Boys Basketball
Milford, 55 @ Attleboro, 63 – Final – Attleboro sank four of their nine threes in the fourth quarter to pull away from visiting Milford for their first win in their new gym. Jaiden Outland, who had a game-high 15 points, had one of those threes and scored seven points in the fourth while Hayden Crowley (nine points), Michael Beverly (14 points), and Neo Franco (10 points) also hit from downtown in the frame. Franco had a steal and a layup with just under two minutes to go to push Attleboro’s lead to 59-51 but a jumper from Andrew Rivera (at 1:26) and a layup from Luca Testa (with 45 seconds) brought the Hawks within four, at 59-55. Justin Hanrahan, Beverly, and Outland hit free throws down the stretch, and Spencer Sherck drew a charge to help the Bombardiers close out the win in the final minute. Attleboro head coach Mark Houle praised Sherck’s defensive effort against Milford, who were without two rotation players. Freshman CJ Farrell led Milford with 15 points, Ryan Franklin added 12 points, and Testa finished with 11 points.
Mansfield, 59 @ Foxboro, 50 – Final – Mansfield built a 12-point lead at halftime and opened the second half with a 12-0 run to surge past Foxboro in their first showdown as division rivals. After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with a halfcourt buzzer beater from Trevor Foley (nine points, seven rebounds), Mansfield locked in defensively and limited the Warriors to just two field goals, outscoring the hosts 14-6 to build a 33-21 lead at halftime. Caden Colby (career-high 14 points) hit one of his four threes, Davon Sanders drove to the bucket for two, and Eddie McCoy (nine points) had back-to-back baskets, including a three, and Chris Hill (17 points, eight rebounds) finished a tough layup in transition as the Hornets pushed their lead to 45-21 with 4:30 to go in the third. Foxboro closed on a 13-0 run over the final three minutes to get to the final score. Alex Penders led Foxboro with 16 points while both Ryan Kelley and Sam Golub had eight points apiece.
Franklin, 58 @ King Philip, 50 – Final – Franklin finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, shaking an upset-minded King Philip squad, to grab a 58-50 win on the road. The Panthers led by two at the end of the first quarter (13-11) and halftime (24-22), and carried a three-point lead into the fourth quarter (40-37). Justin Allen hit a pair of key three-pointers in the fourth, Hansy Jacques had six of his 10 points in the frame, and the Panthers got a bucket each from Bradley Herndon, Ben Harvey (13 points), and Sean O’Leary (14 points) to close out the win. After a quiet first half, King Philip senior Will Laplante scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half while Tommy Kilroy added a career-high 12 points.
North Attleboro, 51 @ Taunton, 69 – Final – Buoyed by a 20-point second quarter and a 26-point third quarter, Taunton ran away with a big win at home over visiting North Attleboro. Chris Volcy exploded in the second half, netting 18 of his career-high 20 points to help the Tigers pull away. Senior Chris Perault added a career-high 19 points, knocking down all three of Taunton’s three-pointers. The Rocketeers and Tigers were locked in at 11-11 after eight minutes but Taunton established a 31-20 lead by the break as Troy Santos scored seven of his 11 points in the second quarter. Jonnie Obuchowski and Derek Maceda each scored nine points for the Rocketeers.
Stoughton, 45 @ Oliver Ames, 50 – Final – A see-saw back and forth battle ended with Oliver Ames holding on for a 50-45 win over neighboring Stoughton. With under two minutes to play and locked in a one-possession game at 43-40, Oliver Ames got a pair of big baskets from a pair of underclassmen. Sophomore Cole Craffey drove to the basket for a layup and freshman Soren Lolonga drained a three just before the minute mark to push the Tigers’ lead to 48-40. Stoughton freshman Aiden Wideout answered with a bucket down low off a feed from Liam Pearl, but Craffey was able to work his way through the defense with 20 seconds left to make it 50-42. Matt Greenspoon knocked down a three with 5.7 seconds left to close the gap to 50-45 but OA held on for the win. Chris Elias scored 10 of his team-high 15 points in the second quarter while Lolonga had all 15 of his points in the second half. Stoughton’s Jayden Costa-Haywood finished with a team-high 19 points while Greenspoon added 16 points for the Black Knights, who led 19-18 at halftime.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 56 @ Milford, 35 – Final – Attleboro had three players score in double figures and jumped out to a 20-point lead by halftime to secure its second straight win. Kayla Goldrick and Lily Routhier led the Bombardiers with 13 points apiece. Goldrick helped the visitors get off to a good start with six in the first and Routhier helped build a 36-16 lead at the break with a pair of threes and nine points in the second. Vanessa Ellis scored nine of her 11 points to help break the game open early. Merry Bosh added seven in the win. Milford was led by Erin Michelson’s nine points, all coming in the second half. Aliza Syed scored eight and Olivia Baglione chipped in with six for the Hawks.
Foxboro, 67 @ Mansfield, 31 – Final – Foxboro made it two straight wins to start the season with a dominant road win over fellow division title contender Mansfield. Camryn Collins powered the Warriors on offense with 24 points. Addie Ruter had 13 to continue her strong start to the season with another double-digit scoring night. Erin Foley chipped in with 10.
King Philip, 43 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Thanks to a strong first half, Franklin picked up a second straight home win to start the season and kept alive its league win streak to 44 games. The Panthers jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one quarter and extended it to 31-15 going into the locker room. Sophomore Chloe Fales (career-high 16 points) and Katie Peterson (14 points) combined for 15 in the opening half and Caelyn Leonard buried a pair of threes and scored all eight of her points in the first. KP picked up its offense in the second half, and cut the lead to as little as seven points, but Franklin held on to secure the victory. Emily Sawyer scored 16 points, including eight in the third. Jackie Bonner had 13 points and Maddie Paschke added 11 in the loss.
Taunton, 46 @ North Attleboro, 32 – Final – Taunton put in a strong defensive performance to make it two wins from two games under first-year coach Gretchen Rodrigues. The Tigers held North to just 10 points in the first half (building a 13-point lead at the break) and then just six in the third quarter to pull away. Jillian Doherty led the way with 14 for the Tigers, including eight of the team’s 12 points in the first. Cali Melo added nine points, while sophomore Chelsea Bousquet had eight and freshman Taryn Campbell added seven. On a tough shooting night as a team, North was led by Ava McKeon’s 15 points. She scored 12 of North’s 16 in the fourth as the hosts tried to mount a late comeback. Freshman Ella McLaughlin added eight points in the loss.
Oliver Ames, 79 @ Stoughton, 42 – Final – OA carried over momentum from the second half of its opener against Franklin and exploded for 79 points on Friday to even its record after two games. The Tigers jumped out to a 21-5 lead after one quarter, extended it to 45-17 at halftime, and added another 22 points in the third. Freshman Kamryn Derba knocked down five three-pointers and finished with a game- (and career-) high 20 points. Classmate Avery Gamble added 14 points (on 9-of-11 from the line) and the duo combined for 25 points before the break. Freshman Maeve Horsman had 12 points, Kaydance Derba scored 11, and Annie Reilly had nine for OA. Stoughton also got an impressive performance from a freshman, as Kirsten McKay scored eight of her career-high 15 points in the third. She added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Raina Tat chipped in with 10 points and Alyssa Edwards added eight. Katrina Varnum pulled down 14 rebounds for the Black Knights.
Wrestling
Silver Lake Quad (Franklin), 4:00
Boys Swimming
Foxboro, 40 @ Milford, 69 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 58 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 85 – Final
Girls Swimming
Foxboro, 71 @ Milford, 87 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 32 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 84 – Final
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Baseball
Stoughton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (8 Inn.) – Attleboro senior Evan Houle drew a one-out, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to bring in Christian Dame for the winning run against Stoughton. Dame got the inning started with a leadoff single, and after an intentional walk, Nate George singled to load the bases, setting up Houle’s walk-off walk. Stoughton took the lead in the top of the first after Brad Franey singled, took second on a sac bunt from Jonah Ly, advanced to third on a single from Anthony Tilton, and scored on a wild pitch. Attleboro answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, both with two outs. Owen Taber scored on a wild pitch, and then Dame (triple) scored on a single from Matt Harvie. Stoughton tied the game in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from James Price (to score Sean Farley, who walked). Parker Sackett allowed four hits in seven innings of work, striking out three. Tyler Dunlea earned the win with a 1-2-3 eighth inning, striking out one. Jonah Ly allowed two runs (none earned) on six hits and three walks in six innings of work, striking out three.
Foxboro @ Franklin – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 7:00.
Sharon @ Mansfield – Postponed to TBD.
North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 5/12 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 Inn.)
Softball
King Philip, 17 @ Canton, 0 – Final – King Philip pushed across six runs in each of the first two innings and sophomore Taylor Regan tossed a one-hit shutout as the Warriors rolled to a big win on the road. Regan allowed just one hit (a single in the fourth inning) and one walk (in the fifth) while striking out 10 in five innings of work for the win. Offensively, senior Lauren Hooper went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored to pace the KP offense. Maddie Paschke added three hits while Charlotte Raymond drove in three runs in the win.
Franklin @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 4:00.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 4:30.
Taunton, 12 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final (6 inn.)
Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 vs. Sandwich, 8 – Final
Franklin, 13 vs. Norwell, 12 – Final – Franklin grabbed the lead in the second half and then held off a late surge to hand Norwell its first loss of the season. Knotted at 7-7 at halftime, the Panthers won the third quarter 5-2 to take a three-goal lead into the final quarter. Junior Luke Davis scored all five of the third quarter goals and finished with a team-high six goals along with one assist to lead the offensive charge. Jayden Consigli added a hat trick and one helper while Tyler Sacchetti had two goals and three assists. Junior Ben Harvey and sophomore Drew Hansen each scored once in the first half while sophomore Eddie O’Brien and junior Ravin Chaudhury had third quarter assists.
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 10 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 5 – Final
Boys Tennis
Attleboro @ Stoughton – Postponed to Friday, 4/29 at 3:45.
King Philip @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.
Franklin @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 3:45.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 3:45.
Girls Tennis
Stoughton @ Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 3:45.
Canton @ King Philip – Postponed to TBD.
Foxboro @ Franklin – Postponed to TBD.
Sharon @ Mansfield – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Friday, 4/29 at 3:45.
Boys Outdoor Track
Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 5:00.
Oliver Ames, 106 @ Canton, 30 – Final – For Canton, Dan Kraslynkov won the 400M while Sam Vail took second in the 2 Mile race.
Sharon @ Foxboro, 3:45
Franklin @ Taunton, 3:45
Mansfield, 78 @ King Philip, 58 – Final – Mansfield secured first place in 11 events, including the 4x100M relay, in a win over King Philip to move to 3-0 on the season. The Hornets received wins from Evan Rawlings (400M, 59.6), Nate Kablik (100M, 11.4), Dylan Buchanan (110M hurdles, 15.4), Ty Duffin (javelin, 127’6), Ayden Agbasi (shot put, 39’7.5), Talon Johnson (800M), Chris Leonard (1 Mile, 10:32), Charles Newcomb (discus, 90’7), and a tie between Myles Brown and Chamberlain Guthrie Jr. in the 200M (23.8). Brown and Buchanan teamed up with Isaiah Kinds and Nolan Clarke to won the 4x100M in 46.4.
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Girls Outdoor Track
Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 4/27 at 5:00.
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Sharon @ Foxboro, 3:45
Franklin @ Taunton, 3:45
Mansfield, 102 @ King Philip, 34 – Final
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Norton, 1 – Final
Milford @ Cambridge, 6:00
Following a first South final appearance, Franklin returns a strong group to go after a state title. Find full previews for all teams below. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 3-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro had some growing pains during the 2021 campaign, but has a good chunk of the roster back in the fold for 2022 and will try to take the next step forward as a program.
The Bombardiers will have a strong foundation on the defensive end of the field. Captain Fred Wheaton is back for another year to anchor the defense and he’s joined by fellow returners Bobby Sawyer and John Wheaton to give Attleboro a solid veteran nucleus to try and shut down some of the top offenses in the league. Attleboro also has sophomore Harry Wheaton back in net after gaining valuable experience in the cage in 2021.
Having last year’s top scorer in Carter Shelton back in the fold will give the Bombardiers a good start in the attack. Shelton scored 30 goals and had 15 assists, finishing 12th in the Hock in scoring. Captain Keigan Conley is also back to bolster the attack, coming off a 22 goal, 10 assist campaign a year ago. Freshman Nathan Conroy is also in the mix already in the attack.
Attleboro’s midfield will be anchored by captain Ryan Betts along with Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlace. The Bombardiers also expect contributions from Cole McKenna, Patrick McAvoy, and Spencer Scherck.
“We have a lot of returning guys that picked up valuable varsity experience last season,” said Attleboro head coach Kevin Patton. “We are looking forward to a strong season in 2022.”
2021 Record: 14-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Ryan Quinn
Canton split its two games with Foxboro to win a share of the Davenport title in 2021, just the third league title in program history and were an overtime goal away from reaching the Div. 2 South final. The Bulldogs have a lot of experience in the attack and the midfield this season with the goal of putting in another challenge for the league crown and putting together another state tournament push.
The Bulldogs had a dynamic attack last spring and the league’s leading scorer Sam Carlino headlines a strong group this season as well. Junior Jeff Chaput joins Carlino in the attack and the midfield group is filled with experience from last season. Sophomore Brendan Tourgee, juniors AJ Thomas and Chris Hamilton, senior Eddie Gillis, and Charlie Vaughn will all give Canton playmaking at the middie position.
Defensively, Canton will definitely miss graduated goalie Dylan Coyne but the Bulldogs have a talented group of poles that should be tough to score against this season. Senior Sean Connolly will lead that defensive group alongside sophomores Luke Darling and Colin Blake.
“I am really excited about this upcoming season,” said second-year coach Ryan Quinn. “Our student-athletes have been working hard to build on our success from last season, but are very aware that everything we achieve is based upon the work we put in this year, every day. We are led by a small, but strong senior class, and have depth across all four grades levels. This group is a very coachable group and we are very excited to begin”
2021 Record: 11-4 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal Coach: Matt Noone
After graduating just two seniors from last year’s team, Foxboro is back with a strong lineup that will look to reclaim the Davenport title that it shared with Canton in 2021. The Warriors will have depth up and down the field with the goal of not only returning to the top of the division but also being ready for a deep run in the statewide tournament.
Foxboro’s attack is all back from last season. The Warriors finished third in goals scored in the league in 2021 and a year’s worth of experience should make them even more dynamic. Junior Conor Noone was the league’s third-leading scorer last season and he will lead the line again alongside sophomore Lincoln Moore, coming off a breakout rookie campaign, and senior Jack Avery. Senior Tommy Sharkey was an all-star middie last season and he will be joined by junior Finn Stapleton and sophomore Tony Sulham, another player who made a strong varsity debut as a freshman.
Depth should be a strength for the Warriors, who return their second midfield group as well, including sophomores Sully Kenneally, Ryan Cotter, and Ian Foley. Foxboro’s defense is returning as a group too. Seniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts are the leaders at the back and will be joined by classmate Mark Jansen. Senior Matt Grace will start at LSM with sophomore Jack Sullivan backing him up. Sophomore Adam Addeche is back in goal, backed up by classmate Nate Urman, and freshman midfielder John Sacchetti and defender James Dee Gaffney are newcomers with potential.
“The Warriors graduated two seniors and return the core of their team,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “Everyone is a year older with varsity experience which will help us in our 2022 push.”
2021 Record: 18-1 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Lou Verrochi
After reaching the program’s first sectional final in 2021, Franklin brings a typically strong lineup of experienced players who will be aiming to make a run in the new statewide tournament. The Panthers have loaded up their regular season schedule to prepare for the rigors of the tournament with state powers Medfield, Lincoln-Sudbury, and St. John’s Prep among the teams that Franklin will challenge itself against to be ready to shoot for silverware this spring.
Franklin’s attack scored more than 300 goals in 19 games last season and should be just as dynamic this year with junior All-American Luke Davis joined by classmate Jayden Consigli, who were both in the top five in scoring in the league in 2021. Junior Tyler Sacchetti will be the third member of the attacking crew. Sophomore Drew Hansen and Ed O’Brien and junior John Walshe will make up the first midfield. Junior Justin Alexander was one of the best face-off middies in the state last year and the Panthers will be counting on him to control possessions again this season.
Senior Kyle Palmieri will lead the defensive group, which should once again be a challenge for the opposition to score against. Junior Ben Harvey and senior Billy Gardner will also be key players at close defense. Sophomore goalie Matt Corvi will step into the cage this spring and has the potential to be a standout.
2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview
“Once again, we will have a very competitive team this spring with a very tough schedule,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi.
2021 Record: 9-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Hal Bean
With more than a dozen players back in the fold from last year, King Philip is looking to take another step forward after posting a 9-5 record last year.
The Warriors have key pieces in the lineup all over the field, starting with senior goalie James Boldy. Boldy had a great campaign a season ago and will be among the top goalies in the league this year. He will work with fellow senior captain Will Weiblen and senior Shaun Fitzpatrick as the anchors of the King Philip defense.
There is a strong core of midfielders back in the mix this year, starting with returning faceoff specialist Thomas Brewster. He will be joined by a very experienced group that features seniors Ben Riggs, Sean McCarthy, Andrew Longobardi, Nolan Feyler,
Brayden Thompson, John Campbell, and Ian Hill, along with sophomore standout Noah Minkwitz. Riggs (31 points last year) will be one of the most dangerous two-way players in the league but KP has a lot of depth in the position.
Offensively, King Philip has Sean Crowther back in the fold, who was just one of six Hock players to reach the 40-goal mark on the season. He’s joined by Kip Bishop and Colin Lightbody, who both registered 19 points a year ago, as well as Colin Gillis and sophomore Donovan DeVellis.
“King Philip boys lacrosse expects to compete in every game and anticipates a productive season and playoff run,” said KP head coach Hal Bean “We all are looking forward to a fun season!”
2021 Record: 6-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Tim Frias
With a handful of young faces fighting for spots in the lineup, Mansfield is hoping to pick up valuable experience early and make a late charge for a spot in the state tournament.
The Hornets do have some experience on the defensive side of the ball with Ryan DeGirolamo starting in the cage and senior captains Zander Holmes and Mark DiGirolamo patrolling the space in front of him. Mansfield has a handful of young poles that will be in the mix including Liam Barry, Patrick Gormley, Nolan Bordieri, and James DeGirolamo.
The group of upperclassmen will make up the majority of the field with senior Dash Munson joining a trio of talented juniors in Grady Sullivan, Drew Sacco, and Cody Gordon. The Hornets have a lot of young players looking to find spots in the midfield and lineup and general, and new names that could contribute early on include Aidan Steele, Jake Feinberg, and Liam Steele.
2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview
In the attack, senior Jack Roberts will be accompanied by a pair of sophomores in Tommy Smith and Andrew Burnham.
2021 Record: 2-11 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Austin Costa
Under the guidance of new head coach Austin Costa, the Scarlet Hawks are aiming to show improvement throughout the season and set the program on an upward trajectory.
There is a strong mix of veteran leadership and new faces eager to find a spot in the lineup for Costa and the Scarlet Hawks this season. Senior captain Eric Landry is set to be the leader on the defensive end, and his experience will be key as Milford tries to fend off some lethal offenses. Landry will be joined by Brian Goncalves and junior Nick Casilli, both returners for the Scarlet Hawks. Defensive experience will be key as the Hawks turn to Alex McGuire for his varsity debut in the cage.
Offensively, look for veterans Jacob Ligor and Eric Farrell to be major contributors for the Scarlet Hawks. Both have a good amount of experience playing at this level and know what it takes to compete in the Hockomock League. Other returners for Milford include Kyle Donelan, Shawn O’Donnell, and Ronn Swineford while freshmen Alex Maietta and Jayden Martins have impressed early on and could be key contributors right away.
2021 Record: 7-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal Coach: Kevin Young
North Attleboro finished in a tie for third in the Davenport division last year and had an impressive playoff win over Belmont before being beaten by sectional finalist Medfield. The Rocketeers only graduated two players from last season’s team, so Big Red comes into the spring with big expectations of competing for a first league title since 2017 and being a threat in the state tournament.
The North attack should be an area of strength this season with seniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Ruppert, and Clayton Billingkoff all back up top. Antonetti led the team with 57 points in 2021. Juniors Jack Regan and Luke Ward have both had strong preseasons, while freshmen Ethan Gustafson and Brady Brackner could be poised for breakout debuts. Senior Jared Vacher will do his best to get as many possessions as possible for the North attack by winning draws.
North’s defense has plenty of experience as well. Senior Max Hobbs, Anthony Ferro, and James Brennan will get plenty of help from sophomore Connor Rajotte and junior LSM Julian House. The Rocketeers can also count on two experienced goalies with senior Ethan McGrath and junior JT Gallagher both back in the cage this spring.
“We know the Hockomock will be strong this year,” said North coach Kevin Young. “I am excited to watch this group compete and grow as a team.”
2021 Record: 3-11 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Ben Devlin
Oliver Ames coach Ben Devlin stepped down after last season, but he was convinced to come back this spring to lead a young Tigers team. Twenty-four of the 34 players in the program this year are either freshmen or sophomores, so OA will be counting on younger players to step up across the field and Devlin is excited about the promise he sees during the preseason.
Senior midfielder Wyatt Fritchman and junior attacker Ben Reardon will be the leaders on offense. Fritchman was second on the team in scoring last year and Reardon went on a run of nine goals in the final three games of his sophomore season. Senior Wes Tower is back to run things in the midfield and sophomores Ryan Jaco and Alex McAndrew have the potential to find the back of the net.
On the other end of the field, senior Cam Tower has been converted to LSM this season. The other poles will be led by junior Jake Manthous, who also was in charge of the face-offs last year, and sophomore Landon Grothe. Junior Noah Isleib returns in goal to keep things organized on defense and sophomore Ethan St. Jean will be his backup.
“Despite being much younger, we are looking to improve on last year’s results and continue building the program,” said Devlin. “We expect to have some growing pains early in the season, but look to improve as the younger players get experience and develop their game during the season. It’s never easy to rebuild in a talented league like the Hock. There aren’t any easy games as every team is talented and well-coached…but we are setting our sights on winning enough games to reach the postseason.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon has a solid core back from last year’s nine-win team but without any juniors on the squad, there will be a lot of young players in the lineup with most getting their first taste of varsity lacrosse.
With over a half dozen seniors on the roster, head coach Jon Shocket will lean heavily on their veteran leadership and experience as the new players get integrated into the lineup and acclimated with the speed of the high school game. The senior trio of Ben Shocket, Brady Daylor, and Ryan Zunenshine are this year’s captains.
The other seniors on the team include Jace Nestler, Matt Mahoney, James Lillenfeld, and Chance Hanah, and all four will be vital as the Eagles make a push for the postseason. There are four freshmen already in the lineup including Matt Powers in net, Jordan Burke at attack, and Zach Bernstein and Ben Goldberg at defense. Sophomores Gabe Korn, Ryan Brown, Jacob Kaufman, and Ronin Widland will also be in the mix for the Eagles.
“I hope to get a lot of growth from our team as we get more experience,” Shocket said.
Franklin senior Sean Vinson goes up for a shot in the first half against Catholic Memorial. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. — Halfway through Tuesday night’s contest between Franklin and Catholic Memorial, things weren’t looking very good for the host Panthers.
At the end of the fourth quarter, Franklin nearly walked off with a crazy comeback win.
After all was said and done, Catholic Memorial emerged with an 81-78 win in overtime, withstanding a gutsy comeback effort from Franklin to advance to the Division 1 Round of 8.
Franklin trailed by as much as 19 points overall, and even trailed by a dozen with six minutes to go but was able to rally to force overtime.
“The pride I have for the guys is unbelievable,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “I was just telling them in the locker room how proud I was, they made the whole town of Franklin proud. A lot of teams would have just gone away with the way things were going and the momentum they were carrying. We had nothing going in the first half, we weren’t making shots we normally make, some bunnies and some easy looks. We weren’t playing like ourselves.
“We talked about how there’s no 10-point shot, no single shot will save us. It was about trusting each other, it was going to be a slow grind and a marathon of a second half.”
The 21st-seeded Knights landed a couple of haymakers in the first half, hitting on seven three-pointers and shooting over 50% from the floor to establish a 43-28 edge on the road going into the halftime break.
But the Panthers still had plenty of fight left, scratching and clawing their way back into the contest over the final 16 minutes of regulation.
Franklin cut the deficit down to five on a pair of occasions in the third quarter, the latter on a late three from sophomore Henry Digiorgio (16 points, five rebounds) but as they did all night, CM answered as Brady McGowan drained one of his four three-pointers before the buzzer to put the Knights up 60-52.
While Franklin had essentially cut the halftime deficit in half, the Panthers still had work to do. CM pushed its advantage back to double-digits, up 64-52 after a pair of free throws from Matt St. Martin.
Sophomore Sean O’Leary (16 points, 10 rebounds) scored inside, and a couple of plays later sank a three to get Franklin within two possessions down 66-59. A stop led to two more from O’Leary, and another stop was followed by a traditional three-point play from junior Ben Harvey, who had a career night with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.
Franklin got a pair of stops and overcame a turnover to get a chance to tie it down two. Harvey hit one from the line but senior Sean Vinson (24 points, eight rebounds) hauled in the offensive board and found Digiorgio for a three from way deep, and suddenly the Panthers led for the first time since the opening minutes of the game, up 68-66 with 45.7 to go.
The Panthers continued their stellar second half defense with another stop and Harvey tacked on one of two from the line to extend Franklin’s lead to 69-66 with 39.5 seconds left. CM answered as St. Martin hit a layup and was rewarded with a free throw as well, which he sank to make it 69-69. Franklin’s shot just before the buzzer hit off the iron and stayed out.
Vinson and CM’s Peter Gellene traded baskets to start the extra period, and then Vinson took a feed from classmate Ryan Sullivan to give Franklin a 73-71 lead. Corey Dolison answered with a three for the Knights, and after back-to-back Franklin turnovers, Gellene drained a triple to make it 77-73 with 1:52 left.
“They made a lot of big shots, a lot of tough shots like those pull-up jumpers in the lane — those aren’t easy shots,” Neely said. “I thought we made them work for everything they got. They had an answer tonight. I thought our defense was so much better and more physical in the second half and that brought a different energy. Top to bottom, we were the Franklin team I expect us to be every night in the second half. Unfortunately against a team like that, you can’t dig big holes. Give our guys a ton of credit, they played a ton of minutes against the pace they play at. But we just weren’t able to put them away.”
Sophomore Andrew O’Neill and O’Leary each made free throws, and the latter drove to the rim for two more to make it 79-78 with 11.5 seconds left. Franklin was forced to foul and Dolison hit both. The Panthers went the length of the court and got a contested three off before the buzzer but it was off the mark.
A back-and-forth first quarter saw the visitors take a 17-12 lead, but the Knight really created separation with some successful three-point shooting. CM hit on five of their seven attempts from three-point territory for a 26-point second quarter.
Harvey, who had reached double-digits in scoring just once this season, became a reliable option on the offensive end for the Panthers. He scored half of his 20 points in the first half and his success playing in the post helped formulate Franklin’s point of attack in the second.
“When he’s making those layups inside and he’s posting up like that, he’s pretty difficult to stop because he’s so physical,” Neely said of Harvey. “They don’t have a lot of size, a couple of wider bodies but they were switching everything and we thought we could get Harvey and O’Leary and Vinson inside and I thought that played out pretty well in the second half. We just didn’t finish like we needed to if you want to win a game in the Sweet 16 of the Division 1 tournament.”
Franklin started the second half with a 12-5 run to get back into the game. O’Leary had a steal that led to a bucket, Vinson scored on a post move and then knocked down a straightaway three. Vinson had another triple, Digorigio had two, and Harvey scored three straight as the Panthers cut the deficit down to 48-43 halfway through the quarter.
Franklin boys basketball finishes the season 20-4.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 67 vs. Durfee, 42 – Final – After falling behind in the first quarter, Attleboro dominated the final three quarters to earn a season sweep of Durfee. Playing shorthanded without leading scorer Evan Houle, the Bombardiers got a huge boost from junior Jaiden Outland, who hit four three pointers and finished with career-high 18 points to pace the Attleboro offense. Durfee held a 18-14 lead after eight minutes but Attleboro came storming back in a 22-point second quarter with Outland netting eight point, Jake Struminski adding six of his eight points, and Colin Morais chipping in with five of his 15 points. The Bombardiers won the second quarter 22-5, taking a 36-23 lead into the locker room.
Canton, 66 vs. Fenway, 49 – Final – Holding a six point lead at the break, Canton used a 19-point third quarter to stretch the lead and eventually finish off Fenway for the second time in as many days. The Bulldogs got scoring contributions from six players in the big third quarter with senior Lanse Dorcelus scoring six of his team-high 16 points, senior Nate Mei adding five of his 13 points, and Matt Chafin (11 points), Dillon Nguyen, Conor Hunter, and Bahsor Mahn (eight points) all scored in the quarter as Canton turned its halftime lead (32-26) in a 51-36 advantage going into the fourth. Jacob Solomon added a trio of threes and finished with nine points.
Foxboro, 58 vs. Medfield, 54 – Final – Tied at halftime, Foxboro pulled ahead for good with a big third quarter to land a key win over Division 2 foe Medfield. Foxboro had a 20-15 lead after a quarter but the teams went into the locker room at halftime deadlocked, 30-30. Five different Foxboro players scored in the third and the Warriors had their best defensive frame of the game, winning the third 17-9. Alex Penders had five of his 14 points, Andrew Finn and Cam Barreira each sank a three, Sam Golub (nine points) added a basket, and Dylan Gordon had four of his team-high 22 points to help Foxboro pull away.
Franklin, 43 vs. Leominster, 30 – Final – Anchored by one of its best defensive efforts of the season, Franklin landed an impressive win over one of the two ranked teams in Division 2. Junior Ben Harvey had a fantastic showing on the defensive end, holding one of Central Mass’ best players Justin Dadah Jr. to just one three-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Panthers used a 16-0 run across the first and second quarters to create separation. Sophomore Sean O’Leary scored eight of his 11 points in the opening half while Harvey got it going on the offensive end with six points in the second. Geino Scaringello gave the Franklin offense a big boost in the second half with all of his nine points coming over the final two frames.
King Philip, 68 vs. Falmouth, 36 – Final – King Philip poured in 26 points in the third quarter to run away with a big win over Falmouth in the first round of the Somerset-Berkley tournament. The Warriors built a 27-16 lead at halftime, getting a trio of three-pointers from Grant Kinney in the first half and one apiece from Braeden Sottile (10 points) and freshman Tommy Kilroy. Junior Will Laplante took over in the third, hitting three more threes and went on to finish with 16 of his team-high 24 points after the halftime break. Charlie Grant and Sottile also hit threes in the third quarter for KP, who had 12 makes from three-point range.
Mansfield, 56 vs. Westford Academy, 41 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Mansfield struggled in the opening quarter against Westford’s zone, but the Hornets turned things around in the second quarter to send the teams into the locker room tied. In the second half, Mansfield locked down defensively, allowing only one point in the third and 12 points in the half, to pull out a win against a team ranked in the top 10 in Div. 1 and advance to the final of the Roundball Classic. Matt Hyland led all scorers with 16, 10 in the second half, and added nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Chris Hill added 13, including seven in the second to help the Hornets even up the game and 4-for-4 from the line in the fourth quarter. Andrew Slaney nailed four threes, including two in the first to keep Mansfield close, and finished with 12 points. Mansfield hit eight from beyond the arc as a team and will face the winner of Whitman-Hanson and Brockton in Wednesday’s final.
Milford, 46 vs. Shrewsbury, 57 – Final
Sharon, 59 vs. Walpole, 71 – Final – Sharon trailed by just three at halftime but Walpole exploded for 27 points in the third quarter to run away with the win in the championship game of the Davenport Classic. Sophomore Nate Katznelson dropped a career-high 27 points for the Eagles, but Walpole’s balanced attack — five players scored in the third — and successful three-point shooting in the third (five makes) ended up the difference.
Stoughton, 59 vs. Milton, 38 – Final – After a back-and-forth first quarter, Stoughton dominated the middle quarters to build a double digit lead that never relinquished the rest of the way. Junior Rayan Sablon hit four three-pointers in the first half and finished with 22 of his career-high 31 points to help the Black Knights get the win. Connor Andrews added nine of his 17 points in the opening half as Stoughton built a 34-19 lead at halftime and had a 46-25 lead going into the fourth.
Taunton, 77 @ New Bedford, 42 – Final – Taunton senior Trent Santos scored his 1,000th career point as the Tigers rolled to a big win to finish the regular season. Santos finished with 29 points in the win and hit the milestone with — fittingly — a pull up three in transition in the fourth quarter. Santos had five threes in the game and 10 total makes. Chris Volcy came off the bench and scored half of his 12 points in Taunton’s 25-point second quarter, turning a close game into a blowout by halftime (43-21). Faisal Mass added eight points for Taunton, which had nine players get in the scoring column.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Durfee, 30 – Final – The Bombardiers held Durfee to 12 points in the first half, building a 32-12 lead through two quarters and never looking back to record a fifth straight win. Meghan Gordon scored 12 of her 16 points and Lindsey Perry scored all seven of her points in the first half to get Attleboro off to a great start. Vanessa Ellis scored 13 points (eight in the second half) and Rylie Camacho buried four three-pointers and finished with 12. Avery Vieira scored six of her eight points in the fourth.
Foxboro, 61 vs. Cambridge, 30 – Final – Kailey Sullivan scored 23 points, knocking down five three-pointers, as the Warriors rolled to a big win in the opening round of the Warrior Classic. Nine players scored for Foxboro, which will face Walpole on Tuesday night in the final.
Mansfield, 54 vs. Westford Academy, 55 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Abigail Chambers hit a three from six feet behind the arc with only 4.5 on the clock and Westford pulled out a come from behind win in the first round of the Roundball Classic. The Hornets had led 54-48 in the closing minutes, but Westford closed the game on a 7-0 run. Abby Wager scored a team-high 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to pace the Hornets. She added six rebounds and four steals. Kara Santos chipped in with nine points (five in the fourth) and Bridget Hanley added nine points, five assist, and two blocks. Natlya Gill came off the bench and scored seven points. Mansfield will face Natick on Wednesday afternoon in the consolation round of the tournament.
Taunton, 52 vs. New Bedford, 59 – Final – Taunton and New Bedford had a shootout in the second half, as the teams combined for 68 points, but the Tigers weren’t able to pull off a comeback in the season finale and the Whalers earned a split of the season series. Kameron St. Pierre had a team-high 17 points for the Tigers, all of them in the second half, and knocked down three from beyond the arc. Liv Gannon scored nine, all in the first half, and Cali Melo and Abby Souza each scored eight points for the Tigers.
Canton, 46 @ Westwood, 40 – Final – The Bulldogs closed out the regular season by winning the title at the Riley Classic and beating one of the teams ahead of them in the Div. 2 power rankings. Fay Gallery scored 17 points, dished our four assists, and had three steals to lead the way for Canton. Kiara Cerruti added 16 points and three steals and Sydney Gallery had seven points, five boards, and three assists. Canton also got a lot of help on the glass, with Han Hong and Erin Beatty each pulling down six rebounds and Samya DaSilva grabbing five boards. Marissa Staffiere made a pair of clutch free throws at the end to help seal the win. Fay Gallery was named tournament MVP and Cerruti was named to the all-tournament team.
King Philip, 49 vs. Archbishop Williams, 28 – Final – KP jumped out to a 16-2 lead after one quarter and extended that lead to 34-6 at halftime, running away with a big win in the consolation round of the end-of-season tournament. The Warriors had 48 points through three quarters. All 14 players saw time on the court and 11 ended up on the score sheet. Liv Lafond led the Warriors with 10 points, while Emily Sawyer had eight and Kylie Watson and Julia Marsden each scored seven points in the win. Olivia Ali knocked down a three-pointer for her first career varsity points.
Boys Hockey
North Attleboro, 1 vs. Walpole, 3 – Final
Mansfield, 3 vs. King Philip, 6 – Final
Stoughton, 1 @ Rockland, 2 – Final (OT) – After being shutout by Rockland in the first time around, Stoughton pushed the Bulldogs to the limit this time around before falling in overtime. Joe McNulty had the goal for the Black Knights, Steven Westerlund had a strong game defensively, and Chris Andrade played well in net with 29 saves.
Girls Hockey
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final – MOA freshman Emma Rabinovich sparked the offense with her first career goal less than a minute into the game and the Warriors never looked back, skating to a shutout win over Dedham. Rabinovich lit the lamp 30 seconds into the game and then Kylie O’Keefe doubled the lead with a minute left in the period to make it 2-0. Cammy Shanteler (from O’Keefe) and Cataline Kipp each added a goal for the Warriors. Jess Widdop made 35 saves in net to earn the shutout for MOA.
Mansfield senior Matt Hyland goes up for a shot against Franklin’s Sean Vinson (right) and Sean O’Leary (25) in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. — One of the best rivalries in the state added a new chapter on Friday night, and it was one of the best games in series history.
Up-and-down, back-and-forth the Panthers and the Hornets went, matching shot for shot and stop for stop over the course of four quarters — and it took every second of the 32 minutes to decide this one.
Mansfield senior Matty Hyland sank both of his one-and-one free throws with 13.4 seconds left and the Hornets held on as Franklin’s last-second turnaround jumper at the elbow hit off the iron and stayed out, securing a 56-55 victory in a thriller.
The largest lead for either side was nine in favor of the hosts after senior Sean Vinson, who had a career-high 27 points in a gutsy performance, knocked down one of his five three-pointers just a minute into the second quarter for a 20-11 lead.
Meanwhile, the visiting Hornets had the lead just three times in the first half. The first coming on the back of an 11-0 run that erased Franklin’s largest advantage, and twice more over the next couple of minutes. But each of the three leads never increased more than two points before Franklin tied it or went back ahead.
Mansfield’s first lead of the second half came on a three-pointer with a minute to go in the third quarter, a 42-41 lead that the Hornets carried into the final quarter.
And the final quarter, a rollercoaster back-and-forth that featured nine lead changes, the largest lead being five points for Mansfield at 52-47, but that too, was quickly erased as the Panthers retook the lead.
“It was a good old-fashioned boxing match,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “How many lead changes were there? It had to be a lot, it was back-and-forth. I think they had a little bigger of a margin than we did, I don’t think we ever had a big lead. I thought there were times we could have folded and put our tail between our legs but we came down and made big plays.
“Against Franklin, you have to find creative ways to score. Sometimes it’s threes, sometimes you have to get to the rim. They are so solid defensively, you have to be creative and find different ways to score each trip, and ultimately, we were able to do that for sure.”
The fourth lead change of the final quarter came on a nice pass from Mansfield junior Chris Hill to find sophomore Trevor Foley cutting to the basket. Foley had one of the best games of his career with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks — more to come on the blocks.
The fifth came right after on a nice up-and-under move from Vinson and the Panthers took a timeout.
Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield was the first team to get back-to-back buckets in the quarter, first with Hill dropping one in from close, and then after a stop, Hyland battled through some great defense to finish off a tough layup for a 50-47 lead. Another stop led to another bucket from Hyland for Mansfield’s largest lead of the entire game at 52-47.
It didn’t last long: Vinson knocked down a corner three off a pass from Justin Allen (11 points). The Panthers looked poised to tie the game after a turnover but Foley came racing back and pinned the ball against the backboard for a huge chase-down block.
The Panthers, who played the entire second half without leading scorer sophomore Henry Digiorgio because of an injury in the first half, weren’t too fazed as they got a stop and Ben Harvey found Vinson for yet another three, and just like that, Franklin was ahead with under two minutes to play.
The see-saw battle continued, and arguably the biggest plays of the game came next. Hyland came up with an offensive rebound to give the visitors a second shot, which was also off but this time Foley won the battle for the board.
The Hornets missed another chance but once again, Foley came flying in and tipped in the offensive board for two, and a 54-53 lead with under a minute to go. Mansfield won the rebounding battle 9-1 in the final quarter, including five offensive boards.
Andrew Slaney came up for a steal for the Hornets, and Vaughan tried to call a timeout but neither official noticed. The Panthers took advantage with a steal and Allen laid in an uncontested layup for a 54-55 lead with 20 seconds to go.
Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield came back up the floor in a hurry, and yet again Vaughan’s timeout efforts went unnoticed, and instead, Hyland drew a blocking call for Franklin’s seventh foul of the half.
Hyland finished with 17 of his 25 points in the second half for the Hornets, tying a career-high.
“There’s something to be said about guys like Matty and what he was able to do,” Vaughan said. “Vinson did a really good job against him defensively and really made him work for everything. And as much as I was trying to whine for a foul, he did it clean and he did a really good job of keeping him in front of him and Matty had to work for anything that he got.”
Hyland hit both free throws and Mansfield — who was well under the bonus — strategically fouled twice over the final 10 seconds to drain some clock. Franklin inbounded it with 3.9 seconds left and got off a shot but it was off the mark.
Mansfield boys basketball
“I thought the guys that were out there really gave their heart and soul, I can’t ask for more effort-wise,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “We’ll watch the film and probably see something things we could have done better execution-wise. You don’t want to let it go to that last possession like that, they had a lot of offensive rebounds that we could have pulled in and maybe turned it into a three-point lead instead of a one-point lead.
“You can’t give a team like that multiple chances down the stretch and unfortunately offensive rebounds killed us late. I don’t think it was for most of the game and we made them work for everything they got. Hyland’s a great player and made some big plays down the stretch that really sealed the game.”
As they often have this year, Franklin had a strong start to the game with success from range. Sophomore Andrew O’Neill hit a pair of three-pointers and sophomore Sean O’Leary cashed in on a Mansfield turnover for a quick 8-0 lead. A three from Caden Colby and a late steal and bucket from Foley closed the gap to 15-11 at the end of one.
O’Leary went to work in the paint for two and Vinson sank a three to Franklin’s largest lead but that was short-lived as Mansfield answered with an 11-0 run, sparked by a three from Jack Lasbury-Casey. Foley cleaned up his own miss and had another steal and layup, and Hyland had four straight to take a 22-20 lead.
“I’m proud of Trevor, he’s really come into his own. He’s played well the last couple of games and has kind of built some confidence and starting to play like a junior instead of a sophomore…his first half was huge, he stepped in and really took some of the pressure off Matty.”
Vinson stopped the bleeding to tie it 22-22, and then drained a three after Foley’s tough take handed Mansfield its second lead. Slaney hit one of Mansfield’s five total threes but this time it was Allen who answered with a three. Allen then added another one right before the buzzer to give Franklin a 32-27 lead at halftime.
“Sean Vinson has been one of the best leaders we’ve ever had and I expect nothing less of that when he’s on the floor,” Neely said. “He missed the first matchup [COVID], he was devastated. He was really looking forward to his chance to play Mansfield here at home, and you can see it in the effort he put out there. What a performance for him.”
Franklin finished 10-for-21 from three-point range, but only hit on three trifectas in the second half on half the attempts. Losing Digiorgio was a big blow to not only the shooting game (he made four on Tuesday against Taunton and had three in the first meeting with Mansfield), it hurt the Panthers’ rebounding game (Digiorgio had double-digit boards on Tuesday).
“That’s our leading scorer and one of our best players, it’s hard to in-game adjust to losing him,” Neely said. “I do think we settled in eventually and get O’Leary some touches inside and Vinson had some big shots, big plays, and we had some other guys step up. But you don’t just replace a guy like Hank, he’s a really good player that we missed out there.”
“We always want to try and take [the three] away because they have a lot of firepower there and they can do it in a hurry, you really have to try and keep them in check,” Vaughan said. “We made some adjustments and obviously Digiorgio not playing is super unfortunate and he’s a high-level scorer and rebounder, so I hope it isn’t bad and he’s back soon. You never want to see something like that happen and it changed their rotations and their shot selection.”
Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield boys basketball (12-1 Hockomock, 15-3) stays within a game of first place of the division with a game in hand and will travel to first place Taunton for a huge showdown on Tuesday. Franklin (11-3, 15-3) hits the road to visit Milford on the same day.
Taunton senior Tristan Herry, who scored a season-high 23 points, goes up for a shot in the second half against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – Taunton senior Tristan Herry can impact a game without scoring because of his ballhandling, playmaking ability, and defense, but that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of putting the ball in the basket.
Herry scored 10 of his season-high 23 points in the final quarter, hitting key free throws in the final moments to help the Tigers fend off a comeback attempt from visiting Franklin to secure a 70-61 win.
Taunton boys basketball
Taunton has one of the most dynamic offenses in the league this year with one of the most gifted scorers in senior Trent Santos, who scored a game-high 25 points in the win. But with Franklin’s defense zeroed in on the dynamic guard, the Tigers needed someone to step up.
When Franklin opened the final quarter with three free throws from sophomore Henry Digiorgio (15 points, four rebounds) to grab some momentum, Herry (six rebounds, three assists, three steals) came back down the other way and hit a jumper.
Digiorgio hit two more from the line to cut the deficit to just six, the closest the Panthers had been since trailing by five at halftime. But that’s when Herry used his vision to find Santos for a big three.
Franklin’s Ben Harvey muscled his way to the rim for two points to get the deficit down to seven, 53-46, with just over four minutes to go before Herry found classmate Faisal Mass (11 points) cutting to the rim for two points.
The Panthers scored on their third straight possession as senior Sean Vinson cleaned up his own miss, and then Franklin got a stop on defense but Taunton forced a turnover above the three-point line and Herry was first to pounce on it, hitting Mass on the break for two more.
The visitors refused to go quietly as Digiorgio drained a corner three to make it a seven-point game once again with just over two minutes left but Herry was calm against Franklin’s press, eventually drawing a foul and hitting both of his free throws.
After a big block from Mass down in the paint, Herry hit a contested jumper to put the hosts back up double digits with less than two minutes to go. He added four more free throws down the stretch to keep Taunton ahead for good.
“When he scores, it matters,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey about Herry. “We had Jordan [Costa] step up the other night for us. Tristan is so selfless, he thinks of everyone else first. We’ve talked about it before and he really takes his role of being the point guard serious, he wants to move the ball around but we’ve talked about needing him to step up and him being a scoring point guard.”
It was a back-and-forth first half as the separation between two of the top teams in the state didn’t come until the third quarter.
Taunton boys basketball
Taunton carried a 25-20 lead into halftime, the advantage cut to five after a corner three from Franklin senior Will Tracey shortly before the buzzer.
After starting the game with a 9-0 surge, Taunton started the second with a 12-3 burst to create a double-digit advantage. Santos opened with a three off of a pass from Mass only for Vinson to answer in the first two minutes.
Mass went up and finished off a pass from Costa and Santos hit two from the line after the Tigers forced a turnover. Herry’s good defense forced a miss that ended up in two free throws from Costa down the other end and two possessions later, a steal from sophomore Troy Santos (7 points, 4 rebounds) led to a three from Herry, a 37-23 lead, and a timeout from Franklin.
Taunton boys basketball
Taunton’s lead peaked at 15 points after Matt Small hauled in an offensive board and hit Troy Santos in the corner for a three and a 40-25 lead.
Franklin’s offense got it going out of the timeout, scoring 12 points over the final three minutes, but Taunton nearly matched it to stay ahead.
A floater from Digiorgio, a traditional three-point play from Tracey, and a layup from sophomore Andrew O’Neill (18 points, five assists) sparked the run but also marked Franklin’s first two-point field goals of the game with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. Franklin went 0-for-6 from two-point range in the first half and missed their first three attempts in the second half.
Small, who came off the bench while Costa was in foul trouble, finished off a nice pass from Troy Santos for Taunton but Digiorgio answered with a triple. Mass and Herry hit from the free throw line late before Digiorgio hit a layup to make it 46-35 at the end of the third quarter.
“He doesn’t have to score, he just busts his butt,” Dacey said of Small, who had two points, eight rebounds, four assists, and a block off the bench. He does all the dirty work, that’s the kind of stuff we need from him. There’s enough guys out there that have to score points for us but he doesn’t have to to help us.
Coming off a tough shooting night at Mansfield on Friday night, Franklin found some rhythm early. After a couple of misses, the Panthers got all of their points in the opening eight minutes from deep. O’Neill hit three of his own and Justin Allen hit another. Franklin finished 11-for-29 from three-point range.
“Those guys have a lot of talent, there’s no question about it,” said Franklin coach CJ Neely. “They make you work really hard on the defensive end and put your defense to the test. Even if you try to shut one guy down, they have another. They ran some nice sets, they get the right guys the ball where they need to get it and Charlie and Matt have done a nice job getting really good players good looks.
“We’re a good team and they are a great team. We have to more steps to get to the level of the two teams we played this weekend. They’ve shown us a lot, we have a lot of guys working hard but we just have to take that next step. I think we got a little excited about the start we’ve had so this is a good wake up call and we’ll see what we’re made of over the course of the next stretch of games.”
Taunton boys basketball (6-0 Hockomock, 6-1 overall) will look to extend its three-game winning streak on Tuesday when it hosts Oliver Ames at 6:30. Franklin (4-2, 7-2) will try to snap its two-game skid when it returns home from a six-game road trip to host Foxboro on the same day.
Mansfield junior Chris Hill goes up for a shot against Franklin’s John Brigham in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The solution to Mansfield’s problem was so simple, yet incredibly difficult at the same time.
The Hornets needed a basket.
With two elite defenses going at it, points were at a premium on Friday night and Mansfield’s 15-point lead over Franklin had dwindled down to three, having scored just four points in a six-minute span between the third and fourth quarters.
Franklin’s attempt at a tying three rimmed out and the Hornets got just what they needed, scoring on three of their next four possessions to finish strong and earn a 48-38 win over the previously undefeated Panthers.
The Hornets drew three fouls on one possession, getting into the bonus where Dante James hit a pair of free throws to extend the hosts’ lead to five, 41-36. Another open three from Franklin was off the mark and the Hornets survived a turnover as James went back to the line for two more.
After Caden Colby drew an offensive foul on the baseline to get the ball back, junior Chris Hill drove to the basket to draw the defense before dishing to senior Andrew Slaney for a wide-open three from the corner to put Mansfield up double-digits with just under two minutes to go.
Mansfield boys basketball
“That was a good old-fashioned fistfight,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “We had to come down and get some points, it felt like we hadn’t scored much in the last couple of minutes. We had made a few silly plays and started to get a little passive. We got some points to push it to five and then Slaney hit the three a couple of possessions after and that was kind of the backbreaker.
“It’s a huge win, this is always one you get anxious about, you lose sleep over it…you’re watching a lot of game film, trying to be prepared. We know CJ [Neely] is going to do such a good job of knowing what we’re going to do so you feel like you’ve got to match that to give your kids a fighting chance. Any time you get can get a win against them in the league, now we’re playing from ahead instead of behind in the league race and that’s a big deal.”
The game got off to a hot start for both offenses, combining for 19 points over the first four minutes, but both defenses started to settle in as the game went on. After Mansfield won the opening quarter 18-12, the two squads combined for just 15 points (10-5 Mansfield) in the second quarter.
Mansfield boys basketball
Defense continued to be the theme in the second half. Mansfield’s lead peaked at 15 points after Matt Hyland (17 points, 12 rebounds, two steals) had a three-point play and a breakaway layup sandwiched around a strong take from Hill (seven points, five rebounds, five assists) to make it 35-20 with three minutes to play in the third.
The Panthers came out of the timeout with a renewed energy as sophomore Henry Digiorgio (11 points, six rebounds) drained a three off of an offensive rebound and junior John Brigham had a big block that led to a shot clock violation.
Digiorgio and James traded buckets before Brigham converted a putback and Sean O’Leary tacked on a free throw to pull Franklin within single digits, 37-28, going into the final quarter.
O’Leary scored on a nice post move to open the fourth and after a brief scoreless stretch from both sides, junior Justin Allen sank a three-pointer to get the visitors within four at 37-33.
Franklin got the stop it needed but couldn’t convert on a three and James dished it off to Hyland for two after a big rebound from Eddie McCoy. The Panthers quickly answered as Ben Harvey got into the paint to draw the help, finding Allen open for another three to make it 39-36 with four minutes left.
The Panthers got another stop and got a good look at the tying three but it stayed out and the Hornets called a timeout. They ended up finishing the game on a 9-2 run.
“I thought we had a lot of great looks…but 38 points isn’t going to get it done,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “I really believe in what we were doing, I thought the ball was moving really well, they were composed, they made the passes, and we got some really, really good looks for guys that we’re used to seeing make shots, uncontested threes. This was a night where they hit some of their open ones and we didn’t.
“I’m really proud of the defense and the way that we responded after we went down, we had a shot in the air to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. But we just didn’t make our looks.”
Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield opened the game hitting nearly 80% of its shots, hitting on 7-of-9 attempts from the field, including a trio of three-pointers. Slaney, Hill, and Jack Lasbury-Casey each connected from downtown while Hyland attacked the rim for a pair of field goals. The Hornets only hit a pair of threes the rest of the way, including Slaney’s second with just two minutes left.
Digiorgio hit a pair of threes in the opening quarter but the Panthers were limited to one three in each the second and third quarters, finishing 6-for-25 from three-point range. Franklin ended up with 11 more field goal attempts than the hosts, and also struggled at the free throw line going 2-for-10.
“A lot of these guys were playing freshman basketball last year, they didn’t even get the JV experience because of COVID,” Neely said. The Panthers started three sophomores and two juniors. “It’s a pretty big jump from that to playing Mansfield’s varsity team in an environment like this. I really think they played well and had a good game but some of the shots just didn’t fall. We did what we had to do to get some great looks against one of the best defensive teams in the league so I was impressed with their response.”
Mansfield boys basketball (5-0 Hockomock, 7-0 overall) is back in action on Monday with a big non-league showdown at BC High. Franklin (4-1, 7-1) has a big test this weekend when it travels to Taunton on Sunday afternoon.
