Boys Soccer
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sharon saw a lead disappear in the first half, but didn’t let it happen in the second. After going up 1-0 on a goal from Michael Baur (assisted by Brian Higgins) but Canton leveled before the break behind a goal from Paul Corcoran. Sharon took the lead again when Antonio El-Khoury finished off a cross from Baur. The Eagles added a key insurance goal on an unassisted goal from Higgins. Canton’s Avery Minkin scored to make it 3-2.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Morgan McCabe and Elisa Diletizia each scored twice for the Bulldogs, who scored the first three and the last three goals of the game to get the win. Sarah Collins had a goal and assist and Anne Hoban scored once in the win. Marika Fillion scored off a Bridget McManus free kick early in the second half for the Eagles.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final
Foxboro, 2 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 0 – Final – Jamie Notarangelo and Molly Murphy (assisted by Lily Daly) scored in the second half to give Foxboro the non-league win at Forekicks and extend the Warriors unbeaten streak to nine games.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 2 – Final – Despite falling behind 2-1, Canton picked up two straight wins to earn a 3-2 (19-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-11, 15-8) decision on the road at Notre Dame Academy. “The entire team stayed strong throughout,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. Taylor Harris has a great night with 22 kills, 18 digs, a block and two aces, and Erin Devine added seven kills and eight blocks. Theresa O’Brien chipped in on both sides of the ball with nine kills and 18 digs while Nicole Brown finished with 36 assists, six kills, and 27 digs. Cawley said Megan McDonough and Julia Minichiello were awesome on defense, combining for 37 digs and seven aces.
Boys Soccer
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin senior Tim Duval scored a pair of goals and assisted on another to lead the Panthers to a win on the road. “It was a well played game, our kids played really well together tonight,” said Franklin head coach Fran Bositis. Junior Lucas Moura set Duval up for his first goal, and Duval assisted on classmate Ethan Bowen’s goal.
Milford, 2 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Milford junior Walisson de Oliveira opened the scoring in the first half and assisted on what proved to be the game-winner in the second as the Hawks picked up a key win on the road to pull into a first place tie in the Davenport division. de Oliveira capitalized on a loose ball behind the defense, chipping the keeper in the 15th minute to put the Hawks up 1-0. In the 71st minute, de Oliveira flicked himself in, got a touch past the keeper and Joao Vitor Neiva slid and pushed the ball across the line. Canton struck just two minutes later when Paolo Ruggeri converted a nice shot from outside the area to cut the deficit in half.
King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – In a back-and-forth contest, Oliver Ames scored the game-winning goal inside the final 10 minutes to grab two points at home, bouncing back from its first loss of the season. Senior Sean Flaherty found the back of the net after Haendal Louhis flicked on a throw in from Harry Ahearn. Senior Jacob Lerman and Drew Nikla combined for the shutout for the Tigers, each making a big stop. Lerman thwarted a breakaway in the first half while Nickla came up with a big save without allowing a rebound on a cross in the final minutes.
Mansfield, 7 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield raced out to a 5-0 lead by halftime and never looked back, beating Taunton to qualify for the state tournament. Junior Raffi Marzella scored a pair of goals in the win while classmate Robert Healey had two assists. Junior Colin Caridi, freshman Dylan Buchanon, and senior Ethan Brill-Cass each had a goal and an assist.
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon broke into the win column with a 3-0 decision over visiting Stoughton. Bryce Nathan had the game-winning goal and also recorded an assist for the Eagles. Nathan opened the scoring in the 25th minute, converting an assist from Antonio El-Khoury. Sharon made it 2-0 before the break when Brian Higgins took a feed from Andrew Ableman and found the back of the net. Nathan set up Victor Schneider for a goal in the second half. Stoughton sophomore Nolan Gerome made 16 saves for the Black Knights.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin scored three times in the final 20 minutes to secure a win in a physical division game. Sabrina Addi opened the scoring for the Panthers and Franklin took advantage of the Bombardiers pushing forward after an equalizer to score two more. Hailey Toolin added the second off an assist from Sydney St. Marie and Anna Blakus sealed the win in the final minute off an assist from Calen Frongillo. Tayla Drape made 10 saves for Attleboro, while Breanna Atwood made four to keep a clean sheet.
Milford, 0 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – Canton sophomore scored a pair of goals and had an assist as the Bulldogs notched a convincing win at home. Gilmore scored twice in the first half, both off of restarts. In the sixth minute, Gilmore scored an olimpico – a goal straight from a corner kick. Just 10 minutes later, she floated a free kick from 30 yards out on the left sideline into the far post for a 2-0 lead. In the second half, Gilmore set up Elisa Diletizia, who made a nice move to get free and slotted a low shot into the corner in the 42nd minute. Five minutes later, Lauren McCabe’s cross found Olivia Rodman at the back post and she blasted a shot just under the bar to make it 4-0.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Katelyn Mollica scored once and assisted on the second goal for the Warriors, who jumped out to a 2-0 lead by halftime. The first goal came straight from a corner and the second came off a Mollica free kick that was headed home by Jordyn Collins. Alex Moulson scored her first career goal to cut the lead in half with eight minutes left off an Ashlyn Gaulin assist, but the Warriors held on for the win to keep hold of first in the Davenport division. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said that the defense and goalie Morgan Sylvestre had great games in the win.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Melissa Reef scored what turned out to be the game-winner for the Hornets and her midfield partner Bryn Anderson had a goal and two assists. Maria Sevastos added a goal and an assist, Steph Kemp had an assist, and Katie Miller scored her first career goal for the Hornets. Defender Emily Vigeant also got on the scoresheet off a Katy Garvin assist. Izzy Anslow made 12 saves for the Tigers.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames battled back from a goal down with a pair of second half goals to pull out the road win. Anna Tempestoso tied the game from the penalty spot and in the final minute Brianna Gibson added an “olimpico” to secure the full two points for the Tigers.
Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Brianna Buckley earned her first clean sheet of the season for the Black Knights.
Field Hockey
Stoughton, 3 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final – Stoughton earned a season sweep over East Bridgewater, beating the Vikings 3-0 for the second time this season. Allie Howe paced the Knights’ offense with two goals while Alanna McCormick had the other goal.
Volleyball
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin recorded a win o the road, knocking off Attleboro 3-0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-11). FOr Attleboro, Jessica Matheson had eight digs and Chelsea Calcagni added six kills.
Golf
Attleboro, 182 @ Taunton, 190 – Final
Mansfield, 149 @ Oliver Ames, 148 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Nolan Donze and Steve Heino both had strong outings, leading the Tigers to a one-stroke win over Mansfield. As the final pair, Donze carded a round of 36 while Heino shot 37. Thomas Walsh also added a 37 and Tate Hadges shot a 38 for Oliver Ames. Mansfield’s Jason See was the match medalist with nine pars, shooting a low-round of 34.
Sharon, 177 @ Foxboro, 169 – Final – Foxboro’s Noah Hicks earned match medalist honors with a low round of 40, helping the Warriors pick up a key division win over Sharon. Dylan Quinn added a 42 for the Warriors while Matt Hague (43) and Matt Lathrop (44) also scored for Foxboro. Sharon’s Max Brody had a team-low round of 42.
Stoughton, 169 @ North Attleboro, 150 – Final – North Attleboro had three golfers break 40 in a win over visiting Stoughton. Matt Wanless was the match medalist, shooting a 36 to pace the Rocketeers. Jillian Barend and Pat Roberts each shot 37 while Marcus Costa contributed with a 40. Max Huminik led the Black Knights with a 39.
Stoughton, 169 vs. Milford, 163 – Final – The Black Knights participated in a tri-match, facing off with both North Attleboro and Milford. Riley Lynch was the medalist for the Hawks with a 38 while Max Huminik led Stoughton with a 39. Luke Bainton and Kyle Stone each for 43 for Stoughton and Josh Hough carded a 44.
Taunton’s Mateusz Hagemajer fends off Sharon’s Isaiah Stessman late in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – The Taunton boys soccer team didn’t win the battle of possession or have the most chances in the game, but it did have the advantage where it mattered most: the score.
The Tigers weathered a strong attack from Sharon, countering with two second half goals, including the game-winner in the final five minutes, to pick up a 2-1 win.
“For this team, it’s about a belief system,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters. “They have to really believe in what they are capable of, because they are capable of a lot, this team has a lot of talent. It’s about being confident. This team in particular, they don’t give up. They are really embracing the “we” mentality over “me” and I think thats’ carrying them through.
“They are determined and resilient, and that showed today. We can’t come out flat like we did. But I couldn’t be prouder of the whole team for staying with it.”
With the game tied 1-1, Taunton senior Brett Beaulieu won a one-on-one battle on the left flank, dribbled into open space and drove a perfectly weighted cross into the senior. Junior Mateusz Hagemajer was in the right spot, heading it just under the bar through the keeper’s hands for the game-winner.
Sharon had the majority of the play, especially in the first half. The Eagles applied a ton of pressure in the opening 20 minutes but couldn’t solve the Tigers’ defense, anchored by Evan Melo and Liam Crowley, or goalie Nolan Melo (10 saves).
Senior Antonio El-Khoury had a nice rip from 25 yards out sail just over the bar, junior Isaiah Stessman drove a low shot from the top of the box off the post, and the Eagles had a couple of crosses go without an answer.
The Eagles finally broke through in the 26th minute when Stessman tucked a header just inside the far post off a nicely taken corner from senior Eli Berkowitz.
Before the end of the half, Taunton settled in some and developed a pair of chances on their own. In the 33rd minute, Hagemajer hit a half volley that was smothered on the bounce by Sharon keeper Ethan Kantor. Five minutes later, hard work from Jared Roderick nearly led to a chance for Hagemajer in the box but Sharon’s Daniel Gunduz interjected and cleared.
After some back and forth play in the early second, Taunton came up with the equalizer just over the midway point of the half. Beaulieu came up big again, gaining possession just over half and linking up with Colby Fernandes in the final third.
Fernandes took a touch into space before taking a shot from 25 yards out. The shot deflected off a player and hit off the inside of the post, just outside the reach of the diving keeper, to make it 1-1. It was Beaulieu’s first of two assists on the night.
“We rely on Brett a lot,” Whitters said. “He’s a very smart player and he’s very tactically aware. He’s very versatile so I can have him go in the middle to calm things down or he can be an attacking option out wide. He really sets a positive tone for us, he’s a workhorse out there.”
Sharon nearly responded right away when Berkowitz was played in alone in the 67th minute but Melo made a terrific one-on-one stop to keep the game level. Eight minutes later, Hagemajer had the winner.
“It’s deflating. We completely dominated that game, dominated the chances,” said Sharon head coach Bryan Kelly. “I’m in shock…we stopped running the last 10 minutes of the game. It was unlucky [Taunton’s] first goal took that deflection. But a break like that gives a team like that hope. We’re not a bad team…I know we’re 0-3-3 but we’ve dominated almost every single game we played.
“We’re missing by just inches and then we give up two lousy goals. It just completely annihilates us. We’re working our butts off, we’re dominating the midfield, we’re getting through balls but with no results. Their goalie was busy but we were missing the frame a lot. Everything was just a few inches off here and there. But give [Taunton] credit, they played their butts off and showed a lot of heart. They had no quit in them.”
Taunton boys soccer (1-1-2 Hockomock, 1-2-2 overall) is back in action on Monday night when it visits Franklin. Sharon (0-2-3, 0-3-3) is in action the same night, taking on Canton in its first ever night game at Sharon High.
2017 Record: 10-5-4 2017 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Danny Erickson
The Bulldogs have been one of the top offensive teams over the past two seasons, and that trend will likely continue with the personnel returning this season. The goal this season is to equal that success on the defensive end of the field.
“We have had lots of success the past two seasons in scoring goals but we have not been stingy enough with allowing goals,” said Canton head coach Danny Erickson.
Hockomock League leading scorer Paul Corcoran is back for his senior season and has been one of the top producers in the final third over the past two seasons. His nine goals in 2016 helped earn him HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year honors and last year he led the Hock with 15 goals and 23 total points. He is joined by HockomockSports.com Best XI selection Griffin Roach in the midfield. Roach is one of the best two-way players in the league and will undoubtedly be relied upon to help both the offense (10 goals, five assists last year) and the defense. Simon Cruz is another player with a good amount of varsity experience that will likely factor in.
While the offense looks to be in good shape, shoring up the defense won’t be easy after losing starting goalie Abe Garber and center back John Agnitti. However, Erickson can rely on Paolo Ruggeri to lead the way in the back. Ruggeri has a ton of varsity experience and will be the quarterback of the defense, organizing and keeping the back four in shape. Junior Alejandro Correal will step in as the starting keeper.
2017 Record: 11-5-4 2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Joe Franchino
Foxboro head coach Joe Franchino isn’t afraid to talk about how confident he is in this year’s team.
“The Hockomock title is coming to Foxboro,” Franchino said.
Although Foxboro graduated a dozen seniors, the players that the Warriors do return are the reason why Franchino is so confident in this group. Starting up top, Foxboro has both of its strikers back, including leading scorer Shane VandenBoom. Last year, VandenBoom was second in the league in the regular season with 21 points, scoring 12 goals and adding nine assists. He will be joined up top by Dylan Barreira, who had a strong sophomore season.
In the midfield, everything will run through junior Joe Cusack. There aren’t many midfielders that have the poise on the ball that Cusack does and he will likely be the engine for the team. He isn’t the biggest player on the pitch but his vision is among the best and his ability to play balls over the top and through the defense make Foxboro’s offense very dangerous. Nic Beigel will complement Cusack in the middle to give the Warriors a solid 1-2 combo.
Defensively, the Warriors are hoping to see more of the same after only allowing 15 goals through 18 regular season games. The good news is that Foxboro has plenty of experience returning in the back with Matt Garcia, Brian Gardner, and Will Regan back in the fold. Franchino stressed that the team must put defense first and buy into the system, and then the team can go forward — an area the Warriors are very confident in.
2017 Record: 7-8-3 2017 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Brian Edwards
After missing out on the postseason by just one game, the 2018 Scarlet Hawks are laser-focused on making it into the state tournament and having a run at the division title.
Third-year head coach Brian Edwards saw his team go from four wins to seven over the first two years and is hoping that upward trend will continue in 2018.
“We are looking to build upon the lessons learned last year,” Edwards said. “We want to work on maintaining focus and closing games out this season. With many players coming back for their third varsity season we are hopeful that our experience helps us work towards our goals this season.”
One big reason for optimism is junior Walisson De Oliveira, who exploded as one of the best offensive threats in the league in the second half of the season. After playing in the midfield for half the year, Edwards moved De Oliveira up top and the move paid off big time. The striker scored 14 goals (second most in the Hock) and had three assists.
In the midfield, the Hawks boast a trio of talented and experienced players. Tiago Carvalho, Joao Boaventura, and Jordan Borges have all shown improvement over the offseason and will be counted on to handle the middle of the pitch. Seniors Joey Madden and Zach Brown return to anchor the defensive unit in front of senior goalie Cam Doherty.
2017 Record: 11-2-6 (Davenport Division Champions) 2017 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Geoff Burgess
Despite graduating over a dozen seniors from last year’s Davenport division-winning squad, North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess believes his team will be ready to defend its league title.
The Rocketeers will have to find a replacement for HockomockSports.com Best XI selections Gabe Pinhancos (center mid) and Brendan Matracia (goalie), as well as the entire back line, but Burgess does have options to fill the voids.
“I’m excited to see what this group can accomplish,” Burgess said. “We have a good nucleus of talented players and high expectations.”
Senior striker Joe Hilf was second on the team in points last year after scoring six goals and adding two assists and Big Red also has junior midfielders Dylan Corrigan (four goals, three assists) and James Sale back in the fold. All three have plenty of varsity experience and should be major factors for North this season. Junior Joey Coscarella will see more playing time as well this season.
Senior captain Evan Rosenberg will step in at center back to anchor the new back four. Burgess is also optimistic about his options in net with junior Kyle Briere taking over as the starter.
2017 Record: 5-9-4 2017 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Bryan Kelly
Only one year removed from winning the Davenport title, Sharon is hoping its versatility will help get them back to the top of what is shaping up to be a very competitive division.
“We have some dynamic players this year which gives us the ability to use different formations making it difficult for teams to plan for us,” said Sharon coach Bryan Kelly. “We have a rotation of players who can play two or more positions and play them well. If we stick to our game plan, we will be a tough team to reckon with.”
The Eagles have a strong core of returning players that Kelly can build off of. Ethan Kantor is back for his third year in goal and will be the leader of the defense. Alex Dias returns from a torn ACL to take up one of the outside back positions. Kelly expects Brendan Arnold and Daniel Gunduz to step up on defense this season.
In the midfield, junior Michael Baur (HockomockSports.com Second XI selection) will be a key piece and help the Eagles transition from defense to offense. Baur is also one of the more dangerous free kick takers in the league. Baur will work with the speedy Isaiah Stessman and Norway-transfer Viktor Schneider on the wings in the midfield.
Kelly is looking for junior Brian Higgins and Daniel Lillenfeld to form a dynamic partnership up top while Antonio Elkoury and Eli Berkowitz can step in and provide depth in both the midfield and up front.
After three straight years in the playoffs, the Black Knights had a down season a year ago but new head coach Joshua Aubin is anxious to get Stoughton back into playoff contention.
“This is definitely a team that is not afraid to get down and dirty,” Aubin said. “We’ve got some scrappy players who will not be backing down from the challenges ahead.”
Stoughton will be relying on its 10 seniors to set the pace this season, starting with captain Fabi Ponce de Leon. In his fourth year on varsity, Ponce de Leon will be the engine in the middle of the field and help facilitate things for the Black Knights. Aubin is looking for some new faces to step up around Ponce de Leon to take some pressure off the senior and give him some space. Fellow captain John Ortiz will be a leader for a defensive group that is looking to improve on last season.
All-Hockomock selection Carter Gerome returns as the starting goalie for the Black Knights.
“We do have a lot of athletes where we hope to be able to maximize on their individual abilities,” Aubin said. “We have a little bit of everything – some height, some speed, some strength, some physicalness, and some finesse.”
Boys Soccer
Sharon, 3 vs. Norwood, 2 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of goals in the final five minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and land a one-goal win. Freshman Bryce Nathan converted a free kick just outside the area in the 34th minute to bring the Eagles level. Norwood went up 2-1 in the 57th minute but the Eagles leveled the match when Antonio El Khoury scored on a bicycle kick inside the area in the 76th minute. Senior Andy Reyes-Jones headed in the winner in the 78th minute off a long throw-in from classmate Tyler Hippler.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Attleboro took the lead early but junior Annie Walsh tied the game last in the first half for the Panthers. FHS junior Cassi Ronan then scored the next two goals to give the Panthers the win. Franklin coach Lisa Cropper noted that senior Kyla Aldred played a strong game on defense.
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman Hannah Stryke scored a pair of goals in the first half to help the Tigers qualify for the state tournament. Senior Sarah Stevens assisted on the second goal while senior Caitlin Grant made two saves in net.
Stoughton, 6 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Julia Russell led the Stoughton offense with three goals while Jackie Evangelista scored a pair of goals and Brittni Paul found the back of the net once. Emily Locke scored for Sharon.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin defended home court with another balanced offensive attack. Hailey Sanders and Meaghan Maguire each recorded eight kills for the Panthers while Maggie Doyle had four kills to go along with 14 service points and a pair of blocks. Junior Lauren McGrath added 21 assists and 14 service points in the win.
Canton, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Canton went on the road and recorded a 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 sweep of Foxboro. Erin Devine had five kills and five blocks for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Pat Cawley noted that Caitlyn Cahill had some clutch serving and good defense while Angie Elias came off the bench and provided a spark on offense.
King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip picked up the sweep on the road over Kelley-Rex rival Mansfield, walking away with a 25-18, 26-24, 25-20 in a competitive contest. Sydney Phillips led the offense with 17 kills, five digs, and two aces while Michaela Palumbo added 10 kills, nine service points and a pair of aces. Grace Ely added four kills while Julianne Rando chipped in with six digs and six aces. For Mansfield, Julia Harrison led the offense with 11 kills while Meg Hill added 10 kills. Jolie O’Neil, Sam Sternberg, and Katie Dardinski each had 10 digs for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a tight win on the road, leaving Milford with a 25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 26-24 win over the Scarlet Hawks.
Taunton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Taunton won two of the first three games but Oliver Ames battled back to win games four and five and earn the win (24-26, 25-16, 14-25, 25-15, 15-4). Katie Flynn led the way for the Tigers with 14 kills while Emma Petrillo also had 14 kills as well as six aces. Allie Kemp finished with 36 assists, Sadie Homer added 32 digs and a pair of aces and Kayla Raymond slammed down eight kills with six blocks.
Stoughton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Stoughton bounced back after dropping a tight first set to win the next three and earn its 15th win of the season (27-29, 25-13, 26-24, 25-17). Senior Val Whalen led the way with 16 kills and 23 digs for the Black Knights while junior Molly Turner added 17 assists and 16 digs and junior Hanna Holden chipped in seven aces.
Attleboro’s Devin Andre avoids a challenge from Sharon’s Andrew Reyes-Jones in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – Sharon head coach Bryan Kelly didn’t hide his excitement in the preseason for the group he had this season, including a handful of younger players.
But because of an injury, sophomore Isaiah Stessman was stuck on the bench for the team’s first three games, and the Eagles were limited to just three goals so far.
Stessman made a splash in his season debut, scoring a goal in each half, including the game-winner in the final 10 minutes as Sharon recorded a 4-2 win over visiting Attleboro.
“His presence in the middle is huge,” Kelly said. “He’s young but he’s smart. With him and [Michael] Baur in the middle, we’re dynamic.”
It took the Eagles less than 10 minutes to take the lead over the Bombardiers. Using one of their most reliable options, senior Tyler Hippler launched a long throw-in inside the attacking third that went over Attleboro’s keeper, deflected off sophomore Michael Baur, off the post and in for a 1-0 lead.
Attleboro registered its first chance of the game in the 18th minute when Devin Andre tracked down a long punt from keeper Nick Hasenfus, touched it wide for sophomore Michael Russo but his bid went just over the bar.
Big Blue’s momentum didn’t last long though. Just three minutes later, the Eagles doubled their lead. Sharon senior Marques Benton found some space at the top of the area, turned and ripped a shot that forced a diving save by Hasenfus. But Stessman pounced on the loose ball and buried it to make it 2-0.
“That’s the offense we’ve been expecting,” Kelly said. “During the OA game, we were kind of stagnant in our midfield and weren’t moving the ball well. So yesterday during practice we focused on moving the ball and keeping our formation and it showed today. We kept the ball on the ground, we were stringing together some passes together.”
The Eagles nearly added another tally in the 31st minute when Andrew Reyes-Jones laid a pass off for sophomore Brian Higgins but his bid on net was saved.
Attleboro had a last minute chance in the first half when Connor Dunn struck a half volley inside the area, but Sharon junior goalie Ethan Kantor made an acrobatic save to preserve the two goal lead at the break.
Sharon came close to adding a third just over five minutes into the second half but Hasenfus had a big answer. Sophomore Viktor Schneider’s low cross found the feet of Baur inside the area, but a tackle from Nathan LaPlume forced it free. Hippler jumped on the loose ball and placed his shot in the upper corner but Hasenfus timed his jump perfectly and knocked it away.
The save proved big for Attleboro as the Bombardiers cut the deficit in half just four minutes later. Russo launched a big clearance off a Sharon corner and junior Will Halben was able to flick the ball behind the defense. Halben then tracked down the loose ball, taking advantage of a miscommunication between a Sharon defender and Sharon goalie, touched it wide and finished into the open net to make it 2-1.
The Bombardiers nearly pulled level three minutes later when Aidan Lanc put a half volley on goal, but Kantor was positioned well.
Two minutes after Andre had his floating header stopped by Kantor, the Eagles found the game winner. After a first corner we cleared away, Baur whipped a cross into the near post and Stessman – who was on the bench for the majority of the second half as he eases into game form – made the run and connected with a header to make it 3-1.
“We have a bunch of young players so when we can score off a set piece, it’s a bonus,” Kelly said. “Our second goal and our last goal to ice it, those are the goals we want to see. But set pieces are big too, a lot of teams score on set pieces in this league. If you’re not scoring on them, you could be down. You take away the set piece goals and it’s a 2-2 tie.”
With Attleboro pushing almost all of its players forward, Sharon’s Antonio El-Khoury took advantage and tucked his shot into the far corner in the 80th minute.
On the final play of the game, Attleboro sophomore David Medeiros hammered home a corner from junior Eli Araujo to make it 4-2.
Sharon boys soccer (2-1-1 overall, 2-1 Hockomock) is back in action on Friday when it opens its Davenport schedule with a visit from Foxboro. Attleboro (0-2-1) is on the road for the second straight game, visiting King Philip on Friday.
