Baseball
Stoughton, 5 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip scored three runs in the first inning and five runs in the third to pick up its second win of the season with a 12-5 decision over Stoughton. The Warriors had 17 hits on the day, led by Rudy Gately’s three hits, and two apiece from Travis Crawford, Matt Kelley (three RBI), Brendan Sencaj (four RBI), and Eli Reed (two RBI). Sencaj had a two-run double in the first and another RBI single in the fifth while Kelley had an RBI in each the second, third and fourth innings. Tommy Martorano didn’t let up an earned run in five innings of work, striking out seven.
Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – North Attleboro pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in a win over visiting Sharon. Tyler DeMattio smacked a two-run home run, David Floyd (walk) scored on a double steal, and Christian Bates drove in a run with a double. Sharon put up two runs in the fourth inning by Dillon Harding had an RBI single in the fifth and highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a two-run base hit. Tyler Bannon earned the win on the mound, allowing three hits with three strikeouts in four innings. Harding pitched three scoreless innings in relief with one hit allowed.
Softball
King Philip, 19 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored at least three runs in each of the five innings, including nine between the first two to grab a win on the road over Stoughton. Sophomore Taylor Regan went 4-for-4 on the day with thee runs scored and two RBI to lead the offensive charge for KP, who had 20 hits as a team. Freshman Liv Petrillo added two hits, four RBI, and two runs, Charlotte Raymond drove in three runs and scored three runs, and Meg Sherwood, Ava Kelley, and Mia Bennett each had two RBI. Stoughton’s Camryn Whitman drive in three runs with a double in the second.
Boys Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Attleboro trailed 3-0 in the first quarter and 5-3 early in the second, but found another gear and pulled away in the second half to pick up a second win in as many days. Carter Shelton scored six goals and Keigan Conley had three goals and three assists for the Bombardiers. Ben Reardon scored four times and had two assists for the Tigers. Reardon got OA off to a great start with two goals in the opening four minutes and Wyatt Fritchman had one to make it 3-0. Conley set up Shelton to get Attleboro on the board and then Freddy Wheaton teed up Conley to bring the hosts within one. Reardon assisted on a Joey Carney goal but Shelton set up Patrick McAvoy to make it 4-3 after one. Fritchman added his second to push the lead back to two, but Attleboro scored the next three to go into halftime leading 6-5. Shelton and Conley had the first two and Chad Beaupin assisted a Cole McKenna goal with 20 seconds left to put Attleboro ahead for the first time. Reardon tied it early in the third, but Attleboro responded with the next four goals (Spencer Sherk, Beaupin, and two from Shelton) to take control. After Reardon got one back, Seth LaPlaca and Shelton answered but Ryan Jaco tallied his first with five seconds left in the third to keep OA within four (12-8). Attleboro sealed the win by scoring the only four goals of the fourth. Conley, Wheaton, Shelton, and Sherk all finding the back of the net. Goalies Noah Isleib (OA) and Harry Wheaton (Attleboro) both played well throughout.
Canton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Foxboro, 9 @ Sharon, 8 – Final – Sharon dominated at the faceoff X to rally in the second half, but Foxboro held on to get the league win. The Warriors built a 5-2 lead at half but the Eagles tripled their first half production with six strikes in the second half. For Foxboro, sophomore Lincoln Moore scored six goals, Tony Sulham added two more, and Jack Avery scored once in the win while sophomore goalie Adam Addeche turned in a 17-save performance to keep Foxboro ahead. Sophomore Ryan Cotter had a standout game defensive for Foxboro with six ground balls. Sharon senior Ben Shocket won 18 of 21 face offs taken.
Franklin, 25 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Franklin poured in 21 goals in the opening half to secure a road win to move to 2-0 on the season. Tyler Sacchetti led the charge with four goals and six ssists, Jayden Consigli had five goals and four assists, and Luke Davis added four goals and three assists.
King Philip, 17 @ Hopkinton, 7 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 3:45
North Attleboro, 7 @ Canton, 11 – Final – Knotted at 4-4 at halftime, Canton found the back of the net seven times over the final two quarters to get a win over North Attleboro. Emily McCabe and Devan Spinale both had four goals to pace the Bulldogs’ offense while Ella Yeaton scored twice and Shannon McGrann had one goal. Elyse Broderick made 10 saves in net to get the win.
Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final – Foxboro completed a perfect opening week with another double-digit win. Ten Warriors found the scoresheet on Thursday, led by Paige Curran with five goals and two assists. Mya Waryas added four goals and three assists, while Kate Collins (one assist), Cate Noone, and Val Beigel each scored twice. Grace Riley and Meghan Burke both had goals and an assist and Kaelin Connors, Jennifer Gallagher, and Hannah Blake found the back of the net once apiece. Anna Hertzel and Kiera Ledyard scored for the Eagles and goalie Tess Letendre made 13 saves in the loss.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final
Mansfield, 16 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Cali Melo scored both goals for the Tigers.
King Philip, 14 vs. Hopkinton, 5 – Final – King Philip scored six goals in the first half and added eight more after the halftime break in a win over Hopkinton. Julia Marsden paced the offense for the Warriors with seven goals while Makenzie McDevitt had a hat trick plus three helpers. Lily Brown notched six assists along with a goal, Nikki MacDonald scored twice, and Abby MacDonald added one in the win.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – A singles sweep and another win in doubles play gave King Philip a win on the road at Stoughton. Brady Jannell rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, Jonathan Cohen didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jackson Hom took a 6-2, 6-1 victory at third singles. KP also added a win from Diego Nieto and Noah Ihley at first doubles (6-0, 6-4). Stoughton’s Jake Berry and Joe Mark claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ Medway, 5 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Milton, 3:45
Taunton, 1 vs. Durfee, 4 – Final
Girls Tennis
Sharon 2, vs. Bishop Feehan 3 – Final
Milford vs. Whitinsville Christian, 3:45
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – A sweep of doubles action plus one singles win was enough for Taunton to get a win on the road over the Hilltoppers. Senior Kayla Parrett battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 win at first singles for the Tigers. The first doubles tandem of sophomores Morgan Smith and Sam Parrett notched a 6-3, 6-3 win and sophomore Janelle Garcia and senior Kelsey Brennan teamed up for a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 0 @ Bellingham, 3 – Final
Milford, 3 vs. Nipmuc, 0 – Final
Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column for the first time this season, taking the final two sets after splitting the first two for a 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17) win. Junior Ty Ekstrom set the offense up with 26 assists along with four aces, four digs, and a pair of kills. Antonios Dimakis led the offense with 11 kills, six digs, a pair of aces, and a block, Matt Freitas added nine kills, eight digs, and six aces, while Josh Duncan (eight digs, four kills) had a big day from the service line with 10 aces.
2021 Record: 5-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.
It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.
Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.
In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.
“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”
2021 Record: 8-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.
The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.
“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”
2021 Record: 5-10 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.
Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.
Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.
Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.
“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”
2021 Record: 16-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.
Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.
King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.
Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.
“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.
The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.
“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”
2021 Record: 5-9 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.
Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.
The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.
“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”
2021 Record: 12-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.
Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.
One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.
A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.
“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”
2021 Record: 3-12 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.
It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.
Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.
Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.
Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.
“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”
2021 Record: 13-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.
The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.
Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.
“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”
Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – In a back-and-forth contest, Oliver Ames senior Patrick Finnerty drove in the game-winning run with the bases loaded to give the Tigers the walk-off win over Attleboro. The visitors took the lead in the top of the first inning after stealing a pair of bases. Oliver Ames responded with three runs in the bottom of the third as Finnerty and Jake Waxman drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded and Ian Kelly scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. The top of the sixth inning saw Attleboro rally for three runs and go back ahead. In the bottom of the seventh, Nathanial Lewis and Nathan Carpentier walked and Joe Cicchetti was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Kelly drew OA’s 10th walk to tie the game and then Finnerty delivered a single to center for the win. Junior Andrew Zagami earned the win in relief with six strike outs. Nick Clark allowed one run on one hit and four walks in four innings of work for OA.
Franklin, 7 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Franklin cashed in on a handful of extra base hits and senior Jacob Jette picked up where he left off last season on the mound in the Panthers’ win on the road. Jette didn’t allow an earned run in 5.1 innings of work, striking out five with two hits and two walks allowed. Jake Shaughnessy and Austin Campbell combined for 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Offensively, Ryan Gerety (two hits, two runs, RBI) and Eisig Chin (two hits, two RBI, run) each had a triple while Chris Goode (RBI) and Evan Raider (run) each had a double. Jack Marino added an RBI and two runs and sophomore Henry Digiorgio had a hit and a run scored.
King Philip, 15 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Tied 3-3 after two innings, King Philip exploded for seven two-out runs in the top of the third inning and never looked back for a season-opening win over Foxboro. With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Tommy Martorano singled to bring in Rudy Gately (two runs) and Matt DiFore. Eli Reed scored on a single from Travis Crawford (three hits, two runs, two RBI), and Shawn Legere (three RBI, four runs) tripled to clear the bases. Gately got the win on the bump, allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk, striking out nine. Matt Kelley, who drove in three runs with a pair of hits, struck out two in an inning of relief. For Foxboro, Ryan LeClair (RBI, two runs) and Sean O’Leary (two RBI) each had three hits, helping the Warriors take a 3-2 lead after an inning. Freshman Nolan Gordon had a strong showing in relief for Foxboro, allowing two runs (none earned) on one hit and two walks, striking out five in 2.1 innings of work.
Mansfield, 4 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final (13 inn.) – North Attleboro senior Brody Rosenberg drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the 13th inning and worked his way around the bases on a pair of errors, scoring the game-winning in a marathon game season opener for both teams. Mansfield opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Gilleran but North took control with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, an RBI single from Danny Curran, an RBI single from Rosenberg, and Curran scoring on a passed ball. Mansfield cut into the lead with a run in the third (Jake Maydak RBI) and a run in the fifth (Gilleran RBI single) to tie the game. The Hornets went ahead in the top of the sixth on a solo home run from Jared Fraone (3-for-3, three runs) to left field but North answered in the bottom half (Tyler Bannon sac fly) to make it 4-4. Sophomore Connor Curtis was stellar in relief for the Hornets, pitching seven innings with one (unearned) run allowed on three hits and no walks, striking out seven. Derek Maceda got the win for the Rocketeers with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Junior Tyler Caldon allowed just two hits and walked three while striking out nine to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a win over Sharon. Caldon allowed just one earned run in six innings of work for the win. Damien Carter, who tossed a scoreless inning in relief with one strikeout, had a pair of hits and two runs scored, Ian Carter went 4-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored, and Evan Cornelius added a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and one RBI.
Stoughton, 1 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.)
Softball
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final – Lily Routhier made a big splash in her debut for the Bombardiers, getting the win in the circle as well as a big performance at the plate. She tossed a complete game with just one earned run allowed on two hits. At the dish, she went 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Sarah Mayer added three hits and scored twice while Rylie Camacho had one hit, reached twice more, and scored twice. For OA, Caitlin Miller went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Crystalia Covel scored a run and had a stolen base. Katie Melendy pitched five innings for OA with four runs allowed while Taylor Marino pitched the sixth inning with one run allowed.
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Aislinn Lavery set the tone in the circle and at the plate for the Panthers, who opened the season with a big win over visiting Canton. Lavery allowed just one hit with six strikeouts in five innings of work, and then led off the game with a triple and scored on a fielder’s choice from Julia White. Carly Pellegri aded three hits, including a double, with four RBI and three runs scored, Katy Liberman had two hits, including a double, and two RBI, and Avery Chalk added two hits. Freshman Sarah Boozang had an RBI single to score Reece Allen (triple).
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Freshman Liv Petrillo’s first career hit proved to be a big one for King Philip, a triple in the bottom of the sixth that broke a scoreless tie and drove in the game-winning run. In a scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Taylor Regan slapped a double and senior Mia Bennett was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Petrillo drilled a line drive to right for a two-run triple to put KP ahead 2-0. Sophomore Maddie Paschke laid down the squeeze bunt to bring Petrillo in to make it 3-0. Senior Emma Sheehan tossed a complete game one-hitter for KP, striking out seven without issuing a walk. Foxboro freshman Vittoria Cuscia was impressive in the circle, holding KP without a run for the first five innings. She finished with seven strikeouts.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Kelly Colleran went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI and Zoey McDonough struck out 12, as North pulled out a road win in the season opener. The Rocketeers opened the scoring with a three-run third. Colleran doubled to plate Julia Forman and Grace Simmons and then came home on a two-out single by Shaelyn Burns. Ally Levine led off the fifth with a double and scored on a two-run homer by Colleran, which turned out to be the game winner. Mansfield rallied with two runs in the fifth. Jill Koppy walked to lead off the inning and stole second. Bunts from Liv Madeira and Sydney Fernando loaded the bases and Callie Lake brought in a pair with a single. The Hornets loaded the bases again but couldn’t get a two-out hit to keep the rally going. Mansfield added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Fernando walked to get things started and Cat Kipp singled. Madeira drove in a run with a single. Casey Moussette and Alanna Conley reached on fielder’s choices to load the bases but again the Hornets weren’t able to get a two-out hit off McDonough. Amanda Schwarz made her varsity debut for Mansfield, striking out three and giving up eight hits. Emma Hanwell and Burns both made nice plays in the field to help the Rocketeers pull out the victory.
Sharon, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final (8 inn.) – Milford rallied for two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game and then sophomore Maeve Williams delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI single to give the Scarlet Hawks a walk-off win in extra innings. Milford took a 1-0 lead in the second on a double from freshman Cae Pellegrini followed by a pair of sacrifice bunts. Sharon responded in the third and fourth to go ahead 4-1 before the Hawks brought the game level game. In the eighth, freshman Jianna Fernandes led off with a walk, stole second, and scored on Williams’ hit up the middle. Pellegrini and senior Gianna Cacciola both played well defensively while sophomore Maeve Driscoll got the win with five innings in relief, striking out eight with no earned runs allowed on four hits. Sharon’s Trinity Payne struck out 18 batters in the loss.
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton 13 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton got its offense going with three runs in the first inning and scored in each of the next three innings, including a seven-run bottom of the fourth to open the season with a big win. Junior Kaysie DeMoura (RBI, two runs) led the charge with three hits while classmates Ava Venturelli (two RBI, double, two stolen bases), Hayley Krockta, Kyleah Plumb (three RBI, triple, double), and senior Kylie Thorpe (triple, RBI) each had two hits. Senior Liv Mendonca struck out three with two hits allowed in four shutout innings while freshman Catherine Larson fanned one with one hit allowed in an inning of relief. Stoughton’s Sydney Menz had a double and a spectacular catch in center field, robbing the Tigers of a home run. Alyssa Edwards (double) and Maddie Hinds also had a hit for the Black Knights.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin exploded for nine goals in the opening quarter and never looked back in its first game of the season. Junior Jayden Consigli scored six goals and classmates Luke Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each added four apiece, all in the first half. Sophomore CJ Perro and junior Will Buckley each scored twice in the second half for the Panthers.
Canton, 16 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Canton’s Sam Carlino scored six goals and set up six more to lead the Bulldogs to a season-opening win on the road at Milford. Brendan Tourgee added four goals in the win along with one assist, Eddie Gillis scored a hat trick and added one helper, and Pat Drury (two goals, five assists) and Jeff Chaput (two goals, two assists) both had big games for the Bulldogs. Freshman Ben Miller played well in net, earning his first career win.
Foxboro, 7 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 13 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 7-0 lead by halftime and pulled away with six more goals in the second half to open the season with a win over Sharon. Ben Riggs paced the offense with three goals while Thomas Brewster, Sean Crowther, and Nolan Feyler each scored twice. James Boldy made 12 saves in net to earn the win for KP.
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 21 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Milford, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton built a 6-2 lead at halftime and then held off a second half comeback attempt from Milford to open the season with a win, the first for new head coach Casey Bradley. Allie McCabe scored twice and had an assist while Emily McCabe netted the game-winning goal. Elyse Broderick made seven saves in net for the Bulldogs. For Milford, Aislinn Bennett scored five goals, Emily Croteau had a pair of goals, and Carly Haley added one.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Paige Curran and Mya Waryas each scored six goals, as Foxboro opened its season with a big win over a division rival. Curran, the league’s leading scorer from last year, added three assists and Waryas had one helper as well. Mary Collins chipped in with four goals and two assists, Valerie Beigel had a pair of goals, and freshman Cate Noone had a goal and an assist on her debut. Grace Riley, Kate Collins, and Nina Della Valle also scored for the Warriors. Lilli Jones made five saves to pick up her first win in goal. Ava McKeon and Morgan Eaton each scored twice for North.
King Philip, 17 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Nine different Warriors found the back of the net as King Philip opened its season in style with a big win on the road over Sharon. Julia Marsden, Lily Brown, and Haley Izydorczak combined for 11 points in the win, Makenzie McDevitt scored a hat trick in the win and Ilah Weiblen and Abby MacDonald each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 19 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Using a quick transition game and strong ball possession, Oliver Ames roared to a big season opening win on the road over Taunton. First year OA head coach Rylie Dalzell credited the attackers’ ride for causing a lot of turnovers that the visiting Tigers took advantage of. Jess Widdop and Claire O’Rourke combined for the win in net for OA. Casey O’Leary and Cali Melo each scored once for Taunton.
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Sophomore Nicholas Westerbeke rallied from a one-set deficit to win two in a row to take the point at first singles and give Oliver Ames a 3-2 win over the Bombardiers. Westerbeke dropped the first set 4-6 but won 6-1, 6-0 to get the win. Kylash Gannesh (6-0, 6-1) and Raphael Vache (6-1, 6-2) won at second and third singles, respectively, for OA. Attleboro’s Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf took first singles 6-3, 6-4 while Malachi Jefferson and Alex Suarez were victorious (6-1, 6-2) at second doubles.
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Canton took first and second singles in straight sets but Franklin won both doubles and third singles to get the win at home. Senior Drew Mahoney was the lone Panther to win in singles action, taking third singles 6-0, 6-3. The team of senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Ahan Shetty won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and the team of senior Sameen Shaik and sophomore Jay Gorgas secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Canton’s Max Kupferman won 6-4, 6-2 at first singles and Suraj Ramanthan took a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles.
Foxboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – A sweep of singles action lifted Foxboro to a win over the road at King Philip to start the season. Garrett Spillane won in straight sets (6-1, 6-1) at first singles, Bo Canfield added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and Raj Jetty earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at third singles. KP’s Diego Nieto and Connor Sachleben rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while Adam Gousie and Noah Ihley grabbed a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield opened the season in style, taking all five matches in straight sets to knock off North Attleboro. Freshman Neema Khosravani was impressive in his first career match, winning 6-0, 6-3 at first singles, sophomore Kailash Elumelai secured a 6-1, 7-5 at second singles, and sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami added a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The tream of senior Jonah Fine and junior Benson Delaney didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while junior Jesse Colchamiro and sophomore Nikhil Nain won 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – A trio of underclassman swept singles action for Sharon as the Eagles opened the season with a win on the road over Milford. Sophomore Matthew Lally, sophomore Alex Budovalcev, and freshman Jacob Slavsky all won 6-0, 6-0 in first, second, and third singles, respectively. In doubles action, seniors Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya grabbed a 6-1. 6-0 win at first doubles, and the team of freshman Sava Kassev and junior Hyojae Park didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Stoughton @ Taunton, 3:45
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – In an incredible even match up, Oliver Ames emerged with a hard-fought win over a game Attleboro squad. The Tigers got wins in straight sets from Hannah Farber at first singles (7-5, 6-3) and Mia Corradini at third singles (6-3, 6-1). OA’s second doubles team of tri-captain Shelby Brass and Marina Mierzwinski grabbed a 6-0, 7-6 (7-1) for the Tigers’ second point of the match. Attleboro’s Madison Fuscaldo battled for a 6-3, 6-7 (10-12), 6-3 win in a marathon match at second singles, and the team of Tina Lam and Sahara Yusuf grabbed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) win at first doubles.
Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – A sweep in doubles action plus a hard fought win at third singles gave the Panthers the close win on the road at Canton. Sarah Schiavo battled her way to a 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles to clinch the win for the Panthers. The team of Amulya Jayam and Shriya Rasish won 6-4, 6-3 at first doubles while Chloe Essam teamed up with Sydney Tolonen for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles for the Panthers. Canton’s Camila Cutter earned a 6-1, 7-5 victory at first singles while Laura Correal prevailed from a well-played second singles match with a 7-6 (10), 6-4 win.
King Philip, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro took a pair of wins from singles action and one more from doubles to get a win over King Philip. Athena Li (first singles) and Hailey Kornbluth (second singles) both won 6-0, 6-0 for the hosts while the team of Abigail Costa and Juliana Preston secured a 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 win at first doubles for Foxboro. KP’s Sammie Taylor won 6-2, 6-2 at third singles and Caroline Frese teamed up with Lauren Caspter for a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep in the season opener for the Eagles, winning all five matches in straight sets against visiting Milford. Navya Shukla won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Ali Aguilar grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Ritu Sreeram earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of Abby Vilk and Judy Song didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win while the team of Sasha Fein and Sophia Oh were victorious 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.
Taunton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton took two wins from each singles and doubles action to get a win on the road over Stoughton. Brooke Bell earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and Ava Alves grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles for the Tigers. The first doubles team of Morgan Smith and Sam Parrett prevailed 6-3, 6-2 for Taunton while Kelsey Brennan and Janelle Garcia won 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada emerged from a hard-fought singles match with a 7-5, 7-5 (10-8) win.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 0 @ Barnstable, 3 – Final
King Philip, 0 @ Medfield, 3 – Final – Freshman Jacob Moores had four blocks and senior Danny Alexandre added three more but the Warriors dropped their first match of the season on the road at Medfield.
Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Kelley-Rex Division MVP
Mack Gulla, Franklin
Kelley-Rex Division All Stars
Chris Leonardo, Attleboro
Kaiden Murray, Attleboro
Jared Arone, Franklin
Shane Kindred, Franklin
Will Tracey, Franklin
Joe Tirrell, Franklin
Hunter Hastings, King Philip
Crawford Cantave, King Philip
Rudy Gately, King Philip
Mark DeGirolamo, Mansfield
Jephte Jean, Mansfield
Trevor Foley, Mansfield
Rocco Scarpellini, Mansfield
Tyler Lane, Milford
Marco Monteiro, Milford
Isaiah Pantalone, Milford
Trent Santos, Taunton
Davenport Division MVP
Dylan Gordon, Foxboro
Davenport Division All Stars
Bahsor Mahn, Canton
Tom Marcucella, Foxboro
Rashaad Way, Foxboro
Dylan Kerrigan, Foxboro
Aidan Hughes, Foxboro
Tom Sharkey, Foxboro
Tyler DeMattio, North Attleboro
Tyler Bannon, North Attleboro
Jared Vacher, North Attleboro
Keysun Wise, North Attleboro
Gavin Wells, North Attleboro
Collin Williamson, Oliver Ames
Jonah Ly, Stoughton
Anthony Girolamo, Stoughton
Emmett Pearl, Stoughton
Shawn Fargher, Stoughton
Honorable Mentions
Isaac Pereira, Attleboro
Colin Albert, Canton
Ryan Addeche, Foxboro
Cullen Pek, Franklin
Nick Viscusi, King Philip
Joseph Forte, Mansfield
Evan Cornelius, Milford
Greg Berthiaume, North Attleboro
Chad Silva, Oliver Ames
Konrad Rogers, Stoughton
Jose Touron, Taunton
Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league.
North Attleboro senior Tyler Bannon rushes for a first down in the second half against Marblehead. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – After Tyler DeMattio punched in his third touchdown of the night to bring North Attleboro from 14 points down to tie the game at 28-28 in the fourth quarter of Thursday afternoon’s Div. 3 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, it looked like North’s nearly two-decade wait for a state title could be coming to an end.
The momentum was with the Rocketeers when the kickoff return was stuffed at the 14. Three plays later, on third and long, Marblehead’s big-play offense struck again. Josh Robertson his Connor Cronin on a quick slant and the junior took it to the house.
The 83-yard score, Cronin’s third touchdown reception of the game, turned out to be the winner, as Marblehead’s explosive attack proved too much for North Attleboro to handle in a 35-28 win. It was the first state title for the Magicians, who finished 12-0 and extended their win streak to 20 games.
“We just had trouble matching up with all their skill athletes,” admitted North coach Don Johnson. “Just didn’t do enough to get enough stops on defense. I think they had good athletes who made us miss.”
When asked about Cronin in particular, Johnson said, “He’s awesome. We had seen that on film. I was very concerned about our ability to matchup with their guys in the slot. They’re just great playmakers.”
Marblehead showed off its multiple weapons on its first drive. The Magicians marched inside the North 10. Robertson (14-of-18, 290 yards) connected with Cronin (10 catches, 263 yards) for 25 to the 14. Two plays later, the Magicians had third and one at the five but Nathan Shultz twice made good reads at the corner to knock down passes and force a turnover on downs.
North got out to the 34 but then a punt went out of bounds at the 45, giving the Magicians a short field. Marblehead marched to the North four, but DeMattio sacked Robertson after a bad snap to force third and long and Daniel O’Brien made a good read on a swing pass to force a field goal attempt. An offsides call made it fourth and four at the seven and Marblehead decided to go for it, with Robertson hitting Cronin for their first score.
The Rocketeers answered right back with an impressive 11-play, 75-yard drive. A big screen pass from freshman Chase Frisoli (10-of-18, 144 yards) to Tyler Bannon converted on third and long. Frisoli then hit Aidan Conrad in the flat for 11 and had a play action pass to Bannon for 15. Inside the 20, North went back to the ground game and DeMattio punched it in from six yards.
After a good kickoff return, Marblehead started near midfield but Gavin Wells had good coverage on second down and Keysun Wise forced a punt with a third down sack.
Frisoli continued his strong start to the game when he hung in the pocket under pressure to hit Jack Munley for 16 yards into Marblehead territory and dropped a pass into Shultz for 33 down to the seven. Two plays later, DeMattio got into the end zone again, his second, this time from four yards, to take the lead with just 42 seconds left in the half.
The game turned on Marblehead’s next possession. A Kaiden Leary sack forced third and long, but Cronin was able to get behind the coverage, pulled in the pass from Robertson at the North 30 and then beat a pair of defenders to the goal line, tying the game with five seconds on the clock.
Momentum carried through halftime. Liam McIlroy picked off Frisoli on North’s first series and on the first play Robertson hit George Percy on a 20-yard screen for the go-ahead score. North then went three-and-out and James Galante’s punt return set the Magicians up at the North 21. Two plays later, Robertson’s eight-yard keeper made it 28-14.
Three touchdowns in just 4:02 had turned a game that North looked on the verge of breaking open into a solid Marblehead lead.
“I thought that whole little middle switch there when they scored right at the end of the first half and then when we didn’t convert on offense at the start of the second half,” Johnson said. “I thought that’s when the game started to turn in their favor.”
The Rocketeers needed a response and got one with a methodical, 14-play drive. It started back at the North 11, but Frisoli bounced back from his interception to hit Munley for 15 yards to convert third and three. North then put the ball in the hands of Bannon (18 carries, 92 yards) and DeMattio (24 carries, 105 yards). Bannon would cap off the impressive series with a six-yard score.
North finally got a stop on the other side of the ball. After a 30-yard pass to Cronin put the ball at the North 45, DeMattio made a nice tackle in the open field to stuff a screen for a loss of one and Greg Berthiaume sacked Robertson for a loss of four. On fourth and 10, Robertson hit Cronin for 14 yards but Bannon stripped him and Wells recovered.
On fourth and seven with just under eight minutes to go, North elected to go for it. Wells ran a great post corner route and Frisoli tossed a strike for 20 yards out near midfield. North then pounded the ball with its two running back, eating clock and yards. Bannon’s hard run made it first and goal at the three and DeMattio found the end zone on the next play.
DeMattio had at least three touchdowns in all four of the playoff games, finishing the postseason with 15. The strategy of moving him to running back this year and partnering him with Bannon in the backfield paid off for the Rocketeers.
Johnson said of DeMattio, “That’s what we were hoping for. We knew that we would need him, if we were going to get to this point. We probably just needed a few more guys around him.”
He added, “We’ve had that character all year, so I wasn’t surprised that we were able to come back like that. My only concern was scoring too early and giving the ball back to them.”
The comeback was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Cronin broke free for another long touchdown and Marblehead was back in front. Fittingly, it was Cronin who sealed the win, intercepting Frisoli on fourth and long to close out a remarkable Super Bowl performance.
“It’s just what we’ve been doing all year,” said Demattio. “It obviously didn’t go our way today and there are no excuses for that. We played well. We proved to everyone that we should be here.
“We gave it everything we had. Everyone left it out there on the field, that’s all that matters.”
Football Division 2 Super Bowl
#3 King Philip, 18 vs. #1 Catholic Memorial, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (KP) Matthew Kelley 28-yard field goal; (CM) JC Petrongolo 51-yard pass to Kole Osinubi, Jack Sokol XP good; (CM) J. Petrongolo 14-yard pass to Matthew Rios, J. Sokol XP good.
3rd Quarter: (CM) Datrell Jones 4-yard rush, J. Sokol XP good.
4th Quarter: (KP) Rudy Gately 4-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (CM) Drew DeLucia 66-yard pass to Jaedn Skeete, J Sokol XP good; (KP) Charlie Grant 1-yard rush, C. Grant 2-point pass to Crawford Cantave; (CM) J. Petrongolo 18-yard pass to K. Osinubi, J. Sokol XP good; (CM) K. Osinubi 55-yard interception return, J. Sokol XP good.
Division 3 Super Bowl
#3 North Attleboro, 28 vs. #1 Marblehead, 35 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Josh Robertson 7-yard pass to Connor Cronin, Eli Feingold XP good; (NA) Tyler DeMattio 6-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) T. DeMattio 4-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (M) J. Robertson 73-yard pass to C. Cronin; E. Feingold XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) J. Robertson 20-yard pass to George Percy, E. Feingold XP good; (M) J. Robertson 8-yard rush, E. Feingold XP good; (NA) Tyler Bannon 6-yard rush, T. Demattio XP good.
4th Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 3-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (M) J. Robertson 83-yard pass to C. Cronin, E. Feingold XP good.
Behind a pair of key defensive stops in the second half, North Attleboro pulled away from a gritty Billerica squad for a 28-10 win in a D3 State Semifinal clash at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Quincy.
“That was about exactly what we expected, it was pretty clear that they were going to be a tough team no matter what,” said North Attleboro coach Don Johnson. “I think if we didn’t get those two penalties in the first half, maybe it would have been a different game, but they hurt us. Those would have been stops with good field position. But [Billerica] is tough, they have playmakers…they’re a good football team.”
With its back against the wall, North Attleboro’s defense delivered.
Billerica seemingly had all of the momentum after forcing a rare turnover from the Rocketeers on one end of the field, and now was in position to take the lead after a lengthy, double-digit play drive that put the ball inside North’s 5-yard line.
On the Indians’ 10th play of the drive, a 1st and goal attempt from the four down 14-10, the Rocketeers defense not only stuffed Billerica up the middle, they forced the ball free and recovered to end the drive.
“That was the first time all year that I felt like we got a lucky break,” Johnson said. “Now I mean there are kids working hard that caused that to happen but those are the things that have been happening against us. That was one time where it really worked out for us.”
And even when North wasn’t able to get any points on its ensuing 12-play, 80-yard drive because of a blocked punt, the defense didn’t let Billerica capitalize on that momentum. They forced a quick three-and-out, and from that point on it was all North.
Freshman Chase Frisoli converted a third down with a 24-yard pass to junior Jack Munley to move inside the red zone. And despite a false start penalty three plays later that cornered North into a 3rd and 14, Frisoli hit senior Tyler DeMattio for a 17-yard score and the Rocketeers had some breathing room up 21-10 with 6:18 to play.
After just two pass attempts in the first half, Frisoli went 5/8 in the second half for 92 yards and a score.
“We thought going in that we were maybe going to have trouble running the ball and we might have to ask more of him,” Johnson said. “We worked on the pass game a lot and I think he’s just showed tremendous poise for a freshman and he did that tonight.”
Billerica moved into North territory on the ensuing drive in an effort to make it a one-score game but DeMattio and Kaiden Leary combined for a tackle for a loss on second down and the Rocketeers stuffed a fourth down run two plays later to get the ball back.
And just two plays later, DeMattio broke free through the left side for a 72-yard touchdown run, shaking one more defender just before the goal line to ice the win with 1:17 to play — his third rushing score of the game and fourth overall. He also booted all four of North’s extra points.
Billerica’s lone touchdown drive — its second series of the game — had originally ended with a punt but a running into the kicker penalty shortened fourth down and the Indians kept the drive alive. The Indians capitalized on that momentum as junior quarterback Joseph Green scored from 4 yards out to take a 10-7 lead, which was Billerica’s lone advantage of the evening.
“The front seven has played great this year, and our secondary has been awesome,” said senior captain Jared Vacher. “That fumble just completely flipped the game. After that, it was our game and we were able to take over. [Dominic Gird] was quick but we were just trying to mix it up. Their quarterback was pretty good and broke some plays, it was my first time playing against that muddle huddle.
“After our first loss to Feehan, Coach [Paul] Sullivan told us a story about a team from the 2000s that lost their first game but won out the rest of the year and I think that brought us so much hope. We bought in and each we’ve gotten better and better, and that’s what it’s all about. Our goal all along was Gillette and it’s awesome to finally achieve that.”
North opened the game in style, marching 60 yards on seven plays on the first drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead. DeMattio (16 carries, 174 yards) and senior Tyler Bannon (12 carries, 56 yards) split the workload, including back-to-back first down runs early in the drive.
Billerica’s defense forced the Rocketeers into a 4th and 5 situation at the Indians’ 34-yard line. Without hesitation, North kept the offense on the field and DeMattio followed a block from Bannon up the left side for a 34-yard touchdown with 8:13 left in first.
The Indians used a combination of runs from back Joseph Gird (17 carries, 53 yards) and keeper runs from Green (18 carries, 104 yards) — plus a roughing the passer call — to move down the field on its opening drive but the Rocketeers’ defense stood tall in its own territory, getting key tackles from Bannon, DeMattio, Vacher, Greg Berthiaume, and Keysun Wise among others, plus strong coverage in the secondary from Joey Perriello.
Billerica settled for a 40-yard field goal from Shaan Rana to get on the board, down 7-3 with 2:51 left in the first.
Green’s 4-yard touchdown run after the running into the kicker call put Billerica up 10-7 with 8:05 left in the second quarter but North was back ahead less than five minutes later.
Frisoli found Gavin Wells for 35-yards on the second play of the drive, Nathan Shultz had back-to-back carries, and Bannon rumbled his way for 16 yards to move the offense into scoring position. From there, DeMattio took it in from 5 yards out for a 14-10 lead with 3:49 left in the half.
Following its first two scoring drives, Billerica punted on three of its next four drives (fumbling on the other), turned it over on downs, and then ran out of time to end the game on the final drive. The Indians had 219 yards of offense but went just 1-for-5 on third down in the second half.
“That was the other thing, we didn’t give up many big plays,” Johnson said. “We knew they kind of liked to grind it out so we didn’t see them on film making a lot of big plays. Our game plan was to try and stop their run game and force them into passing situations, which I feel like we didn’t do enough.”
North Attleboro (7-3) advances to play at Gillette Stadium (date and time TBA) against top-seeded Marblehead (10-0), who routed Westfield, 40-7, in the other semifinal.
Tyler Bannon celebrates one of his three touchdowns during North Attleboro’s 62-28 rout of Milton in the D3 quarterfinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Heading into halftime of Saturday night’s Div. 3 quarterfinal at Community Field, the only things slowing down the North Attleboro offense was an hour-long delay for thunderstorms and a tornado warning. North scored on six of its seven possessions in the first half and got a touchdown on special teams as well.
But, despite having already put up 49 points, North came out of the locker room not yet feeing comfortable. A pair of turnovers had given Milton, and it’s high-powered offense, a little bit of momentum. So, the Rocketeers did what they have done to so many opponents over the years and put together a long, clock-chewing drive on the first possession of the third quarter and sealed the win.
It was an offensive explosion for North, as both Tyler Bannon and Tyler DeMattio racked up three touchdowns apiece and freshman Chase Frisoli tossed the first two postseason touchdowns of his career, both to Gavin Wells. North rolled into the final four with a 62-28 rout of No. 6 seed Milton.
“We just didn’t feel comfortable with those guys,” said North coach Don Johnnson. “No lead felt comfortable. I’ve never been in a game where you get to 40 or 50 points and you still don’t feel like you’ve put the game away.”
The Wildcats have a lot of weapons on offense, so it was going to be important for the Rocketeers to get off to a good start and play from in front. North did just that. Jared Vacher sacked Owen McHugh to force a punt on the first possession. Greg Berthiaume blocked the kick, giving the hosts the ball at the Milton 23.
DeMattio (22 carries, 152 yards) got the first carry for 13 yards and Bannon (16 carries, 214 yards) punched it in from 10 to grab the lead. As soon as Bannon hit the goal line, the sky lit up and the forecasted thunderstorm descended on Community Field, forcing the game to be delayed the crowd to scatter to the safety of its cars.
An hour later, DeMattio kicked the extra point to make it 7-0. On Milton’s first play of the ensuing drive, Vacher came up big again, reading the screen pass and picking it off at the 34. Two plays later, Bannon ran straight through the Milton defense for a 33-yard score. It was 14-0 after 3-1/2 minutes.
Another Milton punt led to the next score, as Nathan Shultz fielded it at his own 35, despite being under pressure, cut out to the North sideline and was gone. The 65-yard return made it 21-0, a lead that lasted all of 24 seconds. Milton showed its quick-strike potential when Jack Finnegan returned the kick 50 yards to the North 37 and McHugh hit Michael Fulton down the middle for a score. The extra point was missed but it was 21-6.
North was unperturbed. On its next drive, Frisoli (4-of-7, 95 yards) deceived the defense with a perfect play action and fired a strike to Wells, who was running free down the seam for a 57-yard touchdown. Milton drove to the North 34, but turned it over on downs. North went 66 yards on seven plays, including a 32-yard run by DeMattio who capped it with a five-yard TD.
The defense forced a three-and-out and, with the help of a penalty on the punt, gave the ball back to the offense at the Milton 41. Frisoli hit Jack Munley for 18 yards down to the 11 and DeMattio did the rest, punching it in from two yards.
Johnson explained, “We thought we might be able to move the ball on them. Just having that tandem of the two Tylers, that’s been a real key. To be this deep in the tournament, you have to be lucky and stay healthy, so we’ve been able to minimize the number of hits that those guys have taken.”
Milton gave itself a chance by scoring three times in just 3-1/2 minutes. Chase Vaughan took over under center and he hit Fulton for a 43-yard score. The ensuing kickoff was muffed and Milton recovered at the 19. Vaughan then found Dillon Mackenzie for a 14-yard touchdown. The conversion went off the helmet of the North corner and was caught. After forcing another North fumble, Milton got the ball back at the 35 and needed just four plays to get in the end zone again, cutting the lead to 42-28.
There was still 1:00 to play in a first half that had stretched, including the weather break, to more than 2-1/2 hours. That was plenty of time for North to tack on another score. Bannon got it started with a 45-yard carry to the Milton 20. On fourth down from the 15, Frisoli threw a dart to Wells, who pulled in the pass in the back corner of the end zone.
North still felt that there was work to do starting the third quarter and the two Tylers went right back to work, alternating carries and moving the chains. North used 14 plays to go 68 yards and ate more than seven minutes off the clock to put the game away.
“It was kind of a bad feeling at half, letting up 20-something points in five minutes, so we just wanted to stay together, stay as one in the locker room,” Bannon said. When asked about the importance of the third quarter drive, he replied, “Huge, momentum shifted right to our side, so after that it was game over.”
The key play was a fourth and one at the Milton 32, which DeMattio picked up by the length of a football, although the Wildcats coaches and fans were upset with the spot. Bannon got his third score of the night, from five yards, to make it 55-28.
Milton had one more drive in it, converting on fourth and eight and getting all the way inside the five. The North pass rush made it difficult for Vaughan to stand in and find an open receiver and the Wildcats turned it over on downs at the North seven. On the next play, Bannon busted through the line and raced 51 yards into Milton territory. DeMattio got his third TD of the game, and eighth in two playoff games, with a 25-yard run.
“It’s very important,” Bannon said about being able to trade off carries with his classmate. “We can stay healthy, stay fresh, and call ourselves the best running back duo in the league. It’s important for us.”
North Attleboro (6-3), the No. 3 seed, will face the No. 2 seed Billerica, which edged Hanover in the quarterfinal, for the right to go to Gillette Stadium. The date, time, and location of the game are to be determined.
“We don’t know a whole lot,” Johnson said when asked about Billerica. “We got a chance to go up and watch them last night. They look like a proud program with a tradition of winning and tough kids. When you get to this point you need that ingredient, they got the most important ingredients.”
Football Division 3
#6 Milton, 28 @ #3 North Attleboro, 62 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (NA) Tyler Bannon 10-yard rush, Tyler DeMattio XP good; (NA) T. Bannon 33-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) Nathan Shultz 65-yard punt return, T. DeMattio XP good; (M) Owen McHugh 37-yard pass to Michael Fulton, XP no good; (NA) Chase Frisoli 57-yard pass to Gavin Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 5-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) T. DeMattio 2-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (M) Chase Vaughan 43-yard pass to M. Fulton, XP good; (M) C. Vaughan 14-yard pass to Dillon Mackenzie, Conversion good; (M) C. Vaughan 5-yard pass to D. Mackenzie, XP good; (NA) C. Frisoli 15-yard pass to G. Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
3rd Quarter: (NA) T. Bannon 5-yard rush, XP no good.
4th Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 25-yard rush, Connor Ruppert XP good.
Division 4
#11 Wilmington, 21 @ #3 Foxboro, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: (W) Wilmington 60-yard pass touchdown, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) Dylan Gordon 47-yard rush, Sam Carpenter XP good; (F) Tom Marcucella 38-yard pass to Rashaad Way, S. Carpenter XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 31-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (W) Wilmington 14-yard rush, XP blocked.
4th Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 11-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) D. Gordon 16-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) R. Way 29-yard interception return, S. Carpenter XP good; (W) Wilmington 51-yard rush, two-point rush good.
Non-Playoff
Canton 3 @ New Bedford, 7 – Final
Sharon, 29 @ Brookline, 40 – Final
Boys Soccer Division 2
#21 Canton, 1 @ #20 Amherst-Pelham, 0 – Final
