02/15/2017

Wissler Scores Twice as Rocketeers Edge King Philip

North Attleboro hockey — North Attleboro junior Andrew Wissler (4) scored a pair of goals as the Rocketeers pulled out a one-goal victory at King Philip. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – With 1:19 left in the second period, King Philip took possession in its defensive zone and with one pass turned it into a breakaway to tie the game at 2-2. The home team seemed poised to have all the momentum heading into the third until North Attleboro junior Andrew Wissler hustled the Rocketeers back into the lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Erik Clements flicked a puck over the top, just trying to relieve the pressure from the Warriors and clear the zone. KP defensemen were caught up the ice and Wissler flew past them to chase the puck. Sophomore goalie James Lewis was forced to leave his crease to try and play it, but Wissler beat him to it and tapped into the vacated net for his second goal of the night.

The goal provided a huge boost to North, which took momentum and carried it into the third where the Rocketeers added am early power play goal to take control. KP rallied with a late goal and a flurry of chances in the final 90 seconds, but North held on to win 4-3 and moved within one point of the program’s best single season total.

“All-in-all it was a good effort. We were down six guys with the flu and I know they were battling the same thing, so it’s tough to get the guys ready to play when half the team is sick and playing with new players, but I thought they adjusted pretty well,” said North coach Steve Snizek, who highlighted sophomore Kyle Bolgerhaving to move from forward to defense for the game.

North jumped in front inside the opening three minutes. Zach McGowan drove the puck down the right wing and all the way to the edge of the goal before sending a pass into the slot for Wissler to one-time it.

The Rocketeers outshot KP 8-7 in the period, but the Warriors had their chances, including an opportunity for Luke D’Amico stepping up into the rush on a two-on-one with Gavin Maxwell, but his shot was saved by Ryan Warren (17 saves). North’s best chance to double the lead was a chance by Clements from the right circle but Lewis (25 saves) made the stop.

KP tied the game three minutes into the second. Again it was Maxwell with the rush and Warren made a huge pad stop to deny the break only to see the rebound pop out to the stick of Collin Cooke and the junior forward roofed it.

Lewis tried to make the score stand up, stopping three shots (at least) in a huge scrum on the edge of his crease. However, two minutes later, there was nothing he could do to stop Clements. The senior went top shelf with an unstoppable wrister from the circle for a 2-1 lead.

With 2:34 left in the second, the Warriors again bounced back to tie it, despite being outshot 13-6 in the period. Garrett Maxwell picked the perfect outlet pass right on the tape of Jacob Kelly as the senior burst through the neutral zone. Kelly went racing in on Warren and beat the goalie five-hole for a 2-2 tie.

The game was only tied for 1:15 before Wissler showed off his speed and his tenacity to regain the advantage for North Attleboro.

Snizek said, “That was a hell of an effort by Drew Wissler never giving up on the play. That’s the type of player he is; he’s the workhorse of the team and it’s great to see his hard work pay off like that. that definitely gave us momentum going into the third, which was absolutely key.”

The Rocketeers came flying out of the gates in the third and got a power play opportunity. Brendan McHugh worked the puck down to Clements who had a chance blocked in front of Lewis, who had already made four saves in the period, and it caromed out to McGowan. The senior buried his one-time shot into the bottom corner for a 4-2 lead.

Although North had the two-goal edge, the game was far from over. KP continued to press to try and get back into it and Gavin Maxwell had a golden chance in the final minutes when he got behind the defense for a breakaway only to be denied by Warren.

“He’s been lights out again all season long,” said Snizek of Warren, the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year. “He was upset that that one trickled in but he’s made 10 beautiful saves to that one and I’ll take that any day of the week.”

The one that got away came with 1:37 remaining. Kelly got free on the right hand side and was able to put a shot on goal as he was falling down. The puck did not have a lot on it but was able to squeeze through the goalie’s pads. The whistle blew with KP looking for a penalty and North assuming it was saved, only for the refs to point to center ice.

The Warriors pulled Lewis for the extra skater and had a series of face-offs in the North end, but could not find the tying goal.

“The momentum had definitely changed to us and they we kind of got away from it a little bit,” said Snizek of the third period. “We started to hang back and second guess ourselves and obviously they capitalized on that.”

North Attleboro (12-3-3, 6-2-1) now has 27 points, one shy of last year’s program-best 28, with two games remaining. The Rocketeers will get a good playoff preview on Saturday with a trip to Medway. King Philip (4-14, 4-5) suffered its third one-goal loss of the season. The Warriors will travel to Norwood on Saturday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

01/16/2017

McGowan, ‘Resilient’ Rocketeers Grab Last Chance Tie

Zach McGowan (7) is rushed by teammates after scoring the game-tying goal with 4.9 seconds left in a 2-2 tie against Bishop Feehan. (Cameron Merritt/HockomockSports.com)

By Cameron Merritt, HockomockSports.com Contributor

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – In the waning seconds of their Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee with non-league rivals Bishop Feehan, the North Attleboro Red Rocketeers, despite their late efforts and man advantage from pulling goalie Ryan Warren, looked destined for defeat.

However, a redirect off a last-chance shot by senior forward Zach McGowan with 4.9 seconds remaining changed everything, allowing the Rocketeers to escape the clash with a point, while denying the rival Shamrocks an important non-league victory.

“Obviously I’m happy with the outcome,” said North Attleboro coach Steve Snizek. “Our boys were resilient, [which] shows a lot of character. They played desperation, which was obviously needed. So all in all, I thought it was a pretty even game.”

Both teams had 27 shots on the afternoon; both goaltenders, North’s Ryan Warren and Feehan’s Derek Dattero, made 25 saves.

“Warren’s been solid behind the pipes as usual,” said Snizek, who credited his point blank save on a hard Feehan shot late in the third period as “the game changer.”

The game began fairly even, but the Shamrocks would be handed the first power play opportunity of the game with 13:19 left in the period as they were called for too many men on the ice, though nothing would come of it.

North Attleboro would have an opportunity of their own with 9:45 as Feehan’s Devin Payson was assessed a cross-checking penalty. Both teams would continue to exchange shots, though neither found luck nor the back of the net.

After a North Attleboro interference penalty with 7:42 left in the period, Feehan was able to get off a pair of shots on the power play and take the momentum, as well as possession.

While Feehan looked to be the stronger side heading into the first intermission, the Rocketeers took their chance as McGowan dumped the puck behind the net, and junior Andrew Wissler was able to wrap it around the post and slide it past the blockers of Dattero and give North Attleboro a 1-0 lead with 0:16 remaining before the break.

In the second period, North showed their abilities to use the body to their advantages, dominating checks along the boards. The Shamrocks, on the other hand, were dominating possession and shots, while the Rocketeers were unable to challenge Dattero until almost halfway through the middle period.

The Shamrocks had near back-to-back power play chances after tripping (11:35) and hit to the head (9:13) penalties sent North to the box, but again the Rocketeers were able to kill off the chances.

After multiple attempts on Warren, Feehan were able to beat the goaltender with 2:38 remaining as, in front of goal, as Kevin Jezard and Josh Nelson set up Ben Gaucher, allowing the sophomore forward to draw the Shamrocks even with the Rocketeers.

Riding the momentum, Feehan struck again just 42 seconds later as Payson, with help from Joe Castano and Tim D’Ambrosia, gave the Shamrocks the 2-1 lead with 1:56 left in the period.

Neither side went quietly into the second intermission, as three penalties were assessed in the final minute. Both teams exchanged penalties with 0:42 seconds left as Feehan and North were assessed elbowing and hooking penalties respectively, and then Feehan’s Sean Dunphy was called for roughing with 0:29 seconds, as North finished out the period with a four-on-three advantage.

In the final period, the Rocketeers flipped the switch on momentum, dominating possession and shots in the opening minutes.

When North was sent to the penalty box for roughing with 9:39 remaining, momentum began to shift in favor of Feehan, with the hosts looking likely to build on their lead as they continued to press on.

North Attleboro never wavered in their efforts, however, and despite several misses, and a near-Feehan goal on their empty net that missed by inches, McGowan’s goal was able to savage his team’s efforts and let them walk away with a point after a tough battle.

For Snizek, while they would’ve preferred a win, there were still important takeaways from the game in his eyes.

“The resiliency, the character, and bouncing back when you’re down,” said Snizek. “I’m very proud of the boys for that.”

North Attleboro return to action Wednesday as they host Kelley-Rex leaders King Philip, while Bishop Feehan will wait until Saturday to host Coyle-Cassidy.

12/14/2016

North Kicks Off Season With Big Win at New Home

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro moved into its new home at the New England Sports Village this winter and, although the rink is still under construction, the Rocketeers already looked like a finished product despite the season just getting underway.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Jason McNeany and Andrew Wissler each scored a pair of goals and senior center Zach McGowan recorded three points as North skated to a comprehensive 8-2 non-league victory over Dedham in Wednesday night’s season opener.

“I’m very happy with our effort, our finishing, our capitalization,” said North coach Steve Snizek about the team’s offensive effort. “One thing I do want to see is us stay out of the box. It’s becoming, as you know, more and more of a routine for us.”

It was the visiting Marauders that found themselves in the box in the first period and North took advantage of the extra skater and each time the goal came almost immediately after the penalty.

McGowan got the scoring started with 10:26 left in the first. He fired a wrist shot from the high slot, just eight seconds into the power play, off an assist from William Yeomans. Two minutes later, the lead was doubled by junior Hunter Sarro (assisted by defensemen Brendan McHugh and Vincent Zammiello) from a tight angle.

North outshot Dedham 13-7 in the first period, but after a boarding call against Erik Clements, goalie Ryan Warren needed to come through with a big save just before the horn to keep the Marauders off the board. Warren (20 saves) made the initial stop and then went post-to-post at full stretch to keep out the rebound.

“That was an amazing save,” said Snizek. “If he doesn’t save that then momentum is in their favor and it would’ve been a different ballgame. Again, he was lights out.”

Dedham did pull one back on the power play when Nick Mecuri knocked in a rebound from point-blank range, but the Rocketeers answered back less than a minute later. McNeany got free down the right wing and fired in a shorthanded goal that made it 3-1 and seemed to deflate the visitors.

Snizek said, “That was huge. It took the wind out of their sails a little bit and put it back into ours, so that was a good jumpstart again.”

Wissler stepped up two minutes later to knock in a rebound from McGowan’s shot to extend the lead to 4-1 and, after the Rocketeers cleared off a minute of two-man advantage, sophomore forward Todd Robinson turned a defensive zone face-off into a breakaway goal when he tipped the puck past the pinching defenseman and raced free.

North put the game away before the end of the second when McGowan assisted for the second time on a Wissler goal to make it 6-1. It was a dominating performance by the Rocketeers and Snizek was happy to see all three lines (and the fourth line during the third period) contributing to the win.

“They were impressive tonight,” said Snizek of the third line. “They jumpstarted us when the first two [lines] had some bad shifts, they would jump start us again. It’s good to see the third line contributing.”

He added, “That’s one of the things we practiced in the first week was the line stuff, get used to each other, so they picked it up really fast. I’m happy about that. It was a great win to start the season.”

McNeany added his second of the night off a Sarro assist with 8:36 to play and then freshman John Connolly answered a Dedham goal with the first score of his career to wrap up the scoring and get a pretty loud ovation from the sizable cheering section.

Besides getting two points to start the season, Snizek was also happy to get a debut win at the Rocketeers’ new home rink. He admitted that the crowd seems louder at the New England Sports Village (they are above the glass, unlike the Foxboro Sports Center) and he is looking forward to what the rink will be when it is fully built.

“I love it,” Snizek said. “I like the atmosphere. You saw the fans are right on top of you…it gets the adrenaline pumping.”

North Attleboro (1-0) will face a tough test on Saturday night when it plays host to rival Bishop Feehan.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

12/14/2016

Hockey: 2016-2017 Davenport Division Preview

2016-2017 Davenport Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2016-2017 Davenport Hockey Preview

Canton

2015-2016 Record: 16-3-4
2015-2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal
Coach: Brian Shuman

Throughout the years, Canton has had plenty of skillful goal scorers that pace the offense. Heading into this season, it’s still to be determined who will emerge as Canton’s top offensive threat.

The Bulldogs lost a lot of scoring from a year ago, including the team’s top for scorers – Matt Lazaro, Jim Jenkins, Bobby Mullaney and Seamus Pecararo – who combined for over 100 points. However, the Bulldogs have one of the strongest programs from top to bottom in the area and it will be the next man up. Senior Tommy Kilduff (nine points) and junior Jack Goyetch (12 poitns) are likely candidates to be top offensive weapons on their respective lines.

One area that Canton is rock solid is defense. The Bulldogs are bringing back their top four defensemen from a year ago, including HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Jackson Maffeo and HockomockSports Third Team selection CJ Martin. Those two will be joined once again by DJ Trerice and Brad Murphy, giving Canton a solid foundation to work off of.

Juniors Quinn Gibbs and Niko Donovan are set to compete for the starting job vacated by Justin Slocum.

“Overall, we expect to be a scrappy team with no real superstars, but a good balance of gritty forwards, experienced defensemen, and deep goaltending hopefully will allow us to compete with the top teams in the Hockomock League,” Canton head coach Brian Shuman said.

Foxboro

2015-2016 Record: 5-14-1
2015-2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mark Cedorchuk

With a strong blend of experienced players and young talent, first year head coach Mark Cedorchuk is hopeful the Warriors can find their way back to the state tournament.

The Warriors return both of their top scoring threats from a year ago with seniors Mike Carresi (seven goals, 10 assists) and Peter Smith (10 goals, six assists) both back to pace the offense, as well as classmate Paul Vey. Junior Aidan Sullivan is back after an impressive sophomore season (eight points) and will be a big presence along the blue line along with classmate Taylor Sharfman and senior John Brolin.

It will be a familiar face between the pipes for Foxboro again this season as John Cronin returns as one of the top netminders in the league.

“With this core group of excellent upperclassman and talented underclassman we’re very excited about our season this year,” Cedorchuk said. “With the roster we have we’re looking to compete at a very high level and can’t wait for our season to start.”

North Attleboro

2015-2016 Record: 13-5-4
2015-2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Steve Snizek

Between a strong returning core of players and a switch to the Davenport division, 2016-2017 could be the year the Rocketeers make a serious run at a league title. Standing in the way will be Canton.

Five of the Rocketeers’ leading scorers are back this year, including top goal scorer Erik Clements (13 goals, 10 assists) and top assist man and HockomockSports.com First Team selection Zach McGowan (12 goals, 12 assists). Juniors Jason McNeany (eight goals, 12 assists), Andrew Wissler (nine goals, nine assists) and Hunter Sarro (nine goals, four assists) are all back as well with varsity experience. The depth in North Attleboro’s attack will make them tough to deal with.

Defensively, it all starts with sophomore goalie Ryan Warren, who had a terrific freshman year and was named HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year. In front of him, senior Vincent Zammiello – a HockomockSports.com Third Team selection – and sophomore Brendan McHugh will anchor the defensive unit.

“In order for our team to be successful, we need to stick to our style of hockey and be well positioned and physical,” North Attleboro head coach Steve Snizek said. “We also need to take advantage of power power play opportunities while staying disciplined.”

Stoughton

2015-2016 Record: 6-12-3
2015-2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Dan Mark

Stoughton returns a good handful of experienced varsity players from last year’s squad, but will still be one of the youngest teams in the league.

Senior forwards Jon Lessa and Nick Hardy are two of the more experienced players on the team. Lessa was second in scoring a year ago with nine goals and also added six assists while Hardy chipped in with seven points. Sophomore Sean Doherty will likely see a lot of ice time this season after an impressive freshman season. Doherty had seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points – second most on the team.

On defense, senior Cam Doherty will anchor the blue line while sophomore Josh Hough will look to build upon a strong rookie campaign a year ago. Sophomore AJ Scott is back in goal this season after making over 600 saves as a freshman. Having a year of varsity experience will be vital for a handful of Stoughton’s returning players.

“We are young team that will improve as the season goes on,” Stoughton head coach Dan Mark said.

03/02/2016

North Attleboro Routs Taunton In Playoff Opener

FALL RIVER, Mass. – North Attleboro scored five goals in the first period and never looked back, skating to a dominant 9-0 win over Taunton in the First Round of the MIAA D2 South tournament.
Just four days after the teams met for the first time this season on the last day of the regular season — a 6-1 win for Big Red — the Rocketeers were able to replicate their offense and then some in the first playoff game.
“The guys came out strong,” North Attleboro head coach Steve Snizek said. “Our goalie bailed us out of a couple giveaways early on but then we settled down. We had a couple of nice plays, we moved the puck well and we got to the goalie early. We were fortunate to get to it early and take care of business.”
Four minutes into the game, sophomore Hunter Sarro was able to dig the puck out of the corner, attacked the net from the sideboards and roofed a backhand to put #6 North Attleboro up a goal.
Midway through the period, junior Erik Clements helped keep possession in the offensive zone and then found an open Brian Poillucci for a one timer to double the Rocketeers’ lead.
While North held a two goal lead with eight minutes gone in the game, they were nearly on the other end.
Two minutes into the game, freshman goalie Ryan Warren knocked down a shot from Tiger forward Nick Croft and then was somehow able to get his leg in the way of Zack Albert’s rebound to keep the game scoreless. North Attleboro scored two minutes later to take the lead.
With just over eight minutes remaining in the opening period, Croft intercepted a pass and fed senior Tyler Pietrzyk – the league’s leading scorer – right in front but once again, Warren was there for the stop. The Rocketeers doubled their lead less than a minute later.
“It would have been a completely different ball game,” Snizek said when asked how big Warren’s early saves were. “Warren came up big, especially against their top scorer. He’s definitely the backbone of our team and he’s proved it this season.”
The Rocketeers were able to really take care of business in the final three minutes of the period. Poillucci added his second when he finished off a rebound from a shot from Matt Marceau. North then added a power play game as sophomore Andrew Wissler poked home a pass from Sarro. Less than 30 seconds later, Andrew Casson made it 5-0 when he finished off a feed from Paul Baker.
“We’ve switched the lines up some and we’re trying different things,” Snizek said. “Right now it’s clicking. The guys are moving the puck real well so I’m really happy with the outcome.
“They rally around each other. They try to get the best out of each other.”
Any chance of a comeback for Taunton was quickly erased when North Attleboro junior Zach McGowan found the back of the net in the first minute of the second period. McGowan broke through the neutral zone and one stride into the offensive zone, ripped a wrist shot upstairs to make it 6-0.
“It was nice to see,” Snizek said of the early goal in the second. “Then we started to get away from out game a little bit and giving them some life. You can’t give a team like Taunton, that is coached so well, some life.”
After the rest of the second went without a goal, the Rocketeers added three more goals in the final period. Anthony Zammiello netted a shorthanded goal, McGowan added a second and Zammiello capped the scoring with 1:25 to go.
Warren made 17 saves for the shutout.
Taunton wraps up a historic season at 13-10-1. North Attleboro (13-4-4) advances to the D2 South Quarterfinals and will play the winner of #3 Canton and #14 Sandwich, which is being played on Wednesday at Asiaf. Details for the quarterfinal game have yet to be announced.
Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.

12/16/2015

Hockey: Kelley-Rex Division Preview 2015-2016

Kelley-Rex hockey — Mansfield and North Attleboro will be two of the teams gunning to unseat Franklin and win a league title. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

Attleboro
2014-15 Record: 11-13-1 (2-8-0)
2014-15 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South semifinal
Head Coach: Mike Cripps

The Bombardiers made an improbable run to the Div. 3 South semifinal before being eliminated by Hanover. Even with a short bench and a goaltender that had never played before, Attleboro won three tournament games for the first time in program history and this year will try to build on that experience and get back to the postseason.

With 20 players on the roster, depth may not be Attleboro’s strength but there are some players that Cripps will be counting on to produce this season led by senior forward Keagin Larkin. He will be helped out on the forward line by junior P.J. Elliott and sophomore Sam Parker. Freshman Sam Larkin will also step in right away and Cripps said that he has been “impressive” during the opening two weeks of practice.

Senior goalie Tim Gile returns between the pipes after a season that saw him put on goalie pads for the first time. He will be joined at the goalie position by junior Tyler Koppy. In front of goal, seniors Will McKenzie and Jack Flynn and sophomore Sam McKenzie will be part of Attleboro’s defensive corps.

There may only be 20 players on the roster, but the Bombardiers are a tight-knit group and Cripps is hopeful that they can get back to .500 and another trip to the playoffs. He said, “Our team is a group of hard-working players with good chemistry. With our lack of depth, we have to avoid injuries and illness. I am very happy with the progress I have seen after the first week.”

Franklin
2014-15 Record: 17-4-3 (10-0-0)
2014-15 Finish: Lost in first round of the Super 8
Head Coach: Chris Spillane

How does Franklin follow up its first ever appearance in the prestigious Super 8 tournament? How does the program recover from losing 21 seniors off a roster that finished unbeaten in the Hockomock League and had one of the league’s most exciting hockey moments when it beat Xaverian in overtime in the Super 8 play-in game?

Those are tough questions that head coach Chris Spillane will be trying to answer in the coming weeks as he incorporates almost an entirely new roster. The top returning scorer from last season is senior Alex Bissanti, who chipped in with five goals as a junior. He will be joined up front by junior Adam Assad, who Spillane said has “lots of offensive potential.” In addition, the coach noted that he is looking towards a “strong” sophomore class to provide a spark offensively.

Ryan Shea was a rock in goal last season after getting his first playing time as a senior and the Panthers will be counting on seniors Nick Jasinki (five games in 2014-15) and Cam Benham to step in this year and have a similar impact. In front of the goalies, Franklin has a strong defensive corps led by senior captains Matt Pleshaw and Jack Chaffee. The defense has been bolstered by the return of senior Tyler Oaks, who had been playing for the South Shore Kings. Spillane called him a “strong offensive defenseman.”

It is only the third season for Franklin in Div. 1 and already the Panthers have accomplished more than most public school programs. This could be a transition year for Franklin but expectations remain high for a perennial power. Spillane said, “With the departure of 21 seniors, the success of this team will rely on finding a identity early in the season.”

King Philip
2014-15 Record: 7-10-3 (4-5-1)
2014-15 Finish: Missed playoffs
Head Coach: Paul Carlow

For the second time in three season, King Philip has changed coaches with Paul Carlow taking charge of the Warriors this winter after two seasons as the JV and assistant coach. Thanks to his experience with the program and with the players, Carlow, who was once a standout player for KP, called the transition “smooth.” He added, “I know the players and they know me, which has made it pretty easy. Everyone know what is expected.”

The Warriors numbers were not huge this winter and depth may not be a strength, but Carlow is excited about the talent that KP will send out on the ice with six forwards and six defensemen returning from last year’s squad. The Warriors will be led on the forward line by senior captain Matt Smith, while fellow captain Clay Guess will lead an experienced blue line group that also includes football star Corey Lombardo.

Sophomore Collin Cooke is a player to watch this season and is poised for a breakout winter after scoring 11 goals and 10 assists as a freshman. Fellow sophomore Dan McLoughlin could be a player that steps in and provides a spark along with junior Richie Lucente, who saw plenty of ice time last season. Carlow also said that junior Jeremy Smith should step right in at defense. He noted that Smith had the talent to get on the ice as a sophomore but was only limited by the experienced players ahead of him.

Carlow has added preseason scrimmages and has changed the schedule around to add teams like Nauset, Walpole, and Coyle to prepare the team for the rigors of the Div. 1 tournament. After narrowly missing out the past two seasons, Carlow is confident the Warriors can make a run to the postseason. “We need to be ready for the type of teams we’re going to face,” said Carlow. “We may not be the deepest team, we didn’t have 90 kids tryout like Franklin, but we’ve got speed and we can play.”

Mansfield
2014-15 Record: 10-11-0 (8-2-0)
2014-15 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round
Head Coach: Rick Anastos

Mansfield enters another season as one of the main threats to Franklin in the Kelley-Rex division. The Hornets, who are the only other team to have won the division (in 2011), are one of the few programs to consistently have the talent base to challenge the Panthers and this season is no different.

Junior forward Matt Farragher is primed for a breakout season after scoring 13 points as a sophomore and he will be paired up front with several classmates, including Pat Sunderland and Chad Piotti. Seniors Pat Graham, Shane Doherty, and Max Hoffman will return to give Mansfield strength in depth along its first two lines and the firepower to make the Hornets a dangerous team in the Hock.

Mansfield also has the potential to be strong defensively, as demonstrated by a scoreless tie with Winthrop on Saturday. Anthony Visconti, who gave up just more three goals per game last season, returns in goal and he will be helped out by senior defenseman Mike Arnold, who leads the blue liners, along with classmate Tim O’Brien.

The Hornets have experienced returning players, but there is plenty of youth coming through program as well with two freshman and five sophomores on the varsity roster. Franklin may remain the team to beat, but Mansfield is confident that it will be right there pushing the Panthers to the end.

North Attleboro
2014-15 Record: 12-8-1 (6-4-0)
2014-15 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South first round
Head Coach: Stephen Snizek

The Rocketeers made it back to the tournament last season but were knocked out in overtime by Milford in the first round. With Sean Young graduated, North Attleboro will be looking for someone that can step into his role as the primary scorer and make a run at a first league title in its final season in the Kelley-Rex.

There is a lot of depth returning for North this season led on the forward line by senior captains Andrew Casson and Brian Poillucci and juniors Zach McGowan and Erik Clements, each of whom have years of experience for the Rocketeers. Sophomores Jason McNeany and Andrew Wissler and a strong freshman class will add to the forwards over the course of the season.

Defensively, North Attleboro will count on juniors Paul Baker and Vincent Zammiello and senior Matthew Marceau on the back line. The defense will be key and Snizek is expecting his forwards to help back as well as the Rocketeers will be using freshmen Chris Ulrich and Ryan Warren in goal this year.

The Rocketeers have a lot of weapons and Snizek is excited for the talent coming through the program. He said, “We have a lot of weapons on offense and we need to get pucks to the net and drive in the dirty goals. Our forwards will need to play in all zones on the ice. Not just the offensive zone.”

Taunton
2014-15 Record: 9-12-1 (2-8-0)
2014-15 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Kris Metea

The Tigers have been building the program for the past few years, developing young skaters, and waiting for a time that it can come together for a potential run at the state tournament. Head coach Kris Metea is hopeful that this could be the year, as Taunton boasts a talented forward line that could provide the goals needed to get to the playoffs. Metea said, “The eighth graders and freshmen that took beatings three years ago have all grown up and can physically compete with players in the Hockomock now.”

Among the players that Metea highlighted this season are junior Nick Terry, who is coming off an all-star season, and senior Tyler Pietrzyk, who will both be starters. Junior Zack Albert and sophomore Will Walsh will add depth to the forwards as well. Defensively, senior David Perry and junior Mike Volkmann will be two of the key players and add a physical component to the Tigers.

Taunton has three goalies on the varsity roster and Metea has confidence in all of them to win games. Senior Cam Pitts is the most experienced of the trio but junior Justin Chappell and freshman Griffin Speicher both will see time as well.

If Taunton can improve the power play and utilize its overall team speed, this could be an interesting year for the Tigers. “It has been a pleasure working with these players and see them grow up as hockey players and young men,” said Metea. “They have matured physically and mentally and are ready to take the next step to compete with the top end of the ever-competitive Hockomock.”