Baseball
Franklin, 9 vs. Hopkinton, 10 – Final (8 inn.)
Foxboro, 3 @ Ashland, 0 – Final – Foxboro ended the regular season on a high note, earning a 3-0 shutout on the road over Ashland. Sophomore Ryan O’Leary and senior Sean O’Leary combined for the shutout on the mound while Tyler Prescott, Ryan LeClair, and Ben Angelini each drove in a run in the Warriors’ win. Ryan O’Leary got the start and went four innings, scattering three hits and two walks along with three strikeouts while Sean O’Leary struck out two and gave up three hits in three scoreless innings. LeClair drove in freshman Aidan Stow to give Foxboro a 1-0 lead in the third, and that lead stayed until the sixth when Angelini delivered a two-out base hit to plate LeClair. Foxboro added a key insurance run in the seventh on a two-out base hit from Tyler Prescott to score courtesy runner Pradyu Gubbala (who was running after Mat Sullivan had a single).
Taunton, 5 @ Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton earned its fifth straight game to take down Durfee in the regular season finale. Jack Cali had a strong start for the Tigers, allowing just one run on four hits and a pair of walks, striking out three in 5.2 innings of work while Brady Morin earned the save with 1.1 shutout innings in relief. Sean Murphy, Brayden Cali (two runs), and Shawn Cali (two RBI, triple) each had two hits to pace the Taunton offense.
Softball
Attleboro, 8 vs. Natick, 9 – Final (8 inn.)
Stoughton, 12 vs. Norwood, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro rallied for three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to erase a one-run deficit and land a league win over Foxboro. The Warriors took the lead in the fourth inning when sophomore Natalia Leach led off with a single and came home to score on a two-out single from sophomore Ava Hill. North Attleboro’s Emma Hanwell plated the tying run with a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth while Ari McDavitt scored the go-ahead run on a squeeze from Lucy Palmer. Kelly Colleran tacked on a key insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Colleran earned the win in the circle, striking out 16.
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Playing in its third game in four games, Franklin plated the first eight runs of the game and never looked back to land a win over Mansfield. After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers scored in five straight innings, including a big four-run fifth inning. Senior Katy Liberman led the charge offensively with a team0high three hits while Kiera Kotwicki, Avery Chalk, Carly Pellegri, and Hailey Fales each had two hits. Freshman Sophia Sacramone earned the win, scattering six hits for five runs (two earned) on two walks and 11 strikeouts. Callie Lake had another strong game for the Hornets, going 3-for-4, with Liv Madeira, Molly Kucharski, Dani Jameson, and Amanda Schwarz each had one hit.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Foxboro, 4 @ Sandwich, 9 – Final – Foxboro’s regular season came to a close with a 9-4 setback on the road in Sandwich. Conor Noone netted a hat trick, Tony Sulham scored once, and Adam Addeche made 10 saves in net for the Warriors.
Taunton, 18 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton ended its first season back at the varsity level with an exclamation point with a dominant performance at in the Whaling City. Freshman Oren Cullins capped off an impressive rookie campaign in the cage with a 10-save shutout. Thomas Murphy had a team-high five points with four goals and one assist, Tommy Selfridge added three goals and one helper, and Connor McGrath scored once with two helpers. Dylan McCaughey and Colt Kennedy each netted a pair of goals and Israel Cruz had one goal and one assist.
Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 8 @ Attleboro, 20 – Final – Attleboro staked a four-goal lead by halftime and then pulled away for the convincing win with a strong second half. Junior Molly Moore potted a team-high six goals while freshman Amelia Collins had five goals and two assists and freshman Makenah Stokes scored four goals and had two helpers. Bella Cavallini added a hat trick with two assists and Stella Krawiec and Addison Papagolos each scored once. Peyton McAuliffe made 10 saves in the win. North got two goals apiece from Ellie Regan, Caroline Folan, Avery Hous, and Lily Ramm.
Mansfield, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – The Hornets held a one-goal at lead but outscored the host Tigers 7-3 in the second half to get the non-league win. Brooke Butler paced the offense with six goals and one assist, Ava Adams added five goals and five draw controls, and both Lola Varricchione (three assists) and Tessa Johnson scored a pair for Mansfield. Rose Maher and Keira Fitzpatrick chipped in with a goal apiece while Caitlyn Zajac made 10 saves in the win.
Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 15 – Final – Mel Jesus turned away 10 shots but the Tigers fell at home against visiting New Bedford. Cali Melo scored twice for the hosts while Maddi Szala, Caroline Vallarelli, and Raquel Azevedo each scored once.
Milford, 9 @ Bellingham, 3 – Final
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Milton, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 3:45
North Attleboro, 2 @ Dartmouth, 3 – Final – North won both doubles matches with Carson Dameron and Brody Gaulin prevailing at first doubles, and the team of Caleb Cheney and Jeremy Carter taking a 6-1, 7-5 win at second doubles for the Rocketeers.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton capped the regular season with a clean sweep at New Bedford, taking all five matches in straight sets. Brooke Bell (6-0, 6-0), Ava Alves (6-1, 6-0), and Morgan Smith (6-1, 6-2) swept singles actions for the Tigers. In doubles play, Courtney Martin and Janelle Garcia dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 first doubles win, and the team of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 verdict at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 2 vs. Needham, 3 – Final
Taunton, 3 @ Barnstable, 0 – Final
Baseball
Taunton, 12 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Taunton’s offense roared in the second inning and sophomore Johnny Escobalez had another strong outing on the mound in a win over Attleboro. Escobalez allowed only one unearned run on one hit and one walk, striking out seven in five innings to earn the win. Brady Boucher (two strikeouts) tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Offensively, Sean Murphy opened the scoring with an RBI triple, Braden Sullivan added an RBI double, and Bryce smacked his second three-run home run in the past week to put the visitors ahead 6-0. Bryce and Murphy (three RBI) each had three hits, AJ Lewis and Dwayne Burgo each had two hits, and Ryan MacDougall added a solo home run. Cooper Johnson had two RBI for the Bombardiers and Andrew Gorman had one.
Oliver Ames, 16 @ Canton, 6 – Final (6 Inn.) – Oliver Ames had its biggest offensive output of the season, pounding out 17 hits on the way to a 16-6 win. Seniors Jack Morley (two RBI, four runs) and Patrick Finnerty (two RBI, two runs) led the charge with four hits apiece. Lucas Riley also had a big day with a double and a triple, driving in five runs in the process. Nick Ferrini (run) and Ryan Lemay (two RBI, three runs) each had a double. For Canton, Jack Digirolamo went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs, and an RBI while Matt Hart and Kyle Redquest each had two hits and a run scored.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 12 – Final (5 Inn.) – Buoyed by a pair of early five-run innings, Foxboro landed a 12-1 decision over visiting Stoughton. Ryan LeClair (run), Ben Angelini (double, triple, four RBI, two runs), and Louis Carangelo (triple, RBI, three runs) each had two hits in the win. Freshman Aidan Stow and sophomore Ryan O’Leary each drove in a pair for the Warriors. Senior Alex Stern earned the win for Foxboro, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, striking out a pair in four innings.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – A three-run third and strong pitching from Austin Campbell helped Franklin fight off an upset bid from the visiting Rocketeers. To start the bottom of the third, Ryan Gerety drew a leadoff walk, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and came in to score when Luke Sidwell reached on an error. An infield single from Henry Digiorgio put runners on the corners, and both came in to score on Tyler Bellan’s single to center. North made it interesting in the top of the third by scoring two runs with two outs. Gio Martello scored after a walk, a double from Dillon Harding, and a passed ball to get North on the board. Derek Maceda followed with a single to bring Harding in to cut the deficit to one but Dillon Cashin (1.1 IP, 1H, 0BB, 0R, 2K) came in to get the third out of the inning. Austin Campbell earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks, striking out 10 in 5.2 innings. Jordan Paradis pitched well for the Rocketeers, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks, striking out six in four innings while Martello tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Milford, 5 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – After some early offense from both teams, King Philip was able to outlast Milford in a battle of two strong teams. The Scarlet Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but King Philip plated three runs in the bottom half and four more in the second, and never trailed the rest of the way. Milford pulled within two runs with a three-run third but KP pushed across one run in each the fourth and fifth innings. Matt Kelley went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs and Brendan Sencaj also had two hits along with three runs. Drew Herlin drove in a pair and Tommy Martorano had three RBI, two coming on a big double in the second inning. TJ Ahern was stellar in relief, tossing four scoreless innings with just two hits and one walk allowed, striking out three for the win. Louis Consigli went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Damien Carter had a two-run inside the park home run, and Joey McGee and Sean McGee each had one RBI.
Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 13 – Final (5 Inn.) – Mansfield scored its fourth straight win, capitalizing on early offense against Sharon. The Hornets scored three times in the first, four runs in the second, twice in the third, and four more in the fourth. Sam Martin (three runs, RBI), Matt DeShiro (three RBI, two runs), and Joe McIntyre (run) each had two hits to pace Mansfield offensively. Brian Butler drove in two runs while Anthony Saraiva, Jake Maydak, Luke Rogan, and Will Lund each had one RBI. Connor Curtis earned the win, tossing 3.1 perfect innings with four strikeouts while Yuv Sakhalkar tossed 1.2 shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 11 – Final – Taunton’s Sam Lincoln and Cate Larson combined to allow just one hit while the Tigers offense scored in four out of six innings in an 11-0 win over visiting Attleboro. Lincoln didn’t allow a hit in five innings, issuing just one walk while striking out 10 while Larson had three strikeouts and no walks in two scoreless innings. Offensively, Bella Bourque went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored, Mia Torres went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI, and a run, Ava Venturelli had two hits (including a double and a home run), three RBI, and one run scored, and Hayley Krockta recorded a pair of hits (one home run), two RBI, and a run scored. Kaysie DeMoura also had a home run for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final (8 Inn.) – North scored in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game and then won it in the eighth on a Maryellen Charette base hit. Franklin opened the scoring in the first on Sarah Boozang’s first homer of the season. In the bottom of the half of the first, Kelly Colleran stole third and came home to tie it on the throw. The Panthers regained the lead, but in the sixth Arianna McDavitt singled, took second on a Molly Willey bunt, and came home on a single by Emma Hanwell. With two outs in the eighth, Willey doubled and came home to score on Charette’s hit up the middle. Colleran picked up the win for North, striking out 16 batters.
King Philip, 12 @ Milford, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip plated five runs in each of the first two innings and that was plenty of offense for junior Jordan Bennett, who tossed a five-inning one-hitter for the Warriors. Bennett allowed just one single (a two-out hit in the second) and walked a pair, striking out five for the win. Offensively, Ava Kelley went 3-for-3 with three runs, Libby Walsh homered for the third time in three days, and Liv Petrillo had a double, two RBI, and a run scored.
Sharon, 1 @ Mansfield, 12 – Final – Mansfield pounded out 13 hits and scored in all but one inning to earn the win. The Hornets got on the board in the first. Liv Madeira singled, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a bunt single by Molly Kucharski, who tagged up to score on a Jill Koppy fly ball later in the inning. Madeira drove in Reilley Slaney with a two-out single to make it 3-0 in the second. In the fourth, Mansfield broke the game open. Madeira plated a pair of runs on a ground out and Kucharski and Koppy added RBI singles. The next inning, again with two outs, one run scored on an error and Kucharski came through with a two-run single. Sarah Marchand led off the sixth with a walk, stole second, and scored on an error. Kucharski and Slaney finished with three hits apiece, while Avery and Callie Lake and Madeira each had two hits. Amanda Schwarz allowed three hits to pick up the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 18 vs. North Quincy, 4 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 14 @ Concord-Carlisle, 13 – Final (OT) – Franklin rallied from three goals down to force overtime and Katie Peterson found the back of the net to earn a hard-fought win for the Panthers. Peterson scored six times and dished out a pair of assists. Kaitlyn Carney added a pair of goals and a pair of helpers, while Lindsay Atkinson (one assist) and Jamie Tanner each scored twice. Julia Flynn had a big game in the Franklin defense and won three draw controls, including the one in overtime. Franklin’s defense came up big down the stretch, including Riley Cross who recently returned from injury, causing turnovers and allowing the Panthers to overcome the deficit.
King Philip, 11 vs. Hopkinton, 8 – Final – Nicole McDonald scored three times and KP picked up a solid non-league win over Hopkinton. Sammy Cloutier and Emily Heslin each scored twice for the Warriors and Mara Boldy played a strong game defensively to help KP pull out the win.
Taunton, 5 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 22 – Final – Caroline Vallarelli scored twice for the Tigers, who also got a goal apiece from Maddi Szala, Cali Melo (one assist), and Raquel Azevedo.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action, the Bombardiers landed a 4-1 win over host Taunton. Both Kyle Neuendorf (6-4, 7-5) and Tyler Rocchio (6-1, 7-6 (1)) earned hard-fought wins at first and second singles, respetively, for Attleboro while Luke Hinton and Brody Rosen (first doubles, 7-5, 6-3), and the tandem of Noam Cook and Clay Tyler (second doubles, 6-1, 6-3) added doubles wins. Taunton’s Heitor Sens continued his stellar season at third singles with a 6-1, 6-4 win.
Foxboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
Franklin, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Franklin junior Jay Gorgas prevailed in the third set to secure a win at first singles and clinched a 3-2 win for the Panthers. Gorgas won 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 while senior Tyler Fitzpatrick notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. Franklin also got a win from the team of junior Andrew Amante and sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy (6-3, 6-4) at second doubles. North Attleboro junior Quinn DiFiore posted a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles, and the team of senior Brody Gaulin and junior Carson Dameron added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles for the Rocketeers.
King Philip, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford took a three-set win at first singles but King Philip won the other four matches to secure a win on the road. Arjun Kollu only dropped a pair of games in a 6-1, 6-1 second singles match and Luke Bailor added a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles for the Warriors. KP swept both doubles matches with Noah Ihley and Brent Schneider landing a 6-4, 6-4 first doubles win and Leo Manning and Logan Riley prevailing 6-7, 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Milford’s Tyler Andreotti emerged from first singles with a 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 win.
Sharon, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – A pair of strong doubles performances plus one singles win anchored the Eagles to a key division win over Mansfield. Sharon’s first doubles team of seniors Hyojae Park and Rithvik Neti picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles while junior Savir Basil and sophomore Joel Zwicker emerged from doubles with a 7-5, 6-1 win. Junior Matthew Lally added Sharon’s lone singles win with a 6-1, 6-3 victory at second singles. Mansfield sophomore Neema Khosravani prevailed from a tough battle at first singles with a 7-5, 6-4 win, and junior Iniyan Karruppusami scored a 6-2, 6-3 third singles victory.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Taunton landed two wins in singles action along with one more from doubles play to edge out Attleboro on the road. Junior Ava Alves was impressive in a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles for the Tigers while junior Morgan Smith added a 6-3, 6-1 third singles victory for the visitors. Taunton’s third point came from the junior tandem of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett (6-2, 6-2) at second doubles. Attleboro’s Maddie Fuscaldo notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, and the all-junior tandem of Presley Biller and Kyra Johnson rallied for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – The Rocketeers used a singles sweep plus one more win in doubles action to secure a win on the road at Franklin. Junior Lauren Hunt (6-1, 6-0), sophomore Megan Atwood (6-4, 6-2), and senior Grace Noreck (6-0, 6-2) all won in straight sets to sweep singles. The all-sophomore tandem of Jayla Stone and Grace Manning rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) win for North’s fourth point. Franklin’s Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen teamed up for a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles.
Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip bounced back from a loss on Monday with a clean sweep on Tuesday, taking all five matches in straight sets. Ahunna James didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 first singles, win, Shea Mellman only lost one game in a 6-0, 6-1 second singles victory, and Caroline Freese landed a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar notched a 6-2, 6-1 win, and the Warriors’ second doubles team of Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Mansfield, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon continued its undefeated season with an impressive win over Mansfield, taking all five matches in straight sets. Judy Song (first singles) and Ale Aguilar (third singles) both rolled to 6-0, 6-0 wins while Nayva Shukla landed a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles. Both of Sharon’s doubles teams (Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk at first singles, and Ellie Zhao and Zayna Cheima at second doubles) picked up 6-1, 6-1 wins.
Outdoor Track
Franklin @ Milford, 4:15
Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 4:45
Taunton has won back-to-back D1 state titles and the Tigers will be among the favorites to bring home another championship this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Record: 15-7 2022 Finish: Reach Div. 1 Sweet Sixteen Coach: Mark Homer
Attleboro is hoping a mix of experienced veterans and skilled newcomers will keep the squad playing competitively in the best league in the state, and more specifically maybe the most talented division across any sport in the league.
Senior Lily Routhier returns to the circle after going 8-2 last season, striking out 47 with a 2.24 ERA during the regular season. Routhier will likely see an increase in innings with the graduation of Lindsey Perry (69 innings), and she’s also one of the best offensive weapons in the league after posting a 0.510 average (fourth in the Hock) with 41 hits and 45 RBI. There are a lot of weapons in the lineup back with senior captains Rylie Camacho (0.410) and Lauren Eby (0.490) leading the way, and senior Sarah Maher, fresh off a 36-hit, 22-RBI regular season, will take over in center field and set the table offensively from the leadoff spot. Paige Quaglia, Merry Bosh, Lilly McGilvray, Jenna Callahan, and Nina Sullivan are all in the mix to get some time in the outfield and provide offensive depth.
In the infield, there are some newcomers looking to find a spot in the lineup. Maddie Moran and Victoria Parent are in the mix for time at third base while Emily Eby, who had an impressive freshman campaign with 20 hits, will play at second base. Destiny Miranda is also competing for time behind the dish while Ari Amaral will continue to be a force with her bat in the lineup.
“Things will not change for us as far as offense and defense, and we will work to be consistent and continue to improve as the season goes on,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Homer. “We want to be at our best when the competition calls for it and find positives in all adversity that we will face during the season. We want to continue the success we had as a team last season and improve. Every game will be a challenge for us.”
2022 Record: 4-16 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Sandy Lombardi
With seven returning players, Canton coach Sandy Lombardi is confident that the Bulldogs can make a jump in her second year in charge. Playoff contention is the aim for a team that won only four games in 2022 but also lost four games by four runs or less, including a pair by just one run.
Junior first baseman and pitcher Jess Wright was the team’s MVP last season and she returns to the heart of the lineup along with senior catcher Olivia Mackwell. The pair combined for 48 hits and 30 RBI last season, so will be important pieces in the heart of the order. Also returning for the Bulldogs are junior shortstop Laura Valkanas, sophomore infielder Chloe Guerschuny, and an outfield of junior Anna Lehan and sophomores Klara Redquest and Kailyn Durham. Senior Abby Chin carries an injury into the season but Canton will hope that she can return to contribute.
Canton is hoping that a group of newcomers will add the depth it needs to compete over a long season. Junior Alexa Gordon and freshman Shaelyn Murphy can both step into the circle to give the Bulldogs big innings. Freshmen Abby Stock and Caitlin Reynolds and junior Sami Grady can all fill spots in the infield and junior Kaitlyn Bigham is a versatile player off the bench.
“We have a great mix of returning varsity players and new varsity players,” Lombardi said. “We are looking to improve on our record from last year and to qualify for the tournament.”
2022 Record: 12-10 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Sweet Sixteen Coach: Mark Maguire
It has been over 51 years since Foxboro last won a softball league title, but with experienced pitchers and a versatile lineup of players who can fill in at multiple positions, this might be the season that the Warriors can finally come out on top.
Pitching depth should be a strength for the Warriors this season. Sophomore Vittoria Cuscia was a league all-star after being Foxboro’s ace last year and classmate Emma Callahan was an all-star as an eighth grader. Despite their youth, both pitchers have already won games in the postseason. Both players will also fill in at third base. Sophomore Ava Hill, who is already entering her third season on varsity, will move from first to behind the plate.
The Warriors should be athletic this year. Freshman Meghan Kelley will get the start at short, the latest in a line of talented underclassmen to step into that position, and will bat third. Freshman Mia Flanagan and sophomore Autumn Stowell can each play second base, while junior Angelina Rifai, sophomore Natalia Leach, and Stowell will get time at first. The outfield is experienced with all three starters returning. In left is Leach, while sophomore Jillian Slattery is back in center, and junior Fiona Dunn will be in right. All three will also be in the middle of the order for the Warriors. Freshman Emma Fisler will get chances to contribute in multiple positions.
“Our strengths are our young, tough pitchers,” said Foxboro coach Mark Maguire. “We are very athletic in the outfield and we have pretty good team speed. Although we are a young team, mostly freshman and sophomores, this group has been ‘battle tested’ the last couple of years playing significant games in the Hockomock League and state tournaments.”
2022 Record: 11-10 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Breanna Shaffer
Last season, Franklin won nine games in the league, but was only able to take fourth in the Kelley-Rex division. This year, the addition of North Attleboro makes the division even deeper, but the Panthers will turn to King Philip alum, and two-time state champion, Breanna Shaffer and lean on an experienced lineup to try and make a push up the standings.
The Panthers will have plenty of pitching depth this year. Senior Kiera Kotwicki returns in the circle and has the experience of battling the top teams in the league. Senior Caroline Bruso and freshman Sophia Scaramone will also get their chances to toe the rubber. Senior catcher Hailey Fales will guide the pitching staff as well as being a big bat in the heart of the Franklin lineup.
Junior Carly Johnson-Pellegri is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign and returns at short. Senior Katy Liberman is back at third base, while sophomore Sarah Boozang takes over at first base and junior Katie Dowley will be at second. Seniors Reece Allen and Dana Stott are back as starting outfielders and classmate Avery Chalk will step into the outfield as well.
“This group of seniors work hard and lead by example every day,” said Shaffer, who previously coached JV at Canton and Sharon. “The leadership and experience that they bring to this team will leave such a positive impact on this program. I am excited to see what this team will accomplish this season!”
2022 Record: 22-3 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal (Kelley-Rex champion) Coach: Kate Fallon-Comeau
King Philip comes into every season with state title aspirations. This spring, the Warriors have added motivation, as the defending Kelley-Rex division champions watched rival Taunton, who KP beat twice in the regular season, go all the way for the second year in a row. The league seems as competitive as ever, but the Warriors return a strong core that looks ready to make a run at another title.
There is plenty of experience and leadership coming back this season. Junior Jordan Bennett will be in the circle for the third year in a row and has developed into an ace who can be relied upon against even the strongest lineups. Freshman McCoy Walsh and junior Taylor Regan will add depth to the pitching staff and can eat up some innings. Junior Maddie Paschke will be behind the dish to work with the pitchers.
Seniors Charlotte Raymond and Sarah Cullen will both patrol the outfield this season, while classmate Ava Lanza will be at third. Sophomore Liv Petrillo returns to the left side of the infield while senior Libby Walsh is back in the mix this season. Junior Ava Kelley had a big season at the plate in 2022 and she returns to take the third outfield spot.
“We’re looking forward to another exciting season and competing in one of the best and most respected leagues in the state,” said KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau.
2022 Record: 10-12 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen Coach: Lori Letendre
Mansfield finished 4-2 in non-league play a season ago and reached the Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen. This year, the Hornets will play in the Davenport division for the first time and could benefit from not having two games apiece against perennial powers like Taunton, King Philip, and North Attleboro. With a roster that is still relatively young, only two seniors and nine freshmen, Mansfield will hope that being battle-tested in 2022 could help in a fight for a league title in 2023.
The Hornets graduated seven seniors, including five starters, from last year’s team, so there will be a lot of new faces in the lineup, but a talented group of juniors will provide leadership for the younger players. Junior Callie Lake was a spark plug for the Mansfield offense last season and a strong defensive center fielder. Junior Live Madeira returns at shortstop, giving the Hornets another good glove and tough out, while classmate Jill Koppy controls the game from behind the plate and fellow junior Molly Kucharski will start again at second.
Senior Amanda Schwarz will be the starting pitcher for the Hornets at the beginning of the season after sharing time with Julia Kelly last year. Mansfield will have plenty of depth in the circle this spring, as freshmen Molly Crowley and Dani Jameson can also step in and give them important innings.
Mansfield coach Lori Letendre said, “We have a lot of new players on the team this year and will be looking for leadership from our captains and returning starters. They are a talented group and I am starting to see the chemistry that will bring us together as a team. It should be a fun season!”
2022 Record: 3-17 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Steve Divitto
With a young squad last season, Milford struggled through some growing pains during the spring of 2022. After only graduating a pair of seniors from the roster, the Scarlet Hawks are looking to compete against one of the most talented leagues in the state and make a push for the postseason.
Milford is still young as they don’t have any seniors on the roster this year but the majority of the players on the team have one or two years of experience already. There is a group of seven juniors that include catcher Maddie Burn, first baseman Camille Bonina, middle infielder Grace Bonina, pitcher/shortstop Maeve Driscoll (who can also play in the outfield), outfielder Olivia Luchini, who is back from injury, infielder/outfielder Maeve Williams, and outfielder Sarah Wengal. Head coach Steve DiVitto will be leaning on their experience and leadership to guide a young squad.
Cae Pellegrini, Jianna Fernandes, and Olivia Baglione emerged as key contributors as freshmen last year and are looking to take the next step this time out. Pellegrini returns to third base, Fernandes will patrol the outfield, and Baglione is back at shortstop. A group of freshmen featuring Ava Baglione, Angelina Bonina, Katelyn Kearnan, and Isabella Loscerbo will look to make an impact right away. In the circle, Driscoll will look to pick up where she left off last year before being derailed by injury, with freshman Angelina Bonina in line to get some innings as well.
“With no seniors this year, we will be looking to our juniors and returners as leaders,” DiVitto said. “While still considered young, the vast amount of game experience that our players have had makes us a veteran team. No more excuses; we are ready to compete in the best league in Massachusetts. The girls are ready to get on the field.”
2022 Record: 17-7 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion) Coach: Bill Wallace
After three straight Davenport titles, which was the first three-peat in program history, and reaching the Div. 2 Final Four for the first time last season, North Attleboro returns to the ultra-competitive Kelley-Rex division with a lineup that features a lot of new faces and a lot of underclassmen. The Rocketeers still expect to be right in the title mix and make another run in the tournament.
Pitching will be the key for North this season. Reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Kelly Colleran will be back in the circle as the team’s main starter. Colleran was dominant last year, both as a pitcher and a hitter, and will have big expectations this spring. Sophomore Arianna McDavitt got a couple of starts last year and freshman Grace Forman can step in to eat some innings as well. Sophomore Maryellen Charette will be behind the plate for North after a solid freshman campaign.
Colleran and McDavitt will also play short when not pitching. Senior Maddie Bailey and sophomore Mary Rogers will play second and freshmen Lucy Palmer (first base) and Molly Willey (third base) will take over at the corners. Sophomore Emily Tucker gives North versatility off the bench. The outfield will be relatively experienced, as seniors Emma Hanwell and Grace Simmons will be in center and right. Senior Julia Forman and her sister Grace can play multiple positions.
“If our hitting continues to improve, we should be a dangerous team,” said North coach Bill Wallace. “We will continue to work on defense and hitting but team chemistry and leadership will give us the opportunity to continue to grow as a team. I really enjoy coaching this group.”
2022 Record: 7-14 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Lindsey Allison
Oliver Ames didn’t graduate a single player from last season and the Tigers will be aiming for another playoff appearance and to make a run at their first league title since 2014. The Tigers should be solid defensively and have a lineup able to manufacture runs and they will hope to build on last year’s postseason experience.
Pitching is always critical and senior Katie Melendy returns for her third year in the circle. After a strong offseason, Melendy could be ready for a breakout year after putting up a 2.03 ERA last spring. Senior shortstop Maddie Homer and senior center fielder Caitlin Miller give OA a strong spine and junior catcher Katharine Farley brings her cannon of an arm back behind the plate.
Juniors Madison Monteiro, Paige Taylor, Sammy Johnson, and Skylar Dearborn are all back for the Tigers, while sophomores Emily Martin and Devon Morris round out the infield after solid freshman campaigns. Junior Crystaliah Covel and sophomore Ava Tracia are newcomers who will add versatility to the OA roster.
“It has been a really smooth transition into the season in order to get game-ready,” said OA coach Lindsey Allison. “We are looking forward to a great season and continuing to build on last year’s successes. In practices, the defense has been really solid, as they are all used to each other mostly from last season. Katie Melendy has put in a lot of work in the offseason, and we are looking forward to seeing her build on her success from last year with support from the power and speed of the OA lineup.”
2022 Record: 2-16 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Heather Poliferno
Sharon swept a season series with Duxbury last year, but struggled in Hockomock play, scoring only 13 runs in the 16 league games. The Eagles will go into this season hoping to pull some surprises and, with a roster that includes eight freshmen and sophomores, build some momentum for the future as well.
Ally Foulsham will get the call in the circle this season. The senior has worked this offseason to finetune her pitches and Sharon coach Heather Poliferno is hoping for big things from her captain both as a pitcher and in the middle of the lineup. Senior Natalie Kessler also returns for the Eagles. After spending 2022 in a utility role, playing multiple positions, Kessler will start in center this season.
Junior Natalie David will be moving from the outfield to first base this spring and is another hitter that the Eagles will be counting on to try and improve their offensive output. Junior Maddie Hu will be at shortstop, using her speed to cover a lot of ground in the field and causing havoc on the base paths.
Poliferno said, “Every year, we go into the season with the mentality of ‘why not us?’ We will be going into every game this season with that thought.”
2022 Record: 11-10 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Laura Whittaker
Stoughton heads into the spring with a new coach, as Laura Whittaker takes over in the dugout. The expectations will remain high for a team hoping to challenge for the Davenport division title, which would be its first league title since 2005, and to make a run in the Div. 2 tournament.
The Black Knights will have a lot of returning talent to lean on this season. Senior Kerry Driscoll will be back in the circle, after an 11-8 season, and also in the heart of the order here she was the team’s leading hitter in 2022. Senior Camryn Whitman returns at shortstop with junior Alyssa Edwards next to her at third. Both players provide leadership and swing big bats to add to a potent lineup. Junior Julie Powers gives the Black Knights a lot of stability from behind the plate.
Juniors Leila Alaoui (second base) and Maddie Hinds (first base) round out an experienced, tested infield. Sophomores Caitlin Driscoll and Angelina Berry and newcomers Anna Hobbs and Lauren Price will give Stoughton plenty of speed in the outfield and some big arms to slow down runners. Julia Monaghan, Emersyn Grover, and Megan McGowan add depth and consistency to the lineup, while Alyssa Antonino, Grace Weisenberger, and Isabella Kuznitz give Whittaker a lot of versatility off the bench.
2022 Record: 21-4 2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Michelle Raposo
The two-time defending Div. 1 state champions have a new coach this season, as Michelle Raposo, a starter on the Taunton teams that won titles in 2002 and 2003, takes over the Tigers this spring. Taunton looks poised to make a run at a three-peat with the return of six starters and the addition of one of the state’s top pitching prospects.
Pitching is always the place to start when thinking about a team’s state title qualifications and the Tigers will bring back sophomore Cate Larson, who was part of a pitching duo that helped Taunton win it all in 2022. In addition, junior lefty Sam Lincoln is back after a year away from the program and the Texas Tech commit would be a boost to any team’s staff. Senior Kaysie DeMoura is back behind the plate after a breakout season and her leadership and ability to work with both pitchers will be critical.
There is plenty of experience on Taunton’s roster. Senior Ava Venturelli had a standout season in 2022 and the Louisville commit is back in the outfield this year. Senior Kyleah Plumb is the spark plug at the top of the order, senior first baseman Hayley Krockta added power in the heart of the order, and senior Mia Fernandes will return at second base. Sophomore Brooke Aldrich returns at short following her solid freshman season. Eighth-grader Bella Bourque will take over at third and freshman Mia Torres will start in the outfield. Senior transfer Morgan Fitzgerald and Molly Carnes will give the Tigers extra depth in the outfield as well.
“The team chemistry these 15 girls have in such a short amount of time is remarkable,” Raposo said. “Not only do these girls have chemistry, they all have talent and determination to work hard and get better every day. I am excited to see where this season takes us as my first year taking over as head coach.”
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 15 – Final (5 Inn.) – King Philip got off to a great start offensively with seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in a big win over visiting Attleboro. The Bombardiers struck first in the top of the first inning but the Warriors responded with seven runs in the first, five more in the second, and three in the third to take a 15-1 verdict. The Bombardiers scored without a hit in the first, an error followed by a fielder’s choice allowed the visitors to stake the early lead. KP scored all seven of its runs in the first with two outs, getting two-run singles from each Matt Kelley and Max Robison. The Warriors added five more in the second with two outs as well with Matt DiFiore, Eli Reed, and Brendan Sencaj singling in a run each. Quin Garstka earned the win for the Warriors, allowing just one hit (leadoff single in the fourth) with no walks and five strikeouts.
Sharon, 8 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton exploded for six runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to pull away from Sharon, who acted as the home squad for the game. Junior Matt Chafin went 3-for-3 with a walk, scoring all four times he reached base and Jack Digirolamo (two runs, three RBI), Hayden Rose (four RBI), and Matt Quan (run, two RBI) each added two hits in the win. For Sharon, Will Hippler went 3-for-3 with a walk, three runs and two RBI and both Conbor Blaney and Eli Greenfield drove in a pair of runs for the Eagles. Junior Alex Coughlin pitched well in relief for Sharon, allowing one run on four hits and one walk, striking out three in 2.2 innings out of the pen.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro made it five straight wins with a 9-1 decision over visiting Oliver Ames, making it four straight games the Warriors have limited the opposition to just a single run. Sean O’Leary earned the win on the mound for the Warriors, allowing just one run on two hits and three walks, striking out eight for the win. Matheiu Sullivan had one of his best performances of the season, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings in relief with a pair of strikeouts. The Warriors wasted little time to get the offense going, plating five runs in the first inning before tacking on insurance runs in the fifth (three) and the sixth (one) innings. Ryan LeClair tripled on Foxboro’s second at-bat, driving in Jack Watts, and then scored on a single from O’Leary. Sophomore Tyler Prescott had an RBI single and then Louis Carangelo (double) and Prescott both came around to score on separate wild pitches. Kenny Mello and Mike Marcucella each added an RBI single in the fifth and Tom Marcucella had a sac fly in the sixth. OA’s Jake Waxman smacked a solo home run in the fourth for OA’s first hit of the game.
Franklin, 12 @ Milford, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Holding a 3-0 lead after four innings, Franklin found its groove in the fifth and exploded for nine runs to secure a win at Fino Field. Eisig Chin had an RBI double early in the fifth, Evan Raider blasted a two-run triple, and Jacob Crisileo had a two-out RBI triple to give the Panthers a 12-0 lead. Jack Marino (two RBI, run) Jase Lyons (two runs, RBI), and Joe Tirrell (two RBI) also had two hits for the Panthers. James Kuczmiec tossed a five-inning complete game shutout for the Panthers, allowing a pair of hits and walks to go along with four strikeouts to get the win. Sophomore Keith Lee went 2-for-2 for the Scarlet Hawks.
Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Ryan MacDougall, Colin Botelho, and Dawson Bryce combined to toss a shutout as Taunton avenged a loss to Mansfield from earlier this year with a 6-0 verdict at home. MacDougall got the win, scattering four hits and three walks to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Botelho (one hit) and Bryce (one walk, one strikeout) each pitched a scoreless inning in relief to help the Tigers close out the win. After MacDougall pitched out of a bases loaded situation in the top of the first, Taunton took the lead with one run in the bottom half. MacDougall hit a two-out double and scored when Bryce got a hit to fall into right. Braden Sullivan led off the third with a triple and scored on a single from MacDougall, AJ Lewis added an RBI double and Shawn Cali singled in a third run for Taunton to make it 4-0. Botelho knocked in a run with a single to right in the sixth and Lewis grabbed another RBI with a single to right.
Stoughton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – Stoughton pushed across three runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead but North responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to get the win and clinch the Davenport division title outright. Christian Bates earned a leadoff walk, stole second, took third on an error, and scored the tying run on a single from Kyle Conroy. Tyler DeMattio added an RBI double to put the Rocketeers ahead, and Dillon Harding brought in two runs after reaching on an error to make it 6-3. Tyler Bannon earned the win for North, allowing three runs on four hits and no walks, striking out nine in a complete game effort. Derek Maceda and Danny Curran each added two hits in the win for North. Jonah Ly went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Stoughton while Anthony Tilton and Dom Belle each drove in a run.
Softball
King Philip, 7 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip earned a shutout win on the road over Attleboro to clinch the Kelley-Rex division title for the first time since 2018. Sophomore Jordan Bennett had another stellar outing in the circle, allowing just three hits and one walk, striking out eight in a complete game shutout effort for the win. The Warriors pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the second and went on to score in each of the next three innings, punctuated with a three-run fifth. Mia Bennett opened the scoring with an RBI double and Maddie Paschke followed with an RBI single up the middle for a 2-0 lead. Ava Lanza drove in a run in the third to make it 3-0 and Bennett dropped a squeeze bunt down in the fourth to plate Taylor Regan. Meg Sherwood extended KP’s lead with an RBI single to right to bring Sarah Cullen home, and then Regan followed with her second hit of the day, a line drive single to right to bring both Ava Kelley and Lanza home.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Taylor Reynolds had two hits and an RBI, Emily Ciampa had a hit and an RBI, and Gillian Gordon scored a run as Canton secured a close win over visiting Sharon. Jessica Vo had a solid game defensively in right for the Bulldogs, and Sophia Santos was the winning pitcher, striking out four. For Sharon, Ally Foulsham had two hits, Ciara McAuliffe played a strong game defensively behind the plate, and Trinity Payne struck out six in four innings of work.
Foxboro, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Foxboro exploded for eight runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back in a win on the road at Oliver Ames, earning a season sweep of the Tigers. Freshman Vittoria Cuscia tossed a complete game shutout for the Warriors with three strikeouts, and helped her cause at the plate with a hit and an RBI. Peyton Feldman went 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot with three runs scored and two RBI, Allie Willis added two RBI, and Natalia Leach drove in three runs for the Warriors.
Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Milford jumped ahead with two runs in the top of the third but Franklin quickly responded with seven runs in the bottom half and went on to secure a big win over the visiting Scarlet Hawks. Sophomore Camille Bonina launched a two-run home run in the top of the third to put Milford ahead 2-1. In the bottom half, Franklin had its first five batters reach base including a two-run double from Hailey Fales as the Panthers jumped back ahead 4-2. Avery Chalk and Dana Stott had back-to-back RBI singles and Katy Liberman smacked a two-out, two-run double to push Franklin’s lead to 8-2. Junior Kiera Kotwicki earned the win for the Panthers, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks, striking out four in a complete game effort.
Taunton, 13 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final (6 Inn.) – Taunton bounced back after losing two of its last three games by picking up a big win at Mansfield. The Tigers finished with 19 hits as a team, including nine extra-base hits, and scored five runs in the second and four in the third to break the game open. Ava Venturelli was 2-for-5 with a homer, a double, and four RBI, while Kaysie DeMoura also was 2-for-5 with a homer and drove in three. Taunton got good production from the bottom of the order, including Kylie Thorpe, who was 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. Liv Mendonca and Cate Larson combined to pick up the win. The Hornets got their lone run in the third inning. Amanda Schwarz singled and courtesy runner Sydney Fernando took second on a wild pitch before crossing the plate on a Callie Lake double. Mansfield finished with seven hits as a team.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final (8 Inn.) – Freshman Maryellen Charette drove in the game-winning run in the top of the eighth and Kelly Colleran made it stand up by striking out the side in the bottom half to secure the win and clinch the outright league title for North. Zoey McDonough started the winning rally with an infield hit and took second on the throw. Shaelyn Burns singled to move McDonough to third and Charette followed with a hit of her own to bring in the go-ahead run. Colleran went the distance in the circle and struck out 16 hitters. Charette, Burns, and Grace Simmons each had two hits, while Colleran scored twice and McDonough had a pair of RBI.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 9 @ Sharon, 12 – Final
King Philip, 10 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 9 – Final (3 OT)
Franklin, 11 vs. Longmeadow, 16 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 12 – Final
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 15 – Final – Canton had seven different scorers to pick up its 10th win of the season, sweeping the season series with the Eagles. Emily McCabe was the spark plug for the Bulldogs, scoring five goals. Ella Yeaton added a hat trick for Canton and Elyse Broderick made nine saves. Bailey Garte scored both of Sharon’s goals and Tess Letendre had a big game, making 14 saves in the loss.
Franklin, 9 vs. Notre Dame Academy, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 11 @ Natick, 8 – Final – Foxboro pulled out a big non-league win at Natick to build momentum for the postseason. Val Beigel led the Warriors with four goals and Paige Curran finished with a hat trick and four assists. Mary Collins added two goals and an assist, while Cate Noone and Grace Riley each found the back of the net once. Mya Waryas had an assist and Audrey Campbell made nine stops in the win.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Behind a pair of single wins and one from doubles action, King Philip went on the road and picked up a win over Attleboro. Jonathan Cohen took care of business with a 6-1, 6-3 win at second singles and Jackson Hom captured a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles for the Warriors. The team of Leo Manning and Arjun Kullo added KP’s third point, getting a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Kyle Neuendorf grabbed a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles and the duo of Tyler Rocchio and Evan Sousa earned a 7-6, 6-3 win at first doubles.
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sharon swept both doubles matches and added another win from third singles to fend off host Canton. Jacob Stavsky earned a 6-0, 6-0 third singles win, the team of Ruemon Bhattacharyya and Mitch Weiss earned a 6-0, 6-0 first singles victory, and the team of Hyojae Park and Sava Kassev emerged from second doubles with a 6-1, 6-4 verdict. Canton sophomore Max Kupferman and senior Suraj Ramanathan both continued their strong seasons with wins at first singles (6-4, 6-2) and second singles (6-1, 6-1), respectively.
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin’s experience was on full display as the Panthers used five seniors in the lineup to knock off visiting Milford. Senior Vayshnav Malhotra and senior Sameen Shaik both won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while senior Drew Mahoney earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The senior tandem of Thomas Broyles and Tyler Fitzpatrick captured a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles and Franklin’s sophomore pairing of Ahan Shetty and Jay Gorgas captured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Taunton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield used a trio of underclassman to sweep singles action and added a fourth point in a win at second doubles to defend home court against Taunton. Freshman Neema Khosravani captured a 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, while sophomores Iniyan Karruppusami and Nikhil Nain both won 6-0, 6-0 at second and third singles, respectively. The tandem of Jesse Colchamiro and sophomore Dhruv Jain added a 6-1, 6-0 second doubles win for the Hornets. Taunton’s first doubles pairing of senior Andrew Letourneau and junior Derek Deseault battled to a 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 win.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Behind a three-set victory at first doubles, North Attleboro returned home from Stoughton the victorious side of a 3-2 match. Junior Griffin Rodden and sophomore Quinn DiFiore won the first set but Stoughton took the second, sending it to a third set. Rodden and DiFiore had their best set of the match and prevailed with the win (6-4, 4-6, 6-1). North senior Will Folan captured a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles and junior Brody Carter took a 6-1, 6-0 verdict at second singles. Stoughton senior Anish Sinha earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at third singles.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex division, King Philip took a clean sweep over visiting Attleboro. Ahunna James (6-4, 6-1), Shea Mellman (6-0, 6-0), and Caroline Freese (6-1, 6-2) swept the singles matches for the Warriors. Resha Ajoy teamed up with Lauren Casper and emerged from a 90-minute battle to take a 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 victory at first doubles, and the pairing of Priya Riar and Carlie Burns used their strong chemistry to capture a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles for KP.
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon took three matches in straight sets and two more in third-set tiebreakers to earn a 5-0 sweep of visiting Canton. In a great battle at first singles, sophomore Navya Shukla emerged with a hard-fought win over Canton freshman Camila Cutter (7-5, 4-6, 10-8). Sharon’s Sophia Oh and Ritu Sreeram also prevailed in a tiebreaker, taking a win at first doubles (6-2, 4-6, 10-6). Sharon’s Ale Aguilar won 6-2, 6-4 at second singles, Judy Song added a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at third singles, and Jenny Sand teamed up with Alina Hou for a 6-1, 6-2 second doubles victory.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames swept both doubles matches and got a key win in singles action from a senior to take a 3-2 verdict on the road at Foxboro. Senior Elizabeth O’Brien played a very smart and consistent match to take a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Tigers’ lone point in singles action. The senior pairing of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper were strong at the net in a 6-3, 6-2 win and the duo of Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli also won in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) for OA. Foxboro’s Athena Li continued to shine at first singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win while Hailey Kornbluth took a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles for the Warriors.
Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin took all five matches in straight sets to take down Milford and stay in first place in the Kelley-Rex division with three matches to go. Izzy Trull (6-2, 6-1) Chloe Essum (6-3, 6-2), and Sarah Schiavo (6-1, 6-2) swept the three singles matches for the Panthers while Vedika Vinayak and Lexy Winkler secured a 6-2, 6-3 win at first doubles, and Amulya Jayam and Nihara Lijan captured a 6-4, 6-4 win at second doubles.
Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford @ Medfield, 6:00
Baseball
Sharon, 4 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – After seeing its two-run lead disappear, Sharon tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth to get an extra-innings win on the road over Attleboro. The Eagles had a 2-0 lead after an inning of play but the Bombardiers put up one in the third and one in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Nate Yaffe led off with a walk and Ryan Baker reached on a bunt. A sac bunt from Will Hippler moved both runners up and Dan Okstein drove in Yaffe with an RBI single. Baker then came home on a double steal to put the Eagles ahead 4-2. Sophomore Luke Meixel got the win, tossing an eight-inning complete game. He allowed just one earned run on five hits and three walks, striking out four. Sharon took the lead in the first in similar fashion to how they scored in the eighth with Yaffe walking and Baker reaching on a bunt. Hipper had an RBI single and Baker came home to score on an error. Attleboro cut the deficit in half in the third when Cooper Johnson walked and courtesy runner Evan Houle came around to steal home. In the bottom of the seventh, Billy Saltmarsh had a lead off single and pinch runner Ethan Lako stole second, and took the next two bags, each on a passed ball.
Mansfield, 10 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield senior Anthony Sacchetti dazzled on the mound, allowing just one hit and one walk in five shutout innings of work to lead the Hornets to their fourth straight win. The Bulldogs had a two-out walk in the second and Matt Chafin had a leadoff single in the fourth, but Sacchetti retired the side in order in the first, third, and fifth innings and finished with eight strikeouts. Offensively, the Hornets continued to get the offense going early with three runs in the first, three more in the second, and two apiece in the third and fourth innings. Conner Zukowski (two hits, run), Matt DeShiro (two hits, two runs, walk), and Connor Curtis (hit, run) each drove in two runs for the Hornets.
Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final (10 inn.) – Foxboro senior Liam Mulkern had a one-out single with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Warriors walked off with a win over Milford. Jack Watts led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk to Louis Carangelo. After a strikeout, Tom Marcucella drew a walk to load the bases and Mulkern hit a 1-1 pitch into left to bring in Watts for the win. Sean O’Leary got the win in relief, tosing 5.1 shutout innings with just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Matheiu Sullivan got the start for the Warriors, allowing one earned run on three hits and two talks, striking out three in 4.2 innings. Foxboro took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Kenny Mello tripled and then scored on a wild pitch. Milford answered in the top of the fifth when Grant Scudo walked, was sacrificed over to second by Tyler Lane, and scored on an RBI double from freshman Ian Carter. Junior Tyler Caldon was strong on the mound for the Hawks, allowing just one run in eight innings, with just five hits and two walks along with 11 strikeouts.
Franklin, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Holding a 1-0 lead after four innings, Franklin scored seven runs over the final three innings to pull away for an 8-0 victory on the road at Stoughton. The Panthers had 11 hits as a team with Ryan Gerety (two RBI, run), Jack Marino (RBI, run), and Joe Tirrell each recording two apiece. Jace Lyons recorded three RBI on the day while Marino, Chris Goode, and Evan Raider each drove in one. Jacob Jette earned the win on the mound with six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts for the win. Evan Voellmicke tossed a scoreless inning in relief, walking one and striking out three.
King Philip, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip scored once in the fourth, twice in the sixth, and then exploded for six runs in the seventh to secure a big win on the road at Frothingham. Senior Quin Garstka had the best start of his career, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven for the win. Matt DiFiore drew a two-out bases loaded walk to bring Brendan Sencaj home for the first run of the game in the fourth. The Warriors plated two more two-out runs in the sixth as Max Robison had an RBI double to score Rudy Gately (walk) and Robison eventually came around to score on a wild pitch after back-to-back walks to DiFiore and Eli Reed. KP loaded the bases again in the seventh and Will Astorino was hit by a pitch to bring in a run, Robison drove in a pair with another double, Reed plated two with a double of his own, and Travis Crawford had an RBI triple to left to make it 9-0.
Taunton, 10 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton junior Ryan MacDougall tossed a one-hit six inning shutout while striking out nine and the Tigers used a seven-run sixth inning to put the game away. MacDougall issued just two walks with the lone hit coming with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Offensively, Taunton took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo home run from Braden Sullivan, and then pushed the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs (MacDougall and Evan Cali RBI). Dawson Bryce cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the top of the sixth, Sullivan brought in two more, Colby DeCouta had an RBI, and AJ Lewis singled in the final run to make it 10-0.
Softball
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 17 – Final (5 inn.)
Canton, 5 @ Mansfield, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield erased a five-run deficit by scoring 11 runs in the fourth inning, all with two outs, to take the win over the visiting Bulldogs. Canton went up 1-0 in the third and tacked on four more in the fourth for a 5-0 lead but the Hornets’ bats came alive to surge ahead. With the bases loaded in the bottom half, Cate Kipp had an RBI single, Callie Lake and Liv Madeira drew back-to-back walks, and Casey Mousette (two hits, three RBI) had a two-run hit. After two walks loaded the bases again, Molly Kucharshi (three hits, four RBI) had a bases-clearing double for a 9-5 lead. Olivia DeTrolio added a two-run single two at-bats later for an 11-5 lead. The Hornets stayed hot in the fifth as well with Mousette, Alanna Conley, Jill Koppy (two RBI), and Kucharski all driving in runs. Amanda Schwarz and Julia Kelly shared pitching duties for the Hornets, allowing seven hits.
Foxboro, 9 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Peyton Feldman shined defensively for the Warriors, setting the tone in a 9-2 win on the road. Feldman put the end to a Milford rally with a terrific diving play up the middle, and also turned a double playe later on with a great catch on a ball destined for the outfield. Emma Callahan got the win in the circle. Milford sophomore Camille Bonina had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Scarlet Hawks.
Stoughton, 5 @ Franklin, 11 – Bottom 4th (Delay)
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Lexi Galsband blasted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put the Tigers ahead 2-1 but KP responded with three runs in the bottom half and three more in the fifth and emerged with a win over a game OA squad. After Galsband’s blast, KP’s Liv Petrillo answered with a two-run double to put the hosts back ahead, and two at-bats later, Sarah Cullen followed with a two-out RBI double for a 4-2 lead. In the fifth, Meg Sherwood sent a leadoff solo shot over the fence in left and two batters later, Taylor Regan drove one just inside the foul poll for another solo shot. Charlotte Raymond singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI ground out from Mia Bennett for a 7-2 lead. OA got one back in the sixth on an RBI single from Emily Martin, and Caitlin Miller drove in a run with a two-out single in the seventh. The Tigers brought the tying run to the plate but Jordan Bennett got a ground out to second for the final out.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 16 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton belted out 15 hits and stole seven bases on its way to a big win over visiting North Attleboro. North took a 1-0 lead after an inning but the Tigers pushed across six run in the seven and scored multiple runs in each of the next five innings. Senior Katelyn Bizarro led the charge with a team-high four hits and scored three runs while Ava Venturelli went 3-for-4, with a home run and two doubles, driving in three and scoring three. Brooke Aldrich, Liv Mendonca, and Cate Larson all drove in a pair of runs in the win as well. Larson got the win on the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks, striking out six in six innings of work. North senior Shaelyn Burns went 3-for-3 on the day, including a double, and drove in three runs.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 11 @ Sharon, 13 – Final – Sharon used a balanced attack with six different goal scorers to earn a close win over visiting Attleboro. Ben Shocket (24-for-28 on faceoffs) and Brady Daylor each had three goals to lead the charge, Sam Rothbaum, Ryan Brown, and Edward Bondar each scored twice, and Matt Harsfield added one goal in the win. Matt Powers made eight saves in net for the Eagles.
Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 8 – Final
King Philip, 12 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – For Foxboro, Conor Noone (three assists) and Tony Sulham each had a hat trick, Lincoln Moore added two goals, and Dylan Kerrigan and Jon Sacchetti each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 24 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 2 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – For Sharon, Bailey Garte scored both goals.
Canton, 10 @ Mansfield, 9 – Final – Canton built a four-goal lead at halftime but had a to hold off a pesky Mansfield squad for a one-goal win on the road. The Bulldogs took a 6-2 lead at the break but the Hornets continually came back, making it a one-goal game at 7-6, 8-7, 9-8, and eventually the final score of 10-9. Ella Yeaton led the offense with four goals, Fay Gallery added two goals and two assists, Emily McCabe scored a hat trick, Allie McCabe chipped in with one goal, and Devan Spinale had one helper. Elyse Broderick made five saves in net for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 9 @ King Philip, 10 – Final – King Philip built a four-goal lead at halftime and then held off second half push from Foxboro to secure a key league win. Lily Brown (one assist), Makenzie McDevitt, and Abby MacDonald each scored a pair of goals to lead KP’s balanced attack. Both McDevitt (eight draw controls) and Julia Marsden (five controls, one goal) did well on the draw while Haley Izydorczak (one goal, four assists) helped set the offense in motion. Emily Campbell had a huge game in net for the hosts, making eight saves to help KP hold on for a one-goal win. Foxboro also had a balanced attack with Mya Waryas, Paige Curran (assist), Val Beigel (two assists), and Cate Noone finding the back of the net twice apiece. Mary Collins added one goal and Audrey Campbell had five saves in net for Foxboro.
Franklin, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Taunton, 6 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford’s Aislinn Bennett scored five goals as the Scarlet Hawks picked up their second straight win at home, this time over visiting Taunton. Emily Croteau added two goals in the win while Carly Haley, Jill Araujo, Jordan Douglas, Erin Michelson (three assists), and Ava Lebel (first career goal) each found the back of the net once. Caitlyn Bangert made six saves in net while junior Molly Hartman had a standout performance defensively. For Taunton, Cali Melo scored a team-high four goals while Maddison Szala and Caroline Vallarelli each scored once for the Tigers.
Boys Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and took all five matches in straight sets to take down the Bombardiers. Matthew Lally picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at first singles, Alex Budovalcev added a 6-3, 6-0 decision at second singles, and Jacob Slavsky secured a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles. In doubles action, Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya continued their stellar season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Savir Basil and Sava Kassev added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Canton @ Mansfield – Delayed
Foxboro @ Milford, 3:45
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind two wins from singles action and two wins in doubles play, Franklin defended home court against visiting Stoughton. Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at first singles while sophomore Ahan Shetty added a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles for the Panthers. At first doubles, the team of seniors Tim O’Keefe and Aidan Karlowicz grabbed a 6-0, 6-4 win while the team of sophomore Jay Gorgas and junior Tyler Fitzpatrick emerged with a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Stoughton senior Anish Sinha prevailed 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.
Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 3:45
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon freshmen Jenny Sand and Grace Zhang rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a win at second doubles, completing the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep of Sharon. Sand and Zhang prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 while Sharon’s first doubles team of seniors Ritu Sreeram and Sasha Fein secured a 6-0, 6-1 win. Sophomore Navya Shukla earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Ale Aguilar grabbed a 6-4, 6-3 win t second singles, and freshman Judy Song was victorious, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles.
Mansfield, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Mansfield took both doubles matches and added one more win in singles action to grab a 3-2 decision on the road at Canton. Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey grabbed a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Hornets and Alexis O’Keefe and Claire Copp added a 6-2, 6-2 victory at second doubles. Caroline Guralage was the lone Hornet to win in singles action, prevailing 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Canton’s Camila Cutter earned a 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Laura Correal added a win at second singles.
Milford @ Foxboro, 3:45
Franklin, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to take down host Stoughton. Izzy Trull (6-0, 6-1), Vedika Vinayak (6-0, 6-1), and Sarah Schiavo (6-4, 6-3) all won in singles action for the Panthers. In doubles action, the team of Chloe Essam and Shriya Rajesh picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Chloe Fales teamed up with Ava Davies for a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles.
King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its recipe for success with a sweep of doubles play and another win at third singles to take down visiting King Philip. Seniors Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of juniors Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli took a 6-2, 6-3 decision at second doubles for the Tigers. Elizabeth O’Brien was the lone OA win in singles action, taking a 6-3, 6-4 victory. KP sophomore Shea Mellman earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles. First singles did not finish due to weather.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Norton, 5:00
Milford, 2 @ Natick, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Barnstable, 5:15
Baseball
Canton, 10 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Canton senior catcher Sean Sullivan threw out the tying run at third in the top of the seventh and junior Matt Lesser finished off the save in the same at-bat for the final out as the Bulldogs outlasted King Philip on the road. The Bulldogs scored in each of the first innings, taking advantage of a handful of KP defensive miscues to eventually lead 8-3 after four innings. King Philip cut the deficit down to just a run with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles from Brendan Sencaj and Rudy Gately. Jay Kelleher’s single — Canton’s fourth straight to start the sixth — brought in Matt Chafin and Jack Digirolamo (three hits) to put the visitors ahead 10-7. KP bounced right back in the bottom half with two runs of its own, a long triple from Sencaj (three RBI) to bring in Matt Kelley and Shawn Legere. KP got the tying run on with a single and a steal, but Sullivan gunned him down at third after a ball in the dirt. Travis Crawford also had two hits and two RBI for the Warriors.
Foxboro, 2 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin pushed across three runs in the first inning, two more in the third, and never looked back in a win under the lights over Foxboro. Evan Raider and Henry Digiorgio had back-to-back sacrifice flies to plate a run apiece and Jase Lyons had a two-out RBI single to plate Chris Goode (HBP) to seize and early 3-0 advantage. Digiorgio added an RBI double to score Goode (double) in the third, and Lyons added another RBI base hit to extend Franklin’s advantage to 5-0. Eisig Chin added an RBI triple in the sixth for the Panthers, and Joe Tirrell brought two home with a base hit to left. Jacob Jette got the win on the mound for the Panthers, allowing two runs (one earned) one three hits and one walk, striking out four. Ryan LeClair had two hits and scored a run for Foxboro.
Softball
Mansfield, 13 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – Mansfield made it three wins in a row with a shutout of Sharon. Julia Kelly and Amanda Schwarz combined on a one-hitter for the Hornets, who also pounded out 14 hits as a team. Mansfield took a 4-0 lead in the first. Callie Lake singled and would score on a base hit by Liv Madeira. Jill Koppy and Molly Kucharski also had RBI singles in the inning. The Hornets doubled their lead in the second. Kelly led off with a double and would score on an error, while Madeira and Alanna Conley both drove in runs with singles. Mansfield completed the scoring in the third with five more runs. Lake drove in one and Casey Moussette plated a pair. Madeira and Conley each finished the day with three hits and Lake had a pair.
Milford, 3 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North continued to get dominant pitching to extend its win streak to four games. Zoey McDonough was in the circle and struck out 15 batters, while allowing only five hits and a walk, to pick up the victory. Mandi Hanewich had a pair of hits, a walk, and two RBI to pace the offensive attack. Kelly Colleran had a double and drove in two, while Emma Hanwell and Ally Levine each had a hit and an RBI. Maryellen Charette and Shaelyn Burns both had a hit and a run scored for North.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Canton, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ben Reardon (two goals, three assists) and Ryan Jaco (three goals, two assists) each had five points while Wyatt Fritchman recorded a pair of goals. Noah Isleib was terrific in net for the Tigers with 21 saves.
North Attleboro, 13 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Behind a strong defensive effort and a standout performance from Jared Vacher at the face off X, North Attleboro secured a quality win over a quality opponent on the road at Sharon. Vacher won 12 of 18 face offs in a battle of two of the top faceoff specialists in the Hock against Sharon’s Ben Shocket. Senior Clayton Billingkoff scored a team-high five goals to pace the offense while senior Connor Ruppert added four goals. JT Gallagher had a big game in net with 10 saves for the Rocketeers.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – Julia Marsden, Makenzie McDevitt, and Morgan Cunningham each recorded four points to lead King Philip to a big win over visiting Attleboro. Both Marsden and McDevitt scored four goals apiece while Cunningham had one goal and three assists.
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Canton, 12 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – The Bulldogs remain unbeaten and in a tie for first in the division by holding off the Tigers. Canton closed out the half with four straight goals to take a two goal lead into the break and extended the lead to as many as five goals in the second half. Emily McCabe led the way for the hosts with four goals and two assists. OA held a 4-3 lead midway through the opening half. Hailey Bourne got her first to start the scoring before McCabe answered back. Canton then jumped in front when Carly Fitzgerald’s pass in front was tipped home by Ella Yeaton. Catie Wilson tied it for OA and Gergia Costello made it 3-2. After Devan Spinale tied it again, Bourne got her second and Wilson added another for a 5-3 lead. Off the draw, McCabe found Shannon McGrann for a goal to cut the lead to one and McGrann tied it three minutes later from a free position. Spinale and Fay Gallery added two more, the last coming with 22.1 on the clock, for a 7-5 lead. Early in the second half, Costello got OA within one but Allie McCabe spun through the heart of the OA defense to restore the two-goal lead. Jess Widdop made a couple of saves on Canton free positions before Emily McCabe dodged from the top and found her way to goal. McCabe added another just seconds later to make it 10-6. A steal by Olivia O’Rourke led to a goal for Wilson but Yeaton found McCabe cutting through the middle to make it 11-7. Allie McCabe added her second for the Bulldogs before Wilson wrapped up the scoring in the final minute. Elyse Broderick made seven saves in goal for Canton.
Foxboro, 18 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mya Waryas scored five goals and dished out two assists and the Warriors rolled to another big league win that keeps them in a tie for first place in the Davenport division. Paige Curran (two assists) and Mary Collins (one assist) each added four goals apiece for Foxboro, which also got two goals and an assist from Cate Noone, a goal and an assist from Kate Collins, a goal and two assists from Val Beigel, and a goal from Grace Riley. Audrey Campbell made 10 saves to pick up the win in goal.
Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 20 – Final – Franklin had over a dozen players find their way onto the scoring sheet in a big win over visiting Taunton. Kenzie Baker and Jamie Tanner finished with three goals apiece to pace the offense. Cali Melo, Maddison Szala, and Aria Cordeiro each scored for Taunton.
Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 15 – Final – Bailey Garte scored both goals for Sharon and Ava Jacobson had an assist.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court by winning all five matches against visiting Taunton. The freshmen duo of Alex Efrimidas and Patrick Dolan had a standout performance in the win, both playing strong at the net to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles.
Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon secured a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play to grab a win over visiting Mansfield. Sophomore Matthew Lally emerged victorious after a tenacious battle with Mansfield freshman Neema Khosravani, taking first singles 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 10-8. Freshman Jacob Slovsky added a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles for the Eagles. Seniors Ruemon Bhattacharyya and Mitch Weiss won at first doubles (6-1, 6-1) while juniors Kevin Li and Hyojae Park took the win at second doubles for the Eagles. Mansfield sophomore Kailash Elumalei rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 win at second singles.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, North Attleboro’s first doubles tandem of junior Griffin Rodden and sophomore Arnav Raghuvanshi prevailed in a third set tiebreaker to complete the five-match set for the Rocketeers. Rodden and Raghuvanshi won 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 while sophomore Tim Le and junior Brody Gaulin rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second doubles. Senior captain Will Folan secured a 6-0, 6-0 first singles win, junior Brody Carter added a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Darren Liang took home a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Elizabeth O’Brien overcame a one-set deficit to earn a win in a third-set tiebreaker to complete the sweep on the road over Taunton. O’Brien rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 10-4 win at third singles, Hannah Farber added a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, and Mia Corradini prevailed with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win at second singles. The team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli battled to a 6-3, 6-3 second doubles win.
Sharon, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Sharon won both doubles matches in straight sets to highlight a 4-1 win over Mansfield. The team of senior Ritu Sreeram and sophomore Sophia Oh grabbed a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles while seniors Alice Zaniewski and Rachel Rashukin emerged with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second doules. Junior Ale Aguilar added a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles.
Stoughton, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro swept both doubles matches in straight sets and added two more wins from singles action to secure a win over visiting Stoughton. The senior tandem of Saharla Yusuf and Tina Lam grabbed a 6-2, 5-1 (inj.) win at first singles, and sophomores Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller didn’t drop a single set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Bombardiers. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek added a 6-1, 6-2 first singles victory and sophomore Maddie Fulscado earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at second singles. Stoughton’s Stefani Reznikow emerged with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.
Boys Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 97 @ Milford, 39 – Final – Attleboro’s Kaiden Murray took first in three individual events as Attleboro grabbed a big win on the road over Milford. Murray won the 100M, the 110M hurdles, and the long jump while Chris Leonardo was a double-winner in the shot put and the discus. Jack Blouin and Ethan Sylvia went 1-2 in the 1 Mile, and Sylvia added a win in the 800M for the Bombardiers. Adrian Rivera was second in the 200M dash (won by Jordan Rivera-Silva), took third in the high jump, won the triple jump, and was apart of the winning 4x100M relay team. (with Rivera-Silva, Zyeem Charles, and Josh Codella)
Girls Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 73 @ Milford, 63 – Final – Emilia Smith and Jahela Douglas each won a pair of events to lead the Bombardiers to a close win over Milford. Smith anchored a sweep of the 1 Mile (followed by Taylor DeCristoforo and Bailey Ellis) and the 2 Mile (followed by DeCristoforo and Kacey Parker), and Douglas took first in the triple jump and led a sweep of the 200M (followed by Alexis Cincotta and Sophia Lyons). Rebecca Rainey led a sweep of the 400M hurdles (along with Zenda Gjoni and Allie McNamara) and Aariana Ridge won the long jump (followed by Natalie Berganza and Katerina Trieb).
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final
Sharon, 5 @ Needham, 7 – Final
Softball
King Philip, 3 vs. Bishop Feehan, 12 – Final
Mansfield, 6 vs. Arlington, 7 – Final – Mansfield cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth inning, but left the bases loaded and wasn’t able to bring in the tying run. All five of Mansfield’s losses this season have been by four runs or fewer, including two by only one run. Arlington, which is undefeated this season, grabbed a lead in the top of the first, but Mansfield quickly answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning. Cat Kipp led off with a single and eventually came in to score on a wild pitch. The visitors scored twice more in the second, but the Hornets responded with a four-run third to take the lead. Julia Kelly walked and Kipp got her second hit of the day. Walks and wild pitches would help Mansfield bring in four, but Arlington’s reliever struck out a pair of Hornets to leave the bases loaded. Arlington tied the game at 5-5 with two in the fourth and regained the lead with two more in the sixth. Olivia DeTrolio and Kipp (3-for-4) started the Mansfield half of the sixth with base hits. Callie Lake (2-for-2) followed with a single that loaded the bases and Liv Madeira plated one with a single of her own. The Hornets weren’t able to keep the rally going, as a pair of soft liners on the infield left the bases loaded again and Mansfield went 1-2-3 in the seventh. Amanda Schwarz and Kelly shared the pitching duties and struck out eight batters combined.
Melody Casna (36) puts a tag on Jill Koppy at second to catch her stealing in Stoughton’s 6-5 win at Mansfield. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – It took a while for the Stoughton offense to kick into gear on Wednesday afternoon at the East St. Field, but the Black Knights scored three times in each of the sixth and seventh innings to open up a four-run lead with three outs to go.
Even with that lead, it was anything but easy to close it out.
Mansfield rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run in scoring position with one out, but Kerry Driscoll got a fly ball to left for the second out and sealed the 6-5 victory with her only strikeout of the day.
“We always do,” Stoughton coach Deb Parker said with a laugh when it was mentioned that the Black Knights made it interesting at the end. “Kerry does a nice job to keep us in every game and we know that we need to play defense behind her and we need to give her the run support. So far that’s what the plan has been and it’s been kind of falling into place.”
Mansfield coach Lori Letendre saw her team lose for the third time in three games this season, but all three have been close games against some of the top teams in the Hock. She sees a lot of positives from the way the Hornets continued to battle despite trailing in their final at-bat.
“Both games we played this season we left some runners on, today though we got some in. It’s an improvement over what we’ve been doing,” she explained. “They battled in that seventh inning and that’s all you can hope for. I’m very proud of their effort today. We came so close, it would’ve been sweet to pull that one out.”
There were runners on base in all but two innings, but early on neither team was able to come up with the clutch hit it needed to break the deadlock.
Sydney Menz led off the game by being hit by a pitch and stole second. Camryn Whitman bunted her to third, but Menz was too aggressive with her turn and Casey Moussette threw a strike across the diamond to Olivia DeTrolio for the second out. It proved extra costly because the next hitter, Alyssa Edwards (4-for-4, two doubles, two runs scored) lined a single to left.
In the bottom of the first, Callie Lake drew a lead-off walk and got to second, but Edwards made a nice play charging a grounder from Moussette to get the final out.
Stoughton ran into another out in the third. Edwards ripped a double to right center, but a good throw from right fielder Olivia Bovey caught her in a rundown between second and third. Shortstop Liv Madeira put the tag on her to end the threat.
“We ran ourselves out of a couple of runs,” Parker admitted. “That’s what we talked about after the game. We were a little too aggressive or a little too careless against a team that is very good and you can’t take your eyes off of them.”
Madeira made all three put-outs in that inning, also making a nice running stab of a liner in the hole, snaring a hard-hit liner that was right at her. In the fourth, the Black Knights threatened again. Melody Casna (3-for-3, two RBI) was hit by a pitch in the dirt and Driscoll (2-for-4, two RBI) singled to left. Madeira was able to get the lead runner at third and then second baseman Molly Kucharski caught a soft liner and doubled up the runner at first.
“Defense has been solid this year and that’s really what’s kept us in games,” Letendre said. “They know that they need to make these plays, so everything they go all out for.”
The Hornets took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Alanna Conley (1-for-3) reached on an infield single off Driscoll’s glove. Moussette (3-for-4, two RBI) followed with a single to center. A groundout moved both runners up and Kucharski singled in the game’s first run. Amanda Schwarz followed with her first clean inning, including her third strikeout of the game.
Stoughton has scored in double digits in two of its three wins, so it felt like a matter of time before the Black Knights were able to string together a few hits. Edwards got it started in the sixth with a double down the left field line, advancing to third when the ball got away for a second from the left fielder. Casna ripped a liner to center to tie the game.
Driscoll helped her own cause with a single and Maddie Hinds was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Julie Powers (1-for-2, two RBI) drew a walk to force in Casna with the go-ahead run. Leila Alaoui then singled to right to extend the lead to 3-1.
Mansfield quickly cut the lead in half. Kucharski reached on a fielder’s choice with two outs. Conley drew a walk and pinch hitter Cat Kipp singled to center. Kucharski was waived home and Menz made a perfect throw to the plate to seemingly prevent, but there was contact between Kucharski and Edwards as she rounded third, so the run counted.
It looked like the Black Knights had put the game away in the top of the seventh. Menz singled to left, got to second when Mansfield failed to get the force out, and reached third on a scorching single by Edwards that loaded the bases. Casna came through again with a single to bring in one. Driscoll hit a slow roller and Whitman was able to beat the throw to the plate.
After a fly ball to right for the first out, Powers singled to left to make it 6-2. Schwarz kept her cool, getting her fourth strikeout and a liner to center that Lake tracked down to end the inning.
“Amanda has pitched her heart out for us this season,” Letendre said. “No matter what happens, all she cares about is the next pitch. Sometimes it’s tough to face lineups like we’ve been facing, but there is no fear in that girl and she does a great job for us.”
The Hornets kept it interesting. Lake reached on an error to lead things off, Madeira walked, and Conley was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Moussette came through again, driving a single to center that again halved the deficit. Jill Koppy hit a bloop just beyond the circle that Casna nearly snagged with a diving grab. Driscoll reacted quickly to get the force at second, while Conley scampered home to make it a one-run game.
With the potential winning run on base and just one out, Driscoll made the pitches she needed to so Stoughton could head home with the win.
“A couple of kids stepped up pretty big today and produced multiple hits and drove in some runs and that’s just what you want to have happen,” Parker said. “Definitely happy. Our plan is to maintain that the rest of the way and see where we come out at the end.”
Stoughton (4-2) will be back on the road on Thursday to face Brockton in a rematch of the season opener, which the Black Knights won. Mansfield (0-3) will get a quick turnaround as well, with a trip to Foxboro on Thursday, both teams looking for their first wins of the season.
Taunton is coming off a state championship and a perfect season, but there will be plenty of competition for the league crown this season. Read team-by-team previews below. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Mark Homer
Last spring, Attleboro was an inning away from upsetting crosstown rival Bishop Feehan and reaching the Div. 1 South quarterfinal. The Bombardiers were also the only team to score on state champ Taunton. That is a good foundation to build on coming into a new season, as Attleboro brings back a strong core of players looking to challenge the top two in the Kelley-Rex and make another state tournament push.
Senior Lindsey Perry, who can also play second base, will be in the circle for the Bombardiers to start the season and will be throwing to sophomore Rylie Camacho, who had an impressive debut campaign at the plate and in the field. Senior Hailey Perry is coming back from a knee injury but should be at shortstop early in the season. Attleboro added pitching depth this season with junior Lily Routhier transferring in from Wheelock School (R.I.). Routhier will also play center field when she’s not pitching.
Sophomore Kayla Goldrick is another player coming off a standout rookie season and she will be at third and in the middle of the order. Junior Lauren Eby will return at the other corner and junior Sarah Maher gives Attleboro versatility by being able to play multiple positions. The Bombardiers have a balanced lineup and will be able to incorporate new faces to the program and players pulled up from JV to find the right combinations.
“The team’s goal is to stay competitive for every practice and game, and qualify for states,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “We must be consistent in every aspect of the game. It’s always a tall order, but this team has the potential and determination to make it happen. We’re gonna have fun doing it.”
2021 Record: 5-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Sandy Lombardi
Canton returns seven players from last year’s team, which went on the road to beat Cardinal Spellman in the first round of the state tournament. After Dave Bohane stepped down, Sharon girls basketball coach and former Duxbury softball coach Sandy Lombardi has taken over the Bulldogs hoping to take the mix of experience and new talent on another trip to the postseason.
The Bulldogs will have depth in the circle this season with seniors Gillian Gordon and Sophia Santos bringing experience to the position and sophomore Jess Wright adding another option. Senior Taylor Reynolds brings a strong bat to the top of the order and will play in left field. Senior Emily Ciampa will return at second base, with Wright playing mostly at first, and junior Olivia Mackwell behind the plate. Sophomore Laura Valkanas will be at shortstop.
Freshman Chloe Guerschuny is a new face at third base and classmate Klara Redquest will take over from Liz Bickett in center. Senior Jessica Vo, junior Sam Vrabel, and sophomore Anna Lehan are all newcomers on varsity who will give Canton additional options in the outfield and in the lineup.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Lombardi said, “We have a good mix of upper and underclassmen. The girls are working hard and we are looking forward to competing in a tough Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 11-6 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Mark Maguire
With two eighth graders in the starting lineup, including one in the circle, no one was quite sure how good Foxboro could be last spring. As it turned out, the Warriors were good enough to make a run all the way to the Div. 2 South quarterfinal. With additional pitching depth and critical varsity experience, Foxboro will try to build on that momentum and make another deep tournament run.
Senior Peyton Feldman was one of the top hitters in the league last season and she will be moving to shortstop while continuing to lead off. Senior Allie Willis will add leadership from the catcher position, as she is in her third year behind the plate. Her experience is critical when working with Foxboro’s young pitching staff. Freshman Emma Callahan had a breakout season as the starter last year and she will get the chance to play some second and third base as well to make sure her bat stays in the lineup. Freshman Vittoria Cuscia and sophomore lefty Angelina Rifai will give Foxboro more options in the circle.
Foxboro will have plenty of speed in the lineup this season. Freshman Jillian Slattery and Natalia Leach are athletic outfielders and will add production from the bottom half of the order. Freshman Ava Hill is back to start at first base after a solid eighth grade season and Fiona Dunn will get the start in right field.
“We are a young team that is looking to compete for the Davenport division,” said Foxboro coach Mark Maguire. “We have some very good athletes that look to take their softball skills to the next level. They are a group of kids who are a pleasure to coach.”
2021 Record: 6-9 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Katie Holbrook
Last season, Franklin showed that it could score runs in bunches, hitting double digits in five of its 15 games, but the Panthers could also allow runs in bunches with teams reaching double digits six times. With seven returning players, second-year coach Katie Holbrook is hoping that experience and depth will carry the Panthers back up the standings and into the postseason.
Franklin will have depth in the circle this season with senior Aislinn Lavery taking the bulk of the innings and junior Kiera Kotwicki able to step in when needed. Both will mix pitches and keep teams off-balance. Junior Hailey Fales will be back behind the plate, adding another layer of experience to the pitching staff. Senior Julia White battled an injury all spring in 2021 but she is back healthy and back in the middle of the infield and the order. Junior Georgia Harvey is a versatile player who can fill in at multiple positions and batted 0.426 as a sophomore.
Sophomore Carly Johnson-Pellegri had an impressive rookie season and will be moving from second to short and senior Hannah Cacciapaglia is back at first, and in the middle of the order, after recovering from an injury that kept her out all of last spring. The outfield looks strong for the Panthers this season. Senior Kelly Moussa has a strong arm in right and juniors Reece Allen and Dana Stott are two newcomers that could play big roles for the team this season.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
“We have a lot of different players who can jump in and be the spark at any given moment,” Holbrook said. “There are a lot of new players in the mix, but they are already showing signs of coming together as a team and leadership is not lacking in this group. If they can remain poised and confident and play their game, we should do well this season.”
2021 Record: 14-3 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Kate Fallon-Comeau
King Philip lost only three games last season and all of those were to league and state champion Taunton. The Warriors bring back a lot of players from last season and that has put high expectations on one of the state’s perennial powers to get back on top not only in the Kelley-Rex division but also once the tournament kicks off.
A year of varsity experience might be most beneficial in the circle where senior Emma Sheehan and sophomore Jordan Bennett give the Warriors a lot of depth for a long season. Both saw plenty of action last year, including in the playoffs and they should be ready for the challenge of the new season. Junior Sarah Cullen will also be back behind the plate for the Warriors after an impressive debut season in which she batted nearly .500.
Infield defense was a strength for the Warriors, even after an injury to junior shortstop Libby Walsh. Senior Mia Bennett returns at second base and sophomore Maddie Paschke will be back at third base, after an impressive playoff run at the hot corner. Senior Meg Sherwood will add leadership in the outfield, while juniors Charlotte Raymond and Ava Lanza provide a spark in the lineup.
KP coach Kate Fallon-Comeau said, “We’re hoping to have a solid season, make the tournament, and see where it goes from there!”
2021 Record: 9-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Lori Letendre
Mansfield made a surprising run to the quarterfinal of the South sectional last spring, winning at Needham and at No. 2 seed Natick before falling to perennial power Silver Lake. With seven starters returning, the Hornets will be aiming at another tournament run this year and building the confidence that they can challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex.
Pitching will be a question mark for Mansfield this year after graduating last year’s starter Ashlyn Conley. Senior Julia Kelly, better known for her exploits on the volleyball court, will join the team for the first time in her career and will get the chance in the circle. Junior Amanda Schwarz will also be given time in the circle, as she makes the jump up from JV.
The lineup was young and inexperienced last season, but still proved to be dynamic and most of the players who came through with big at-bats have returned. Seniors Alanna Conley, Olivia DeTrolio, and Casey Moussette are all back along with sophomores Molly Kucharski, Callie Lake, Jill Koppy, and Liv Madeira, who all had impressive rookie seasons.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
“It’s been fun to get back on the field and start working with a great group of girls and we are looking forward to the season!” said Mansfield coach Lori Letendre.
2021 Record: 0-14 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Steve DiVitto
The Kelley-Rex division is loaded every year and a young Milford roster is hungry to move past a couple of tough seasons to be more competitive in a difficult league schedule. While the Hawks went winless in 2021, they lost twice to Mansfield by a combined five runs and lost by only two runs to Franklin and Sharon, so the Hawks had opportunities to come out on top. Now, with a year that is closer to normal, Milford hopes to take the next step and turn those close defeats into victories.
While the roster is almost all underclassmen, Milford does return seven players from last year. Only two of the returners are upperclassmen, senior pitcher and outfielder Olivia Morelli and senior third baseman Gianna Cacciola. Both captains are entering their third seasons on varsity and going to be expected to provide leadership for the rest of the lineup, which is almost all freshmen and sophomores.
Also returning this year are sophomores Maddie Burns (catcher and first base), Camille Bonina (first base and outfield), Grace Bonina (middle infield), Maeve Driscoll (pitcher, shortstop, and outfield), and Sarah Wengel (outfield and first base). Each player gained valuable experience as freshmen and provide a lot of versatility in how the team will line up. The Hawks will also look to a trio of freshmen for instant impact as starters or off the bench, including pitcher Cae Pellegrini, outfielder Jianna Fernandes, and shortstop Olivia Baglione.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
“With such a young crew, we will rely on our two seniors, our captains, who have four years of experience to help lead the way,” said Milford coach Steve DiVitto. “We pride ourselves on keeping strong team chemistry; something that will be an important part of this season. We’re hungry to get back on the field!”
2021 Record: 12-4 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Bill Wallace
North Attleboro has won back-to-back league titles for the first time in program history and would love to make it a three-peat before moving to the Kelley-Rex division next season. The Rocketeers graduated four starters, so there will be opportunities for underclassmen to step in and contribute right away, but North also has a strong core, particularly with two strong starting pitchers, to make a run in the Div. 2 tournament.
Juniors Zoey McDonough and Kelly Colleran are back and give North an impressive one-two punch in the circle. Both players were all-stars in their debut seasons, and both are Div. I college recruits. Since they’re also important to the lineup, McDonough will play first and Colleran will play short when they’re not pitching. Senior Mandi Hanewich is battling a hand injury at the start of the season, but the four-year varsity player will add leadership in center, while senior Ally Levine will be behind the plate working with North’s staff. Junior Grace Simmons is the fifth returning starter and the right fielder will also get the chance to produce at the plate as well.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Senior Shaelyn Burns will take over at third after being the DP for most of last season, while freshman Maryellen Charette gets the nod at short or at first, depending on who the starting pitcher will be. Junior Emma Hanwell and senior Grace Barry will both get chances in the outfield, while juniors Maddie Bailey and Julia Forman will play second and be the DP. Freshman Aryanna McDavitt provides much-needed versatility, as she can play anywhere in the infield and pitch when called on.
“Our goals don’t change – what does change is the approach to get there,” said North coach Bill Wallace. “We’re working at it, let’s see if we retain it. The girls are focused – they know what’s in front of them!”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Lindsey Allison
Despite having no seniors on the roster this season, Oliver Ames has set a goal of getting back into the state tournament picture and moving up the standings in the Davenport division. The Tigers return five players from last year’s team but there is excitement about the underclassmen who will be stepping into the lineup this year and the energy that they’re bringing to the team.
Junior Maddie Homer is the team’s top returning hitter and was also an all-star at shortstop last spring. She will provide leadership in the infield. Junior Katie Melendy has a year of varsity experience in the circle and will look to build on her four wins as a sophomore. Lexi Galsband will be at first base and fellow junior Caitlin Miller returns in center, while sophomore Katherine Farley is stepping in behind the plate.
The underclassmen will give OA important versatility to find the right spots for everyone in the lineup. Sophomores Madison Monteiro, Paige Taylor, Sammy Johnson, and freshmen Emily Martin and Devon Morris will fill out the roster this season. Although young, there is a lot of club experience that they will add to the Tigers.
“Overall, I am impressed with the attitudes, hard work, and teamwork that I have seen so far this season and I am looking forward to watching them grow together as a team,” said OA coach Lindsey Allison. “We expect to be competitive in the Hockomock League and get back to the culture of making tournament an expectation.”
2021 Record: 2-12 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Heather Poliferno
For Sharon to move up the Davenport division standings, the Eagles are going to need to produce more runs this season. Sharon was last in the league with 31 runs scored in 14 games last year, but there is optimism around the team this spring that the combination of returning players and talented new faces is making good contact, being aggressive on the base paths, and look ready to create more opportunities to manufacture runs.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
Senior Trinity Payne will be a second-year captain for the Eagles, and she will need to produce in the circle (60 strikeouts last year) and at the plate (0.343 average in 2021). Senior catcher Ciara McAuliffe can hit for power and is an experienced battery mate for Payne, which will be a key to Sharon limiting the opposition’s base runners. Senior Savannah Gray is another power hitter in the middle of the Sharon order and a leader at first base.
Junior Ally Foulsham gives Sharon important versatility, being able to play solid defense at several positions and even jump in the circle to give Payne a breather. Foulsham, who will start at third base this spring, played third, short, and pitched last year and had a fielding percentage over 90 percent. Sophomore Maddie Hu will be the new shortstop this season and junior Natalie Kessler will start in the outfield but could see time at a few positions, including catcher.
“Our players have worked incredibly hard the last couple of weeks,” Sharon coach Heather Poliferno, “and we are all eager for them to get out on the field and show everyone what Sharon High softball is capable of.”
2021 Record: 8-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Deb Parker
After a year off, Stoughton got to experience the postseason in 2021, and a playoff win, and now the Black Knights will enter a normal spring with confidence that they can build on that foundation to make another run for a state tournament spot. With depth and talent throughout the lineup, Stoughton will be hoping to be back in the mix in the Davenport division standings as well.
Senior Sydney Menz will be the anchor for the team in center and as one of the top hitters in the middle of the order. She will be joined in the outfield by classmate Kate Bulger and freshman Angie Berry, who is going to get the chance to step right into the lineup this spring. Pitching is always critical and junior Kerry Driscoll will get the nod as the starter after getting a taste of facing varsity lineups last season.
2022 Hockomock League Softball Preview
The infield will be led by senior shortstop Melody Casna. Surrounded by underclassmen, Casna will give a dash of experience and is a vocal leader. Sophomore Alyssa Edwards is back at the corners, primarily at third, after a freshman season that saw her lead the team with a 0.417 batting average.
“I have so much confidence in this team and I expect big things from them this year,” said Stoughton coach Deb Parker. “They have come together really quickly and have chemistry that I have not seen in a long time. I am excited to see what this team will accomplish together this season, they have talent, depth, and personality, and they are willing to work. They are really fun to coach!”
2021 Record: Won Div. 1 State Title Coach: Carrie Consalvi
Not every team rebuilds in the same way. After graduating five starters from last year’s state championship-winning team, including in the circle and the heart of the order, Taunton will have plenty of new faces stepping into big roles this spring, yet the expectations remain high for the Tigers to challenge for a third straight league title and make another tournament run.
Senior Kylie Thorpe will be the anchor in the middle of the infield and add strong leadership at the top of the order. Freshman Brooke Aldrich will take over for her sister Hanna at shortstop and has already shown off a strong arm and a strong bat. Junior Kaysie Demoura will give the Tigers vocal leadership from behind the plate and looks set for a breakout season at the plate, while senior Angie Lynch was one of the stars of Taunton’s playoff run as a leadoff hitter and center fielder.
Junior Ava Venturelli is back in the fold this spring and the University of Louisville-commit will bring her big bat to left field, having hit a pair of homers during the preseason jamboree at the PAL fields. It won’t be easy to fill the shoes of Kelsey White in the circle, but senior Olyvia Mendonca will get that assignment and has had a strong preseason.
“We have a great crew this year, very different team from last year,” said second-year coach Carrie Consalvi, noting her team will have plenty of personality and rely on key leaders this year.
Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – In a back-and-forth contest, Oliver Ames senior Patrick Finnerty drove in the game-winning run with the bases loaded to give the Tigers the walk-off win over Attleboro. The visitors took the lead in the top of the first inning after stealing a pair of bases. Oliver Ames responded with three runs in the bottom of the third as Finnerty and Jake Waxman drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded and Ian Kelly scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. The top of the sixth inning saw Attleboro rally for three runs and go back ahead. In the bottom of the seventh, Nathanial Lewis and Nathan Carpentier walked and Joe Cicchetti was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Kelly drew OA’s 10th walk to tie the game and then Finnerty delivered a single to center for the win. Junior Andrew Zagami earned the win in relief with six strike outs. Nick Clark allowed one run on one hit and four walks in four innings of work for OA.
Franklin, 7 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Franklin cashed in on a handful of extra base hits and senior Jacob Jette picked up where he left off last season on the mound in the Panthers’ win on the road. Jette didn’t allow an earned run in 5.1 innings of work, striking out five with two hits and two walks allowed. Jake Shaughnessy and Austin Campbell combined for 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Offensively, Ryan Gerety (two hits, two runs, RBI) and Eisig Chin (two hits, two RBI, run) each had a triple while Chris Goode (RBI) and Evan Raider (run) each had a double. Jack Marino added an RBI and two runs and sophomore Henry Digiorgio had a hit and a run scored.
King Philip, 15 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Tied 3-3 after two innings, King Philip exploded for seven two-out runs in the top of the third inning and never looked back for a season-opening win over Foxboro. With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Tommy Martorano singled to bring in Rudy Gately (two runs) and Matt DiFore. Eli Reed scored on a single from Travis Crawford (three hits, two runs, two RBI), and Shawn Legere (three RBI, four runs) tripled to clear the bases. Gately got the win on the bump, allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk, striking out nine. Matt Kelley, who drove in three runs with a pair of hits, struck out two in an inning of relief. For Foxboro, Ryan LeClair (RBI, two runs) and Sean O’Leary (two RBI) each had three hits, helping the Warriors take a 3-2 lead after an inning. Freshman Nolan Gordon had a strong showing in relief for Foxboro, allowing two runs (none earned) on one hit and two walks, striking out five in 2.1 innings of work.
Mansfield, 4 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final (13 inn.) – North Attleboro senior Brody Rosenberg drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the 13th inning and worked his way around the bases on a pair of errors, scoring the game-winning in a marathon game season opener for both teams. Mansfield opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Gilleran but North took control with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, an RBI single from Danny Curran, an RBI single from Rosenberg, and Curran scoring on a passed ball. Mansfield cut into the lead with a run in the third (Jake Maydak RBI) and a run in the fifth (Gilleran RBI single) to tie the game. The Hornets went ahead in the top of the sixth on a solo home run from Jared Fraone (3-for-3, three runs) to left field but North answered in the bottom half (Tyler Bannon sac fly) to make it 4-4. Sophomore Connor Curtis was stellar in relief for the Hornets, pitching seven innings with one (unearned) run allowed on three hits and no walks, striking out seven. Derek Maceda got the win for the Rocketeers with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Junior Tyler Caldon allowed just two hits and walked three while striking out nine to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a win over Sharon. Caldon allowed just one earned run in six innings of work for the win. Damien Carter, who tossed a scoreless inning in relief with one strikeout, had a pair of hits and two runs scored, Ian Carter went 4-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored, and Evan Cornelius added a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and one RBI.
Stoughton, 1 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.)
Softball
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final – Lily Routhier made a big splash in her debut for the Bombardiers, getting the win in the circle as well as a big performance at the plate. She tossed a complete game with just one earned run allowed on two hits. At the dish, she went 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Sarah Mayer added three hits and scored twice while Rylie Camacho had one hit, reached twice more, and scored twice. For OA, Caitlin Miller went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Crystalia Covel scored a run and had a stolen base. Katie Melendy pitched five innings for OA with four runs allowed while Taylor Marino pitched the sixth inning with one run allowed.
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Aislinn Lavery set the tone in the circle and at the plate for the Panthers, who opened the season with a big win over visiting Canton. Lavery allowed just one hit with six strikeouts in five innings of work, and then led off the game with a triple and scored on a fielder’s choice from Julia White. Carly Pellegri aded three hits, including a double, with four RBI and three runs scored, Katy Liberman had two hits, including a double, and two RBI, and Avery Chalk added two hits. Freshman Sarah Boozang had an RBI single to score Reece Allen (triple).
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Freshman Liv Petrillo’s first career hit proved to be a big one for King Philip, a triple in the bottom of the sixth that broke a scoreless tie and drove in the game-winning run. In a scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Taylor Regan slapped a double and senior Mia Bennett was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Petrillo drilled a line drive to right for a two-run triple to put KP ahead 2-0. Sophomore Maddie Paschke laid down the squeeze bunt to bring Petrillo in to make it 3-0. Senior Emma Sheehan tossed a complete game one-hitter for KP, striking out seven without issuing a walk. Foxboro freshman Vittoria Cuscia was impressive in the circle, holding KP without a run for the first five innings. She finished with seven strikeouts.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Kelly Colleran went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI and Zoey McDonough struck out 12, as North pulled out a road win in the season opener. The Rocketeers opened the scoring with a three-run third. Colleran doubled to plate Julia Forman and Grace Simmons and then came home on a two-out single by Shaelyn Burns. Ally Levine led off the fifth with a double and scored on a two-run homer by Colleran, which turned out to be the game winner. Mansfield rallied with two runs in the fifth. Jill Koppy walked to lead off the inning and stole second. Bunts from Liv Madeira and Sydney Fernando loaded the bases and Callie Lake brought in a pair with a single. The Hornets loaded the bases again but couldn’t get a two-out hit to keep the rally going. Mansfield added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Fernando walked to get things started and Cat Kipp singled. Madeira drove in a run with a single. Casey Moussette and Alanna Conley reached on fielder’s choices to load the bases but again the Hornets weren’t able to get a two-out hit off McDonough. Amanda Schwarz made her varsity debut for Mansfield, striking out three and giving up eight hits. Emma Hanwell and Burns both made nice plays in the field to help the Rocketeers pull out the victory.
Sharon, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final (8 inn.) – Milford rallied for two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game and then sophomore Maeve Williams delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI single to give the Scarlet Hawks a walk-off win in extra innings. Milford took a 1-0 lead in the second on a double from freshman Cae Pellegrini followed by a pair of sacrifice bunts. Sharon responded in the third and fourth to go ahead 4-1 before the Hawks brought the game level game. In the eighth, freshman Jianna Fernandes led off with a walk, stole second, and scored on Williams’ hit up the middle. Pellegrini and senior Gianna Cacciola both played well defensively while sophomore Maeve Driscoll got the win with five innings in relief, striking out eight with no earned runs allowed on four hits. Sharon’s Trinity Payne struck out 18 batters in the loss.
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton 13 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton got its offense going with three runs in the first inning and scored in each of the next three innings, including a seven-run bottom of the fourth to open the season with a big win. Junior Kaysie DeMoura (RBI, two runs) led the charge with three hits while classmates Ava Venturelli (two RBI, double, two stolen bases), Hayley Krockta, Kyleah Plumb (three RBI, triple, double), and senior Kylie Thorpe (triple, RBI) each had two hits. Senior Liv Mendonca struck out three with two hits allowed in four shutout innings while freshman Catherine Larson fanned one with one hit allowed in an inning of relief. Stoughton’s Sydney Menz had a double and a spectacular catch in center field, robbing the Tigers of a home run. Alyssa Edwards (double) and Maddie Hinds also had a hit for the Black Knights.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin exploded for nine goals in the opening quarter and never looked back in its first game of the season. Junior Jayden Consigli scored six goals and classmates Luke Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each added four apiece, all in the first half. Sophomore CJ Perro and junior Will Buckley each scored twice in the second half for the Panthers.
Canton, 16 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Canton’s Sam Carlino scored six goals and set up six more to lead the Bulldogs to a season-opening win on the road at Milford. Brendan Tourgee added four goals in the win along with one assist, Eddie Gillis scored a hat trick and added one helper, and Pat Drury (two goals, five assists) and Jeff Chaput (two goals, two assists) both had big games for the Bulldogs. Freshman Ben Miller played well in net, earning his first career win.
Foxboro, 7 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 13 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 7-0 lead by halftime and pulled away with six more goals in the second half to open the season with a win over Sharon. Ben Riggs paced the offense with three goals while Thomas Brewster, Sean Crowther, and Nolan Feyler each scored twice. James Boldy made 12 saves in net to earn the win for KP.
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 21 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Milford, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton built a 6-2 lead at halftime and then held off a second half comeback attempt from Milford to open the season with a win, the first for new head coach Casey Bradley. Allie McCabe scored twice and had an assist while Emily McCabe netted the game-winning goal. Elyse Broderick made seven saves in net for the Bulldogs. For Milford, Aislinn Bennett scored five goals, Emily Croteau had a pair of goals, and Carly Haley added one.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Paige Curran and Mya Waryas each scored six goals, as Foxboro opened its season with a big win over a division rival. Curran, the league’s leading scorer from last year, added three assists and Waryas had one helper as well. Mary Collins chipped in with four goals and two assists, Valerie Beigel had a pair of goals, and freshman Cate Noone had a goal and an assist on her debut. Grace Riley, Kate Collins, and Nina Della Valle also scored for the Warriors. Lilli Jones made five saves to pick up her first win in goal. Ava McKeon and Morgan Eaton each scored twice for North.
King Philip, 17 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Nine different Warriors found the back of the net as King Philip opened its season in style with a big win on the road over Sharon. Julia Marsden, Lily Brown, and Haley Izydorczak combined for 11 points in the win, Makenzie McDevitt scored a hat trick in the win and Ilah Weiblen and Abby MacDonald each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 19 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Using a quick transition game and strong ball possession, Oliver Ames roared to a big season opening win on the road over Taunton. First year OA head coach Rylie Dalzell credited the attackers’ ride for causing a lot of turnovers that the visiting Tigers took advantage of. Jess Widdop and Claire O’Rourke combined for the win in net for OA. Casey O’Leary and Cali Melo each scored once for Taunton.
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Sophomore Nicholas Westerbeke rallied from a one-set deficit to win two in a row to take the point at first singles and give Oliver Ames a 3-2 win over the Bombardiers. Westerbeke dropped the first set 4-6 but won 6-1, 6-0 to get the win. Kylash Gannesh (6-0, 6-1) and Raphael Vache (6-1, 6-2) won at second and third singles, respectively, for OA. Attleboro’s Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf took first singles 6-3, 6-4 while Malachi Jefferson and Alex Suarez were victorious (6-1, 6-2) at second doubles.
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Canton took first and second singles in straight sets but Franklin won both doubles and third singles to get the win at home. Senior Drew Mahoney was the lone Panther to win in singles action, taking third singles 6-0, 6-3. The team of senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Ahan Shetty won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and the team of senior Sameen Shaik and sophomore Jay Gorgas secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Canton’s Max Kupferman won 6-4, 6-2 at first singles and Suraj Ramanthan took a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles.
Foxboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – A sweep of singles action lifted Foxboro to a win over the road at King Philip to start the season. Garrett Spillane won in straight sets (6-1, 6-1) at first singles, Bo Canfield added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and Raj Jetty earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at third singles. KP’s Diego Nieto and Connor Sachleben rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while Adam Gousie and Noah Ihley grabbed a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield opened the season in style, taking all five matches in straight sets to knock off North Attleboro. Freshman Neema Khosravani was impressive in his first career match, winning 6-0, 6-3 at first singles, sophomore Kailash Elumelai secured a 6-1, 7-5 at second singles, and sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami added a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The tream of senior Jonah Fine and junior Benson Delaney didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while junior Jesse Colchamiro and sophomore Nikhil Nain won 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles.
Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – A trio of underclassman swept singles action for Sharon as the Eagles opened the season with a win on the road over Milford. Sophomore Matthew Lally, sophomore Alex Budovalcev, and freshman Jacob Slavsky all won 6-0, 6-0 in first, second, and third singles, respectively. In doubles action, seniors Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya grabbed a 6-1. 6-0 win at first doubles, and the team of freshman Sava Kassev and junior Hyojae Park didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Stoughton @ Taunton, 3:45
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – In an incredible even match up, Oliver Ames emerged with a hard-fought win over a game Attleboro squad. The Tigers got wins in straight sets from Hannah Farber at first singles (7-5, 6-3) and Mia Corradini at third singles (6-3, 6-1). OA’s second doubles team of tri-captain Shelby Brass and Marina Mierzwinski grabbed a 6-0, 7-6 (7-1) for the Tigers’ second point of the match. Attleboro’s Madison Fuscaldo battled for a 6-3, 6-7 (10-12), 6-3 win in a marathon match at second singles, and the team of Tina Lam and Sahara Yusuf grabbed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) win at first doubles.
Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – A sweep in doubles action plus a hard fought win at third singles gave the Panthers the close win on the road at Canton. Sarah Schiavo battled her way to a 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles to clinch the win for the Panthers. The team of Amulya Jayam and Shriya Rasish won 6-4, 6-3 at first doubles while Chloe Essam teamed up with Sydney Tolonen for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles for the Panthers. Canton’s Camila Cutter earned a 6-1, 7-5 victory at first singles while Laura Correal prevailed from a well-played second singles match with a 7-6 (10), 6-4 win.
King Philip, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro took a pair of wins from singles action and one more from doubles to get a win over King Philip. Athena Li (first singles) and Hailey Kornbluth (second singles) both won 6-0, 6-0 for the hosts while the team of Abigail Costa and Juliana Preston secured a 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 win at first doubles for Foxboro. KP’s Sammie Taylor won 6-2, 6-2 at third singles and Caroline Frese teamed up with Lauren Caspter for a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep in the season opener for the Eagles, winning all five matches in straight sets against visiting Milford. Navya Shukla won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Ali Aguilar grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Ritu Sreeram earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of Abby Vilk and Judy Song didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win while the team of Sasha Fein and Sophia Oh were victorious 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.
Taunton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton took two wins from each singles and doubles action to get a win on the road over Stoughton. Brooke Bell earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and Ava Alves grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles for the Tigers. The first doubles team of Morgan Smith and Sam Parrett prevailed 6-3, 6-2 for Taunton while Kelsey Brennan and Janelle Garcia won 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada emerged from a hard-fought singles match with a 7-5, 7-5 (10-8) win.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 0 @ Barnstable, 3 – Final
King Philip, 0 @ Medfield, 3 – Final – Freshman Jacob Moores had four blocks and senior Danny Alexandre added three more but the Warriors dropped their first match of the season on the road at Medfield.
