Baseball
Attleboro, 1 vs. Needham, 0 – Final – Attleboro freshman Tyler Dunlea had his best outing of the season, allowing just one hit to lead the Bombardiers to a close win over Needham. Dunlea tossed six innings with six strikeouts while Billy Saltmarsh hurled a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts for the save. Offensively, Evan Houle went 2-for-3 and scored the lone run of the day, knocked in by Danny Johnson. Owen Taber, Aiden Hochwarter, and Peter Delpozzo each had a hit for Attleboro.
Canton, 10 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final – It was a day to remember — and for the record books — for Canton senior Andy Butler. Butler smashed his first career home run, set a new program record for stolen bases in a season, and shut the door with a two-inning save to lead the Bulldogs past the Shamrocks. With Feehan holding a 2-0 lead, Butler launched a three-run shot to left field to give Canton the lead for good. He finished 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot with six RBI. He also stole two bags, breaking the school record of 21. He came on in relief in the sixth inning, getting three strikeouts for the six-out save. Jay Kelleher also had an RBI, two hits and two runs for Canton, who added four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the sixth. Matt Quan added a hit, two runs, and two RBI. Zach Peters got the win on the mound, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out one in five innings.
Stoughton, 0 @ Milton, 5 – Final – Jonah Ly, Jeriel Cuello, Anthony Tilton, and Anthony Girolamo each had a hit but the Black Knights fell to powerhouse Milton on the road. Hunter Malkin had a solid outing on the mound, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk, striking out four.
Foxboro, 3 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Buoyed by a pair of home runs, Mansfield captured a key win over rival Foxboro. The Warriors took the lead first, scoring once in the second (RBI single from freshman Ryan O’Leary) and once in the third (RBI single from junior Louis Carangelo) but Mansfield came back to tie in the bottom half of the second on a two-run home run from Jimmy Gilleran. O’Leary collected his second RBI with a single to center to bring senior Liam Mulkern (2-for-3, two runs) home but the Hornets had an answer yet again. Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak drew walks, and the former came home to score on an RBI double from Jared Fraone to tie it 3-3. Two pitches later, pinch-hitter Cian Goulet blasted a three-run home run over the fence in left to make it 6-3. Gilleran earned the win on the mound for the hosts, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out 10. Tom Marcucella pitched well for Foxboro, scattering six hits and two walks with a strikeout. Freshman Tommy Watts tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief for Foxboro, with one hit and one walk allowed and two strikeouts.
Softball
Canton, 2 vs. Milton, 6 – Final
Milford, 2 @ Mansfield, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Callie Lake had three hits and Olivia DeTrolio drove in four runs to help Mansfield pick up a big win on senior night. The Hornets grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the first. Lake led off with a single and Cat Kipp reached on an error. Casey Mousette drove in a pair of runs with a single and DeTrolio plated one with a hit before coming in to score on a wild pitch. Mansfield broke the game open with five more in the second. Sydney Fernando and Lake singled, Kipp walked, Julia Kelly reached on an error, and DeTrolio hit a big homer that made it 9-0. Milford scored a pair in the third, but the Hornets matched that in the fourth and added three more in the fifth to close things out. Lake finished with two RBI, while Moussette and DeTrolio each had a pair of hits.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Five different players found the back of the net as Attleboro notched a non-league win over Oliver Ames. Harry Wheaton had a tremendous outing in net for the Bombardiers. Wyatt Fritchman and Ben Reardon each scored a hat trick for Oliver Ames while Ryan Jaco and Victor Romeiro each scored once.
Canton, 9 vs. Dedham/Norwood, 10 – Final (3 OT)
Franklin, 17 vs. Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final – Jake Davis proved to be unstoppable for the Feehan defense as the junior exploded for eight goals and two assists to lead the Panthers to a big win over the Shamrocks. Tyler Sacchetti added a goal and four assists, Jayden Consigli notched five goals and five assists, and Drew Hansen had a goal and one helper.
King Philip, 10 @ Nipmuc, 7 – Final
Mansfield vs. Braintree, 4:00
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ Whitman-Hanson, 9 – Final – Canton built a one-goal lead by halftime and stayed ahead throughout the second half in a win over Whitman-Hanson. Fay Gallery led the charge offensively for the Bulldogs with four goals while Devan Spinale, Emily McCabe and Allie McCabe each had a pair of goals. Elyse Broderick made 13 saves in net in the win.
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
King Philip, 9 @ Walpole, 16 – Final – King Philip fell short on the road against state powerhouse Walpole on Friday evening. Morgan Cunningham had one goal and four assists, registering her 100th career point in the process. Lily Brown (assist) and Julia Marsden each scored three goals for KP.
Mansfield, 12 @ Brookline, 9 – Final
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Milton, 2 – Final – After dropping a match to Milton a week ago, Oliver Ames came back to avenge the loss and get the win by the same score. In similar fashion to the first meeting, the match came down to the second doubles match and this time the duo of Alex Vasiliou and Ben Dias emerged from a extremely competitive match with a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) win.
Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 1 vs. Hopkinton, 4 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
North Attleboro @ Norton, 3:45
Baseball
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final (8 Inn.) – Mansfield pushed across the tying run in the top of the sixth and then scored three in the top of the eighth to secure an extra innings victory on the road at Attleboro. The hosts took the lead in the bottom of the third after Owen Taber singled, stole second and third, and eventually scored on an error to make it 1-0. After being shutout over the first five innings, Mansfield plated the tying run. Conner Zukowski was once again the catalyst for the offense with a leadoff double, and scored on a one-out single from Anthony Sacchetti. In the top of the eighth, Sacchetti struck again with one-out, this time with a solo home run to left field to make it 2-1. Jared Fraone tacked on two key insurance runs with a two-run, two-out double to left to bring Andrew Slaney and Connor Curtis home. Aaron Blinn had another strong start on the mound, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out seven in six innings of work. Jake Maydak got the win with a scoreless inning of relief, and Curtis recorded the save, getting three strikeouts including the tying run at the plate for the final out. Billy Saltmarsh pitched well for the Bombardiers, allowing one earned run on three hits and four walks, striking out six in six innings.
Sharon, 2 @ Franklin, 12 – Final (6 Inn.) – Locked in a one-run game through three innings, Franklin scored nine runs over the final three innings, punctuated by walk-off grand slam from Eisig Chin, to take a win over Sharon. The visiting Eagles took a 2-1 lead on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the third but Franklin quickly took the lead back with two in the bottom half, added two more in the fourth, one in the fifth, and six in the sixth to end the game. Chin finished 3-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored while Chris Goode also went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the Panthers. Jack Marino and Evan Raider also drove in a pair of runs each for Franklin. Ethan Voellmicke earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with no hits allowed, three walks, and three strikeouts. Drew Yaffe drew the bases-loaded walk for the Eagles and Will Hippler had an RBI single in the first inning to put Sharon ahead 1-0.
Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Buoyed by a three-run second inning and another strong start from freshman Nolan Gordon, Foxboro secured a 4-1 decision over visiting Canton. Foxboro got three straight walks from Ben Angelini, Matheiu Sullivan, and Tom Marcucella to load the bases, and Jack Watts’ sacrifice fly brought in the first run of the game. Louis Carangelo drew a two-out walk to load the bases again and Ryan LeClair delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 3-0. Canton got one back in the top fo the fifth on a two-out RBI single from Sean Sullivan but Foxboro restored the three run lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Caranagelo. Gordon tossed a complete game for the win, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, striking out nine. Zach Peters pitched well in relief for the Bulldogs, allowing one run on four hits and two talks, striking out three in four innings.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – After Oliver Ames plated two runs in the top of the third inning to tie the game, North Attleboro responded with four runs in the bottom half to take the lead back for good. The Rocketeers staked a 2-0 lead on a two-run single from Dillon Harding in the bottom of the second but OA’s Nathan Carpentier and Patrick Finnerty had back-to-back RBI singles to bring the visitors level. In the bottom of the third, Tyler Bannon (walk) scored after a throwing error on Derek Maceda’s bunt, Danny Curran singled in Maceda, and Harding collected another two RBI, this time on a two-out double to center to make it 6-2. Maceda added an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 7-2. David Floyd picked up the win for the Rocketeers, tossing a complete game with two runs (none earned) allowed on five hits and no walks, striking out 10. Ian Kelly pitched well in relief for the Tigers, allowing one run on one hit and three walks, striking out five in 2.2 innings.
Softball
Franklin, 16 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Franklin pushed across seven runs in each the second and third innings on its way to a big win on the road over Sharon. Marley Allen led Franklin’s offense with three hits while Aislinn Lavery, Kiera Kotwicki, and Sarah Boozang each had two hits in the win. Kotwicki also drove in a team-high four runs while Katy Liberman and Julia White each drove in three runs apiece. Kotwicki pitched three scoreless innings with one hit and one walk allowed and Madison Bergeron pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Attleboro, 14 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Attleboro pounded out 20 hits on its way to a win on the road over Mansfield. Mansfield led 1-0 after one inning, but the Bombardiers found a groove at the plate and pulled out a big road win, scoring four in both the third and fourth innings, two in the sixth, and four more in the seventh. Lindsey Perry got the win the circle, striking out six with one walk and six hits in a complete game effort. Perry helped her cause big time at the dish, going 4-for-4 with four runs scored while Sarah Maher (two runs) and Lily Routhier (four runs) each added four hits as well. Kayla Goldrick had a three-run home run in the third that sparked the offense and Rylie Camacho added two hits. The Hornets jumped in front when Callie Lake singled and aggressively advanced to second. She reached third on a passed ball and came home on a ground out by Liv Madeira. Mansfield got one back in the fifth when Cat Kipp singled to plate Molly Kucharski. The Hornets scored a third in the seventh. Julia Kelly singled and came around to score on an Olivia DeTrolio base hit. Mansfield finished with seven hits as a team, including a pair for Alanna Conley, who also made a nice defensive play in left.
North Attleboro, 7 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – North trailed 1-0 heading to the top of the seventh but rallied with seven runs to pull out the win. Mandi Hanewich started things with a one-out triple and tied the game on a single by Ally Levine. Kelly Colleran singled Levine to third and the winning run came in on a double steal. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Emma Hanwell knocked in one, Grace Simmons walked, and Maddie Bailey brought in two more with an infield single. Colleran dominated on the mound, striking out 15 and taking a no-hitter into the seventh (despite trailing 1-0). Colleran and Levine each finished with two hits and Shaelyn Burns reached base three times.
Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 15 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton scored two in the first, added five in the second, and then sealed the win with an eight-run fourth. Liv Mendonca (three innings) and Cate Larson (two innings) combined on the shutout, allowing only two hits. Angie Lynch powered the Tigers on offense, going 2-for-4 with a homer, five RBI, and two runs scored from the leadoff spot. Ava Venturelli (1-for-3) drove in two and scored three runs. Brooke Aldrich (1-for-3) also drove in two and Hayley Krockta (2-for-3) and Katelyn Bizarro (2-for-3) each drove in one.
Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 1 @ Bellingham, 13 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 16 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – In a battle of unbeatens, Franklin rolled to a big win over Bishop Feehan with a dominating performance on the road. The Panthers built an 11-3 lead by halftime and didn’t allow a second half goal until three minutes left in the game as Brigid Earley had five saves in net and Anna Grasso played well defensively. Kaitlyn Carney paced the offense with six goals and two assists, Katie Peterson (three assists) and Kate O’Rourke each had a hat trick, Kenzie Baker added two goals, and Jackie O’Neil (goal, assist), Lindsay Atkinson (goal, assist), and Stella Regan (two assists) each had two points apiece.
Milford, 9 vs. Bellingham, 3 – Final – After a slow start that resulted in a mere one-goal halftime lead, Milford turned it on with a big second half to pull away from Bellingham. Aislinn Bennett scored a pair of first half goals and Fiona Jordan added one to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead at the break. In the second half, Carly Haley had a pair of goals and an assist, Emily Croteau scored once and had one assist, and Erin Michelson added a goal and one helper. Caitlyn Bangert turned away 11 shots in net while Mya Mitchell and Sophia Soares anchored a stellar defensive effort for the Scarlet Hawks.
Boys Tennis
Foxboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Foxboro sophomore Ryan Fossella and freshman Luca Meyer overcame a 0-3 deficit in the third set to prevail in a tiebreaker, clinching the final point for the Warriors’ 3-2 win over Canton. Fossella and Meyer, playing at first doubles, won the first set 6-4 but dropped the second 4-6 to force the deciding third set. Canton raced out to a 3-0 lead before Fossella and Meyer rallied and won the third set 7-6 (7-1) in the tiebreaker. Foxboro also picked up a win at second doubles from sophomores Visruth Chavalam and Nate Cote (6-1, 3-6, 6-3) as well as freshman Raj Jetty at third singles (6-2, 6-0). Max Kupferman and Suraj Ramanathan won at first and second singles for the Bulldogs.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro went on the road and took all five matches in straight sets to knock off host Taunton. Senior Will Folan picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Brody Carter added a 6-1, 6-2 verdict at second singles, and freshman Darren Liang grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. The first doubles team of Griffin Rodden and Arnav Raghuvanshi emerged with a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) win for the Rocketeers while sophomore Quinn DiFiore and senior Aashman Gupta prevailed 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles.
Mansfield, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Mansfield won all five matches, all in straight sets, to secure a road win over Oliver Ames. Sophomore Kailash Elumelai secured a well-played 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles, freshman Neema Khosravani took a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles, and sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami completed the singles sweet for the Hornets with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at third singles. The team of Benson Delaney and Jonah Fine earned a 6-3, 6-1 first doubles win while Jesse Colchamiro and Jacob Weiner earned a 7-6 (4), 6-3 win at second doubles.
Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – In a battle of undefeated division leaders, the Davenport-leading Eagles of Sharon handed Franklin its first loss of the season. Sharon secured the victory with a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action for a 4-1 verdict. Alex Budovalcev earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles and Jacob Slavsky added a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at third singles. The team of Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya overcame a one-set deficit to emerge with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win. The team of Sava Kassev and Hyojae Park also prevailed in three sets, taking a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win at second doubles for the Eagles. Franklin’s Vayshnav Malhotra earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at first singles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Franklin, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – The Davenport-leading Eagles of Sharon swept all five matches, handing Kelley-Rex leading Franklin its first Hock loss of the season. Navya Shukla took a 6-1, 7-5 win at first singles, Ale Aguilar added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Judy Song prevailed 6-0, 6-0 at third singles for the Eagles. The team of juniors Abby Vilk and Sophia Oh earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles and the Eagles got another point from freshman Olivia Landstein and junior Ellie Zhao at second doubles (7-6 [5], 6-0).
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
Canton, 6 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Foxboro used a trio of walks, a sacrifice bunt, and an infield hit to walk off with a win over Canton in a see-saw battle. Canton scored four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead but the Warriors answered by pushing three runs across in the bottom half. The Bulldogs scored again in the top of the seventh to knot the score but Cam Prescott and Jack Watts drew back-to-back walks, Ryan LeClair bunted everyone forward a base, Sean O’Leary walked to load the bases and an infield hit from Tom Marcucella brought the game-winning run. Marcucella and junior Mike LaVita (RBI) each had two hits in the win while Prescott, Mike O’Toole, and Dylan Quinn each drove in a run. Quinn also earned the win in relief, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk, striking out one. Nate Hewit (home run) and Matt Chafin (RBI) each had two hits for Canton while Steven Burbank, Andrew Butler, and Zach Peters each were responsible for bringing a run home.
Milford, 1 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Matthew Ferrara delivered a big performance on the mound for the Tigers, helping the hosts secure their 10th win of the season. Ferrara tossed a complete game with only one run allowed on four hits and three walks, striking out four to give Taunton a win over visiting Milford. Offensively, sophomore Ryan MacDougall reached base four times, recording a pair of hits and walks to go along with an RBI and a run scored while Colby DeCouta added a hit and an RBI in the win.
Softball
Foxboro, 5 @ Canton, 1 – Final
Stoughton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Oliver Ames had its four-run lead evaporate but rallied to take the lead right back and earned a season split with the visiting Black Knights. The Tigers had a great start, pushing across four runs in the first four innings but Stoughton struck for four runs in the top of the fifth to knot the score at 4-4. OA responded with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth and tacked on a key insurance run in the sixth. Taylor Lake knocked in a pair of runs for the hosts while Katie Melendy and Katherine Farley (double) also had an RBI in the win. Maddie Homer (1-for-3) scored a pair of runs, Grace Simone (double) had a pair of hits and scored once, and Emma Varella had the other run for OA. Varella pitched 4.1 innings with just two hits allowed while Melendy tossed 2.2 innings in relief.
Boys Lacrosse
Franklin, 17 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 11 @ Canton, 6 – Final
Milford @ Mansfield, 5:00
Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Stoughton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Remi Creighton notched the 100th point of his career to help the Tigers take down visiting Stoughton in the regular season finale for both squads. Creighton scored two goals and added two assists to hit the milestone while junior Wyatt Fritchman added two goals and an assist and sophomore Ben Reardon recorded a hat trick.
King Philip, 13 vs. Medway, 14 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Franklin celebrated its seniors with a big win at home, finishing the regular season at a perfect 14-0. Seniors Katie Jones scored four goals and had three assists in the win, Ali Socci netted a pair of goals and assists, and Sydney Hawkins tacked on a goal. Brigid Earley scored her first career goal in the win.
Canton, 6 @ Foxboro, 21 – Final
North Attleboro, 15 @ Sharon, 11 – Final
Mansfield @ Milford, 4:30
Taunton, 4 @ King Philip, 20 – Final – King Philip had 11 different plays find the back of the net as the Warriors celebrated Senior Night in style. Senior Peyton Mellman paced the offense with three goals while classmate Caroline Pasquantino found the back of the net once in the win. Senior Maddie Crowley earned the win in net, making three saves.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – King Philip won all five matches in straight sets to earn its seventh straight victory of the season, finishing the year at 8-6. Nick Putney (first singles), Jon Cohen (third singles), and the team of Connor Sachleben and Adam Gousie (second doubles) all recored wins at 6-0, 6-0 for the Warriors. The first doubles team of Diego Nieto and Jackson Hom notched a 6-1, 6-0 win while Brady Jannell (second singles) took home a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles.
Mansfield vs. West Bridgewater, 3:15
Stoughton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Stoughton earned its second straight 4-1 win over Oliver Ames to sweep the season series against the neighboring Tigers. Stoughton senior Waseem Sablon completed an undefeated season, taking a 6-0, 6-0 decision at first singles to move to 14-0. Sophomore Rayan Sablon added a 6-3, 7-5 win at second singles, the team of senior Jonah Hochberg and freshman Evan Khang rallied for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the team of senior Nikhil Khond and sophomore Jake Berry recorded a 6-3, 6-0 win at second doubles. OA freshman Nick Westerbeke grabbed a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon earned its second 4-1 win over North Attleboro this week and finished a perfect 10-0 against division foes, finishing the year as Davenport champions. Freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while junior Max Chen secured a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles. Sharon swept doubles action with sophomore Rithvik Neti and freshman Matthew Lally earning a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while junior Mitch Weiss teamed with freshman Alex Budovalcev for a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final
Mansfield, 4 @ West Bridgewater, 0 – Final
Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro completed its undefeated regular season with its second sweep of Canton this week. For the second time this week, both Pam Nelson (second singles) and Sarah Prag (third singles) rolled to 6-0, 6-0 wins while freshman Athena Li battled to a 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles. Maggie McAuliffe partnered with Abby Costa to earn a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Foxboro’s second doubles squad of Juliana Preston and Alyssa Cloherty picked up a 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 win for the Warriors.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton used a sweep in singles action to get its second win over Oliver Ames this week, earning a season sweep of the Tigers. Ally Lada earned a straight set win at first singles, 6-0, 6-1, Lena Allie added a 6-4, 6-2 win at second singles, and Brooke Bulger bounced back with a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles for the Black Knights. The team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Emilia Lada added a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles for Stoughton. Oliver Ames’ first double team of Grace Houser and Kate McLaughlan earned a 6-0, 6-3 win for the Tigers.
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – A day after falling to Attleboro, the Panthers flipped the script and defended home court with a 3-2 win of their own. Franklin swept singles action to pick up its three points in the victory. Junior Vedika Vinayak battled to a 7-6 (4), 6-2 win at first singles, junior Sarah Schiavo added a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles, and junior Jessica Pingeton earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Attleboro took both doubles matches with juniors Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam earned a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 decision at first doubles, and the team of freshmen Maddie Fuscaldo and Kyra Johnson grabbed a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Wrestling
Franklin, 40 @ Oliver Ames, 15 – Final
North Attleboro, 37 @ Foxboro, 36 – Final
Sharon @ Milford, 7:00
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final – Taunton bounced back from its first loss of the season with a dominating 3-0 sweep (25-7, 25-13, 25-23) on the road over Dighton-Rehoboth. Colin MacDougall had five kills and three blocks, Mattia Casagrande added four kills, and four aces, Daniel Medina recorded 17 assists in the win, and Travis Nunes finished with six digs. Tyler Stewart had 15 kills and three blocks in the win.
Baseball
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames scored one run in each the fourth and fifth innings and that was enough offense for junior pitcher Jack Richardson. Richardson didn’t allow an earned run in a complete game effort, striking out seven to get the win. Offensively, Will Whiteside went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI and Ryan McKenney added a hit and an RBI.
Canton, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final (8 Inn.) – Canton erased a one-run deficit in the top of the sixth and then tacked on three runs in the top of the eighth to earn a win in extra innings on the road. The Bulldogs totaled eight hits on the day with Cam Sanchez (run) chipping in with two and six others registering one. Sawyer Julier-Albert drove in a pair of runs and scored once while Matt Chafin and Andrew Middleton each had one RBI. Zach Peters allowed just one unearned run on two hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts in five innings of work. Matt Quan, Andrew Butler, and Nico Bonanno each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
Foxboro, 6 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford took advantage of eight hits and nine walks to score 12 runs and get a win at home over visiting Foxboro. Mario Lee drove in three runs for the Hawks while Evan Cornelius (run) and Grant Scudo (two hits, run) each had two RBI in the win. Carter Scudo added a pair of hits, a pair of runs, and one RBI for Milford, who scored six runs in the second inning to take a 7-2 lead and pulled away for good with four runs in the sixth. Ryan LeClair went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run for Foxboro while Sean O’Leary added three hits and an RBI.
Sharon, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin erased an early one-run deficit, scoring once in each the second and third with two big insurance runs coming in the fourth inning. Ethan Voellmicke tossed 4.1 innings of shutout ball with just two hits allowed, striking out nine to get the win. James Kuczmiec came in to get the save with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Offensively, CJ Jette had a pair of hits including a double, and drove in one run, Marcus Baker slapped a pair of hits, Jake Fitzgibbons drove in a run, and Jack Marino had a hit, a walk, and scored a run.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton scored once in each of the first four innings, tacked on two more in the fifth, and pulled away for good with three runs in the sixth to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ty Cali (run, RBI) and Colby DeCouta (run, RBI) each had two hits for the Tigers while Danny MacDougall had four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI in the win. Matthew Ferrara got the win on the mound with two runs allowed on 10 hits and one walk, striking out two in 6.2 innings of work.
Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Junior Shawn Lagere and senior Conor Cooke hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and King Philip never trailed in a win over Stoughton. Stoughton cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third but KP answered with four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth inning. Cooke finished with three runs and a pair of stolen bases while Lagere had two stolen bases and two runs.
Softball
Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Lindsey Perry picked up her fourth win of the season, tossing a one-hit shutout on the road to lead the Bombardiers. Perry carried a no-hitter in the final inning before OA registered its first hit. Perry struck out seven and issued just one walk in the win. Attleboro played solid defense throughout and offensively the Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team with Hailey Perry accounting for three hits and Brenna Morse and Meghan Gordon each with two. Taylor Lake had the hit for OA while Katie Melendy allowed five earned in a complete game effort.
Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final
Franklin, 13 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Franklin found its offense late in the game, pulling away to pick up its fourth win of the season. The Eagles kept it close early, trailing by just four after four full. Sophomore pitcher Ally Foulsham had four strikeouts for Sharon.
Mansfield, 8 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Mansfield jumped out to an early need, Canton rallied to jump in front in the fifth inning, but the Hornets were able to come back and scored two runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win. After taking a 1-0 lead in the second, Mansfield scored four times in the third. Jill Koppy got it started with a lead off single, followed by hits from Ashlyn Conley, Alanna Conley, and Abby DeCoste. The Bulldogs answered back with four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to go up 6-5. Hits from Casey Moussette and Molly Kucharski led to the tying run for the Hornets in the sixth. In the seventh, DeCoste, Callie Lake, and Moussette each had hits to plate the game-winning runs. Canton got one back in the bottom of the seventh but the Hornets held on. Lake, Moussette, and Kucharski each finished with three hits for Mansfield, which had 17 as a team.
Taunton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Taunton scored a pair of runs in each the second and seventh innings while Kelsey White was lights out in the circle as the Tigers passed their toughest test to date. White allowed just two hits and issued one walk while striking out 14 batters. McKenzie McAloon drove in two with a base hit in the top of the third to give the visitors the lead. Taunton tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh with Angie Lynch and Kylie Thorpe coming in to score their second runs of the game. North Attleboro sophomore Zoey McDonough had a strong showing in the circle with four runs allowed (three earned) on six hits and four walks, striking out five.
King Philip, 10 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – King Philip set the tone early with three first inning runs and never looked back in a win on the road. The Warriors added four runs in the third and three more in the fourth. Sophomore Sarah Cullen belted out a team-high three hits (including a triple) along with three RBI and one run scored while Mia Bennett also drove in three runs on a pair of hits. Sophomore Charlotte Raymond (two RBI, two runs), freshman Ava Lanza (two runs), and freshman Maddie Paschke each had two hits in the win. Junior Emma Sheehan earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on three hits and one walk, striking out five in a complete game effort. Sydney Menz hit a triple for Stoughton while Nicole Baker and Julie Powers each hit a double.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames won all three singles matches in straight sets to secure a win over visiting Attleboro. Junior Kylash Ganesh picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Rapheal Vache earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and freshman Nick Westerbeke prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at third singles to give the Tigers the win at home. Attleboro’s Alejandro Jimenez and Malachi Jefferson emerged with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win at first doubles while the pairing of Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Mansfield, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – By sweeping all three singles matches, Canton defended home court with a 3-2 decision over visiting Mansfield. Suraj Ramanathan earned a big win at first singles with a 6-1, 6-4 score, Max Kupferman added a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles and Minh Duong prevailed 6-2, 7-5 at third singles. Mansfield won both doubles matches with Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle taking a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles while Adam Elsner and Jonah Fine won 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles.
Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro swept all three singles matches and added another point from doubles play in a 4-1 win over visiting Milford. Garrett Spillane was victorious 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Justin Neale earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Jason Kandula walked away with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Bo Canfield and Visruth Chavalam took care of business at first doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 win. Milford’s second doubles team of seniors Connor MacLeod and Mike Tersarotto secured a 7-5, 6-2 win.
Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Franklin’s Vayshnav Malhotra emerged from a three-hour marathon match at second singles with a three-set victory to give the Panthers a 3-2 decision over Sharon. Malhotra won the first set in a tiebreaker, dropped the second set, and then prevailed in a back-and-forth third set, the score finishing 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5. Liam Marr (6-2, 6-2) added a win at first singles while the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (7-5, 6-4) battled to a tight win at second doubles.
Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro dropped just one total game in a clean sweep against visiting Taunton. Jonah Manso, Sam Gallager, and Will Folan all won in straight sets in singles action while both of North’s double teams — Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq at first doubles and Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan at second doubles — won 6-0, 6-0.
King Philip, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – King Philip won both doubles matches in straight sets and junior Jon Cohen emerged with the deciding point for the Warriors in a win on the road. Cohen picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles to give the match to the visitors. The team of Diego Nieto and Jackson Hom dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while juniors Adam Gousie and Connor Connor Sachleben earned a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon battled to a 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 win at first singles while Rayan Sablon secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro defended home court with a singles sweep and one more win in doubles in a victory over visiting Oliver Ames. Ella Lynch Bartek (6-3, 6-1), Lauren Anthony (6-1, 6-4), and Tina Lam (6-2, 6-3) all won in singles action while Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson emerged with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win at second doubles. OA’s first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou recorded a 6-0, 6-2 win for the Tigers.
Canton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Canton picked up a close win on the row, scoring points with a pair of singles wins and one from doubles action. Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Laura Correal rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 win at second singles, and the first doubles pairing of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles. For Mansfield, Alexis O’Keefe was victorious at third singles 6-4, 6-2 while Ally McDavitt and Alexis Togue teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Foxboro’s second doubles team of Sara Brennan and Emily Stow rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a win to complete the sweep on the road over Milford. Brennan and Stow picked up a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win while the team of Abby Costa and Alyssa Cloherty notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles. Athena Li (first singles) and Sarah Prag (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Maggie McAuliffe earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro freshman Lauren Hunt emerged from a back-and-forth evenly matched first singles match with a tiebreaker win in the third set to clinch the deciding point for the Rocketeers in a win over Taunton. Senior Haley Strom rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles while Kyna Sha and Lauren Consentino battled to a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory at second doubles. Hunt prevailed with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9) win at first singles to clinch the match. For Taunton, Kayla Parrett secured a 6-4, 6-4 win at second singles and the team of Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett battled to a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at first doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final
Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 88 @ Canton, 48 – Final – Canton’s Deyontai Dennis took first place in four different events: the 400M hurdles (58.3), the 110M hurdles (16.3), the long jump (20’9.5″), and the triple jump (44’9.5″).
Franklin @ Milford, 5:00
King Philip, 39 @ Mansfield, 97 – Final – Mansfield took first place in 14 of the 16 events to earn a big win on senior day. Seniors Trevor Flint took first in the 1 Mile (4:44.2), Ryan Rispoli won the 2 Mile (11:01.6), Stephen Saba added a first place finish in the javelin (118’6), and DaSean Peters-Wolfe clocked a new PR with a first place time of 22.8 in the 200M. Jake Wall qualified for nationals and broke his own school record with a leap of 23’2 in the long jump.
Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 80 @ Canton, 56 – Final – For Canton, Tayla Mendez-DeGraw broke the school record in the 100M (12.5) and anchored the winning 4×400 team (52.0).
Franklin @ Milford, 5:00
King Philip, 63 @ Mansfield, 73 – Final – Mansfield took first place in both relays and swept the javelin for key points in a close win over visiting King Philip. Caitlin Dumouchel won the javelin for the Hornets with a throw of 109’9″, Kelsey Hubler was second at 69’8″, and Aimee Cowles took third at 68’4″. In the 4×100 relay, Abbie Scott, Meghan Driscoll, Brooke Penney, and Anna Buckley teamed up to cross first in 51.1 while the Mansfield 4×400 relay team of Katie Miller, Norah Puleo, Caitlin Dumouchel, and Anna Darlington won that event in 4:11.6. Dumouchel picked up her third win with a first-place time of 67.2 in the 400M hurdles.
Wrestling
North Attleboro, 48 @ Taunton, 30 – Final
Taunton senior Danny MacDougall, pictured here as a sophomore in 2019, is one of the few returners for the defending D1 State Champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2019 Record: 14-10 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Steve Dunlea
Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.
“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”
2019 Record: 6-14 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.
The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.
Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.
“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”
For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.
Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.
Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.
“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”
2019 Record: 22-3 2019 Finish: Reached Super 8 Coach: Zach Brown
While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.
Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.
Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.
“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”
2019 Record: 8-12 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jeff Plympton
There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.
Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.
“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”
2019 Record: 18-7 2019 Finish: Reached Super 8 Coach: Chris Hall
Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.
Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.
Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.
“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”
2019 Record: 11-11 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Alex Dion
Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.
The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.
Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.
“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”
2019 Record: 11-10 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Mike Hart
North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.
Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.
“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”
2019 Record: 12-13 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Joe Abarr
After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.
Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.
Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.
“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”
2019 Record: 2-18 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.
Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.
“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”
2019 Record: 14-9 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Armour
Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.
The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.
Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.
“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”
2019 Record: 21-7 2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Blair Bourque
It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.
Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.
“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”
Baseball
Taunton, 5 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (9 Inn.) – Senior Ty Cali drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers, including the game-winning run in the top of the ninth as Taunton moved to 2-0 on the season. Tied 2-2 through seven innings, the teams traded runs in the eighth inning before Taunton was able to keep the lead for good in the ninth. Cali tripled in the go-ahead run and then came in to score an insurance run on a single from Braden Sullivan (2-for-3, walk). Danny MacDougall struck out six in 4.1 innings of work, allowing five hits and four walks with just one earned allowed. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall earned his first career win in a relief appearance, striking out one in two innings of work with no earned runs allowed.
Stoughton, 7 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton scored all of its runs between two innings, including a five-run sixth inning to erase a three-run deficit and earn a win. Stoughton claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Bulldogs battled back with four in the bottom half to jump ahead. Stoughton added three runs in the third, two more in the fourth, and one in the sixth to stake a 7-4 lead but the Bulldogs answered once again to retake the lead. Sawyer Julier-Albert (two runs, walk, RBI) and Andrew Middleton (run, two RBI) each had two hits for Canton, who totaled nine as a team. Steven Burbank and Zach Peters also drove in a run in the win. Matt Quan picked up the win in relief, allowing one run with one strikeout and two hits allowed in 3.2 innings of work. For Stoughton, Brady Conlin had four strikeouts, allowing seven earned on nine hits in a complete game effort. At the plate, Conlin went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Jake Queeney (run, two RBI), Kyle Doolin (two runs), and Hunter Malkin each had two hits for Stoughton.
Sharon, 7 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Sharon freshman Luke Meixel had a memorable debut for the Eagles, tossing a complete game with just two runs allowed on two hits and two walks to lead the Eagles to a win over Foxboro. Meixel had just one earned run allowed while striking out three. JD Rittenberg paced the offense for the Eagles, who blew open a 1-1 game with six runs in the top of the sixth. Rittenberg had three hits, two RBI, and scored two runs while Justin Brown added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Tom Marcucella and Sean O’Leary each had a hit and a run scored for Foxboro.
Milford, 3 @ Franklin, 13 – Final – Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone earned a win in his debut on the mound for the Panthers, allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out five in four innings of work for Franklin. Ethan Voellmicke (three strikeouts) and James Kuczmiec (two strikeouts) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Ben Jarosz led the offensive charge with three hits, including a pair of doubles, drove in two runs, and scored once himself. Ryan Gerety (two runs, RBI), Jack Marino (two doubles, two RBI, three runs), and Eisig Chin (two runs, RBI) each had two hits for Franklin.
Mansfield @ King Philip – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
Softball
Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Kelsey White struck out 16 batters and the Tigers held off a late-rally from the Bombardiers to win at home. Taunton scored once in each the first and third innings and tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth. White allowed two runs, both coming in the top of the seventh, on three hits and two walks, but closed the door shut to preserve the win. Taunton had just three hits on the day but took advantage of five walks and two Bombardier errors. Hanna Aldrich had an RBI and scored a run, White helped her own cause with an RBI, and Kyleah Plumb had a hit and a run scored in the win. In the top of the seventh, Brenna Morse drew a walk and Lora Woyton singled to put two on. Freshman Rylie Camacho smashed a two-run triple to bring the tying run to the plate but Taunton was able to close it out. AHS head coach Mark Homer credited Hailey Perry (shortstop) and Kayla Goldrick (third base) for strong defensive plays to keep Attleboro close. Woyton pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits and five walks.
Foxboro, 14 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Foxboro exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning, turning a close game into a big win on the road against the Eagles. Foxboro belted out 18 hits as a team, led by senior Morgan Sylvestre’s five-hit day. Sylvestre hit one home run and three doubles, driving in four runs in the process and scoring twice. Peyton Feldman added four hits out of the leadoff spot, including one double and one triple, and scored all four times. Nicole Theriault and Kaylee Bruce each added three hits and eighth-grader Emma Callahan helped her own cause with two hits. In the circle, Callahan tossed a complete game for her second win, scattering eight hits while striking out eight. Trinity Payne struck out nine and went 2-for-4 in the loss. Sharon also got three hits from Julia Earley and two from Penny Rabatsky.
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
Canton, 5 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win of the season with a win at home over neighboring Canton. Senior Julia Driscoll led the offensive charge for the Black Knights with two hits, driving in three runs. Junior Sydney Menz (two doubles) and freshman Julie Powers each had two hits for the hosts, freshman Alyssa Edwards recorded her first hit and scored two runs, and seniors Sarah McGrath and Nicole Baker each had a hit on the day. Baker earned the win in the circle for the Knights, scattering seven hits while striking out nine.
King Philip, 7 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – The Hornets tried to mount a rally in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs and the top of the order due up but KP sophomore catcher Sarah Cullen picked off a runner at third ended the game. Cullen was the star of the game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, recording a double and a triple. She also reached a fourth time after being hit by a pitch and finished with two RBI for KP. The Warriors scored once in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth, and added one more in the sixth. Charlotte Raymond added three hits, including a pair of doubles, and two RBI while sophomore Libby Walsh smashed a two-run triple and had a strong game defensively (two putouts, four assists). Mansfield recorded five hits as a team, including two from Jill Koppy and one each from Olivia Madeira, Molly Kucharski, and Nicole Kobasa.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Zoey McDonough allowed a bunt single and a walk, but then retired the next 18 batters that she faced to earn her first career win and shutout. McDonough finished with 12 strikeouts and helped her own cause with three hits and four RBI. Kelly Colleran continued her hot start at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two triples, and a solo homer. Emily Nardelli, Belle Clarkin, and Ally Levine each had two hits for North. For OA, Maddie Homer (stolen base) and Grace Simone each recorded a hit.
Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 9 @ Canton, 11 – Final
Sharon, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Franklin had 11 players find the back of the net in a big win over visiting Sharon. Sophomore Jayden Consigli led the charge with seven goals and one assist while classmate Luke Davis scored four goals and had one assist.
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, 5/13 at 3:45.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 8 @ Taunton, 16 – Final – Taunton dominated at the draw, leading to a big win over visiting Attleboro. The Tigers won 22 of the 28 draws while both Alana Tavares (two assists) and Tasia Lajoie recorded seven goals. Rosemary McGrath added a pair of goals and an assist while Cali Melo had two helpers. Emily Gannon made 10 saves in the win for the Tigers.
Mansfield, 10 @ Canton, 11 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Canton jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the second half, but the Hornets rallied with eight of the game’s final 11 goals and the Bulldogs needed to win the final draw with just 50 seconds to play to hold on for the win. Canton led 3-2 after the first quarter, thanks to a pair of goals from Ella Yeaton and one from Kayla Albert. Lola Varricchione and Grace Danehy got on the board for the visitors. The Bulldogs broke the game open in the second and led 7-2 at halftime. Devan Spinale, Carly Fitzgerald, Emily McCabe, and Yeaton tallied for the home team, and then Allie McCabe scored off a turnover early in the third quarter to build the lead to six. Mansfield rallied with four straight to get back in the game. Lauren Clark scored three of the four and Ava Adams added the other, but Sierra Abbott stopped the run with 12.1 on the clock to send Canton into the fourth up 9-6. Spinale added her second (both with low-angle, backhand shots) a minute into the final quarter. AnnMarie McCoy scored back-to-back goals, but Abbott answered with her second of the night. Danehy got her second just 30 seconds later and then Adams made it a one-goal game with 49.9 on the clock. Canton controlled the draw and ran the ball down to the far corner, winding down the clock for its second win.
Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 23 – Final – Franklin defended its home turf against visiting Sharon as 13 players found the back of the net for the Panthers. Katie Ryan, Maura Cogavin, and Emma Sousa each scored their first varsity goal in the win.
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, 5/13 at 3:45.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches in singles action and picked up two more in doubles play to get a win on the road over Taunton. Evan Sousa earned a 6-4, 7-5 win at second singles while Matt Lortes picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo prevailed with a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles while Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Michael Kimmer won a long battle at first singles, 5-7, 6-4, 11-9.
Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton freshman Max Kupferman prevailed in three sets in a well-played match at second singles to help the Bulldogs secure a win on the road. Kupferman prevailed 6-1, 6-7 (8-10), 6-2 at second singles while Minh Duong scored a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Ethan Nguyen and Jalen Townsend didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Elias Jabbour and Charlie Doody teamed up for a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon earned a 6-3, 6-2 win in an excellent match at first singles.
Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets over Milford. Liam Marr picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Drew Mahoney earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik took home a 6-0, 6-1 decision at first doubles while Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas notched a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Hornets, winning all five matches at home against visiting King Philip. Kailash Elumelai prevailed with a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles, Dheeraj Valluru won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles, and Benson Delaney picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the team of Jonah Fine and Adam Elsner walked away with a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro started division play off with a win over visiting Oliver Ames, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jonah Manso didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Sam Gallagher took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles, and Will Folan won 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles while Brody Carter and Niteesh Saraanan won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro picked up a pair of wins from doubles action and then added a key win in singles play to edge out visiting Taunton. Lauren Anthony prevailed 6-2, 6-2 at second singles for the Bombarders while the teams of Rachel Rainey and Saharla Yusuf (first doubles, 6-5, 7-6 (7-5)) and Emma Pion and Tina Lam (second doubles, 7-5, 6-2) each won to help the match win. Taunton’s Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-3, 6-1 at first singles while Cayeesha Charles won 6-2, 6-3 at third singles for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton won two matches in singles action and added one win from doubles play to edge out visiting Stoughton. Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and Laura Correal earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. The team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles for the Bulldogs. Stoughton’s Allie Lada won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles while the team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Lynn Le earned a 4-6, 6-0, 10-6 win at second doubles.
Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro’s Sarah Prag emerged with a three-set win at third singles to secure the winning point in the Warriors’ 3-2 win over Sharon. Athena Li (first singles) and Pam Nelson (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 to give Foxboro two points while Sharon’s Anjali Jha and Julia Zelevinsky (first doubles, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3)) and the team of Tanvi Mittal and Sasha Fein (second doubles, 6-2, 6-0) each won to give the Eagles two points. Prag dropped the first set but rallied to win the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to get the win.
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final
Mansfield @ King Philip, 3:45
North Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – It was a clean sweep in singles action for the visiting Rocketeers, who also added a win from doubles action to beat Oliver Ames. Junior Charlotte Moynihan earned a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 win at first singles, senior Haley Strom won 6-2, 6-3 at second singles, and freshman Lauren Hunt grabbed her first win with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of juniors Lauren Consentino and Kyna Sha won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles for North. Oliver Ames’ Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Wrestling
Franklin, 18 @ Stoughton, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Mansfield, 25 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Greater New Bedford Voke, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton defended home court with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-12) sweep over visiting Greater New Bedford. Tyler Stewart had a big game for the Tigers with 17 kills, eight blocks, and five digs. Mattos Casagrande added seven kills, two aces, and a block while Faisal Mass chipped in with two kills and four blocks. Daniel Medina added two blocks and two aces to go along with his 29 assists while Travis Nunes played well in the back row.
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.
North Attleboro – Division 2 South Champions (Courtesy photo).Franklin – Division 1 Central Champions (Courtesy photo).Mansfield – Division 1 South Champions (Courtesy photo).
Three Hockomock teams claimed sectional titles on Saturday, five others finished inside the top five, and 26 grapplers claimed individual sectional titles. Franklin dominated the D1 Central bracket, racking up 272 points behind six individual champions, two finalists, and two third-place finishes. The Panthers had over a 50 point cushion over second place Brookline. In the South section, Mansfield repeated as D1 South champions by edging out host Brockton, and North Attleboro snagged another D2 South title with six individual champions.
Foxboro earned second place in D3 South with an impressive 13 wrestlers finishing sixth or better at the tournament. Oliver Ames had its best ever finish at sectionals, taking third place in the D2 South bracket while Sharon took fifth overall. King Philip took third place in the D2 Central sectional, edging out Milford by a half of a point. Stoughton tied for seventh place in D2 South, Canton earned eighth in D2 Central, and Taunton placed 11th in D1 South.
Franklin’s Drew DiFilippo earned the D1 Central sectional title at 106 with a 7-0 decision. He scored all seven of his points in the first round, earning a takedown and then a pair of near falls. Jake Carlucci picked up a 7-4 win in the 113 final, using an escape and a late reversal to seal the title. Jordan Carlucci dominated in the 132 final, scoring nine straight points after the match was tied at 2-2 early on, and Ken Sauer won the 138 championship with an impressive 9-1 decision, only allowing an escape late in the third period. Dominic Sackley was the fifth Panther to win a title, using an escape and takedown in the second, and a takedown in the third to secure a 7-1 decision. And Matt Leofanti scored an upset in the 220 final, using a second period takedown and a third period escape to upend the top seed, 3-1. Caleb MacLean (160) and Riley Downing (285) earned second, Alex Fracassa (126) and Dylan Nawn (182) were both third, and Ben Jacoby (195) was fourth.
A year after Mansfield claimed its first sectional title, the Hornets grabbed their second D1 South crown in a row. Will Stratton needed less than two minutes to get a pinfall victory in the 145 title match, and George Glaropoulos had a similar performance in the 160 championship, earning the title by pinfall in 1:31. After a scoreless first period, CJ Glaropoulos scored a reversal in the second and a takedown in the third to secure the D1 South title at 152. Jayden Curley cruised through the 170 bracket in impressive fashion, pinning his first two opponents in under a minute, winning his semifinal match via pinfall in 1:34, and then took the title with a pin in just 33 seconds. Ethan Nirenberg was Mansfield’s fifth winner, using a second period escape and a near fall in the third to win 4-0. Antonios Sevastos added a second place finish, and Stefan Steyn earned third for the Hornets. Taunton’s Jackson Wellman, in his first year wrestling, earned third at 182 and Christian Balmain took home fourth.
Of the 14 champions in Division 2 South, nine came from Hockomock teams with North Attleboro having six winners and Oliver Ames taking three individual titles. After a tech fall and a decision to reach the final, North Attleboro’s Mike Burns earned a first round pin to win the 138 crown. Two weight classes later, North’s Michael Edmonds scored all of his points in the second and third rounds, overcoming a 5-0 first round deficit to stun top-seeded Tristan Williamson of Hingham for the 152 D2 South championship. Montrel Jackson followed suit, scoring a second round pin to upset top-seeded Declan Byrne of Pembroke. In the 220 final, John Kummer added another upset win for the Rocketeers, getting five points in the final 31 seconds to knock off top-seeded Will Dion of Plymouth North by a score of 8-3. Liam Rizk was trailing 6-2 in the 220 match before securing a pinfall victory, and Mateusz Kudra needed just over a minute to get a pin over Stoughton’s Calvin LaGuerre in the 285 final for North’s sixth individual title. Oliver Ames’ Nick McGovern had a big day, earning two pins to advance to the semifinals, then knocked off #2 Vinay Chinnam of Sharon, 13-10. In the final, McGovern shocked top-seeded David White of Hingham with a second period pinfall. Billy Tat (170) earned the title with a first round pin, and Dean Pacini secured the 195 crown with a third round pin.
Also in D2 South, North Attleboro’s Ethan Smith (120) was second, and Jon Lozinski (132) and Matt Warsofsky (170) both placed third. OA freshman John Dobbin continued his strong rookie season by taking second in the 106 bracket, and Max Anderson (220), Nelson Malone (132), and Remi Creighton (120) all earned fourth place finishes. Sharon had five grapplers take third place including Alex Bolt (195), Amit Levin (120), Huguens Pierre (138), Jon Wald (182), and Tyler Cashton (152) while Andrew Ableman (160) and Vinay Chinnam (126) finished fourth. On top of LaGuerre’s second place finish in the heavyweight bracket, Stoughton’s John Santos (113) took third overall, and CJ Carpenter (106) was fourth.
All three Hockomock teams in the D2 Central tournament earned at least one individual champion. King Philip had a pair of champions as Luke Fitch (182), and Shawn Conniff (195) earned back-to-back pinfall victories. Conniff earned an upset in the final, knocking off top-seeded Alex Childs of Nashoba. Mohammad Lofti (145) and Yousef Lotfi (285) both finished second for the Warriors and Benjamin Leclair (113) and Noah Riedel (138) each finished fourth. Milford will be sending six wrestlers to states, highlighted by Carlos Terrinha, who won the D1 Central title at 120. After winning the first two matches by fall, Terrinha earned the title with a 10-3 decision. Nick Marcolini (152) finished second, Dan Pinto (138), Dylan Ortiz (132), and Joao Neiva (195) each took third, and Evan Hazard (126) was fourth overall. Canton’s Cole Murphy won his first sectional title, earning a pinfall victory (his second of the day) in the 170 final to get the win. Harry Carter (132) and Zach Peters (106) each took second, and Mark Carstairs (120) finished third overall for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro had a terrific showing at the D3 Sectional, having a wrestler place sixth or better in all but one weight class. The Warriors, who finished second to Norton in the team standings, had three individual champions. Shayne Kerrigan (132) won by pinfall in his first two matches and then picked up a pair of decisions, the latter a 7-1 win in the finals to get the title. Tommy Gallagher (138) followed Kerrigan’s title win up with one of his own, earning a pin in his first match, a 2-0 decision in the semifinals, and then a 6-3 decision in the finals, highlighted by a nearfall in the third period. William Ogebebor (220) was the third Warrior to win a sectional title, needing just 30 seconds to win his first match, advancing to the final with a 5-0 win in the semifinal, and then an 8-2 decision to become the champion. Foxboro’s Adam Lanctot (120), Tom Cullen (170), and William McNeil (285) each finished third while Matt Sharkey (145) and Sean Bubencik (106) each took fourth place.
