Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 55 – Final – Attleboro closed the third quarter with a big run to take the lead and held off a late push from Oliver Ames to get the win. Hayden Crowley, Connor Houle, and Jaiden Outland hit consecutive three-pointers and Justin Hanrahan added a bucket as the Bombardiers finished the third with an 11-0 surge, extending a two-point lead at halftime (24-22) into a 43-35 edge going into the fourth. The Tigers rallied to make it a four-point game at 55-51 but the Bombardiers were able to close it out. Crowley led a balanced scoring attack for the Bombardiers with a team-high 13 points while Neo Franco added 12 points in the win. Michael Beverly chipped in with nine points while both Outland and Hanrahan finished with eight points. Sophomore Cole Craffey paced Oliver Ames with 22 points while freshman Soren Lolonga added 21 points for the Tigers.
Milford, 46 @ Canton, 52 – Final – Canton’s Caden Mirliani and Jamaal McConnell had key back-to-back baskets midway through the fourth quarter to help the Bulldogs secure a win over Milford and a back-and-forth contest. The Hawks had a slim lead at halftime (27-24) and after three quarters (39-37) but the Bulldogs won the fourth quarter to win the game. Zaza Francoeur (team-high 18 points) drilled a three just under two minutes into the final frame to give Canton its first lead of the quarter but Milford freshman CJ Farrell (team-high 12 points) responded with a traditional three-point play to bring the Hawks level. Midway through the fourth, Mirliani sank a three, and after a stop defensively, found McConnell (nine points) for a bucket plus the foul, and after a made free throw, Canton had a six-point edge and the lead for good. Andrew Rivera chipped in with 11 points for Milford.
King Philip, 58 @ Foxboro, 50 – Final – King Philip erupted for nine three-pointers in the second half alone to overcome a 16-point deficit at halftime and beat Foxboro on the road. The hosts controlled the play in the opening two quarters, holding the visitors to eight points in each the first and second quarters. Senior Alex Penders shined in that same stretch, scoring 16 of his team-high 24 points in the opening 16 minutes to give Foxboro a 32-16 edge at the break. Grant Kinney (12 points) and Tommy McLeish (six points) each hit a pair of threes in the third and Tommy Kilroy (seven points) added another as KP outscored the hosts 17-7 in the third to shrink the deficit down to 39-33 going into the fourth. KP kept hitting from downtown in the fourth as Will Laplante hit one (and had nine of his 11 points in the final quarter) and Trevor Clyde hit two more and had all eight of his points in the fourth, and the Warriors finished with 13 three-pointers, and just five made two-point field goals.
Franklin, 78 @ Sharon, 51 – Final – Franklin had a dominant showing in the second half, pouring in 22 points in the third and 23 more points in the fourth to run away with a big win over Sharon. The Panthers established a 33-25 lead at halftime but the offense came to life with eight players finding the scoring column in the second half. Junior Sean O’Leary stayed hot on the offensive end with a game-high 25 points while senior Ben Harvey had a stellar game with 15 points – including 10 in the second half – along with 11 rebounds and 12 assists for a triple double. Justin Allen hit a trio of three-pointers on the game and scored 10 of his 13 points after the break and Geino Scaringello added a pair of threes and 10 points total. Jacob McLoughlin led a balanced scoring attack for the Eagles with 10 points while Matt Baur and Nate Katznelson each had nine points.
North Attleboro, 53 @ Stoughton, 55 – Final (OT) – Stoughton scored its only seven points of overtime in the final minute of play to pull out a win over North Attleboro. Stoughton’s Jayden Costa-Haywood (19 points) sank a free throw with 5.2 seconds left to give the Black Knights a 48-45 lead but North Attleboro’s Givany Carney (10 points) sank a three at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. The Rocketeers built a 53-48 lead with a bucket from sophomore Ryan Bannon (14 points) and a three from sophomore Jonnie Obuchowski. With under a minute to go, Stoughton had a three miss but Jarred Daughtry (10 points) wrestled the ball free under the basket and eventually finished a layup himself, plus the foul. A questionable technical foul led to a total of three free throws and Daughtry sank them all. The Black Knights got the ball back and Costa-Haywood was fouled, and he sank both of his free throws to take the lead. Stoughton was able to get a final stop to hold on for the win. North led 29-28 at half but a 15-point third quarter saw the Knights surge ahead going into the fourth. Liam Pearl added 15 points for Stoughton.
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 50 @ Attleboro, 57 – Final – Attleboro scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, breaking open a tie game and pulling out a win that keeps the Bombardiers unbeaten in the league and alone atop the Kelley-Rex division. Kayla Goldrick finished with a game-high 19 points to lead the hosts, while freshman Avery Gamble led the Tigers with 18 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the free throw line. The Bombardiers got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 21-11 lead after the first. Goldrick scored eight points, Lily Routhier buried a pair of threes (her only points of the night), and Vanessa Ellis chipped in with five to put the home team in front. Gamble would score 13 points between the second and third quarters, matching Attleboro’s total by herself, to help OA climb back into the game, tying things at 34 apiece with eight minutes to go. The Bombardiers found another gear in the fourth, as Ellis scored nine of her 18 points in the frame, Goldrick added five more, and Avery James scored six of her nine points to help pull out the win. Kaydance Derba scored 14 points for OA and added two blocks and two steals, while Sarah Hilliard scored 11 points, 10 of them in the second half. Katherine Farley was big on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds in the first half for the Tigers.
Canton, 44 @ Milford, 50 – Final – Milford outscored Canton 15-9 in the fourth quarter to pull out its first league win of the season and second win its last three games. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks with 16 points, 11 of them in the first half as Milford led 24-22 at the break. Samya DaSilva was the game’s top scorer with 22. She scored 12 of Canton’s 15 points in the first quarter to keep things close. DaSilva added seven points and Erin Beatty scored six of her eight total in the third, as the Bulldogs managed to tie the game at 34-34 going into the fourth. Ferreira scored four points and freshman Katelyn Kearnan each scored four points in the final quarter to help seal the win. Emily Croteau added eight points for Milford and Han Hong chipped in with six points for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 86 @ King Philip, 41 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Davenport-leading Foxboro surpassed the 80-point mark for the second straight game, putting together a 37-5 run between the opening two quarters to open up a big lead that it would never relinquish. Fresh off a new career-high on Friday night, Kailey Sullivan continued her hot shooting, burying four triples and scoring a game-high 27 points. Sullivan opened the game with 12 in the first quarter, as Foxboro went from 8-7 down to a 26-13 lead. The Warriors then opened the second by scoring the next 18 points before a Maddie Paschke three in the final minute of the quarter. Sullivan added another 10 in the third and Addie Ruter (20 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks) chipped in with eight points to keep pushing the lead. Camryn Collins finished with 19 points, including nine in the fourth, as well as eight rebounds, six assists, and six steals. Erin Foley also had a strong all-around game with seven points, eight rebounds, and five steals. KP was led by Emily Sawyer with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Jackie Bonner added nine points and three assists. Jessi Persky scored all six of her points in the fourth for KP.
Sharon, 31 @ Franklin, 73 – Final – Thirteen players got on the score sheet for the Panthers, who won for the second straight game. Franklin took a 29-15 lead into the locker room, but scored 44 points in the second half to pull away for a convincing victory. Katie Peterson scored 15 points for the hosts, including 11 of their 19 in the third quarter. Sasha Tracey had nine, all in the second half, and Bridget Leo, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each finished with eight points for Franklin. Jasmine Davis scored a game-high 21 points for the Eagles, continuing her impressive junior season. Carmen Leonardi chipped in with six, all in the third quatter.
Mansfield, 72 @ Taunton, 43 – Final – Mansfield’s offense clicked from the start on Tuesday and the Hornets, for the second time this season, matched a program-high with 72 points. The Hornets scored 41 points in the first half, including 24 in the second quarter, to open up a significant lead before the break and added another 31 after halftime to maintain that advantage. Abby Wager finished with a game-high 25 points and Kara Santos added 18 for the Hornets. The duo combined for 27 points in the first half, while Olivia Salisbury added seven before the break. Sophomore Franchesca Spagna came off the bench to score a career-high nine points, all in the fourth. Taunton got 11 points from freshman Taryn Campbell and 10 points from Skylar McCrohan. Cali Melo added seven of her nine points in the second half for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 31 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final – North Attleboro jumped out to a 29-11 lead at halftime, using its full-court press to cause problems for the Black Knights, and pick up a win that moves the Rocketeers back above .500 in league play. Sam Faria helped North get off to a great start, scoring all of her game-high 16 points in the opening half, outscoring Stoughton on her own. Katie Corsetti added 14 points for the hosts. The Black Knights rallied in the second half, closing the gap with a little run, but North found the plays it needed to close out the win. Raina Tat was Stoughton’s top scorer with eight points. Kirsten McKay had seven points and six rebounds, Katrina Varnum finished with six points and 12 boards, and Leah McCarty added six points and six rebounds in the loss.
Boys Basketball
King Philip, 74 @ Attleboro, 67 – Final – King Philip built a big lead, survived a rally from Attleboro, and held on for a key win on the road. The Warriors used a 20-point first quarter to establish a double-digit lead carried that advantage into the fourth quarter with a 58-46 lead after three quarters. A quick 6-0 surge — back-to-back threes from Tommy Martorano (19 points) and Tommy Kilroy — to start the fourth pushed the lead to its peak at 64-46 less than a minute into the final frame. But from there, it was a big run from the hosts as the Bombardiers rattled off a 17-2 run over the next five minutes as Jaiden Outland hit a 10-foot jumper to make it a one-possession game. Attleboro forced a turnover but KP got it right back on a steal and score from Tommy McLeish (career-high 15 points) with two minutes to go. A pair of free throws from Outland got the hosts within three again but missed on two chances to cut into the deficit. Trevor Clyde (11 points) converted a layup on the other end, KP got a stop, and Grant Kinney laid in a transition bucket to pull away in the final minute. Will Laplante added 17 points for KP while Outland led Attleboro with a game-high 24 points. Neo Franco added 15 points and freshman Connor Houle chipped in with a career-high 11 points for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 59 @ Stoughton, 54 – Final – Canton got off to a strong start in the first quarter and never trailed the rest of the way, securing a key Davenport division win on the road at Stoughton. Matt Chafin (15 points), Jamaal McConnell (11 points) and Caden Mirliani (10 points) each hit a three in the opening frame to help the Bulldogs build a 17-8 lead after eight minutes. The Black Knights battled to get back into it, trailing by three (34-31) at halftime but Canton kept the advantage through three (46-40) and throughout the fourth quarter. Zaza Francoeur added 13 points for the Bulldogs, scoring eight in the second half. Stoughton had four players reach double figures with Jayden Costa-Haywood leading the way with 13 points. Matt Greenspoon added 12 points and both Tagh Swierzewski and Jarred Daughtry had 11 points.
Taunton, 53 @ Franklin, 61 – Final – Franklin erased a first quarter deficit with a big second quarter, nearly pulled away in the third quarter, and then held off a late comeback bid from Taunton to stay undefeated on the year. Taunton senior Chris Perault (16 points) hit a pair of first quarter threes to give the Tigers a 14-8 lead after one but Franklin’s offense cashed in for 18 points in the second as junior Sean O’Leary started to get going. O’Leary had 10 of his career-high 34 points in the second to jump start the offense and Franklin also got points from Andrew O’Neill (10 points), Bradley Herndon, Justin Allen, and Hansy Jacques to stake a 26-21 halftime lead. An 8-1 start to the second half presented the Panthers with their first double-digit edge but the Tigers clawed back into it got it down to 47-38 going into the fourth. Taunton rallied with a 9-2 run inside the final four minutes and cut the deficit down to five in the final moments but Franklin pulled away for the win. O’Leary finished 10-for-14 from the line and hit 11 field goals — nine from 2-point range. Taunton junior Troy Santos scored 15 of his team-high 22 points after the break to keep the Tigers close.
Oliver Ames, 41 @ Mansfield, 58 – Final – Mansfield built a big lead with an impressive second quarter and then blew the game wide open with a dominant third on its way to a victory over Oliver Ames. The Hornets led by just three (10-7) after eight minutes but exploded for 19 points in the second as Trevor Foley scored eight of his 20 points (tied a career-high) in the second and Chris Hill (10 points), Eddie McCoy, JT Veiking, and Davon Sanders each chipped in with points to give Mansfield a 29-14 halftime lead. Mansfield’s offense continued on but the defense really impressed in the third, holding the Tigers to just four points — one field goal and two free throws. Foley added 10 more in the period as the lead ballooned to 47-18 going into the fourth. Sophomore Cole Craffey led OA with 13 points.
North Attleboro, 44 @ Milford, 58 – Final – Milford got off to a great start with 18 points in the first quarter and opened the second half with 19 points in the third quarter and never looked back in a win at home over North Attleboro. Luca Testa paced the Hawks early on, dropping 10 of his 13 points in the first quarter to help Milford stake an early 18-6 lead. North’s Givany Carney had nine of his team-high 16 points in the second to help the Rocketeers keep pace going into halftime (30-18) but Milford had five players contribute to the scoring in a big third quarter to pull away for good. Sophomore Andrew Rivera had 7 of his team-high 15 points in the third, Gus Coutinho added five more, and Testa, CJ Farrell, and Nick Araujo all added to the scoring.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 58 @ King Philip, 44 – Final – Attleboro broke the game open with a 15-6 third quarter, pulling out a big road win that leaves the Bombardiers alone in first place in the Kelley-Rex through a quarter of the league campaign. Lily Routhier scored seven of her team-high 15 points in the first, as Attleboro jumped in front 19-13. Emily Sawyer helped KP cut into the deficit by scoring 10 of her team’s 12 points in the second, making it a five-point game heading into the locker rooms. Sawyer would finish with a game-high 18. Kayla Goldrick scored 14 for Attleboro, including 11 in the second half, while Avery James added 13 and Vanessa Ellis had 10 points. The Bombardiers knocked down 10 three-pointers as a team, with James and Routhier each hitting three. Maddie Paschke joined Sawyer in double digits for the Warriors, scoring 12 points, and Jackie Bonner and Taylor Regan each scored seven.
Stoughton, 25 @ Canton, 50 – Final – Canton’s defense locked down the Stoughton offense, allowing no more than eight points in any quarter and only three points over the final eight minutes, to even its record at 2-2. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 29-14 lead at halftime, added a point to their lead in the third, and then outscored the Black Knights 12-3 in the fourth to put the game away. Samya DaSilva scored a team-high 11 points for Canton, including eight in the fourth. Erin Beatty scored nine points, all in the first half, and knocked down a pair of threes. Mercia Kolokithas had six, also with a pair from beyond the arc, and Ava McCoole and Emily McCabe each scored five points in the win. Freshman Kirsten McKay led all scorers with 12 points, 10 of them coming before the break. Leah McCarty added six points and Alyssa Edwards finished with five, including an and-one that was all of the Black Knights’ points in the fourth.
Foxboro, 89 @ Sharon, 40 – Final – Kailey Sullivan buried eight three-pointers and scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win that keeps them alone atop the Davenport division. Camryn Collins added 18 points and Addie Ruter had 16 for Foxboro, which had all 10 players get on the scoresheet.
Franklin, 59 @ Taunton, 39 – Final – Franklin got off to a strong start, jumping out to an 18-8 lead after one quarter, extended the lead to 15 at halftime and handed Taunton its first league loss of the season. Chloe Fales scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Panthers. She scored 13 of her points in the first half and went 8-for-10 from the line. Katie Peterson added 13 points, eight in the first half, and Lizzie Newman and Caelyn Leonard each scored seven for the Panthers. Taunton was led by Cali Melo, who scored all 11 of her points in the first half. Taryn Campbell chipped in with six points for the Tigers, who also got five points apiece from Jillian Doherty and Aaliyah Yera.
Milford, 29 @ North Attleboro, 43 – Final – North Attleboro put in a strong defensive performance to pick up its second win of the season. The Rocketeers held Milford to just 10 points in the opening half to build a double-digit lead. Milford rallied several times in the second half, but each time North was able to find a way to stymie the comeback. Sam Faria knocked down five from beyond the arc and finished with a career-high 20 points, powering the North offense to its third-highest scoring day of the season. Maryellen Charette gave North a post presence, finishing with 10 points.
Boys Swimming
King Philip @ Attleboro, 7:00
Canton @ Foxboro, 7:30
North Attleboro, 60 @ Milford, 76 – Final – Corey Rattray, Stefano Bonito, and Josh Anderson each won three events to lead the Hawks to the league win. Rattray took first place in the 100-free, as well as being part of the winning 200 medley an 200 free relay teams. Bonito was also part of both relay wins and also claimed the top spot in the 50 free. Anderson was on the 200 free relay and grabbed individual wins in both the 200 and the 500 free. Oskar Khoury also had a pair of wins for Milford, as part of the 200 medley relay and in the 200 IM.
Oliver Ames @ Sharon, 6:00
Girls Swimming
King Philip @ Attleboro, 7:00
Canton @ Foxboro, 7:30
North Attleboro, 82 @ Milford, 79 – Final – North Attleboro got a big day from Vivian Racine to pull out a close win over Milford. Racine took first in four events on Friday afternoon, finishing tops individually in the 100 breast and 200 IM. She was also part of the winning 400 free relay, along with Hannah Liang, Gianna Leco, and Sophia Roukhadze, and the 200 medley relay, with Cassie Hobson, Megan Atwood, and Liang. Leco also took first in the 100 fly. Milford kept it close from start-to-finish, thanks in large part to the three first-place finishes for Sarah Wengel. She was the top swimmer in the 50 free and the 100 free, and was part of the winning 200 free relay, joined by Caitlyn Bangert, Vedi Raval, and Madelyn Stochaj.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 33 vs. Randolph, 41 – Final – Canton made a run to start the fourth quarter but Randolph never surrendered the lead and held on to win the inaugural Derrick Snowden Memorial Holiday championship. The Blue Devils carried a 35-29 lead into the fourth quarter but buckets from Matt Chafin and Zaza Francoeur pulled the Bulldogs within two points. However, the offense went cold and Randolph added just enough insurance to get the win. Chafin finished with a team-high 10 points while Francoeur had eight points.
Milford, 71 vs. Uxbridge, 49 – Final – Milford scored 15 points or more in all four quarters, pulling away for good with a 21-point fourth quarter in the championship game of the Scarlet Hawk Holiday Invitational. Sophomore Andrew Rivera scored a season-high 22 points, hitting a trio of three-pointers, to pace the Milford offense. Luca Testa had his second straight big game offensively with 18 points and freshman CJ Farrell scored all 11 of his points in the first three quarters.
North Attleboro, 45 @ East Bridgewater, 48 – Final – North Attleboro rallied at the end of the third to build an eight-point lead but East Bridgewater closed out the final five minutes of the game with a 15-4 run to get the win. The Rocketeers trailed 26-22 in the third but rallied for a 13-1 run over the final 2:30 to flip a four point deficit to an eight-point lead. Chris Hanewich scored all nine of his points in the third, seven of which came in the run. His three started it and a layup at the buzzer ended it with Jonnie Obuchowski (12 points) adding four points and Ryan Bannon adding two more. Obuchowski and Chase Frisoli hit back-to-back threes early in the fourth to keep North ahead by eight but East Bridgewater chipped away and cashed in on a turnover with less than a minute to go for the winning three-pointer. Ayden Delaney scored a team-high 14 points for North
Taunton, 73 @ Durfee, 76 – Final – Taunton rallied multiple times throughout the game to get close to Durfee but the Tigers were never quite able to erase a first half 14-point deficit against the Hilltoppers. Durfee jumped out to a 19-9 after a quarter, led by as much as 14 points (23-9), and carried a 35-29 lead into halftime. Durfee exploded for 24 points in the third quarter and led 57-44 going into the fourth. Troy Santos scored 23 of his team-high 28 points in the second half, including five points in the final minute as the Tigers fought all the way back to get within one possession. With under a minute to go, Santos had a traditional three-point play, freshman Jakari Innoncent sank two free throws, Santos added two more free throws, and after a steal with 10 seconds left, Tyson Carter banked in a three to make it 76-73. Durfee inbounded the ball but with just 0.9 seconds left, the Tigers got the foul. Durfee missed both free throws but there wasn’t enough time to get a full court short off on the rebound. Innocent scored a career-high 16 points and senior Chris Perault added 15 points.
King Philip, 74 @ Framingham, 66 – Final – King Philip led by as much as 20 points in the second half and locked in defensively in the fourth when Framingham cut it to three, earning a win in the championship game of the Framingham Holiday Hoopla tournament. Senior Will Laplante had his second straight big game offensively, pouring in a team-high 26 points to earn tournament MVP honors. Laplante scored 11 points in the opening quarter to give KP the lead after one (18-16) while sophomore Tommy Kilroy sank half of his six three-pointers in the second quarter on his way to a career-high 21 points. Kilroy was named to the all-tournament team. Laplante added 10 more in the third, Kilroy tossed in another triple, and Tommy Martorano (15 points) had eight points in the third as KP’s lead ballooned to 20 points. The Flyers fought back to cut the deficit to three but KP forced eight fourth quarter turnovers to hold on.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 52 @ Wachusett, 61 – Final – Despite 17 points from Camryn Collins, Foxboro suffered its first defeat of the season against a Wachusett team that was in the Div. 1 Final Four last year. Ava Hill chipped in with a dozen points and Addie Ruter had eight points and 14 rebounds.
Mansfield, 58 vs. East Bridgewater, 24 – Final – Mansfield had 11 different scorers to win the consolation round of the Hearts for Hope Tournament. Abby Wager was the top scorer for the Hornets with 21 points and Kara Santos also hit double figures, with 12.
Oliver Ames, 39 vs. Bishop Fenwick, 49 – Final – Kaydance Derba scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds and freshman Kamryn Derba added nine points and six boards for the Tigers in the consolation round of the Sue Rivard Tournament. Sarah Hilliard chipped in with nine points and five rebounds, while guard Maddie Homer led the team with seven rebounds.
Taunton, 39 vs. Durfee, 49 – Final
Sharon, 40 @ Quincy, 67 – Final – Jasmine Davis scored 22 points, but the Eagles fell in the final of the Quincy Holiday Tournament.
Milford, 33 @ Hopkinton, 31 – Final – Milford held off a furious Hopkinton comeback in the closing quarter to secure its first win of the season. The Hawks held Hopkinton to only 16 points through the first 24 minutes but then the Hillers exploded for 15 in the final quarter. Aliza Syed scored a team-high 10 points for the Hawks, including five of their 10 points in the fourth to hold on for the win. Freshman Katelyn Kearnan had seven points and Brooke Ferreira scored six, as well as taking a critical charge late in the game.
North Attleboro, 35 vs. Holliston, 43 – Final – Even without senior Ava McKeon, North battled throughout and trailed by only four going into the fourth quarter, but the Rocketeers only scored five points in the final eight minutes and the Panthers pulled out the win. The game was tied 22-22 late in the opening half, but Holliston finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish. Katie Corsetti scored 10 points to pace North, while Sam Faria added nine.
King Philip, 50 vs. Shrewsbury, 35 – Final – After a tough loss last night, the Warriors bounced back with an impressive win on Thursday morning in the consolation game of the Holiday Hoopla Tournament. Maddie Paschke and Emily Sawyer each scored 14 points to help KP pick up the win. Shrewsbury held an 11-8 lead after one quarter, but KP clicked into gear in the second, outscoring the Colonials 16-6, to grab the lead. Paschke scored seven points in the second and Jackie Bonner added five. Jessi Persky, Jordan Bennett, and Bonner each knocked down threes to keep the lead at seven after three quarters. KP put the game away with a 15-7 fourth. Sawyer scored six points, Paschke got an and-one, and Kylie Watson and Kaelyn Clancy each hit from beyond the arc to seal the victory for the Warriors. KP made seven threes as a team.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro @ Dartmouth, 4:30 (@ Hetland Arena)
Oliver Ames, 5 vs. Old Rochester, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jack Perron potted his second goal of the game with three minutes to go to break a 3-3 tie and Matt Lawson tacked on an empty net goal to give the Tigers a 5-3 win over Old Rochester in the Dartmouth Holiday Tournament championship. OA led 1-0 at the end of the first and the score stayed the game going into the third. Old Rochester battled back to tie it at 3-3 before Perron and Lawson ended it. Freshman Brendan Teehan scored his first career goal and Jack Corey also scored for OA.
King Philip, 8 vs. North Quincy, 1 – Final
Stoughton/Brockton, 7 vs. Tri-County, 2 – Final – Stoughton/Brockton exploded for seven goals to capture the Bellingham Christmas Tournament championship with a 7-2 win over Tri-County. Colby Strunk led the charge with a hat trick while Sean Farley lit the lamp twice in the win. Ryan Summers and Anthony DeSoura each added one goal while Sean McGowan had a solid performance in net for the Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 1 vs. Longmeadow, 4 – Final – Longmeadow added a late power play goal and an empty netter to pull away in the third period. Julia Flynn scored the lone goal for the Panthers with an end-to-end rush.
King Philip, 1 vs. Medway/Ashland, 2 – Final (OT) – Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal for KP and Mallory Johnston continued her strong play in net, making 36 saves. KP will face Natick tomorrow in the consolation round of the Medway New Year’s Classic.
Boys Basketball
Mansfield, 71 vs. Bedford, 44 – Final – JT Veiking sparked a big run to start the second quarter that allowed the Hornets to pull away from a convincing win over visiting Bedford. Veiking scored 13 of his career-high 20 points in the midst of 19-2 run from the Hornets to start the second half, turning a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter (20-13) into a large double digit advantage. Senior Chris Hill had another strong all-around performance for the Hornets with 16 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four assists while Eddie McCoy chipped in with 12 points.
Milford, 90 vs. Assabet Valley, 31 – Final – Milford had nine players score, four with 13 or more points, and rolled to a win over Assabet Valley in an opening round matchup of the 2nd Annual Scarlet Hawks Holiday Invitational. Sophomore Andrew Rivera scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half while classmate Luca Testa accounted for three of Milford’s 11 three-pointers and finished with a career-high 17 points. Wyatt Zagami and Tyler Ballard (14 rebounds) each chipped in with 13 points.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 59 vs. Hingham, 31 – Final – Foxboro picked up a big non-league win to continue its unbeaten start to the season. Sophomore Addie Ruter had another impressive game in the post for the Warriors, scoring a career-high 24 points to pick up the win. Camryn Collins added 18 points for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 37 vs. Carlsbad (Calif.), 46 – Final
Milford, 30 @ Westboro, 38 – Final – Milford led after the first quarter, but then was outscored 22-11 over the second and third quarters. Emily Croteau was the top scorer for the shorthanded Hawks with 12 points. She scored eight of the team’s 10 points in the first, as Milford took a 10-8 lead, and then added four in the fourth, as Milford outscored the Rangers 9-8 in an attempt to come from behind. Aliza Syed added seven for Milford, including five of the team’s six points in the third quarter.
North Attleboro, 32 vs. Bedford, 45 – Final – North’s scoring struggles continued in a rematch against Bedford. The Rocketeers scored only 11 points before the break, fell behind by double digits, and never recovered, despite playing tough defense all game long and rallying to cut the lead to 10 with a little more than a minute to play. Maryellen Charette led the Rocketeers with nine points and Sam Sweeney finished with eight.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 4 vs. Old Rochester, 6 – Final
Franklin, 7 @ Malden Catholic, 2 – Final – Franklin had six different players find the back of the net as the Panthers used an offensive explosion to take down Malden Catholic. Anthony Lampasona had a pair of goals while Carter Balducci, Dan Daley, Jack Wernig, Logan Marchand, and Ryan Sicchio each scored once in the win.
King Philip, 3 vs. Milton, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Dartmouth, 2 – Final – Matt Lawson recorded a hat trick to lift Oliver Ames to a hard-fought win on the road over Dartmouth. Lawson lit the lamp in the opening period and then tacked on two more in the third, including the game-winner with a minute to go. Lawson’s third goal put OA up 3-1 before Dartmouth scored with 16 seconds left to make it a one-goal game. Brandon Burke had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Stoughton/Brockton, 4 vs. Holliston, 2 – Final – Colby Strunk scored a pair of goals to lead Stoughton/Brockton to a win in the opening round of the Bellingham Holiday Tournament. Jake McSweeney netted his first career goal and Charlie Caputo also found the back of the net. Dmytro Yakovenko had a strong game in net to earn the win.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 0 vs. Cape Cod, 2 – Final
Gymnastics
Taunton, 132.35 @ Franklin, 133.75 – Final – Franklin’s Emma Nelson took first both on the bars and on the beam on her way to taking first in the all-around, helping the Panthers pull off a close win over Taunton. Nelson took first on the bars with an 8.5 and on the beam with an 8.8, adding a second place score of 8.65 on the vault. Molly Chandler was Franklin’s top scorer on the vault (8.7) while Maia Keohane (8.8) was first on the floor.
Boys Basketball
Milford, 55 @ Attleboro, 63 – Final – Attleboro sank four of their nine threes in the fourth quarter to pull away from visiting Milford for their first win in their new gym. Jaiden Outland, who had a game-high 15 points, had one of those threes and scored seven points in the fourth while Hayden Crowley (nine points), Michael Beverly (14 points), and Neo Franco (10 points) also hit from downtown in the frame. Franco had a steal and a layup with just under two minutes to go to push Attleboro’s lead to 59-51 but a jumper from Andrew Rivera (at 1:26) and a layup from Luca Testa (with 45 seconds) brought the Hawks within four, at 59-55. Justin Hanrahan, Beverly, and Outland hit free throws down the stretch, and Spencer Sherck drew a charge to help the Bombardiers close out the win in the final minute. Attleboro head coach Mark Houle praised Sherck’s defensive effort against Milford, who were without two rotation players. Freshman CJ Farrell led Milford with 15 points, Ryan Franklin added 12 points, and Testa finished with 11 points.
Mansfield, 59 @ Foxboro, 50 – Final – Mansfield built a 12-point lead at halftime and opened the second half with a 12-0 run to surge past Foxboro in their first showdown as division rivals. After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with a halfcourt buzzer beater from Trevor Foley (nine points, seven rebounds), Mansfield locked in defensively and limited the Warriors to just two field goals, outscoring the hosts 14-6 to build a 33-21 lead at halftime. Caden Colby (career-high 14 points) hit one of his four threes, Davon Sanders drove to the bucket for two, and Eddie McCoy (nine points) had back-to-back baskets, including a three, and Chris Hill (17 points, eight rebounds) finished a tough layup in transition as the Hornets pushed their lead to 45-21 with 4:30 to go in the third. Foxboro closed on a 13-0 run over the final three minutes to get to the final score. Alex Penders led Foxboro with 16 points while both Ryan Kelley and Sam Golub had eight points apiece.
Franklin, 58 @ King Philip, 50 – Final – Franklin finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, shaking an upset-minded King Philip squad, to grab a 58-50 win on the road. The Panthers led by two at the end of the first quarter (13-11) and halftime (24-22), and carried a three-point lead into the fourth quarter (40-37). Justin Allen hit a pair of key three-pointers in the fourth, Hansy Jacques had six of his 10 points in the frame, and the Panthers got a bucket each from Bradley Herndon, Ben Harvey (13 points), and Sean O’Leary (14 points) to close out the win. After a quiet first half, King Philip senior Will Laplante scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half while Tommy Kilroy added a career-high 12 points.
North Attleboro, 51 @ Taunton, 69 – Final – Buoyed by a 20-point second quarter and a 26-point third quarter, Taunton ran away with a big win at home over visiting North Attleboro. Chris Volcy exploded in the second half, netting 18 of his career-high 20 points to help the Tigers pull away. Senior Chris Perault added a career-high 19 points, knocking down all three of Taunton’s three-pointers. The Rocketeers and Tigers were locked in at 11-11 after eight minutes but Taunton established a 31-20 lead by the break as Troy Santos scored seven of his 11 points in the second quarter. Jonnie Obuchowski and Derek Maceda each scored nine points for the Rocketeers.
Stoughton, 45 @ Oliver Ames, 50 – Final – A see-saw back and forth battle ended with Oliver Ames holding on for a 50-45 win over neighboring Stoughton. With under two minutes to play and locked in a one-possession game at 43-40, Oliver Ames got a pair of big baskets from a pair of underclassmen. Sophomore Cole Craffey drove to the basket for a layup and freshman Soren Lolonga drained a three just before the minute mark to push the Tigers’ lead to 48-40. Stoughton freshman Aiden Wideout answered with a bucket down low off a feed from Liam Pearl, but Craffey was able to work his way through the defense with 20 seconds left to make it 50-42. Matt Greenspoon knocked down a three with 5.7 seconds left to close the gap to 50-45 but OA held on for the win. Chris Elias scored 10 of his team-high 15 points in the second quarter while Lolonga had all 15 of his points in the second half. Stoughton’s Jayden Costa-Haywood finished with a team-high 19 points while Greenspoon added 16 points for the Black Knights, who led 19-18 at halftime.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 56 @ Milford, 35 – Final – Attleboro had three players score in double figures and jumped out to a 20-point lead by halftime to secure its second straight win. Kayla Goldrick and Lily Routhier led the Bombardiers with 13 points apiece. Goldrick helped the visitors get off to a good start with six in the first and Routhier helped build a 36-16 lead at the break with a pair of threes and nine points in the second. Vanessa Ellis scored nine of her 11 points to help break the game open early. Merry Bosh added seven in the win. Milford was led by Erin Michelson’s nine points, all coming in the second half. Aliza Syed scored eight and Olivia Baglione chipped in with six for the Hawks.
Foxboro, 67 @ Mansfield, 31 – Final – Foxboro made it two straight wins to start the season with a dominant road win over fellow division title contender Mansfield. Camryn Collins powered the Warriors on offense with 24 points. Addie Ruter had 13 to continue her strong start to the season with another double-digit scoring night. Erin Foley chipped in with 10.
King Philip, 43 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Thanks to a strong first half, Franklin picked up a second straight home win to start the season and kept alive its league win streak to 44 games. The Panthers jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one quarter and extended it to 31-15 going into the locker room. Sophomore Chloe Fales (career-high 16 points) and Katie Peterson (14 points) combined for 15 in the opening half and Caelyn Leonard buried a pair of threes and scored all eight of her points in the first. KP picked up its offense in the second half, and cut the lead to as little as seven points, but Franklin held on to secure the victory. Emily Sawyer scored 16 points, including eight in the third. Jackie Bonner had 13 points and Maddie Paschke added 11 in the loss.
Taunton, 46 @ North Attleboro, 32 – Final – Taunton put in a strong defensive performance to make it two wins from two games under first-year coach Gretchen Rodrigues. The Tigers held North to just 10 points in the first half (building a 13-point lead at the break) and then just six in the third quarter to pull away. Jillian Doherty led the way with 14 for the Tigers, including eight of the team’s 12 points in the first. Cali Melo added nine points, while sophomore Chelsea Bousquet had eight and freshman Taryn Campbell added seven. On a tough shooting night as a team, North was led by Ava McKeon’s 15 points. She scored 12 of North’s 16 in the fourth as the hosts tried to mount a late comeback. Freshman Ella McLaughlin added eight points in the loss.
Oliver Ames, 79 @ Stoughton, 42 – Final – OA carried over momentum from the second half of its opener against Franklin and exploded for 79 points on Friday to even its record after two games. The Tigers jumped out to a 21-5 lead after one quarter, extended it to 45-17 at halftime, and added another 22 points in the third. Freshman Kamryn Derba knocked down five three-pointers and finished with a game- (and career-) high 20 points. Classmate Avery Gamble added 14 points (on 9-of-11 from the line) and the duo combined for 25 points before the break. Freshman Maeve Horsman had 12 points, Kaydance Derba scored 11, and Annie Reilly had nine for OA. Stoughton also got an impressive performance from a freshman, as Kirsten McKay scored eight of her career-high 15 points in the third. She added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Raina Tat chipped in with 10 points and Alyssa Edwards added eight. Katrina Varnum pulled down 14 rebounds for the Black Knights.
Wrestling
Silver Lake Quad (Franklin), 4:00
Boys Swimming
Foxboro, 40 @ Milford, 69 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 58 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 85 – Final
Girls Swimming
Foxboro, 71 @ Milford, 87 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 32 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 84 – Final
North Attleboro, 51 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Canton took the lead early and played from ahead, doing just enough to shake a resilient North Attleboro squad for a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs had different players step up throughout the game with juniors Zaza Francoeur (career-high 18 points) and Jamaal McConnell (17 points in his Bulldog debut) leading the way. Francoeur and McConnell each scored seven points in the second to help the Bulldogs establish a 29-24 lead at halftime. In the third, Caden Mirliani hit a pair of threes while sophomore Anthony Diletizia also scored to keep Canton ahead by five, 40-35, going into the fourth. Senior Matt Chafin and Diletizia each had a three in the fourth, McConnell added four more, and Francoeur (5/6 from the free throw line) helped the Bulldogs close it out with seven more points in the fourth. Ayden Delaney led a balanced scoring effort from North Attleboro with 11 points while Givany Carney and Derek Maceda each had nine points.
Milford, 53 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final – Milford rallied to shrink a 23-point second half deficit down to three with under two minutes to go by Foxboro senior Alex Penders came up with a big bucket and Ryan LeClair forced a key turnover two plays later as the Warriors escaped with a win over the Hawks. Penders finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the charge while LeClair chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Ryan Kelley scored all of his career-high 10 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors build a big lead. The Warriors led 15-12 after a quarter and thanks to a pair of threes from LeClair and seven points from Penders, Foxboro increased its lead to 31-20 at halftime. Kelley’s big third, plus two threes from Penders, saw the lead balloon to as much as 49-26 midway through the third. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera scored half of his 16 points in the fourth to help rally the Scarlet Hawks, who went 13-for-18 from the free throw line, including seven of those makes in the fourth. Freshman CJ Farrell added a career-high 14 points for the Hawks.
Franklin, 55 @ Oliver Ames, 42 – Final – Franklin overcame a slow start to erase a double-digit deficit and pick up a win on the road in Easton. Oliver Ames came to play, racing out to an 18-5 lead after eight minutes with senior Chris Elias (11 points) and sophomore Cole Craffey (14 points) each hitting a three. But the Panthers flipped the switch and dominated the second quarter, holding the hosts to five points while its offense got going with 24 points. Justin Allen, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of threes in the quarter, junior Andrew O’Neill (13 points) added one, and junior Sean O’Leary went off for 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second. Allen, O’Neill, and O’Leary each connected from downtown in the third to keep the Panthers ahead (44-30) going into the fourth.
Taunton, 67 @ Sharon, 63 – Final – Taunton junior Troy Santos exploded for a career-high 44 points to lead the Tigers to a win on the road at Sharon to open the season. The Eagles led after each of the first three quarters but the Tigers continued to rally, especially in the second half, to get the win. Seniors Jack Bates and Dante James each hit a three in the second quarter, Jacob McLoughlin had eight of his 18 points in the first half, and junior Nate Katznelson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Eagles carried a 30-23 lead into the second half. Santos carried the Tigers in the first half, scoring all but four of their 23 points. Santos got some help in the third as Chris Volcy had five points and Chris Perault added eight points but a three-pointer from Bates at the buzzer put Sharon ahead, 44-42, going into the fourth. With just one three-point field goal and two free throws, Santos connected on seven two-pointers to shoulder the load in the fourth as Taunton went up by as much as 10 in the final minutes. Taunton had a 65-55 lead with a minute to go before the Eagles made it interesting as McLoughlin converted a traditional three-point play, James scored off of a steal and then hit a three off another Taunton turnover, this time with under 5 seconds to play. An errant whistle stopped the clock but Taunton used a full court heave to Santos, who finished at the buzzer, to survive.
Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – Ava McKeon scored a game-high 18 points, powering North Attleboro to a season-opening win. McKeon scored 10 points in the first quarter and 15 before halftime to help the Rocketeers jump out to a seven-point lead at the break. Canton cut it to one in the closing minute but North was able to pull out the win. North was 19-of-26 from the line as a team, which helped the Rocketeers hold on, despite having McKeon foul out late in the fourth. North coach Nikki Correia said, “I am so proud of the girls. They played as a team executed the offense and played hard D for four quarters.” Samya DaSilva nearly matched McKeon in the first half, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring nine of her team-high 13 in the first quarter. Sam Sweeney helped North hold off the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring seven of her 15 points in the fourth. Sam Faria chipped in with nine points for the hosts, including 6-of-6 from the line. Jess Wright also reached double digits for Canton, adding 11 points.
Foxboro, 67 @ Milford, 29 – Final – Sophomore center Addie Ruter scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win in the season opener. Kailey Sullivan added 17 points and Camryn Collins scored 14 for the Warriors. Foxboro scored 19 in the opening quarter but then broke the game wide open with an 18-5 second that increased the lead to 22 at the break. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and freshman Ava Baglione scored eight on her varsity basketball debut.
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Franklin was able to hold off a fourth quarter charge by OA to pull out a foul-filled season opener and continue its long win streak in league play. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first and extended the advantage to 14 heading into the final eight minutes. OA rallied, scoring 18 points in the fourth and twice cutting the lead down to as little as seven, but Franklin made enough plays to seal the victory. Katie Peterson battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished as the game’s top scorer with 13 points. Chloe Fales, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each scored 10 points for the Panthers and Bridget Leo added eight. Freshman Kamryn Derba scored a team-high 11 points on her varsity debut for OA. Maeve Horsman added nine points, including seven in the fourth, Annie Reilly had eight points and eight rebounds, and Maddie Homer had seven points and five boards in the loss.
Stoughton, 41 @ King Philip, 64 – Final – KP came alive offensively in the third quarter, outscoring Stoughton 24-7 to break the game wide open. Emily Sawyer scored 12 of her game-high 16 in the third to help the Warriors pull away and seal the season-opening win. Maddie Paschke added 13 points for KP, including seven in the first half. Kylie Watson chipped in with nine and Jordan Bennett and Jackie Bonner each scored seven points for the hosts. Stoughton was able to hang around in the first half with help from Katrina Varnum, who score 10 of her 13 points before the break and added 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, and three blocks. Freshman Kirsten McKay had a big debut for the Black Knights, scoring 10 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Alyssa Edwards added 10 points, eight boards, a block, and four steals, while Raina Tat finished with seven in the loss.
Sharon, 37 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – Cali Melo scored a team-high 17 points, nine in the first half, helping Taunton pick up a win in the season opener and give new coach Gretchen Rodrigues a win on her debut. Taunton held the Eagles to just 11 points in the first half and then held on as Sharon tried to mount a late comeback attempt. Freshman Taryn Campbell added 10 points in her first varsity game (eight in the opening half) and Jillian Doherty chipped in eight points (four in each half). Sharon picked things up offensively after the break, led by Jasmine Davis, who scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Davis added 24 rebounds and three blocks. Rachael Hager (seven rebounds and four steals) added eight of her 11 points after halftime and Eva Poulton contributed seven points and five boards for Sharon.
Only one of two returning players from last year’s HockomockSports First Team, Sharon senior Matt Baur will be one of the best all-around players in the Hockomock League. Although he was the leading scorer for the team that won the Davenport division last year, his game goes well beyond scoring. That’s not to ignore his ability to drive through contact and finish at the rim, or step out and hit tough shots, but he really does it all for the Eagles. He’s a very unselfish player that is willing to make the extra pass and he doesn’t take any plays off. He’s had a huge impact on the defensive side of the ball as he’s able to guard just about every position and his willingness to dive on the floor or step in and take a charge has been contagious.
Canton surprised a lot of people with their success last season and a big reason for that was because they had a lot of first-year varsity players step up and perform at a high level. Most of them were seniors and are graduated now, but Matt Chafin is one of the few Bulldogs back after impressing last year. Chafin is committed to playing baseball at Brandies University but before hitting the diamond in the spring, he will be a key piece for second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon. He’s the top returning scorer after averaging 8.8 points per game last year; he scored in double figures in nine games last year, including a career-high 17 points against Southeastern. His ability to stretch the floor with his outside shooting will set the tone for the Bulldogs’ offense.
There was a lot of turnover for Oliver Ames this season, and the majority of its offensive production is no longer in the lineup. This biggest loss offensively was one of the league’s top scorers in Zach Tagliamonte, who averaged over 18 points per game. The Tigers also lost their next three top scorers and the lone player back from last year that averaged over 5 points per game is sophomore Cole Craffey. Named a captain as just a sophomore, Craffey will take on the responsibility as one of OA’s go-to guys on the offensive end of the floor. He showed off his range last year and has to be respected on the perimeter, but he also can put the ball on the floor and attack the rim with confidence.
Attleboro is another squad that saw the majority of its roster graduate this past spring. Longtime head coach Mark Houle will be relying on new faces to fill out this year’s rosters and he will also be leaning heavily on the few familiar faces he does have back. One of them is junior Neo Franco, who had a breakout season last year and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team. He did a little bit of everything, averaging 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 steals as a sophomore. That versatility will be key as the Bombardiers get their new names acclimated to the varsity level, which is something Franco had to do last year. He can score in a variety of ways too (almost 10 ppg in the final five games) but the intangibles really set him apart from the pack.
While a lot of the league is filling out its roster with new players, Mansfield boasts the most experienced player in the Hockomock League in senior Chris Hill. No one has played more minutes at the varsity level (now entering his fourth year on varsity) and no one has more career points (545) to start this season. He’s only one of two players with over 500 career points entering this year and the Hornets will lean heavily on his experience and guidance. He is a typical Mansfield player with the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting and can finish around the rim, coming off a season in which he averaged 12.3 points (40% three-point shooting), 6.6 rebounds, and 3.0 rebounds. He’s also an underrated defensive player (eight steals in one game last year) and his speed and size allow him to guard most positions.
Among returning players in the Hockomock League, there aren’t many that have scored as many points as King Philip senior Will Laplante. A 6-foot-1 guard, Laplante is fearless with the ball in his hands. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket but he really can fill it up from the perimeter. He’s someone that defenses have to put extra attention on and if they lose track of him, he will make them pay. He averaged 17.9 points per game last year to go along with 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals. It looks like he will have some more help around him this year so he won’t have to shoulder as much of the load offensively as he has had to in years past.
Franklin had a lot of new faces in their lineup and despite being a young team, had a lot of success. One of the big reasons for all of that success was the emergence of forward Sean O’Leary. A 6-foot-4 forward, O’Leary can do it all on the offensive end of the floor and enters the year as one of our preseason picks for Player of the Year. O’Leary kept improving each and every game last year, finishing with 11.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, and earned HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. At his size, he’s a matchup problem in the post and is really crafty finishing around the rim, but he really separates himself with his ability to score from just about anywhere on the offensive end. Defensively, he’s very sound and his length makes it very difficult for opponents.
Over each of the past two seasons, Foxboro’s Alex Penders has shown a lot of improvement and is poised for a big senior season. A double-double contender every night, Penders is a modern-day big man that can dominate in the post but also step out and shoot from the perimeter. He is coming off a junior year in which he averaged 16.3 points (on 50.5% shooting), 11.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Maybe the most underrated part of his game is his unselfishness as he led the Warriors with a team-best 3.3 assists per game. He will certainly be a focal point of Foxboro’s offense this season but with a well-rounded group of players surrounding him and his willingness to share the ball bodes well for head coach Jon Gibbs and the way he likes to run his offense. Penders, who recently committed to play at Ithaca, is only one of two returning players who made the HockomockSports First Team last year, and just one of two players in the league with over 500 career points.
Not only did Milford have one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League last season, but it was also one of the youngest squads the league has seen in a decade. They took their lumps during a 2-21 campaign but now almost all of those young players are back with plenty of experience under their belts for head coach Paul Seaver. One of the young players back in the fold this year is Andrew Rivera, who scored the most points for the Hawks last year as a freshman and averaged 7.8 points per game. Despite being just a sophomore, he’s confident with the ball and can score in a variety of ways. He can pull up from the perimeter but he can also attack the defense and get to the rim. Milford will look to take another step forward this year and having players with more experience like Rivera will be a big plus.
A common theme in the league this year is replacing the production of the senior class that graduated in the spring. The reigning Kelley-Rex division champions are right at the top of that list with Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry — a combined over 2,100 career points — no longer in the lineup. Junior Troy Santos is only returning from last year’s starting lineup and has the most varsity experience of anyone on the Tigers this season. We saw his ability to score in flashes last year and he will have a lot more opportunities this year with all of those points gone. He’s more than capable from the perimeter and if he can play with confidence, he can score at a high rate. This could be a breakout year for Santos.
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. 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 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Football
Attleboro, 12 @ North Attleboro, 17 – Final 1st Quarter: (NA) Nathan Shultz 22-yard interception return, Austin Clemente XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) Chase Frisoli 43-yard pass to Greg Berthiaume, A. Clemente XP good.
3rd Quarter: (A) Austin Rivera 1-yard rush, XP no good.
4th Quarter: (NA) A. Clemente 35-yard field goal; (A) Matt Harvie 7-yard pass to Brody McKenna, Conversion failed.
Stoughton, 14 @ Canton, 28 – Final
Mansfield, 33 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Connor Curtis 47-yard pass to Trevor Foley, Travis Hennessey XP good; (M) Brandon Jackman 77-yard interception return, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) Tommy Smith 80-yard rush, XP no good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Conner Zukowski 6-yard rush, Conversion failed.
3rd Quarter: (M) Drew Sacco 2-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Franklin, 29 @ King Philip, 28 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Jase Lyons 69-yard pass to Luke Davis, Garrett Portesi XP good; (KP) William Astorino 2-yard rush, Matthew Kelley XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) W. Astorino 12-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (F) J. Lyons 6-yard pass to L. Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) W. Astorino 2-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Tommy McLeish 26-yard pass to W. Astorino, M. Kelley XP good; (F) J. Lyons 19-yard pass to L. Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) Mike Davide 3-yard rush, J. Lyons 2-point pass to L. Davis.
Milford, 38 @ Taunton, 28 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Romeo Holland 70-yard rush, Nick Araujo XP good; (T) Jacob Leonard 43-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, Sete Deletoille XP good; (M) Evan Cornelius 27-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, N. Araujo XP good; (T) J. Leonard 50-yard pass to Jose Touron, S. Deletoille XP good; (T) Malachi Johnson 6-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Andrew Rivera 4-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (T) J. Leonard 53-yard pass to J. Touron, S. Deletoille XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) N. Araujo 42-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: (M) E. Cornelius 30-yard pass to I. Pantalone, N. Araujo XP good; (M) E. Cornelius 63-yard pass to A. Rivera, N. Araujo XP good.
Romeo Holland (44) and the Milford ground game dominated against Franklin, rushing for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-24 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – When Milford was putting together its game plan for Friday night’s visit to Pisini Stadium, the Hawks thought there were opportunities to attack Franklin’s defense with the passing game, trying to utilize their weapons on the edges. After 24 minutes, the game plan was boiled down to line up behind the big offensive line and let the running game do the work.
The Hawks rushed for more than 300 yards as a team, all but nine of those yards from running backs Nick Araujo and Romeo Holland and quarterback Evan Cornelius, and five touchdowns. Milford only threw one pass in the second half, even as Franklin’s offense started to click, and rolled to a 43-24 victory that sets up a three-way tie atop the Kelley-Rex division.
“Up front, we were incredible tonight,” said Milford coach Dale Olson about his offensive line of Oliver McKee, Anthony Dew, Ryan O’Connor, Keith Lee, and Tyler Potter. “I looked at the kids at halftime and said we might not throw a forward pass because every time it’s 4, 5, 6 [yards]. That’s a testament to our guys up front. They just dug in and they pushed a good Franklin team around tonight.”
In addition to its big offensive line, Milford boasts three big guys to carry the ball as well and Franklin had problems trying to bring all three of the down all night long.
Olson explained, “It’s a three-headed monster, and they all weigh 230 pounds. That run Romeo had early, every kid on the Franklin team had a shot at him. He’s just a tough kid, Nick’s a tough kid, and eventually we had some options on the outside and I was just like don’t do it.”
The Milford defense forced three-and-outs on each of Franklin’s first two possessions. Milford’s second possession got down to the Franklin 25, but a nice tackle by Bobby Padula stopped Isaiah Pantalone short of the marker on fourth and five and forced a turnover on downs.
On its next drive, starting in Franklin territory for the second time, the Hawks got on the board. Cornelius found Pantalone for seven yards and a personal foul tacked on 15 more. Araujo hit Franklin for 11 yards on a counter to get the ball to the three and he finished the drive on the next snap to make it 7-0.
Franklin’s offense finally found some success on its next possession. Jase Lyons hit Luke Davis for a 30-yard gain, as Davis proved to be as hard to tackle as Milford’s running game. A 14-yard and a 10-yard completion to Grayson Hunter (eight catches, 70 yards) got down to the Milford 32 and Mike Davide (10 carries, 43 yards) went for 17 to get inside the 10. Holland stuffed a run and Damien Carter broke up a pass, forcing the Panthers to settle for a 28-yard Garrett Portesi kick.
Milford answered right back on its next drive. Araujo (12 carries, 81 yards) got it started with an 18-yard burst over a couple of would-be tacklers and the Hawks kept grinding to the red zone. On fourth and one, the Panthers jumped, giving Milford a first down at the 15. Holland for the call and he went through the left side of the line all the way to the end zone.
Things were starting to look bleak for the Panthers, who needed a spark. Davis would provide one. On third and six, Lyons (24-of-34, 299 yards) hit the senior receiver in stride on the right sideline, Davis (nine catches, 176 yards) shrugged off an attempted tackle and raced away for a 69-yard score.
Franklin’s momentum was short-lived. Milford got the ball with a little more than two minutes to play in the half and immediately went to work. A 15-yard pass from Cornelius (9-of-12, 75 yards) to Andrew Rivera (five catches, 42 yards) got the ball to midfield. A personal foul would help get into Franklin territory and a 12-yard pass to Rivera moved it to the 21. After converting on third and two, Cornelius lofted a pass over the middle to Rivera who hauled it in for a 10-yard touchdown and a 21-10 lead at the break.
“I think the play of the game was the drive before half,” Olson said. “That just shows you what kind of kids we have. We had one timeout, went down the field, and we score right before half. That’s a huge, huge thing. The kids just dug in. They knew what type of team Franklin was, that’s a good team.”
The home team looked determined to make it a game coming out of the locker room. Davide broke a 20-yard run to get things going, his longest rush of the night, and Lyons would scramble for 24 yards down the near sideline, lowering his shoulder for some extra yards. He would then throw one to the end zone for Hunter, who managed to lay out and pull in the pass while staying just inbounds.
“I think we were really trying to find the run game and there were a couple things there that we liked, maybe we just didn’t execute as well as we could have,” Franklin coach Eain Bain said. “We wanted to compete and the best way for us to compete tonight was to throw the ball and we figured that out pretty quick.”
It was an impressive start to the second half, but again the visitors made sure to immediately quell all the momentum from the touchdown. Holland (20 carries, 141 yards) just barreled his way through the line of scrimmage, into the secondary, and then through the secondary, carrying tacklers along the way. His 53-yard run got the Hawks quickly down to the Franklin three. Two plays later, Cornelius (11 carries, 72 yards) went up the middle for the four-yard TD.
Suddenly, it was a back-and-forth game. Franklin was finding all sorts of room in the passing game. Lyons hit Davis on a deep crossing route and Davis proceeded to weave his way past a couple of Hawks and then lower the shoulder to get 30 yards. After an 11-yard catch for Hunter over the middle, Lyons tossed a strike to Davis, who pulled in an over-the-shoulder grab for the 12-yard score.
The Hawks went right back to work. Holland gained 11 to the 41. On third and four, Araujo took a sweep around the left side and rumbled for 25 yards all the way down to the Franklin 28. Cornelius followed with a 17-yard keeper on the final play of the third quarter. Holland got eight yards on two carries and Cornelius capped it off with a three-yard plunge. Araujo got the handoff to convert the two-point try and give Milford a 36-24 lead.
For the first time in a while, Franklin wasn’t able to respond. On fourth and eight, Lyons was chased out of the pocket by Mason Baldic and lost the ball, which was recovered by Rivera at the Franklin 41. Nine rushing plays later, Holland found the end zone for the second time, this one from a yard out, to seal the win.
“They threw a couple of fine passes but they didn’t have to throw to beat us and we could run the ball either,” said Bain. “That’s your game. We played very poor fundamental football tonight. We played bad football tonight and that shows up in the penalty sheet as well as the yards per carry on both sides of the ball.”
Milford (7-1) entered the night at the top seed in Div. 2 and will await its opponent in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks will also face Taunton on Thanksgiving Day, knowing that a win will clinch the team’s first Hockomock title.
Franklin (5-2) was the top seed in Div. 1 entering Friday and will now wait to see who they will play in the first round of the tournament. The Panthers will face King Philip on Thanksgiving, looking to repeat as league champ for the first time since they won three straight titles between 1969-71.
