Below are the official 2020 Hockomock League Girls Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Makenzie Shandley, King Philip
Hockomock League All Stars
Lizzie Tassinari, Canton
Alexa Maffeo, Canton
Olivia Maffeo, Canton
Meg Aldrich, Canton
Gabby Colace, Franklin
Tina Pisano, Franklin
Amanda Lewandowski, Franklin
Makenzie Shandley, King Philip
Morgan Cunningham, King Philip
Sydney O’Shea, King Philip
Sammy Robison, King Philip
Emma Pereira, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Melisa Shanteler, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Alex Ledin, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Samantha Ledin, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Morgan Lessa, Stoughton/Sharon
Haley Nelson, Stoughton/Sharon
Honorable Mentions:
Carolyn Durand, Canton
Jordan Dwyer, Franklin
Avari Maxwell, King Philip
Ella Waryas, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Samantha Sherman, Stoughton/Sharon
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 49 @ Stoughton, 59 – Final – Stoughton opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, taking the lead early on in the frame and never letting go for an important division win. With the win, the Black Knights qualify for the state tournament and pull into a tie for second place in the Davenport with the Warriors, one game behind Milford. Brett Pendenza had a strong take along the baseline and Tommy Sanda drained a three to kickstart the run. Obinna Ugwuakazi had a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, Myles Grigalunas-Powell added 13 points, and Ahmad Jahed scored all nine of his points in the second half for Stoughton, which trailed by two (11-9) after one quarter and by one at halftime (24-23) and at the end of the third quarter (37-36). Donald Rogers and Brandon Borde each had 14 points for Foxboro.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 52 vs. Holy Name, 43 – Final – In a potential playoff preview, the Panthers held off a second half charge from Holy Name to sweep the season series against the Div. 1 Central challenger. Franklin jumped out to a 34-18 lead at halftime, but the Naps rallied after the break to cut the lead to as little as five. The Panthers shut down the visitors over the final four minutes to extend the lead back out to nine. Ali Brigham led the way with 20 points and Olivia Quinn added 12. Megan O’Connell chipped in with eight points for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip sophomore Nolan Feyler scored the lone goal of the game in the first period and seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera combined for the shutout in net for the Warriors. Feyler lit the lamp at 6:57 of the opening period on an assist from senior Kyle Gray. Ihley and Makudera combined to make 20 saves in net. OA senior goalie Owen Connor had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Taunton, 7 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Mike Albert had a hand in all but one of the Tigers’ seven goals, leading the hosts to a big win over Spellman. Albert scored a hat trick and added three more assists to lead the way while Jack DeMoura scored once along with three assists, Nathan Fernandez and Brady Nichols each had a goal and an assist, and Conor McGrath added a goal for Taunton. Andrew Gomes and Sean Bunker split time in net for the win.
Stoughton, 7 @ Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored five goals and had one assist as the Black Knights skated to a season sweep of Shawsheen. Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker each had a pair of assists in the win, Haley Nelson (assist) and Zofia Bangs each scored once, and Mikayla Snyder and Morgan Johnston both chipped in with an assist.
Wrestling
Scituate Quad (Canton)
Duxbury Super Quad (Sharon, Stoughton) – Sharon added four more wins to its total this season, finishing the dual meet season (28-3) on a high note. The Eagles had wins over Southeastern (36-0), Duxbury (48-31), Pembroke (55-10), and Marshfield (60-12). Kyle Samuels and Conor Grew earned their first varsity wins for Sharon.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 40 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 45 – Final – Kaitlyn Wallace led the Eagles in scoring for the second straight night, finishing with 13, but Sharon was unable to pick up a non-league win. Leah Fandel added 11 and Ally Brown scored nine in the loss. Sharon trailed by eight at halftime (32-24) and clamped down defensively in the second half to try and make a comeback. The Eagles allowed only 13 points after the break, but Spellman was tough on the defensive end of the floor as well to hold on for the win.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip scored three goals in the opening period in a win over visiting Attleboro. Sophomore Nolan Feyler opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game with assists from Rocco Bianculli and Kyle Gray, and Bianculli doubled the last two minutes later (from Feyler and Joe Boselli) for an early 2-0 lead. Attleboro’s Liam McDonough scored (from Owen Dryjowicz) to cut the deficit in half just past the midway point of the first but KP’s Conor Cooke (from Bianculli and Gray) scored just over a minute later to regain KP’s two-goal advantage. The Bombardiers once again got within a goal when Nate Parker scored with 3:15 to go in the second but KP had an answer as Boselli (from Feyler) scored 31 seconds later to make it 4-2.
Stoughton, 8 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – Dante Massaro led the way for Stoughton with a hat trick, leading to a big road win. Ryan Flannery and Cade O’Connell each scored twice and Joe McNulty wrapped up the scoring for Stoughton. Nathan Petti earned the win between the pipes.
Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 @ Medway/Ashland, 3 – Final – Canton rallied for a pair of goals in the final four minutes to earn a draw with Medway/Ashland.
Franklin, 2 vs. Medfield, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 2 vs. Wayland, 6 – Final – Jill Parker scored and had an assist in a loss at home to Wayland. Parker and Morgan Lessa assisted on a goal from Haley Nelson while Parker scored the Knights’ second goal with Ava Buckley and Samantha Sherman recording assists.
King Philip, 2 vs. Dedham, 4 – Final – King Philip’s Makenzie Shandley and Morgan Cunningham scored and Avari Maxwell had an assist but the Warriors fell at home to Dedham. Cristina Coleman made 12 saves in net for KP.
Wrestling
Canton, 18 @ North Attleboro, 48 – Final – North Attleboro earned seven of its nine wins by pinfall to secure a key division win over visiting Canton. Keysun Wise needed just nine seconds to get a pin at 220 while Ethan Smith (126, 1:23), Chris Galligan (132, 0:32), Jon Lozinski (145, 5:50), Michael Edmonds (170, 2:18), Alex Warsofsky (195, 2:34), and John Kummer (285, 0:57) also recorded pins. Andrew Faris (138) earned a 4-2 decision in overtime while Joe Shepard (182) won 11-6. For Canton, Yurii Leskiv (106, 2:31) and Eddie Marinilli (152, 0:27) won by pin while Zachary Peters (113) won 6-4 in overtime and Jobi Michel (160) picked up a 14-9 win.
Sharon, 46 @ Foxboro, 15 – Final – The Eagles moved another step closer to bringing home its first ever league meet title with a strong performance against perennial power Foxboro. Adam Landstein, Amit Levin, David Gelman, Aaron Cashton, Max Pozner, Kirit Gosetty, Tyler Freedman, Philip Varvak, Rhamsez Thevenin, and Eric Rabkin all earned wins for Sharon. The Eagles will host North Attleboro next week with a chance to clinch at least a share of the Davenport crown.
Mansfield, 31 @ Franklin, 37 – Final – Franklin heavyweight Matthew Leofanti earned a pin in the final match of the night to give the Panthers a thrilling win over the Hornets in a hard fought match. Jake Carlucci, Kenny Sauer, and Dom Sackley also had pinfall victories for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 36 @ King Philip, 35 – Final
Milford @ Stoughton, 7:00
Taunton, 51 vs. Keefe Tech, 19 – Final – The Tigers picked up a non-league victory over Keefe Tech on Wednesday night, earning seven wins by pinfall. Both Jackson Mandeville (138, 0:40) and Ethan Harris (145, 0:57) pinned their opponents in under a minute while James Collins (106, 1:06), Xavier Sandoval (126, 3:14), Ben Mandeville (132, 3:39), Christian Balmain (152, 3:20), and Jackson Wellman (195, 2:39) also win by pin for Taunton. Peter Ye notched a 5-0 decision at 182 for the Tigers.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 90 @ Attleboro, 69 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 85 @ Attleboro, 77 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro, 131.65 @ Oliver Ames, 136.9 – Final
Results:
Vault: 1. Sawyer Haverly, OA – 9.2 | 2. Peyton Rivers, OA – 8.9 | 3. Stella Krawiec, Att – 8.65
Bars: 1. Abbey DeCouto, OA – 8.3 | 2. Sawyer Haverly, OA – 8.1 | 3. Peyton Rivers/Tina O’Neill 8.0
Beam: 1. Peyton Rivers/Abbey DeCouto, OA – 8.5 | 2. Samantha Burrell, OA – 8.55 | 3. Stella Krawiec, Att – 8.5
Floor: 1. Katelyn McGarry, OA – 9.2 | 2. Ashlyn Latham, OA – 8.8 | 3. Amanda Burns, Att – 8.7
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once in each the first and second periods to earn a Hockomock League win over visiting Foxboro. Senior Dom Cammarata scored his first career goal in the first and sophomore Eamon Kelly doubled the lead with a goal late in the second period.
King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – KP rallied from 1-0 down after the first period with a pair of goals in each of the second and third periods. Joe Boselli scored the tying goal on an assist from Chris Daniels and then the combo switched roles to put KP ahead 2-1. Jack Coulter (from Conor Cooke) made it 3-1 in the third period and then Cooke added the fourth (with assists from Aidan Boulger and Coulter). Nate Ihley made 18 saves to get the win.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a two goal deficit by scoring three unanswered third period goals to grab a win at home over North Attleboro. Cam Perron got the Tigers on the board on an assist from Ryan Gottwald while Duncan Pereira (assisted by Ross Carroll and Hunter Costello) tied the game for OA. Perron (from Brad Powers) scored the game-winner with three minutes to play to give OA the win.
Stoughton, 5 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final – Colin Alessi, Al Bermingham, and Dante Massaro all scored to help Stoughton skate to a win over visiting Cardinal Spellman. Alessi and Bermingham each scored a pair of goals to pace the offense while Massaro found the best of the net once.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Westwood, 4 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Medway, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored with 7.2 seconds left to give the Black Knights a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Shawsheen. The Rams built a 2-0 lead with a goal in each the first and second periods but Stoughton got on the board with five minutes left in the second. Lessa fired a shot on net and Zofia Bangs tucked in the rebound to cut the deficit to 2-1. Samantha Sherman tied the game, squeaking a rebound just under the goalie. Lessa scored the winner on an odd-man rush in the final seconds to give the Black Knights their first win of the season. Brianna Buckley had a strong game in net for Stoughton.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Dedham, 6 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Notre Dame Academy, 3 – Final
Wrestling
Norton Quad (Canton, Stoughton), 10:00
Carver Quad (Foxboro), 10:00
Algonquin Quad (Franklin), 10:00
Oliver Ames Quad, 10:00
Walpole Quad (King Philip), 10:00
Holliston Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro went 1-2 at the Holliston quad, picking up a win over Quabbin (18-9). The Rocketeers lost to host Holliston (46-30) as well as Melrose (48-26). Ethan Smith had a strong showing for the Rocketeers, picking up 3-0 wins all by pinfall at the 126 weight class. Andrew Faris (138) and Mike Edmonds (170, two pins) each went 2-0 for North Attleboro.
Marlboro Quad (Sharon) – Sharon suffered just its second loss of the season to host Marlboro but also picked up a pair of wins. The Eagles beat Masconomet (42-19) and St. John’s Shrewsbury (38-36) but fell to Marlboro (33-27). Adam Landstein (106) went 3-0 on the day for the Eagles, picking up a pair of pinfall victories and another by decision. Tyler Freedman (160) and Philip Varvak (170) each recorded two wins by pinfall on the day.
Marshfield Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos recorded the 100th win of his career and the Hornets posted a 3-1 record at the Marshfield Super Quad. Mansfield picked up wins over Silver Lake (60-18), Leominster (48-6) and Marshfield (36-18) with its lone loss coming to one of the top teams in the state in Metheun (48-33). Glaropoulos, Max Farley, Antonios Sevastos, Ciaran Connolly, and Noah Price well went undefeated on the day for the Hornets.
Another competitive Hockomock League field hockey season is about to kick off. Read a full team-by-team breakdown of Hock field hockey teams below. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
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.”
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”
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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
King Philip and Franklin will do battle again this winter in the second season of Hockomock League girls hockey and both will look to unseat inaugural champion Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
2017-2018 Record: 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 state title game. Coach: Dennis Aldrich
For two straight winters, Canton has advanced to the TD Garden to play in the Div. 2 state title game. Two years ago, the Bulldogs shocked everyone by getting to the final, but last season there was an expectation that Canton could make a deep tournament run. Those high expectations are there again this year, as the first-ever Hockomock League champions return two experienced lines of forwards and defensemen that all saw time during the tournament run.
The first line returns the team’s top two scorers with senior forwards Maggie Malloy (10 goals, 13 assists) and Lauren Fitzpatrick (14 goals, nine assists) forming a dynamic partnership that sparked the Bulldogs attack last season. Malloy was particularly prolific in the playoffs, providing decisive goals throughout the playoffs. Second line center Andrea McNeil has graduated but sophomores Lizzie Tassinari, Maria Femia, and Ellie Rae Roberts provided speed and energy during solid rookie seasons.
Defense has been Canton’s best weapon in each of the last two seasons. Although outstanding goalie Colleen Kelleher has graduated, senior Ava Pacitti is earning rave reviews during the preseason and she will have a well-drilled group of defensemen in front of her. Seniors Katie Trerice and Leah McClellan and junior Meg Aldrich and Alexa Maffeo will form a solid top two pairings at the blue line, with McClellan adding the different dimension of also jumping into the attack as often as possible.
“Canton’s staple has always been one of a hard skating, defensively stingy, opportunistic team. This year should be no exception,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich, who is looking forward to the new challenge of defending a Hockomock League title.
2017-2018 Record: 14-4-4 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 first round. Coach: Margie Burke
Franklin had a very strong 2017-18 season, winning 14 games, including one in the postseason, and will try to build on that momentum to make another run at the postseason and to challenge inaugural league champ Canton at the top of the standings.
There is plenty of experience coming back to power the Panthers up the league standings. Senior Regan Paterson is one of the league’s top skaters and was the league’s top scorer last year with 18 goals and seven assists. Sophomores Victoria Quinn, Amanda Lewandowski, and Libby Carter will also provide offense after combining for 16 goals as freshmen. Junior Jordan Dwyer is also back up top after a 12-point season last year. While this a lot of youth in the forward lines, all saw time last season.
Defense will be one of the team’s strengths this season, with juniors Tina Pisano, Gina Vignone, and Gianna Cameron and senior Cassi Ronan all back to lead a veteran crew. One of the biggest changes for the Panthers will be in goal. Natalie Stott had an impressive freshman campaign but left to attend prep school, so Franklin will turn to sophomore Gabby Colace, who allowed only 0.56 goals against, saved 96 percent of the shots she faced, and had three shutouts as a freshman, and is ready to step into a bigger role. Senior Gianna Cornetta will also see time in net.
Franklin coach Margie Burke, who was honored with the National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) Coach of the Year award last March, said, “I expect the hockey [in the league] to be very competitive again this year.”
2017-2018 Record: 11-9-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 first round. Coach: Jack Unger
King Philip finished second in the inaugural season of Hockomock girls hockey and nearly reached the Div. 2 quarterfinal, only losing to Archbishop Williams by single goal, and the Warriors bring back their leading scorers to try and make a run at the Hock title. With a mix of experience and youth, KP could give Canton a run in the league and be poised for a tournament run as well.
The forward line will be very experienced with seniors Meghan Gorman, Alli Meehan, Alli Wilson, and Emily Brawley all back to provide scoring punch. Leading scorer Nicole Connor is also back and the senior defender is one of the most dynamic players in the league, giving KP strong play at the blue line and adding to the attack. Connor will be joined in the defense by seniors Madelyn Kelley and Lilly Worthington.
Goaltending should be a strength for the Warriors this season with senior Lilly Potts and junior Cristina Coleman both capable of shutting down the opposition. The team is also loaded with underclassmen, which bodes well for the program’s future. Freshmen Sydney O’Shea and Morgan Cunningham are a pair of newcomers that could make instant contributions for the Warriors this season.
“Despite being a younger team overall, the players have tremendous potential,” said KP coach Jack Unger. “Typical of all the sports programs within the Hockomock League, each game is against the best inter-league contestants out there. We all have the ability to beat one another each time out.”
2017-2018 Record: 12-7-3 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 first round. Coach: Roy Bain
While Mansfield/Oliver Ames has a new coach, as Roy Bain takes over the program this season, and will be looking to move on without leading scorer Cat Luciano, who is now at Holy Cross, there are 15 players returning from the team that got back into the state tournament last winter and nine freshmen that have added depth to the growing program.
Seniors Isabelle Shanteler (Mansfield) and Mackenzi Fraser (Foxboro) will try to make up some of Luciano’s scoring from last year. The duo will be on the top scoring line along with freshman Kylie O’Keefe (Foxboro) and provide the speed and energy to jumpstart the MOA attack. Unlike past years, the Warriors won’t be counting on one player to dominate the stats but will look to take advantage of its depth. Senior Lindsey Corning (Mansfield) will center the second line between sophomore wingers Ella Waryas (Foxboro) and Emma Garland (Mansfield), while sophomores Alex Ledin (OA) and Lily O’Brien (Mansfield) have shown promise as centers as well.
The defense is led by senior Danae Reager (Foxboro), who has been a varsity player for four years and sets the standard for the blue line group. Sophomores Melissa Shanteler (Mansfield) and Emma Pereira (OA) will be paired together, while Reager will be paired with sophomore Megan O’Hara (Mansfield). Freshman Jess Widdop (OA) has been outstanding in net during the preseason and has built the team’s confidence heading into the opening game.
Bain said of his new goalie, “In the 10 days since we’ve started practicing, she’s been nothing short of impressive. Her athleticism and work ethic will serve the team well as we enter the season.”
2017-2018 Record: 4-17 2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason. Coach: Rich Grasso
Last winter, Stoughton had its best season as a program, winning four games, including a three-game win streak early in the schedule. This year, the Black Knights will get a boost from a co-op with Sharon, which should increase the numbers in the program as it tries to add its first win in the Hockomock League to its recent accomplishments.
The loss of leading scorer Julia Russell to an injury, which also kept her out of the field hockey season, will be tough, but the Black Knights have several other experienced players coming back to try and pick up the slack. Senior Katie Widrow is one of the leaders on the forward line and she will be joined up front by sophomore Morgan Lessa and a pair of newcomers to keep an eye on: junior Taylor Kim and sophomore Samantha Sherman.
On defense, senior Jordan Lyons and sophomore Haley Nelson will be the returning players to watch, keeping things organized on the blue line. Behind the defense, junior goalie Brianna Buckley will be between the posts to try and keep the opposition out. Stoughton coach Rich Grasso called Buckley the team’s “show stopper” and she is looking to build off a solid year of experience in goal.
“The team has one goal in mind and that is to make the tournament,” said Grasso. “This is a huge task being in the Hockomock League playing against powerhouse teams…We are small in numbers but talented. Looking forward to proving we belong in that league.”
