Below are the official 2020 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Kelley-Rex
CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Davenport
Joao Neiva, Milford
Hockomock League All Stars
Kelley-Rex Division
Jake Carlucci, Franklin
Ken Sauer, Franklin
Dominic Sackley, Franklin
Matt Walker, Franklin
Yousef Lotfi, King Philip
Jackson Kelley, King Philip
Shawn Conniff, King Philip
CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
Will Stratton, Mansfield
Max Anderson, Oliver Ames
Davenport Division
Eddie Marinilli, Canton
Max Kornbluth, Foxboro
Joao Neiva, Milford
Carlos Terrinha, Milford
Mike Edmonds, North Attleboro
Montrel Jackson, North Attleboro
Ethan Smith, North Attleboro
Tyler Freedman, Sharon
Adam Landstein, Sharon
Max Pazner, Sharon
Kirit Gossety, Sharon
John Santos, Stoughton
Andrew Medina, Stoughton
Honorable Mentions:
Zack Peters, Canton
Trent Rennie, Foxboro
Dylan Nawn, Franklin
Sam DeBaggis, King Philip
Noah Price, Mansfield
Danny Alves, Milford
John Kummer, North Attleboro
Nelson Malone, Oliver Ames
Rhamsez Theienin, Sharon
Jackson Wellman, Taunton
Franklin wrestling won the D1 Central Sectional championship. (Twitter/FHSWrestle)Sharon wrestling won the D2 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/SHS_Eagles)Foxboro wrestling won the D3 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/FoxboroWarriors)
D1 South
Teams
1. New Bedford – 250
T4. Mansfield – 154
6. Taunton – 149.5
Ben Shocket takes down Alex Yan in the 113-pound match, as Sharon took down North Attleboro to win at least a share of its first league title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – North Attleboro has a lot of experience in dealing with the pressure of dual meets that can decide a league championship. It is essentially something that the Rocketeers deal with every season, but for Sharon this was a rare opportunity.
With a crowded gym cheering them on, the Eagles continued their historic season by putting together a solid team effort and handing North Attleboro a 37-19 loss. The win clinches Sharon at least a share of the Davenport division title, its first league dual meet crown. If the Eagles win the final meet against Stoughton, it would end North’s run of five straight league title across the Kelley-Rex and Davenport divisions.
“It feels great,” said Sharon coach Jeff Sonis. “The kids have put in so much work. We have kids come back and workout with them all the time. The kids deserve all the credit, they do all the wrestling, doing all the clubs and camps. They do everything it takes to win.”
North coach Geoff Burgess knew that his team was in for a tough night against the Eagles, particularly with an open spot at 120 that would be a free six points for Sharon. He praised the hosts for the effort that they put in during the off-season workouts.
“Their kids put in all the hard work in the off-season,” he said. “They were all at club. They were religious about it too, there every day, so they deserve it. Their kids wrestled fantastic tonight.”
It was hardly a runaway win for Sharon, as the teams combined for only three pins on the night and none of those pins occurred before the third period of a match.
The turning point of the meet came in the ninth match. At 220 pounds (the meet started at 132), Keysun Wise led 2-0 heading into the third period. Rhamsez Thevenin had a reversal to tie the match, only for Wise to escape and regain the lead. Inside the final minute, Thevenin thought he had won it with another near fall, but again Wise managed to escape with just 12 seconds remaining to send the match into overtime at 4-4.
In overtime, Thevenin didn’t settle for just getting the takedown that would win it, he also followed through and got the pin and six points for his team, pushing the lead to 24-12 and ratcheting up the noise in the gym to a new level.
“The pin at 220 by Rhamsez was huge for us in overtime,” Sonis explained. “We tell our kids all the time to fight through overtime, a pin in overtime counts the same. I think it was the turning point. That goes the other way and things would be a lot closer than I would’ve liked.”
John Kummer followed that match with a solid 11-0 win at 285 pounds, but he was frustrated in his attempts to get the pin right back and had to settle for four points for North. Adam Landstein continued his excellent season with a 10-2 victory at 106 and Ben Shocket scored a 13-11 victory over Alex Yan at 113 to put Sharon up 31-16.
Shocket’s win basically sealed the meet and title, as a walk-over at 120 meant six more points for the Eagles. Ethan Smith closed out the meet with a 10-5 victory at 126, but the three points were only consolation for the Rocketeers.
“Nice home crowd, chance to win a league championship, and every single dual meet is like this for them where it comes down to every bout and they just won all the close bouts,” said Burgess. “We just weren’t tough enough. We probably could’ve won four more bouts, they were that close.”
Sharon built an early lead through the first four matches. After Chris Galligan opened the meet with a 6-1 win at 132 pounds, the Eagles won four straight to jump in front. Aaron Cashton rolled to a 9-2 win at 138, Max Pozner had a pair of takedowns in the third period to win 10-5 at 145, Kirit Gossety won 7-1 at 152, and Tyler Freedman closed out his match with a third period pin to make it 15-3 overall.
Austin Dean won 7-0 at 170 pounds to get North three points back and Mike Edmonds grabbed six points with a pin inside the final minute of the third period at 182. Eric Rabkin put Sharon back in front by six (18-12) when his third period escape proved to be the only scoring in a 1-0 win against Alex Warsofsky at 195.
“I tell my kids all the time that dual meets can come down to a kid not getting pinned, a kid losing only by seven,” Burgess said. “There are numerous instances in our past where the moral victory is sometimes just as good as the actual victory.”
Sharon has had good teams in the past and individual wrestlers who have brought home titles at state and New England meets, but the Eagles had never broken through and won a league championship before this season.
When asked what separated this year’s team from others in the past, Sonis replied, “We have a lot of depth. We have 28 kids with a varsity win. We have 45 kids who work hard at practice. They work hard, they push each other, we have great leadership from the seniors, and the kids rally behind each other. I think they really enjoy being with each other.”
Sharon (21-2) will head to North Attleboro for the league cross-over quad meet on Saturday on before closing out the league campaign against Stoughton on Wednesday. North Attleboro (9-8) will host the quad and face-off against Franklin, King Philip, and Taunton before hosting Foxboro next Wednesday.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 40 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 45 – Final – Kaitlyn Wallace led the Eagles in scoring for the second straight night, finishing with 13, but Sharon was unable to pick up a non-league win. Leah Fandel added 11 and Ally Brown scored nine in the loss. Sharon trailed by eight at halftime (32-24) and clamped down defensively in the second half to try and make a comeback. The Eagles allowed only 13 points after the break, but Spellman was tough on the defensive end of the floor as well to hold on for the win.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip scored three goals in the opening period in a win over visiting Attleboro. Sophomore Nolan Feyler opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game with assists from Rocco Bianculli and Kyle Gray, and Bianculli doubled the last two minutes later (from Feyler and Joe Boselli) for an early 2-0 lead. Attleboro’s Liam McDonough scored (from Owen Dryjowicz) to cut the deficit in half just past the midway point of the first but KP’s Conor Cooke (from Bianculli and Gray) scored just over a minute later to regain KP’s two-goal advantage. The Bombardiers once again got within a goal when Nate Parker scored with 3:15 to go in the second but KP had an answer as Boselli (from Feyler) scored 31 seconds later to make it 4-2.
Stoughton, 8 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – Dante Massaro led the way for Stoughton with a hat trick, leading to a big road win. Ryan Flannery and Cade O’Connell each scored twice and Joe McNulty wrapped up the scoring for Stoughton. Nathan Petti earned the win between the pipes.
Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 @ Medway/Ashland, 3 – Final – Canton rallied for a pair of goals in the final four minutes to earn a draw with Medway/Ashland.
Franklin, 2 vs. Medfield, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 2 vs. Wayland, 6 – Final – Jill Parker scored and had an assist in a loss at home to Wayland. Parker and Morgan Lessa assisted on a goal from Haley Nelson while Parker scored the Knights’ second goal with Ava Buckley and Samantha Sherman recording assists.
King Philip, 2 vs. Dedham, 4 – Final – King Philip’s Makenzie Shandley and Morgan Cunningham scored and Avari Maxwell had an assist but the Warriors fell at home to Dedham. Cristina Coleman made 12 saves in net for KP.
Wrestling
Canton, 18 @ North Attleboro, 48 – Final – North Attleboro earned seven of its nine wins by pinfall to secure a key division win over visiting Canton. Keysun Wise needed just nine seconds to get a pin at 220 while Ethan Smith (126, 1:23), Chris Galligan (132, 0:32), Jon Lozinski (145, 5:50), Michael Edmonds (170, 2:18), Alex Warsofsky (195, 2:34), and John Kummer (285, 0:57) also recorded pins. Andrew Faris (138) earned a 4-2 decision in overtime while Joe Shepard (182) won 11-6. For Canton, Yurii Leskiv (106, 2:31) and Eddie Marinilli (152, 0:27) won by pin while Zachary Peters (113) won 6-4 in overtime and Jobi Michel (160) picked up a 14-9 win.
Sharon, 46 @ Foxboro, 15 – Final – The Eagles moved another step closer to bringing home its first ever league meet title with a strong performance against perennial power Foxboro. Adam Landstein, Amit Levin, David Gelman, Aaron Cashton, Max Pozner, Kirit Gosetty, Tyler Freedman, Philip Varvak, Rhamsez Thevenin, and Eric Rabkin all earned wins for Sharon. The Eagles will host North Attleboro next week with a chance to clinch at least a share of the Davenport crown.
Mansfield, 31 @ Franklin, 37 – Final – Franklin heavyweight Matthew Leofanti earned a pin in the final match of the night to give the Panthers a thrilling win over the Hornets in a hard fought match. Jake Carlucci, Kenny Sauer, and Dom Sackley also had pinfall victories for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 36 @ King Philip, 35 – Final
Milford @ Stoughton, 7:00
Taunton, 51 vs. Keefe Tech, 19 – Final – The Tigers picked up a non-league victory over Keefe Tech on Wednesday night, earning seven wins by pinfall. Both Jackson Mandeville (138, 0:40) and Ethan Harris (145, 0:57) pinned their opponents in under a minute while James Collins (106, 1:06), Xavier Sandoval (126, 3:14), Ben Mandeville (132, 3:39), Christian Balmain (152, 3:20), and Jackson Wellman (195, 2:39) also win by pin for Taunton. Peter Ye notched a 5-0 decision at 182 for the Tigers.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 90 @ Attleboro, 69 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 85 @ Attleboro, 77 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro, 131.65 @ Oliver Ames, 136.9 – Final
Results:
Vault: 1. Sawyer Haverly, OA – 9.2 | 2. Peyton Rivers, OA – 8.9 | 3. Stella Krawiec, Att – 8.65
Bars: 1. Abbey DeCouto, OA – 8.3 | 2. Sawyer Haverly, OA – 8.1 | 3. Peyton Rivers/Tina O’Neill 8.0
Beam: 1. Peyton Rivers/Abbey DeCouto, OA – 8.5 | 2. Samantha Burrell, OA – 8.55 | 3. Stella Krawiec, Att – 8.5
Floor: 1. Katelyn McGarry, OA – 9.2 | 2. Ashlyn Latham, OA – 8.8 | 3. Amanda Burns, Att – 8.7
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once in each the first and second periods to earn a Hockomock League win over visiting Foxboro. Senior Dom Cammarata scored his first career goal in the first and sophomore Eamon Kelly doubled the lead with a goal late in the second period.
King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – KP rallied from 1-0 down after the first period with a pair of goals in each of the second and third periods. Joe Boselli scored the tying goal on an assist from Chris Daniels and then the combo switched roles to put KP ahead 2-1. Jack Coulter (from Conor Cooke) made it 3-1 in the third period and then Cooke added the fourth (with assists from Aidan Boulger and Coulter). Nate Ihley made 18 saves to get the win.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a two goal deficit by scoring three unanswered third period goals to grab a win at home over North Attleboro. Cam Perron got the Tigers on the board on an assist from Ryan Gottwald while Duncan Pereira (assisted by Ross Carroll and Hunter Costello) tied the game for OA. Perron (from Brad Powers) scored the game-winner with three minutes to play to give OA the win.
Stoughton, 5 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final – Colin Alessi, Al Bermingham, and Dante Massaro all scored to help Stoughton skate to a win over visiting Cardinal Spellman. Alessi and Bermingham each scored a pair of goals to pace the offense while Massaro found the best of the net once.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Westwood, 4 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Medway, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored with 7.2 seconds left to give the Black Knights a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Shawsheen. The Rams built a 2-0 lead with a goal in each the first and second periods but Stoughton got on the board with five minutes left in the second. Lessa fired a shot on net and Zofia Bangs tucked in the rebound to cut the deficit to 2-1. Samantha Sherman tied the game, squeaking a rebound just under the goalie. Lessa scored the winner on an odd-man rush in the final seconds to give the Black Knights their first win of the season. Brianna Buckley had a strong game in net for Stoughton.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Dedham, 6 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Notre Dame Academy, 3 – Final
Wrestling
Norton Quad (Canton, Stoughton), 10:00
Carver Quad (Foxboro), 10:00
Algonquin Quad (Franklin), 10:00
Oliver Ames Quad, 10:00
Walpole Quad (King Philip), 10:00
Holliston Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro went 1-2 at the Holliston quad, picking up a win over Quabbin (18-9). The Rocketeers lost to host Holliston (46-30) as well as Melrose (48-26). Ethan Smith had a strong showing for the Rocketeers, picking up 3-0 wins all by pinfall at the 126 weight class. Andrew Faris (138) and Mike Edmonds (170, two pins) each went 2-0 for North Attleboro.
Marlboro Quad (Sharon) – Sharon suffered just its second loss of the season to host Marlboro but also picked up a pair of wins. The Eagles beat Masconomet (42-19) and St. John’s Shrewsbury (38-36) but fell to Marlboro (33-27). Adam Landstein (106) went 3-0 on the day for the Eagles, picking up a pair of pinfall victories and another by decision. Tyler Freedman (160) and Philip Varvak (170) each recorded two wins by pinfall on the day.
Marshfield Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos recorded the 100th win of his career and the Hornets posted a 3-1 record at the Marshfield Super Quad. Mansfield picked up wins over Silver Lake (60-18), Leominster (48-6) and Marshfield (36-18) with its lone loss coming to one of the top teams in the state in Metheun (48-33). Glaropoulos, Max Farley, Antonios Sevastos, Ciaran Connolly, and Noah Price well went undefeated on the day for the Hornets.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 33 @ Cardinal Spellman, 38 – Final – Ally Brown scored 10 points, Trinity Payne scored nine, and Kaitlyn Wallace scored eight, but the Eagles couldn’t pull out the win on the road.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 9 – Final
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 6 – Final
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. North jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first with a pair of goals in the final four minutes. Jake Gruber followed up after Sam Clarke’s shot was saved to net the first goal of the game and then, with 50.7 seconds left in the period, Jeff Baker found the back of the net with a wrister from a few feet inside the blue line. KP took no time to erase the deficit after the intermission, scoring three power play goals in the first four minutes of the second. Nolan Feyler had a great tip in front to get the first, Joe Boselli picked the corner from the slot for the second, and then Chris Daniels crashed the net to slam home a loose puck and put KP in front. Dennis Morehouse answered back with a goal three minutes before the end of the second and that proved to be the final tally, as the teams finished with a point apiece. KP goalie Jesper Makudera made 25 saves, while North goalie Nick Digiacomo stopped 29 shots.
Taunton, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Taunton took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission but Mansfield scored four straight goals in the second period, including three in the final three minutes, to turn the game around for the win. Taunton freshman Nathan Fernandes scored with 4:13 left in the first with junior Cam Faria and sophomore Loran Corcoran assisting. Mansfield junior Cam Page tied the game with 8:07 left in the second period on assists from Joseph Troiano and Chris Jenkins. Jake Lund (from Jenkins and Troiano) and Jenkins scored eight seconds apart to put the Hornets ahead 3-1, and senior Kevin Belanger added another goal with less than a minute to go in the second (from Jenkins and Patrick Gormley). Jenkins earned his fourth point with his second goal of the game with 7:23 left in the third, Gormley and Lund earning assists. Taunton senior Xavier Abel scored with 4:44 to go with freshman Colton Scheralis and senior Noah Gravel earning assists.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final – Canton freshman Olivia Maffeo scored her 11th goal of the season in the first period and the Bulldogs held on for the win over Dedham. Freshman Carolyn Durand earned her sixth shutout of the season in net.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Norwood, 3 – Final – Norwood scored twice in a two-minute span in the first period and the MOA Warriors were unable to overcome the early deficit. Kylie O’Keefe halved the deficit with a goal in the second period but the Mustangs scored first in the third to push the lead to 3-1. Ella Waryas finished off a rebound on a shot from Melissa Shanteler to bring the Warriors within one but couldn’t find the tying goal despite a strong push late.
King Philip, 2 vs. Medfield, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. King Philip’s Makenzie Shandley and Avari Maxwell scored early in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit but the Warriors converted a two-man advantage in the final five minutes to earn the win. Cristina Coleman had a strong showing in-between the pipes for KP.
Wrestling
Foxboro, 48 @ Canton, 26 – Final – Foxboro earned seven pins and nine wins overall to earn a win on the road over Canton. Sean Bubencik (120), Jonathan Carey (132), Jeremy Neale (145), John Rounds (152), Sean Gallagher (182), Aiden Dow (195) and Aidan Hughes (285) all secured important points with pinfall victories for the Warriors while James Fraser (106) and Ryan Addeche (170) each won by decision. Canton’s Joseph Doria (126), Dominic Sica (138), Eddie Marinilli (160) and Derrell Brown (220) picked up wins via pinfall. Zachary Peters earned a 7-3 win at 113 for the Bulldogs.
Taunton, 15 @ Franklin, 56 – Final – Franklin picked up a half dozen wins via pinfall, two through major decision, and another pair through decision to knock off visiting Taunton. Devon Bramson (126), Jake Carlucci (132), Alex Fracassa (145), Dom Sackley (160), Dylan Nawn (182), and Matt Walker (220) pinned down wins for the Panthers. Ken Sauer won 9-0 at 152 and Luke Cashin picked up a 15-3 win at 170, both major decisions. Drew Difilipio earned an 8-1 decision at 120 and Ahmed Jawando picked up a 10-7 victory at 138. Taunton’s James Collins pinned down a victory at 106 and Jackson Wellman earned a 3-1 decision at 195 for the Tigers.
Oliver Ames, 28 @ Mansfield, 44 – Final – Mansfield freshmen Owen Weber (106) and Colton Johnson (182) earned key wins to help the Hornets fend off visiting Oliver Ames.
Sharon, 57 @ Milford, 11 – Final – Sharon continued its impressive season with a big win over Milford. Adam Landstein, Ben Shocket, David Gelman, Cam Birnbaum, Amit Levin, Aaron Cashton, Max Pozner, Kirit Gossetty, Tyler Freedman, Jared Karen, and Rhamsez Thevenin all had wins for the Eagles.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 52 @ Foxboro, 66 – Final – Tied after a quarter and separated by just a point at halftime, Foxboro created a little separation in the third and used a 22-point fourth quarter to completely pull away from visiting Oliver Ames. Senior Donald Rogers scored 16 of his career-high 24 points after the break, including nine points in the third quarter that helped the Warriors turn a 26-25 halftime lead into a 44-39 advantage. Both Rogers and Brandon Borde (18 points) connected on three-pointers in the fourth quarter while senior Ryan Hughes scored six of his eight points in the final frame. Junior Kevin Gallagher added 15 points for the Warriors. Junior Amari Brown had a team-high 18 points for the Tigers while Jay Spillane added 12 points.
Mansfield, 72 @ Milford, 41 – Final – Mansfield closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run and never looked back, securing a win on the road over Milford. The Hawks cut the deficit down to two (21-19) midway through the second quarter before Mansfield pushed the lead to double digits, up 35-25 at the halftime break. The advantage remained the same until the Hornets went on their run in the final four minutes of the third to take a 51-33 lead into the fourth quarter. Senior Sam Stevens led the charge with 26 points and five rebounds while junior TJ Guy had a strong all-around showing with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Foxboro and Oliver Ames traded goals between the first two periods before the Warriors scored three straight in the final period to get the win. Kirk Leach put the hosts up in the first before Hunter Costello answered midway through the second for OA to make it 1-1 heading into the third. Foxboro sophomore Jack Watts scored less than a minute into the third period to give the Warriors the lead. Espen Reager made a handful of saves late to protect the lead while both Watts and Leach tacked on empty net goals in the final minute.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – For nearly two periods, Taunton goalie Sean Bunker thwarted every shot that Franklin put his way. But the Panthers finally broke through with just over two minutes to go in the second and went on to score five more in the third to grab a win over the Tigers. Conor O’Neil put the hosts ahead with Sean Connelly and JT Dwyer recording assists as Franklin led 1-0 through 30 minutes. Kyle Hedvig tacked on a pair of third period goals while Declan Lovett (unassisted), Shea Hurley, and Andrew Demerchant also scored for the Panthers. Colin Hedvig added two assists while Lovett and Dylan Marchand also had helpers. Bunker finished with over 40 saves for Taunton.
King Philip, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Joe Boselli scored twice and Jesper Makudera made 24 saves as KP earned a tough non-league road shutout. Boselli opened the scoring in the second period off of an assist from Nolan Feyler. In the third, Conor Cooke (assisted by Aidan Boulger) doubled the lead and then Boselli sealed with the win with an unassisted goal.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Franklin opened the scoring in the second period and took a 1-0 lead into the third period but had to score with less than four minutes to go to salvage a tie. Franklin’s Amanda Lewandowski scored with just under two minutes left in the second period on an assist from Lyndsey Atkinson. But Canton’s Tess Khoury (from Maria Femia and Lizzie Tassinari) scored 14 seconds into the third period to tie the game. The Bulldogs took their first lead with 6:40 to go when Ellie Roberts finished off a pass from Caroline Tourgee but Atkinson scored the tying goal with 3:12 to go with Jordan Dwyer getting the assist.
King Philip, 10 vs. Shawsheen Tech, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Jen Daniels and Makenzie Shandley each scored a pair of goals as the Warriors skated to a big win over Shawsheen. Sydney O’Shea (three assists), Nicole Brady, Averi Maxwell, Olivia Donovan, Ally Donovan, and Sammy Robison each scored once while Cristina Coleman and Mallory Johnston combined for the shutout.
Wrestling
Canton, 30 @ Sharon, 49 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.The Eagles recorded seven pins as a team, continuing their impressive dual meet record this season and opening league play with a win. Adam Landstein (106), David Gilman (120), Ammit Levin (126), and Vennai Chinnen (132) each recorded pins as Sharon jumped out to a 24-6 lead. Zach Peters the lone Canton points with a pin at 113 pounds. Aaron Cashton added a 10-0 win at 138, Max Pozner recorded a pin right as the first period buzzer sounded, and Kirit Gossetty added three more with a 6-1 win to push the lead to 37-6. Eddie Marinilli had a first period pin at 160 but Sharon answered with a first period pin by Tyler Freedman. Cillian Collins got six points for the Bulldogs, but again the Eagles responded with a pin, this time by Rhamsez Thevenin at 195. Derrell Brown earned a shock pin at 220. Trailing 5-2, Brown suddenly caught his opponent and managed to get a pin with just four seconds remaining. Ryan Richards closed the match with another pin for Canton.
Franklin, 53 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.Franklin took control of the dual meet in the middleweight matches and then closed it out with strong matches in the heavyweights, opening league play with a convincing win. OA was fired up in the first match when Nathan Lipski won by fall at 106, but the Panthers got those six points right back with a pin for Dillon Cashin at 113. Drew Difilipio was able to hold on for a 5-2 win at 120, but Remi Creighton tied the meet for OA with an 8-2 win at 126. Jake Carlucci (132) and Nelson Malone traded pins to keep the score tied, 15-15, but then the Panthers took over. Alex Fracassa had a second period tech fall to earn five points followed by back-to-back pins from Ken Sauer and Dominic Sackley. Liam Cogavin battled to win 9-4 at 170, although Onye Nwadiugwu dominated the third period of the match, and Dylan Nawn got a pin at 182. Max Anderson grabbed four points for the Tigers at 195, but Matt Walker (220) and Matt Leofanti (285) closed out the meet with pins for the Panthers.
King Philip, 41 @ Taunton, 33 – Final – Four Warriors earned wins by pinfall and another by tech fall to help King Philip earn a win on the road at Taunton. Sam DeBaggis (120), Jackson Kelley (138), Cole Ricci (160), and Hunter Hastings (220) each won by fall for KP while Shawn Conniff (195) won by tech fall up 17-2. Noah Riedel (145, 6-2) and Lucas Morreale (170, 5-3) won by decision for KP. Taunton’s James Collins (106), Brandon Mendes (113), and Xavier Sandoval (126) win via pinfall while Peter Ye (182) earned a 2-0 decision.
Boys Basketball
Taunton, 83 vs. Bishop Stang, 57 – Final – Taunton scored 23 points in each of the first three quarters, building a double-digit advantage through eight minutes and never looked back in a win over Bishop Stang. Sophomore Trent Santos sank four three-pointers on his way to a career-high 18 points, one of five Tigers to reach double figures and one of eight on the team to score. Sophomore Faisal Mass scored in all four quarters, netting nine of his career-high 15 points in the third quarter. Josh Lopes (14 points), Nigel Choate (career-high 12 points), and Tyler Stewart (10 points) all finished in double-figures for Taunton, who improved to 2-2 overall.
King Philip, 2 @ Archbishop Williams, 0 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of third period goals, used a stellar defensive performance, and Jesper Makudera shined in net in a win over Archies. Makudera made 27 saves for the Warriors and played outstanding according to KP head coach Paul Carlow. Carlow also noted the strong performance of the Warrior defense, highlighting senior Kyle Gray, who played a ton of minutes to anchor the blue line group. Junior Rocco Bianculli scored 45 seconds into the third on an assist from Joe Boselli to give the visitors the lead. Aidan Boulger doubled the lead at 9:58 on an assist from Gray.
Mansfield, 2 vs. Winthrop, 2 – Final – Mansfield had a first period lead but needed to find the back of the net in the third to earn a come-from-behind tie against Winthrop. Seniors Chris Jenkins and Jake Lund scored for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Matt McSweeney scored twice, including the eventual game-winner, and goalie Nick Digiacomo had a strong game in between the pipes to help the Rocketeers beat their rivals. North had a 1-0 lead five minutes into the first on a goal from the blue line by Jake McNeany, but the Shamrocks scored two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead after one period. In the second, North scored four times to jump in front. Will Yeomans tied the game with a power play goal. After Jake Gruber had his shot sneak inside the post to put North in front, Feehan tied it just 12 seconds later. McSweeney scored twice about a minute apart to put North ahead for good. Feehan got one back in the third, but the North penalty kill was impressive and the Rocketeeers held on for the win.
Franklin, 3 vs. Austin Prep, 3 – Final – Franklin scored with 10:26 left in the third period to earn a tie with Austin Prep, last year’s D1 State Finalists. The Panthers scored twice in the first period, taking a 1-0 lead on a goal from Gianna Cameron (assisted by Amanda Lewandowski and Lyndsey Atkinson) and then going back in front 2-1 just over a minute later on a goal from Atkinson (assisted by Libby Carter and Tina Pisano). Sophomore Emma Hunt had the assist on the game-tying goal while Gabby Colace made 32 saves in net to help the Panthers earn the point.
King Philip, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Wrestling
Marlboro Tournament (Canton) – The Bulldogs sent a pair of wrestlers to the final round of the Marlboro Early Bird tournament, earning one individual championship and a ninth place finish overall with 73 points. Sophomore Zack Peters earned his first tournament win, taking first in the 113 bracket. Peters won his first three matches via pinfall before taking the final match 4-2 over the second seed. Eddie Marinilli added a second place finish in the 160 bracket while Yuril Leskiv took fourth overall at 106.
Melish Duals – Sharon took first place and went 4-0 in the Mike Melish Memorial Duals, beating hosts Foxboro 40-27 in the final match of the day. The Eagles also earned wins over Northbridge (57-12), Boston Latin (61-6), and Plymouth South (31-30). Five Sharon wrestlers – Adam Landstein, David Gelman, Kirit Gosetty, Tyler Freedman, Rhamsez Thevenin – went undefeated on the day.
Franklin @ St. John’s Prep Quad – The Panthers picked up three wins in the quad meet. Franklin beat Lawrence 54-24, Salem (N.H.) 60-21, and then edged out the home team St. John’s Prep 37-34 in the final match.
Brockton Quad (Mansfield), 10:00AM
North Attleboro Quad – North Attleboro picked up a win over Chariho (RI) but suffered setbacks to both Norton and Hope (RI) in the Rocketeers’ first quad of the season. Big Red earned a 51-25 win over Chariho before falling to the Lancers and Hope by identical 42-30 wins. The Rocketeers were close to a win over powerhouse Norton before the Lancers picked up back-to-back pins for an 18-point swing and the win. North’s Mike Edmonds (170), Montrel Jackson (182), and Keysun Wise (220) each went 3-0 on the day with a pair of pins.
Marshfield Super-Quad – Oliver Ames went 4-0 in Marshfield, beating the hosts 54-24, Pembroke 54-24, Scituate 42-18, and Toll Gate (R.I.) 54-18. Jaden Ricci, Onye Nwadiugwu, Stavros Constantinou, and Nelson Malone all went 4-0 on the day and Max Anderson went 3-0 for the Tigers.
Milford Tournament (Milford, King Philip), 10:00
Stoughton Quad, 10:00
Taunton Early Bird (Taunton) – Taunton’s Christian Balmain claimed the tournament title at 152, helping the Tigers take third overall at the Sandwich Early Bird. Balmain needs just 27 seconds to get his first win via pinfall, and then advanced to the finals with a pinfall victory in the semifinals. In the final, Balmain had a takedown in each of the first two rounds to build a lead, and then secured the 7-2 decision with a late takedown in the third. Taunton’s James Collins (106) and Nico Sallaway (170) each had second play finishes while Luke Fraga (113), Brandon Mendes (120), Xavier Sandoval (126), and Ethan Harris (160) finished third overall.
Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 43 @ Stoughton, 72 – Final – Holding a 31-24 lead at halftime, Stoughton exploded for 26 points in the third quarter to run away with a win at home over North Attleboro. Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell (five assists) hit two of his four triples in the third, scoring 10 of his career-high 20 points in the frame to lead the charge. Senior Obinna Ugwuakazi added 15 points, senior Tahkwan Gates Brown chipped in with a career-high 13 points, and senior Ahmad Jahed added 13 points for the Black Knights, who connected on eight three-pointers. King Philip junior George Ladd had a team-high 11 points while senior Ethan Friberg finished with 10 points.
Oliver Ames, 64 @ Taunton, 63 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jay Spillane sank the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.5 seconds left to give the visitors a stunning win. Trailing for the entire game, including a 53-46 deficit with just over five minutes left, OA took its first lead of the game on the triple. After inbounding the ball, junior Amari Brown got the ball back, drove to the basket to draw the defense, and kicked it to the corner to Spillane, who drained his second triple of the game. OA forced a turnover to prevent Taunton from a final shot. Spillane had nine of his 16 points come in the second half while Brown scored 13 of his career-high 19 points in the second half. Ryan Burkett added 12 points for the visitors. Taunton junior Tyler Stewart set a new career-high with 21 points while classmate Josh Lopes added 14 points. Sophomore Tristan Herry chipped in with 13 points, the most for him in a Tiger uniform.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 36 @ Brockton, 51 – Final – The Boxers jumped out to a 14-point (18-4) lead at the end of one quarter and the Hornets were never able to recover. Mansfield did get within 10 (45-35) with just three minutes to play but couldn’t overcome a rough shooting night. Kayla Vine led the way with 11 points, Abby Wager had 10, and Sara Dooling scored nine in the loss.
King Philip, 50 @ Franklin, 80 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – The Panthers dominated from the opening whistle, running out to a 17-0 lead and never allowing a shorthanded Warriors team to get close. Ali Brigham starred for the hosts, scoring a game-high 25 points, pulling down 18 rebounds, and dishing out five assists. Sophomore Olivia Quinn was unstoppable as well, adding 20 points and five rebounds. Meghan O’Connell added 11 points and Stefany Padula had nine in the win. Brianna James scored 14 points for KP and Emma Glaser chipped in with 10.
Stoughton, 37 @ North Attleboro, 64 – Final – The Rocketeers jumped out to 36-16 halftime lead and secured their first win under head coach Nikki Correia. Summer Doherty was North’s top scorer with 12 points, while Amanda Kaiser added 10 and Eliza Dion had nine. All 10 players scored for the Rocketeers. Shyanne Trinh led all scorers with 16 points for the Black Knights. Correia credited the team’s tough defense, quick start, and its ability to take care of the ball for picking up a first win of the season.
Taunton, 54 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final – OA grabbed an 18-4 advantage after one and never looked back, growing the lead to 44-18 at the break. Taunton fought hard in the second half, outscoring OA by seven, but couldn’t mount a comeback. Kelsey Yelle paced OA with 16 points, while Caroline Flynn scored 15 and added 10 assists. Caroline Peper added 14 for OA and Tate Hadges and Hailey Bourne each scored 10. Freshman Kameron St. Pierre had a big night for Taunton, scoring 24 points on six three-pointers, and Kelsey White added 11.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 3 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 3 – Final – Owen Dryjowicz, Aiden Dryjowicz, and Nate Parker each scored once but the Bombardiers settled for a tie with visiting Martha’s Vineyard.
Canton, 3 vs. Shrewsbury, 3 – Final – Canton had its eight-game win streak snapped but erased a pair one-goal deficits to earn a tie push its unbeaten streak to 28 games. Chris Lavoie scored twice for the Bulldogs, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead before Shrewsbury tied the game before the end of the first period. Shrewsbury took a 2-1 lead but senior Johnny Hagan knotted the score. Shrewsbury took its second lead, 3-2, into the third period but Lavoie tallied his second of the game to make it 3-3.
Mansfield, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro scored first but Oliver Ames answered as the teams skated to a tie in non-league action. Dennis Morehouse put the hosts ahead early in the first period but OA junior Kevin Tremblay netted the equalizer early in the second on an assist from Ross Carroll. OA senior Owen Connor made 32 saves in the tie.
King Philip, 5 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – King Philip had four different players light the lamp while Nate Ihley made his season debut inbetween the pipes with a shutout over Coyle. Junior Rocco Bianculli scored a pair of goals while adding an assist to lead the offense. Conor Cooke, Paul McDonald, and Nolan Feyler each scored once in the win, and Ihley made 20 saves for the shutout.
Taunton, 3 vs. Sandwich, 5 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Nauset, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Seven different players scored for the Bulldogs, who won their third game of the season, all by shutout. Kaitlyn McLaughlin scored the first goal of her varsity career in the win.
Wrestling
Taunton, 27 @ Canton, 31 – Final – Canton’s Yurii Leskiv, Dominic Sica, and Sawyer Julier-Albert each earned pinfall victories to help the Bulldogs earn a close win over Taunton. Leskiv earned the pin in 3:30 in the 106 matchup, Sica picked up the fall in 2:30 in the 138 match, and Julier-Albert won at 182 in 1:45. Taunton’s Ben Mandeville (132) and Nico Sallaway (170) had pinfall victories for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 28 vs. Brockton, 53 – Final
Oliver Ames, 25 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Seven Eagles earned pinfall victories to help Sharon open its dual meet schedule with a non-league win over rival Oliver Ames. Adam Landstein, David Gelman, Vinay Chinnam, Aaron Cashton, Tyler Freedman, Alex Danilkovas and Rhamsez Thevenin all won by pin for Sharon. Max Pozner added an 11-7 overtime win while Kirit Gossetty picked up a 7-0 for the Eagles.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 92 @ Oliver Ames, 67 – Final
Mansfield, 94 @ Attleboro, 72 – Final – Mansfield’s Mike Peel won a pair of individual events and was apart of two winning relay teams to help the Hornets beat Attleboro. Peel won the 200 free (2:09.95) and the 500 free (6:01.67), teamed up with Owen Lasbury Casey, Rico Palanza, and Aden Schwartz to win the 200 free in 1:45.08, and joined Lasbury Casey, David Piccirilli, and Pranaav Saravanon to win the 400 relay in 4:09.04.
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 80 @ Oliver Ames, 88 – Final
Mansfield, 65 @ Attleboro, 101 – Final – Attleboro’s Jackie Lynch-Bartek and Ella Lynch-Bartek each won a pair of individual events while helping a pair of Bombardier relay teams take first. Jackie Lynch-Bartek won the 200 Free in 2:15.98 and the 100 Breast in 1:20.40, while Ella Lynch-Bartek took first in both the 100 Free (1:00.62) and the 100 Back (1:11.14). Both were apart of the 200 medley relay (2:11.18) and the 200 free relay (2:00.57) with Faith Morrison and Rachel Priestley. Mansfield’s Mairead Shannon won the 100 fly (1:11.35), took second in the 100 back (1:14.55), and was a member of the winning 400 free relay team with Sofia Seifert, Jess Harris, and Aditi Junagade).
Girls Gymnastics
Franklin, 134.45 @ Canton, 112 – Final – Franklin sophomore Elizabeth Schirduan took first in a pair of events while junior Lexi Lupien and sophomore Kate Rudolph each won one to help the Panthers open the season with a win. Schirduan scored an 8.85 to take first in the beam, and notched an 8.15 on the bars to for her second win of the net. Lupien shined on the vault, earning a 9.0 while Rudolph picked up a 9.1 on the floor.
Franklin results: Vault – Lexi Lupien, 9.0; Kate Rudolph, 8.8; Maddie McGuire, 8.7; Maia Keohane, 8.4 … Bars – Elizabeth Schirduran, 8.15; Kate Rudolph, 8.0; Emma Nelson, 7.9; Caroline Woelfel, 7.8 … Beam – Elizabeth Schirduan, 8.85; Kate Rudolph, 8.7; Ashley Hammann, 8.2; Emma Nelson, 8.15 … Floor – Kate Rudolph, 9.1; Caroline Woelfel, 8.6; Lizzie Brown, 8.0; Lexi Lupien, 8.0.
Canton junior Griffin Roach scored with 1:38 remaining in the first overtime to lift the Bulldogs to a dramatic victory over Scituate in 2018. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
2018 Record: 5-13 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Kevin Patton
The Bombardiers will boast a relatively young group in 2019 but are still ready to compete in a difficult Hockomock League.
With a total of 14 underclassmen – eight sophomores and six freshmen – there will certainly be learning curves and some ups and downs throughout the year, but those new faces are hungry to improve throughout the season.
Attleboro’s strong suit will be in net as Hockomock League All-Star Trevor Koppy, a captain for this year’s team, returns to the cage. Koppy is one of the most experienced netminders in the league and the Bombardiers will be relying on him for his play plus his leadership as a captain. Attleboro will also rely on the leadership on and off the field by junior captain Tom Shipman, who will be a key piece in the midfield.
Shipman will be joined by senior Zach Thomas and sophomores Michael Strachan and Aidan Diggin in the midfield. All four have plenty of varsity experience so Attleboro will certainly rely on them to guide the way as the younger players are incorporated into the lineup. Sophomore Matthew Perry returns up front while junior Jack Handy is back defensively.
The Bombardiers are hoping junior Bryson Friess and freshman Fred Wheaton will make an impact defensively while freshmen Keigan Conley and Jack Lamothe will bolster the attack. Freshman Ryan Betts will also be apart of the midfield unit this season.
We are a young team…but they’re all ready to contribute quality minutes,” said Attleboro coach Kevin Patton, who switched from the girl’s team to the boys this Spring. “With Trevor Koppy and Tommy Shipman, our captains, they are prepared to lead the team to the next level. I’m looking forward to the future of the program!”
2018 Record: 10-8 2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals Coach: Bill Bendell
After missing out on the playoffs in 2017, Canton put together a memorable 2018 campaign that ended in the D2 South Sectional Semifinals. The Bulldogs are looking to replicate that success and make another deep tournament run again this year.
And with a good amount of players back from last year’s squad, there is a lot of optimism that tournament run can happen. Senior Griffin Roach, a HockomockSports.com Second Team selection, will pace the offense again this year. Roach had 30 goals and 17 assists last year and his competitiveness is contagious to those around him. Roach will be joined by classmate Dan Cohen, a Hockomock League honorable mention selection. Cohen is a dangerous player, scoring 24 goals in the regular season last year.
David Allen, Chris Lavoie, Brendan Clifford, and Matt Martin are great athletes and capable scorers as well, while Tommy Vaughan will look to make an impact with his playmaking ability. On defense, the Bulldogs will turn to Brendan Albert and Nick Mackay, who head coach Bill Bendell called two of the most underrated players in the Hockomock League. Both possess a boatload of experience at the varsity level and will anchor the Bulldog defensive group. George Kent and James Murphy will also be apart of Canton’s defense while Shane Marshall, Sam Walsh, Jack Albert, and Carson Campbell will all see time and make key contributions this seasons, Bendell said.
Sophomore Dylan Coyne will take over in net for the Bulldogs and has had a strong preseason so far. Bendell believes Coyne is poised for a breakout year. Jeff Fitzgerald, Tommy Ghostlaw, and Mackay will all be in the running to handle faceoff duties.
“We are very excited about our offensive and defensive potential,” Bendell said. “Our varsity depth is not what we would like it to be at this point, but a few players have shown flashes of potential that make us think we will be much deeper come Memorial Day.”
Foxboro will have a young squad with just five seniors this year but that doesn’t mean there will be a lack of experience from the defending Davenport division champions.
Senior Brendan Tully sets the example with his work ethic but is also one of the most dangerous players in the Hockomock League. A Providence College commit, Tully has tormented defenses for the past two seasons. He had 44 goals and 22 assists last year and will be one of Foxboro’s main weapons. Tully will be joined by Bobby Yerardi, who had over 40 points as a sophomore and has improved his game in the offseason. His ability to finish right or left makes life difficult for opponents.
The Warriors bring back junior Shayne Kerrigan for faceoffs. Kerrigan is one of the best in the area on the draw and puts Foxboro in good positions time after time; he will be a key piece in the midfield for the Warriors. Junior Pete Conley, Aiden Stapleton, and Charlie Baughan will make the up the attacking group for Foxboro this year.
Pat Stapleton is one of the most experienced players in the league as well as one of the top defensive players. He will anchor a defensive unit that has been one of the best in the region over the past couple of seasons. He will be joined by juniors Ronnie MacLellan and Will Morrison. All three players have the ability to move up to LSM when needed.
One question mark for the Warriors could be goalie, as Foxboro graduated Hockomock League MVP Jake Addeche. Head coach Matt Noone is confident in his options this season, with four players competing for the time in the cage. Freshman Matt Tully is beginning the season as the starter.
“I am really looking forward to this season as we are young but dangerous,” Noone said. “The best thing about this team is our depth, there is competition for every spot and they love to compete! What more can you ask for?”
Franklin has had a lot of success in recent years, and that trend looks like it will continue in 2019.
“The outlook for this season is very good,” said Franklin head coach Lou Verrochi. “It could be one of the best teams we’ve had at FHS.”
The reason for the high expectations is the amount of talent returning from last year’s Kelley-Rex team that reached the D1 South Quarterfinals. Although the Panthers graduated two-time All-American and two-time HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Eric Civetti and starting goalie Connor O’Rourke, Franklin has experience and talent back at each position.
It all will start with senior Jacob Alexander, who has been arguably the best faceoff man in the entire state over the past couple of seasons. Alexander’s ability to consistently win draws gives Franklin a huge advantage and sets the offense in motion. Patrick Morrison, a second-team All-American selection last season, will anchor the defensive unit for the Panthers this year along with Will Harvey, who was one of the most underrated players last year. Will Davis, who saw time in net some last year, is set to take over in the cage and could be one of the top netminders in the league.
The Franklin midfield will consist of Nitin Chaudhury – one of the hardest working athletes in any sport – along with Owen Palmieri and Ben Kolb, who has really impressed in scrimmages during the preseason. Franklin’s attack could be among the most dangerous in the league this year with three legitimate options. Jake Davis (32 goals, 23 assists), Matt Lazzaro (30 points), and Ben Greco are all unselfish but can also finish.
2018 Record: 9-10 2018 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinals Coach: Hal Bean
King Philip is hoping that a good amount of returning experience from last year’s team will result in a successful season and possibly a run through the D1 South bracket.
The Warriors have one of the most experienced attackmen in the league in Colin DeVellis, who has been one of the best finishers in each of the last two years. He finished fourth overall in points his sophomore year (22 goals, 36 assists) and again his junior year (45 goals, 29 assists) and is the top returning scorer back from last year. His ability to finish in close makes life tough for opponents but he’s also able to find teammates when the defense focuses on him. Andrew Sajdak and Sam Mattson will also be key pieces on the attack and the three showed good chemistry in their first game this year.
Wes Bishop, who is committed to play at UMass Boston, is a great leader that will anchor the defensive unit. He has a lot of varsity experience and is the type of player that leads by example. Luke D’Amico is another experienced defender that will stand out for KP this year. Tyler Bartlett, Aiden Bender, Chris Longobardi, and Garrett Maxwell give coach Hal Bean a large group of experienced players.
Junior Andrew McKinney is back in goal after splitting time in the cage last season.
2018 Record: 9-9 2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Tim Frias
Mansfield has made the state tournament in each of the last four seasons and will be looking to make it five straight in 2019.
It all starts in the midfield with senior Aidan Sacco. Sacco, who played quarterback this past fall for the Hornet football team, is like the quarterback for the Hornet boys lacrosse team. A lot of the offense will run through Sacco because of his vision and ability to share the ball. He is also a key part of the Hornet defense. His ability to get back and track opponents while also causing turnovers and transitioning defense into offense will be key for Mansfield.
On offense, the Hornets have an experienced stick in the hands of Mike Reed, who will be relied on to lead the Hornets into the playoffs down the stretch. Connor Quirk will also be a key cog for Mansfield this year while Joe Plath, Sean Weber, and Will Nelson are going to be important pieces in the defensive unit.
The Hornets have a strong piece in Nico Holmes at the face-off X. Holmes picked up varsity experience at the position last year and he will look to give Mansfield extra possessions this year in their push for the state tournament.
Coleman O’Brien and Brian Rockwell are battling for the starting spot in the cage.
2018 Record: 6-11 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Jacob Scordato
After increasing their win total from 2017 to 2018, the Scarlet Hawks will be looking to continue that trend in 2019.
With returning starters back in a lot of positions, second-year head coach Jacob Scordato is hopeful that Milford can make a run at a state tournament berth.
“Our Goal as a team is to make the playoffs, this program hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2012,” Scordato said. “But this group of extraordinary young men are highly motivated on achieving that goal.”
The Scarlet Hawks bring back their leading scorer in Brendan White, who had 45 points last season (31 goals, 14 assists). White is a strong, physical forward with a strong shot. His ability to finish through contact makes him one of the top attackmen in the league. In the midfield, junior captain Danny Farrell is back after a standout sophomore year. Farrell, an LSM, led the team last season with 64 ground balls.
Senior Ryan Pearl will anchor a defensive unit that is looking to improve on last season. Sophomore Evan Hazard had a standout freshman campaign between the pipes last year. He will be relied upon this season to help keep Milford in games as they make a push for the postseason.
2018 Record: 15-5 2018 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East Quarterfinals Coach: Kevin Young
After coming close to the Davenport title a year ago, the Rocketeers are ready to make another run at the division title and as well as a deep playoff run.
While the Rocketeers graduated some top talent in the league such as midfielders Jason McNeany and Max Fontes, defenseman Tommy Lockavitch, and attack Tommy Lindstrom, North Attleboro has talent and experience in every position. Juniors Nate D’Amico and Jake McNeany are back after splitting time last season and will be competing for minutes again this season.
Defensively, the Rocketeers bring back three starters from a unit that allowed a league-low 95 goals last year. Junior Brett Labonte had a terrific season and will be joined by classmate Will Yeomans and sophomore Tyler Sarro. Head coach Kevin Young said the trio is tough, vocal, active, and play very well together. In the midfield, senior captains Nick Ward and Ryan Boyle will be key pieces. Ward will also see time at attack while Boyle will be a defensive minded midfielder.
“Nick is a very smart, sneaky threat with great IQ and stick skills,” said North Attleboro coach Kevin Young. “Ryan is just a grinder that all coaches appreciate.”
Junior Dan Conroy takes over as the main faceoff guy and will be joined by Ryan Rajotte, Damien Curtis, Nick Morse, Jack Puccio, Cam Cornetta, and Joe Milosh in the midfield.
The attack will be spearheaded by junior Andy DeMattio, last year’s HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year. DeMattio had a tremendous season, scoring 52 goals and adding 22 assists for a team-high 74 points. “He should be fun to watch as he’s picked up some size and speed,” Young said. DeMattio will be joined by junior Jack Connolly and freshman Matt Antonetti.
2018 Record: 14-7 2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals Coach: Ben Devlin
Coming off the best season in program history, Oliver Ames is aiming to have another successful year and hoping to replicate last year’s playoff push.
The Tigers reached the D2 South Sectional Semifinals last season and bring back five of the top seven scorers from a year ago. While the top two scorers — Eric LeBlanc and Owen Gallagher — and their 146 points graduated, there is a lot of optimism in the program because they have reloaded for this year.
Oliver Ames will be young on the attack with junior Sandro Masciarelli and sophomore Remi Creighton, but there is still experience in the position. Masciarelli had 25 goals last year while Creighton will see more minutes this year. The strength of the program will be in the midfield with the likes of senior captain Colin Bourne (30 goals), junior Shane Kilkelly (32 goals), junior Sam Stevens (23 goals), and junior Frankie Ireland (29 goals). That group was a big reason for OA’s memorable season last year and now have a year of experience playing together under their belts.
Defensively the Tigers are looking for senior captains Shane Murphy and Matt Saba to lead the way. Both players were apart of the defensive unit last year and have been a big reason for the program’s improvement over the past couple of seasons. Senior LSM Cullen Gallagher will be a key defensive midfielder while junior Tyler Campbell will likely factor into the Tiger defense this year. Junior Nick Gillis returns as the starting goalie while senior Steve Heino is an experienced backup.
“Our goal is to keep improving each day and keep building on last year’s success,” said OA head coach Ben Devlin. “The kids have bought into the program and are excited and enthusiastic about the season. We don’t expect anyone or two players to replace the production we graduated, but if all our returners can progress like they did last year, we should be in the mix for a tourney berth.”
2018 Record: 12-7 2018 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon has a strong mix of returners and new faces and is hoping that combination will result in a return trip to the state tournament.
The Eagles will have an experienced defensive group with all three starting defensemen back this year, and all three are seniors. Sam Spencer, Coleman Loftus, and Ronin McCabe are back to give the Eagles a formidable defensive group. Having an experienced defensive in front of new goalie, sophomore Adam Rabb, will help as the season gets underway.
Sophomore Drew Litner is back after a terrific freshman year. Litner can score but he is one of the most unselfish players in the league and does a terrific job finding teammates on the move. He was among the league leaders in assists last year, dishing out 28 helpers. Litner will be joined by senior Brandon Buckman and freshman Zack Waxman in the attacking group.
The midfield will also have a good amount of experience with seniors Daniel Lillenfeld and Mitchell Director leading the way. Nick Stamm and Rowan Barnes have impressed this preseason and should be apart of the group as well. Junior Max Posner could be poised for a breakout year while sophomore Cobe Jacobson and freshmen Brady Daylor and Jace Nestler will be in the mix too.
Returning LSM Tyler Freedman is back after a terrific rookie campaign and could be a top player for the Eagles while there are high hopes for freshman faceoff specialist Ben Shocket, who could be an X-factor for the Eagles.
2018 Record: 1-15 2018 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Pat Healey
The Black Knights enter their third season as a varsity program and are looking to continue to grow as a program in a difficult league.
After being inexperienced last year, the Black Knights are hoping the lessons learned from last year will pay off this year. It starts with the four captains: Sean Doherty, Luke Bainton, Alex Wilson, and Nate Wilson. Doherty and Bainton will do a little bit of everything for the Black Knights and will be two of the top options offensively. Alex Wilson and Nate Wilson will anchor the defensive unit, bringing plenty of lacrosse experience to that group.
Stoughton is also looking for a big season out of junior Foster McLeod. McLeod has shown in the past the ability to beat defenders and create opportunities for others. Sophomores Max Huminik and Mike McLaughlin will also see increased roles after impressing during their rookie seasons in 2018.
Sophomore Thomas Ratcliffe, a Hockomock League honorable mention last year, returns in the cage and gives the Black Knights a steady presence between the pipes. Sophomore Marty Barrett returns as a long pole and will be a key piece of the Knights’ defense.
