02/21/202202/22/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/21/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 67 vs. Durfee, 42 – Final – After falling behind in the first quarter, Attleboro dominated the final three quarters to earn a season sweep of Durfee. Playing shorthanded without leading scorer Evan Houle, the Bombardiers got a huge boost from junior Jaiden Outland, who hit four three pointers and finished with career-high 18 points to pace the Attleboro offense. Durfee held a 18-14 lead after eight minutes but Attleboro came storming back in a 22-point second quarter with Outland netting eight point, Jake Struminski adding six of his eight points, and Colin Morais chipping in with five of his 15 points. The Bombardiers won the second quarter 22-5, taking a 36-23 lead into the locker room.

Canton, 66 vs. Fenway, 49 – Final – Holding a six point lead at the break, Canton used a 19-point third quarter to stretch the lead and eventually finish off Fenway for the second time in as many days. The Bulldogs got scoring contributions from six players in the big third quarter with senior Lanse Dorcelus scoring six of his team-high 16 points, senior Nate Mei adding five of his 13 points, and Matt Chafin (11 points), Dillon Nguyen, Conor Hunter, and Bahsor Mahn (eight points) all scored in the quarter as Canton turned its halftime lead (32-26) in a 51-36 advantage going into the fourth. Jacob Solomon added a trio of threes and finished with nine points.

Foxboro, 58 vs. Medfield, 54 – Final – Tied at halftime, Foxboro pulled ahead for good with a big third quarter to land a key win over Division 2 foe Medfield. Foxboro had a 20-15 lead after a quarter but the teams went into the locker room at halftime deadlocked, 30-30. Five different Foxboro players scored in the third and the Warriors had their best defensive frame of the game, winning the third 17-9. Alex Penders had five of his 14 points, Andrew Finn and Cam Barreira each sank a three, Sam Golub (nine points) added a basket, and Dylan Gordon had four of his team-high 22 points to help Foxboro pull away.

Franklin, 43 vs. Leominster, 30 – Final – Anchored by one of its best defensive efforts of the season, Franklin landed an impressive win over one of the two ranked teams in Division 2. Junior Ben Harvey had a fantastic showing on the defensive end, holding one of Central Mass’ best players Justin Dadah Jr. to just one three-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Panthers used a 16-0 run across the first and second quarters to create separation. Sophomore Sean O’Leary scored eight of his 11 points in the opening half while Harvey got it going on the offensive end with six points in the second. Geino Scaringello gave the Franklin offense a big boost in the second half with all of his nine points coming over the final two frames.

King Philip, 68 vs. Falmouth, 36 – Final – King Philip poured in 26 points in the third quarter to run away with a big win over Falmouth in the first round of the Somerset-Berkley tournament. The Warriors built a 27-16 lead at halftime, getting a trio of three-pointers from Grant Kinney in the first half and one apiece from Braeden Sottile (10 points) and freshman Tommy Kilroy. Junior Will Laplante took over in the third, hitting three more threes and went on to finish with 16 of his team-high 24 points after the halftime break. Charlie Grant and Sottile also hit threes in the third quarter for KP, who had 12 makes from three-point range.

Mansfield, 56 vs. Westford Academy, 41 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Mansfield struggled in the opening quarter against Westford’s zone, but the Hornets turned things around in the second quarter to send the teams into the locker room tied. In the second half, Mansfield locked down defensively, allowing only one point in the third and 12 points in the half, to pull out a win against a team ranked in the top 10 in Div. 1 and advance to the final of the Roundball Classic. Matt Hyland led all scorers with 16, 10 in the second half, and added nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Chris Hill added 13, including seven in the second to help the Hornets even up the game and 4-for-4 from the line in the fourth quarter. Andrew Slaney nailed four threes, including two in the first to keep Mansfield close, and finished with 12 points. Mansfield hit eight from beyond the arc as a team and will face the winner of Whitman-Hanson and Brockton in Wednesday’s final.

Milford, 46 vs. Shrewsbury, 57 – Final

Sharon, 59 vs. Walpole, 71 – Final – Sharon trailed by just three at halftime but Walpole exploded for 27 points in the third quarter to run away with the win in the championship game of the Davenport Classic. Sophomore Nate Katznelson dropped a career-high 27 points for the Eagles, but Walpole’s balanced attack — five players scored in the third — and successful three-point shooting in the third (five makes) ended up the difference.

Stoughton, 59 vs. Milton, 38 – Final – After a back-and-forth first quarter, Stoughton dominated the middle quarters to build a double digit lead that never relinquished the rest of the way. Junior Rayan Sablon hit four three-pointers in the first half and finished with 22 of his career-high 31 points to help the Black Knights get the win. Connor Andrews added nine of his 17 points in the opening half as Stoughton built a 34-19 lead at halftime and had a 46-25 lead going into the fourth.

Taunton, 77 @ New Bedford, 42 – Final – Taunton senior Trent Santos scored his 1,000th career point as the Tigers rolled to a big win to finish the regular season. Santos finished with 29 points in the win and hit the milestone with — fittingly — a pull up three in transition in the fourth quarter. Santos had five threes in the game and 10 total makes. Chris Volcy came off the bench and scored half of his 12 points in Taunton’s 25-point second quarter, turning a close game into a blowout by halftime (43-21). Faisal Mass added eight points for Taunton, which had nine players get in the scoring column.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Durfee, 30 – Final – The Bombardiers held Durfee to 12 points in the first half, building a 32-12 lead through two quarters and never looking back to record a fifth straight win. Meghan Gordon scored 12 of her 16 points and Lindsey Perry scored all seven of her points in the first half to get Attleboro off to a great start. Vanessa Ellis scored 13 points (eight in the second half) and Rylie Camacho buried four three-pointers and finished with 12. Avery Vieira scored six of her eight points in the fourth.

Foxboro, 61 vs. Cambridge, 30 – Final – Kailey Sullivan scored 23 points, knocking down five three-pointers, as the Warriors rolled to a big win in the opening round of the Warrior Classic. Nine players scored for Foxboro, which will face Walpole on Tuesday night in the final.

Mansfield, 54 vs. Westford Academy, 55 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Abigail Chambers hit a three from six feet behind the arc with only 4.5 on the clock and Westford pulled out a come from behind win in the first round of the Roundball Classic. The Hornets had led 54-48 in the closing minutes, but Westford closed the game on a 7-0 run. Abby Wager scored a team-high 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to pace the Hornets. She added six rebounds and four steals. Kara Santos chipped in with nine points (five in the fourth) and Bridget Hanley added nine points, five assist, and two blocks. Natlya Gill came off the bench and scored seven points. Mansfield will face Natick on Wednesday afternoon in the consolation round of the tournament.

Taunton, 52 vs. New Bedford, 59 – Final – Taunton and New Bedford had a shootout in the second half, as the teams combined for 68 points, but the Tigers weren’t able to pull off a comeback in the season finale and the Whalers earned a split of the season series. Kameron St. Pierre had a team-high 17 points for the Tigers, all of them in the second half, and knocked down three from beyond the arc. Liv Gannon scored nine, all in the first half, and Cali Melo and Abby Souza each scored eight points for the Tigers.

Canton, 46 @ Westwood, 40 – Final – The Bulldogs closed out the regular season by winning the title at the Riley Classic and beating one of the teams ahead of them in the Div. 2 power rankings. Fay Gallery scored 17 points, dished our four assists, and had three steals to lead the way for Canton. Kiara Cerruti added 16 points and three steals and Sydney Gallery had seven points, five boards, and three assists. Canton also got a lot of help on the glass, with Han Hong and Erin Beatty each pulling down six rebounds and Samya DaSilva grabbing five boards. Marissa Staffiere made a pair of clutch free throws at the end to help seal the win. Fay Gallery was named tournament MVP and Cerruti was named to the all-tournament team.

King Philip, 49 vs. Archbishop Williams, 28 – Final – KP jumped out to a 16-2 lead after one quarter and extended that lead to 34-6 at halftime, running away with a big win in the consolation round of the end-of-season tournament. The Warriors had 48 points through three quarters. All 14 players saw time on the court and 11 ended up on the score sheet. Liv Lafond led the Warriors with 10 points, while Emily Sawyer had eight and Kylie Watson and Julia Marsden each scored seven points in the win. Olivia Ali knocked down a three-pointer for her first career varsity points.

Boys Hockey
North Attleboro, 1 vs. Walpole, 3 – Final

Mansfield, 3 vs. King Philip, 6 – Final

Stoughton, 1 @ Rockland, 2 – Final (OT) – After being shutout by Rockland in the first time around, Stoughton pushed the Bulldogs to the limit this time around before falling in overtime. Joe McNulty had the goal for the Black Knights, Steven Westerlund had a strong game defensively, and Chris Andrade played well in net with 29 saves.

Girls Hockey
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final – MOA freshman Emma Rabinovich sparked the offense with her first career goal less than a minute into the game and the Warriors never looked back, skating to a shutout win over Dedham. Rabinovich lit the lamp 30 seconds into the game and then Kylie O’Keefe doubled the lead with a minute left in the period to make it 2-0. Cammy Shanteler (from O’Keefe) and Cataline Kipp each added a goal for the Warriors. Jess Widdop made 35 saves in net to earn the shutout for MOA.

King Philip, 5 vs. Milton, 0 – Final

01/25/2022

Foxboro Outlasts North Attleboro In Overtime Battle

Foxboro boys basketball Alex Penders — Foxboro junior Alex Penders goes up for a layup in the first half against North Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – There’s never a dull night in the Davenport division.

Even on a Monday, in a rescheduled game inside a gym with capacity limitations, division rivals Foxboro and North Attleboro battled back and forth before the Warriors emerged with a 62-55 overtime win.

It looked like Foxboro was on the verge of the win at the end of regulation, holding a four-point lead with 23.6 seconds to go. But as we’ve seen earlier this season and in years prior, nothing is decided until the final buzzer.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

North Attleboro came flying down the court to cut the deficit in half with 18 seconds to go and then forced a jump ball off the inbounds with 9.9 seconds to go. The Warriors kept possession but a heave down court on the ensuing inbounds was picked off by North senior Gavin Wells.

Wells got the ball to classmate Brody Rosenberg, who got past his defender, split another two Warriors, went up and under the rim, and finished just before the buzzer to send the game to overtime, 51-51.

Foxboro boys basketball

The back-and-forth slugfest that started in the fourth quarter continued to start overtime as junior Alex Penders (16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks) finished down low off a feed from senior Dylan Gordon (16 points, 11 rebounds), but North quickly answered on a drive from senior Casey Poirier, who tied a career-high 22 points along with 10 boards.

Gordon took it to the rim to get the Warriors back ahead while North’s layup bid was just off the mark. Andrew Finn (9 points, 9 rebounds) increased the lead to three with a free throw, and again, the Rocketeers’ two chances from down low rolled off the rim and out. North got a stop but a contested layup bounced out.

Junior guard Sam Golub sank his fourth triple down the other end and Foxboro’s advantage jumped to six, 59-53, with a minute to go in overtime. Golub finished with a career-high 16 points.

“I was very proud of the response to start overtime,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “I reminded them of the Stoughton game earlier this year, the same thing happened with the other team scoring at the buzzer. We came out and won that one, so I reminded them of that and we had to move on to the next four minutes. It had to start with our defense and I was really proud of the grit they showed and how they were able to go out and execute. I thought it showed a lot of character and hopefully, it will stay that way the rest of the season.”

Foxboro boys basketball

North Attleboro was unable to answer again as Foxboro connected enough from the free throw line to keep the Rocketeers at bay over the final minute.

“I’m proud of the way our guys didn’t quit through the fourth quarter,” said North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins. “We just had too many mental errors, whether it was missed bunnies or just being in the wrong spot. And I don’t know if it was fatigue or mental, or a combination of both, but I thought there was a stretch we had some missed assignments. After making them earn a lot, I thought all of a sudden we kind of opened things up for them and give them credit, they made the shots. We just couldn’t make enough shots down the stretch.”

Penders scored six points in the first quarter to help the hosts establish an early 13-9 advantage after one quarter, and then Golub had eight in the second quarter as the Warriors’ lead ballooned to double-digits, 30-19, at halftime.

North responded in a big way in the third, preventing Foxboro from pulling away with one of its best shooting quarters of the season. Poirier hit a three to start the second half and hit another two trips later. Gordon answered with a triple of his own to keep the lead at nine but North Attleboro closed the rest of the quarter on an 11-3 run.

Senior Nate Bennett scored off a nice post move and sophomore Derek Maceda splashed in a triple. A minute later, Wells hit a triple of his own off a pass from Givany Carney (11 points, four rebounds, four assists), and then Wells returned the favor to Carney for a three — North’s five trifecta of the frame — with less than 30 seconds to go to cut what was once a 13-point deficit down to one point going into the fourth.

“We wanted to come out and win the third to get more separation but to North’s credit, they knocked down a bunch of shots in the third to get them back in the game in the hurry, and because they were able to score more that allowed them to get into their full court pressure which just threw us out of rhythm and sped us up,” Gibbs said. “I thought there were times we got good shots out of it that we just didn’t make but North’s shooting changed the momentum of the game.”

There weren’t any runs from either squad in the fourth, only punches and counterpunches.

Poirier scored to give the Rocketeers their first lead since the opening bucket but Finn answered on the other end to get the hosts back ahead right away.

Foxboro boys basketball

Carney broke a lengthy scoreless stretch but North’s lead once again just lasted seconds as Gordon cut to the basket for two off a feed from Penders. The visitors tied it on a free from Poirier and North once again took the lead on a layup from Carney.

After a defensive stop, Gordon muscled his way to the rim for two more to make it 45-45 with 1:41 to play. Ryan LeClair (five points, four rebounds, four assists) found Finn on a baseline cut for two and Penders stole an inbounds pass and sank two from the line to put Foxboro back in front.

“I think it’s experience, these guys have played a lot of games together now going back to last season,” Gibbs said. “The quality of this league and how tough the teams are. Even though we’ve had some tough losses, playing against quality teams has helped us get better, learn and prepare for these situations.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After a free throw from Gordon, Foxboro led 50-45 with 33 seconds to play but the visitors were able to rally for a 6-1 burst in the final moments, starting with a layup from Poirier.

“The last two weeks or so, Casey is playing at the level he expects himself to be at,” Mulkerrins said. “And [Carney] has emerged that’s been aggressive for us. But at the end of the day, we need more points. It’s hard to win in this league no matter what but when you’re barely breaking 50 points you have to be pretty near perfect on defense, and at times we’ve been pretty close.”

Foxboro boys basketball (2-5 Hockomock, 3-5 overall) will try to make it two in a row when it hosts Milford for its second game of a four-game homestand on Tuesday. North Attleboro (2-6, 2-7) returns home to host Taunton on the same night.

01/16/202201/18/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/17/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 70 @ Abington, 65 – Final – Foxboro took a lead in the first quarter and never trailed the rest of the way in securing a win on the road over Abington. Senior Dylan Gordon hit 10 shots from the field, including just one three-pointer, on his way to a career-high 27 points to pace the Warriors, who led 13-8 after one and 33-25 at halftime. Junior Alex Penders added 18 points while the Warriors got key three-pointers from Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, Andrew Finn, and Cam Barreira. Foxboro carried a 50-44 lead into the final quarter.

Mansfield, 65 @ BC High, 87 – Final – Mansfield held a one-point lead (19-18) after the first quarter but couldn’t recover from the 10-point deficit it faced at halftime to suffer its first loss of the season. Senior Matt Hyland had a team-high 20 points while Dante James and Jack Lasbury-Casey each chipped in with 12 points.

Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 54 vs. Notre Dame Academy, 40 – Final – Mansfield trailed by two after the first quarter but then put together an 18-8 second to take a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish, picking up a non-league home win. Abby Wager led the way for the Hornets with 16 points and Natalya Gill added 13, including three makes from beyond the arc. The duo combined for 10 of Mansfield’s 12 points in the first, but NDA led by two after eight minutes. In the second, Mansfield scored 18 points to head into the locker room up by eight. Wager and Hallie Popat (seven points) each scored five in the quarter and Gill knocked down a three. Wager and Gill were back at it in the third, teaming up for 11 of Mansfield’s 15, as the Hornets went into the fourth up by 10. NDA was held to just five points in the final quarter, as Mansfield locked down defensively to seal the win. Kara Santos scored six points on her return to the lineup.

Boys Hockey
Canton, 3 vs. Newburyport, 1 – Final

Franklin, 9 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro scored a first period goal to cut Franklin’s lead in half at 2-1 after a period of play, but the Panthers scored seven unanswered over the final two periods to secure the win. Ben Jarosz and Adam Quinn each scored twice and recorded two assists apiece to pace the Panthers’ offense. Dylan Marchand added a pair of goals and an assist, Dom Lampasona scored once and had one helper, and eight other Panthers recorded one point. Franklin freshman Jack O’Connor made 14 saves for the win. Ben Ricketts scored for Foxboro off of an assist from Derek Axon.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Quincy, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Sean McCarthy scored a hat trick but the Tigers fell on the road to Quincy. Sophomore Andrew Livingstone lit the lamp twice and had three assists for OA while freshman Shaun Teehan scored once and had one assist. Sophomore Sean Kearns had a pair of assists while McCarthy and Matt Lawson each tallied one helper.

Stoughton, 5 vs. East Bridgewater, 6 – Final – Stoughton’s Sean Farley found the back of the net twice but the Black Knights lost a tight contest with East Bridgewater. Charlie Caputo, Ryan Summers, and Cooper Card also scored for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 1 @ Somerset-Berkley, 4 – Final

Girls Hockey
Franklin, 1 @ Algonquin, 1 – Final (OT) – Franklin scored with under a minute left in the third period to earn a comeback point against Algonquin. Down 1-0, the Panthers pulled the goalie and Ava Villella redirected a shot from Maggie McCaffrey with 5.9 seconds to go to pull even.

Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Longmeadow, 2 – Final

King Philip, 5 vs. Archbishop Williams, 1 – Final

Gymnastics
Attleboro @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield @ King Philip, 12:30
Sharon, 127 @ Taunton, 124 – Final

12/17/202112/18/2021

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/17/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 47 @ Franklin, 52 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Oliver Ames, 46 @ Canton, 45 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Nick Asiaf scored all six of his points in the fourth quarter, including a layup with 1:31 to play to proved to be the winning basket for the visitors, giving Oliver Vil his first win with OA. Asiaf’s layup put OA up 46-42 at the time but a steal from Matt Chafin led to a free throw from Lanse Dorcelus. Dorcelus missed his second free throw but tracked down the rebound and sliced through the defense for two, making it 46-45 with 45 seconds to play. Each team missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and then the Tigers were able to get one final stop at the buzzer to secure the win. Senior Jake Grimaldi scored a team-high 12 points while Zach Tagliamonte and Dan Reilly also had six points. Dorcelus had a game-high 16 points and Nate Mei added 14 points for the Bulldogs.

Stoughton, 59 @ Foxboro, 67 – Final (2OT) – Foxboro senior Dylan Gordon scored nine points in the fourth quarter and added 10 more in the two overtime periods to help the Warriors outlast visiting Stoughton. The Black Knights led by 10 late in the third quarter and took a 38-31 lead into the fourth. With the game tied at 44-44, junior Andrew Finn hit a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead 46-44 but Stoughton sophomore Liam Pearl hit two free throws of his own with 27.5 seconds left to tie it and send it to overtime. Gordon (25 points) split a pair of defenders on a take to the basket with just under 40 seconds to go but Pearl launched a three as time expired to send it to a second overtime. Sam Golub (12 points) hit his second three of the game to put the Warriors ahead and a steal from Cam Barreira led to a layup for Gordon to make it 61-56 and the Warriors never looked back. Alex Penders added 14 points for the Warriors. Connor Andrews led the visitors with 21 points, including 11 in the third quarter, Cashmere Mathurin added 14 points, and Pearl finished with 11 points.

King Philip, 71 @ Taunton, 82 – Final – Taunton senior Trent Santos scored a team-high 22 points while classmates Tristan Herry and Faisal Mass each scored 18 to help the Tigers outscore the visiting Warriors. Santos hit three three-pointers in the opening half, dropping 15 of his 22 points to help Taunton stake a 44-43 edge at the break. Herry added half of his points in the second half and Jordan Costa had six of his eight as Taunton pulled away down the stretch. King Philip junior Will Laplante split his 26 points evenly between the two halves while Danny Clancy added 13 points and Braeden Sottile chipped in with 10 points.

Mansfield, 65 @ Milford, 34 – Final – Mansfield limited the hosts to single digits in each of the first three quarters, including just three in the second on its way to building a 30-11 halftime lead. The Hornets capped it with a 21-point fourth quarter to ice the win. Matt Hyland led the way with 15 points hitting two of the Hornets’ seven three pointers. Chris Hill added 10 points while both Anthony Sacchetti and Caden Colby chipped in with nine points. Paul Roberts led the Hawks with nine points.

North Attleboro, 41 @ Sharon, 55 – Final – North Attleboro had a good start to its season with a strong opening quarter but Sharon surged ahead by halftime and pulled away with a big second half. The Rocketeers led by two after a quarter but the were limited to eight points in each the second and third quarters by the Eagles’ defense. Will Hippler (eight points), Sam Cohen (12 points), and John Baez (nine points, six steals) each hit a three between the second and third quarters to help the Eagles pull ahead, leading 41-30 going into the final quarter. Cohen and junior Matt Baur tied for a team-high 12 points. North Attleboro senior Brody Rosenberg had a game-high 17 points for the Rocketeers, who had nine players enter the scoring column.

Girls Basketball
Franklin, 59 @ Attleboro, 32 – Final – Katie Peterson had 27 points and Franklin outscored the Bombardiers 30-14 in the second half to pull out a second win to start the season. The junior forward had eight points in each of the second and third quarters and buried a pair of threes. Olivia Quinn scored six points, all in the first half, helping Franklin jump out to a 29-18 lead by halftime. Sasha Tracey knocked down a pair of threes in the fourth quarter to finish with six points as well. Lindsey Perry was Attleboro’s top scorer with 14 points, scoring six points in each of the second and third quarters. Meghan Gordon was also in double digits, finishing with 10 points.

Canton, 42 @ Oliver Ames, 56 – Final – Jasmyn Cooper’s 17 points led OA to a second straight win to start the season (a 12th straight win going back to the beginning of last winter). Cooper (13 rebounds) scored 14 of her points in the first half, as the Tigers jumped out to a 12-point (28-16) lead by halftime. She also went 8-of-10 from the line on the night. The second half was nearly even, with the Tigers extending the lead by two points. Kaydance Derba added 12 points, 11 of them in the second half, and knocked down three from beyond the arc, while Caroline Peper scored 10 (eight in the second half) and had six steals. Hailey Bourne chipped in with eight points. Sydney and Fay Gallery combined for 33 of Canton’s 42 points, including 21 of the Bulldogs’ 26 in the second half. Sydney finished with 17 and buried three from outside. Fay scored 16 and had four threes.

Foxboro, 43 @ Stoughton, 30 – Final – Freshman Kailey Sullivan led the way with 11 points, as Foxboro earned its first win of the season. Erin Foley also finished in double digits with 10 points for the Warriors. Stoughton head coach Charmaine Steele Jordan praised her teams’ defensive effort for keeping them in the game. Offensively, Kate Bulger had 11 points while sophomore Kartina Varnum added nine points and nine rebounds for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 42 @ King Philip, 56 – Final – KP broke the game open in the third quarter to start the season with a second straight win. Jackie Bonner scored a career-high 26 points for the Warriors, knocking down four from beyond the arc. She scored 13 in each half, including nine in the second quarter as KP opened up a 22-16 lead at the break. She added seven in the fourth quarter to hold off a Taunton comeback attempt. Liv Lafond added 10 points, including seven in the second half, and Elizabeth Molla had all six of her points in the third, which KP won 20-8 to take a 42-24 lead into the fourth. Kameron St. Pierre eclipsed the 20-point mark for the second straight game, scoring 16 of her team-high 25 in the fourth quarter. St. Pierre went 9-of-10 from the line in the final eight minutes. Lexi Haywood added five points in the loss.

Milford, 17 @ Mansfield, 50 – Final – For the second straight game, Mansfield got off to a great start and never looked back. The Hornets took an 18-0 lead from the opening tip and improved to 2-0 on the season. Kara Santos had a big first half, scoring all 10 of her points, to help the Hornets lead by 19 at halftime. Abby Wager scored 11 points, including nine of Mansfield’s 15 in the third quarter, as the Hornets outscored Milford 15-2 to seal the win. Hallie Popat had a game-high 13 points, scoring eight in the second half and burying a trio of threes on the night. Milford was led by Maddalena Mannucci Pacini for the second game in a row. The foreign exchange student from Italy scored nine points, seven in the first half. Brooke Ferreira also chipped in with seven for the Hawks.

Sharon, 29 @ North Attleboro, 40 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Wrestling
Silver Lake Quad (Stoughton), 4:00

Boys Indoor Track
Sharon, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 74 – Final – Oliver Ames swept the 300M, the 600M, the 1000M, and the long jump to grab a big win over Sharon. Collin Williamson was a double winner for individual events, taking first in the 300M in 39.83 and first in the long jump at 19-01.00. Seniors Johnny MacDonald and Joshua Tocci took second and third, respectively, in the 300M while Guillermo Martino and Ashton Hart completed the sweep in the long jump. Senior Wyatt Fritchman took first in the 600M (1:35.73) followed by classmate Ryan Sroczynski and junior Ethan Mahoney, while junior Ryan Sarney had a league-best time of 2:44.43 in the 1000M, followed by sophomore Brendan Thomas and junior Alexander Pierce. Hart (50M, 6.97), Owen McMorrow (2 Mile, 10:12.30), Brady Burton (shot put, 36-00.00) and Fabrice Fouron (55M hurdles, 8.85; high jump, 5-06.00) also won for OA. Sharon senior Barry Spoto won the 1 Mile race in 5:03.27.

Stoughton, 50 @ Foxboro, 41 – Final

North Attleboro, 70 @ Canton, 29 – Final – Andrew Butler was a double winner for the Bulldogs, crossing first in the 300M (39.69) and winning the long jump with a leap of 19-05.00. Sophomore Sam Vail added a win in the 1000M (3:02.55) while Kyle Downing took first in the 1 Mile race (5:01.14).

Franklin @ King Philip, 4:00

Attleboro, 55 @ Mansfield, 45 – Final – Attleboro picked up key points from the field events, sweeping two and taking two out of three spots in another, to grab a win over Mansfield. Chris Leonardo set a PR with a throw of 44-03.00 to win the shot put, followed by Isaiah Traore and Isaac Pereira, while Blake Garzaro, Damon Dugan, and Hunter Camara swept the high jump. Mansfield’s Jake Wall won the long jump (21-10.75) but Kaiden Murray and James Hill grabbed key points by taking second and third, respectively. Murray also won the 300M and the Bombardiers swept the 2 Miles with Ethan Sylvia (10:54.72) first, followed by Lee Casstevens and Jefferey Hudon. Wall also won the 55M dash (PR time of 6.75) and the 55M hurdles (PR time of 7.89). Other winners for the Hornets included Grady Sullivan (PR time of 1:29.56 in the 600M), Collin Stevens (PR time of 2:57.62 in the 1000M), and Riley Tremblay (1 Mile, 4:49.01).

Taunton @ Milford, 4:00

Girls Indoor Track
Sharon, 34 @ Oliver Ames, 64 – Final

Stoughton, 50 @ Foxboro, 49 – Final

North Attleboro, 49 @ Canton, 51 – Final – Canton senior Kiley Hanlon won a pair of events and took second in another to help the Bulldogs edge out the Rocketeers. Hanlon was first in both the 55M dash (7.98) and the 300M (PR time of 44.88) while taking second in the high jump (4-06.00). Other winners for the Bulldogs included sophomore Liana Camille (600M, 1:57.79) and senior Ella Lewis (high jump, 4-08.00). Kate Oliver took second in both the 55M hurdles (10.86) and the long jump (13-10.50).

Franklin @ King Philip, 4:00

Attleboro, 15 @ Mansfield, 84 – Final – For Attleboro, junior Rebecca Rainey scored in a pair of events, taking second in the 300M (1:54.24) and third in the high jump (4-08.00) while senior Jahela Douglas earned a pair of third place finishes (300M, 49.05; long jump, 13-07.00).

Taunton, 51 @ Milford, 49 – Final – Freshman Emersyn DePonte set a pair of personal bests and won two events while classmate Colby Dunham had a huge kick in the final lap of the 2 Mile race to secure second place by less than a second, helping Taunton just edge out Milford. DePonte won both the 1 Mile (5:51.01) and the 2 Mile (12:32.58) while Dunham clocked in at 12:36.78 for second to pick up some key points. Junior Caelyn O’Leary won the 300M (PR time of 44.67), Nia Mainer-Smith (1:45.71) led a sweep of the 600M, and junior Quinlan Kiley (3:29.36) led a sweep of the 1000M for the Tigers.

Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 56 @ Taunton, 36 – Final
Foxboro, 42 @ Oliver Ames, 70 – Final
King Philip, 57 @ Milford, 89 – Final
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 7:30

Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 55 @ Taunton, 33 – Final
Foxboro, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 84 – Final
King Philip, 98 @ Milford, 57 – Final
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 7:30

Gymnastics
King Philip @ Attleboro, 7:30
Canton @ Mansfield, 7:30
North Attleboro, 116.8 @ Franklin, 143.6 – Final

12/13/202112/13/2021

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Attleboro

2020-2021 Record: 10-6
Coach: Mark Houle

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

After trotting out an entirely new lineup during the shortened COVID season a year ago, Attleboro is looking to build upon the foundation it built and contend for a Kelley-Rex title in a very deep division.

Senior Evan Houle and junior Trevor White are the two returning starters from a year ago but the Bombardiers have a lot of players back that saw valuable minutes off the bench as well. Houle and White both averaged 10 points per game a year ago and will be two of the main options on the offensive end of the court. Alvin Harrison and Joe Francois both played solid minutes last year and give the Bombardiers some size in the paint. Jake Struminski, Christian Dame, and Michael Beverly all played throughout last season and should be in the mix again this year.

The Bombardiers are getting a big boost in the backcourt with the addition of senior Colin Morais, who transferred in after playing in Rhode Island last year. Morais can score in a variety of ways and can really catch fire from three-point range so he will be a welcome addition to the lineup. Sophomore Neo Franco could see an expanded role right away and help provide additional defensive intensity and some scoring punch. Seniors Hayden Hagerty, senior Nathan Hunter-Evans, and junior Jaiden Outland give the Bombardiers some quality depth on the roster.

“I have been very impressed with our work ethic and how our players have set high standards in practice every day,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “I credit our recent graduates for the past several years who set the high expectations for our teams to work hard, be good teammates, and earn our success in practice. We’re looking forward to the always challenging Hockomock League schedule. We must be prepared and be ready to compete at a high level every game.”

Canton

2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Eric MacKinnon

A new chapter begins for the Bulldogs with Eric MacKinnon taking over as head coach after Ryan Gordy stepped down to take an athletics administrative position with Canton. MacKinnon, a former Hockomock League All-Star for Oliver Ames, has experience coaching at both the high school and collegiate levels and will try to guide a relatively inexperienced group through a tough league schedule.

Canton graduated seven seniors from last year’s team that accounted for nearly 90% of the team’s points scored last year. But with that loss comes a lot of new opportunities for new players to fit into the lineup and rotation. Senior Lanse Dorcelus possesses the most experience of anyone on the roster after getting pulled up to varsity his freshmen year and seeing an expanded role in each of the past two seasons. He could be primed for a breakout year with his ability to attack the rim, and he can score in bunches when he gets going.

Dorcelus is joined by Dillon Nguyen, Conor Hunter, and Nate Mei as returners from last year. All three of those players know what it’s like to play at the varsity level in the Hockomock League so MacKinnon will be leaning on their experience as the Bulldogs try to navigate through a very challenging schedule. MacKinnon is hoping to have the Dogs playing with pace in the halfcourt and will be looking to have a balanced attack on offense with a presence in the post but also a roster that can hit from outside.

“We have a mix of guys who have had varsity experience along with some juniors who weren’t able to swing last year because of covid protocols,” MacKinnon said. “We know we’ll need to be efficient offensively and be sound on the other end to compete every night in this league. We’ve made progress in our early practices and I’ve been impressed by our senior leadership.”

Foxboro

2020-2021 Record: 2-9
Coach: Jon Gibbs

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

There were a lot of growing pains for the Warriors last season, resulting in a 2-9 record during the shortened COVID season. But with its entire starting lineup back plus some added depth, Foxboro could be looking at a worst-to-first type turnaround in 2022.

Senior Dylan Gordon, fresh off an incredible football season for the Warriors, had a breakout season a year ago and was one of the leading scorers in the Hock at 16 points per game. He’s joined by junior Alex Penders, who had some dominant moments at times last year in the paint and averaged 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and juniors Ryan LeClair, Sam Golub (6.4 PPG), and Sean O’Leary. Juniors Andrew Finn and Cam Barreira both played solid minutes at points last year so the Warriors boast eight veteran players now, which is a vast difference from last year when everyone on the roster was making their varsity debut.

The Warriors will look to boast a balanced offensive attack and have the weapons to do so. Whether it’s Penders down low in the post, Gordon slashing to the basket, or Golub lighting it up from deep, Foxboro has options all over the court. Head coach Jon Gibbs is hoping the experience and chemistry the group gained last year will provide a strong foundation for this season. Defensively, the Warriors have some size and length that will allow them to protect the paint, contest shots, and rebound at a high level.

“We have a deep team this year,” Gibbs said. “Guys are pushing each other hard in practice every day as they work to carve out roles for themselves. If we can defend and rebound at a championship level, we have the potential for a very successful season.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Franklin

2020-2021 Record: 6-5
Coach: CJ Neely

Last season marked the second straight year that the Panthers graduated a large senior class and that means there are a lot of opportunities for new faces to step into the starting lineup and expanded roles this year around.

While the Panthers will have an entirely new starting lineup, Franklin will most certainly be right in the mix in a Kelley-Rex division that is jammed-pack with talent. Gone are leading scorer Declan Walmsley (17.5 points per game) along with the next two leading scorers on last year’s roster in Andrew Byfield (10.2) and Jake O’Brien (9.9). Key depth pieces like Zach Harvey (4.5) and Alex Newman (3.6) also graduated so head coach CJ Neely will be working with some new options this year.

Sophomore Henry Digiorgio burst onto the scene as a freshman a year ago and he’s the top returning scorer at 5.4 points per game, although he did reach double figures in the scoring column three times. Sean Vinson and Ben Harvey are the other two players back in the fold that saw some minutes a season ago. But something we’ve seen Franklin do year-in and year-out is reload so there will certainly be some new names to emerge over the next couple of weeks.

While the players change, the style of Franklin basketball has been consistent for years and defense remains to be the calling card under Neely. The Panthers are always a team that puts a lot of pressure, moves the ball around on the offensive end, and incorporates a lot of motion off the ball to keep opposing defenses on their heels.

“Guys have really showed up ready to compete for jobs,” Neely said. “Obviously with five graduating starters from last year’s team there are a lot of roles up for grabs and practices have been great. We have had a very competitive preseason and it has shown that we have a lot of depth and it will be an ongoing battle all year to earn your spot and maintain your spot throughout the year.”

King Philip

2020-2021 Record: 0-10
Head Coach: Dave DeStefano

With a strong mix of experienced players and new faces, King Philip is looking to make some noise in a very talented and deep Kelley-Rex division, one of the best divisions in the state.

Head coach Dave DeStefano is back after missing the COVID season due to the birth of his son and has seven seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen on the roster to work with this year. KP has a solid foundation with two returning starters back and both averaged double figures in the scoring column. Junior Will Laplante had a breakout year and will be someone every opposing defense will have to keep an eye on after averaging 16.4 points per game last year. And senior Danny Clancy is one of the hardest-working players and fights for a lot of rebounds on the offensive glass; he averaged 12.2 points per game last year.

Senior Charlie Grant, fresh off leading the King Philip football team to the state final at quarterback, is confident with the ball in his hands and will be like a quarterback for the offense by setting the tempo. Seniors Sean Sullivan and Braeden Sottile will be looking to build on their minutes from a season ago and could see expanded roles this go around. Seniors Will Martorano (6’5) and Drew Danson (6’3) should give the Warriors a big, physical presence in the paint. DeStefano is also expecting juniors Tommy Martorano, Grant Kinney, and Collin Peck to be in the mix after improving a lot over the offseason.

“The boys have really committed this offseason,” said DeStefano, who is hoping a combination of athleticism and physicality lead to success this year. “The practices so far have been really competitive and physical. We know that everyone in this league can score the ball and if we want to be successful we are going to have to commit on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Mansfield

2020-2021 Record: 15-1 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
Coach: Mike Vaughan

Mansfield won another division title last season and expectations are sky high yet again this year, as the Hornets look to win their 10th straight Kelley-Rex division title and go on a deep tournament run.

While the Hornets reload every year, they have a pretty good head start this season already with senior Matt Hyland and junior Chris Hill back in the lineup. Both boast a lot of experience at the varsity level and are capable of being the best player on the court. Mansfield lost 1,000-point score Matt Boen (just the second player to reach that milestone under head coach Mike Vaughan despite all of the program’s success) to graduation so both Hyland and Hill will take on more responsibility on the offensive end of the floor.

Seniors Jack Lasbury-Casey, Andrew Slaney, and Anthony Sacchetti, along with sophomore Trevor Foley, all saw minutes during last year’s shortened COVID season and could be in line for expanded roles this year. Sacchetti has impressed in the preseason so far and the Hornets have played well with him on the floor, Foley (6’5) creates a lot of matchup problems with his size and athleticism, and both Lasbury-Casey and Slaney can give the offense a boost with their outside shooting.

Caden Colby, Dante James, and JT Veiking all are coming off very successful seasons of JV and the same goes for sophomore Eddie McCoy, who had a strong year on the freshmen squad. All four players are all in the mix for minutes and give the Hornets a very deep roster. The Hornets are looking to use their size and length to their advantage, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

“Overall the expectations are the same, we want to qualify for the tournament as quickly as possible by playing one game at a time, win the league title, and win multiple tournament games,” Vaughan said. “With the quality of the league and our tough non-league schedule, we have a challenge ahead of us but I think we have the pieces to be a very talented and quality basketball team on both ends of the floor.”

Milford

2020-2021 Record: 3-9
Coach: Paul Seaver

It’s not uncommon for a program to graduate its entire starting lineup, and it’s not even uncommon to see the majority of a roster turnover because of graduation. But Milford is in a unique situation in which it graduated its entire team. That’s right, Milford will boast a roster full of players without a minute of varsity experience.

Head coach Paul Seaver has four seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen as the Hawks write a new ~~chapter~~ book in program history. Coaches in the Hockomock League will be checking in with their subvarsity coaches, and maybe even their metro coaches, to try and get an idea of what to expect from the Hawks this year.

While we’ll learn more about the Hawks as the season goes on, we do know one thing. Seaver will be leaning on the leadership of senior captains Nick Schuler and Paul Roberts. Both Schuler and Roberts have varsity experience in other sports so their leadership will be key for a program that will be experiencing this level for the first time.

“With a brand new crop of guys this season, we look to compete on both sides of the floor this year while working towards reestablishing the culture and environment of Milford basketball,” Seaver said.

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

North Attleboro

2020-2021 Record: 8-3
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins

The Rocketeers have a roster mixed with new faces and a handful of experienced players and are hoping that combination can lead to some success in a loaded Hockomock League.

After graduating just two seniors two years ago, North lost half of its roster from last year and all five were players that saw valuable minutes for head coach Sean Mukerrins. But on the plus side, the four players back all played a lot of minutes including starters and potential league all-stars Brody Rosenberg and Casey Poirier. Rosenberg was second on the team last year in scoring with 10.4 points per game last year and will need to take on more responsibility on the offensive end this year. Poirier is a capable guard that is confident with the ball in his hands and likes to spread the rock around.

Seniors Gavin Wells (6’3) and Nate Bennett (6’3) are the other two returners for the Big Red and both improved as the season went on last year. Wells emerged as a threat from the perimeter, dropping a season-high 13 points in a road win over Foxboro last season. Bennett can play in a variety of roles and he gives North some good size on the defensive end.

North has developed a reputation for being disciplined and well-prepared on the defensive end of the court, and that will likely be the strength for the squad again this year. On the offensive end, the Rocketeers will follow the lead of Rosenberg and Poirier as an unselfish group that is always looking for the best shot.

“We are excited to get the season started and see where we stack up against the rest of the Hockomock League,” Mulkerrins said. “After graduating a tremendous 2021 class, this group is excited to step in and carve our roles that will help our team succeed.”

Oliver Ames

2020-2021 Record: 9-1 (Davenport division champions)
Coach: Oliver Vil

Oliver Ames had a terrific showing during the shortened COVID season, winning the Davenport division in its first season back after four years in the Kelley-Rex division.

Oliver Vil takes over as head coach of the program after the untimely passing of legendary and Hall of Fame coach Don Byron in June. Byron coached through his battle with cancer for the past couple of seasons, leading the Tigers to the Davenport crown with a 9-1 record last winter.

Vil and the Tigers will honor Byron this season when they play Abington; Byron coached the Green Wave to a sectional title in his final season there before coming to Oliver Ames. The Tigers will be raising funds for Coaches vs. Cancer when they host Abington on December 23rd.

Vil, who was an assistant under Byron before taking the head coaching job at Walpole, has two key pieces back from last year’s squad. Senior Drew Baxter is a crafty guard that can really get going on the offensive side of the ball and score in a variety of ways; he will spearhead the offense while Jake Grimaldi, a senior co-captain, gives the Tigers some size down low. After graduating nine seniors from last year’s roster, there are a lot of opportunities for new faces to take advantage of.

“I look forward to continuing the great tradition at OA,” Vil said. “There are big shoes to fill, but my mentor Don Byron has prepared me for this position. I’m excited for this opportunity and challenge.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Sharon

2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Andrew Ferguson

Sharon built a solid foundation during last year’s COVID-shortened season and now expectations are high as the Eagles look to build on it and compete for the Davenport division title.

The Eagles have a good chunk of the roster back from last year, all with an important year of experience now under the belt, and an impressive group of young players that are ready to make an immediate impact at the varsity level. Senior John Baez is in his fourth year with the varsity team and will be joined by senior Ryan Zunenshine in the backcourt to give the Eagles an experienced duo spearheading the offense.

The strong senior class also features Sam Cohen, Will Hippler, Donyae Pierre, Nate Yaffe, Ryan Baker, and Brent Cham. Cohen burst onto the scene at the end of his sophomore year and can light it up from three-point range while Hippler is a versatile player that gives the Eagles defensively flexibility. Junior Matt Baur is poised for a breakout season and might be the best player on the court on both sides of the court for the Eagles.

Sophomores Nate Katznelson and Jacob McLoughlin impressed in their first year playing high school ball last year and now will make the jump to the varsity level and could make an immediate impact. Juniors Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman give Sharon quality depth at the guard position. Sharon is hoping to get all five guys on the court involved on the offensive end of the court while a revamped defense could be the spark the Eagles need.

“We are thankful to be playing another season and thank the work of the athletic directors of the league to ensure a full season,” said head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We have been working extremely hard throughout the offseason and the early season to hit the ground running. We have a tight-knit team who have been growing together over the past few years and we can’t wait to get the season started.”

Stoughton

2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Evan Taylor

With just one starter back from last year, second-year head coach Evan Taylor is relying on a mix of new faces and some returners to make up the nucleus of this year’s squad.

Connor Andrews is the lone starter back for the Black Knights after averaging 8.5 points a year ago. But Stoughton also has a pair of juniors in Josh Rivera and Cashmere Mathurin, along with junior Rayan Sablon, that played meaningful minutes and are in line for expanded roles for the 2021-2022 season. Andrews can do it all on the offensive end and does a lot of the little things right. Not only can he light up the scoreboard with his outside shooting, but he also sets the tone with his hustle and rebounding.

Rivera is a capable ball-handler and likes to get his teammates involved; his energy will set the tone of the defensive end. Matherin’s size and athleticism will give a lot of teams trouble this year and Stoughton is looking for him to be one of the best rim protectors in the league. Sablon will play a variety of roles for the Knights, capable of playing as both the one and the two depending on the scenario. Freshman Matt Greenspoon is a player to watch as the season goes on.

Taylor is putting a big focus on the defensive end of the floor during the preseason. The Black Knights allowed the second-most points against in the Davenport division this year so a renewed focus on defense — with an emphasis on using their speed and athleticism to cause havoc — will be something to keep an eye on.

“We are very pleased with the energy and competition level at practice and we are expecting to be very competitive in the Davenport division this season,” Taylor said.

taunton

2020-2021 Record: 10-1 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
Coach: Charlie Dacey

Last season will always be “what if” for the Tigers, who won their first Hock title by sharing the Kelley-Rex division title with Mansfield. But the past is the past and Taunton is focused on the future, which could be another league title.

There will certainly be a bit of a new look for Taunton with the centerpiece of the offense from the past two seasons Tyler Stewart now causing problems for opponents in the Commonwealth Coast Conference as a member of the Wentworth men’s basketball team, and three-year starter Josh Lopes now suiting up for American International College.

But not all is lost as the Tigers have its three other starters from last year’s squad back in the mix and ready to challenge for another Kelley-Rex crown. Trent Santos is now a three-year starter and led the Tigers in scoring last year with 15.2 points per game and he will be one of the top players in the league again this year. Tristan Herry made a huge jump between his sophomore and junior year and is looking to continue that trend this year, the heart and soul of the defense. And Faisal Mass made a big splash last year and can hurt teams in a variety of ways.

The Tigers are getting a boost with the addition of Jordan Costa, who provides a big boost in the rebounding category and can cause some damage around the rim. He’ll be joined by junior Matt Small (6’4) to give the Tigers another option down low. Sophomores Troy Santos and Morrisette could be contributors to the lineup right away for Taunton.

“We’re looking to be aggressive defensively and dynamic offensively with varied skills being able to finish from different spots and different personnel,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

11/06/2021

Foxboro Picks Off Newburyport In Playoff Opener

Foxboro football — Foxboro senior Tre Stith hauls in an interception in the second quarter. Stith returned it for Foxboro’s third pick six of the game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – Foxboro’s defense needed just one play to put its stamp on the playoff opener against Newburyport.

By halftime, the Warriors’ defense had a season’s worth of highlights.

Foxboro football

Foxboro had its first of three first half pick-sixes on the very first play of the game, added a blocked punt before the break, and the third-seeded Warriors rolled to a 45-13 win over #14 Newburyport in the first round of the Division 4 tournament.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Senior Dylan Gordon continued his spectacular season by returning the first pass of the game 22-yards to the house, added a rushing touchdown on Foxboro’s first offensive series of the game, and tacked on a 47-yard pick-six with just under three minutes left in the opening quarter.

Senior Tre Stith also had an interception returned for a touchdown from 45 yards out, senior Tom Marcucella tossed a pair of touchdowns — one to classmate Tom Sharkey and one to classmate Nick Medeiros — and sophomore Brandon Mazenkes-O’Grady blocked a punt that led to a field goal from junior Sam Carpenter.

“From what we saw on film, they had some weapons,” said Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli. “We knew that had a kid coming back that had been out and their quarterback can make things up but we kind of kept him in check. We jumped out with those interceptions for touchdowns and that kind of made the rest of the way easier.”

On the first play, the pass popped off the chest of the intended receiver and Gordon snatched it from the air, sprinting down the right sideline and into the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 10 seconds into the game. It marked Gordon’s second straight game with an interception return for a touchdown.

Foxboro football

Foxboro got the ball back after the Clippers’ drive stalled near midfield but it didn’t take long for the Warriors to march down field. In fact, it took just four plays and each one was a handoff to Gordon. After over 30 yards on the first three carries, Gordon broke free up the left side following some nice blocks from Steve Bridges and Ryan Addeche, breaking away for a 45-yard touchdown as he outran the Newburyport secondary across the field and into the end zone.

As the Clippers tried to orchestrate an answer, their drive came to another sudden halt. On the fifth play, facing a 3rd and 7, the pass over the middle was sniffed out by Gordon and he found space along the left sideline for a 47-yard pick-six, his 29th total touchdown of the season (20 rushing, six receiving, three interception returns).

“I’m amazed every week, the numbers he’s put up this year are inconceivable from my perspective,” Martinelli said of Gordon. “He does it on both sides of the ball too. Defensively, he’s got that something you can’t teach, that knack. You can put kids in position but he takes it the next step and executes. It’s kind of uncanny. I haven’t seen a kid like him in a long time to be honest.”

While Gordon only had 95 yards on the ground, he averaged over 11 yards per carry. He’s gone over 200 yards of offense in five games this season. Foxboro’s offense only ran 12 plays in the first half and scored on a quarter of them.

Rashaad Way had a big punt return to give Foxboro great field possession but the Warriors’ offense stalled some with a pair of incomplete passes and Foxboro settled for a 38-yard boot through the uprights from Carpenter.

The Warriors started their next drive at their own 45-yard line but quickly moved down the field. After a couple of runs from Gordon, Marcucella went with the play fake and had time in the pocket with good protection from Dylan Kerrigan, Aidan Hughes, and Andrew Finn. Medeiros released up the middle and was wide open for a 21-yard touchdown and a 31-0 lead with 6:50 left in the second quarter.

Newburyport was forced into a three-and-out on its next series but the punt was blocked by Mazenkes-O’Grady, who came flying in from the left side and leaped with his hands raised. The ball bounced all the way back to the Clippers’ own 20-yard line.

On the first play, Marcucella fired a quick pass to the left sideline to Sharkey and he used his speed to race past the defense and into the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown.

Foxboro football

The Foxboro defense added a cherry on top of what was already an impressive first half when Stith hauled in an interception and was able to break free from the receiver and go in for a 45-yard touchdown and a 45-0 lead at halftime.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I kind of like it because there’s no preconceived notion on prior games, they just go out and do what they can do,” Martinelli said of the new statewide format and playing new teams. “You can see film but you don’t always know the quality of the opponent or get to see them physically. [Newburyport] has some good young kids so they’ll be good again next year.”

With a comfortable lead, the Warriors were able to take out all of its starters on both sides of the ball. Newburyport scored on a 62-yard interception return from Jack Hadden in the third quarter and then quarterback Finn Sullivan kept it for a 19-yard rushing score in the fourth.

Foxboro football

Foxboro (8-1) will return to the Ahern Middle School next week for a D4 Quarterfinal matchup with #11 Wilmington, who knocked off #6 Middleboro on Friday night. The game is set for a 7:00 PM kickoff.

10/16/2021

Foxboro Hits It Big In Second Half to Sink North

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Even down by eight points and with a zero on the score board midway through the third quarter, Foxboro had confidence that its offense could figure things out. The top scoring team in the league, averaging more than 42 points per game heading into Friday night’s visit to Community Field, it felt like only a matter of time until the Warriors hit a big play.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

It turned out that the confidence was far from misplaced. Foxboro scored on three straight possessions, needing only four plays combined, to flip the game around and beat North Attleboro 21-14, putting the Warriors in the driver’s seat to win its first league title since 2015 and first outright league title since 2010.

“They weren’t down,” Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli. “They weren’t doubting themselves. We just kind of had the will to hang in there and rely on the kids who’ve done it all year.”

He added, “Those kids (North) played their hearts out too. It was kind of a game that nobody should’ve lost and nobody should’ve won, but I’m sure glad we did.”

Leading 2-0 coming out of halftime, North tried to put together one of its patented long scoring drives to take control, but things stalled around midfield and the Rocketeers were forced to punt. On Foxboro’s first play of the third quarter, Dylan Gordon coughed up the ball trying to extend a play and Kaiden Leary recovered for North at the Warriors 25.

Two plays later, freshman Chase Frisoli (7-of-17, 71 yards) hit Gavin Wellss, who started on the opposite side of the field and worked his way across the entire secondary, at the front pylon for a 24-yard score. The extra point was no good.

On the first play of Foxboro’s next possession, Gordon (17 carries, 142 yards) finally broke free, bursting through the line for 30 yards into North territory. The next play finished in the end zone. Tom Marcucella, who only completed three passes on the night, fired the ball out to Rashaad Way (three receptions, 146 yards) on a receiver screen. Way somehow tiptoed down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown. The same duo combined on a two-point conversion to tie it.

North’s momentum may have been stalled, but the Rocketeers followed that with their best drive of the night. The hosts went 72 yards on 11 plays to regain the advantage. It was all done on the ground, as Tyler Bannon (17 carries, 97 yards) and Tyler DeMattio (21 carries, 109 yards) pounded out six first downs. DeMattio capped the drive with a one-yard plunge, taking a hit that sent his helmet flying in the process.

There was a long injury break before North lined up for the conversion and Bannon was stuffed at the one to keep the score 14-8.

Foxboro took over at its own 28. Just 13 seconds later, the Warriors had their first lead. Gordon flashed through the middle of the line untouched and sailed past the North secondary for a 72-yard touchdown run. Sam Carpenter’s kick put Foxboro ahead.

After forcing a three-and-out, the visitors took over at their own 42. A holding call backed them up an additional 10 yards, but that just added extra yards for Way to burn through. Another screen pass from Marcucella got Way into space and he did the rest, blowing past the secondary for 68 yards.

“That was our fear going in, they have that big-play capability,” North coach Don Johnson said. “Every single play Rashaad can score on the edge and Gordon inside. We didn’t give them any big plays in the first half and they hit them in the second half.”

North’s next drive reached Foxboro territory, but Bannon was dropped for a loss of one on second and six from the 40. Frisoli was then brought down on a keeper for no gain by Ryan Addeche and Steve Bridges. On fourth and seven, Frisoli went deep but Way made an acrobatic interception. North would get one more chance starting at its own 42, but this time it was Dylan Kerrigan stepping in to make the pick and seal the win.

It was appropriate that the defense got to make the final play for the Warriors because it was the defense that kept Foxboro in the game in the first half. North was getting pressure in the backfield from the opening kick, with DeMattio flying through for a sack to end Foxboro’s first drive and Bannon getting one on the second. Bannon turned the game around with a booming 50-yard punt that pinned Foxboro inside its own 10 to start the second quarter. Three plays later, Bannon got through on the punt block, knocking the ball out the back of the end zone for a safety.

“We hung around,” Martinelli said. “We bent defensively, but it didn’t hurt us on the scoreboard. It could’ve been a lot worse at halftime, not only on the scoreboard but emotionally and that didn’t happen.”

The Rocketeers had chances to break the game open, starting each of the next three possessions in Foxboro territory. Andrew Finn’s sack and a holding call stymied the first drive. Good pressure from Addeche helped slow down another drive in the red zone, which ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down. A good tackle by Gordon and more penalties helped keep the third drive from ending in points.

“We shot ourselves in the foot too often,” Johnson explained. “We had more holding calls in the first half then we’ve had all season. That was a big difference maker. We should’ve had more points and had a little lead to work with.”

He added, “We gave them too many opportunities.”

Foxboro nearly grabbed the lead heading into the locker room. Marcucella nearly was intercepted by Garrett Ingelese on first down but Gordon followed with a nice run and Way caught his first pass of the night and broke it 38 yards to set up a short Carpenter kick. The Rocketeers were able to get a tip on it and it stayed 2-0 at the break.

“At halftime, we just said it’s 2-0,” Martinelli said. “It’s a long game, especially with the 12-minute periods. The big play kids made the big plays. Gordon, Marcucella to Rashaad, then Kerrigan on defense all with big plays.”

Foxboro (5-1, 2-0) will travel to Canton next week looking to secure at least a share of the league title. North Attleboro (2-3, 1-1) will try to keep the pressure on Foxboro and keep alive hopes for a split with a trip to Oliver Ames.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

09/07/2021

Football: 2021 Davenport Division Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Davenport Football Preview

2021 Davenport Division Preview

Canton

2020 Record: 2-5
Coach: Anthony Fallon

Key/Returning Players: Colin Albert, Sr., RB/LB; Andrew Butler, Sr., WR/DB; Charlie Cox, Jr., WR/DB; Bashor Mahn, Sr., RB/LB; Vincent O’Brien, Sr., WR/DB

Outlook:
Canton was bound to have a rebuilding year in 2020, as the Bulldogs moved on from a historically successful class of players that won back-to-back league titles for the first time since the early 80s. With a second year under head coach Anthony Fallon, Canton will be looking to build on that experience and try to climb back up the standings this fall.

The strength for the Bulldogs will be on defense. Canton has a tough linebacking corps and an experienced secondary to try and slow down opposing offenses. There will be some new faces up front after graduations on the line of scrimmage but there are playmakers in this defensive unit. Senior Colin Albert is a tough tackler and someone who covers a lot of ground at linebacker and he’s joined by classmate Bashor Mahn, who is a leader on that side of the ball. Senior Andy Butler and junior Charlie Cox return at the safety positions and senior Vincent O’Brien is the top cover guy at corner.

Offensively, Canton battled injuries and consistency last year, but there are players capable of making big plays. Albert is a bruising runner, who filled in nicely last season after an injury to starting running back Cam Sanchez. Mahn will add depth and a different dynamic in the backfield. Butler, O’Brien, and Cox are a trio of tough receivers that can be used in various ways. As on defense, there will be some new faces up front but decent size and there is also youth at the quarterback position.

“Our strength will be our defense,” Fallon said. “With a strong core of LBs back and three of our four secondary guys we should be tough to score on. On offense we will be young but big up front and have a couple of guys who can spring some big plays.”

2021 Davenport Division Preview

Foxboro

2020 Record: 3-2
Coach: Jack Martinelli

Key/Returning Players: Ryan Addeche, Sr., NT; Steven Bridges, Sr., C/DT; Sam Carpenter, Jr., K; Andrew Finn, Jr., OL/DE; Dylan Gordon, Sr., RB/SS; Aidan Hughes, Sr., OL/DL; Dylan Kerrigan, Sr., G/LB; Eric Kristenson, Sr., G/LB; Omarion Otto-Broomstein, Sr., RB/LB; Tom Sharkey, Sr., WR/CB; Rashaad Way, Sr., WR/CB

Outlook:
Foxboro came as close as anyone to beating North Attleboro last season and nearly forced a three-way tie at the top of the Davenport division. As usual, the Warriors did it with defense, allowing only 48 points in five games with only Stoughton and North reaching double digits. This season, the Warriors should be right in the mix again with experienced skill position players and speed all over the field.

Senior Tom Marcucella is the returning quarterback from last year and he should have a lot of weapons to utilize in the Foxboro offense. Dylan Gordon is stepping in as the primary back this year with dynamic athletes Rashaad Way and Tom Sharkey lining up on the outside. Foxboro should have good balance on that side of the ball. There is also plenty of experience on the line, led by seniors Dylan Kerrigan, Steven Bridges, and Eric Kristenson. Special teams should also chip in with points this year, as junior kicker Sam Carpenter is back after a strong sophomore season and Way will be one of the top return threats in the league.

Defense is something the program prides itself on and the Warriors are looking at a deep, experienced group at linebacker and a playmaking secondary. Senior nose tackle Ryan Addeche, junior defensive end Andrew Finn, and senior Aidan Hughes will add to the strength at the line of scrimmage. Senior Omarion Otto-Broomstein and Kerrigan will be the players to watch at linebacker with their combo of speed and aggressiveness. The secondary is filled with ball-hawks, including Gordon, Sharkey, and Way.

“We are greatly looking forward to a somewhat normal football season even with a very short turnaround period from last year,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli. “The kids are excited, resilient, and appear to be making the focused transition while retaining a great deal of what was taught last year.”

2021 Davenport Division Preview

North Attleboro

2020 Record: 6-0 (Davenport division champion)
Coach: Don Johnson

Key/Returning Players: Tyler Bannon, Sr., RB/LB; Greg Berthiaume, Jr., WR/LB; Danny Curran, Sr., WR/DB; Tyler DeMattio, Sr., QB; Zach Gallagher, Jr., OL/DL; Joey Perriello, Sr., WR/DB; Nathan Shultz, Jr., WR/DB; Jared Vacher, Sr., OL/DE; Gavin Wells, Sr., WR/DB; Keysun Wise, Sr., OL/DL

Outlook:
North Attleboro has won the league title in five of the past six seasons, including four out of five in the Davenport. The Rocketeers bounced back last year by going unbeaten and regaining the title. Now Big Red returns an experienced crew on both sides of the ball and, as usual, will have the target on its back as the team to beat in the division. North faces Bishop Feehan, Mansfield, and King Philip to start the season so will know right away where it stands.

It starts on offense with senior Tyler DeMattio. North’s quarterback is a playmaker using either his arm or his legs and is just as capable grinding out a long drive as hitting a big play for a touchdown. Keeping DeMattio healthy will be a key and to help give other weapons in the backfield, senior Tyler Bannon will be used as a power back. There is a lot of talent in the slot and out wide with seniors Danny Curran, Gavin Wells, and Joey Perriello among the players who could step in and contribute. Up front, senior Jared Vacher will be the leader of the offensive line, and his versatility allows some flexibility as to where players slot in. Senior Keysun Wise will also be counted on to open holes for DeMattio and the offense.

On defense, North will have several positions to fill and players that will be building experience over the course of the season. Linebacker should be a strength. Bannon is a playmaker on the outside, whether he lines up on the end as a pass rusher or drops back into coverage. Junior Greg Berthiaume started as the “mike” last year as a sophomore and has great instincts when reading the play. Vacher and Wise will get help on the line from junior Zach Gallagher, who started on the offensive line as a sophomore. The secondary is athletic, with Nathan Shultz (a three-year varsity player) joined by Wells, Curran, and Perriello.

“On the proverbial ‘paper’ we’ve got some experience coming back that should enable us to be competitive, but every year is a new team that comes with new leadership and a cast of different players that have to find a way to get it done,” said North coach Don Johnson. “We have to develop some quality depth and stay healthy if we want to be in the hunt in the end.”

2021 Davenport Division Preview

Oliver Ames

2020 Record: 1-5
Coach: Ed DeWitt

Key/Returning Players: John Carey, Jr., OL/DL; Sean Friel, Jr., WR/DB; Jake Grimaldi, Sr., QB; Jaden Hinton, Sr., OL/DL; Robert Jenkins, Jr., RB/DB; Jack Morley, Jr., RB/LB; Minh Nguyen, Sr., OL/DL; Onyekachukwu-Obinani Nwadiugwu, Sr., OL/LB; Chad Silva, Jr., RB/LB; Collin Williamson, Sr., RB/DB; Chris Young, Jr., OL/DL

Outlook:
Oliver Ames is in its second year back in the Davenport division and head coach Ed DeWitt is looking for the Tigers to push up the standings and be more competitive with the teams above them. With experienced players coming back, especially at the skill positions, OA will be focused on more consistency on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, the Tigers only scored 46 points in six games last year, and only twice did they score more than 10 points in a game. OA will need more scoring punch to try and make a bigger impact in the league. Junior running back Chad Silva will be the focal point of the attack again this season. A bruising, every down back, Silva is a downhill runner that is hard to tackle. Senior Collin Williamson gives OA a change of pace with his ability to get to the outside and make people miss. Senior quarterback Jake Grimaldi is the leader on that side of the ball with classmate Sean Friel being a top target on the outside.

Up front, OA returns several players who will have key roles on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Senior Onyekachukwu-Obinani Nwadiugwu will play on the line on offense and drop back to linebacker on defense. Seniors Minh Nguyen and Jaden Hinton and juniors John Carey and Chris Young add to the size at the line. Silva and classmate Jack Morley are both strong linebackers who can cover a lot of ground. Williamson, Friel, and junior Robert Jenkins will give OA playmakers in the secondary. The concern for the Tigers will be depth over the course of a long season.

“We are trying to get to a more competitive level within the league,” DeWitt said. “We need to take that next step of being a team that makes other teams work hard. We want to be a difficult team to play against.”

2021 Davenport Division Preview

Stoughton

2020 Record: 5-2
Coach: Greg Burke

Key/Returning Players: Brady Clark, Sr., QB/DB; Anthony Girolamo, Sr., FB/LB; Liam Joyce, Sr., OG/DL; Jonah Ly, Sr., WB/LB; Emmett Pearl, Sr., WR/SS; Konrad Rogers, Sr., RB/LB

Outlook:
The Black Knights came up just short in the quest for the Davenport division during the Fall 2 season, and there will be plenty of new faces stepping into new roles this season. Stoughton graduated a very talented senior class that featured nearly a dozen players that played at least two years at the varsity level, highlighted by division MVP Christopher Ais, Christian Ais, Christian Georges, and quarterback John Burke among others.

Now there’s a group mixed with some returners and some new faces eager to prove that Stoughton isn’t in a rebuilding year, but just reloaded and looking to battle for the division crown. Senior linebacker and fullback Anthony Girolamo was one of Stoughton’s most impactful players last season before an injury cut his season short. When he’s back in the mix, he’ll be one of the top players on both sides of the ball for the Black Knights. Senior Jonah Ly was a two-way starter last year and will likely see an increased role on the offensive end alongside classmates Emmett Pearl and Konrad Rogers.

Both Pearl and Rogers will be key targets for new senior quarterback Brady Clark, who is eager to take over after the Knights had three seniors at the position last season. After the Knights introduced a handful of new faces to the line for the Fall 2 season, now Stoughton has a good amount of experience helping protect Clark while also paving the way for Stoughton’s ground game, which is always dangerous. Returning starter and senior Liam Joyce will be an anchor the offensive line for Stoughton this season.

Defense is always a calling card for Stoughton and the Knights will be looking to continue that tradition this year. Against division opponents last year, only North Attleboro (14 points) scored more than one touchdown against Stoughton, who allowed just one touchdown to each OA, Foxboro, and Canton. Rogers, who will get snaps at running back on offense, had a breakout year on defense a year ago and will be one of the top linebackers in the league this year.

On top of the always challenging Davenport division, Stoughton has a tough non-league schedule that features a pair of teams from the Kelley-Rex in Mansfield (Week 3) and Milford (Week 7).

“Hopefully we can stay healthy and get through a super tough schedule,” said longtime head coach Greg Burke.