05/14/202305/16/2023

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/15/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 1 @ Dartmouth, 6 – Final – Senior Peter Santoro pitched well in relief for the Rocketeers, tossing three scoreless innings with three hits and no walks, striking out five. Jordan Paradis (RBI) and Gio Martello each had a double and Chris Hanewich scored for North.

Taunton, 10 @ Plymouth North, 3 – Final – Taunton bounced back from a loss on Friday with a big win on the road at Plymouth North. The Tigers plated three runs in the top of the first and never trailed the rest of the way, adding two runs in the third, single runs in the fourth and seventh, and three more in the sixth inning. Braden Sullivan (two runs), Dawson Bryce (two doubles, two RBI, three runs), and Sean Murphy (RBI) each had two hits for Taunton while Ryan MacDougall (double, two RBI), Brayden Cali (two runs), Andrew Cali, and AJ Lewis (run) each had a hit. Brady Morin earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 shutout innings with three strikeouts while Jack Cali had two scoreless innings in relief with a pair of strikeouts.

Sharon, 6 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Sharon overcame an early two-run deficit by chipping away in the middle innings and pulling away for good with a three-run seventh inning. The host Black Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Jeriel Cuello singled and then scored on a ball put in play by Hunter Malkin in the first inning, and courtesy runner Joey McEachern scored in the second (after a single from James Spector. Sharon responded with a run in the third (Liam Conway triple, wild pitch), one in the fourth (Seth Bonner RBI double), and one more in the fifth (Soham Kulkarni two-out RBI single) to take a 3-2 lead. In the top of the seventh, Cole Arundale tripled and came home on a single from Jake Loomis, who came home on a sac fly from Bonner. Conway’s second triple of the game added another insurance run to stretch the lead to 6-3. Luke Meixel earned the win for the Eagles, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk, striking out eight in a complete game.

Softball
Attleboro, 23 @ Holliston, 7 – Final

Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames earned its third straight win, building a big lead early to take down visiting Canton. The Tigers scored the first run in the second, stretched the lead with a four-run third, and scored once more in each the fourth and sixth innings. Maddie Homer (run), Erin Martin (RBI), and Paige Taylor (run) each had two hits for the hosts, Devon Morris drove in two runs and scored two runs, and Crystyliah Covel had one RBI. Katie Melendy earned the win for OA, allowing two runs (both unearned) on five hits and one walk, striking out seven in seven innings.

King Philip, 12 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip collected its second straight win over a top ranked team, this time putting up 12 runs against a top-10 Shamrock squad from Feehan. KP took the lead on Ava Kelley’s RBI single in the first inning, scored three more times in the second, and plated four runs in both the third and fifth innings. Kelley (two runs, RBI), Charlotte Raymond (RBI), Liv Petrillo (two runs), Maddie Paschke (three RBI), and Taylor Regan (RBI, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Warriors while Libby Walsh had a two-run home run in the fifth. McCoy Walsh tossed a five-inning shutout, allowing three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Mansfield, 1 vs. Norton, 13 – Final

North Attleboro, 3 vs. Dartmouth, 0 – Final – Last week, Kelly Colleran had a perfect game over five innings, today she threw one over seven innings. Colleran finished with 16 strike outs, two put outs, and an assist. She also blasted a second inning homer that turned out to be the game-winning run. With two outs, Maryellen Charette would double the lead, driving in Molly Willey. In the fifth, Willey drove in the third run with a fielder’s choice. Emma Hanwell had three hits for the Rocketeers, while Colleran and Arianna McDavitt each had a pair of hits.

Stoughton, 2 @ Norwood, 8 – Final

Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 5 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final

Canton, 12 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Canton erased a three-goal deficit and outscored the host Rocketeers 9-4 in the second to get the win. North staked a 6-3 edge at the break but Canton owned the third and fourth quarters to get the win. Jeff Chaput led the charge with four goals, Michael Thomas and Ethan Keleher each had a hat trick, and AJ Thomas potted a pair for the Bulldogs.

Sharon, 11 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Sharon used a dominant second quarter to create separation on its way to a key win over division rival Foxboro. The Eagles and Warriors traded goals in the first quarter but the second belonged to Sharon, who outscored the hosts 6-0 in the frame. Foxboro scored the first two goals of the second half but Sharon answered with four straight between the third and fourth quarters to pull away for good. Jordan Burt, Sam Rothbaum, Jordan Weisman, Ryan Brown, and Dylan Cummings each scored twice for the visitors and Edward Bondar found the back of the net once. Matt Powers played well in net for the Eagles. Foxboro’s Conor Noone scored twice while Jon Sacchetti and Tony Sulham each added one.

Franklin, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Drew Hansen, Eddie O’Brien, and Luke Davis each scored a hat trick to lead Franklin to a win on the road over Oliver Ames. Hansen also had two assists, Davis had one helper, and both Tyler Sacchetti and Jayden Consigli had three points (two goals, one assist). Shaun Teehan scored for OA while Noah Isleib made 17 saves in the cage.

Mansfield, 19 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield shut out the Tigers and clinched at least a share of the program’s first Davenport title and first league title since 2012. Tommy Smith led the way offensively, scoring four times and dishing out a pair of assists. Tommy Vallett added a hat trick, Cody Gordon and Andrew Burnham each had a pair of goals and a pair of assists, Drew Sacco scored twice, and Andrew DeGirolamo had a goal and a helper. Liam Barry, Will Riley (assist) Billy Doherty, Taher Mustafa, and Cooper Austin each found the back of the net once. Ryan DeGirolamo made six saves in the Mansfield goal.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 @ Milford, 11 – Final (2OT) – Attleboro rallied for a pair of late goals, including the game-tying goal with under a minute left in regulation, before pulling out the win in the second overtime. Bella Cavalini’s ninth goal of the game from a free position was the game-winner in double overtime while Peyton McAuliffe (16 saves) had a huge stop in the final seconds of the first overtime to keep the Bombardiers in it. Amelia Collins added two goals and two assists and Ryan Mooney added one goal. Leandra Lennon (six ground balls) and Ella Stromfors (five ground balls) played well defensively for the Bombardiers. Emily Croteau lead Milford with six goals and one assists, Alexa Landry and Kaitlin Landy each found the back of the net twice, and TJ Downing scored once. Caitlyn Bangert made 10 saves for the Scarlet Hawks.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 11 – Final

Foxboro, 17 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Mya Waryas (two assists), Cate Noone (four assists), and Paige Curran (four assists) each had a hat trick for Foxboro in a win on the road. Mia DiNunzio (one goal), Kaelin Connors (goal, two assists), and Kathryn Ferguson (assist) all chipped in offensively in the win.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – The Panthers had 12 players find the back of the net and senior Lindsay Atkinson recorded her 100th career point in a win over Oliver Ames. Ella Mahoney and Maise Streeseman both played well in net.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – King Philip built a big lead early and never looked back in their first ever matchup with Stoughton. Haley Bright and Rose Campbell each had their first varsity goals in the win while Sammy Cloutier (two assists), Makenzie McDevitt, Nikki McDonald, and Ilah Weiblen each scored twice. Sarah Brown chipped in with three points, scoring once with two helpers. Morgan Groppi scored a pair of goals for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. On senior night, goalie Caitlyn Zajac made 11 saves, including the 400th of her career, and scored her first varsity goal to help the Hornets pick up the win. Ava Adams scored five goals and dished out an assist, while pulling down seven draw controls. Brooke Butler scored five times and had three assists to lead the attack. Stella Moore had a pair of goals and Lola Varricchione and Carys Colby each scored once. Rose Maher had three helpers and Bella Sacchetti had one. Maddi Szala had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, Raquel Azevedo notched one assist, and Mel Jesus made 11 saves.

Boys Tennis
Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final

Milford, 0 @ Medway, 5 – Final

North Attleboro @ Dartmouth – Postponed

Sharon, 3 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 2 – Final – Sharon extracted revenge against Martha’s Vineyard, treating the visitors to a 3-2 win in a rematch from earlier this season. Senior Matthew Lally earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles and junior Alex Budovalcev sank his opponent with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 comeback win at third singles. The team of Kevin Li and Hyojae Park helped the Eagles clinch the win with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

Mansfield, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Mansfield took three wins from singles and one more from doubles to return home from Franklin with a 4-1 verdict over the Panthers. Sophomore Neema Khosravani notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Nikhil Nain added a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Iniyan Karruppusami dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of junior Jacob Weiner and sophomore Josh Weiner emerged from first doubles with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) comeback win. Franklin’s Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy recorded a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 4 @ Durfee, 1 – Final – Martin Frankimet overcame a one-set deficit to take a win at second singles, highlighting the Tigers’ victory over Durfee. Frankimet earned a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win, Michael Kimmer added a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, and Heitor Sens completed the singles sweep with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Taunton’s first doubles team of Kenny Dias and Rowan Kimmer emerged with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win for the Tigers.

Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames returned from a trip to Canton with a clean sweep, 5-0, over the Bulldogs. Hannah Farber had an impressive win in a top battle, taking a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli prevailed in a super tiebreaker (6-3, 4-6, 10-3), and Stella Zachos secured a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. OA’s first doubles team of Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth prevailed in a tight battle 6-4, 6-7 (2), 10-4, and the Tigers’ second doubles tandem of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski earned a 6-1, 7-5 win.

King Philip, 0 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 vs. Dartmouth, 1 – Final – A trio of dominant singles wins highlighted North Attleboro’s 4-1 win over visiting Dartmouth. Lauren Hunt rolled 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Megan Atwood notched a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and Grace Noreck recorded a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles. North’s second doubles team of Jayla Stone and Grace Manning prevailed 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Sharon, 4 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 1 – Final – Sharon took wins in both doubles matches and added two more wins in singles action to earn a season sweep of Martha’s Vineyard. Nayya Shukla (6-0, 6-2) and Ale Aguilar (6-2, 6-0) both dropped only two games total at second and third singles victories. The team of Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand impressed in a 6-0, 6-3 first doubles win, and Ellie Zhao and Olivia Landstein rolled at second doubles to the tune of 6-0, 6-0.

Franklin, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – The Panthers won all five matches in straight sets to stay tied with North Attleboro at the top of the Kelley-Rex. Izzy Trull (6-1, 6-1), Brooke Taylor (6-1, 6-0), and Chloe Essam (7-5, 6-2) won their singles matches for Franklin. The doubles teams of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen (6-4, 6-1) and Allison Bagley and Ava Davies (6-1, 6-1) made it a clean sweep for the visitors.

Taunton, 4 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton swept doubles action and won a pair of singles matches in straight sets to topple the visiting Hilltoppers. Juniors Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin teamed up for a 6-4, 6-0 first doubles win while the junior tandem of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett notched a 6-0, 6-3 victory at second doubles. Junior Ava Alves prevailed 6-4, 6-1 at second singles for the Tigers while classmate Morgan Smith recorded a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Millis, 4:45
Milford vs. Newton South, 6:15

Taunton, 3 vs. Barnstable, 1 – Final – After dropping the first set, Taunton rallied to win three in a row, including a marathon fourth set to clinch the victory (22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 34-32). Bradley Hyland continues to anchor the defense for the Tigers, recording 21 digs and three aces in the win. Daniel Freitas was putting the ball up perfectly, finishing with an impressive 60 assists in win; Freitas set up Matt Freitas (27 kills), Alvin Morisseau (12 kills, three blocks), Josh Duncan (nine kills, one block), Owen Kelley (eight kills, 10 digs), and Anotnios Dimakis (five kills, three blocks).

05/12/202305/13/2023

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/12/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Hayden Rose spun a gem, firing Canton to an important division win. Rose went the distance, pitching around five walks and allowing just one hit. He struck out 11 batters, including striking out the side in the seventh to seal the victory. Canton’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Hart drew a walk and came around to score on Matt Lesser’s triple over the right fielder’s head. Owen Lane also added three of Canton’s seven hits from the leadoff spot. Jeriel Cuello had Stoughton’s only hit. Black Knights starter Joseph Rush took the loss despite a strong start. He allowed just the one run and five hits in 3-1/3 innings. Hunter Malkin pitched 2-2/3 scoreless innings of relief with four Ks.

Taunton, 4 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 10 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored three runs in the third and four more in the fourth to break things open and seal a win that keeps the Hornets close with Foxboro in the Davenport title hunt. Sam Martin (two doubles) and Wyatt Bolduc (double) each had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, scoring three runs combined as well for the Hornets. Mansfield also got a hit and three runs scored from Conner Zukowski, a hit and two RBI from Jake Maydak, and a hit and RBI from Luke Rogan. Maydak also picked up the win on the mound, throwing six innings with three earned runs, three walks, and two strikeouts. Rogan closed the game with a scoreless seventh. Harrison Fitzpatrick was 3-for-3 leading off for OA, scoring twice. Matt Lawson added two hits and a run, Patrick Finnerty had an RBI triple, and Jack Morley drove in one for the Tigers.

Milford, 10 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Milford scored 10 unanswered to come from behind and pick up a big road win. Damien Carter starred at the plate and on the mound for the Hawks. He went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a triple, a homer, and five RBI. Carter also overcame allowing three runs in the first two innings to throw a complete game with eight strikeouts. Nick Koch had two hits and reached base five times, Evan Cornelius had a pair of hits, and Sean McGee had a hit and reached base four times for the visitors. Jordan Paradis had a hit, a run, and an RBI and Ayden Delaney had a hit and drove in two for North.

Softball
Canton, 5 @ Stoughton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – Canton scored four runs in the second and added a fifth in the third to take early control of Friday’s divisional matchup, but the Black Knights put together a remarkable rally to pull out the win. Stoughton scored nine runs in the fourth and then added nine more in the fifth to seal the victory. The hosts had 14 hits as a team. Freshman Julia Monaghan had three hits to lead the way, scoring once and driving in a pair. Kerry Driscoll drove in four with a pair of hits. Julie Powers (three runs and two RBI), Anna Hobbs (three runs and three RBI), and Alyssa Edwards (two runs and an RBI) all had two hits apiece. Camryn Whitman scored twice and brought in another. Driscoll picked up the win in the circle, going the distance with no earned runs and a pair of strikeouts. Jess Wright scored once and drove in two for Canton, while Kailyn Durham drove in two, Chloe Guerschuny had two hits, and Laura Valkanas had a run and an RBI in the loss.

Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro scored four times in the first and never looked back, picking up a win that keeps it in the running for the Davenport title. Ava Hill went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored, and two RBI. Emma Callahan was 3-for-4 and scored three times. Vittoria Cuscia had a pair of hits and drove in two. Cuscia picked up the win in the circle, giving up no earned runs and striking out five. Maddie Hu and freshman Annabel Gruss each had two hits for the Eagles. Manasa Josyula struck out seven in the loss.

Taunton, 13 @ Franklin, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton pounded out 16 hits and had its fifth straight shutout to stay unbeaten. The Tigers broke things open with a six-run fourth inning. Kaysie DeMoura went 3-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in three. Bella Bourque also was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Kyleah Plumb (two runs, RBI), Ava Venturelli (two runs, two RBI, and a homer), and Mia Fernandes each had two hits. Brooke Aldrich tripled and drove in three and Hayley Krockta had a double, run scored and RBI. Sam Lincoln made the runs stand up with another strong outing in the circle. She struck out 11 in five innings and allowed just two hits. Sarah Boozang and Hailey Fales had the hits for the Panthers.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames plated four runs in the second inning to take the lead and then held off a late rally from the hosts, getting the final out with the tying run at the plate. Maddie Homer, Devon Morris (run), Katie Melendy (RBI), Katherine Farley, Erin Martin (RBI, run), Crystyliah Covel (double), and Paige Taylor each had a hit for the Tigers. Melendy earned the win in the circle, allowing three unearned runs on six hits and one walk, striking out five in a complete game. For Mansfield, Liv Madeira had a pair of hits and Callie Lake, Erin Radley, Molly Kucharski, Jill Koppy, Avery Lake, Dani Jameson, and Allie Koppy each added one hit.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Kelly Colleran set a new program record (breaking the one she has set several times already this spring) by striking out 21 batters in seven innings. She also scored the winning run, drew a pair of walks, and stole a base. The big hit for the Rocketeers was a pinch-hit, two-run homer from freshman Grace Forman to break the game open in the fifth inning. Arianna McDavitt set the tone offensively with three hits and a run scored and Maryellen Charette had a pair of hits. Emma Hanwell had a double and a run scored, while Maddie Bailey, Molly Willey (RBI), and Lucy Palmer all had one hit. Milford had four hits as a team, with Olivia Baglione going 2-for-4 from the lead-off spot. Ava Baglione and Grace Bonina each had one hit. Maeve Driscoll allowed only two earned runs for the Hawks, striking out seven in the loss.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 17 @ Dedham, 14 – Final – Freshman Michael Thomas scored six times to lead the Bulldogs to their second win of the week. Jeffrey Chaput and Ethan Keleher each scored five times and AJ Thomas scored once for Canton. The Bulldogs did the bulk of the scoring in the first half, going into the break with a 12-8 lead.

Mansfield, 10 vs. Silver Lake, 11 – Final (OT) – Mansfield lost a tough game against a fellow tournament contender. Drew Sacco scored three goals and dished out an assist. Twice in the fourth quarter Sacco scored to tie the game and eventually force overtime. Cody Gordon added a hat trick and a pair of assists and Tommy Smith had two goals and an assist. Andrew DeGirolamo found the back of the net once for the Hornets. Ryan DeGirolamo made 18 saves in the loss.

North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15

Sharon, 20 vs. Medway, 2 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 6 @ Notre Dame Academy, 15 – Final

King Philip, 8 vs. Weymouth, 13 – Final – KP lost a tough challenge against a fellow playoff contender. Makenzie McDevitt (one assist), Alyssa Legere, and Nicole McDonald all scored twice for the Warriors. Emily Campbell made 16 saves in the loss.

Mansfield, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final – Ella Palanza, Brooke Butler, and Stella Moore each scored once for the Hornets. Palanza added an assist.

Taunton, 7 @ North Attleboro, 15 – Final – For Taunton, Cali Melo found the back of the net four times, Caroline Vallarelli added a pair, and Hailey Tanguay scored once. Maddi Szala added an assist and Mel Jesus registered six saves.

Sharon, 5 @ Medway, 19 – Final

Boys Tennis
Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – A clean sweep in singles action highlighted Canton’ 4-1 decision on the road over neighboring Stoughton. Max Kupferman, Bharat Ramanathan, and Justin Ngan each won 6-0, 6-0 in singles action and the Bulldogs added another win at second doubles. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Writer overcame a one-set deficit to emerge with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Stoughton’s Anthony Maylack and Aadit Khond secured a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Sharon swept Foxboro and remained unbeaten in league play. The first singles match was the closest, as Jacob Slavsky pulled out a super tiebreaker win over Raj Jetty. Jetty took the opening set 6-4, but Slavsky came right back to win the second 6-0 and then took the tiebreaker 10-5. Matthew Lally (6-4, 6-1) and Alex Budovalcev (6-1, 6-1) both won in straight sets. The doubles matches were also straight set wins for the Eagles. Sava Kassev and Rithvik Neti won 6-0, 6-3 and Kevin Li and Hyojae Park won 6-2, 6-1.

Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin earned a win that keeps it just one back in the win column in the battle for the Kelley-Rex title. Jay Gorgas won a 9-7 tiebreaker in the first set to get a straight sets win (7-6, 6-2). Tyler Fitzpatrick won the opening set 6-4, dropped the second by the same score, but then won the third set tiebreaker 11-9 to get the point. The doubles teams of Eric Tomaino and Ahan Shetty (6-4 7-5) and Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy (6-3, 6-3) each won in straight sets for the Panthers.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield swept the Tigers to hang around in the Davenport title race, just one back in the loss column of leader Sharon. The Hornets took the three singles matches in straight sets. Neema Khosravani (6-1, 6-2), Nikhil Nain (6-0, 6-4), and Iniyan Karruppusami (6-1, 6-3) earned three points for Mansfield. Freshmen Kingston Carey and Justin Curtis also won in straight sets at second doubles – 6-1, 6-1. The first doubles match was the lone point to require three sets. Josh and Jacob Weiner pulled out the win after dropping the first set to Nick Wagner and Brendan Teehan. The Weiners won 6-7, 6-3, 10-8.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North pulled out a win that moves it back into a first-place tie with Attleboro atop the Kelley-Rex. Although the Rocketeers earned four points, it was a hard-fought battles, as four of the five individual matches went to three sets. At first singles, Brody Carter dropped the opening set against Tyler Andreotti 2-6, but bounced back to win the next two sets 6-1, 6-3. Darren Ling had a similar experience at second singles, dropping the first 2-6 against Connor Wong, but then winning 6-3, 6-2 to take the point. Milford’s Corey Rattray won the lone point for the Hawks. After splitting the first two sets with Quinn DiFiore (6-7, 6-4), Rattray won the super tiebreaker 10-6. The doubles matches were also close. Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna needed three sets to hold off Sean Prevelige and Todd Ostertag 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Neo Shum and Jeremy Carter won the only match that went in straight sets, taking second doubles 6-1, 6-2.

Girls Tennis
Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.

Foxboro, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon clinched the Davenport title with the win over Foxboro. It is the seventh league title in the past eight seasons (two of those shared with Foxboro). Hailey Kornbluth continued to roll for the Warriors and earned the 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles. Sharon won the rest. Navya Shukla (6-0, 6-0) and Ale Aguilar (6-1, 6-2) won at straight sets to round out the singles matches. Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand (6-0, 6-1) and Olivia Landstein and Sophia Oh (6-0, 6-1) won the doubles matches while only dropping two games combined.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin stayed in the running for the league title with a big road win. Izzy Trull (6-1, 6-0) and Brooke Taylor (6-0, 6-0) each won their singles matches in straight sets. Taunton also got a point at second singles with Ava Alves taking her match 6-4, 6-2. The Panthers swept doubles. Sydney Tolonen and Brooke Daniels won 6-4, 6-3 and Allison Bagley and Ava Davies won 6-3, 7-5.

Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – OA won the first and second singles matches without dropping a game and added a win at second doubles to secure the victory and a sweep of the season series with the Hornets. Hannah Farber and Olivia Querzoli breezed through their matches, both winning 6-0, 6-0. The doubles team of Ella and Marina Mierzwinski finished off the win for the Tigers with a 6-2, 6-1 win. In the first meeting, Mansfield was swept, but the Hornets made this a tough match for the Tigers. Caroline Guravage took her third singles match 6-4, 6-2 and the doubles pairing of Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey won 6-1, 6-3.

Milford, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North won all three of the singles matches to secure a win that moves the Rocketeers slightly ahead of KP in the Kelley-Rex title race. Lauren Hunt, Megan Atwood, and Grace Noreck all won their matches without dropping a game. Ava Merril and Lily Bogonis won their doubles match for the Hawks and Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon won 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final
Milford vs. O’Bryant, 5:15

04/19/202304/20/2023

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/20/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 6 vs. St. Paul Diocesan, 21- Final (6 inn.)

Foxboro, 13 vs. Concord-Carlisle, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Foxboro snapped a two-game skid with a dominant win over Concord-Carlisle. After the teams traded runs in the second inning, Foxboro’s offense came to life with four runs in the third, five in the fourth, and three more in the fifth inning. Louis Carangelo had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, driving in a team-high four runs and scoring twice along with a pair of stolen bases. Sean O’Leary (two RBI, run) and Ryan O’Leary (two RBI, run) each added two hits for the Warriors, who totaled 13 hits on the day. Alex Stern and Ben Angelini each contributed with a pair of RBI. Mat Sullivan had a strong performance on the bump, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk in four innings. Ryan O’Leary tossed a scoreless inning in relief with two strikeouts.

Taunton, 11 vs. Durfee, 4 – Final – For the second game in a row, and fourth time in six games this season, Taunton’s offense scored double-digit runs, this time in a win over visiting Durfee. After the Hilltoppers took the lead in the top of the first, the Tigers plated two in the bottom half and never trailed again. Taunton had a six-run third inning and scored single runs in each of the three following innings. Braden Sullivan had a big day at the dish by going 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored while Dwayne Burgo continued his strong stretch with three hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. Ryan MacDougall drove in two runs while Dawson Bryce, AJ Lewis (two hits), and Jesse Chaves each drove in a run. Sean Murphy earned the win, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and two walks, striking out three in 3.2 innings of work. Peter Moor allowed an unearned run on one hit and one walk in 1.1 innings of relief while Brady Boucher struck out two in a scoreless inning.

Softball
King Philip, 11 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 5 – Final – King Philip wasted little time erasing an early three-run deficit and its offense stayed hot in a win over Bridgewater-Raynham on Thursday afternoon at the PAL Athletic Complex. The visiting Trojans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second but Liv Petrillo led off with a solo shot to left and Ava Kelley drilled a two-run homer to left in the bottom half to bring the Warriors level quickly. KP went on to score four more runs in the fourth, twice in the fifth, and twice more in the sixth on a two-run bomb from senior Libby Walsh. Kelley finished with two hits and three RBI, freshman Ali Gill dropped in a two-run double, and Ava Lanza and Sarah Cullen each had an RBI. Freshman McCoy Walsh earned the win in relief, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, striking out eight in 5.1 innings of work.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Walpole, 11 – Final (5 Inn.) – Oliver Ames took the lead in the top of the first inning but Walpole’s offense proved to be too much. Katie Melendy drove in Maddie Homer (two hits) in the first inning. Devon Morris also had a hit for OA.

Taunton, 11 vs. Newton North, 2 – Final – With two runs in the top of the fourth, visiting Newton North cut the deficit down to one run but Taunton responded with the unanswered runs over the next three innings to run away with a big win. Eighth grader Bella Bourque smashed her first career home run and RBIs from Kaysie DeMoura (triple) and Hayley Krockta (single) gave Taunton a 3-0 lead but Newton North used a walk and a hit by pitch to eventually push two runs across to get back in the game. A squeeze bunt from Kyleah Plumb scored Mia Torres, and Ava Venturelli launched a two-run homer to restore Taunton’s lead. Sam Lincoln earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit and a walk, striking out 15 in a complete game performance.

Milford, 5 vs. Framingham, 6 – Final – Milford took a lead into the final inning but Framingham’s seventh inning rally stole a win against the Scarlet Hawks. Milford scored once in the first and second, and then doubled its advantage with two runs in the fifth. The Flyers cut into the lead with two runs in the sixth and took the lead for good with four runs in the seventh. Cae Pellegrini had a big day offensively for the Hawks, going 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Ava Baglione, Maeve Driscoll, and Jianna Fernandes each had an RBI in the win.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 12 @ Nipmuc, 11 – Final (OT) – Canton erased a four-goal deficit at halftime and freshman Oisin Brogan potted the game-winning goal in overtime to hand the Bulldogs an impressive in on the road. Nipmuc scored eight goals in the first half but Pat Drury’s epic performance in net (19 saves) helped Canton claw back into the game. Migs Thomas led the offense with four goals while Jeff Chaput scored three goals and added three assists in the win. Senior AJ Thomas cleared the ball himself and fed Brogan in the crease for the game-winner in overtime.

Mansfield, 10 vs. Scituate, 8 – Final – Mansfield senior Ryan DeGirolamo shined in net and the Hornets landed a key 10-8 win over Scituate. DeGirolamo recorded an impressive 22 saves to help the Hornets hold off the Sailors. Drew Sacco led the balanced offensive attack with three goals, Andrew Burnham (assist) and Tommy Vallett each scored scored a pair of goals, and Andrew DeGirolamo (assist), Cody Gordon (assist), and Tommy Smith each scored once.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 5 vs. Quincy, 6 – Final – Canton came up just short in a tight battle against visiting Quincy. Nora Giannacopoulos and Ella Yeaton each scored twice to lead the Bulldogs while Emily McCabe scored once. Ashley Balunas made nine saves to keep the Bulldogs in the game.

King Philip, 6 vs. Walpole, 14 – Final – King Philip trailed by just a goal at halftime but the visiting Timberwolves pulled away with a big second half to get the win. Nikki McDonald led the charge offensively with three goals, Sammy Cloutier added a pair of goals, and Makenzie McDevitt scored once for the Warriors. Kaitlyn Parish played well in net for KP, recording 10 saves.

Oliver Ames, 14 @ Nipmuc, 17 – Final

Milford, 11 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – In a rescheduled matchup, Milford returned home with a hard-fought win over North Attleboro. Milford senior Caitlyn Bangert had an outstanding game in net for the Scarlet Hawks as she turned away 15 shots to keep the visitors ahead. Seniors Emily Croteau (four goals, one assist) and Carly Haley (two goals, three assists) led the offensive charge with five points apiece while senior Jordan Douglas scored a hat trick in the win. Yasmine Martinez and Erin Michelson each had a goal and an assist, and Ava Lebel and Kaitlin Landry each recorded one helper. Molly Hartman, Dani Guzman, Haley Jansons, and Khatrina Leger all played well defensively in the win for Milford.

04/06/202304/07/2023

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/06/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 14 @ Norwell, 11 – Final – The Bulldogs scored in double digits for the third straight game to start the season and picked up their third win. Canton’s offense was on fire from the start, as the visitors scored five in the first and went into the bottom of the fifth leading 12-1. Norwell made it interesting with three in the fifth and then six runs in the sixth. The Clippers added a seventh run in the final inning but Canton had done enough to improve to 3-0. Owen Lane was 0-for-2 in the leadoff spot, but he drew three walks and scored three runs. Lane also pitched the first four innings and allowed just one earned run. Matt Chafin was 2-for-2 with a walk and four runs scored. Jack Digirolamo was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Hayden Rose also drove in four runs, while Nick (two RBI) and Andrew Gillis (two runs) each had two hits. Digirolamo closed out the game, throwing the final 1-1/3 innings, striking out three and allowing one run.

Mansfield, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 9 – Final

Softball
Canton, 10 @ Rockland, 3 – Final – Shaelyn Murphy went the distance, striking out 13 batters to win her second game in as many days. Murphy also helped herself with two hits and two RBI. Olivia Mackwell powered the Canton offense with four hits and four RBI. Kailyn Durham had three hits and made a great defensive play in center. Jess Wright and Chloe Guerschuny added two hits apiece for the Bulldogs.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame a two-goal deficit midway through the fourth quarter to pull out a win against visiting Attleboro. Ryan Jaco scored the game-winning goal with 30 seconds left to cap the comeback and complete a hat trick. Jason Zalis, Landon Grothe, Liam Dunlap and Lawrence Dear all played well on defense for the Tigers while Noah Isleib recorded 12 saves in net.

Canton, 5 @ Mansfield, 14 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Mansfield junior Tommy Smith and freshman Nico Smith each scored four goals to lead the Hornets to a win over Davenport rival Canton. Both Tommy Smith and Nico Smith, along with Drew Sacco (two goals), scored early to give Mansfield a three-goal lead and the Hornets never relinquished that advantage. Cody Gordon added two goals an an assist, Andrew DeGirolamo had a goal and two assists, and Grady Sullivan had one goal and one assist. Senior Jeff Chaput and freshman Ethan Keleher each scored twice for Canton, AJ Thomas scored once, and Brendan Tourgee had three assists. Ryan DeGirolamo made 12 saves in net for Mansfield while Thomas Gormley had a strong game defensively. Canton’s Pat Drury had nine saves.

Foxboro, 18 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Foxboro won for the second straight game to start the season. Michael McCabe had a goal and an assist in the win, while Michael DeBarros, Josiah Lewis, and Evan Vieira also found the back of the net for the Warriors, each recording their first varsity points. Freshman Cam Deleskey added two goals in the win.

North Attleboro, 8 @ King Philip, 11 – Final – King Philip raced out to a three-goal lead in the first quarter and stayed ahead of the visiting Rocketeers the rest of the way for an 11-8 win. Donovan DeVellis led the offensive charge for the hosts with a team-high seven points, scoring a hat trick and adding four assists for the Warriors, who held a 7-5 advantage at half. Hayden Schmitz also had a hat trick for KP and added two assists, Noah Minkwitz notched a pair of goals and a pair of helpers while Mason Thompson (two assists), Alex Viscusi, and Aiden McCarthy each scored once. Henry LeClair added an assist while senior goalie James Boldy had a strong game in net, turning away a handful of point blank chances from North.

Milford, 1 @ Sharon, 14 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Attleboro, 11 – Final – The Tigers erased a six-goal halftime deficit to stun the Bombardiers on the road. Attleboro had a terrific first half as Addy Papagolos’ six draw controls led the Bombardiers to a 9-3 lead at the break. OA opened the second half with four straight goals to get back into it and used that momentum, outscoring the hots 6-1 down the stretch. Catie Wilson and Erin Cottam paced OA with four goals apiece while Leanna Hudson added three and Kayla Magit had two goals and four assists. Attleboro’s Bella Cavallini and Amelia Collins each had three goals, Molly Moore found the back of the net twice, and Papagolos, Makenah Stokes, and Gigi Sprovieri each had one. Jordan Mooney chipped in with a pair of assists for Attleboro.

Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Emily McCabe scored six times and dished out three assists to lead Canton to an important division win over Mansfield. McCabe scored the 100th goal of her career in the win. Ella Yeaton added a hat trick and Devan Spinale had two goals and two assists for the Bulldogs, who got eight saves from goalie Ashley Balunas. Canton led by two at halftime but turned it on in the second half with a 6-1 run. Mansfield got goals from Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Maeve Anastasia, Rose Maher (two assists), Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore. Caitlyn Zajac made 10 saves to keep the Hornets in it.

Taunton, 1 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Seven different players found the back of the net for the Warriors, who wrapped up a perfect 3-0 opening week of the season. Paige Curran sparked Foxboro’s attack with five goals an three assists and Cate Noone added four tallies and a pair of helpers. Mya Waryas had a hat trick and two assists, while Val Beigel, Mary Collins (three assists), and Grace Riley (two assists) each scored twice. Addie Riley added a goal for Foxboro. Audrey Campbell made three stops and Sofia Lucente had one save to get the win.

Franklin, 19 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Fifteen Panthers scored on Thursday, as the perennial Hock power took on the first-year program. Vera Hansen, Maeve Grasso, Norah MacCallum, Raena Crandall, Erin Peterson, Ella Griffin, Morgan Lovell, Abby O’Rourke, and Juliana Owen all scored their first career goals for the Panthers. Ella Mahoney and Maise Streeseman both played well in goal to secure the win.

King Philip, 17 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – King Philip secured its third win of the young season, this time with a big win over North Attleboro on the road. Makenzie McDevitt (two assists), Abby MacDonald (assist), and Nikki McDonald (assist) paced the offense with four goals apiece while Sammy Cloutier added a goal and three helpers. Sierra King had a great defensive effort for KP with three caused turnovers and three ground balls while Kelly Holmes had a strong game in the midfield, commanding the draw.

Sharon, 9 @ Milford, 16 – Final – Buoyed by a big start, Milford earned its first win of the season with a 16-9 decision against visiting Sharon. The Scarlet Hawks raced out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. The Eagles did make a game of it by going on a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 9-4 but a three-goal spurt from the hosts just before halftime restored the big lead. Sophomore TJ Downing had a team-high four goals to pace the offense, sophomore Yasmin Martinez added three goals, and sophomore Alexa Landry notched one goal and two assists. Seniors Jordan Douglas (three goals, two assists), Carly Haley (two goals, two assists), Emily Croteau (one goal, two assists), and Ava Lebel (one goal) all played well for Milford. Caitlyn Banger made five saves in the win, Erin Michelson chipped in with a goal and an assist and senior Cailyn Paccico chipped in with one assist. Milford’s Bailey Garte had a team-high four goals while Keira Lydeard finished with a hat trick and one assist.

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 0 @ Xaverian, 5 – Final

North Attleboro vs. Dartmouth – Postponed.

Sharon, 1 vs. Brookline, 4 – Final – Junior Alex Budovalcev was the lone winner for the Eagles, rally from a one-set deficit to win in a third-set super tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.

Taunton, 5 vs. Durfee, 0 – Final – Taunton won all five matches in straight sets to take down visiting Durfee. Mike Kimmer had the closest match of the day, prevailing from a hard-fought first single match with a 6-4, 7-5 win. Martin Frankimet added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles and Heitor Sens completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-3 decision. The team of Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault only dropped two games, winning 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles while Kenny Dias paired with Rowan Kimmer to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Milford, 3 vs. Whitinsville Christian, 2 – Final – Milford swept both doubles matches and added one more win in singles action to break into the win column with a 3-2 decision over Whitinsville Christine. The team of Ava Merrill and Lily Bogonis secured the win for the Hawks, prevailing victorious in a three-set thriller at first doubles (6-3, 3-6, 6-2). Milford’s second doubles team of Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon earned a 6-1, 6-2 win while Kaylee Whitney earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.

North Attleboro @ Dartmouth – Postponed.

Taunton, 2 @ Durfee, 3 – Final

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Bellingham, 4:45

Milford, 3 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 2 – Final

Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton improved to 3-0 to start the season, landing a sweep over visiting Quincy (25-22, 25-18, 25-17). The Tigers’ two setters both continued to play well as Ty Ekstrom dished out eight assists and have four digs while Daniel Freitas had 14 assists and three digs. Matt Freitas and Antonios Dimakis each had five kills, Owen Kelley and Josh Duncan both had four kills, and Bradley Hylander continued to anchor the defense with nine digs and a strong serve receive.

03/19/2023

Canton Rallies Again, Wins D2 State Championship

Canton boys hockey captains Leo Owens, Brendan Tourgee, and AJ Thomas celebrate with the Division 2 state championship trophy after beating Hopkinton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BOSTON, Mass. – It was a frustrating first 28 minutes for Canton (22-4) in Saturday’s Div. 2 state title game at the TD Garden. The Bulldogs had more than 20 shots on target, including some gilt-edged scoring opportunities, saw pucks hit the side-netting, bounce up on top of the net, shots go over the bar or just wide, and watched Hopkinton goalie Jack Lang come through with several huge saves.

There were moments when Canton could have been forgiven for thinking, it’s just not our night. Head coach Brian Shuman admitted that he was starting to get concerned as the clock ticked on without his team finding the back of the net.

“I was the first person to overreact on the bench when we missed the net,” Shuman said after the game. “Credit to our players, they stayed calm, cool, and collected and didn’t take on the persona of their coach, which was a good thing.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Shuman shouldn’t have worried. For the second game in a row, the Bulldogs rallied from a goal down, showing the resilience of state champions. With two goals in a little over a minute at the end of the second period and a pair of goals from seniors in the final three minutes of the game, Canton skated away with a 4-1 victory and its third state title in the past five seasons.

“Seeing everyone out there, before we were like we’re not going to let what happened last year happen again and we came together, just had a quick talk,” said senior forward AJ Thomas. “After they scored the first one, we were down a little but we weren’t going to let it go. We came together in the locker room and came out in the second and put it to them. I’m happy to win it for everyone back home.”

Shuman added, “We’ve been in close games all year long. We’re just used to playing in tight games and credit to our guys, they’re saying the same things they were in the last round, ‘We’re fine, stay with it, we’re fine,’ and that’s not coming from the coaches. That’s coming from them.”

Canton was the favorite coming into the final. The No. 8 seed Hillers were playing in only their second state title game (and first in D2), while the Bulldogs are the perennial powers who have reached the final for four straight years (excluding the 2021 season that had no tournament).

It was the underdogs that would take the early advantage. A slap shot from Vasi Zolotarev hit a couple bodies in front of Canton goalie Colin Davis (14 saves). The puck landed at the skates of Hopkinton star Pavit Mehra and he rifled it past the goalie from close range to put the Hillers in front. It was his 40th goal of the season and fifth in the last two rounds.

A few minutes later, the Hillers nearly made it two. Catching Canton in a change, Ryan Teitel got free in the left wing circle and tested Davis, who was able to stay tall and make the save.

Canton grew into the game. Thomas forced Lang into a save from the left wing, Jack Digirolamo weaved through the Hopkinton defense and put a backhand shot on target, James Young got a shot on net from the point, Jeffrey Chaput teed up Thomas for a chance in the slot that went high and wide, then set up Brendan Tourgee in almost the same spot for another shot off target.

The Bulldogs outshot Hopkinton 14-5 in the first. For all that pressure, it was the Hillers that again came closest to finding twine. Drew Morse sent in a shot from the point that Davis knocked down. Mehra was again in the right spot to get to the rebound, but, at full stretch, Davis managed to get a toe to the shot to keep it out.

In the second, Canton kept the chances coming (outshooting Hopkinton 12-2 in the period). Griffin Hughes fed Brian Middleton in front but his tip was kept out by Lang (31 saves) who then made a stunning, diving, glove save to deny Colin Blake, who had steamed in to knock the rebound into what looked like an open net.

Chaput chipped a puck up the boards for Tourgee to test the goalie from the right wing circle. Then it was Travis Thomas with a quick wraparound effort that Lang kept out. Mehra would get Hopkinton’s best chance of the second when he pounced on a mistake in the neutral zone to fire a shot on Davis. Michael Thomas added a chance from the slot, but again Lang was able to get a pad on it.

Finally, with 1:48 left in the second, Canton was able to find the back of the net, letting off a celebration that was at least in part a sigh of relief. Fittingly, after all those great chances, it was a scruffy goal to tie things up. Young’s shot from the left point was saved by Lang. The loose puck landed right on the stick of Tourgee who smashed his shot off the post, back off his skate, and then across the line.

After waiting so long to get the first, the Bulldogs needed only a minute before netting a second. Digirolamo used his big frame to power off the left wing boards towards goal. The puck was poked out to Middleton, who whipped a shot past Lang to put Canton in front.

“I think it was a little relief, definitely felt like there was a little less tension in the locker room, but these guys, the way that they approach every game, every period, is shift-by-shift,” Shuman said. “That’s the approach they took in the third. We don’t want to get too high or too low.”

The third period wasn’t as frenetic as the first two, as Canton tried to limit the stretch passes that Hopkinton looked so dangerous on and the Hillers tried to get Mehra into space to create. Dylan Mansur got the puck in front to Danny White to force a pad stop from Davis and Mehra made a great play to get the puck past the defense to Joe Scardino, but again the Canton goalie was equal to it.

For a defensive unit that graduated some important pieces, Canton’s pairings of Young, Hughes, Matt Anderson, Leo Owens, Jack Lauro, and Teddy Shuman, and with Davis in net, allowed only two goals in five playoff games this year.

“Colin Davis has been fantastic,” Shuman said. “We graduated arguably some of the best defensemen we’ve ever seen in this program, and for these guys to step up, some guys who were watching in the stands [last year] playing huge minutes, I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

With less than three minutes to play, Canton doubled its lead. AJ Thomas slipped a pass to Chaput as he raced into the left wing circle and his fellow senior roofed his shot over Lang to make it 3-1. It was Chaput’s fifth goal in five playoff games.

“We just sit back and think about who we’re doing this for,” Thomas said about his team’s resiliency. He noted the inspiration that the Bulldogs have gotten from Kieran Whall, a Canton three-year-old battling leukemia. “For everyone out there, who came tonight, it’s amazing, we’re doing it for them. We just look back and see who we’re doing it for and go out and do it.”

The Hillers pulled Lang and desperately tried to find a goal that would get them back into the game, but with 25.9 on the clock, just as he did against Duxbury in the semifinal, Thomas found the empty netter that sealed the win and the state title.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It’s crazy,” Young explained. “It feels so good. I’m speechless. Last Canton High game, you got to win.”

Asked about his program’s consistency, Shuman replied, “These guys, they put a lot of pressure on themselves. They’ve been in the stands watching some kids who are older than them on the ice raising the trophy and that’s their dream.”

“I think last year we felt that pressure and played well, just came up short. This year, I thought the players’ mental approach coming into this game was just outstanding. They were really having some fun this week.”

03/19/202303/19/2023

Chaput, Thomas Leave Mark On Canton’s Title Run

AJ Thomas Jeff Chaput — Canton’s AJ Thomas (left) and Jeff Chaput celebrate the latter’s third period goal in the D2 state title game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BOSTON, Mass. — As a freshman, Canton’s Jeff Chaput didn’t have the chance to step on the ice at the TD Garden after the season was cut short just before the state championships game.

After a sophomore campaign without playoffs and a loss in the final as a junior last year, Chaput had one final chance to raise the MIAA state championship trophy.

Chaput and the rest of the Bulldogs delivered. After scoring just four goals during the regular season, he lit the lamp for the fifth straight postseason game — after netting just four goals during the regular season — to help Canton secure a 4-1 win over Hopkinton for the program’s third title in the past five years/four seasons.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Determination,” Chaput said of the postseason turnaround. “I wasn’t going to lose, any of these playoff games could have been my last game so I wanted to give it my all, empty the tank every single game.

“Goals have to come from somewhere. In the regular season, it was my linemates and things just started clicking in the postseason and I came through when we needed it.”

Chaput’s tally came with just under three minutes to go to give Canton a much-needed insurance tally and a 3-1 lead. Fittingly, it was Chaput’s classmate and linemate AJ Thomas that sealed the deal with an empty net goal with 25 seconds to go.

Chaput and Thomas have emerged as the go-to players for the Bulldogs. The former was assisted by the latter in the first-round win over Medford, both players lit the lamp in a 6-0 win over Wilmington, and Chaput’s goal gave Canton a two-goal cushion against Newburyport.

The duo wasn’t done there as Chaput came up with a huge goal early in the third period that leveled the score in the state semifinals against Duxbury, and then Thomas buried the game-winning goal with just under five minutes to go. Similar to Sunday morning, Thomas had the empty net goal in the win over the Dragons to ice the win.

“They were definitely frustrated sometimes during the season with their lack of goal scoring and we just kept saying, ‘Hey, you’ll score when it matters,’” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “Jeff Chaput [scored] four goals in the regular season, five in the playoffs. He’s a guy that’s a four-year player for us and he knows what it takes to win. He stepped up big time. AJ is someone that every person on the other team knows about. They key on him and try to shut him down, but he still finds ways to be productive.”

Hopkinton took the lead just 3:12 into the game, only the second goal the Bulldogs had allowed all postseason. It was also just the second time Canton trailed throughout its tournament run. Juniors Brendan Tourgee and Brian Middleton scored a minute apart at the end of the second period to turn the deficit into a lead.

“We’re all brothers, there’s no way other way to explain it,” Chaput said. “We weren’t going to let what happened last year happen again. We ride for each other, we love each other.”

The Chaput/Thomas duo combined for one final time with Thomas dropping a nice pass to Chaput in stride, setting up a wrist shot top shelf for a 3-1 lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It feels amazing,” Thomas said. “We weren’t going to let what happened last year happen again. After they scored the first one, we were down a little bit but we weren’t going to let it go. We came together in the locker room and came out in the second and put it to them.

“Me and Jeff were put on the same line about midway through the season and ever since then we’ve become so much closer. We’re more than friends, we’re brothers. It’s amazing to do this with him, I’m so proud of him and he’s earned everything.”

Over the last four years, with Chaput,

AJ Thomas

Thomas, and fellow seniors Leo Owens, Griffin Hughes, Jack Lauro, Jack Digirolamo, James Young, Carson Eagles, and manager Matt Yeaton in the program, Canton finished with a 76-8-5 record, four Davenport division titles, three state finals appearances, and two Division 2 state championships.

03/12/202303/12/2023

Thomas Nets Twice to Lead Canton to Another D2 Final

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – With the clock running down under a minute to play in Saturday afternoon’s semifinal at the Gallo Ice Arena, Duxbury was pressing hard to try and find the tying goal. The puck bounced out to the blue line and Canton senior forward AJ Thomas was able to get a stick on it, use his body to shield it from a couple of Duxbury players, and break forward into the neutral zone.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Under pressure, Thomas veered towards the near boards and then flicked a shot towards an empty Duxbury goal. When the puck crossed the line, the Canton bench exploded in both relief and joy. Thomas had just sealed a come-from-behind 3-1 victory and booked Canton’s fourth straight appearance at the TD Garden to play for the Div. 2 state title.

“It doesn’t get old,” said senior forward Jeffrey Chaput after the game. With the Canton girls getting ready to take the ice as he was speaking, Chaput added, “It’s really tradition. It’s just Canton hockey, we’re used to being at the Garden. As you see the girls going on right now, this is a town of hockey.”

Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “It’s all about this group. They’re playing their best hockey at the right time and I can’t even begin to say how proud I am of them. We have a tremendous amount of respect for [Duxbury] and knew we had to come out and play well and I’m just so happy for our guys because they really earned this opportunity.”

Scoring chances were limited in a first period that felt like both teams were probing to see how the other was going to attack. Connor O’Connell had a shot from the left wing circle that forced Canton goalie Colin Davis (15 saves) into an early stop and Brendan Tourgee quickly tested Duxbury goalie Sam Mazanec (31 saves) on the other end.

Davis was called on to make a tough blocker save on Tucker O’Neill’s shot through traffic from the right point and then again he came up with a nice pad stop on Aiden Harrington, after the forward picked off an outlet pass in the slot.

Canton defenseman Matt Anderson fired a shot from the right point that Thomas got a stick to on the edge of the crease, but it went just over the bar. Chaput had one final chance in the closing seconds of the first and his shot from a tough angle was covered up at the near post.

Things picked up considerably for Canton in the second. The Bulldogs would outshoot Duxbury 14-3 in the period.

Chaput got things started with a perfect cross-ice pass to Anderson racing down the right wing, but the shot from the face-off dot went high. A couple minutes later, Chaput again started the play in his own zone, chipping it up the boards to Tourgee, who fed it to Thomas for a backhand effort that Mazanec saved.

Five minutes into the period, Jack Digirolamo thought he had put Canton in front. A flurry of chances, including a shot from the point by Leo Owens, had the Dragons on their heels and Digirolamo pounced on a loose puck on the edge of the crease, but the refs judged Mazanec to have gloved the shot before it crossed the line.

Colin Blake teed up Digirolamo for another chance a few minutes later and Mazanec again stayed with the play to make a point-blank stop.

All that dominance didn’t end with the opening goal and Duxbury stunned the Bulldogs by grabbing the lead with 4:53 left in the period. Wick Ross pinched in from the point and fired a wrister that went off the top of Davis’ glove and snuck over the line.

“I think this is a tribute to the players on the bench,” Shuman said, “as soon as the goal went in they said, ‘We’re fine, we’re fine, we’re fine.’ That wasn’t the coaches, that was all them, and that just goes to show you how much this team has grown over the course of the year.”

Duxbury had two players go to the box with 13 seconds left in the second, which meant that Canton had a perfect opportunity to try and get back into the game in the third. The Bulldogs wouldn’t waste that chance.

A minute into the third, with Canton camped out in the Duxbury zone, Thomas collected the puck on the left wing side of the goal and slipped a perfect pass across the crease to Chaput, who buried the chance, before racing down to the other end of the ice to celebrate with the Canton fans.

Chaput explained, “I was just thinking between periods, ‘We need one, we need one, we need one.’ After I saw the puck go in, I thought of all the hard work this whole team, not just me, the freshmen, the kids who don’t play, the managers, the coaches, everyone does a tremendous amount of work.”

The game stayed tied at 1-1 for more than nine minutes and the tension grew, as every shot on either goal was cheered like it could be the winner. With 4:36 to play, Tourgee took a hit in the neutral zone. The puck skipped free and Thomas sped between a pair of Duxbury players to get in all alone on Mazanec. He patiently picked his spot and put the Bulldogs in front.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am for him,” Shuman said of Thomas. “He’s someone that takes pride in the little things, wants to do the little things well, and for him to make that play at the end was fitting because I feel like he’s had an unheralded season so far. For everyone to see what he does for us is just great.”

Canton tried to add a third with James Young setting up Thomas for a shot through a crowd that was gloved. On the other end, Duxbury was sending everyone at goal in an effort to keep its title hopes alive. Sean Hanniffy had a good tip in front that went inches wide of the post and Davis stuck out a right pad to keep another chance out.

Thomas stepped up again in the final minute to secure the two-goal cushion, letting the Bulldogs breathe a little easier and get ready to once again skate on the biggest stage.

Asked about a fourth consecutive trip to the final, Shuman said, “We’re so lucky to have a group of players that when new guys come in they feel an obligation and a responsibility to carry on this tradition. I feel like the luckiest coach in the world getting to coach all these guys.”

Canton (21-4) will face the winner of No. 4 Walpole and No. 8 Hopkinton at the TD Garden next Sunday, at a time to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

03/03/202303/03/2023

Canton Shuts Out Medford to Reach Sweet Sixteen

CANTON, Mass. – Sometimes, especially during the early rounds of the tournament, a team needs to find its footing, overcome some postseason jitters, and grind out a result. It may not be the prettiest win, but at this stage of the season all that matters is finding a way to advance to the next round.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

On Thursday night at the Metropolis Rink, Canton wasn’t at its free-flowing best, but the Bulldogs had enough to hold off an upset bid from No. 30 seed Medford. Canton got a pair of goals in the second period and tacked on a shorthanded tally in the third to pull out the 3-0 win and reach the Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen.

“A lot of teams, if you look at the past few nights, sort of struggle in these early-round games, especially teams that put pressure on themselves and these guys certainly did,” explained Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I give Medford credit. They’re a good team and they really played us hard and played us well.”

The Bulldogs wasted no time taking the initiative, outshooting the Mustangs 13-5 in the first, but Canton was struggling to create clear-cut chances and get bodies in front of Medford goalie John Nocella (34 saves).

Matt Anderson had a good early shot from the point that was kicked aside and Kevin LaBellee charged down the rebound only to have that gloved. James Young created a scoring chance with a nice outlet pass up the boards to Jeffrey Chaput, but the shot was kicked away and AJ Thomas was unable to connect on the rebound.

Medford nearly sprung a surprise when it got behind the Canton defense, but Griffin Hughes raced back and made a key intervention to prevent a breakaway. Jack Digirolamo came close with a shot from the slot that was blockered over the bar, but the Mustangs had the best chance of the period when Tyler Taddia forced a save out of Colin Davis and Louis Pucillo appeared to hit the post as he sent the rebound back through the crease.

Brendan Tourgee made a nice play with the puck in the defensive zone to get into open ice and then weaved his way through traffic before putting a backhand shot on target from close range with just 25 seconds left in the first.

Canton was in need of a spark and Digirolamo provided a lift with a big hit along the blue line, which seemed to give the bench much-needed energy.

“Digi this year for us, when we needed a goal, needed a big play, or in this game needed a physical presence, he provided it,” Shuman said. “Whatever we needed, he gave us, and this game we needed someone to match their physicality and he sure did.”

While the shot total was just about the same as the first, Canton looked much more fluid offensively in the second and puck movement was a key reason why.

Shuman said, “A lot of times in a playoff game, especially the first one, people are trying to be the hero early and score two goals with one shot. I thought the second period we moved the puck a lot better. Sometimes when the nerves kick in, your first instinct is to throw it at the net, so hopefully we got that nervousness out of the way and be better in the next game.”

Digirolamo teed up Colin Blake right on the edge of the crease, but his tip was saved. Less than a minute later, Canton got its breakthrough. Teddy Shuman’s shot from the point was blocked in front, but Travis Thomas managed to scoop the loose puck up and over the stretching goalie to make it 1-0.

With 6:40 left in the period, AJ Thomas showed great patience against the near side boards, holding the puck and waiting for space to make a pass. Finally, a crease opened up and he was able to pick out Chaput in front for a tip that made it 2-0.

Canton’s passing was creating a lot of good looks. Tourgee set up Thomas for a chance that was saved and the duo combined again with Tourgee having his tip turned aside. Thomas also had a shot that caromed off the end boards right to Young, who was pinching in and forced another save.

It looked like the Bulldogs were going to cruise to victory, but the Mustangs came out for the third intent on getting back into the game. After compiling nine shots through the first two periods, Medford put 12 shots on Davis in the third.

Carsten Mangan took advantage of a turnover and fired a shot from the right wing that Davis fought off, DJ McDonough had a shot that deflected in front and clipped the post, and Devon Page had a bid from the slot that Davis got his pad onto. He finished with 21 saves to record the shutout.

The game was effectively put away with 7:46 to go. On the penalty kill, Brian Middleton made a play at the blue line, broke free, and buried his breakaway opportunity to give the Bulldogs a three-goal cushion.

“Colin played well, made some big saves,” Shuman said. “Sadly that’s been a theme this year, the dreaded two-goal lead. It’s a cliche but sometimes cliches turn into reality. We need to find ways to bear down and get that third, such a crucial goal in a game, especially when you’re on a team and pressuring them.”

Canton (18-4-0) will take on No. 19 Wilmington, which beat No. 14 Masconomet, on Saturday night at the Canton Ice House.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

02/15/202302/16/2023

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/15/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Abington, 69 – Final

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Stoughton/Brockton, 6 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – A three-goal outburst in the second period helped Stoughton/Brockton skate to a win over former league rival Attleboro. Junior Colby Strunk scored his first goal of the game in the first to put the hosts up 1-0 after a period, and his second goal of the game came shorthanded to push the lead to 2-0. Seniors Sean Farley and Charlie Caputo also scored in the middle period to extend Stoughton/Brockton’s lead to 4-0 going into the third. Juniors Brendan Twohig and David Monaghan each lit the lamp in the third, and junior Dmytro Yakovenko recorded the shutout in net. Eighth grader Jacob Westwater played well in net for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 5 @ Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – Five different Bulldogs scored on the road to help Canton shake off a resilient Bishop Feehan squad. Brendan Tourgee put the visitors ahead five minutes into the game and AJ Thomas doubled the advantage later in the opening period. After the Shamrocks cut the deficit in half, senior James Young buried one to restore the two-goal lead. Feehan once again got back within a goal but freshman Michael Thomas and senior Jack Digirolamo scored back-to-back goals just over a minute apart to ice the win.

Taunton, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Taunton had four players find the back of the net as they avenged a loss to Foxboro from earlier this season and handed head coach Kris Metea his 100th career win. Eighth grader Breighdyn Simmons had a goal and an assist while eighth grader Jamie Valarelli, junior Owen Hathaway, and senior Dylan McCaughey each scored once. Seniors Connor McGrath and Colton Scheralis, along with sophomore Travis Cashman, each recorded a pair of assists, and sophomore Cam Tomaszycki made 25 saves in the win.

Franklin, 3 @ Falmouth, 0 – Final – Franklin took the lead less than five minutes in and then added two more inside the final seven minutes of action to secure a shutout win on the road. Anthony Lampasona lit the lamp off of a feed from Liam O’Rielly at 11:49 of the opening period. After a scoreless second, Dan Daley hooked up with Logan Marchand to double Franklin’s advantage at 6:52 of the third. Ryan Sicchio tacked on an insurance goal with just under two minutes to play. Colby Wagner made 15 saves in net for the shutout.

Mansfield, 5 @ Shrewsbury, 9 – Final – Connor Davey and Thomas Gormley each scored twice for the Hornets but Mansfield suffered a setback on the road against Shrewsbury. Brendan Vokey also had a goal for Mansfield.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Norton, 2 – Final

Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Sandwich, 1 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 vs. Cambridge, 6 – Final
Hockomock Stars, 7 vs. Ursuline Academy, 6 – Final

02/01/202302/01/2023

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/01/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 51 vs. Durfee, 43 – Final – Attleboro closed the game on a 10-0 run over the final three minutes to earn a key non-league win over a strong Durfee squad. The Bombardiers fell behind 40-34 early in the fourth but Neo Franco had a 7-0 run of his own, scoring off a turnover and then off of assists from Connor Houle (8 points) and Jaiden Outland — the latter a three — to give Attleboro a 41-40 lead. The Hilltoppers jumped back ahead on a traditional three-point play, but that would be Durfee’s only points in the final seven minutes of the game. Jaiden Outland (9 points) hit consecutive threes, the first on a nice feed from Houle and the second off a pass from Franco (15 points) on an offensive rebound. Houle and Franco tacked on two points apiece in the final minute to seal the win.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 40 @ Durfee, 60 – Final – Attleboro scored only 13 points in the second half, allowing Durfee to come from behind and win this battle of two teams vying for a higher ranking in the Div. 1 playoffs. The Bombardiers led 15-8 after one, sparked by seven points from Lily Routhier and four from Vanessa Ellis. Routhier added five more in the second, but the Hilltoppers scored 14 and cut the Attleboro lead to 27-22 at the break. Vanessa Ellis scored six of her 10 points in the third, but the Bombardiers managed only nine as a team and Durfee scored 16 to grab a two-point lead. The Hilltoppers blew the game wide open with a dominant fourth quarter. Durfee outscored Attleboro 22-4. Routhier led the visitors with 12 points, Avery James added seven, and Kayal Goldrick scored six.

Canton, 29 vs. Notre Dame Academy, 47 – Final – Canton trailed by just two after one quarter, but the Bulldogs struggled offensively over the final three quarters and lost for the second time this season to NDA. Fatima Sidibay scored seven of her team-high 11 points in the first, helping the Bulldogs score 13 in the opening eight minutes. Canton scored only 16 points over the final 24 minutes. The second quarter was all about defense, as the Bulldogs held NDA to just six points but they only managed a pair of Erin Beatty (six points) free throws on the other end. Samya DaSilva hit a three in the third quarter for her only points of the night, but Canton was outscored 16-6 in the frame to fall behind by 16. Beatty and Sidibay combined for six of Canton’s eight points in the fourth.

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Attleboro scored an early goal but it was all Franklin the rest of the way in a big league win. Ben Paterson had a five point night to lead the Panthers’ offense, scoring twice with three helpers while Anthony Lampasona finished with two goals and two assists for four points. Dan Daley added two scored and Tommy Balducci and Vinnie Pasquarosa each scored once.

Canton, 5 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Canton scored a power play goal with just under five minutes left in the second period to take the lead for good, and tacked on two more in the third to skate past North Attleboro. Travis Thomas opened the scoring for the Bulldogs and Pat Drury scored Canton’s second goal but North answered each time, the second tying the game in the second period. Brian Middleton scored what turned out to be the game winner with 4:38 to play in the second. In the third, AJ Thomas and Colin Blake scored to secure the win.

Foxboro @ Taunton, 5:00

Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final

Stoughton/Brockton, 1 vs. Southeastern, 6 – Final – Anthony DeSousa scored the lone goal for the Black Knights in a loss to Southeastern.

Girls Hockey
Canton, 5 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Franklin, 3 @ Hockomock Stars, 2 – Final

Stoughton/Sharon, 0 vs. Central Catholic, 4 – Final

Wrestling
Franklin @ Brockton, 6:00
Taunton @ Oliver Ames, 6:15