Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/21/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
King Philip, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this gameKing Philip junior Will Bowen scored the winner in the final minutes of the match to give the Warriors two points on the road over Foxboro. Moments after having his one-on-one bid with the keeper denied, Bowen ran onto a service over the top from senior Matt Crago and smashed a shot from in close that Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter (12 saves) got a piece of but found its way under the bar and in. King Philip’s back line of Thomas Meader, Patrick Sullivan, Ethan Jack Hancock, and Tommy Lomuscio denied the hosts of creating many scoring chances, while Foxboro’s back four of Jack Sullivan, Marco Pacini, Andrew Linnehan, and Alex Penders, as well as defensive center mid John Hollis, all played well. Cotter was strong in net, including a key double save in the 21st minute — diving to his right to save a blast from Meader off a corner, and leaping the opposite way seconds later to deny Crago.

Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – FinalOliver Ames scored a pair of second half goals to secure a key two points against Attleboro in a battle of the top two ranked teams in the Hockomock League. After a scoreless opening 40 minutes, a pair of sophomores linked up to open the scoring for the hosts. Casey Milliken notched his team-leading seventh assist with a through ball to classmate Andrew Martins to give OA a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half. Senior Diego Rivera set up OA’s next goal with a long ball that was deflected in behind the defense with junior Ryan Linhares running onto it. Linhares smashed a terrific one-time shot from just inside the area to double the hosts’ lead. Sophomore Drew Hall recorded his second career shutout while OA head coach John Barata praised senior Hector Bucio and Jake Williams for anchoring the back line. Barata also noted the strong play of sophomores Jackson Mercieri, Luke Churchill, Craig Churchill, and senior Jason Zalis.

Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – FinalAfter staking a one-goal lead at halftime, Franklin put away two more in the second to earn an impressive 3-0 decision on the road at Sharon. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini put the visitors ahead with a goal in the opening half, finishing off an assist from Hansy Jacques. Jacques then got one of his own in the second half to double the Panthers’ advantage, linking up with Andrew O’Neill to make it 2-0. Will Kryzak then recorded an assist for the third straight game, setting up Wyatt Herndon for his first career goal.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalAfter earning points in back-to-back games with a pair of draws, Taunton broke into the win column with a 3-2 decision on the road at Mansfield. Junior Javonte Fernandes had a hand in all three goals for the Tigers, assisting on the opening goal and the game-winner, sandwiched around a goal of his own. Senior Az-Anael St. Marc opened Taunton’s scoring off an assist from Fernandes, who then scored himself off an assist from Conal Scully for the Tigers’ second goal. Fernandes returned the favor, hooking up with Scully for the game-winner. Riley Rebello, Ian Robicheau, Quincy Jones-Sylvia, Xavier Mercardo, and Aidden Fitting all had solid play the entire game for the Tigers while goalie Sebastian Darosa had some key saves throughout the match.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored a pair of second half goals and held off a late push from the hosts to grab two points with a 2-1 win against the Black Knights. Carson Dameron orchestrated the attack with two assists on the day, first setting up Kaden Burns for the opener. Burns took a pass from Dameron and found the far corner to put the Rocketeers ahead 1-0 in the 46th minute. Just over 15 minutes later, a long free kick from Brody Carter was headed by Dameron onto Zach Smahi and he finished for a 2-0 lead. Stoughton scored with just under 10 minutes to go on a free kick goal from Matheus Groberio.

Milford, 3 @ Canton, 2 – FinalCanton came back from a two-goal deficit two pull level with a half hour left in the game, but Milford regained the lead and held on for an important two points on the road at Canton. Andre Baiano smashed a thunderous volley off a pass from Eduardo Santana to give the Hawks the lead, and Nick Ribeiro doubled the advantage with his second free kick goal in as many games. The free kick was earned after some great work from freshman Danny Da Silva. Canton came back and leveled the match with two goals in a seven-minute span. First, freshman Vlad Francoeur squeezed one in past the keeper to cut the deficit in half and Carson Eagles buried a rebound chance from in close to make it 2-2. Milford found the winner with 10 minutes to go as Ribeiro played Santana through and he finished past the keeper to make it 3-2.








Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalFor the second straight game, Oliver Ames scored once in each half and earned a shutout win. Jolie Diaz opened the scoring for the visitors, intercepting a ball at midfield and going on to convert a breakaway chance, beating the keeper on the near side for a 1-0 lead. OA doubled its lead late in the second half as Emma Gavin volleyed a second chance off a restart with 12 minutes left with the assist going to Sophia Byron. Mary Cross had a great game in the midfield for the Tigers while Janiya Matier made four saves for the shutout.

Canton, 6 @ Milford, 1 – FinalCanton scored three times in the opening 25 minutes of the game to take control and keep its unbeaten start to the season alive. Lauren Shatkin, Emma Cahill, and Emily McCabe each scored in the first half. For McCabe, it was her league-leading 10th goal of the season. Caira McKinney, Gisella Berardi, and Mekhala Costello added second half goals for the Bulldogs, who tried not to let the tempo slip despite being in a busy stretch of the season. Georgia Campbell, Cahill, McCabe, Costello, and Shatkin each had an assist. Dani Atherton scored Milford’s lone goal.

Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – FinalThe game was scoreless at the half, but Ella Pisani scored four times after the break to lead King Philip to a big win. Pisani opened the scoring off a corner just a minute into the second half, assisted by an Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn corner. Four minutes later, Pisani again finished off a corner, this time with Danielle Gresham picking up the assist. She completed her hat trick by finishing off a pass from Ailish McGowen. With 13 minutes to play, Pisani got behind the defense and capped off her night by lifting a shot over the keeper. Makayla Thompson had the assist on the final goal. Erin Foley had the Foxboro goal that cut the lead to 3-1.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalOlivia Costa scored a pair of goals to lift Franklin to a home win that moves the Panthers a half-game ahead in the division. Kelly O’Connor and Tori Carmignani each scored once and each assisted on another goal. Norah Anderson’s header capped the scoring for the Panthers, who also got a pair of assists from Anya Zub and an assist from Katie Ewald. Sharon faced the Kelley-Rex leaders without a pair of starters and struggled to get the attack going against Franklin’s defense. Jordanna Morris and Sally Brouhard both had strong games in defense for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalMansfield scored four times in the opening half to take home an away win against the Tigers. Freshmen Alexandra and Maddie Fernandes each scored their first varsity goals. Bridget Hanley and Meghan McCann also found the back of the net for Mansfield. Alexis O’Keefe had a pair of assists, while freshmen Lauren Signoriello and Olivia Dunham each had one helper. Olivia Salisbury picked up the clean sheet. Eighth-grader Ashlyn Herbert had another good performance in net for the Tigers, making nine saves. Mia Torres, Jenna Pereira, and Christina Da Costa also played well in the loss.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalSydney O’Connor headed in a Kaitlyn Joyce cross with five minutes to go before halftime and that was enough for North to pull out its first league win of the season.




Volleyball
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – FinalFranklin continued to roll against league opponents, this time with an impressive 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-14, 25-11) of visiting Sharon. Juniors Grace Lacerda and Taylor Lacerda (five aces) paced the offense with 12 kills apiece.

Golf
Attleboro, 156 @ North Attleboro, 143 – FinalNorth Attleboro’s Jake Gaskin had a great day on the links, carding a two-under-par round of 33 that included an eagle, to lead the Rocketeers to a win over rival Attleboro on the middle course at Heather Hill. Gaskin finished with a 33, sinking an eagle putt on the third hole. Tyson Laviano came in one-over at 36 while Dillon Harding, Ishan Kohli, and Zach Corsetti all shot a 37 on the day. Leo Lombardo fired an even par round of 35 to lead the Bombardiers, Ryan hill added a 38, Bradley Lehtonen finished at 41, and Bradley Martin rounded out Attleboro’s scoring with a 42.

Milford, 165 @ Foxboro, 175 – FinalMilford junior Anthony LaPierre continued his strong week, shooting a match medalist round to lead the Scarlet Hawks to victory over the Warriors at Foxboro Country Club. LaPierre was the lone golfer to break 40 on the day, recording a medalist round of 37. Nate Lawrence added a 40 in the win while both Zach Hipolito and Jacob Hipolito shot 44 for the day. Louis Carangelo, who had a birdie, led Foxboro with a 42, Patrick Callahan (three pars) added a 43, and both Zac Georgantas and Reese Curreri came into the clubhouse with a 45.

Franklin, 149 @ Sharon, 172 – Final

Stoughton, 186 @ Canton, 156 – FinalCanton sophomore Huck McCready fired a medalist round of 35 to help the Bulldogs bring down Stoughton at Blue Hill Country Club, snapping a four-match skid. Brendan Tourgee added a 38 in the win, Joey Ryan shot a 41, and both Charlie Vaughan and Teddy Shuman finished at 42 for the day. For Stoughton, Mason Page had a team-low round of 42.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/19/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
King Philip, 1 @ Attleboro, 2 – FinalAttleboro junior Alex Vecchioli converted a penalty kick in the second half to put the Bombardiers ahead and junior Tyler Rocchio saved a KP pen with 10 minutes to go to preserve the win for the hosts. King Philip took the lead in the first half as Matt Crago finished off a pass from Oliver Blackburn but Richard Ferreira set up Vecchioli for a goal right before half to make it 1-1. Vecchioli was fouled inside the area early in the second half and converted the pen himself to give the hosts their first lead of the game at 2-1. KP had a chance to pull level late in the game but Rocchio denied the shot from the spot. Attleboro’s Lucas Marques had a standout performance at defensive mid.

Canton, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalCanton freshman Vlad Francoeur scored his first two career goals to lead the Bulldogs to a rivalry win over neighboring Stoughton.

Sharon, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalAfter a scoreless first half, Sharon found the winner just past the midway point of the second half to take two points home. In the 64th minute, freshman Diego Martinez played a ball behind the defense that senior Miguel Vasconcelos ran onto his and fired a cross into the area. The ball deflected off a Foxboro defender and down to sophomore James Jennings, who took a touch before turning and blasting a shot in at the near post for the winner. Matt Baur played well in net for his second shutout of the season. Foxboro’s best chance came in the final moments of the first half as a long throw from Pradyu Gubbala was bounced around in the area before sophomore Jackson Maling latched on but his bid hit off the inside of the post and bounced back to Baur for the save.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Milford, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored twice in the final 15 minutes, including the game-winner with just under five minutes to play to stun the Scarlet Hawks at home. The hosts took the lead in the 33rd minute off a set piece as Arthur Tome touched a free kick from just outside the box in play and Nick Ribeiro smashed a shot off the far post upper 90 and in. Milford carried that lead until the 66th minute when North pulled level with a quick attack. Zach Smahi played Quinn Conley in behind the defense and he slide a low shot past the keeper that eluded the Hawks’ defense and was smashed home a step out by Kaden Burns to make it 1-1. In the 75th minute, a long throw from Jeremy Carter was flicked on by Bryce Newth and deflected off a Milford defender right to Carson Dameron, who calmly cut the ball onto his left foot and slide a shot to the far post for the winner.

Taunton, 2 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalFranklin twice took the lead but Taunton answered each time and the two squads split the points in a 2-2 draw. Franklin junior Bradley Herndon opened the scoring for the hosts off a feed from Matt Honekamp but Taunton came back with the equalizer by the midway point of the first half on a goal from Javonte Fernandes on an assist from Az-Anael St. Marc. The Panthers pulled ahead early in the second half as Will Kryzak set up sophomore Garrett Scagliarini for his first career goal. But once again, the visitors answered as Aidden Fitting hooked up with Ian Robicheau for the equalizer.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 0 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.








Girls Soccer
Attleboro @ King Philip – Postponed to a date and time TBD.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final

Foxboro, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalSofia Goclowski had a goal and an assist to help the Eagles win their third straight game and move into second place alone in the Davenport division. Following a scoreless first half, Olivia Landstein finished off an assist from Goclowski to break the deadlock. Jessica Li latched onto Olivia Soby’s pass to double the lead. Erin Foley got Foxboro back into the game, but Sharon was able to seal the points with two minutes to play when Goclowski capitalized off an Olivia Soby corner.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalAnya Zub’s brace helped Franklin bounce back from its first loss of the season with a convincing win at Taunton. Zub opened the scoring late in the first half and then the Panthers scored three times in just eight minutes of the second half to put the game away. Kelly O’Connor doubled the lead in the 58th minute. Six minutes later, Zub got her second to make it 3-0 and less than two minutes after that Hailey Baima found the back of the net off a Katie Ewald assist. Alli Powderly added an assist as well. Franklin had a sizable advantage in shots but Taunton keeper Hailey Porter had a big night, making 22 saves. Taunton coach Dan Borges also praised sophomore Ava Uhl and eighth grader Maddison Crowley for their defensive effort.

Mansfield, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – FinalBehind a goal in each half, Oliver Ames secured two key points at home against Davenport rival Mansfield. Jolie Diaz gave the Tigers the lead in the first half, heading in a cross from Emma Gavin. Midway through the second half, Lucinda Li Cotter finished off a pass from Rhiya Fisher to double the advantage. Janiya Matier had a strong game in net for OA, making some key saves in the second half to earn the shutout.

Milford, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final In a back-and-forth battle, Milford prevailed with the win after a late winner from junior Erin Michelson. The Scarlet Hawks took the lead early in the first half on an unassisted strike from Dani Atherton only for North to equalize less than 10 minutes later as Jess Hennessey set up Emma Pratt in the 18th minute. The same happened again in the second half with the visitors going up 2-1 in the 50th minute when Atheron netted her second of the game but once again, North leveled the match in the 65th minute with Hennessey once again setting up Pratt. Atherton grabbed her third point of the game, this time assisting Michelson for the winner in the 78th minute.




Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 @ Walpole, 1 – FinalFoxboro found its way into the win column for the first time this season, taking down Walpole in a non-league clash, 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 16-25, 25-18). Alyssa Cloherty set the offense in motion with 24 assists while adding seven digs, four aces, and three kills to lead the charge for the Warriors. Juliana Pettigrew added seven digs and six kills while Sami Sloan recorded eight kills and four aces in the win.

Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Dartmouth, 3 – FinalIn a great match, Oliver Ames came up just short against visiting Dartmouth, falling 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 24-26, 15-13). Senior Maddie Homer continued to shine defensively for the Tigers with 41 digs, sophomore Clare Kavoulis notched 36 assists, and juniors Sarah Hilliard (21) and Claire O’Rourke (17) combined for 38 kills.

Taunton, 1 @ Durfee, 3 – FinalTaunton rallied to stay alive with a win in the third set, but Durfee closed it out with a competitive fourth set win, 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 24-26, 25-23). Hayley Krockta had a strong performance for the Tigers with seven kills and four aces while Courtney Martin (four aces) played well in the back row.

Canton, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 2 – Final

Franklin, 0 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 3 – Final




Golf
Stoughton @ Attleboro, 2:20 – Postponed to a date and time TBD.

Franklin, 155 @ Mansfield, 159 – FinalFranklin went on the road and secured a key non-league win at Norton Country Club, taking down former division rival Mansfield. Liam Lewandowski had a birdie on the second hole and finished with a medalist round of 37 to lead the way for the Panthers. Jack Hagerty and Jack Nelson each added a 39 in the win and CJ Steel finished with a 40 for Franklin. Mansfield’s Drew Urban was a co-medalist with a 37, Brendan Vokey chipped in with a 40, and both Cody Nieratko and Nate McClean finished at 41 for the day.

North Attleboro, 157 @ King Philip, 149 – FinalKing Philip was on fire on Monday with six golfers shooting 40 or better in a key division win over North Attleboro. Evan Regan shot a team-low round of 36 to share medalist honors while North’s Tyson Laviano also came in with a 36 on the back nine at Wentworth Hills.

Taunton, 100 @ New Bedford, 42 – Final (Stableford)Taunton’s Sean Murphy and Jesse Chaves each shot a 44 to earn 19 points apiece to help the Tigers earn a win over New Bedford (stableford rules). Logan Letourneau added a 45 for 18 points, Alex Dias added a 47 for 16 points, and Noah Faidell shot a 48 for 15 points.

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 9-8-3
Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.

There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.

That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.

Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.

“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

Canton

2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist)
Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.

Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.

Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.

“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

Foxboro

2021 Record: 9-9-1
Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.

The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.

Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.

“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.







2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

franklin

2021 Record: 11-5-4
Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.

The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.

Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.

“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

King Philip

2021 Record: 3-13-2
Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.

The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.

Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.

“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”

Hockomock League Boys Soccer

Mansfield

2021 Record: 8-5-4
Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.

The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.

It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.

Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.

“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.




2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

Milford

2021 Record: 12-4-3
Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.

Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.

After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.

“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 8-8-2
Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.

Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.

Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.

“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer Preview

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 13-4-2
Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.

Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.

On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.

“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”




Hockomock League Boys Soccer

Sharon

2021 Record: 6-9-3
Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.

With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.

The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.

“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”

Hockomock League Boys Soccer

Stoughton

2021 Record: 0-17-1
Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.

First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.

Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.

Hockomock League Boys Soccer

Taunton

2021 Record: 5-10-3
Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.

With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.

Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.

Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.

“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.