05/27/202005/28/2020

Teams of the Decade #2: 2012 Franklin Girls Soccer

Franklin girls soccer

Team: Franklin Girls Soccer
Year: 2012
Record: 22-0-1
2012 Kelley-Rex Division Champions
2012 Division 1 State Champions

With the benefit of hindsight, it is obvious just how talented the 2012 Franklin girls soccer team was, but heading into that season there were question marks about a roster featuring 15 freshmen and sophomores. Only two years removed from a trip to the state semifinal, could the Panthers incorporate so much youth and still compete with the top teams in the league, let alone the state?

They could and they did. The Panthers outscored opponents 98-15 over the course of an unbeaten season, winning the Kelley-Rex division title for the third straight year, just missing out on perfection with a tie in the regular season finale, and claiming the program’s first-ever state championship.

It was a remarkable finish, but one that was hardly guaranteed at the start.

“I had some kind of idea of how they would be,” Franklin coach Tom Geysen said of the incoming freshmen, “but especially in our league, because our league is very competitive, if you’re not a very physically aggressive person then you can be taken out of your game almost immediately.”

One of the players that needed to step into a critical role was freshman Dani Lonati, who became the team’s starting goalkeeper. Along with her fellow rookies, like midfielders Alexis and Victoria Stowell, Lonati needed to be ready to go right from the opening whistle and she credited the captains, Kristi Kirshe, Grace Conley, and Stephanie Pisani, for providing a welcoming environment for the younger players.

“It was probably one of the most welcoming teams that I’ve been on,” she said. “The upperclassmen knew entering that season that they were about to have a younger team. As soon as we entered the team and were on the roster, we were best friends. I think that was probably one of the most essential parts of our success was that we had some amazing team chemistry.”

It also didn’t hurt to have one of the state’s most prolific offenses giving the team a cushion almost every game. Spearheaded by Kirshe and sophomore Taylor Cogliano, the Panthers never scored fewer than two goals in a game.

“Because we were spending so much time at practice and on the field together that we got to a point where we knew how to anticipate each other, we knew how each other played,” said Kirshe. “We just started to become a dynamic duo, which was a lot of fun.”

In a roster loaded with talent, Kirshe was the star. She would score 36 goals that season, earning All-American honors and being named Gatorade Player of the Year. It was about more than just the number of times she found the back of the net, but also when she scored. She tallied the winner in both the state semifinal and final.

“She’s a rock,” Lonati said of Kirshe. “She’s probably one of the most athletic people I’ve ever met. She’s always there and she’s like that as a person too, you can rely on her no matter what. She’s competitive, she’s tenacious, and she’s the player you want because you know she’s going to get it done.”

Geysen said simply, “In all my years that I’ve been here at Franklin, she’s the best all-around female athlete we’ve ever had and we’ve had some good ones.”

He added, “The most unassuming, laid back, nice kid. Everything about her was what you wanted. She was aggressive as hell, she was physical as hell, and she was skilled.”

A dynamic partnership up top is nothing if the defense is leaking goals, but the Panthers proved to be just as solid at the back as they were up front. In front of Lonati, Pisani, junior Julia Bireley, and sophomores Nicole Ellin and Lexi Martin all played key roles making it tough for the opposition attack.

“The key to the back became Dani,” Geysen explained. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a goaltender over four years who had the stats that she had and that game against Nashoba [in the state final] she was lights out.”

Franklin cruised through the first half and talk started to grow about an undefeated season. Only Mansfield managed to stay within a goal of the Panthers over the first 13 games. Mansfield coach Kevin Smith noted, “They were so tough because they were loaded with talent in every position. They had multiple scoring threats, which made it near impossible to stop the team. You could stop one, maybe two, but not four-plus. Their midfield group was super athletic and super talented as well. There was not a weak link anywhere.”

It was the second meeting with North Attleboro, in the 14th game of the season, that Geysen highlighted as the moment when he realized his team had the extra mental fortitude it would take to go the distance. After jumping out to an early 3-0 lead, Franklin made changes to the lineup and North got one back, but the Panthers answered to make it 4-1. North got two in quick succession to make it 4-3 and Geysen thought the game was going to slip away.

“It was coaching changes that took the momentum away from them, but they came back and regained the composure and slowed the game down and kept it under control’” he said. “Even when the games were close, there was no panic on their part. If there was any panic, it was me. From that point on, I said, these kids understand.”

Kirshe said, “Coach Geysen was very, very clear about making sure we focused as a group on game at a time. There were moments when we felt like we were doing something special and we had a lot of potential but Geysen did a really good job of keeping us grounded so we weren’t thinking about the possibilities.”

The need to remain focused became clear in the final game of the regular season. On a dreary Sunday night, the Panthers fell behind against a Walpole team that barely qualified for the tournament and only salvaged a draw thanks to a late Kirshe goal. The perfect season was over, but dropping a point just before the tournament may have been a blessing in disguise.

“I think it lit the fire for us again and reminded us that this wasn’t something we were going to be able to walk through,” Kirshe said. “We had some easy games through the season, but we were getting into tournament now and tournament is a special part of the season where anything can happen. I’m incredibly grateful for that tie, to this day. Without that tie, I don’t think we win that state championship.”

Franklin rolled into the South final, but the 2-0 win against Marshfield in the semis proved to be costly. Pisani was injured in the game and would miss the remainder of the season. That left a big hole to fill in the defense with no obvious solution. Grace Conley, who had played sparingly that season after surgery related to stomach cancer, told Geysen that she was ready to step in and, after some debate, he agreed.

Conley was one of the team’s leaders from the sideline and she proved to be an inspiration on the field as well over the last three games.

Lonati said, “She truly cared about every person on that field. To be able to go into those last three games and to play such an important role and to earn that title after everything she went through was amazing.” Kirshe added, “Grace is one of the best people I know. It was incredibly special for me as a friend and a fellow captain to see her get that moment. She was the spirit of our team, so just getting her on the field was something that lifted all of us and made us want to play that much better.”

The Panthers faced league rival Oliver Ames, in a battle of the two previous South champs, and prevailed 3-2 to get back to the state semifinal for the second time in three seasons. Against Beverly at Manning Field, Kirshe made personal history when she scored on an early free kick, which was a rarity for her, to notch the 100th goal of her career. Thanks to a strong defensive performance, particularly Bireley’s man-marking, that shut down Beverly’s 50-goal scorer Caitlin Harty, Franklin advanced with a 2-0 win.

“We got to play every single possible game in our senior year, which is something that so few people get the opportunity to do,” said Kirshe. “You know it’s your last time to play high school soccer, it’s your last time with this group of people, and personally I find a lot of happiness in that.”

Kirshe found the back of the net twice to put the Panthers ahead in the title game but Nashoba battled back to cut the lead to one and ramped up the pressure looking for an equalizer while the Franklin defense held on, thanks to 10 saves from Lonati.

“I had the ball in my hands, actually, and I made eye contact with the ref and I knew there wasn’t much time left and he signaled for me to distribute it,” Lonati recalled. “So, I punted it and as soon as it left my foot that whistle blew and I was, oh my god, in utter shock.:

“I cried,” Kirshe admitted. “To be quite honest with you, I cried today when I was looking back trying to think about it. That’s a dream come true for any high school soccer player. Especially as a senior, just to cap off a career that way? It was just such an unforgettable moment and just a testament to years of hard work. I’m still shaking my head in disbelief.

When asked what it took to go unbeaten and win his first state title as a coach, Geysen said, “You have to have things go your way. We’ve had other years where we’ve been every bit as good overall but not with the kind of depth as this crew.

“The best part of that whole thing for me was after we beat Nashoba, when everything was going crazy on the field, I stood off to the side and just watched them. Nothing will ever take that picture away from me. To work that hard for that long, some of them for four years, and to accomplish that and to appreciate it the way they did was the most gratifying thing for me.”

Listening Options:

Opponent	Result
Sharon	W, 4-0
Stoughton	W, 10-0
Canton	W, 5-2
Attleboro	W, 2-0
Taunton	W, 7-0
North Attleboro	W, 4-0
Mansfield	W, 2-1
Foxboro	W, 6-0
Oliver Ames	W, 6-1 (Recap)
Milford	W, 3-1
Attleboro	W, 7-0
King Philip	W, 4-1
Taunton	W, 5-0
North Attleboro	W, 4-3
King Philip	W, 7-0
Mansfield	W, 4-0
Walpole	T, 2-2
New Bedford	W, 4-0
Dartmouth	W, 3-1
Marshfield	W, 2-0
Oliver Ames	W, 3-2
Beverly	W, 2-0 (Recap)
Nashoba	W, 2-1 (Recap)

11/20/201711/21/2017

The Campus Report: Looking Back At Fall 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

09/28/2015

The Campus Report: Alum Breaks Program Sack Record

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 RyanLanigan@HockomockSports.com.

Football

Endicott was able to pick up a win over Nichols over the weekend and there were a good amount of Hockomock alums, including arguably the best defensive player on each team. For the Gulls, Franklin grad Craig Anderson recorded a team-high seven tackles and broke the single-game program record for sacks with four total for 14 yards lost. Anderson was named the NEFC Defensive Player of the Week. On the other side of the ball, King Philip grad Brett McEvoy had 13 total tackles for Nichols, a half a sack and an interception that he returned 51 yards. Foxboro’s Nick DiTullio recorded a tackle for Endicott while Attleboro grad Brenden Massey hauled in a pass for six yards for Nichols.
Mansfield alum George Busharis was nearly flawless while leading Castleton to a big 35-30 win over Alfred State on Homecoming. In front of a record crowd, Busharis was 18-20 with 239 yards and four touchdowns. Busharis had touchdown passes of 21, 69, 2 and 51 in the win. On the season, Busharis has tossed six touchdowns and nearly 700 yards.
Former Canton standout Elias Camacho started on defense for the first game of the season for Wesleyan. Camacho recorded five tackles, third on the team, in his first game as a sophomore. Wesleyan lost a close game to Middlebury, 28-25
Fitchburg State enjoyed a big 35-3 win over Bridgewater State over the weekend. Taunton’s Asante Easter had six tackles for the Falcons and also had a pass breakup. Former Oliver Ames All Star Nick Cidado, who is a sophomore at Bridgewater, got the most reps of his young career. He went 4-9 for 22 yards while two other OA alums Carlton Williamson (76 all purpose yards) and Cameron Williamson (5 tackles) also contributed.
Sharon graduate Adrian Lingo booted a 26 yard field goal in the third quarter to put Worcester State ahead but Mass. Maritime scored in the fourth quarter to take a 35-31 win. Sharon’s Adam Banks, Stoughton’s Brian Crimmins, Mansfield’s Alex Ruddy and King Philip’s Chris Winbourne all played for the Buccaneers in the win. In the loss, Mansfield’s Aurian Dawkins had six tackles and Dylan Finerty had four tackles, including one for a loss, for Worcester State. Milford’s Eric Nunez was 3/3 on extra points and had four tackles for Worcester State.
UMass Dartmouth emerged with a 29-13 win over Plymouth State on Saturday afternoon. Canton’s Anthony LaRose led the Corsairs with three sacks for a total of 21 yards lost and Taunton’s Marcel Flynn chipped in with a pair of tackles, including one for a loss. Foxboro’s Alton George was a bright spot on defense for Plymouth State with six tackles, one of which was for a loss.

Men’s Soccer

Only four players have started every game for Assumption this season and Franklin grad Zach Scafati is one of them. The former HockomockSports Kelley-Rex Player of the Year has one goal on three shots on goal while the Greyhounds are 1-6-1 this season.
Former Canton standout Scott Levy is having a strong senior campaign for Bentley so far this year. The Falcons are 3-4 but Levy is second on the team in points with two goals and three assists. Levy has started in all seven of Bentley’s games and is third on the team in shots with 11.
Bridgewater State is on fire right now, currently riding a seven game win streak. Foxboro’s Sawyer Fleck has started in all eight games this season and is third on the team with three assists. Sawyer’s younger brother Riley Fleck has appeared in a pair of games for the Bears this season.
Mass. Maritime is off to a 3-4 start this season with a trio of Hockomock players contributing. Mansfield’s Taylor Sjorberg, who is a captain for the Buccaneers this year, has started all seven games so far while fellow Mansfield alum Alex Thompson has appeared in all seven games and has an assist. Attleboro’s Eoin Grimes, who missed all of his freshman year due to injury, has appeared in five games with four starts.
A pair of former Bombardiers are teaming up for Rhode Island College this Fall. Steven Cataldo has appeared in a pair of games and has a pair of shots so far. Thomas Wampler has started four games with five appearances total and has netted a pair of goals this season, tied for third on the team.

Women’s Soccer

North Attleboro’s Jamie Grinavic has only started in one game for Bentley this season but has proved to be a super sub for the Falcons. Grinavic has appeared in all seven goals and has scored twice, which is tied for third on the team.
Former two-time HockomockSports.com Girls Soccer Player of the Year Taylor Cogliano is making an impact at Merrimack. She has appeared in all eight of the Warriors’ games so far this season and picked up her first collegiate point with an assist on Merrimack’s game-winning goal against LIU Post in early September.
Canton graduate Kim McNally is having a big impact for Sacred Heart’s defense in her sophomore campaign with the Pioneers. Despite Sacred Heart’s 3-6 record so far, McNally has been one of the anchors for the Pioneers’ defense having appeared in all nine games with seven starts.

Volleyball

After dominating on the basketball court for her first two years of college, former North Attleboro star Meg Ronaghan is back on the volleyball court. In her first season back playing volleyball, Ronaghan is currently leading the Corsairs 145 kills, nearly 40 more than the next highest. She also has 17 blocks, 76 digs and three aces as UMass Dartmouth is 7-9 this season.

Field Hockey

Former Oliver Ames stand out Molly Cunha is making a big impression during her first year for LIU Post. The Pioneers are ranked #8 overall in D2 this season and Cunha has netted a pair of goals in six appearances, which is tied for second on the team.
Meanwhile, Duke field hockey is ranked 6th overall in Division I and Attleboro’s Kelsey Wagner is a member of the Blue Devils. Wagner, a goalie, made her first career appearance this season and allowed just one goal.

Team: Franklin Girls Soccer Year: 2012 Record: 22-0-1 2012 Kelley-Rex Division Champions 2012 Division 1 State Champions

Opponent

Result