Tag: Anna Balkus
2019 Hockomock League Girls Soccer All Stars
Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Girls Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Chloe Layne, King Philip
Hockomock League All Stars
Briley Harnois, Attleboro
Jessica Gates, Attleboro
Elisa Diletizia, Canton
Olivia Rodman, Canton
Jordyn Collins, Foxboro
Kailee McCabe, Foxboro
Yara Fawaz, Foxboro
Elizabeth Davis, Foxboro
Breanna Atwood, Franklin
Sabrina Addi, Franklin
Anna Balkus, Franklin
Chloe Layne, King Philip
Avery Snead, King Philip
Makayla Griffin, King Philip
Ally Stanton, King Philip
Taylor Butler, King Philip
Maria Sevastos, Mansfield
Katie Miller, Mansfield
Ashleigh Starks, Milford
Maddie Boyle, Milford
Lydia Hershey, North Attleboro
Erin Holmberg, Oliver Ames
Abby Hodges, Oliver Ames
Leah Johnson, Oliver Ames
Bella Berger, Sharon
Mackenzie Manning, Stoughton
Oliver Ames Earns Overtime Win Over Franklin
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – “Big girl soccer.”
That was just one of many positive mantras Scott Dolan was known for, and it was the perfect way to describe Monday evening’s clash between #8 Oliver Ames and #9 Franklin.
Eighty minutes wasn’t enough to decide the physical contest between the two league rivals, with neither team willing to give an inch.
But finally, in the 89th minute, OA sophomore Allison Evin delivered the game-winner with a perfectly struck shot to the far post, just sneaking inside the far post into the side netting to give the Tigers a 1-0 emotional overtime win over the Panthers.
“I felt like we could score one goal we had a chance,” said Oliver Ames head coach Britt Sellmayer. “The last time [Franklin] gave up a goal was forever ago. They had 12 shutouts in the last 13 games and the only team that scored against them was KP and they only got two. They are just so hard to break down because they have such quality players back there.”
Dolan, a longtime OA assistant coach, passed away last week after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 48. Whether it was at the high school, with Legacy Soccer Club, Easton Youth Soccer, or a local camp or clinic, Dolan had a strong impact on all the members of this year’s Tigers squad. Even when Dolan worked at the college level, he was always on the OA sideline for the playoffs.
“I’m just very happy for the girls, it’s been a very emotional week,” Sellmayer said. “Come tournament time, Scotty would always be here. I could say something that they’ve heard all year long but I could have Scotty tell them and they’d listen. And then he’d be there to help me with my coaching too.
“A kid could make the worst play in the world and Scotty would say ‘Hey darling, don’t worry about it, this is what you have to do.’ And make them feel like a million bucks. Just a big booming voice, just a super guy.”
Evin’s game-winner was the first goal that the Tigers scored against the Panthers this season. The two sides battled to a scoreless tie in Easton in early October while the Panthers earned a 2-0 decision in one of the final games of the season.
“We won one, we tied one, and now they’ve won one so you can’t get much more even than that,” said longtime Franklin coach Tom Geysen. “[Oliver Ames] was the better team tonight. They were able to force us into some things that we haven’t done since the beginning of the year, so kudos to them.”
Chances were few and far between throughout the 80 minutes of regulation. The Tigers had five corners and put four shots on net but all were handled by Franklin keeper Bre Atwood. OA keeper Emily Meyers was equal to the task, handling four corners and three shots on goal by the Panthers.
Sophomore Lauren Sellmayer connected with classmate Camryn O’Connor on a throw, but her cross was partially blocked. That led to a clearance from the defense but it was intercepted by Evin just outside the area. She took a touch around a defender and rifled a shot just out of the reach of Atwood’s diving attempt to give the Tigers a win.
“That was [a big girl soccer goal],” Sellmayer said. “[Evin] cramped up and I was sitting her for a little bit but in overtime, we just went with it. There were moments Allison wasn’t giving us a lot of defense but she couldn’t move. It was a trade-off so we went for it.”
The limited number of chances had a lot to do with strong defense from both sides. Even when it looked like there might be a chance for a shot, a defender would often intervene.
Evin and O’Connor linked up in the 10th minute with the latter giving the hosts their first shot on goal. Atwood tipped away a corner kick from Abby Hodges in the 28th minute and came up big again in the 35th minute when OA’s Emma Pereira lofted a ball over the defense but Franklin’s Sabrina Addi help shield the ball and the keeper was there before Erin Holmberg could pounce.
Franklin’s Riley Fitzpatrick got in behind the defense in the 9th minute but Pereira was quick to get back and win possession back. Sydney St. Marie sent a shot just wide of the net in the 21st minute, and Erin Quaile’s bid from distance was handled easily in the 32nd minute.
Panther freshman Norah Anderson made a terrific recovery in the 58th minute, getting back in time to take away a shot from Holmberg from inside the area. On the other end, Franklin’s Sam Powderly smashed a shot wide of the post after taking down a clearance.
The Tigers were close to a winner in regulation when Katie Gibson linked up with Holmberg at the far post but her point-blank chance was saved by Atwood to keep the game scoreless and force overtime.
“We talked about it halftime but we weren’t able to do it…we needed to play the ball wide over the defender, and the forwards who made the initial pass need to make a run,” Geysen said. “But we never got the ball up in the air and make them change them what they were doing.”
A nice give-and-go between Quaile and Carly Alston resulted in the former putting a shot on target to start the overtime period, but that would be it in the attacking end for Franklin.
Two minutes later, OA almost had a winner when a ball was played into the area that eluded Atwood, causing a little scrum in front of the net but Anna Balkus and Bridgette Ginley helped clear the line and keep it out.
After starting the season with one win in its first four games, Franklin lost just once in its final 13 games. And in the span, the Panthers allowed just three goals.
“We started 1-3 and I wasn’t sure how the rest of the season would go,” Geysen said. “We made the change to put Anna [Balkus] in the back and that changed the whole defensive scheme for us. That’s when we started to play better. If you play well defensively, you’re in every game. We only gave up two goals twice, the first was an early game to Canton and the second one was KP, and they’ll score two on anybody.”
Oliver Ames girls soccer (14-4-1) will look continue to play “big girl soccer” when it hits the road on Thursday to visit top-seeded King Philip. Franklin finishes at 12-5-1.
Addi Brace Lifts Stingy Franklin Over Bombardiers
FRANKLIN, Mass. – Attleboro (7-9-2) arrived at Pisini Stadium on Monday night needing a win in its season finale to clinch a postseason berth for the first time under head coach Steve Santos and first time since the Bombardiers joined the Hockomock League. Unfortunately for the visitors, they were facing a team that has made its mark this season by frustrating opposing attacks.
Franklin locked down defensively once again, recording its 11th shutout in its last 12 games (only league champion King Philip has managed to score against the Panthers in the last five weeks) and dashing Attleboro’s playoff hopes with a 2-0 victory.
The Panthers have allowed only eight goals all season, which is second best in the league, but six of those goals came in the opening five games. A lineup change, moving senior Anna Balkus to left back from her attacking midfield role, solidified that side of the field and allowed classmate Sabrina Addi to dominate in the middle. Freshman Norah Anderson and senior Sam Powderly have grown into their center and right back roles.
“We moved her to the back and she just took over and that allowed Sabrina not to have everything on her shoulders,” said Franklin coach Tom Geysen. “Being able to move Anna around and now put Sammy on the side where she feels more comfortable, on the right side because she’s right-footed, makes things a little easier. And Norah has come a long way, for a freshman she’s played very well.”
Addi did more than just limit the Bombardiers to shots from distance, she also showed off her own long-range prowess. She found the back of the net twice on free kicks from 30-plus yards, supplying the Panthers with all the scoring they would need for the night.
“She’s been doing it all season,” Geysen said of Addi’s ability on set pieces. He added, “We don’t score a lot of goals (28 in 17 games) and that’s one of the problems we have, so if we don’t play good defense then we’re in trouble.”
It was a frustrating night for Attleboro coach Steve Santos, who watched the Bombardiers claw their way into contention with a hard-fought win against North Attleboro on Sunday afternoon in the annual Blue-Red Cup match. A day later and a little banged up, especially after junior forward Isabella Salviati was forced to the bench with a rib injury, the Bombardiers couldn’t find a way past the Franklin back line.
“We played yesterday in the rain,” said Attleboro coach Steve Santos. “Everyone was coming in here a little ragged and that’s not the way you want to go into a playoff game. We battled hard. I’m proud of the team, they don’t quit. They give us everything they got left in the tank.”
Neither team was able to create many clear-cut chances through the first half. Sydney St. Marie had the first good look for the Panthers when she was played into the right channel, but Emily Antonik was able to put pressure on her and make it a comfortable save for Ashley Macia.
Five minutes later, Eleanor Graber had Attleboro’s first shot on target, but it was from a long way out and was an easy stop for Breanna Atwood (four saves).
Franklin nearly grabbed the lead midway through the half when Carly Alston’s corner was met by Erin Quaile, but the junior midfielder’s header smack the bar and stayed out. Macia was able to scramble and cover the rebound.
Attleboro had a couple of chances late in the half, but both were shots from well outside the area. Jessica Gatesstepped past a couple of Franklin defenders to open up space, but her shot was held by Atwood. A minute later, Briley Harnois got shooting space from 20 yards and sent a shot narrowly wide of the post.
“Their defense is so stingy, so difficult,” said Santos. “No. 4 (Addi) is a rock back there. She’s hard to get through. She’s strong on the ball, she goes into tackles strong. They didn’t give us much. We knew it was going to be a close one, we knew it was going to be a battle, and we were hoping that we’d get the bounce we needed.”
The hosts came storming out of the break determined to grab the lead and not allow the Bombardiers to get the advantage that they were desperately seeking. Quaile played in Alston between the center backs but she shot early and hit it straight at the keeper. Chloe Barca whipped in a cross from the right a few minutes later that St. Marie hit first-time but again Macia was in the right position to hold on.
“Those two kids up front,” Geysen said of Harnois and Salviati, “if you make a mistake they can hurt you and that’s what I told the girls at halftime. I said that they need to stop dropping, one of you take the person who’s there and the other will be the second defender. You can’t keep dropping and giving them more space.”
Ten minutes after the break, Addi broke the deadlock with an unstoppable rocket from nearly 40 yards out. Her shot smacked the underside of the bar on its way through. Fourteen minutes after that and from the other side of the field, she went for goal from more than 30 yards and was able to slip it just past the outstretched arms of the keeper to make it 2-0.
That goal put Attleboro in the unenviable position of having to score three goals in just 16 minutes against a team that had allowed only two goals in a month and hadn’t allowed three goals in a game once this season.
The best chance for the Bombardiers came nine minutes from full time when Harnois curled a ball into the box from the near midfield. The clearance was indecisive and fell to the feet of Emily Dunlea, who drew a save out of Atwood.
Santos explained, “Today was our tournament test. It’s tough. We wanted more for this team and we’ll always look back at a couple of those games that we wish we had back, but to be playing and fighting at this time of the year, we’re playing great soccer.”
Franklin (12-4-1) will find out its tournament opponent when the draw comes out on Friday.
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/22/19
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip’s offense exploded for four goals in the first half and never looked back to earn two points in a win over visiting Attleboro. Alex Leon scored a pair of goals to pace the offense while Steven Griffin had a goal and two assists in the win. Leon opened the scoring in the 14th minute on an assist from Brian McCarthy, and Ajae Olson doubled the lead four minutes later with Cam Lawrence setting things up. Griffin scored in the 26th minute on a feed from Owen Teixeira, and then set up Leon for KP’s fourth goal in the 38th minute. Griffin returned the favor to Teixeira in the second half for a 47th minute goal.
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – The Eagles scored twice in the final 10 minutes at Gillette Stadium to earn an important victory. The first goal came with less than 10 minutes remaining, as Brian Higgins had his shot from inside the box saved by Canton goalie Alejandro Correal but the rebound fell right to Viktor Schneider, who made no mistake from close range. With time running down, the Eagles sealed the win when Schneider flicked a header to Mason Benton for a cool finish into the corner. Sharon now needs four points from its final three games to qualify for the playoffs.
Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Foxboro senior Dylan Barreira scored a first half hat trick and the Warriors kept their postseason hopes alive with a win at Stoughton. Barreira opened the scoring in the 30th minute, getting a deflected shot to find inside of the far post. He added a second on a nice shot from top of the area in the 32nd minute, and completed his hat trick by cleaning up a long throw from Tim Behn (two assists) in the 33rd minute. An own goal gave the Warriors a 4-0 lead, and in the 59th minute, Behn’s long throw found Barreira, who crossed for a one-timer from Joe Cusack to make it 5-0.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin picked up a win at home to qualify for the state tournament. Senior Donny Tappin orchestrated all three goals, setting up Ben Moccia for the first two goals of the net. Tappin then assisted on a goal from Charlie Amante to help Franklin secure the win.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield rallied for a pair of second half goals to earn an upset win over once-beaten Oliver Ames and keep its playoff hopes alive. The Tigers took the lead midway through the first half when Anthony DaCosta finished off a pass from Matthew Nikiciuk. Mansfield pulled level in the 58th minute as sophomore Sagar Koul finished a corner from Dan Rowe. Koul bagged his second of the game and the game-winner in the 78th minute off a service from Ethan Scholes.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford and North Attleboro traded first half goals to split the points. Leo Coelho put the hosts ahead shortly before the midway mark of the first half before James Sales pulled the visitors level, burying a second ball off a corner kick.
Girls Soccer
King Philip, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip found the back of the net three times in the second half to pull away and secure two points on the road at Attleboro. Kiera Lindmark (from Avery Snead) put the visitors on the board with a shot just under the crossbar in the 34th minute. Chloe Layne scored the next two for KP, finishing off a cross from Ava Tormey in the 53rd minute and getting a touch to Makayla Griffin’s free kick service in the 67th minute. Paulina Bazcowski capped KP’s scoring, going top shelf on a feed from Layne. Attleboro coach Steve Santos praised his team’s defensive effort to keep it close with the unbeaten Warriors. Briley Harnois scored the lone goal for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 4 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Elisa Diletizia scored a second half hat trick to power Canton to a big win at Gillette Stadium. The Eagles controlled play in the opening half, but failed to take the few chances that came their way. Canton took advantage to grab the lead against the run of play. Olivia Rodman created space for a cross from the left and it was turned in by a Sharon defender for a 1-0 lead at the break. Diletizia scored all three of her goals from outside the box, including the final shot that was curled in off the far post, moving the Bulldogs back to .500 and needing two points from the final two games to make the postseason.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 13 – Final
Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Bridgette Ginley scored twice in the first half to help secure Franklin’s spot in the state tournament. Ginley scored 10 minutes into the game off an assist by Sydney St. Marie and then added Franklin’s third with four minutes to go in the half, off an assist by Chloe Barca. Anna Grasso had the second, from Anna Balkus. In the second half, Sabrina Addi scored an unassisted goal and Rachel Hogan got the fifth, assisted by Bridget Leo. Taunton goalie Grace Pimenta made at least a dozen saves to keep the Tigers close.
Mansfield, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Mansfield took a first half lead but Oliver Ames found the back of the net twice in the second half to pick up its 13th win of the season. Erin Holmberg finished off a cross from Allison Evin to bring the hosts level. Leah Johnson scored the winner for OA, getting a touch on a corner kick from Abby Hodges. Olivia Carroll and Mary Cross had strong games for OA.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – A back and forth contest ended in a scoreless draw with each team earning a point. Regan Fein recorded her fifth shutout for North Attleboro while Alex Moulson, Collette Petit, Lydia Hershey and Taylor Ward had strong games for North Attleboro. North coach Bill Wallace noted Tess Collins had her best game since returning from injury.
Fitzpatrick Nets Winner as Franklin Edges Mansfield
FRANKLIN, Mass. – In a game of few scoring chances, it took only one moment of skill, only one defensive lapse, to decide a winner in Friday night’s match at Pisini Stadium.
The only goal of the game arrived with eight minutes before the break, as sophomore Riley Fitzpatrick showed a deft touch to tap in Rachel Hogan’s cross on the edge of the six-yard-box and lift Franklin to a 1-0 victory over rival Mansfield.
“She’s awfully good athletically,” Franklin coach Tom Geysen said of Fitzpatrick. “She played far more aggressively than she has at any other point in the season and that makes a big difference. If you can put pressure up front on their backs, somebody’s going to make a mistake.”
Most of the game was played in the middle of the pitch, as the two teams did a good job of cancelling each other out and limiting the ability for either to get into the final third. When the teams did get the ball forward, both defenses stood tall to clear their lines and keep both goalies largely untroubled.
“Neither team,” said Mansfield coach Kevin Smith about the lack of clear scoring chances. He did note that the overall play had improved from the teams’ first meeting, adding, “We were both chatting about how we’ve been developing and both teams were passing, moving. The soccer is much better and both teams have grown.”
It took 18 minutes for the first shot in anger. A clearance by Franklin left back Anna Balkus popped out to Katie Miller and the sophomore had a go from 20 yards that was held by Breanna Atwood. A couple minutes later, Tarynn Smith had another chance for Mansfield, but freshman defender Norah Anderson forced the forward wide and made it an easier stop for Atwood.
Franklin needed half an hour to register its first shot on goal. It just happened to also find the back of the net.
Hogan battled to win the ball back on the right side of the Mansfield penalty area and she needed only a sliver of space to fire a cross to the edge of the six. Fitzpatrick made a late run towards the back post, cut across her marker, and side-footed a shot past Mansfield keeper Olivia Salisbury.
Fitzpatrick created Franklin’s other scoring opportunity of the first half when she won the ball in midfield and got it forward to senior Carly Alston. She cut inside on her right foot and fired a shot that was straight at the keeper.
Things opened up slightly at the start of the second half, as the Hornets created a scoring chance just a minute after the break. Smith played Avery Hawthorne down the left channel but her shot to the near post was grabbed by Atwood.
Eleven minutes later, Hawthorne hustled to pressure Franklin defender Sabrina Addi, blocking a clearance and getting free in the box only for Balkus to come flying across and block the goal-bound shot.
Fitzpatrick continued to be a menace for the Panthers. She created space for a cross from the right side that picked out Sydney St. Marie at the back stick but her volley was blocked by Megan Krone.
“We’ve been having that problem all season,” said Geysen. “We get a minimum number of shots. You have to score goals and we don’t. We have to play good defense and keep working our butts off to stay in the game.”
He added, “We need to be able to pressure the ball and get to it quickly. Not having Stella [Regan] (who is out with a broken leg) in the middle is a real kick in the butt because she’s so good moving the ball.”
With six minutes remaining in the game, Maria Sevastos had a free kick right on the edge of the box. The Franklin wall struggled to get itself set and gave Sevastos a look at the corner, but the shot skidded just wide.
The Hornets finished with a flurry, looking for an important equalizer that would get them one point closer to a playoff spot, but the Panthers held out and nearly doubled the lead when St. Marie couldn’t get full purchase on a volley off an Alston cross.
“It’s not going to be easy,” said Smith about Mansfield’s chances of getting into the postseason. “We needed that [challenge]. We’re getting there. I love working with these kids, they’re great.”
Franklin (8-4-1, 7-4-1) will travel to Taunton on Tuesday, while Mansfield (5-5-4, 5-5-3) will begin its quest for four points from its remaining four games with a trip to Oliver Ames.
Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/04/19
Today’s games are listed below.
Game of the Week – Football
Mansfield, 15 @ King Philip, 13 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
1st Quarter: (M) Jack Moussette 33-yard pass to Danny Rapoza, Michael DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (KP) Crawford Cantave 1-yard rush, XP blocked.
4th Quarter: (M) Cincere Gill 20-yard rush, Nick Marciano 2pt rush; (KP) Robert Jarest 16-yard pass to Alex Behling, Dylan Conti XP good.
Football
Attleboro, 21 @ Taunton, 3 – Final
Foxboro, 20 @ Canton, 26 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 33-yard pass to Gersom Rivera, Owen Lehane XP good; (F) Shayne Kerrigan 46-yard pass to Ryan Hughes, Tyler James XP good; (C) J. Hagan 1-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) O. Lehane 24-yard field goal; (F) S. Kerrigan 11-yard rush, T. James XP good; (C) O. Lehane 32-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (C) J. Hagan 1-yard rush, 2-point conversion no good.
4th Quarter: (F) S. Kerrigan 6-yard rush, XP blocked.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Attleboro and Sharon traded first half goals, splitting the two points in a draw on Friday night. Attleboro freshman Esvin Morales put the visitors ahead off an assist from Joey Soucy, putting the Bombardiers ahead in the 7th minute. But four minutes later, Sharon senior Brian Higgins brought the hosts level on an assist from James Zhang.
Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin netted a pair of first half goals, added an insurance strike in the second, and posted a shutout on the road at Foxboro. Junior Ethan Cain opened the scoring on an assist from senior Sam Stowell while sophomore Terry O’Neill put the Panthers up 2-0, converting a feed from senior Donny Tappin. Senior Jacob Cummings made it 3-0 with Cain grabbing the assist.
King Philip, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Senior Owen Teixeira scored the lone goal of the game with just over three minutes left to help KP grab two points on the road. Teixeira took a pass from junior Anthony Zappala and rifled a shot from 25 yards out to put the Warriors ahead.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
Canton, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – The Panthers hit on a counterattack nine minutes into the game, Sydney St. Marie heading in a cross by Chloe Barca, to hand Foxboro its first defeat of the season. The Warriors pressured throughout the game, but the Panthers defense was excellent, according to head coach Tom Geysen, to keep Foxboro off the board. Anna Balkus had the job of marking Foxboro forward Jordyn Collins and she was helped in the first half by freshman Norah Anderson, who got across on the cover to clear away a chance with a sliding tackle. Breanna Atwood made 12 saves in goal to earn the clean sheet.
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip got off to a strong start, netting four first half goals to earn a win at home over North Attleboro. Ally Stanton scored in the 4th minute off a feed from Makayla Griffin, and again in the 15th minute, converting a cross from Ava Tormey. Avery Snead (22nd minute) and Chloe Layne (26th minute) set one another up for goals. Snead added a strike in the second half in the 46th minute with Stanton getting the assist.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Maria Sevastos and Abby Jean scored for the Hornets, while goalies Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined for three saves and the shutout. Stoughton goalie Brianna Buckley had a strong game in goal for the Black Knights.
Milford, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – After trading first half goals, Oliver Ames found the game-winner in the second half to earn two points against the Hawks at home. Senior Abby Hodges put the Tigers up in the first half while sophomore Camryn O’Connor scored the game-winner, finishing off a corner from senior Erin Holmberg.
Field Hockey
Stoughton, 2 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final – Haley Nelson and Morgan Lessa each scored to lead the Black Knights to a win at home over visiting Brockton.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 vs. Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final – Canton earned a regular season sweep of NDA, winning 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 27-25) at home. Taylor Harris had a standout performance, hitting 0.487 while putting down 22 kills along with 11 digs. Claire Quinn added eight kills and 13 digs while Jackie Morrissey dished out 27 assists while recording three kills and nine digs for the Bulldogs.
Mansfield, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames avenged its season-opening loss to the Boxers with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-20) sweep at home. Sarah Morley had a strong game with 10 digs and five aces, Allie Kemp added 25 assists, and Alison Barth added 27 digs. Caroline Flynn and Jordan Bosse paced the offense with 10 kills apiece.
Golf
Mansfield, 152 @ Attleboro, 169 – Final – Mansfield picked up a win over Attleboro at Stone-E-Lea, clinching the Kelley-Rex division title outright. Ryan Dow was the match medalist with a low round of 35 while Ava Haggis, Brian See, and Joseph Gormley each shot 39 in the win.
Franklin, 170 @ Foxboro, 173 – Final – Franklin’s Jack Paterson was the match medalist, shooting a team-low round of 40 to pace the Panthers to a close win over Foxboro. Pat Dolan added a 41, Brian Sandham shot a 43, and Jake Blaney chipped in with a 46. Foxboro’s Matt Fossella (three pars) sank a birdie, finishing with a 41. Dylan Quinn (five pars) added a 43, Noah Hicks shot 44, and Jack Rounds finished with a 45 for the Warriors.
North Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:30
Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/19/19
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored once in the 10th minute and added two more goals in the second half to pick up a win over rival Attleboro. Matt Mordini finished off a cross from James Sales to give the visitors the lead in the first half. In the second, Sales buried a chance after a failed clearance after a cross from James Bush to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute. Mordini grabbed his second in the 61st minute off a feed from Alex Pfeffer. Kyle Briere earned his third shutout of the season.
King Philip, 1 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames earned its fifth straight win to start the season, posting a 2-0 win on the road at Foxboro. Kevin Louhis scored and had an assist in the win. Anthony DaCosta scored the other goal for OA while Colin Milliken grabbed his fifth assist of the year. Drew Nickla earned his fourth shutout of the year.
Mansfield, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Milford exploded for four goals in the second half to earn a win over visiting Mansfield. Pedro Araujo put the Hawks ahead with a penalty kick in the 50th minute but Mansfield’s Colin True headed in a service from Colin Caridi minutes later to bring the Hornets level. Araujo grabbed his second after being playing in by Lucas Da Silva. Da Silva then scored a pair of his own, both from Araujo, as the Hawks pulled away for the win.
Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of second half goals to pull away from visiting Taunton for the win. The Eagles went ahead in the 6th minute on a goal from Brian Higgins (from Andrew Jacobson) but Taunton knotted the score with a penalty kick from Alec Nunes in the 37th minute. Sharon jumped back ahead in the 55th minute when Michael Baur converted a penalty kick, and Jacobson linked up with Higgins again in the 73rd minute for an insurance tally.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead on a first half goal by Meghan Panzer, but Olivia Wills scored for the second time this week to earn a point for the Rocketeers. Abi Slaney assisted on North’s goal. Attleboro nearly grabbed a late winner with a quick break but Summer Doherty made a big play to cut out the chance. Lydia Hershey, Jordan Sullivan, and Lily Cameron all played well in the North back line. Regan Fein made seven saves for North, while Attleboro keeper Ashley Macia made six stops.
Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip senior Chloe Layne registered three points to become the program’s all-time point leader, breaking a 21-year old record. Layne had a goal and two assists, scoring the game-winner in the 15th minute. Layne also set up Jenny Montville as KP opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game. Ally Stanton (assists) scored on a feed from Jenna Hitchen in the 50th minute, and Layne set up Kiera Lindmark for a strike in the 71st minute. KP coach Gary Pichel credited his back line with having a strong game, with freshman Grace Lawler have a particularly strong showing.
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin took control of the game early on, jumping out to a 4-1 lead by halftime, and never looked back. Carly Alston led the way for the Panthers with two goals and two assists, while Anna Balkus added a goal and two assists. Sydney St. Marie and Anna Grasso added goals for Franklin and Erin Quaile had an assist. Brianna Buckley had a big day in goal for the Black Knights with 16 saves. Freshman Shayla Ford scored for Stoughton with an assist from Ashley Camilo.
Milford, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Kerrin Sears scored the opening goal for Mansfield in the first half, assisted by Bella Lennon, but Ashleigh Starks equalized for the Hawks from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – After trading first half goals, Taunton’s Emily O’Gara netted the game-winner in the 55th minute to give the Tigers the win over visiting Sharon. Taunton opened the scoring in the 17th minute as senior Paige Tolan finished off a corner kick from Emily Calderon. Sharon drew level in the 30th minute when Olivia Soby found the back of the net with a shot from outside the box. O’Gara picked out the top corner with a rocket in the 55th minute on an assist from Tolan. Junior Hannah McEntee made seven saves to earn the win while seniors Emma Silvia and Allison Calderon had strong games defensively for the Tigers.
Golf
Franklin, 152 @ Attleboro, 159 – Final
King Philip, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – Final – King Philip’s Kayla Schuberth had a terrific day on the links, carding a two-under round of 34 to lead the Warriors past Stoughton. Nate Ihley added an even par 36, Mike Matheson shot a 39, and Jack Hastry chipped in with a 41 for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 171 @ Foxboro, 175 – Final – Mansfield earned a close win on the road at Foxboro to stay unbeaten on the season. Nate Morreale led the Hornets with a low-round of 40 while Joseph Gormley added a 41, Jason See shot a 43, and Ryan Dow finished with a 47 for Mansfield.
Milford, 166 @ Canton, 149 – Final – Canton’s Chris Lavoie, Will Gefteas, and Conor Hunter shared medalist honors on the day, each shooting a 37 to help the Bulldogs win in their home opener. Mike Leonetti, Thomas Singleton, and Owen Donovan all shot 38 for the Bulldogs. Tyler Wetherbee led Milford with a low-round of 39.
North Attleboro, 179 @ Sharon, 165 – Final – Sharon defended its home course, knocking off visiting North Attleboro at the Cape Club of Sharon. Ethan Skelly earned match medalist honors for the Eagles, shooting a match-low round of 38, with Andrew Glaser adding a round of 40. Eric Carter (43) and Nathan Daley (44) also scored for Sharon. Jake Gaskin had a team-low round of 41 for the Rocketeers.
Oliver Ames, 170 @ Taunton, 187 – Final – Tate Hadges led the way for the Tigers on the road, carding a round of 39 to earn medalist honors in Oliver Ames’ win. Brad Powers added a 41 in the win.
Layne Lifts King Philip Over Franklin With Early Goal
FRANKLIN, Mass. – The Franklin girls soccer team put on a nearly flawless defensive performance against visiting King Philip on Tuesday afternoon.
But the potent Warriors’ offense only needs one chance to punish teams.
Such was the case at Pisini Field as senior Chloe Layne scored inside the opening 10 minutes, the 100th point of her career, and the Warriors walked away with a hard-earned 1-0 decision over the Panthers.
While King Philip’s lone goal came early, the Warriors had chances throughout the game that were either thwarted by the Panthers’ defense or denied by senior goalie Bre Atwood.
“Defensively, [Franklin head coach Tom Geysen] always comes up with a good scheme, you just have to try and work and work and work until you break through,” said King Philip head coach Gary Pichel.
The Warriors started on the front foot, keeping possession as they built towards their goal. In the eighth minute, senior Avery Snead controlled a service and linked up with Layne. Layne first carried towards the end line but cut back inside and fired a left-footed blast that powered through defenders and into the back of the net. The assist was also the 100th point for Snead in her KP career.
“You can’t let Chloe get in that deep, and all she needs is a little space,” Pichel said. “She just knocks it in with a lot of firepower. I thought Franklin did a good job [defensively] on Chloe and Avery, they were all over them, made it very difficult to get decent shots off. But that’s what you expect, a close game against Franklin.”
Minutes later, Snead nearly doubled the lead. She took a pass from classmate Jenna Hitchen and rifled a one-timer from just inside the 18 but her low shot was wide as Franklin senior Sam Powderly applied pressure.
The Warriors best chance to add onto their advantage in the first half came in the 22nd minute. Junior Paige Varvarigos lofted a corner kick that Snead rose up to meet but her header flashed just wide at the near post.
Although Franklin defended for the majority of the half, it did have some breaks that turned into looks offensively. In the 20th minute, Carly Alston served a corner kick to the near post. Anna Balkus was the first to the bar, getting a touch that eluded the keeper but the ball was cleared in front of goal by the KP defense.
King Philip had two great chances to add onto the lead in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but Atwood came up big for the Panthers on both occasions. In the 45th minute, Snead blocked a clearance attempt but Atwood quickly closed down and turned away her shot.
Four minutes later, Makayla Griffin found Ally Stanton with a corner kick, and Stanton’s header looked destined for the back of the net before Atwood made a terrific diving save to prevent the ball from crossing the line.
“I thought their goalie made some really good stops, especially on that corner it looked like Ally Stanton had taken care of it, it was going right in, and she got there right in the nick of time,” Pichel said. “We knew coming in that, the trouble they had with Milford, you forget about it. It’s KP against Franklin and it’s always a dogfight.”
Franklin got strong defensive performances from Powderly, senior Sabrina Addi, junior Carissa Alers, junior Erin Quaile, and freshman Norah Anderson.
“You have Snead, Layne, and Stanton…that’s a lot of firepower,” Geysen said of the KP attack. “When you look at their scoring, goals and assists, it all goes through the three of them. So we just tried to make it a little bit harder, tried to be in their face, and when you have the opportunity, double team them.
“Just one chance, that’s all it takes. And that’s what happens when you don’t score.”
Anderson applied pressure so Snead couldn’t get off a clean one-timer in the 63rd minute. Less than a minute later, Jenny Montville blasted a shot from 25 yards out but Atwood handled it on the bounce. And in the 69th minute, Stanton’s cross found Montville but good defending from Addi prevented a serious chance.
Franklin had its best chance of the second half come in the 73rd minute on a near post corner kick but KP keeper Taylor Butler came off the line and disrupted the service.
“I told Taylor she did a fantastic job of coming out when she needed to and taking care of business,” Pichel said. “I thought Grace Lawler did a fantastic job on defense, picking up some of their runs. Jenny Montville and Ava Tormey, things changed drastically when I put those two in the middle. They really picked it up for us and gave us a lot of energy.
We’re a work in progress. Who’s going to step up, who’s going to be consistent…and you just do the best you can. We don’t think we’re fantastic but we’re more of a meat and potatoes type team, just keeping fighting.
Hitchen intercepted a clearance in the 76th minute to give the Warriors one final chance, but the near post service was knocked away by Atwood before Layne could get a touch.
“Bre played extremely well in the second half after being a little passive in the first half,” Geysen said. “Same thing with Sabrina [Addi], she had a great second half. They were both better today and it worked well.
“We beat Milford but we didn’t play very well, they physically knocked us all over the place and took advantage of our lack of aggressiveness. We needed to be more physical and aggressive today, that was the goal for today. I don’t care what the score was, we needed to play better. And I was very proud that they did that today.”
King Philip girls soccer (3-0 overall, 2-0 Hockomock) is back in action on Friday with a trip to Milford. Franklin (1-1, 1-1) is on the road at Canton on Thursday afternoon.
Girls Soccer: 2019 Kelley-Rex Division Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff
2019 Kelley-Rex Girls Soccer Preview
Attleboro
2018 Record: 6-11-1
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Steve Santos
The Bombardiers have made great improvements over the last couple of seasons, jumping from eight goals scored as a team to 26 and then 24 in 2017 and 2018, and now head coach Steve Santos is looking for Attleboro to take the next step and make its first state tournament appearance since joining the Hockomock League. With an experienced corps and several talented newcomers, Santos hopes this will be the year to get a taste of the postseason.
The attack has been led by junior forward Isabella Salviati, who had half of the team’s goals last year and assisted on seven other goals. The forward play flows through her, but the Bombardiers will be hoping to get more contributions from junior Briley Harnois, who had a breakout sophomore campaign, and from midfielder Jessica Gates, who has the vision to find the key pass that will spring one of the forwards. Also helping out through midfield and into the attack with be seniors Ashley Dame and Julia Reyes.
There is also experience in the heart of the Attleboro defense with senior Sophia Salviati paired with classmate Emily Antonik. Junior Vanessa Laguerre makes the move up from JV this season and will be slotted into the back line as well. Goalie has been a position of strength for the Bombardiers for several seasons but this year it is in flux as senior Ashley Macia is slated to be the starter, but she is also capable in defense and saw a lot of time as an outfield player last year. Freshman Alexis Campbell could eventually step in between the posts. Junior Riley Sullivan could contribute right away and is capable of playing multiple positions and sophomore Emily Khang adds another player with ball skills.
“We have a lot of returning players,” said Santos, “and I think we have more depth so we won’t have to rely on the starters for as many minutes. We have a lot of players who can contribute and fill in the pieces. The key this season will be being consistent for 80 minutes and keeping our pace for the whole game.”
Franklin
2018 Record: 10-3-5
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Tom Geysen
Franklin lost only three games all of last season and had one of the league’s best defensive records, allowing only 10 goals in 18 games. That solidity in the defensive third will be hard to replicate, as the Panthers graduated three of last year’s back four, but there is also hope that the promising young attackers can take some of the pressure off by improving on the team’s 40 goals scored, which was seventh best in the Hock.
Senior Sabrina Addi is the lone returning defender for the Panthers, but she will get help from senior goalie Breanna Atwood to try and organize an inexperienced defense. Freshman Norah Anderson will jump into the center of the defense and looks ready for the physical challenge of Hock play. Senior Sam Powderly will drop back from midfield to help out as well.
Once the Panthers get the ball back, there are plenty of familiar faces to try and get goals. Senior Anna Balkus can play a number of different positions, including in the heart of midfield, the wing, or in the attack. Sophomore Stella Regan is coming off a breakout rookie season and adds even more pace to the center of the pitch, while senior Carly Alston is a solid performer on both sides of the ball. In the attack, juniors Erin Quaile and Sydney St. Marie are looking to make the leap to add more consistent scoring.
“I know the kids with experience won’t back down,” said Franklin coach Tom Geysen, “but I need to see how the younger kids will react to this level. I need to see if they can physically cope with playing where I need them to play.”
King Philip
2018 Record: 12-5-2
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Gary Pichel
When you bring back players the caliber of seniors Avery Snead and Chloe Layne, the expectations will be very high for the upcoming season. King Philip enters 2019 as the favorite to bring home a league title but also with the goal of matching the run that the Warriors made in 2017, when they won the South title in double overtime and reached the state semifinal.
Layne, the 2017 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, and Snead, the 2017 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and two-time league MVP, have been among the league’s leading scorers each of the last three years and will make one more run at a league title. They are joined up top by senior Ally Stanton. The trio was one of the league’s most dynamic attacking groups, combining for 50 goals and 33 assists last season
Senior Jenna Hitchen and juniors Emma Glaser and Jenny Montville will also contribute to pushing the Warriors forward, while freshman Ella Pisani is a newcomer to watch in the attack. A lot of attention will (rightfully) be paid to KP’s attack, but its defense is also experienced. Seniors Makayla Griffin and Olivia Berry and junior Paige Varvarigos return to the back line with a combined eight years on varsity. Junior Taryn Greenberg and freshman Grace Lawler will also contribute in defense in front of junior goalie Taylor Butler.
“I am very excited about the prospects for our team this year,” said KP coach Gary Pichel. “That being said, we will remain laser-focused on not overlooking any team that we play. We will not look ahead but instead, will prepare for each team we have on our schedule with great intensity, one game at a time.
Mansfield
2018 Record: 15-3-4
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal
Coach: Kevin Smith
The Hornets have had an unprecedented level of success over the past three seasons, winning three straight Kelley-Rex division titles, and reaching last year’s Div. 1 South semifinal, but Mansfield enters the fall with an almost entirely new roster and having only one player on the team with more than one year of varsity experience.
Senior Erin Dooling is by far the most experienced player on the roster, but defender Maria Sevastos and midfielder Katie Miller both saw a lot of playing time as freshmen and impressed during their rookie campaigns. Senior midfielder Kerrin Sears and senior defender Megan Krone join Dooling as captains this season and will both need to provide leadership for a team with four freshmen on the roster.
Mansfield coach Kevin Smith said, “We are young and learning each day with an entire new starting lineup, four freshmen on the roster and 18 of 24 players new to the team. Erin is the lone player with more than one year of varsity experience while Maria and Katie earned a lot of minutes last year. All three will be leaned on to share their experience with the team.”
Oliver Ames
2018 Record: 11-5-3
2018 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Britt Sellmayer
Oliver Ames continues to turn out competitive teams ready to challenge the best teams in the league and put themselves in the state tournament picture. This fall will be no different, as the Tigers have six returning starters and 14 players who saw varsity action last year. While there is still a relative lack of experience, the Tigers remain a team with high expectations.
Defense has also been a strength of the program and this year is no different with seniors Olivia Carroll, Abigail Hodges, and Leah Johnson providing a strong backbone for the team and will be a unit that is hard to break down. Junior goalie Emma O’Donnell is dealing with a preseason injury, so sophomore Emily Meyers will get the start for the season opener. Seniors Erin Holmberg and Abby Evin will lead the forward line, but there were strong rookie seasons from Camryn O’Connor and Allison Evin that give confidence for additional help in the final third.
“For OA to return to the tournament we will need some of our less experienced players to step up,” said Oliver Ames coach Britt Sellmayer.
Taunton
2018 Record: 3-16
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Joe Rocha
Former Taunton boys soccer coach Joe Rocha takes over the girls program this fall and will continue a rebuilding effort to try and get the Tigers off the foot of the division standings, which is a difficult task in the loaded Kelley-Rex division. Rocha knows it will be a process with a relatively young roster and is looking for improvements over the course of the season.
Senior Grace Pimenta will be back in goal for the Tigers this season, after missing part of last year with an injury. Pimenta will add leadership to the defensive unit that features senior Emma Silvia and sophomore Isabella Anslow in the middle. Keeping things solid in the center will be the key and Taunton will hope that the forwards can stay active and put pressure on the opposing defenses. Seniors Paige Tolan, Allison Calderon, and Kerla Sylvestre, and juniors Emily O’Gara and Morgan Zakrewski will be counted on to step up and improve Taunton’s goal-scoring numbers (after scoring 16 goals as a team last season).
“We are a very young team and will have some growing pains,” Rocha said. “As a first-year coach, my players are learning a new system and once we all get on the same page, I feel that our play will improve.”