Teams of the Decade #4: 2013 Mansfield Boys Hoops

Mansfield boys basketball

Team: Mansfield Boys Basketball
Year: 2012-2013
Record: 25-3
2013 Kelley-Rex Division Champions
2013 Division 1 State Finalists


There are few teams that have had as much success as the Mansfield boys basketball program over the past decade. Not only have the Hornets been the class of the Hockomock League, but they’ve also won multiple sectional championships and a pair of trips to the state championship.

So there’s certainly a long list of impressive wins, but one that remains near the top of the Hornets’ resume is the 55-50 win over Central Catholic on the parquet floor inside the TD Garden in a state semifinal matchup. Timely shots, impressive defense, and a dramatic finish highlighted what head coach Mike Vaughan calls one of his most proud wins in his tenure at the helm.

The 2012-2013 Mansfield boys basketball team, which earned its first-ever appearance in the state championship game with that win over Central Catholic, was loaded with talent from top to bottom. A very talented sophomore group complemented a strong junior class and a handful of seniors that led the way.

“It was a team that had a little bit of everything,” Vaughan said of the 2013 squad that posted a 25-3 record. “We just really had no weaknesses with the exception of our youth. We had three sophomores playing a lot, three juniors that played a lot…as the season went on, we started to realize this team could win in a number of different ways and were super talented.

“And the other that really goes unmarked about this particular team, we had some guys at the end of this roster that didn’t necessarily play a whole lot who probably on other teams in the league or in the state probably would have played a lot of minutes. Guys like Cole Cummings and Zach Wisnieski, guys that were just great practice kids and great teammates. When they had the opportunity to play, they went in and played really hard and did everything we asked them to do. In any other varsity program, they would have played their fair share but this particular year we had some dynamite underclassman. But they were great teammates, great leaders, great in practice and they were unsung heroes for us.”

Greg Romanko was the lone senior in the starting lineup, a 6’3 forward that gave the Hornets leadership on the court, could stretch the floor with his shooting, and provided interior defense. Rocky DeAndrade, Kevin Conner, and Kyle Wisnieski played the most minutes among the junior class. DeAndrade took a huge step forward from his sophomore campaign and ran the show from the point, Wisnieski was one of the best defensive players in the area, and Conner provided a lot of flexibility, giving the Hornets size but his athleticism made him a tough matchup for opponents. Michael Hershman, who was selected as a league all star as a sophomore, played very limited minutes throughout the season due to injury.

And the sophomore class featured Brendan Hill, who went on to win the Hockomock League MVP that season, along with Ryan Boulter and Michael Boen. Hill was a true star on the court, with the size of a forward but could play any position on the court. Boulter emerged as an offensive boost off the bench as a sharpshooter while Boen was another defensive option as the season started.

But the importance of depth was a theme among the players too. DeAndrade stressed how important practice was and how the competition among one another helped improve the entire squad.

“Everyone had a role and everyone played it perfectly, and that’s from one through 15,” DeAndrade said. “A lot of our success we had that season comes from practice. It was the battles we had in practice, the guys getting the minutes on the court had to play better. The competitiveness…every drill was a battle. It didn’t matter if you were a starter or on the bench, it was all about winning. Everybody stepped at some point when we needed it. That’s what made it so tough to beat us, we always had an answer.

“Everyone had the same mission on the team, everyone was there to win. It sounds cliche but no one was there with a personal agenda, it was all about what can we do to help the team win that game. I think it was our chemistry, just how well we all played together and how it translated off the court. We all hung out even outside of basketball so we were around each other all the time. And we had all played together since middle school. We were so used to playing with each other.”

The Hornets started the season 4-0, sweeping its first three Hockomock League games by an average of over 25 points per game, as well as an impressive double-digit win over BC High. At the Shooting Touch tournament at Emmanuel College, Mansfield knocked off Amityville out of New York before suffering their first setback, a six-point loss to D2 power New Mission.

Mansfield got back on track in the new year, picking up 12-straight wins. The Hornets picked up a key 68-62 win over Taunton early in January and followed it up with one of their most impressive results of the year, a 65-42 win over rival Franklin. Mansfield clinched the Kelley-Rex title with their second close win over Taunton but just six days later, their winning streak came to a screeching halt at the hands of their rival Franklin.

The Panthers edged out the Hornets with a three-point win in overtime, splitting the regular season series. Despite suffering that loss, Mansfield was quick to correct things and five days later picked up a marquee win. In the RoundBall tournament, Mansfield hosted Wakefield, who was one of the favorites in D2 North. Mansfield notched a 69-46 win.

“At the end of the season, we played in the RoundBall tournament against Wakefield and Bruce Brown Jr., who went on to play in the NBA, and we dominated that game,” Vaughan said. “They were ranked higher in the city papers, they were one of the favorites for the North, and we dominated that team from start to end. It was one of my more proud games we played that year. At that point, it felt like the sophomores were playing like juniors, the juniors were playing like seniors, and the seniors were just great, playing with a veteran mentality. That’s when I thought we could do something special in the South section…but I never thought we would get beyond that or play in a state championship because it’s so hard to do, it’s not necessarily part of the thought process.

“So how did we get there? We had length, we were athletic, smart, we could do things game-to-game, adding things or taking things out, we had toughness, and we had basketball junkies. So you look back now and say, that was a pretty special team and that’s why.”

After knocking off Newton South in the opening round of the tournament, Mansfield ran into rival Franklin to settle the season series. The Hornets survived regulation, going into overtime after the Panthers had a chance to win it late, and eventually came away with a 57-48 win. DeAndrade was the star late, scoring 11 of his game-high 21 points between the fourth and overtime.

“We watched the film recently, it was an absolutely crazy game,” Vaughan said. “There’s a play that happened late, where if that ball goes in, we lose and Franklin wins. There was a time I asked Paul Connolly over at Newton North, who had won back-to-back state titles, I asked what’s the secret. He said you have to be good, you have to be disciplined, you have to be a well-oiled machine but you have to get lucky somewhere. For us, that definitely happened there. There were no secrets between us and Franklin, we already went into overtime before. If that game is different, then we’re not even talking about playing in the state championship.”

While the next two games were far from easy, the Hornets took care of business with a 68-50 win over Brookline behind some hot shooting from Boulter, and then a 57-45 win over North Quincy, sparked by its bench, to win the D1 South Sectional title.

Defense was the key to the game at the TD Garden as both Wisnieski and Boen took turns limiting Central Catholic star Tyler Nelson. Nelson, who was named to the Boston Herald’s All-Decade EMass starting lineup, was one of the most lethal scorers in Massachusetts this decade. In the end, it was Conner who came up with key baskets late to elevate Mansfield to the win.

“One thing I remember is the defense Kyle and Boen played on Nelson in the first half,” DeAndrade said. “I don’t know why it’s stuck with me, but after the game we all were on about the defense those two played. We made some big plays when we needed to, when they counted most and that’s why we were able to come out with the win.

“We just played great from the start,” Vaughan said. “Kevin Conner hit some big baskets for us, Michael Boen and Kyle Wisnieski did a tremendous job on Tyler Nelson. We played a near-perfect game for what you’d consider a perfect game for a high school game. We got contributions from almost everyone in that group. That was probably one of the best victories we’ve had in our program history.”

While the win over Central Catholic remains as one of the best in program history, the game that followed is one the Hornets wish they had a chance to play over. A team that averaged over 66 points per game throughout the course of the season had its worst shooting performance of the season, falling to Putnam in overtime, 50-47.

Mansfield’s defense did its part, holding the Beavers to just 17 points in the first half. But the Hornets couldn’t get things going in the second half and saw its halftime lead evaporate by the start of the fourth. And then things went from bad to worse as Mansfield trailed by seven late in the fourth as its offense sputtered (only nine second half points, 4-for-26 three point for the game).

A three-point play from Boen sparked the comeback, and the sophomore followed it up with another triple. After Putnam sank two free throws, Romanko battled to keep possession off of a miss and, on the ensuing inbounds play, Boulter was fouled while shooting the tying three with 7.5 seconds to go.

Despite all the pressure on the shoulders of a sophomore, Boulter delivered and sank all three free throws to force the extra period. Boulter connected on a pair of three’s in the overtime period as well, the second tying the game at 48-48. In the end, it was a pair of free throws from Ty Nichols with under 10 seconds to go that put Putnam ahead for good as Mansfield’s last second shot was off the mark.

“It was one of those nights, and that happens in sports,” Vaughan said. “It’s why you play the games, you can’t just walk in and win the game. I don’t think that particular game takes away from the level of talent this team had and what they were able to accomplish all year.”






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Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield boys basketball

Opponent
Result
SharonW, 70-51
AttleboroW, 73-40
King PhilipW, 69-45
BC HighW, 69-57
Amityville (NY)W, 65-58 (OT) (Recap)
New MissionL, 60-54
Oliver AmesW, 82-54 (Recap)
TauntonW, 68-62 (Recap)
FranklinW, 65-42
StoughtonW, 72-57 (Recap)
North AttleboroW, 69-30
CantonW, 81-46
AttleboroW, 69-36
BrocktonW, 66-41
King PhilipW, 58-26
FoxboroW, 90-43
MilfordW, 76-52 (Recap)
TauntonW, 45-41 (Recap)
FranklinL, 59-56 (OT)
North AttleboroW, 68-32
WakefieldW, 69-46
Dighton-RehobothW, 65-44
#17 Newton SouthW, 72-56
#9 FranklinW, 57-48 (OT) (Recap)
#12 BrooklineW, 68-50 (Recap)
#6 North QuincyW, 57-45 (Recap)
Central Catholic (State Semifinals)W, 55-50 (Recap)
Putnam (State Final)L, 50-48 (OT) (Recap)






Mansfield boys basketball


Mansfield’s Boulter Scores Milestone at Merrimack

Ryan Boulter
Former Hockomock League MVP Ryan Boulter drives to the basket in the season opener to score the 1,000th point of his Merrimack College career. (Jim Stankiewicz /Merrimack College Athletics)

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When the 2017-18 season ended against Bloomfield (N.J.) College in the semifinal of the East Regional, Ryan Boulter was just two points shy of the 1,000-point mark for his college career. The former Mansfield standout and Hockomock League MVP, who scored more than 1,300 points for the Hornets, wasted no time in reaching the milestone this year. In fact, it took only one shot.

The Merrimack College senior forward made a back cut down the right side of the lane for an easy layup just 30 seconds into the season opener against Holy Family University (Pa.). “I wanted to get it out of the way early, but I didn’t expect to get it on the first basket like I did,” Boulter said in a phone call on Friday morning.

Despite the milestone not having the same level of pomp and circumstance that chasing 1,000 points does in high school, for instance the game continued without a break, Boulter recognized the magnitude of the achievement. He said, “I knew I was two points away and all of my teammates knew about it. They all congratulated me during the game and after the game. It was pretty special.”

Boulter led the Warriors with 19 points in the 69-50 win over Holy Family and was the 45th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark (junior guard Juvaris Hayes also reached that mark last season). The milestone meant even more for Boulter because coming out of high school there were questions about his ability to play at the Div. II level. He received few looks from schools outside of Div. III until longtime Merrimack coach Bert Hammel (who passed away this October) offered him the chance to come to North Andover.

“A lot of people didn’t really expect me to play Div. II,” Boulter admitted. “I had a lot of Div. III offers, but a lot of people didn’t really recruit me for Div. II except Bert, so it’s really meant a lot for me to score 1,000 points here.”

It didn’t take Boulter long to prove that he deserved the chance to play in Div. II. The 6-foot-7 forward came off the bench in 23 games during his freshman season, averaging six points per game and shooting more than 38 percent from beyond the arc. Boulter took off in his sophomore season under new head coach Joe Gallo (who took over when Hammel retired), earning third team All-NE-10 honors as Merrimack’s leading scorer at 18 points per game.

There were high expectations coming into last season and Merrimack largely lived up them as a team, winning 20 games, but Boulter was sidelined for a dozen games in the middle of the season with a foot injury. Despite the setback and dealing with the first significant injury of his basketball career, he was still second on the team with more than 13 points per game and shot more than 43 percent from three-point range.

“It was pretty frustrating, coming back and missing about two months and trying to get your legs back into it,” he explained. “Having to play off the bench and having to play a certain amount of minutes was something I had to get used to but at the end of the season I started to get my feel back a little bit.”

The injury provided extra motivation for this season. The Warriors were ranked second in the preseason NE-10 coaches poll, behind St. Anselm, are expected to challenge for the conference title, and to make a run in the postseason. After missing time as a junior, Boulter is ready to get back to the all-conference level he reached as a sophomore.

He said, “It was really painful not being out there with the guys and it motivated me this off-season to really focus on my body, get it right to play a full season, and get this team to where we know we can be at the end of the year.”

The reason that expectations are so high for the Warriors is the depth on the team. Boulter said that this team is the deepest he has ever played with. He explained, “Especially in the starting five, everyone can shoot, dribble, pass, rebound, and we’ve got three or four guys coming off the bench who can do the same thing.”

Watch highlights of Merrimack running its offense and you see players constantly switching positions, spreading the floor, making cuts to the basket, and stretching the defense all across the court. “It’s incredible because we don’t care about who’s the leading scorer each game, we just care about winning and focusing on our goals,” Boulter said.

The Merrimack system also looks very similar to the offense that Boulter was part of at Mansfield, where he and the Hornets compiled a 72-9 record over his career, reached a state title game (where Boulter, just a sophomore, hit three free throws in the final seconds to force overtime against Putnam) and two sectional finals.

Boulter carried that culture of success, and the knowledge of what it takes to win games, into his collegiate career.

“Coach (Mike) Vaughan, that’s what he drilled into us every day in high school,” he said, “just focus on winning. It doesn’t matter if you’re in class or on the basketball court just focus on winning and having that mindset that you’re a winner.”

He added, “It makes it fun, even in practice, to have a great group of guys who just care about winning and don’t really care about their stats and all that.”

Last winter, Mansfield won its first ever state championship and Ryan’s younger brother Tyler played a critical role in the Hornets’ tournament run. Ryan had several close calls, including the overtime loss to Putnam in the final and a pair of thrilling match-ups with loaded Catholic Memorial teams in the South sectional, and he was excited for his brother being part of the first Hornets team to reach the pinnacle.

“I was very happy for him,” Boulter said. “He kind of had to live up to high expectation being my little brother, but I was really proud of him. He played his heart out and I was really happy that he won it.

“When I got there,” he continued, “I wasn’t really expecting to have the team really go far but [Coach Vaughan] really brings out the best in everyone and brings out that competitive nature in every practice. He really gets on us to get us where we want to be and he knows how great those teams can be. It’s amazing to see that program keep growing each and every year.”

It is only three games into the new season (Merrimack played Bentley on Saturday afternoon) but Boulter is already seeing signs that the Warriors can reach their goals this year – winning the NE-10 title and getting out of the East Regional. He pointed to the 72-42 win against Assumption on Wednesday night as an example of what the team can achieve.

“That’s probably the best defensive game we’ve played in my four years here,” he said. “If we focus on the defensive end for 40 minutes, then we’ll be very hard to beat because we know with our talent that our offense will come. If we can play as well as we did the other night on the defensive end then we can go really far this year.”

The season started with a personal milestone, but Ryan Boulter is focused on ending the season, and his Merrimack career, with an even bigger prize – the NE-10 title.

Ed. Note – Merrimack suffered a 65-59 loss at Bentley on Saturday to even its record at 2-2. Boulter scored six points in 37 minutes, shooting 2-of-6 from three.

Team Effort Helps Hornets Knock Out Visiting Brockton

Mansfield boys basketball
Sam Goldberg (4) was one of three Hornets in double figures against Brockton, scoring 15 points to help the Hornets advance to the final of the Roundball Classic. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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MANSFIELD, Mass. – Unlike some of the other teams that Mansfield will face on its state tournament run, the Hornets are not reliant on one or two scorers to power the offense. Instead, Mansfield utilizes its depth and can turn to a number of different players to score in its motion offense.

On Monday night in the nightcap of day one of the Roundball Classic against Brockton in the Albertini Gym, the Hornets showcased that depth with three players in double digits and 10 players on the scoresheet. Mansfield beat the Boxers 66-42 and advanced to the final of the tournament to face Weymouth.

“I’ve been out scouting the past couple days,” explained Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan. “Everyone’s talking about, it’s the single players versus the depth of the team and I think our scout is that the depth of our team is ultimately going to make this a potential team that can make a run.”

Even though a balanced attack is Mansfield’s strength, the Hornets also know that when they need baskets they can turn to senior Sam Goldberg. The forward put in another strong performance with a game-high 15 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists.

“I told him that he’s playing at an MVP-level right now,” said Vaughan. “He’s getting into a great rhythm, he’s not forcing it, he’s letting the game come to him.”

The Hornets controlled the game in the first quarter, but could not take advantage of the dominance because they could not make shots. Mansfield missed several layups and open looks from deep but still held a 12-6 lead behind four points each from Goldberg and classmate Phil Vigeant.

Mansfield broke the game wide open in the second. The Hornets closed out the half with a 13-2 run that opened up a 17-point lead by the break. Senior Benjamin Albanese got the run started with an offensive rebound in traffic, kicked it out to Max Boen who fired a pass to Vigeant for the layup.

Albanese added the next five points and then assisted on a three by Boen. Christian Weber finished the run with a drive to the basket for his lone hoop of the first half.

Vaughan said, “Their athleticism, I think, bothered us a little bit in the first quarter and probably made us play a little faster than we wanted. We settled down and saw the ball go through the bottom of the net a few times I think it changed the way we played.”

Brockton made a run to try and keep it close in the third quarter behind nine points from Quran Harris, but Mansfield continued to make the shots it needed, including Vigeant (12 points) drilling a three off a Weber pass to extend the lead back to 13.

“Phil’s just been steady all season,” said Vaughan. “He seems to be making a big shot when we need it the most. Tonight, we kind of felt like nothing was going right and then, bang, Phil steps up and knocks down a three at two different points of the game.”

Weber added a three-pointer and then Sam Hyland tossed an alley-oop to Goldberg. With just six seconds on the clock and the ball under the Brockton hoop, Mansfield turned to Weber to close out the quarter. The senior raced up court, weaved through traffic and hit a floater at the buzzer for a 46-30 lead.

“We had to talk to him at halftime and let him know that 1-for-6 and a couple of turnovers is not the way he needs to play,” said Vaughan. “He kept trying to force things to the basket…Once he made the three at the top of the key then everything started going for him.”

Weber (six assists) added five more of his 12 points in the fourth and Vigeant drilled another deep three. Ryan Otto and Goldberg each added four as the Hornets cruised to the victory and a spot in the final.

Mansfield (19-2, 15-1) will face Weymouth, coached by former Franklin head coach Dean O’Connor, in the final on Wednesday at 7:15.

The Campus Report: Winter 2017 Update

Hockomock Campus Report

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

Babson men’s basketball has been the top ranked DIII college program for a good portion of the season and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Franklin Panther Sam Bohmiller has played a vital role. The Beavers (21-1) are riding a 12-game winning streak heading into Saturday’s visit to Clark. Bohmiller has started in 20 games this season (missing two for an injury), averaging 29 minutes per game. Shooting at 53.4% from the field (49.2% from three point), Bohmiller is averaging 7.6 points per game as well as 2.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and nearly 1.0 steals per game.

Mansfield’s Joe Collins has had a terrific year for Southern New Hampshire’s hockey team through 26 games. A graduate student, Collins is second on the team with 11 goals, first on the team with 21 assists and leads the Penmen with 32 points. His +8 is second on the team and his three game-winning goals is tied for the most on the team. Collins is currently riding a three game point streak, recording two against Daniel Webster, one against Franklin Pierce and two against Framingham State. Collins will conclude his final regular season on Saturday in Foxboro against Stonehill.

Taunton graduate Angie Martinez etched her name into Mount Ida’s record books twice this season. In early December, Martinez became just the fourth women’s basketball player in program history to join the 1,000 point club. Less than a week later, Martinez became the first ever Mustang to record 1,000 rebounds. She then took her success to another level in January, hauling in her 1,125th career board, making her the all-time women’s rebounding leader in Great Northeast Athletic Conference history. For her senior season, she is third on the team with 9.1 points per game and leads the Mustangs with 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

Bridgewater State currently sits at 13-9 overall and 6-3 in MASCAC play, good enough for third. The Bears are coming off a win over league-leading Salem State in a game that saw Taunton grad Fawaz Mass drop a game-high 23 points and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Rocky DeAndrade chipping in with 16 points. Mass (16.2 ppg) and DeAndrade (14.4) are currently the top two in scoring for the Bears while Mansfield’s Greg Romanko, a captain is at 8.8 points per game and Milford’s Michael Soares is at 4.3 points per game. Mass is second on the team in rebounding and DeAndrade leads the Bears in assists. Soares scored a career-high 19 points late last month in a win over MCLA. Romanko also scored a season-high 19 points back in December in a rout of Maine-Augusta.

Bridgewater travels to Worcester State on Saturday to battle Milford graduate Aaron Anniballi and the Lancers. Anniballi turned it on midway through the season and was rewarded, earning starts in the last five games and six of the last seven. In a road trip to league-leading Salem State, Anniballi dropped a career-high 22 points, including a career-best five three pointers made. In the last five games, Anniballi is averaging 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Lancers. For the season, he’s second on the team in assists and fourth in scoring despite just seven starts.

Former HockomockSports.com Hockey Player of the Year Ryan Spillane found the back of the net for the first time in his collegiate career, netting one of five goals in Saint Anselm’s win over Daniel Webster. A Franklin High product, Spillane has appeared in 14 games this year, including the last four. He registered his first assist on Friday, February 3rd against Southern Maine and then scored his first goal on Saturday. N

Success on the ice at Saint Anselm is noting new for the Spillane family though, as Kaitlyn Spillane, a junior, continues to be a big piece of the Hawks’ women’s hockey team. After 12 points as a freshman and 24 points as a sophomore, Spillane is already up to 26 points during her junior campaign. Her 26 points is good for second on the team, a combination of 10 goals and 16 assists. She’s currently riding an eight game point streak heading into Friday night’s tilt with Williams. During that stretch, she registered four points in a win over New England College.

Michael Choate has strung together two strong meets for the Boston University swim team. The former KP Warrior had three top three finishes against Boston College, including third in the 100 backstroke (52.79), third in the 200 butterfly (1:58.57) and second in the 200 backstroke (1:52.11). He followed that up with three more top three finishes against Bryant, including second in the 200 free (1:47.26) and third in the 500 free (4:56.08). He was also apart of the 200 medley relay that took third (1:38.76). North Attleboro’s Sarah Hargrave also had solid showings in the same meets. On senior night against BC, she took first in the 500 free (4:57.16) and first in the 200 free relay (1:37.34). Against Bryant, she placed third in the 100 free (54.43) and was apart of the 400 free relay that touched in third (3:49.61).

2016 HockomockSports.com First Team selection Alecia Quinones has been a top option off the bench for UMass Boston this season. The Stoughton High product has come off the bench and appeared in all 22 games for the Beacons, averaging 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and shooting nearly 40% from the floor. Quinones showed what she can do when she played 23 minutes earlier this season at Colby College. She scored 20 points on 8/13 shooting in the win for UMass Boston.

A trio of former Hockomock rivals turned teammates are playing a big role for UMass Amherst’s men’s swimming team. Attleboro’s Owen Wright, Franklin’s Austen Sholudko and King Philip’s Chris DiGiacomo have all helped the Minutemen as they head into Atlantic 10 Championships next weekend. In their latest meet against Fordham, Wright took first place in the 50 yard free (21.53), fourth in the 100 yard free and was apart of the 200 yard free relay team that took second place. DiGiacomo took first place in the 200 yard backstroke, second in the 200 yard IM and placed third in the 200 yard free. Sholudko placed fifth overall in the 1000 yard free and was seventh in the 500 yard free.

Bristol Community College has racked up 13 wins so far this season and is averaging an impressive 88.6 points per game as a team. Former HockomockSports.com Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Taunton standout Jose Mercado is currently third on the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game, fifth on the team with 4.5 rebounds a game and second with 2.0 steals. After coming off the bench for the majority of the season, Mercado has worked his way into the starting line up, starting five straight games. In that stretch, he’s averaged 16.4 points, 5.6 boards, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals for the Bayhawks, who are 4-1 with him in the starting lineup.

Former HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year Kat Tamulionis has found a new home at Babson and recently helped the program to its 600th win. The Foxboro alum has appeared in 14 games, earning her first collegiate start at Mount Holyoke on January 21st. In the program’s 600th win, a 72-51 win over Emerson, Tamulionis scored a career-high eight points Another former Foxboro standout Ashley Snyder has made nine appearances for the Beavers so far this season, playing a season-high 12 minutes against Emory & Henry earlier this season.

There were plenty of Hockomock alums on the court on Wednesday night when Wheaton visited Clark University. Foxboro’s Rob Lowey and Alex DuBrow dressed for the visitors while Milford’s David Mercier and Joe Atkinson are both captains for the Cougars. In just his second collegiate start, DuBrow made a big difference down the stretch for the Lyons. The freshman hit a pair of free throws with 51 seconds left to give Wheaton a four point lead and then stole an inbounds pass with 22 seconds left, adding one more free throw to help ice the game. DuBrow tied a career-high with 13 points in the game while adding four assists. On the season, he’s averaging 6.8 points, 2.7 assists and leads the team with a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio. Mercier had a game-high 21 points while Atkinson added 16 in the loss. For the season, Mercier is fourth on the team with 10.7 points and fourth in rebounding at 4.2. Atkinson is the team’s top rebounder with 7.5 boards a game and is averaging 11.8 points for Clark (13-9).

Taunton’s Dylan Schrama had a strong showing in Clark University’s meet with WPI at the end of January. Competing in five events, Schrama was first for Clark in three events and touched the wall before anyone else in one event. He took first place overall in the 200 yard IM, clocking in at 2:15.42. He also placed fourth in the 50 yard backstroke and took third in the 100 yard free style. He was also a member of the 200 yard medley relay that came in third overall.

King Philip graduate and current Northeastern sophomore Carly Schnabel was tabbed as the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimmer of the Week. She’s the first Northeastern swimmer to earn the honor this season. Competing at Harvard, Schnabel turned in a historic performance in the 1,000-yard free by setting a new program record in 10:03.95 for first place. Her time is over seven seconds ahead of the next closest conference competitor for the event this season.

Keene State snapped a two-game skid with the help of King Philip alum Jimmy Layman. The junior forward came off the bench to score 13 points (5/8 FG), had four rebounds and came away with three steals. The Owls (15-7) recently were ranked 10th in the Northeast in the NCAA Regional Rankings for DIII. Layman has a been a top contributor off the bench so far this season, playing in 21 games and averaging 3.8 points per game and 2.1 rebounds. He scored a season-high 17 points back in December at WPI.

Less than a week after Mansfield junior Tyler Boulter set a new program record for most threes in a game (10), older brother and former Hockomock League MVP Ryan Boulter decided it was his turn to set a record. In Merrimack’s home game against Southern Connecticut, Boulter put on a show – connecting on nine three pointers to tie the school record. The sophomore forward finished with a career-high 40 points in the Warriors’ overtime win. Although just a sophomore, Boulter is currently leading the Warriors with 18.2 points per game, averaging 3.3 threes in contest. He also is hauling in 4.4 boards on average.

UMass Dartmouth women’s basketball program is used to having a Hockomock alum leading the way, and this year is no different. After years of dominance from North Attleboro’s Meg Ronaghan, now it’s Franklin’s Alicia Kutil that’s leading the way for the Corsairs (19-3). Kutil is second with 13.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game, while adding 2.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals. She was named the Little East Conference Player of the Week earlier this week.

Mansfield’s George Apostolopoulos qualified for the NEISDA Division II/III Championships in the 50 breaststroke over the weekend at the Bridgewater State Bears Invitational. Apostolopoulos posted a time of 35.43 seconds in the 50 breaststroke to qualify. Attleboro’s Dylon Willis helped the Bears to a pair of wins at a tri-meet at the end of January, beating Husson and Regis. Willis was apart of the 200 medley relay team that came in second, took first in the 50 yard breaststroke (28.08) and the 100 yard breaststroke and was second in the 100 IM.

Also at Bridgewater State, Mansfield’s Abbie Grant and Danielle Souza, North Attleboro’s Adi Tobias and King Philip’s Emily Garven are swimming for the Bears. At the BSU Bears Invitational, Grant was second in the 50 yard butterfly and the 100 yard IM, Souza took third in the 200 yard free, Tobias grabbed second in the 100 yard butterfly and Garven won the 50 yard backstroke as well as the 100 yard free.

Attleboro’s Bri Hochwarter is averaging 13.6 points per game and has been a big reason why Wheelock College women’s basketball has registered 10 wins this season. She is also averaging 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals for the Wildcats. Hochwarter is on a strong stretch, scoring in double figures in four straight games. She’s hit 14 threes in that stretch, averaging 16.8 points per game.

Former Mansfield Hornet and Winnipeg Jets draft pick Erik Foley is enjoying another successful year at Providence. After an impressive freshman year (seven goals, 12 assists), he’s already topped his rookie point total during his sophomore year. He’s tied for a team-high 10 goals and also has 13 assists, good for 23 points – third for the Friars. Providence is 17-8-4 on the season and ranked #11 in the country.

With the NEWMAC Championships on the horizon next week, Taunton’s Kyle Werra and WPI’s men swimming team are looking to make a slash. Werra has competed in eight events for the Engineers so far this season. At the Clark University Cougar Invitational, Werra set three best times for the season. In the 200 free, he clocked in a 1:57.85, in the 100 breaststroke he touched the wall at 1:08.12 and in the 400 medley, he timed at 4:45.18.

Oliver Ames alum Caitlyn Abela continues to be a big piece for Saint Anselm. The Hawks, who have former Canton assistant Colleen Moriarty on the staff, stand at 15-8 on the season. Abela is second on the team at 10.9 points per game, scoring a season-high 23 earlier this year in a win at Daemen. She’s also averaged 3.3 rebounds a game this year (season-high 11 at Adelphi) and 1.1 assists (season-high 4 vs. NYIT).

A pair of former Hockomock rivals are now teammates at Merrimack. Franklin’s Lexi Martin and Attleboro’s Emily Houle are both contributing for the Warriors (11-11) this season. Martin, a sophomore, has started in all 22 games this season, averaging 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She scored a season-high 19 points in a win over New Haven in early January and had a stretch in which she scored in double figures in six of eight games. Houle, a freshman and last year’s HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year, has played in 11 games, scoring five points in a game at Adelphi against former head coach Missy Traversi and hitting a three in a close win over St. Michael’s last week.

Former Mansfield Hornet Kevin Conner has scored 13 points in back to back games for Mount Ida heading into this week’s contest with Rivier. The Mustangs (14-8 overall) are currently in fourth place in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Conner, who was slowed by an injury to start the season, has started in every game he’s been available for. In a win at Rivier, Conner was a perfect 6/6 from the field and in a loss to conference-leading Albertus Magnus, Conner added 13 points including a pair of threes. In 17 games, Conner is averaging 8.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game.

Attleboro’s Kerri Beland is having a strong sophomore season for the Salve Regina women’s basketball game. The former Attleboro Bombardier is leading the Seahawks in scoring with 12.5 points per game, shooting 40% from the floor and 36% from three point. She’s also fourth on the team in rebounding with 5.3 boards.

Ever since the turn of the calendar, former Franklin standout Chris Rodgers has gone on a tear for WPI. After coming off the bench for the start of the season, Rodgers picked up his first start on December 6th. In his last seven starts, dating back to January 18th, Rodgers has been one of the Engineers top options on offense. He scored a season-high 23 points and hauled in nine rebounds in a narrow loss to Springfield and scored in double figures in six of those seven games. He’s averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in that span for WPI, who have four wins in that same stretch.

North Attleboro’s Doherty Wins 2016 3PT Contest

Brent Doherty
By HockomockSports.com Staff
In the final event of the 2016 HockomockSports.com Charity Basketball Classic, North Attleboro junior Brent Doherty was the last man standing in the annual Three Point Contest.
Doherty reached the finals when he sank 16 of his 25 shots in the opening round. Foxboro’s Alex DuBrow connected on a round-high 17 three pointers in the opening round to secure his spot in the final. DuBrow and Doherty squared off head to head, shooting at the same time on opposite ends of the court. Doherty hit on 15 threes and DuBrow sank his final corner three to tie him at 15.
In an overtime round (30 seconds), Doherty took home the hardware by hitting eight three pointers. Both Doherty and DuBrow broke the record for most threes made in a final round, edging out Ryan Boulter’s record of 14 in 2015.
Doherty now holds the record for most threes made in one event with 39, eclipsing Boulter’s record of 34 set last year. The North Attleboro guard now also has the record for most threes made in the event for a career with 50 after hitting 11 in 2015. Taunton junior Tommy MacLean jumped into third all time in threes made in the event with 37.

First Round

Jake Dunkley, Attleboro – 14
Tony Harris, Canton – 9
Alex DuBrow, Foxboro – 17
Jay Dieterle, Franklin – 14
Ben Smith, King Philip – 13
Christian Weber, Mansfield – 10
Dimitry Torres, Milford – 13
Brent Doherty, North Attleboro – 16
Tim Kelley, Oliver Ames – 13
David Roelke, Sharon – 11
Cam Andrews, Stoughton – 12
Tommy MacLean, Taunton – 13

Finals

Brent Doherty, North Attleboro – 15 (8)
Alex DuBrow, Foxboro – 15 (5)

The Campus Report: Winter Season Rolls On

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.
Mansfield graduate and Merrimack freshman Aidan Friend was named the Northeast-10 Conference Track Rookie of the Week. Friend finished second in the 60M with a time of 7.09, which was a personal best and ranks fourth on the school record board. That time is also the fourth-fastest recorded in the event in the NE-10 so far this season according to Merrimack.
Franklin graduate Sam Bohmiller has averaged 8.2 points a game over the last six contests for Babson, who is 5-1 in that stretch. In wins over Coast Guard and Wheaton, Bohmiller pulled down four rebounds and had three assists. In the Beavers’ win over WPI, Bohmiller netted 10 points, the second highest total of the season. Also in that WPI game, Bohmiller’s former teammate Chris Rodgers came off the bench to score 10 points for the Engineers, including a layup to make it a two point game with 19 seconds left. Rodgers has been solid option for WPI this season had just last week had a game-winner. With 0.4 seconds left and WPI trailing by one, Rodgers floated one for the go ahead bucket.
Merrimack freshman Maeve McGowan had a first place finish in the 100 backstroke in 1:04.82 against Bentley. The Mansfield alum was also first in the 200 backstroke by nearly 10 seconds, finishing in 2:21.95 and first in the 100 butterfly in 1:26.26.
Bridgewater State is an ever 3-3 over its last six games, the last being an overtime win over MCLA fueled by former Hock players. OA’s Ryan Carney came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points, Taunton’s Fawaz Mass finished with 12 points and three steals and Mansfield’s Rocky DeAndrade had eight points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. In overtime, all but one point for BSU was scored by a Hockomock alum. Carney had seven of his points in the extra period, Mansfield’s Greg Romanko had a three, Mass and DeAndrade each hit a pair of free throws and Milford’s Michael Soares had a dunk.
Former Canton standout Quinn Merrigan is 14-3 for Gettysburg wrestling so far this season. A sophomore, Merrigan has won five straight matches and 13-1 since a 1-2 start to the season. A year removed from a 22-15 campaign as a freshman, Merrigan – who wrestles at 149 – has been a vital part of the Bullets’ 5-4 season this year.
Stoughton alum Aaron Calixte had his best scoring day of his collegiate career on Wednesday night. The sophomore scored a career-high 23 points to lead Maine to a 105-100 overtime win on the road at Hartford. Calixte scored the Black Bears’ first four points in the extra period to keep pace with the Hawks. He finished with five assists and four rebounds in the game. On the season, Calixte is fourth on the team with 9.4 points per game.
Boston University has a trio of former Hockomock swimmers making a splash for the Terriers. Freshman Michael Choate came in first in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:54.45 to get nine points for BU in a win over Bryant. Choate was second in the 1000 free and sixth in the 200 butterfly. Another KP alum also played a big role in the win as Stephanie Nasson was first in the 500 free by over six seconds and was second in the 200 free for four points. North Attleboro’s Sarah Hargrave was less than a second behind Nasson in the 200 free to finish third and she also was second in the 200 breaststroke, finishing just 0.15 seconds behind first place.
Former Mansfield 1,000 point scorer Ryan Boulter has reached double-digits in the scoring column over the past two games, including a career-high 18 points in Merrimack’s loss to Adelphi. Boulter played a personal high 34 points, hitting four three pointers and seven field goals in total. He also hauled in a career-high six rebounds in the game. Boulter, a freshman for the Warriors, had 11 points and three rebounds in a 105-81 win over American International earlier this week.
Mansfield’s Kevin Conner scored a season-high 17 points and shot 60% from the field as Mount Ida scored a big win over Anna Maria for the first time since 2012. Connor also had a season-high four assists and hit a pair of three pointers for the first time this year as the Mustangs picked up a 21 point win.
Northeastern had a massive win over UMass this past weekend. A pair of Hockomock alums both had important finishes for the Huskies in the win. King Philip’s Carly Schnabel had a trio of individual top five finishes, finishing 4th in the 50 free (24.19), 4th in the 200 free (1:53.57) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (59.49). Oliver Ames’ Jacquelyn Gover was 4th in the 3 meter diving with a score of 234.00 and sixth in the 1 meter diving with a score of 237.65.
Franklin’s Marcus Giese has worked his way into RPI’s starting lineup as a freshman. After coming off the bench for the first 13 games, Giese has started the last two games. He’s shot 50% from the field between the two games with 16 points and combined for 14 rebounds. RPI, which won both games after a four game skid, is now 9-7 overall.
Stoughton’s Chrystal Holland had one of her best games of the season earlier this week as AIC rolled to a big win over Merrimack. Holland came off the bench, shooting 60% for six points. The Yellow Jackets are an impressive 16-4 in Holland’s senior season.
Taunton grad Dylan Schrama has impressed in his first year for Clark University. In the Cougars’ most recent meet against WPI, Schrama was fourth overall and first for Clark in the 200 free. In the 100 free, he finished fifth in 52.36.
Stoughton’s Tahira Peralta cracked the starting lineup for the first this season late last week for Salem State. The senior has started the past two games, shooting nearly 50% for 17 points. She had a pair of rebounds in each game – both wins – as the Vikings snapped a three game skid.
Meg Ronaghan continues to dominate for UMass Dartmouth. The North Attleboro product, who scored her 1,000th career point earlier this season, was named the Little East Conference and the New England Women’s Basketball Association Player of the Week. She had a career-high 37 points – only two off the program record – and 20 rebounds in a win at Rhode Island College. She’s leading the Corsairs with 18. points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game. Over the past four games, Franklin’s Alicia Kutil has averaged 10.3 games for UMass Dartmouth, who went 3-1 in that stretch.
Milford alum Natasha Gonzalez has started all but one game for Worcester State so far this season. Over the past five games, she’s averaged 7.2 points per game, including 11 points against Keene State. In her two starts this year, Gonzalez has combined for 13 rebounds and seven assists.
King Philip’s Olivia Sugrue had a pair of wins for Bridgewater State in its meet with Bentley. Sugrue won the 100 butterfly in 1:10.77 and won the 200 IM in 2:41.54. She also placed fourth in the 100 backstroke. KP’s Emily Garven had a pair of third place finishes for the Bears. In the 200 butterfly, the freshman earned the Bears three points with a time of 2:56.07 and in the 100 butterfly, she finished in a time of 1:15.97. Mansfield’s Abbie Grant won the 500 free in 6:00.21 to get nine points for BSU and was third in the 200 free.
 

The Campus Report: Catching Up With Basketball Alums

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.
Joe Farroba’s Bridgewater State team is full of former Hockomock players and for the first time this season, all five of them made up his starting lineup on Thursday night. Oliver Ames’ Ryan Carney, Taunton’s Fawaz Mass, Milford’s Michael Soares and Mansfield’s Greg Romanko and Rocky DeAndrade. The five combined for 72 of the team’s 83 points in a double overtime win over UMass Boston. It was Carney’s first collegiate start and he didn’t disappoint, scoring a career-high 23 points while Romanko also netted a career-high 18 points. For the season, Mass leads the Bears in scoring with 15.2 points (5.6 rebounds), DeAndrade is third with 8.9 points (3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists), Romanko has 8.8 points (3.3 rebounds), Carney 8.3 points and Soares 3.1 points (2.1 rebounds).
Canton’s Olivia Murphy has been a monster for UMass Boston so far during his senior season, leading the team with 20.1 points and 15.6 rebounds a game. She’s been a nuisance for opponents by averaging an impressive 8.4 offensive rebounds per game and is leading the team with 2.6 blocks a game.
Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Sam Bohmiller has played a big role for Babson in the first part of the season. Bohmiller has started in all 11 games, averaging 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and has connected on a team-high 17 three pointers. Babson is 7-4 so far this season.
Franklin’s Lexi Martin has missed the past two games but has been a vital piece for Merrimack so far in her freshman year. Through her 12 appearances, Martin has averaged 6.4 points per game, shooting nearly 50% from the floor. She’s added 2.3 rebounds a game as well. Back at the beginning of December, Martin poured in a career high 19 points in a 72-68 win up at St. Michael’s.
Taunton’s Angie Martinez continues to be the go-to scorer for Mount Ida in her junior season. Martinez is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game while also pulling in over 13 rebounds a game (another team-high). Over the Mustangs’ past three games, Martinez has averaged 19 points, including dropping 23 points in a 59-57 win over Becker.
Out in Worcester, a trio of former Milford Scarlet Hawks are playing a big role for Clark. Juniors David Mercier and Joe Atkinson are both regulars in the lineup while former Milford coach Steve Manguso is in his third year as Associate Head Coach. Former North Attleboro standout Justin Perron is in his first year as an assistant coach. Mercier is averaging 9.3 points per game and 4.4 rebounds while Atkinson is scoring 7.4 points per game, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
At Framingham State, Joe McCabe is having a solid start to his senior season. A former Canton standout, McCabe is a captain and has appeared in all of the Rams games except for one. McCabe is coming off his best scoring performance since November, scoring 10 points against Salem State.
A trio of Hockomock alums – all from different schools – are the captains at Colby Sawyer this year. Mansfield’s Katie McCarthy, Oliver Ames’ Kristin Ellis and Sharon’s Jessica Shenkel are the captains are all in the top six in scoring on the team. Shenkel leads the 7-4 Chargers at 11.4 points per game, Ellis has averaged 5.5 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds and McCarthy has 3.7 points a team-best 3.7 assists a game.
King Philip alum John Mullane is just one of two players to start all 10 games for Elmira College in New York. Mullane, a senior, is averaging 6.4 points per game, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He also leads the Eagles in free throw attempts (25) and offensive rebounds (16). Mullane had a season-best 13 rebounds in the team’s 62-59 win over Endicott at the end of December.
King Philip graduate Ellen Wagner has impressed early on in her sophomore year for Roanoke College. Wagner is fourth on the team in scoring with 7.7 points and four rebounds a game. She scored a career-high 17 points back in December, shooting over 72% of the floor to help the Maroons to a big win over Mary Baldwin College.
Former Stoughton 1,000 pointer scorer Aaron Calixte has appeared in all 14 games for Maine, a D1 team, this season. Calixte is averaging 8.1 points per game, shooting at nearly 50% from the floor. He is averaging 2.4 assists per game and 2.6 rebounds as the Bears are 4-10 so far this season.
Speaking of D1 programs, former KP star Jake Layman and Maryland is ranked third in the country. Layman has started in all 15 games and is averaging 11.1 points per game and 5.3 rebounds a game. He has 18 steals and 14 blocks on the season. Layman had one of his best games of the season when he dropped 18 points in the Terps 88-63 win over Rutgers.
Over at UMass Dartmouth, former HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year Meg Ronaghan scored her 1,000 career point in the fourth quarter in a win over Salem State. The North Attleboro grad scored 21 points in the game to reach the milestone. Check back on Sunday for our feature story on Ronaghan.
Also at Umass Dartmouth, Franklin graduate Alicia Kutil has started all 10 games and is averaging 9.5 points per game, which is fourth on the team. Kutil is also averaging 4.9 rebounds while Milford grad Jess Pye has appeared in five games so far for the 8-2 Corsairs.
On Wednesday, former Mansfield standout and 2015 Hockomock League Boys Basketball MVP Ryan Boulter dropped career-high 17 points in his 11th game played for Merrimack. The Warriors needed a late bucket to secure the win but Boulter was a big reason that Merrimack was in it. Coming off the bench, Boulter played 26 minutes and shots 55% from the floor and hit five three pointers. So far in his rookie year, Boulter is averaging 5.8 points per game.
Another former Mansfield player, Kevin Conner, has started in all 11 of Mount Ida’s game so far, averaging 6 points per game and 3.6 rebounds a game. The Mustangs are 4-5 so far while Conner’s best game came back in December in a one point loss to Johnson & Wales. The sophomore had a season-best 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the game.
Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Karlie O’Driscoll has been a big part of Caldwell’s nine wins i 15 games so far this season. The Sharon alum is third on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game while she leads the teams in rebounds at 5.8 per game. In the two games in 2016, O’Driscoll has reached double figures both times, scoring 24 points over the two games.
Taunton’s Chris Green and Sharon’s Jimmy Fritzson are the two leading scorers for Rhode Island College through 12 games this season. Green is scoring a team-best 18.3 points a game, also averaging 3.4 rebounds a game and has shot nearly 90% at the free throw line. Fritzson, a former 1,000 point scorer for the Eagles, is second on the team with 11.3 points per game and is averaging 2.1 rebounds a game.
Former Franklin big man Marcus Giese is enjoying a successful start to his collegiate career at RPI. Standing at 6’8, Giese has played and scored in every single game this season. He’s averaging 6.4 points per game (a career high 10 came against Hibert in November), is pulling in 5.3 boards a game and 2.1 assists per game. RPI is 7-4 so far this season and 1-1 in conference play.
Sharon’s Emilee Daley scored a season-high 17 points in Boston College’s win over Bryant just before the new year. Daley was 7/11 from the floor and had a pair of rebounds and assists in just 23 minutes of play. Daley, who played two years at Sharon, is averaging 8.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds off the bench for the 11-1 Eagles.
Attleboro’s Kerri Beland is currently third in scoring at 6.0 points per game for Salve Regina. Beland has started in 10 games so far this season and is pulling down 3.3 rebounds a game and has 1.5 assists a game. Back in December, the former Bombardier scored 12 points in a win over Curry.
Former Oliver Ames 1,000 point scorer Caitlyn Abela is second in scoring for Saint Anselm, who is 7-5 to start the season. Abela is averaging 10.4 points per game, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. In the month of December, Abela scored 61 points over five games for the Hawks. Her strongest scoring performance of the year came when she scored 19 points in a loss at Assumption.
Another former player for OA’s Laney Clement-Holbrook is enjoying success at the D1 level. Asia Mitchell-Owens is currently third in scoring with 10.5 points per game for UMass Lowell. Mitchell-Owens has started in all 13 games for the River Hawks (3-10). The former Tigers is also averaging 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game.
Former Attleboro coach Missy Traversi’s Wildcats are 6-2 so far this season. Wheelock has four straight games and Attleboro grad Bri Hochwarter is a big season. The junior is second in scoring at 12.9 points per game and has scored in double figures in each of the last four games.