil (20:51) 3. Jenn Yeomans, Fox (21:06) 4. Lexi Marcolini, Mil (21:27) 5. Kerry O’Connor, Mil (21:40) 6. Sara Comisky, Mil (21:59) 7. Emily Steele, Fox (22:35) 8. Isabel Hallal, Fox (22:48) 9. Anya Doherty, Fox (22:55) 10. Sophia Sougaris, Fox (23:15).

Mansfield, 37 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Mansfield had the first runner cross the line but Franklin had the next four to earn a win at home. Captains Sarah Giuliano and Sidney Hawkins took second and third, respectively for the Panthers while Caitlin Casey was fourth, Charlene Peng crossed fifth, and Lily Duffy was seventh overall. Mansfield’s Tessa Lancaster won the race in 20:38.

Results: 1. Tessa Lancaster, Mans (20:38) 2. Sarah Giuliano, Frank 3. Sidney Hawkins, Frank 4. Caitlin Casey, Frank 5. Charlene Peng, Frank 6. Emma Lamson, Mans (22:26) 7. Lily Duffy, Frank 8. Anne Riley, Mans (23:04) 10. Jess Alestock, Mans (23:26)

King Philip, 26 @ Taunton, 29 – Final – King Philip’s Maya Evans and Ava Pisani finished first and second, respectively, to help the Warriors win a close race on the road. Nia Mainer-Smith was Taunton’s top runner, taking third overall.

Results: 1. Maya Evans, KP (20:29) 2. Ava Pisani, KP (21:45) 3. Nia Mainer-Smith, Taun (22:05) 4. Meg Sherwood, KP (22:13) 9. Abigail Simmons, KP (22:38) 10. Dayna Aubin, KP (23:02)

Sharon, 25 @ North Attleboro, 32 – Final – Sharon swept the top three spots and added a key seventh place finish to earn a close win over North Attleboro. The Eagles’ Daphne Theiler (19:54), Juliana Dudziak, and Eliana Boxerman were the top three finishers while North’s Emily Manning clocked in at 21:05 to take fourth overall.

Results: 1. Daphne Theiler, Shar (19:54) 2. Juliana Dudziak, Shar (19:55) 3. Eliana Boxerman, Shar (19:59) 4. Emily Manning, NA (21:05) 5. Olivia Forbes, NA (21:06) 6. Melissa Sapini, NA (21:09) 7. Margaret Li, Shar (21:10) 8. Shruti Srinivasan, NA (21:18) 9. Catherine Hanewich, NA (22:06) 10. Natalie Kaiser, NA (22:38).

Golf
Attleboro, 180 @ Franklin, 161 – Final – Franklin’s Jack Paterson was the lone golfer to shoot under 40 in the match, earning medalist honors with a 38 to help the Panthers earn a win. Quinten Faro and Jack MacKinnon each shot a 40 while Pat Dolan added a round of 43. Jack Handy led Attleboro with a 43 while Brian Houle added a 45.

Mansfield, 150 @ Milford, 188 – Final – The Hornets had a strong day on the links with five golfers finishing under 40 in a win over Milford. Brian See shot a one-over par round of 36 to earn medalist honors, Joseph Gormely added a 37, Ryan Dow finished with a 38, and Jason See and Nate Morreale each finished with a 39.

Stoughton, 209 @ Foxboro, 163 – Final – Foxboro’s Noah Hicks sank one birdie and had four pars on the day, finishing at 39 to earn match medalist honors and pace the Warriors to a win at home. Matt Lathrop and Jack Rounds each had four pars and finished at 41 while Matt Fossella (four pars) finished at 42. Patrick Smith led Stoughton with a 46.

Taunton, 194 vs. New Bedford, 203 – Final – Taunton’s Sean Bunker shot a team-low 45 to pace the Tigers to a win.

09/11/201910/21/2019

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/11/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Field Hockey
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final

Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin took the lead just over 10 minutes into the game and added a pair of insurance goals in the final 12 minutes of the game to beat visiting Canton. Freshman Kaitlyn Carney put the Panthers ahead with an unassisted tally in the 11th minute. Carney took a feed from Stephanie Bell and finished, making it 2-0 with just over 10 minutes to go. Amanda Lewandowski gave the Panthers breathing room, scoring with less than eight minutes to go on assists from Carney and Leila Frankina. Canton freshman Ellie Bohane got the Bulldogs on the board with just over two minutes to play. Neilee Hess made three saves in net for the Panthers while Riley O’Connor turned away seven shots for Canton.

Foxboro, 1 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Jaime Notarangelo scored the lone of the goal to give the Warriors the win, the 200th victory for head coach Melissa Bordieri.

Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip senior captain Raegan Simeone opened the scoring just over 12 minutes into the game while teammates Sammy Robison and Abby Nixon each recorded two points in the Warriors’ win over Milford. Robison scored twice while Nixon had a goal and an assist in the win. KP coach Lisa Cropper said Charlotte Colella played an outstanding game in her debut at center back. Milford goalie Paige Reisman made 18 saves for the Scarlet Hawks.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield’s Abby Varricchione and Fiona Katz each scored a pair of goals to lead the Hornets to a big win at home over visiting Sharon. Stori Rounds and Lindsay Devine also scored for Mansfield in the win.

Volleyball
Stoughton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final

Canton, 3 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Foxboro picked up its first road win of the year with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-22) win at Taunton. The Warriors had an impressive day at the service line as Grace Fortune (seven digs) had 17 service points and six aces and Sara Addeche finished with 12 service points and four aces. Maddie O’Brien dished out 12 assists, Grace Boudreau (11 kills) and Emma Keefe (four kills) paced the offense, and Pam Nelson (eight digs) had a strong day defensively.

Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip defended home court against Milford with a 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-22) win. Nicole Coughlan (two blocks) and Catherine Waldeck (block) paced the Warriors’ offense with 10 kills apiece while Emma Brooks (seven digs) had a terrific day serving with 10 aces.

Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield picked up its third win in as many tries with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-12) win over the visiting Eagles of Sharon High. Olivia McGrath (11 service points, four kills) and Julia Buiser (12 service points) both had strong showings at the service line while Alina Nowakowski finished with six kills.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames opened its home schedule with a clean sweep of the visiting Rocketeers, winning 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-14). Junior Caroline Flynn had a strong day offensively with 12 kills, senior Alison Barth had 33 digs and a pair of aces, and senior Allison Kemp dished out 26 assists to go along with five aces.

Golf
Foxboro, 158 @ Stoughton, 182 – Final – Foxboro won its fifth straight match to start the season with a win over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Dylan Quinn, Matt Lathrop, and Noah Hicks split medalist honors, each shooting 39 for the Warriors. Anthony Hearn led Stoughton with a low round of 43 while Max Huminik carded a 44.

Milford, 172 @ Oliver Ames, 143 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Tate Hadges shot nine pars to finish at an even 34 to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting Milford. Justin Shapiro also had a strong showing for OA with a round of 35.

Sharon, 196 @ Mansfield, 150 – Final – Mansfield’s Ryan Dow earned medalist honors for the second straight match, this time carding a low round of 36 to pace the Hornets at home. Brian See shot a one-over 37, Jason See followed right behind with a 38, and Ava Haggis had a strong day with a 39 for Mansfield.

Taunton, 202 @ Franklin, 158 – Final – Franklin captain Jack Paterson had his best round of the season, earning medalist honors with an even par 35 to lead the Panthers past Taunton. Nolan Norton followed with a 40, Pat Dolan added a 41, and Brian Sandham finished with a 42.

09/07/201909/07/2019

Field Hockey: 2019 Hockomock League Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Field Hockey Preview

Attleboro

2018 Record: 6-11-1
2018 Result: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Lindsay Antunes
The Bombardiers are looking to climb off the foot of the Kelley-Rex division standings this fall and challenge for a return to the state tournament. With a number of players making the move up after successful seasons on JV, Attleboro coach Lindsay Antunes is confident that her team will have the firepower to compete with the league’s top teams this year.

Senior Anna Beck will lead the way for Attleboro again this fall. The midfielder led the team in scoring last year and was one of the top scorers in the Hock, and she will be counted on to open up chances for her teammates. Junior Campbell Compton will add to the midfield group with her playmaking and stick skills. Junior Kiera Murray will be the lynchpin of the defensive unit, providing leadership at the back. The forwards are going to be a combination of returning players and new faces that are expected to provide additional scoring this season.

“Though spots are still being established and player combinations being determined,” Antunes said, “we are confident that this year’s offensive line is going to make a significant impact on the league.”

Canton

2018 Record: 15-4-1
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Chrissy O’Connor
Canton finished just one point shy of back-to-back league titles and for the second season in a row saw its season ended by the eventual South champion, but the Bulldogs remain one of the teams to beat in the Davenport thanks to a roster filled with returning, experienced players ready to make another tournament run.

Midfield will be an area of strength for the Bulldogs this season with senior Kaitlyn Goyetch back to create scoring chances for her teammates. She was second on the team in scoring last year and is capable of opening up space for the attackers. Juniors Maria Femia and Meghan LaBelle will help Goyetch out in the middle of the field, adding to both the attack and the defense, and senior Meg Aldrich provides energy to push the team on both ends of the field. Junior Riley O’Connor returns in goal to shore up the defense. The attack will certainly miss leading score Maggie Malloy, but there are a number of players that are ready to step in and try to make up for that loss of production.

“Canton field hockey is excited for the regular season to begin,” said head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “Our captains Kaitlyn Goyetch, Meg Aldrich and Rose Malloy along with several key returning players will be major contributors to our success this season. We are working towards a strong showing in the always competitive Hockomock League”

Foxboro

2018 Record: 17-2-1
2018 Result: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Melissa Bordieri

The Foxboro Warriors will have almost an entirely new look this season after graduating 10 starters and 14 seniors overall.

While it will be almost an entirely new team, there is definitely plenty of talent and a lot of team speed. Jaime Notarangelo is the lone starter to return and will see time at both center forward because of her goal-scoring abilities plus time at center mid because of her distribution skills. Ella Waryas will see a significant increase in her role in the midfield alongside Molly McElhinney. Anna Marcucella and Mikayla Cloherty will see time both in the midfield and defensively for head coach Melissa Bordieri, who is still moving all the pieces around in search of the right combination. Lauren Foster is a team captain and will be tasked with anchoring the defense while junior Hannah Trombley and sophomore Lily Jones battle for minutes in goal. Kate Collins picked up some valuable minutes last year and will be relied on offensively alongside Olivia Simoneau.

“We still have a lot of talent, it’s just a matter of piecing together who fits where and who works well together,” Bordieri said. “We are a tenacious team so we are optimistic about the season.”

Franklin

2018 Record: 13-6-2
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Michelle Hess
After finishing second in the Kelley-Rex division and making a run to the Div. 1 South semifinal, where they led perennial power Walpole by two goals with 10 minutes remaining, Franklin wants to build on that momentum and return to the top of the league standings for the first time in three seasons. The experience of last year’s run, which included finishing on an 11-2-2 run, has confidence brimming through the program.

The loss of do-everything midfielder Cassi Ronan will certainly hurt, as well as defender Emily Valentino and goalie Christina Luccini, but the Panthers still have a solid foundation of returning standouts to rely on. Senior Maeve Ledwith will continue to lead the defensive unit and is one of the league’s top distributors out of the back. Junior Amanda Lewandowski saved her best for the end of the season and playoffs and will be one of the team’s top attackers. Freshman Kaitlyn Carney is expected to contribute right away and possibly ease the loss of Ronan from the midfield. Junior Neilee Hess will take over between the pipes.

“The players worked very hard in the offseason, and I am proud of them for their dedication and determination,” said Franklin coach Michelle Hess. “I look forward to watching this team come together and earn a top spot in the Hockomock League along with another deep run in the tournament.”

King Philip

2018 Record: 18-2-1
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Lisa Cropper
After winning the league and South titles in 2017, the Warriors made a coaching change. After making it back-to-back Kelley-Rex crowns and getting back to the South semifinal last season, the Warriors are making another change on the sideline. Former Franklin coach Lisa Cropper is back in the Hock after two years at Dean College and she will be trying to keep the momentum going for KP this fall.

While the Warriors dominated the league in goals scored last year, thanks in large part to HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Alli Meehan, and that drew a lot of attention, but the Warriors were even more impressive defensively, allowing only 15 goals in 21 games. Senior Sammy Robison is back to hold down things on defense along with classmate Grace May and junior Mackenzie Manning, who may end up sharing duties in goal. Sophomore Christina Gifun and junior Paige Berdos will drive the team in the midfield.

In addition to the graduation of Meehan, KP will be without reigning Underclassman of the Year Meghan MacDonald, who transferred to Tabor Academy. Senior Raegan Simeone and juniors Abby Nixon and Grace Crocker will be counted on to try and make up that production in the attack.

“We have a lot of really solid players with no real superstars, which should give us a very balanced team,” said Cropper.

Mansfield

2018 Record: 9-8-2
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Theresa Nyhan
The Hornets are only four years removed from back-to-back league titles and a trip to the South final and the experience on this year’s roster gives Mansfield hope that another deep tourney run could be on the cards. With seniors in every layer of the field and talented underclassmen to fill in the depth, the Hornets look like a serious contender at the top of the Kelley-Rex division standings.

In attack, Mansfield will count on a speedy trio of seniors to try and boost the goal totals. Paige Peterson, Becca Hottleman and Gabby Devlin are all back on the front line. In midfield, Kelly Doherty and Grace Doyle provide the engine that pushes the Hornets forward, while also providing the necessary cover for the defense. Senior Kayla Hunter is back in goal and will try to organize the back line, which will include seniors Grace Maher, Mallory Burke, and Angela Burnham.

“Overall we have a good balance of juniors and seniors at each level,” said Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhan. “We should be able to keep fresh legs on the field at all times. Looking forward to a good season.”

Milford

2018 Record: 2-14-2
2018 Result: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Katie Blackburn
The Hawks have a number of players returning who have several years of varsity experience and will try to blend in players that are making the leap from JV in order to improve from last year’s two-win season, which included five games that Milford lost by only one or two goals.

Senior goalie Paige Reisman will be the key on the defensive end, solidifying a back line that will see several new faces that are trying to get up to varsity speed. Her communication and vision will help the newcomers be ready for opposing attacks. Senior Megan Hart is also back on defense to add leadership in front of Reisman. Junior Olyvia White can play in midfield or defense, while senior Kathryn Swineford will try to push the Hawks into the attack from the middle of the field.

“We have a lot of returning players on offense that have experience playing together,” said Milford coach Katie Blackburn. “This experience will help in creating an offensive attack throughout games. The players have worked hard this offseason to improve on skills and come into the season conditioned.”

North Attleboro

2018 Record: 6-10-2
2018 Result: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Karen Folan
The Rocketeers are hoping that an experienced lineup will be the key to challenge the top teams in the Davenport division and also to make a return to the state tournament. North Attleboro only missed out on a playoff spot by four points last season and there is the potential to make a bigger push this fall.

Senior Emma Strachan will be in her third year as the starting goalie and will continue to lead the defensive unit. Senior Lindsay Robinson heads into her second year as a force in the North midfield and senior Michelle Pothier will start her third year generating offense as one of the starting forwards. Senior Grace Cole adds speed on the wings to open space for the attack and senior Faith Graveline will move into the midfield from defense, adding another layer of cover for the back line and another weapon in the offensive circle.

“We have a solid group of returning varsity players for the 2019 season,” said North coach Karen Folan. “We hope to utilize our knowledge and experience to come out strong at the start of the season and continue to build on our strengths as the season moves forward.”

Oliver Ames

2018 Record: 8-9-2
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Sharon Lawrence
While Oliver Ames brings back 11 returning players from last year’s playoff team, the Tigers remain relatively young, with a strong junior class anchoring the team throughout the roster. That level of experience gives OA the potential to make noise in the loaded Kelley-Rex division and be competitive with the perennial title challengers.

The offensive unit is deep and expectations are high for an improvement on last year’s 31 goals scored as a team. Juniors Haley Gilman and Hannah Stryke and seniors Maura Kiernan, Ellie Waters, and Cassie Gennis will all play up top and are all capable of making plays inside the offensive circle. Several younger players will get the chance to impress right away, including sophomores Ava Costello and Lily Gaskill and freshman Julia Maclaine.

Junior Maggie Woods is the leader of the midfield group, constantly finding herself around the ball and propelling the Tigers forward. Sophomore Georgia Costello will join her in the middle of the field. Juniors Emily Han and Emily Dionne will lead the defense, while juniors Abbey Boyce and Courtney Lake are newcomers to the defense that will contribute right away. Senior Kara Ostrander and junior Peyton Phillips are both capable of being the starter in goal.

“The team shows improvement in skill and confidence from last season after a strong off-season commitment to the game,” said OA coach Sharon Lawrence. “We have a deep bench with lots of talent in the forward and midfield lines to keep legs fresh and performance strong, giving us good game endurance.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 0-18-0
2018 Result: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Ashley Courville
After a winless season, with no goals scored, there is plenty of room for improvement for the Eagles this fall. Sharon ended that goalless stretch in the opening game of the season against Norwell and there is an increased level of confidence that the program is mixing in more experienced players with newcomers that can help make the team more competitive this year.

The defense will be led by an experienced corps of players. Seniors Holly Davis, Blaize Hanna, and Anya Lane are all back to solidify a back line that reduced the goals allowed by 27 from 2017 to 2018. Senior Lauren Glass will be the team’s primary playmaker in midfield and she will get help from junior Jenna Goldstein. There are a lot of new faces in the attack, including sophomore Ashley Young, who got Sharon’s first goal of the season in the opener. Juniors Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker will also chip in up front.

Sharon coach Ashley Courville said, “Our strengths on defense this season are consistency and strength. We have a handful of returning players back on defense giving us stability. Our offensive strengths are added speed leading to the ability to carry the ball on the field more effectively.”

Stoughton

2018 Record: 7-11-2
2018 Result: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Dan Mark
The Black Knights would love to make a push for a playoff appearance this fall and Stoughton will rely on is experience in midfield and attack to overcome some of its inexperience in defense to try and make that run possible.

In the midfield, seniors Skylar Carroll, Madison Araujo, and Juliana Rush give the Black Knights speed and stick skills to push forward and make the transitions that will break down opposing defenses. In the attack, senior Brittni Paul and juniors Haley Nelson and Sarah McGrath have a nose for being in the right spots around the goal to create scoring chances. While the defense is relatively new, junior Kayla Laboy will be back between the pipes to add leadership and organization at the back.

Stoughton coach Dan Mark said, “We have a good nucleus of returning players, but do have some inexperience defensively. I think the key to our team will be a strong offense.”

Taunton

2018 Record: 8-7-4
2018 Result: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Liz Hathaway
The Tigers have made great strides as a program, becoming a regular in the state tournament and competing with the top teams in the Hock, but after graduating 10 seniors Taunton will have its work cut out to make sure that another playoff berth is secured this fall.

Junior forward Alana Tavares will carry a lot of the scoring load for the Tigers this season. Tavares led the team in scoring last year and showed that she can also play in the midfield to create opportunities for teammates. Senior Kathryn Robinson will move up from defense into the midfield and her stick skills added to her defensive mindset will give the Tigers cover on both ends of the field. In defense, junior Jocelyn Pagliuca returns to provide leadership and cover in the back line with her ability to step into a challenge.

“We graduated 10 seniors last year and have many players stepping up for this season,” said Taunton coach Liz Hathaway.

06/10/2019

Taunton Starts Title Defense with Shutout of KP

Taunton softball — Taunton senior Jaime Brown makes a play on a KP bunt in the opening round of the state tournament. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

TAUNTON, Mass. – Defending state champion Taunton kicked off its title defense on Monday night at Jack Tripp Field against a familiar foe. It is never easy to play a team three times in a season, especially when it is a league rival and annual competitor for the league title.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Tigers made it a clean sweep against King Philip and earned their third shutout of the Warriors this season, earning a 4-0 victory and getting started on the road to a potential repeat.

“First game of the tournament is always tough,” said Taunton coach Dave Lewry about facing an atypical No. 15 seed in the opening round. “We’ve been there before but all the kids were saying they had the butterflies and were a little nervous early on, so get this out of the way and we can move onto tomorrow.”

Senior outfielder Alexa White added, “It’s definitely a relief to have the first one in the books. We have a young team, so we made sure to talk to them yesterday at practice to be prepared that the atmosphere is different, everything’s different, so you need to keep the energy up and you need to relax, at the plate or in the field.”

King Philip (13-9) had been outscored 19-0 in two regular season meetings with Taunton, but the Warriors came into Monday confident that they could pull the upset and had an early chance to get on the board. Raegan Simeone bunted for a hit with one out in the first and then stole second. After a strikeout, Liliana Rolfe walked to put two on base, but Taunton starter Kelsey White snagged a comebacker by her opposite number, Faith Turinese, to end the inning.

The Warriors wouldn’t have another base runner until a one-out single by Rolfe in the fourth. Rolfe was controversially called out on a steal attempt and a pop up to first baseman Tayah DaCosta ended the threat.

“It’s been a struggle against most quality pitchers,” Beauchemin said about the lack of offense. “You’ve got to get that key hit, but we didn’t have many hits to begin with.”

Taunton wasted no time jumping in front. JJaime Brown led off the bottom frame with a double to right center. Abigail McDonough dropped down a bunt to move Brown to third and a wild pitch allowed her to come home with what would turn out to be the game-winning run.

Beauchemin said, “You can’t make any mistakes against this team. They’re as strong as they were last year, if not stronger.”

It stayed 1-0 until the third inning. With one out Brown drew a walk and again McDonough dropped down a bunt to move her into scoring position. Hanna Aldrich, who was robbed of a single in the first by KP shortstop Meghan Gorman, lined a base hit to left to double the lead.

Lewry said, “I just had a feeling it was going to be one of those games, so we want to get runs any way we can, chip away one at a time if we have to and it seemed to work out.”

In the fourth Taunton gave itself a cushion with a two-out rally. Turinese got a pair of fly balls, including one to deep center by Kelsey White, and seemed to be cruising through another inning, but Paige Silvia took a pitch off her thigh. Alexa White followed with a triple that was crushed into the gap in left center. White scored on a double by eighth grader Ava Venturelli.

“It brings the confidence in the next batter up to keep it going and it definitely gets the girls pumped,” said Alexa White about the importance of two-out rallies.

There was one more threat by the Warriors in the seventh, as they tried to keep their season alive. Rolfe was hit by a pitch with one out, reaching base for the third straight time, and Turinese hustled to beat out an infield single. Taunton’s defense made the plays it needed to with Aldrich and Brown grabbing grounders and getting the outs to seal the win.

“I think the kids gave a very good representation today, we played hard,” said Beauchemin. “We’re not young, but we’re inexperienced and I think next year we’re going to be a very formidable team.”

Lewry praised the Warriors and was happy to get through a third meeting with KP. He said, “I think they’re a much better team than they were at the beginning of the season and I thought they played an excellent game tonight. Their defense was good, their pitching was real good, and they just had some trouble hitting Kelsey, which is good for us.”

When asked if things felt any different entering the playoffs defending last year’s title, White said that the Tigers were just trying to focus on the moment rather than the ultimate destination.

“We’ve got a tough road ahead, we know that, but I think we have the talent to do it,” she said. “It’s about pulling everything together with clutch hits and keeping those rallies going. We have the mentality to take every game one step at a time. Just focus on the game you’re playing.”

Taunton (21-2) will host No. 10 seed Marshfield on Tuesday night at Jack Tripp Field.

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06/09/2019

Warriors Walk Off With Win Over Visiting Whalers

King Philip softball Ryann Stagg — King Philip junior Ryan Stagg smiles as she’s greeted by teammates after driving in the game-winning run. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

PLAINVILLE, Mass. – The 15th-seeded King Philip softball team was just one out away from a hard fought victory over #18 New Bedford when the task at hand became a bit more difficult.

The Whalers, limited to just three hits through six innings by KP senior pitcher Faith Turinese, suddenly had an offensive surge. Down to the final out and trailing 3-1, New Bedford smacked three consecutive doubles leading to two runs to knot the score and extend the game

But the game didn’t last much longer. The Warriors, seemingly unfazed by the rally from the visitors, had an immediate response in the bottom of the seventh. Destiny Goyco was hit by a pitch to put the winning run on base. Ryann Stagg, the nine hitter, fell behind 0-2 but drilled the third pitch she saw into the gap in left field, and with the outfield playing in, courtesy runner Heather Nix sprinted around the bases and all the way home to give King Philip a 4-3 walk-off win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It’s never easy,” quipped KP skipper Norm Beauchemin as the Warriors notched a tournament win for the fifth straight season. “[New Bedford] plays some good competition, they play a lot of people in the South Coast [Conference]. They usually try to play a pretty good schedule.

“They are tough kids, they have a great attitude. They work hard and they play hard, we’re no different than King Philip teams of the past in terms of attitude.”

Of the Whalers’ three hits prior to the seventh inning, two came in the opening frame. After Turinese (7IP, 6H, 1BB, 2ER, 7K) fanned the first batter of the game, New Bedford strung together back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Turinese got another strikeout, this one on a dropped third strike. With first occupied, the runner was automatically out but the Whalers were aggressive on the bases and the runner on second took off to third.

The throw from home was high, allowing the run to scamper home and just beat out a great throw from left fielder Liliana Rolfe and put the visitors up 1-0 early on.

From that point on, Turinese allowed just two bases runners between the second and sixth innings. After a leadoff walk in the second, Turinese retired eight straight before the Whalers had a pair of runners reach in the fifth on errors.

Meanwhile, senior Meghan Gorman was the catalyst on the offensive side of the ball. She was hit by a pitch in the first and stole both second and third with two outs but was stranded there. She was back at in the fourth inning, lacing a double to drive in Raegan Simeone, who had doubled in the at-bat before.

Rolfe wasn’t credited for an RBI on the next play but was certainly responsible for giving KP the lead. She reached on a bunt single, moving Gorman to third, With the infield in focusing on the bunt, Rolfe took off for second. Although the Whalers made the play at second, the throw allowed Gorman to sprint home for the go-ahead run.

“Two really smart players. You’re not going to find many players more heads up than Meg but Lil is not far behind at all. If you blink, they are taking a base. That’s a decision she made, and we’ve been an aggressive base-running team through the years. If they make the play and you’re out, but it was the right play, I’m good with it. “

An inning after taking the lead, a pair of errors threatened to give it back to New Bedford. Back-to-back mistakes put runners on first and second, and both runners advanced on a ground out to Turinese in the circle. Turinese got a ground ball and the Warriors were able to catch the runner on third off of the bag as Paige Berdos fired to Gorman for the tag. A fly ball to first baseman Anna Bradley ended the inning.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

KP tacked on another run just a half inning later, with Gorman coming through again. Berdos got things going with a two-out double and stole third before pinch hitter Madison Kelley drew a walk. Gorman smoked the first pitch she saw off the center field fence for an RBI double, putting the hosts up 3-1.

New Bedford got its first hit of the game since the first inning with a leadoff single in the sixth but the runner didn’t go any further as Turinese got three straight infield fly balls.

King Philip softball (13-9) advances to play at #2 Taunton (20-2) in the First Round of the MIAA D1 South tournament on Monday at 7:00. The Tigers won both regular season games, taking a 7-0 decision at PAL in early April and a 12-0 win at Jack Tripp Field in the regular season finale.