05/18/202105/19/2021

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/18/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 2 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Milford senior Wes Solomon dazzled in a complete game effort to lead the Hawks to a win on the road, sweeping the season series with the Bombardiers. Solomon allowed two runs with just two walks issued, striking out nine for the win.

Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon’s Dan Fishman and JD Rittenberg combined for a stellar pitching performance, allowing just one unearned run to help the Eagles split the season series with Canton. Fishman allowed just one hit in five innings of work with no earned runs allowed striking out two for the win. Rittenberg came in to close the door with two innings of work, striking out four. Offensively, Nate Yaffe had a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs, Dan Zagoren drove in a run, and Rittenberg drove in the other two for Sharon.

Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Oliver Ames had its best offensive outing of the season, pushing across 13 runs to earn a win over Foxboro to split the season series. The Tigers scored two runs in each of the first three innings and then broke it open with a seven-run fourth inning. Jake Waxman was 2-for-3 including a home run, finishing with three RBI and two runs scored. Will Whiteside added a triple two RBI, and two runs, and Jack Morley found success from the nine-hole in his varsity debut with a hit, two walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Matt Nigro earned the win on the mound, allowing just four hits and two walks in a five-inning complete game effort. He finished with just two runs allowed and six strikeouts. Tom Marcucella had two hits for Foxboro while Ryan LeClair and Sean Yoest each had an RBI.

Franklin, 13 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed scorching hot to start the season, pushing across double-digit runs for the third straight game and fourth in the last five contests. Ryan Gerety (triple, three runs, RBI) and Nate Goode (double, triple, two RBI, three runs) spearheaded the attack with three hits apiece while Chris Goode (triple, two RBI, run), Jake Fitzgibbons (three RBI, double), and Jack Marino (two runs, two RBI) each had two hits. Jacob Jette got the win on the mound, allowing four runs while striking out seven.

Taunton, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Taunton went on the road and grabbed their second straight win over the Hornets, clinching the series against their division rival. Senior Danny MacDougall earned the win on the mound, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out six. Shawn Cali came in for a scoreless inning of relief for the save. Offensively, Taunton put up two runs in the top of the first inning only for Mansfield to respond with two runs of its own. The Tigers went back ahead for good with three in the top of the third inning. Ty Cali drove in a pair of runs and scored twice, MacDougall helped his own cause with an RBI and a run scored, and Evan Cali had an RBI and two walks. Mansfield senior Ben Mintz went 2-for-3 with two RBI while Anthony Sacchetti also had an RBI. Freshman Jake Maydak had a strong relief appearance for the hosts, allowing just one hit and five walks, striking out five in five innings of work.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – North Attleboro knocked off Stoughton at Community Field to split the season series. Dennis Colleran continued to impress, picking up his third win of the season after a complete game effort with just two hits allowed. Retiring the side in order in each the third and the seventh, Colleran finished with 11 strikeouts. Offensively, the Big Red got a big boost from sophomore Derek Maceda, who had two hits and two RBI. Danny Curran added two hits while Gavin Wells and Justin Vecchiarelli each drove in a run.

Softball
Attleboro, 12 @ Milford, 0 – Final – The Bombardiers collected 20 hits as a team and Lora Woyton had her second straight strong performance in the circle as Attleboro completed a sweep of Milford. Woyton allowed just three hits while striking out nine in the win. Hailey and Lindsey Perry each smacked a home run, combining for six hits and five runs. Gabby Bosh, Lauren Eby, and Woyton each added three hits while Kayla Goldrick had a pair of doubles.

Oliver Ames, 10 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames’ offense roared to life with a nine-run second inning to break into the win column with a victory over Foxboro. Taylor Lake (1-for-2, run) and Katherine Farley (1-for-3, double, run) each had two RBI on the day and Maddie Homer scored two runs for OA. Lexi Galsband (2-for-5) and Madison Monteiro each had an RBI and a run scored in the second as well. Emma Varella pitched a complete game with four strikeouts for OA and helped her cause offensively by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

King Philip, 8 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – King Philip got off to another strong start with a pair of runs in the first inning and went on to score in the third, fifth, and seventh to complete the sweep of Franklin. Charlotte Raymond had another stellar showing at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and a triple, knocking in one run and scoring three times. Sophomores Libby Walsh (home run, two RBI, two runs) and Sarah Cullen (two runs) each added two hits for the visitors while Meg Sherwood slapped a two-run triple and had a sacrifice fly to score a run. KP had a strong showing defensively behind pitcher Emma Sheehan.

Canton, 11 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon led 4-1 heading to the top of the sixth, but the Bulldogs rallied with 10 runs over the final two innings to secure the win and the sweep of the Eagles. Taylor Reynolds had another big game at the plate, going 2-for-4 and driving in four runs. Steph Trendell also went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and Abby Chin made a great catch at a crucial time in the game to help the Bulldogs grab the win. Freshman Jess Wright allowed one run over five innings, earning the win in her first career appearance. Trinity Payne went 2-for-2 at the plate and also struck out four as the Sharon starter. Savannah Gray was 2-for-4 and drove in two of Sharon’s four runs.

Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Kelsey White continued her dominant season and Taunton recorded a fifth shutout in six games, having allowed only two runs so far this season. White allowed only one hit over seven innings, struck out 16, and walked none to pick up her fifth win. Angie Lynch (RBI, run) and Hanna Aldrich (RBI, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Tigers and Callie Lake had the lone hit for the Hornets.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North trailed 1-0 in the top of the sixth inning but tied the game when Kelly Colleran scored on a passed ball. In the seventh, the Rocketeers rallied with four runs to secure the win. Emma Bailey, Chloe Mearn, and Mandi Hanewich all singled to load the bases. Emily Nardelli plated the game-winning run with a sac fly and then Colleran’s base hit scored a second run. The throw to the plate got away and Hanewich and Colleran were able to come around and score as well to add important insurance runs. Zoey McDonough tossed a complete game with 10 strikeouts to pick up the win. Nardelli also made a couple of big plays in the field, being part of two double plays.

Boys Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ross Carroll scored a pair of goals, Remi Creighton scored once and had an assist, and Dillon Cupples picked up his first career goal and played “a fantastic overall game” according to head coach Ben Devlin.

Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Lily Brown scored four goals, two in each half, and the KP defense was on top of its game to pick up the home win and remain unbeaten this season. Peyton Mellman opened the scoring three minutes into the game and then Brown double KP’s advantage from a Morgan Cunningham assist. OA started to pile on the pressure in the second quarter but KP goalie Emily Campbell made a series of big saves to keep the Tigers off the board and preserve the 2-0 lead going into halftime. Emma Pereira took advantage of a quick self-start to get free and cut the lead to one in the third quarter. Brown and Cunningham scored back-to-back goals to push the KP lead out to three, but then Georgia Costello scored the first of her three goals on a free position in the final minute of the third. Emma O’Donnell had a strong quarter with a couple of big stops. Brown completed her hat trick with a bounced shot but then Costello matched it just 31 seconds later. Freshman Nicole McDonald went one on four on a transition and managed to pick the bottom corner and then Brown added another for a 7-3 lead. Costello scored on another free position with four minutes to go, but the Tigers got no closer.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45

Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon senior Max Chen filled in at second singles and emerged with a hard-fought win as the Eagles completed a sweep of visiting Canton. Chen fought back from a one-set deficit to earn a 5-7, 7-6, 10-8 win. Sophomore Mehul Bhattacharyya secured a win at first singles while Matthew Lally moved to third singles and notched a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 win. Sharon won both doubles matches in straight sets.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro completed its season sweep of Oliver Ames, this time taking a 4-1 decision at home. The Warriors won all three singles matches in straight sets with junior Garrett Spillane picking up a 7-6 (7-0), 6-1 win at first singles, senior Justin Neale recording a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Bo Canfield picking up a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of seniors Jason Kandula and David Marroquin emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles for Foxboro while Oliver Ames freshmen duo Kahlil Bandran and Jiva Segaran won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ King Philip 0 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin picked up two wins on the day, finishing up its match with KP that was postponed from Monday. The Panthers prevailed 5-0 in both matches, winning in straight sets in each match. Liam Marr won both of his matches at first singles (6-3, 6-3 & 6-1, 6-0), Vayshnav Malhotra won twice at second singles (6-1, 4-1 (def) & 6-0, 6-0), and Drew Mahoney took care of business at third singles (6-0, 6-2 & 6-1, 6-3). Franklin’s first doubles team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik won both of their matches in straight sets (6-1, 6-2 & 6-4, 6-0) while the duo of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas lost just one total game in its four sets played (6-0, 6-1 & 6-0, 6-0).

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro and Stoughton completed their weather-delayed match from Monday and then clashed again on the new courts at Stoughton, and the Rocketeers prevailed victorious in both. North had the same lineup in both matches and swept doubles in both matches. The team of Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq won their first match 6-0, 6-4 and took the second one 6-2, 6-1 while North’s second doubles team of Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan earned a 6-2, 6-1 win on Monday and a 6-0, 6-1 victory on Tuesday. Will Folan prevailed victorious in both of his matches at third singles (6-0, 6-0 & 6-2, 6-3) and, after not finishing a set on Monday, Sam Gallagher prevailed with a 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 win at second singles. Stoughton senior Waseem Sablon won both first singles matches, the first 6-0, 6-2 and the second 6-1, 6-0.

Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro swept doubles play and didn’t drop a game at either first or second singles to defend home court against visiting Milford. Ella Lynch-Bartek and Lauren Anthony each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively. In doubles action, junior Saharla Yusuf and freshman Maddie Fulscado secured a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles while senior Lauren Alberto and junior Ally Rebelo prevailed with a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles. Milford’s Lavinia Mocenni rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 11-9 win at third singles.

Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – The Eagles earned a clean sweep in singles action and swept the season series against division rival Canton. Nayva Shukla (6-1, 6-1), Hannah Faberman (6-1, 6-1), and Allie Aguilar (6-0, 6-0) won at first, second, and third singles, respectively, while the team of Sree Dandu and Sasha Fein picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton’s Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham emerged with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 win at first doubles.

Foxboro, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Foxboro singles players continued their dominance over their opponents, this time sweeping all three matches against Oliver Ames to pick up a 3-2 win. Athena Li and Pam Nelson each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while Sarah Prag picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. OA’s first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasilou earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles while Lizzie MacAdam and Elizabeth O’Brien teamed up for a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles for the Tigers.

Franklin, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final

Taunton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield won a pair of matches in three sets and that ended up the difference as the Hornets beat visiting Taunton. Aryanna Khosravini rallied for 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at second singles while the team of Ally McDavitt and Caroline Guravage bounced back from a one-set deficit to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles. Mansfield also got wins from Kate Martin (6-2, 6-0) at third singles and Sarah Harrington and Alexis O’Keefe (6-2, 6-3) at first singles. Taunton’s Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro bounced back from a loss on the road on Monday to pick up a 4-1 win over the visiting Black Knights on Tuesday. The Big Red won two matches in singles action and swept both doubles matches to get the win. Haley Strom secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Lauren Hunt didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of juniors Lauren Consentino and Kyna Sha rallied from a one-set deficit to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles while junior Julia Curren and freshman Aroushka Banerjee won 7-5, 6-3 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Allie Lada picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles.

Boys Outdoor Track
Sharon, 73 @ Canton, 62 – Final – For Canton, Kyle Downing had a trio top three finishes, including a win in the 1 Mile race, while Sam Vail finished first in the javelin (99’1″). Downing crossed the finish line at 4:56.8 to win the mile, took second overall in the 800M (2:14.8), and was third in the high jump (5’0).

Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Taunton, 70 @ Franklin, 66 – Final

Girls Outdoor Track
Sharon, 62 @ Canton, 74 – Final – Canton moved to 3-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Maeve Morrissey was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the javelin and the discus. Kayla Camille added a first-place finish in the 400M, finishing in a winning time of 67.6.

Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Taunton @ Franklin, 3:45

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. North Quincy, 2 – Final – Taunton completed a big come-from-behind win to knock off North Quincy in five sets and stay unbeaten on the year. Colin MacDougal and Faisal Mass stepped up to provide pivotal front row defense down the stretch to help secure the win. Tyler Stewart was hard to stop with 28 kills, 15 digs, four blocks, and four assists, Jakob Thorpe added eight kills, 11 digs, and four aces, and Mattia Casagrande chipped in with 11 kills. Travis Nunes played well defensively with 10 digs while Daniel Medina finished with 46 assists and seven digs.

Wrestling
Sharon, 40 @ Taunton, 27 – Final – Sharon won eight total matches, including five by pinfall, to earn a win on the road over Taunton. Cameron Birnbaum (126), Aaron Cashton (145), Philip Varvak (170), Alex Danilkovas (195) and Erik Rabin (285) all recorded pinfall victories for the Eagles while Connor Pfeifer (120, 12-4), Nasaiah Teixeira (152, 6-5), and Cormac Horlbogen (182, 3-2) each won by decision. Taunton picked up wins from Michael Leskoski (106, fall), Xavier Sandoval (132, 7-2)m Ben Mandeville (138, 4-0), Christian Balmain (160, 5-4), and Logan Frank (220, fall).

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – North Attleboro had a dominating performance at home against Canton, winning six matches by fall, two by major decision and one by decision to blank the Bulldogs. Braxton Ferro (132, 1:09), Andrew Faris (138, 1:56), Ethan Smith (145, 3:14), Jaad Ismail (160, 5:09), Alex Warsofsky (220, 0:59), and Keysun Wise (285, 1:04) each won by pinfall for the Rocketeers. Chris Galligan (152, 17-9), Greg Berthiaume (182, 19-5), and Austin Dean (195, 6-0) also won for North Attleboro.

05/13/202105/14/2021

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/13/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 2 @ Attleboro, 17 – Final – Attleboro scored two runs in each of the first three innings and then exploded for 11 runs in the fourth inning to collect its first win at its new turf field. Cam Foster, Matt McMahon, and Jake Gorman led the offensive charge for the hosts with three hits apiece while Eric Laurila scored three runs. Gorman also picked up the win on the mound.

Canton, 12 @ Taunton, 8 – Final – Locked in a one-run game through three innings, Canton’s offense caught fire in the top of the fourth inning with nine runs in an offensive packed win on the road at Taunton. Sawyer Julier-Albert clubbed three hits, including a double and a triple, with three RBI and two runs scored while Nico Bonnano had one RBI and one run scored on three hits to pace the Bulldogs’ offense, which totaled 13 hits. Steven Burbank and Matt Quan both drove in a pair of runs with two hits apiece, scoring once in the win. Taunton junior Dawson Bryce had a team-high three hits, driving in two runs and scoring twice.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 10 – Final (5 Inn.) – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Franklin’s Jacob Jette allowed just one hit in a five-inning complete game effort while the Panthers’ offense had its second double-digit scoring effort in the last three games. Jette issued three walks while striking out eight to earn the win. Jack Marino and Ben Jarosz each went 1-for-2 for the Panthers, driving in a pair of runs while scoring once themselves. Chris Goode added an RBI and two runs scored while freshman Henry DiGiorgio had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. North’s Gavin Wells came in with a pinch-hit to break up the no-hitter in the top of the fifth.

Sharon, 5 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to prevail in a see-saw battle with visiting Sharon for the Hornets’ third win of the season. The hosts jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the second inning but the Eagles responded by pushing across five in the top of the third to seize the lead. Cody Geddis clubbed a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth to help put the hosts ahead for good. Junior Jared Fraone drove in two runs with a double in the game while Anthony Sacchetti had the other RBI for the Hornets, who had seven hits total and drew four walks. Luke Urban added two hits in the win. Mansfield senior Ben Mintz earned the win in relief, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings with just one two hits and one walked allowed, striking out three. For Sharon, Nate Yaffe went 3-for-3 with two RBI while Ethan Pototsky (hit, run, two walks) and Justin Brown (RBI, run) each helped contribute to the scoring.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – King Philip pushed across three runs in the third, one more in the fourth, and put the game out of reach with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shawn Lagere reached base four times for the hosts, drawing two walks along with a double and scored three times to help spark the KP offense. Conor Cooke added two hits, scoring both twice while Eli Reed had a triple in the sixth and came in to score. Jake Burns allowed two runs in four innings of work while Tommy Martarano tossed three innings with one run allowed. For OA, Joe Cicchetti (RBI), Nate Fulford, and Patrick Finnerty each had extra bases hits, Jadon Ricci chipped in with a pair of hits, and Jake Waxman and Nate Carpentier each drove in a run.

Stoughton, 10 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Stoughton’s offense set the tone early with four runs in the top of the first and pulled away with three more in the fifth and two in the top of the sixth to secure a win on the road at Fino Field. Offensively, Brandon Mantilla-Mercado led the way going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI for the Black Knights, Kyle Doolin added two hits with two runs and two RBI, and Brady Conlin scored twice on a pair of walks. Doolin pitched into the sixth inning to earn the win, allowing three earned runes on six hits and four walks, striking out six. Jonah Ly tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to close the door.

Softball
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final

Franklin, 1 @ North Attleboro, 13 – Final (6 Inn.) – Zoey McDonough had her second strong start of the season, picking up the win with six strikeouts and just one walk over six innings. McDonough also showed resilience by pitching well with runners on base. Kelly Colleran continued to dominate at the plate with another three hits (her fourth straight game with at least three hits to start her varsity career). She was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. Ally Levine also went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in four runs. Emily Nardelli had a pair of hits and made a nice running catch in shallow right field. Belle Clarkin and Chloe Mearn both has strong games defensively at the corners. Julia Forman capped the game with a deep drive that scored Maddie Bailey.

Taunton, 21 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton continued its perfect start to the season and recorded its third shutout in four games. After plating one in the top of the first, the Tigers exploded for 10 runs in the second inning to break the game open, added four more in the third, and then six in the fourth. Taunton pounded out 23 hits as a team. Kyleah Plumb went 3-for-4, scored twice, and drove in three runs, Hanna Aldrich went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, Kelsey White went 3-for-3 with a homer, four RBI, and three runs scored, Tayah DaCosta was 3-for-4 with two RBI, two doubles, and four runs scored, and Hayley Krockta went 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored. White also got the start in the circle, allowing one hit and striking out nine in three innings. Olivia Mendonca pitched the final two innings for Taunton. Sarah Kelly and Taylor Reynolds had Canton’s two hits in the loss.

Mansfield, 11 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Mansfield bounced back after a pair of losses and got back to .500 on the season with the road win. The Hornets didn’t get going until the fourth inning when they took advantage of three hits and aggressive base running to score three runs. Mansfield added five runs on five hits in the fourth and then tacked on three more in the sixth. Casey Moussette went 3-for-4 and Olivia Madeira and Callie Lake both had a pair of hits, including a triple apiece. Lake also had an outfield assist, throwing a runner out at the plate from center field in the third inning. Alanna Conley, Ashlyn Conley, Nicole Kobasa, Molly Kucharski, and Liv DeTrolio each had a hit for the Hornets. Trinity Payne started for Sharon and struck out eight, while also scoring the lone run for the Eagles. Ally Foulsham went 3-for-4 in the loss.

King Philip, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – King Philip continued its torrid start to the season under new head coach Kate Fallon, earning its fourth win in a row to begin the 2021 campaign. The Warriors clubbed 22 hits as a team with Sarah Cullen (three RBI, triple, two runs), Maddie Paschke (two runs), and Meg Sherwood (two runs) each collecting three hits on the day. Sophomore Libby Walsh drove in four runs on two hits, including a home run, and Jordan Bennett knocked in three runs on two hits, including a triple. Caitlin Miller blasted a fifth-inning home run for the Tigers while Katherine Farley and Emma Varella each had a hit for OA.

Boys Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 10 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – North Attleboro earned a season sweep over division foe Oliver Ames with a 10-6 win on the road. For the Tigers, sophomore goalie Noah Isleib made 21 saves, Ross Carroll found the back of the net four times, and Remi Creighton had two assists and one goal.

Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 4 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final – After letting the lead slip away in the final minute on the road, North Attleboro bounced back with a big defensive performance to knock off OA and split the season series. OA head coach Gen Rogan praised the effort of goalie Emma O’Donnell in the second half as well as the defensive unit of Emilee Nuss, Lili Lozano, and Taylor McAndrew.

Foxboro, 16 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sophomore Paige Curran scored six goals and assisted on another to lead the Warriors to a second straight win over division rival Sharon. Ella Waryas added a hat trick and Lilly Vey scored twice and had an assist, while Maddie Maher made five saves in the win. Jenna Goldstein had a pair of goals and Molly McAlevey had the other for the Eagles, who got nine saves from goalie Tess Letendre.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro swept all three singles matches in straight sets and picked up another win in doubles action to break into the win column for the 2021 campaign. Garrett Spillane picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Justin Neale didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jason Kandula earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Bo Canfield and Justin Kandula emerged with a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles for Foxboro. Attleboro’s Alejandro Jimenez and Tyler Rocchio won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton defended home court with a sweep over visiting Taunton to move to 4-0 on the season. Junior Suraj Ramanathan, freshman Max Kupferman, and senior Minh Duong all won in singles action for the Bulldogs. Sophomores Jorge Nebril Gayubo and Jad Antoun emerged with a victory at first doubles in a third set tie-breaker while junior Kevin Moltenbrey and sophomore Davis Lamb won at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams from each division, Franklin secured a pair of three-set tiebreaker wins and won three more in straight sets to beat the Rocketeers on the road. Liam Marr impressed in a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while juniors Vayshnav Malhotra and Drew Mahoney came away with wins after a third-set tiebreaker. Malhotra battled back to win 3-6, 6-1, 10-4 while Mahoney also came back from a first-set deficit with a 2-6, 6-2, 11-9 win. Senior Anish Gundimeda and junior Sameen Shaik prevailed with a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles while junior Thomas Broyles and freshman Jay Gorgas had a strong showing in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip went on the road to Easton and won all five matches to get its first victory of the season. Senior Nick Putney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, junior Brady Jannek earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Jon Cohen picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of Jackson Hom and Connor Sachleben secured a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Noah Ihley paired with Adam Gousie for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Milford, 1 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton won in straight sets in all three singles matches and added another win in doubles play to defend home court against visiting Milford. Waseem Sablon was impressive in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Rayan Sablon replicated that success at second singles with the same score. Junior Anish Sinha added a 6-0, 6-1 at third singles while the team of Murtaza Khalil and Ben Dias picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon junior Ruemon Bhattacharyya emerged with a hard-fought win at first singles as the Eagles swept singles play in a win against visiting Mansfield. Bhattacharyya earned a 6-3, 7-5 win, freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles while junior Max Chen secured a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. Juniors Mitch Weiss and Jonah Nathan added a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles for the Eagles. Seniors Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle prevailed at first doubles 6-4, 3-6, 10-8.

Girls Tennis
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro continued its dominance in singles action and added one more win in doubles play in a road win at Attleboro. Athena Li (first singles) and Pam Nelson (second singles) each walked away with a 6-0, 6-0 win while Sarah Prag took home a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa added another win for the Warriors with a 6-0, 5-7, 6-0 decision at first doubles. Attleboro’s Emma Pion and Olivia Meier emerged with a 7-5, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Canton, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Canton’s Laura Correal prevailed with a three-set win at second doubles to help the Bulldogs pick up a win on the road. Correal secured a 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 win for the deciding point, Rachel Kupferman (first singles, 6-0, 6-0) and the first doubles team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham (7-5, 6-3) also picked up wins for the visitors. Cayeesha Charles won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles for Taunton while the team of Morgan Smith and Riley Roderick earned a 6-4, 7-5 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Taking two wins in singles play and two more in doubles, Franklin defended home court against visiting North Attleboro. Junior Vedika Vinayak rallied for a 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 win at first singles while freshman Hailey Morin took home a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles. Juniors Jessica Pingeton and Chloe Barca battled back to secure a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles while junior Amulya Jayam and sophomore Shriya Rajesh prevailed victorious at second doubles, 6-4, 6-3. North Attleboro’s Lauren Hunt won 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 at third singles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a sweep of singles play, adding one more win from doubles play, to knock off visiting OA. Katarina Schneider (6-0, 6-0) didn’t drop a game at first singles, Mia Valencia (6-0, 6-1) only lost one game at second singles, and Sammie Taylor emerged from third singles with a 6-3, 7-5 win, The team of Ahunna James and Shea Mellman added a 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles. OA’s second doubles team of Kate McLaughlin and Grace House prevailed with a third-set tiebreaker win, 6-3, 3-6, 10-5.

Stoughton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Stoughton went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of host Milford. Brooke Bulger picked up a 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles, Allie Lada didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second singles, and Lena Allie battled for a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles. Emily Pham-Nguyen and Emilia Lada teamed up for a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Stoughton’s second doubles pairing of Nadia Prokopiuk and Stefani Reznikow added a 6-1, 6-1 win.

Sharon @ Mansfield, 3:45

Boys Outdoor Track
Milford @ Attleboro, 3:45

Franklin, 44 @ Mansfield, 92 – Final – Mansfield earned a sweep in three events and two first and second in two more to pick up a big win over Franklin. Jake Wall, who won four events, won the long jump at 22’9” with Xavier Manuel (19’2”) taking second and Dylan Buchanan (18’10”). The Hornets also swept the triple jump (Wall – 42’7.75”; Dana Johnson – 38’6.25”; Manuel – 36’10.25”) and the 110M hurdles (Buchanan – 16.3, Evan Rawlings – 18.4; Ryan Munroe – 18.5). In the 2 Mile race, Riley Tremblay crossed first in 10:42.8 with Tim Corkery (10:52.7) taking second while Jack Taylor (137’) and Stephen Saba (118’2”) took first and second, respectively, in the javelin. Wall added wins in the 100M (11.) and the 200M (22.6) while the Hornets also picked up wins from Caden Riley (52.5 – 400M), Aengus McGill (92’7” – discus), Charles Newcomb (39’8” – shot put) and the 4×100 relay team (DaSean Peters-Wolfe, Isaiah Kinds, Munroe, Buchanan – 45.4).

Girls Outdoor Track
Milford, 78 @ Attleboro, 56 – Final – Attleboro picked up first place finishes from Elayna Marinelli (89’1”) in the shot put, Amber Masse (63’) in the discus, Kamsi Igbobi (32’11.5”) in the shot put, Cassondra Stuger (32’11.5”) in the triple jump, and Rebecca Rainey (4’8) in the high jump.

Franklin, 60 @ Mansfield, 76 – Final – Mansfield senior Tessa Lancaster won a pair of distance events and freshman Norah Puleo took first in one race while anchoring the final leg of a winning relay team as Mansfield beat Attleboro. Lancaster took first in both the 1 Mile (5:40.4) and the 2 Mile (12:36) while Puleo finished strong to earn first — and a PR — in the 800M (2:27.3). Puleo ran the final leg of Mansfield’s 4×400 relay team, joining Anna Darlington, Caitlin Dumouchel, and Rosie McIntyre to win in 4:14.3. Mansfield’s 4×100 relay team of Abigail Scott, Meghan Driscoll, Erika Penney, and Colleen Waters won in 50.8.

Wrestling
Canton, 29 @ Oliver Ames, 45 – Final
Stoughton, 19 @ Foxboro, 36 – Final
Milford, 38 @ Franklin, 31 – Final
Mansfield @ King Philip, 3:45
Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45

05/11/202105/11/2021

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 14-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Steve Dunlea

Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.

“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”

Canton

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Shuffain

Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.

The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.

Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.

“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”

Foxboro

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Derek Suess

For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.

Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.

Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.

“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 22-3
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Zach Brown

While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.

Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.

Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.

“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”

King Philip

2019 Record: 8-12
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jeff Plympton

There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.

Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.

“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 18-7
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Chris Hall

Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.

Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.

Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.

“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”

Milford

2019 Record: 11-11
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.

The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.

Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.

“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 11-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.

Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.

“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”

Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 12-13
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Abarr

After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.

Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.

Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.

“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 2-18
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Andrew Poliferno

The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.

Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.

“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”

Stoughton

2019 Record: 14-9
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Armour

Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.

The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.

Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.

“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”

Taunton

2019 Record: 21-7
2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Blair Bourque

It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.

Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.

“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview