Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Joey Carney and sophomore Casey Milliken each scored a pair of goals as the Tigers finished their league schedule undefeated, closing it out with a 5-0 win over Foxboro. Sophomore Jackson Mercieri notched his first career goal, Milliken and junior Ryan Linhares each had two assists, and sophomore Luke Churchill recorded his sixth assist of the year.
Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Stoughton took the lead with just four minutes to play but Sharon rallied for a pair of goals inside the final three minutes to stun the Black Knights. Junior Kyle Grant broke the stalemate in the 76th minute to put the hosts ahead. A minute late, Miguel Vasconcelos brought the visitors level off of an assist from Tyler Goodman. And less than a minute later, Vasconcelos bagged the game-winner on a feed from Adam Eastman.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – A terrific second half goal from junior Billy Badger was the difference as Attleboro claimed the Leach & Garner Cup. Junior Alex Vecchioli found senior Steve Etienne with a ball up the middle. Etienne sprayed a pass wide, Badger cut into the area and blasted a shot top corner at the far post for the game-winner in the 73rd minute.
Franklin, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – After seeing a two-goal lead disappear, Milford found an unlikely game-winner with just minutes to go to earn a season sweep of the Kelley-Rex division champs. Following a scoreless first half, the Hawks built a 2-0 lead, opening the scoring in the 48th minute and doubling it in the 60th minute. Kaua Pereira finished off a corner from Arthur Tome to give the hosts the lead, and a deflected shot from Gabriel Machado — who was making his varsity debut — doubled the advantage. Franklin rallied for a pair of goals, the first coming with 15 minutes to play. A corner from Noah Cain went through a crowd and to the far end of the area where Max Tobin hit it on a half volley back to the opposite post to halve the deficit. With just under nine minutes left, the Panthers cashed in on another Cain corner, this time the ball finding the feet of Will Kryzak and he buried it. With under five minutes to go, Milford’s Andre Baiano smashed a ball from 60 yards out that caught the keeper off the line and bounced in for the game-winner.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Alexis Campbell made a save on the final penalty kick to lift the Bombardiers to the Blue-Red Cup title. After a scoreless regulation, the teams went to penalties to decide who would get the cup for the year. Campbell, who was named Most Outstanding Player for Attleboro, came up with a big stop on the final kick to secure a 4-3 shootout win.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Mary Cross and Lucinda Li Cotter each found the back of the net to lift the Tigers to the win, which clinched a second straight outright Davenport division title. Cross opened the scoring off a Sophia Byron corner in the first. Cotter doubled the lead in the second half off a feed from Emma Gavin. Foxboro senior Maddie Maher returned from injury to play goal for the Warriors, making several big saves. Neve Taylor and Shea Dorney played well in the Foxboro midfield, covering for Lauren Miley, who was out with an injury, and Erin Foley provided energy up top and in the middle of the pitch.
Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Anya Zub and Olivia Costa each recorded three points, leading the Panthers to a win that clinches a third straight league title. Franklin finished a point above KP in the Kelley-Rex. Zub and Costa each scored twice and had an assist to pace the Franklin attack. Kelly O’Connor added a goal off an Avery Greco assist. Serena Borges and Dani Atherton (assisted by Borges) scored for the Hawks to put them up 2-0 before Franklin rallied with five straight goals. Milford was only the third team to score more than one goal in a game against Franklin this season.
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip closed out the regular season with a win over Taunton. Kylie Menendez and Brooke Noonan scored first half goals to put the Warriors in front and Ella Pisani finished off a cross from Eilish McGowen 15 minutes into the second half to make it 3-0. Taunton got one back with three minutes to play on a free kick from sophomore Amelia McQuiggan. Eighth grader Ashlyn Hebert had a strong game in goal for the Tigers, making 11 saves. Taunton will close out the season on Friday against New Bedford.
Stoughton, 3 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Stoughton battled back from three goals down to secure a point in its regular season finale. Sharon took the lead with 17 minutes left in the first half. Sofia Goclowski played a pass into the run of Autumn Simon, who was able to keep possession under pressure and get the ball back to Goclowski on the edge of the box. The senior midfielder picked the bottom far corner to open the scoring. Sharon doubled the lead when Carly Pinnix made a nice move to open space on the right and dropped a pass behind the back line for Simon to run onto and finish first-time. Stoughton started the second half well, but the Eagles made it 3-0 against the run of play. Off a drop ball, Olivia Soby hit a nice pass out to Pinnix on the left and the senior hit a perfect cross through the box where Simon managed to get enough on it to redirect it inside the far post. Midway through the second half, Emma Tran got one back for the Black Knights with a 25-yard strike that dipped just under the bar. The Black Knights had a goal disallowed for a foul on the keeper and missed from the penalty spot but just kept going. Morgan Cook hit an angled ball to the right wing. Bianca Casna brought it down and then arrowed in a cross to the near post. Shayla Ford, who earlier had a goal disallowed, got in front of her marker and was able to knock the ball just inside the post. Five minutes later, Stoughton completed the comeback. Casna hit a ball in from the right side and, whether it was intended as a shot or not, it flew into the top corner.
Field Hockey
Sharon, 0 vs. Norwell, 3 – Final
Volleyball
Sharon, 1 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Durfee, 6:00
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final
Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 4 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Stoughton junior goalie Ben Shirey made a terrific one-handed stop on a point-blank header with just under five minutes to play as the Black Knights prevailed from a see-saw battle with a win on the road over Foxboro. Foxboro opened the scoring in the 11th minute as Pradyu Gubbala finished off a corner kick from John Hollis as the hosts staked an early lead. Stoughton equalized just before the half hour mark as Kyle Grant was fouled in the box and Matheus Groberio buried the pen to make it 1-1. Just minutes later, Groberio pierced the defense with a through ball that Grant was able to run onto and eventually tuck a shot into the corner. The Warriors equalized just before the halftime break when Alex Penders headed in a service from Jack Sullivan. The scoring continued in the second half as the Knights went back in front just a minute into the second half when a free kick from Alex Kozak was flicked on by Groberio in behind the defense and Anthony Damasio finished in alone on the keeper. Penders got his second, latching onto a pass from Timothy Kerzner-Greenwall and finishing at the near post to make it 3-3. Stoughton’s game-winner came in the 54th minute when Joao Marotti buried a header into the corner on a service from Kozak.
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro scored a pair of goals in each half to earn a shutout win at home over visiting Taunton. The Bombardiers took the lead just minutes in after Steve Etienne found the back of the net. A long throw from Zachary Diffenderfer was partially cleared by only as far as Lucas Marques, who nodded it back into the mix. Etienne was able to control it off of his chest, turn, and finish from in close for a 1-0 lead. With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Esvin Morales’ free kick from just outside the area smacked the crossbar and bounced out, Marques’ follow up header was denied by the keeper but Billy Badger pounced on the loose ball and buried it to make it 2-0. Taunton had a strong start to the second half but Attleboro cashed in after another failed clearance on a service into the area. This time it was Badger’s corner that bounced in the area and junior Alex Vecchioli was the first to it, burying a half volley for a 3-0 lead. Marques capped the scoring, taking down a centering pass from Morales, driving pass the Tigers’ defense, and finishing past the keeper to make it 4-0.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin saw its two-goal first half lead disappear but the Panthers pounced for two more in the second half to secure two points. It took less than five minutes for Franklin to find the back of the net. Senior Trey Lovell sent a through ball in for junior Hansy Jacques, who was met by the keeper off of his line, and the rebound fell right to sophomore Garrett Scagliarini and he one-timed a shot that just made it across the line for a 1-0 lead. An interception from right back Ben Costa started a counter for Franklin just minutes later; Costa found Scagliarini, who quickly linked up with Andrew O’Neill and he played Hansy in behind the defense. Jacques took one touch to settle and then slid a shot under the oncoming keeper to make it 2-0 in the eighth minute. After a timeout from the visitors, they cut the deficit in half in the 16th minute when Carson Dameron intercept a pass, carried possession forward with speed and found Givany Carney streaking in behind the defense and his one-touch finish beat the keeper. North used a creative set piece in the 60th minute to equalize as Patrick Etienvre played Ethan Almeida short on the ground and his one-timer from just inside the box found the back of the net. Franklin regained the lead with just under 10 minutes to play as Noah Cain played a corner on the ground and Lovell latched onto it with a one-timer that snuck in at the near post. Jacques grabbed his second, running onto a long ball from Matt Honekamp, won a one-on-one battle and finished on a tight angle with five minutes to play.
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Milford finally unlocked a defensive-minded King Philip squad with just under 15 minutes to play to earn a key two points on the road with a 1-0 decision. Freshman Johnny Castro played in Eduardo Santana behind the defense and he smashed a shot off the crossbar and in for the lone goal of the game, and his third goal in the past two games.
Mansfield, 0 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Sharon’s goal just past the midway point of the second half was enough as the Eagles took two points in a win over the visiting Hornets. Diego Martinez set up Adam Eastman, who found the back of the net in the 26th minute for the winner.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Freshman Tatum O’Brien continued her rich vein of form, scoring twice and assisting on the third goal, to get Attleboro back on track. Alexis Campbell earned the clean sheet with a couple of key saves. Jamie Davies added an assist for the Bombardiers, while Emily Dunlea, Bethany Alves, Ayla Santoro, and Presley Biller did their best to limit the chances for Taunton on a tough, physical game from both teams. Taunton had one of its best performances of the season, celebrating seniors Emily Calderon, Christina Da Costa, and Hayleigh Porter. Porter finished with 12 saves for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Morgan Cook’s penalty kick was the lone goal to lift the Black Knights to the win. Katrina Varnum made eight saves to preserve the clean sheet for Stoughton. Allison Touhey and Lindsey Resnick had strong performances for the Foxboro defense and Erin Foley worked hard in the midfield to try and creat scoring opportunities for the Warriors.
Franklin, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin extended its lead back to three points at the top of the division with a win at North. Norah Anderson got the eventual game-winner, finishing off a pass from Bridget Leo. Leo would then get a goal of her own, assisted by Selene Hammad, to make it 2-0 before the break. Rachel Welch earned the clean sheet in the Franklin goal.
King Philip, 7 @ Milford, 0 – Final – A Heidi Lawrence hat trick led the way for the Warriors in a big road win. Lawrence opened the scoring 16 minutes into the game, finishing a through ball from Dani Lomuscio. Two minutes later, Lomuscio was on the end of a cross from Lawrence to make it 2-0. Lawrence added her second at the midway point of the half, this time assisted by Ally Smith. Ella Pisani wrapped up the scoring in the first half by getting on the end of a deft chip by Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn. Lawrence completed her hat trick eight minutes into the second half, Lomuscio again providing the killer through ball. Rachel DeFlaminis would add a brace, scoring twice in less than a minute. The first was assisted by Pisani and the second by Eilish McGowen.
Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield extended its unbeaten run to nine games by scoring four times within 15 minutes midway through the second half. Lyla Nappa, Kara Santos, Stella Moore, and Avery Hawthorne each found the back of the net for the Hornets. Santos, Nappa, Olivia Dunham, and Bridget Hanley had assists.
Field Hockey
Canton, 2 vs. Braintree, 1 – Final – Junior Maggie McCready gave Canton the early lead while freshman Carolyn Schiavo scored the game-winner with less than a minute to play as the Bulldogs took an exciting 2-1 decision over Braintree, a top 10 team in Division 1. McCready’s goal presented Canton with a 1-0 lead before the visiting Wamps leveled the game with a goal in the second quarter. After a nearly scoreless second half, Schiavo found the back of the net with just seconds left to earn the win.
King Philip, 1 @ Uxbridge, 3 – Final – King Philip put up a great right on the road but came up short to undefeated Uxbridge, who sits atop the Division 4 power rankings. Mara Boldy finished off a cross from Leah Santoro for KP’s lone goal while Haley Bright had a great game in net with seven saves.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Holding just a one-goal lead at halftime, North Attleboro used a third quarter goal to extend its lead and three goals in the fourth quarter to pull away for good. Caroline Folan, who finished with a hat trick, opened the scoring for the visitors five minutes into the game, finishing off a pass from Emily Burnham off of a corner. Julia Puccio (from Kelsey Thompson) doubled North’s lead at 10:28 of the second quarter but Milford scored with under five minutes to go in the first half to make it 2-1 at the break. Burnham got her first varsity goal with 54 seconds left in the third off of an assist from Ava Spencer. In the fourth, Puccio got her second and Folan scored back-to-back goals in a two-minute span — both assisted by Puccio — to push the lead to 6-1.
Volleyball
Sharon @ Norwood, 5:00
North Attleboro @ Norton, 6:00
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 6 vs. New Bedford, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Billy Badger had a day to remember with a pair of first half goals and three second half assists to lead the Bombardiers to a big win at home over New Bedford. The only Attleboro goal that Badger didn’t record a point in was the Bombardiers’ opener as Steve Etienne took a feed from Alex Vecchioli and found the back of the net. Badger scored back-to-back goals before halftime with Esvin Morales assisting on the first and Clay Tyler on the second. In the second half, Badger recorded assists on goals from Kyle Neuendorf and Vecchioli, and then returned the favor to Tyler for the sixth goal.
Franklin, 3 vs. Xaverian, 0 – Final – After a scoreless 40 minutes, Franklin dominated the second half to the tune of three goals and earned a season sweep of the Hawks. Andrew O’Neill opened the scoring less than three minutes into the second half off of a feed from Trey Lovell, and then just three minutes later Noah Cain doubled the lead on an unassisted strike. With just over 10 minutes to play, sophomore Garrett Scagliarini set up classmate Vignan Kamarthi to make it 3-0.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Behind a pair of second half goals from sophomore Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames overcame a stiff test from King Philip to secure two points. After a scoreless first half, Milliken was fouled inside the box to draw a penalty that he calmly converted in the 43rd minute. Milliken grabbed his second in the final minutes of the game, finishing off a pass from senior Mike MacAdams. Drew Hall earned his seventh shutout of the season with outstanding play from in front of him from Diego Riveira, Jake Williams, Hector Bucio, Jackson Mercieri and Luke Churchill.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 2 – Final – Jamie Davies scored the equalizing goal, assisted by Tatum O’Brien, before halftime, but the Bombardiers couldn’t rally again when B-R found the back of the net 10 minutes after the break. Alexis Campbell had several big saves that kept the Bombardiers in it at 1-1. Attleboro pressed in the second half in search of the tying goal and created a half-dozen good chances, but just couldn’t find the finishing touch.
Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – King Philip picked up its second straight non-league win, going on the road and recording a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-19) sweep of the Shamrocks. Juniors Ava Kelley (10 digs) and Shea Mellman (six digs) anchored the KP defense, sophomore Madison Asprelli had a strong game with four aces and four digs, and the Warriors’ big three of seniors Sami Shore (four kills), Emily Sawyer (five kills, three blocks), and Ahunna James (nine digs, eight kills, seven aces) continued to deliver.
Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Attleboro exploded for four goals in the second half to surge past visiting Foxboro. It took the hosts less than five minutes to start the second half scoring when Lucas Marques was quick to pounce on a rebound in the box after Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter made a strong stop on a blast from Esvin Morales. Attleboro doubled the lead in the 50th minute, striking on a quick counter after a Foxboro corner. Billy Badger got the ball up to Steve Etienne, who played a streaking Luke Hagopian in on goal and his low shot found the back of the net despite Cotter getting a piece of it. Richard Ferreira linked up with Morales in the 65th minute, and Morales played a perfect switch over the top of the defense to find Kyle Neuendorf, who blasted a shot from in close that was denied by Cotter, but Neuendorf cleaned up his own rebound. The Bombardiers capped the scoring late when Ferreira headed a corner from Neuendorf off the crossbar and Clay Tyler was first to it and nodded it past the keeper.
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip found the back of the net for the lone goal of the game in the final moments to give the Warriors an upset win over visiting Sharon. Junior Jack Morgan scored the winner in the 79th minute, finishing off an assist from classmate Neelam McGrath. Senior Connor O’Reilly recorded four saves for the shutout in net.
Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Milford buried three first half goals but this time, needed one in the second half to put away visiting Mansfield, who rallied for three goals in the second half. All three first half goals came in the final 20 minutes, starting with Johnny Castro’s first career goal. Castro, who was called up from the JV team, latched onto a pass from Kevin Barbosa and got just enough to touch it past the keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Nick Ribero found Castro on the left sideline, and his through ball to Arthur Tome sent him into the box where he was able to touch past a defender before being brought down for a penalty kick. Tome finished the pen himself in the 31st minute, burying a low right-footed shot into the corner. Freshman Danny Da Silva was fouled in the final moments of the first half and Ribeiro drilled a free kick from 25 yards out, over the wall and inside the near post past the outstretched keeper for a 3-0 lead at halftime. Mansfield pulled one back in the 56th minute as Grady Sullivan’s long throw in into the area snuck under a defender’s foot and fell right to Dan Checkoway, who buried it from in close. Milford answered six minutes later when Kaua Pereira looped a header from a Ribeiro free kick over the keeper to make it 4-1. Tyler Znoj took a free kick quickly at the top of the area before the Hawks’ defense or keeper could set to bring the Hornets’ within two. Aidan Lopes had a great run before laying it off for Sam Oliver for a shot from distance that skipped in to make it 4-3 in the 79th minute.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its undefeated start to the season, grabbed its fifth win of the season with a 3-0 decision on the road at North Attleboro. The Tigers built a 1-0 lead in the first half when sophomore Casey Milliken buried a free kick from just outside the area for the lone goal of the first half. Ryan Linhares doubled the visitors’ advantage, finishing off a deflected pass from Milliken. Michael MacAdam capped the scoring, converted a penalty kick that he earned himself after being brought down in the box. Drew Hall notched his third shutout of the season while defenders Hector Bucio, Jake Williams, Diego Rivera, and Jackson Mercieri played well in front of him.
Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind a pair of goals in each half, Franklin pushed its unbeaten streak to six games with a win over visiting Canton. Trey Lovell and Andrew O’Neill each had a goal and an assist in the win, bookending the scoring for the hosts. The two hooked up for the opener as O’Neill set Lovell in the 13th minute to make it 1-0. Lovell then assisted on Franklin’s second goal from center back Rex Cinelli to double the advantage. Sophomore Vignan Kamarthi opened his account in the 60th minute, taking a pass from Bradley Herndon for the Panthers’ third goal. O’Neill capped Franklin’s scoring, notching a goal in the second straight game off an assist from Garrett Scagliarini in the 75th minute. Franklin coach Fran Bositis praised the play of his midfield, noting the strong efforts from Noah Cain along with centerbacks Will Klawson and Cinelli.
Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton emerged from a back-and-forth, competitive contest on its brand new turf field with two points behind a brace from Javonte Fernandes and a late-winner from Josh Letourneau. The visitors notched the first goal of the game as Sam Santos worked his way behind the defense in the 10th minute and slid one past the keeper one-on-one for the early lead. The Tigers pulled level in the 20th minute as senior Aidden Fitting made a great run from his outside back spot and was taken down in the area for a penalty kick. Fernandes stepped up and converted with a low shot to the corner. Taunton took its first lead just five minutes into the second half when Fitting sent a long ball into the area that was flicked on by Riley Rebello. Fernandes was able to collect in the area and blast a deflected shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. Similar to Stoughton’s first half, Taunton’s advantage didn’t last long. The Knights sent two to the corner, and with just one Taunton defender, were able to use a quick one-two with Matheus Groberio open for a shot, which he blasted past the keeper. The winner game in the 70th minute after 20 minutes of near chances from both sides, including one off the post from Fernandes that prevented his hat trick. A throw from Rebello bounced past the Stoughton defense and Letourneau latched on, keeping it in play on the end line before using a tidy finish to the far post to make it 3-2. Taunton keeper Jack Buffington made a save in the final minutes on a good header from Joao Marotti. Ben Shirey played well in net for Stoughton, including a one-on-one save on Fernandes in the 60th minute.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro put in what head coach Steve Santos described as a complete team performance on both ends of the field to pick up the road win over Foxboro and move back to .500 on the season. Jamie Davies scored the winner from the spot after Tatum O’Brien’s slaloming run drew a foul in the box. In the second half, Zenda Gjoni headed in a Kacey Parker free kick to secure the two points for the Bombardiers. Alexis Campbell had another strong game in net to earn the clean sheet. Lindsey Resnick had a good game for the Warriors in the back and delivered several dangerous set pieces, while Lauren Miley had a strong game in midfield, but Foxboro couldn’t find the finishing touch.
King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – KP continued its scorching form in front of goal, scoring seven times on the grass at Sharon. The Warriors have scored 20 goals over the last three games. Ella Pisani sparked the attack again on Wednesday, scoring one goal and assisting on four others. Sofia Goclowski scored both Sharon goals and Autumn Simon recorded an assist. KP grabbed the lead in the fifth minute, as Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn took a pass from Pisani and found the back of the net from 30 yards out. Pisani teed up Rachel DeFlaminis for her fourth goal in the last two games to make it 2-0 at the midway point of the first half. Seconds before the break, Pisani got a hat trick of assists, playing Heidi Lawrence in behind the defense. Pisani got a goal of her own four minutes into the second half, with DeFlaminis picking up the helper. DeFlaminis added another assist six minutes later with a cross that Mikayla Thompson put away. Eilish McGowen blasted a 25-yard shot with 20 minutes to play (assisted by Pisani) and Olivia Florindi scored off a pass from Ally Smith to make it seven.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tallied a pair of goals in each half to earn its sixth win of the season, a 4-1 verdict over visiting North Attleboro. Mary Cross wasted little time to give the hosts the lead, converting just five minutes in for a quick 1-0 lead. Sophia Byron netted an “olimpico” in the 26th minute, curling in a corner kick directly in to double the Tigers’ advantage. In the second half, Jessica Keane added to OA’s lead off a feed from Emma Gavin in the 65th minute, and Carly Gibson (from Lucinda Li Cotter) capped the hosts’ scoring in the 72nd minute.
Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Stoughton senior Shayla Ford and sophomore Makenzie O’Connor each scored twice to lead the Black Knights to a 5-2 win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Bianca Casna opened the scoring in the 11th minute, combining with Emma Tran just outside the area before unleashing a shot to the near post for a 1-0 lead. Stoughton doubled its lead less than 10 minutes later as Ford took down a throw in from classmate Isabella Rodrigues, cut around a defender and blasted a shot that hit off the far post and in to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, which they carried into halftime. O’Connor made it 3-0 in the 44th minute but Taunton junior Ava Alves answered, looping a high arching shot that bounced off the crossbar and in. Four minutes later, Taunton goalie Hayleigh Porter made a nice one-handed save on a free kick from Stoughton’s Emma Tremblay, but the ball hit off the crossbar and Ford was the first too the rebound and buried it in the 50th minute. Taunton eighth-grader Kaylee Lopes won an individual battle before slotting a shot to the far post in the 57th minute, but a last minute goal from O’Connor capped the scoring at 5-2. Freshman Molly Fox made seven saves in net for the win for Stoughton.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton took the led on an early goal in the first quarter, but Franklin rallied with three straight to grab the lead and a win over its fellow division leader. Izzy Digirolamo put the Bulldogs in front after two minutes, but Payten Crandall tied it with the first of her three goals. The game remained tied until the third quarter. Haley Wernig put the Panthers in front off assists from Sophia Cuneo and Shaw Downing. Crandall’s second unassisted goal of the night made it 3-1 in the fourth but Canton answered back on a goal from Carolyn Schiavo. Crandall capped her hat trick and sealed the points by finishing off a pass from Emily Carney in the final minute. Devon Barry made one save for the Panthers.
King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Mara Boldy recorded three points to lead the Warriors to a win against visiting Sharon. Boldy had one goal and a pair of assists in the win while both Leah Santoro and Ella McDonell scored a pair of goals. KP senior Kari Calderone notched her first career goal in the win.
Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final
Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton got back in the win column for the second time this season after collecting a 5-1 victory on the road at Stoughton. Kaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals and added an assist to pace the Tigers’ offense while Caroline Vallarelli scored twice and Ayla Jackson had one in the win. Morgan Groppi scored off an assist from a Katherine Giroux for the Black Knights, while Kerry Driscoll, Cat Melo, and Jordan Coleman played excellent defensively.
Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After rolling to a two-set lead, Sharon surprised the visiting Warriors with a third-set win but King Philip finished strong to earn a 3-1 win (25-12, 25-16, 22-25, 25-9). Sami Shore dazzled at the net in the win, landing 16 kills along with a pair of aces to pace the KP offense. Emily Sawyer added six kills, four aces, and three blocks, Ahunna James notched seven kills, two aces, and eight digs, and sophomore Madison Asprelli had 22 assists and six aces in the win.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court with a clean sweep, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-18), of visiting North Attleboro. Sophomore Caroline Hansen had a standout performance, notching 10 kills for the Tigers. Clare Kavoulis dished out 25 assists, Sarah Hilliard landed 20 kills, Maddie Homer notched 19 digs, and Courtney Raymond chipped in with five aces and three kills.
Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro went on the road to Foxboro and came back home with a win, sweeping the Warriors 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-18). Natalie Brojek continued to shine for the Bombardiers with 20 assists, eight digs, and four aces, Julia Leonardo added 14 digs, nine kills, and four aces, and Sadie Whitmarsh was strong defensively with 15 digs. Addie Shelton (six kills) and Ellie Shelton (four kills) were strong at the net. For Foxboro, Alysa Cloherty had 16 assists along with four digs, two aces, and two kills, and Sami Sloan notched eight digs and seven kills.
Milford, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton fended off a challenge from visiting Taunton, emerging with a 3-1 win over the Tigers. Junior Maya Ashu (eight kills) and senior Jessie Queeney paced the offense for the Black Knights.
Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Franklin returned from a trip to Canton with a dominant 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-15) sweep of the Bulldogs. Taylor Lacerda continued to do it all for the Panthers, notching 12 digs, 10 kills, and a pair of aces while Makayla Kuykendall had a strong game with 11 kills, nine digs, and four aces. Sophomore Zoe Scibelli and junior Kelly Schiavo played great defense for Canton, adding six aces.
Boys Cross Country
Taunton, 21 @ Milford, 37 – Final – Twins Brayden and Andrew Cali took the top two spots, less than 10 seconds apart, to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting Milford. Brayden Cali was first overall in 17:24 while Andrew Cali clocked in at 17:32. Senior Jack Pawlowski was fifth overall, junior Daris Alves took sixth, and senior Aiden Zamora was Taunton’s fifth scorer and seventh overall.
Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 46 – Final – Canton took the top four spots on its way to a win on the road at Stoughton. Luke Darling led the pack, taking first in 18:54 for the Bulldogs. Sam Vail, Austin DiBiaso, and Dom Gray took the next three spots for the visitors. Maks Alves also had a strong race for the Bulldogs, setting a new personal best.
Mansfield, 19 @ Foxboro, 40 – Final
Oliver Ames, 20 @ Sharon, 35 – Final
North Attleboro, 40 @ Attleboro, 21 – Final
King Philip, 31 @ Franklin, 27 – Final
Girls Cross Country
Taunton, 26 @ Milford, 29 – Final – By taking second, third, and fourth overall, Taunton pulled out a close win over the Scarlet Hawks. Milford’s Sydney Kalil took first but Taunton’s Colby Dunham (20:34), Emersyn DePonte, and Kiley Quinlan took the next three spots for key points. Sophomore Arianna Abatangelo added a seventh place finish and senior Jakhai Nicholson finished 10th to give the Tigers the win.
Canton, 34 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final – Canton was led by Johanna Bouwmeester (24:18), who took fourth overall, followed by Tahlia Weaver and Tema Manzonson. Klara Redquest had a solid race for the Bulldogs, running a season best time (25:51).
Mansfield @ Foxboro, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 15 @ Sharon, 50 – Final
North Attleboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 36 – Final
King Philip 45 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – For King Philip, senior Kate Burban took third overall in 21:10 while senior Leah Burke (10th) clocked in at 22:35 and junior Rachel Bailer (12th) came in at 22:51.
Golf
Milford, 147 @ Stoughton, 161 – Final – Stoughton had one of its best performances in program history but fell to a strong Scarlet Hawks squad. Junior Anthony LaPierre continued to shine for Milford, earning medalist honors with a one-under round of 35 while Nate Lawrence came in with an even par round of 36. Jacob Hipolito added a 37 in the win for Milford. Stoughton was led by juniors Colby Strunk (37) and Mason page (39).
Sharon, 169 @ Oliver Ames, 147 – Final – Behind a one-under round from junior Sean Kearns, Oliver Ames moved to 8-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Kearns was the match medalist after carding a 33, recording a birdie on three holes (1, 4, and 9). Seniors Daniel Paul (37), Michael McGinnis (38), and David Rodgers (39) rounded out the scoring for OA. James Spoto and Dylan Cummings led the Eagles at Pine Oaks, each coming in with a 41.
Foxboro, 157 @ Canton, 159 – Final – Foxboro senior Josh Connolly fired a team-low round of 38 and both freshman Zac Georgantas and senior Louis Caranglo came in under 40 as the Warriors secured a rare win at Blue Hill Country Club, sweeping the season series against the Bulldogs. Georgantas and Carangelo both shot a 39 while seniors Reese Curreri and Mat Sullivan came in at 41 to help the Warriors get the close win. Canton sophomore Huck McCready had another medalist round, shooting a 37 to lead all golfers. Matt Anderson added a 39 for the hosts, Brian Middleton shot a 41, and Brendan Tourgee rounded out the scoring with a 42.
North Attleboro, 164 @ Franklin, 155 – Final – In a crossover clash between two of the top squads in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin defended its home turf with a win over visiting North Attleboro. Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors in the win, each shooting a 37 on the day. CJ Steel added a 40 in the win and Caden Sullivan rounded out the Panthers’ scoring with a 41. Jordan Paradis led the visiting Rocketeers with a team-low round of 38.
Taunton, 185 @ Mansfield, 162 – Final – Mansfield emerged from its crossover match with Taunton with a big win at Norton Country Club. Nathan McClean led the Hornets with a medalist round of 39, Drew Urban added a 40, and Davon Sanders chipped in with 41 after a strong finish. Brendan Vokey and Cody Nieratko each shot a 41 to round out Mansfield’s scoring.
Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Attleboro exploded offensively in the second half to run away with a big win. Alex Vecchioli took down a deflection off a throw from Luke Hagopian and somehow kept possession between a pair of defenders and ripped a shot to the far post to give the Bombardiers a lead right before halftime. In the second half. Vecchioli grabbed his second of the game early in the second half, tracking down a pass from Lucas Marques before cutting it back onto his left for a shot from just outside the box that was tipped by the keeper and in. Late in the second half, Vecchioli linked up with Kyle Neuendorf, who played a perfectly weighted through ball in behind the defense that was smashed home by Billy Badger to make it 3-0. In the final minutes, senior Steve Etienne tracked down a long punt from keeper Tyler Rocchio and hit a low shot into the back of the net from inside the area.
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin junior Hansy Jacques scored for the third straight game and the Panthers picked up two points in a 3-0 blanking of visiting Foxboro. Junior Michael Fernandez-Martin opened his varsity account, finishing off a pass from sophomore Matt Honekamp to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Jacques doubled the lead before halftime after an assist from Will Kryzak. In the second half, Trey Lovell buried a penalty kick to cap off the scoring for the Panthers.
Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Mansfield tallied twice inside a 15-minute span in the second half to pick up two key points on the road at North Attleboro. Aidan Lopes set up Tyler Znoj for a blast from 25 yards out to put the Hornets ahead, 1-0, in the 53rd minute. Mansfield doubled the lead in the 65th minute as Aiden Steele’s header off a corner from Dan Checkoway ended up at the feet of Sean Higgins, who dropped in a shot from just outside the box. Liam Doyle recorded his second straight shutout for Mansfield, making six saves. Derek McGrath anchored another strong Mansfield defensive effort with a great individual performance.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Each team converted off a set piece in a 1-1 draw at Milford. Visiting Sharon took the lead in the 18th minute as Adam Eastman buried a free kick from 25 yards out to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Milford pulled level in the 61st minute as Eduardo Santana buried a penalty kick, a call he earned himself, to bring the Scarlet Hawks level. Sharon goalie Matt Baur had a terrific performance in net.
Canton, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – A late goal from Canton helped the Bulldogs pull even and earn a point in a 2-2 draw on the road at Taunton. Carson Eagles scored a late goal to help the Bulldogs erase a one-goal deficit and pull level at 2-2. Jake McCabe scored Canton’s first goal while Taunton’s Javonte Fernandes (first half) and Devin Poe (second half) scored for the Tigers.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Morgan Cook’s goal just before halftime proved to be the winner, as Stoughton picked up its first victory of the season and its first under new coach Jon Grant. Shayla Ford opened the scoring in the third minute, running onto a Sabrina Rodrigues through ball behind the Attleboro defense. Jamie Davies leveled the match for the Bombardiers from the penalty spot in the 17th minute. Stoughton regained the lead in the 40th. Emma Byrne played a ball forward to Cook, who was able to get a telling touch on it and find the back of the net. Stoughton was able to limit Attleboro’s chances for a tying goal in the second half with a strong defensive effort. Katrina Varnum finished with 10 saves to help the Black Knights come out on top.
Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored late in each half to earn its third win in as many games and move alone into first in the Davenport division. Emily McCabe scored both goals for the Bulldogs, her sixth and seventh of the season, the first assisted by Caira McKinney and the second by Gisella Berardi. While Canton held a sizable (17-4) edge in shots on goal and hit three posts, Taunton continued to fight and remained in the game until the final 90 seconds. Taunton coach Dan Borges praised the play of midfielders Juliana Matos and Emily Calderon for helping the Tigers compete to the end.
Franklin, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of second half goals to maintain its perfect start to the season and hand Foxboro its first loss. Olivia Costa opened the scoring off a Norah Anderson assist and Costa then provided the assist for Selene Hammad’s goal that wrapped up the points for the Panthers. Franklin keeper Rachel Welch finished with six saves, while Foxboro’s Allie Sougaris made nine stops.
King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Taylor deVos scored a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting King Philip. deVos converted a free kick opportunity in the first half to give the Tigers the lead. King Philip’s goal was scored by Heidi Lawrence, finishing a Rihanna Mason corner five minutes into the second half to bring the game level. Shortly after that, deVos buried another shot, which proved to be the game-winner. Catie Wilson, Rhiya Fisher, and Lucinda Li Cotter all had strong games for OA. Janiya Matier made six saves in net for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield and North each scored in the opening 20 minutes of the game and split a point apiece. Meghan McCann scored her first varsity goal four minutes into the game, off an assist from freshman Alexandra Fernandes. Emma Pratt equalized for North 15 minutes later, finishing off a corner to make it 1-1.
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sofia Goclowski and Autumn Simon each scored a brace to lift Sharon to its second win of the season, already matching its league win total from 2021. Taylor Standring and Jessica Li each recorded assists for the Eagles and Kate Goloboy earned the clean sheet in goal.
Golf
Milford, 151 @ Attleboro, 157 – Final – After back-to-back close losses, Milford got back into the win column with its second win over the Bombardiers this season. Junior Anthony LaPierre was the match medalist, firing a low-round of 35 at Stone-E-Lea. Nate Lawrence added a 36 and David Fleming came in with a 39 for the Scarlet Hawks. Carter Shelton paced the Bombardiers with a 38 while Leo Lombardo chipped in with a 39.
North Attleboro, 155 @ Stoughton, 190 – Final – Tyson Laviano and Dillon Harding shared medalist honors to pace North Attleboro to a win over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Laviano and Harding each fired a 38 in the win. Paul Medeiros had a team-low round of 45 for the Black Knights.
Foxboro, 172 @ Franklin, 149 – Final – Franklin junior CJ Steel fired a 35 to lead the Panthers to a win in their home opener at Franklin Country Club over visiting Foxboro. Steel, who had one birdie on the day, earned match medalist honors while Jack Hagerty added a 37, Tyler O’Brien shot a 38, and Brendan Collins finished with a 39. Mat Sullivan had a team-low round of 40 for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 162 @ Canton, 165 – Final – Mansfield had a trio of golfers all come in with a 40 to help the Hornets land a rare win for the visiting team at Blue Hill Country Club. Brendan Vokey, Jason Friedman, and Nate McClean each shot 40 in the win while Drew Urban chipped in with a 42. For Canton, Huck McCready earned match medalist honors after carding a 37 on the day. Brian Middleton added a 41, Brendan Tourgee chipped in with a 43, and both Joey Ryan and Teddy Shuman finished with a 44.
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-8-3 Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.
There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.
That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.
Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.
“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.
2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist) Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.
Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.
Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.
“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”
2021 Record: 9-9-1 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.
The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.
Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.
“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.
2021 Record: 11-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.
The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.
Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.
“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 3-13-2 Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.
The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.
Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.
“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”
2021 Record: 8-5-4 Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.
The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.
It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.
Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.
2021 Record: 12-4-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.
Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.
After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.
“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”
2021 Record: 8-8-2 Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.
Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.
Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.
“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”
2021 Record: 13-4-2 Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.
Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.
On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.
“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”
2021 Record: 6-9-3 Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.
With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.
The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.
“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”
2021 Record: 0-17-1 Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.
First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.
Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.
2021 Record: 5-10-3 Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.
With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.
Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.
Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.
“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.
Boys Soccer Division 1
#39 Malden, 0 @ #26 Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin matched its best scoring output of the season in its playoff opener, rolling to a big win over visiting Malden. Senior Tyler Powderly finished off a pass from classmate Jack Moran to give the Panthers an early lead and Franklin never looked back. Sophomore Rex Cinelli scored back-to-back goals, his first two goals of the season on assists from junior Max Tobin (to make it 2-0) and from senior Kevin Proenca (to make it 3-0). Sophomore Sean O’Leary (from junior Will Krysak) scored to make it 4-0 while Jacob Crisileo (from Connor Brown) capped the goals with a late strike. Franklin will travel to #7 Framingham to take on the Flyers on Saturday at 6:00 at Bowditch Field.
#34 Attleboro, 2 @ #31 New Bedford, 1 – Final (PKs) – Sophomore Tyler Rocchio denied the Whalers’ on their fourth attempt to secure a win on the road for Attleboro, a 4-2 edge in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation. Sophomore Alex Vecchioli scored just three minutes into the second half, finishing off a pass from Billy Badger. In penalty kicks, Vecchioli, Esvin Morales, Cashel Stuger, and Kyle Neuendorf all scored to help the Bombardiers book a trip to the next round. Attleboro will travel to #2 Needham on Saturday at 2:00.
Division 2
#33 North Attleboro, 0 @ #32 Dartmouth, 1 – Final (PKs) – North Attleboro battled through regulation, overtime, penalty kicks, and into one extra round of penalties before falling to Dartmouth in a closely contested game. The Rocketeers saw its first five players convert from the spot but Dartmouth did as well, and it was the hosts who scored in the first additional round to get the win.
#36 Marblehead, 2 @ #29 Mansfield, 1 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. Marblehead took advantage of a slip at the back and a loose ball in the box to score once in each half and then held on to grab the road win. Michael Caridi’s long throw went off the fingers of the keeper in the 67th minute, cutting the lead to just one and setting up a an exciting finish. Mansfield had its chances throughout the match. After falling behind in the eighth minute, Matt Hyland nearly got onto the end of a pass from Andrew Bain but the keeper was out quick to smother and Daniel Checkoway had a shot that was cleared off the line. At the half-hour mark, the Hornets had a flurry of chances that started with a long throw on the far sideline. Hyland flicked on Dylan Buchanan’s throw forcing a great diving save. Off the corner, Ian Leeds drew another great save and Nate Kablik’s rebound effort was blocked on its way to goal. Checkoway then headed the ball towards goal and off the knee of a defender, sending it just over the bar. Hyland blazed over from inside the box and Connor Palinski shot wide after being played in behind the right back. Jack Lasbury-Casey made a big save on a breakaway in the final minutes to give Mansfield one last chance.
Girls Soccer Division 1
#38 Springfield Central, 1 @ #27 Attleboro, 3 – Final – The Bombardiers scored the first three goals of the match to seal a preliminary round win and advance in the state tournament. Jamie Davies scored the opening goal just four minutes in, assisted by Emily Khang, and then added her second of the day in the final minute of the first half. Bethany Alves assisted the second goal. Davies recorded her third point of the day when she set up Kahlan Gray for a third goal five minutes into the second half. Head coach Steve Santos praised his team’s energy from the opening whistle and said it was a “Great team victory!”
#37 Somerville, 0 @ #28 North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Steph McKenna scored a second half brace to lead the Rocketeers to a win in the Div. 2 preliminary round. After a scoreless first half, McKenna found the back of the net in the 45th minute, assisted by Charlotte Moynihan, and then doubled the lead seven minutes later, this time off a pass from Lily Adams. Emma Pratt closed out the scoring just before the half-hour mark, with Moynihan recording her second helper of the game. Brayden Rice had solid delivery from corner kicks that led to several second half chances. Caroline Ferrin, Brooke Sullivan, Haley Sinacola, Autumn Hewitt, and Summer Doherty dominated the midfield and defensive third for North, holding Somerville to only two shots. Maddie Ferrin earned her sixth clean sheet of the season.
Field Hockey Division 1
#29 Beverly, 0 @ #4 Franklin, 6 – Final – After a scoreless first quarter, Franklin scored three goals in just over a span of four minutes and the Panthers never looked back from there in a win over Beverly. Junior Payten Crandall broke through just over a minute into the second quarter and junior Kaitlyn Carney scored twice within a three-minute span to make it 3-0 at halftime. Kaeley Dubriske (from Kaitlyn Carney) had the lone goal of the third quarter while Shaw Downing (from Crandall) and Emily Carney had fourth quarter goals. Megan Sullivan made three saves to earn the shutout. Franklin will host the winner of the #13 Central Catholic/#20 Attleboro game on Tuesday with a time to be determined.
Division 2
#21 North Quincy, 3 @ #12 Mansfield, 2 – Final
#20 Wakefield, 3 @ #13 Milford, 1 – Final
#24 Westfield, 2 @ #9 Canton, 3 – Final – Canton overcame a 2-1 deficit, winning back-to-back sets to grab a win over Westfield, 3-2 (5-13, 21-25, 18-25, 25-19, 15-10). Syd Gallery had a great match for the Bulldogs with 10 kills, three blocks, and an ace while Jess Wright added 12 kills, a pair of blocks, and 10 digs. Anna Verille was amazing defensively with 18 digs along with four kills and two aces, and Taylor Reynolds added 33 assists, a pair of aces and six digs. “It was a great comeback match by the entire team!” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley.
Division 3
#22 Foxboro, 0 @ #11 North Middlesex, 3 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip took an early lead but the visitors scored three goals before halftime and added an insurance tally in the second half to get the two points and stay in the Kelley-Rex division title hunt. Trailing 1-0, sophomore Billy Badger scored a pair of goals — the first off an assist from Alex Vecchioli and the second from senior Yianni Skordas. Skordas then extended the lead before halftime off of Vecchioli’s second assist of the season. Attleboro senior Liam Bischoff capped the scoring with a late strike off an assist from junior Esvin Morales.
Canton, 2 @ Sharon, 2 – Final
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Oliver Ames scored four goals in the last 40 minutes of action to beat Foxboro, and combined with other results from around the league, clinched the Davenport division title outright. It marks the second straight Davenport title, the program’s third straight division crown, and the fourth in the last five seasons for OA. “I think we just started to relax and play our game,” said OA head coach John Barata. “To achieve that with this new group, I’m very happy for him. Our first goal is always qualifying for the the tournament, the next is to win the league and we’ve done those too…the third is to see what we can do in the tournament.” Foxboro took the lead in the 18th minute when senior Matt Angelini was taken down in the area. Angelini deposited the penalty kick low to the left and that 1-0 advantage held up to halftime. But it didn’t hold long into the second half as OA struck less than a minute into the second frame. Michael Haikal’s shot was denied on a good save by Derek Axon but senior Clide Neau, back in his first game after missing a handful of games due to injury, was first to the rebound and touched it over the keeper and into the net. OA doubled the lead 15 minutes later as Haikal blasted a free kick over the wall and in from 25 yards out. Foxboro nearly drew level in the 62nd minute when sophomore John Hollis whipped in a cross that was met by junior Alex Penders, but his header was stopped on a diving save from OA keeper Drew Hall, who was forced into the match due to an injury that happened on the penalty kick. “Drew had a fantastic save, what a save for a freshman,” Barata said. OA tacked two more within a five-minute span; first a free kick from just over midfield from Mathias Taylor was finished off at the near post by freshman Casey Milliken, and then Milliken played Neau in behind and he slotted a low shot past the oncoming keeper to the far stick.
Franklin, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Milford and Franklin scored just a minute apart in the second half as the teams each took a hard-fought point in a physical battle that felt like a playoff game. After a scoreless first half, Milford junior John Borges delivered a terrific cross from the right side and classmate Eduardo Santana made a nice run to the near post and finished to put the hosts ahead in the 44th minute. But Franklin orchestrated an immediate response as senior Jack Moran stuck with the play down the left wing, somehow keeping it in bounds around a pair of defenders before sliding a low cross that was finished at the far post by junior Will Krysak. Franklin’s back four, anchored by senior Aidan Griffth and sophomore Rex Cinelli, played well. Franklin goalie Griffin Tolonen made a point-blank save in the 74th minute while Milford keeper Kevin Gomes did the same in the final three minutes to preserve the draw.
Mansfield, 1 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield took down Taunton for the second time this season, snapping a six-game winless streak to get back in the win column. Senior Matt Hyland headed in a long throw from classmate Michael Caridi in the 24th minute for the lone tally of the game. Sophomore Ty Duffin earned his first career shutout in his first career start, making 10 saves for the win. Sophomore Derek McGrath filled in at center back for the Hornets and had a terrific showing to help the visitors get the shutout. Caridi, senior Ian Leeds, senior Kevin McCarthy, and junior Brendan Flynn also played well defensively alongside McGrath while Hyland, senior Danny Rowe, and juniors Dan Checkoway and Grady Sullivan all had a good game in the midfield.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Holding a 1-0 lead at halftime on an own goal, North Attleboro turned it on offensively in the second half with six different goal scorers to run away with a win over the visiting Black Knights. Sophomore Kaden Burns, junior Carson Dameron, senior Connor Ward, senior Patrick McDermott, senior Jaad Ismail (from junior Silas Brooks-Hedstrom), and senior Connor Bearer (from Joe Shepard) all scored (in that order) in the second half for the Rocketeers.
Girls Soccer
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro battled back from two goals down at halftime to earn a tie with KP and move the Bombardiers to the brink of tournament qualification. Emily Dunlea started the comeback with a free kick from 18 yards that cut the lead in half. Attleboro tied it on a run by Emily Khang, who fed the ball across to Zoe Johnson-Kiff for the finish. Bombardiers coach Steve Santos praised his team’s defensive effort and goalie Alexis Campbell for timely saves.
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton jumped out to a 4-1 lead and then held off a Sharon comeback in the second half to get back to .500 on the season. Emily McCabe continued her torrid scoring form with a hat trick and Anne Hoban returned from an injury that has kept her out for the past few weeks, scoring a goal in her final home game. Wendy Wooden got Sharon’s first goal, assisted by Olivia Soby. After the break, the Eagles got a brace from Autumn Simon, both goals set up by Sofia Goclowski. Amber Marcus-Blank played well defensively in the loss.
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – With the win, and KP’s draw against Attleboro, Franklin clinched the outright Kelley-Rex title. Anna Grasso scored twice to lead the Panthers on senior night. Riley Fitzpatrick and Anya Zub each had a goal and assist, while Stella Regan and Emily Reilly each had assists for the Panthers.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield bounced back with a clean sheet against Taunton. Lyla Nappa, Carly Devine, and Gabby Smith each found the back of the net for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North kept its playoff hopes alive with a big win at Stoughton. Emma Pratt and Steph McKenna each scored a pair of goals to lead the Rocketeers. Caroline Ferrin opened the scoring by finishing off scrum in front of goal and Pratt doubled the lead off a Casey Butanowicz assist. McKenna made it 3-0 and then Pratt closed out the half with her second of the day, assisted by Brooke Sullivan. McKenna got her brace early in the second half, with Ferrin getting the assist, and Charlotte Moynihan added one from the spot. Butanowicz closed out the scoring with her first varsity goal, finishing off a Moynihan corner. Maddie Ferrin stopped a penalty to record the clean sheet. Samantha Tran played well and Abigail Durand made several big stops for the Black Knights.
Field Hockey
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Georgia Costello had the goal on a penalty stroke while Maddie Proia, Lily Gaskill, and Ava Costello all played well.
Volleyball
Foxboro vs. Westwood, 5:00
King Philip, 3 @ Medway, 0 – Final – King Philip earned its fourth non-league win of the season and improved to 18-0 with a 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-11, 25-22) on the road at Medway, who entered the game at 14-2. Senior Gianna DiLorenzo had a stellar showing at the service line for the Warriors with 17 service points while Stella Bailey also played well overall with four aces and five digs. Ahunna James (seven kills) and Sami Shore (seven kills, three blocks) both played well at the net.
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro netted a pair of goals in the second half to earn two hard-fought points at home against visiting King Philip. A long throw from sophomore Luke Hagopian played senior Connor Adema down the right wing, and Adema cut in before tapping a centering pass for an easy touch in front for sophomore Billy Badger in the 58th minute. The Bombardiers doubled the lead in the 67th minute when junior Lucas Marques forced a turnover, connected with Esvin Morales, who one touched it on to Alex Vecchioli and the sophomore’s shot eluded the keeper on the bounce.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Canton twice came back from a goal down in the first half and then Erik Valdovinos found a winner just three minutes after the break to lift Canton to the division victory. Adam Eastman scored twice in the first half for the Eagles. The first came after three minutes when he ran onto a through ball and side-footed his finish into the far corner. His second was in the 24th minute as he rounded the keeper and was able to slide his shot in from a tight angle. Dylan Baird equalized for Canton after a nice turn and a shot through a defender’s legs into the bottom corner. After falling behind again, Canton was able to get back level six minutes before halftime. A low cross from Jake McCabe was partially deflected by Jacob Crugnale into the path of Charlie McKinney and he curled it from 18 yards. Three minutes into the second half, Valdovinos hit a low cross from the left that deflected off a Sharon defender and into the corner for the go-ahead goal. Sharon’s best chance at a tying goal came on a breakaway in the final 10 minutes but Amjad Kordab’s shot was parried by Canton keeper Giovanni Ruggeri and cleared by Jay Kelleher.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to earn a key division win over Foxboro, pushing its win streak to five games. Senior Clide Neau put the hosts ahead in the first half, finishing off a pass from Antonio Fernandes. The Tigers doubled the lead in the second half when freshman Casey Milliken played sophomore Joey Carney for a goal. Mathias Taylor and Michael Haikal played well in the middle for OA.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Franklin and Milford traded first half goals and the match finished level with each team taking home a point. The hosts struck first to take the lead when Jack Moran scored off of an assist from Rex Cinelli in the 14th minute. But just five minutes later, Bill Silva knotted the score on a pass from Avi Serri.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro twice erased a one-goal deficit and then scored the final two goals in the last 20 minutes to take a win on the road over Stoughton. The Black Knights opened the scoring in the 16th minute only for North Attleboro’s Brody Rosenberg to equalize in the 35th minute, finishing off a corner from Connor Ward. Stoughton regained the lead early in the second half but Bryce Newth nodded in a cross from Griffin Rodden in the 57th minute to bring the game level again. Quinn Conley gave the visitors their first lead by finishing off a cross from Ward in the 64th minute and tacked on an insurance goal in the 71st minute off a feed from Carson Dameron.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Ella Pisani and Mikayla Thompson each recorded a brace and KP scored three times in each half to pick up the big win and remain atop the Kelley-Rex. Pisani opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing a corner kick from Morgan Norrman. Thompson doubled the lead eight minutes before the break, after a great pass by Dani Lomuscio, and then added her second two minutes later, this time off an assist from Pisani. Pisani scored in the opening minute of the second half on a free kick. Norrman had her second assist, setting up Kylie Menendez to make it 5-0 and Sarah Harper wrapped up the scoring with four minutes to play after being played behind the defense by Danielle Gresham.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Jordan Carman found the back of the net with four minutes left in regulation to lift Foxboro to a dramatic win and into a tie for first place in the Davenport division. Camryn O’Connor broke the deadlock with 25 minutes to play, putting the Tigers in front by a goal, but Kailee McCabe equalized from the penalty spot. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said, “I am so proud of my team and the fight they gave today. All-around amazing effort by all!” Kyla Melton and Mary Cross both had strong games for OA.
Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Anya Zub had a hat trick to lead the Panthers to the road win and keep them within two points of first place in the division. With three goals on Thursday, Zub hit double digits (12) for the season. Kelly O’Connor added the fourth for Franklin. Stella Regan, Bridget Leo, Reilly Lorenzo, and Tori Carmignani all had assists for the visitors. Kailany Ferreira had a big game for the Hawks, making 18 saves to keep the hosts in the game. Brooke Ferreira, Serena Borges, and Aislinn Bennett also played well for Milford, whose head coach Lou Colabello said he was proud of how his team competed despite not getting the result.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Emma Pratt had a goal and an assist and North Attleboro earned its second straight win, moving back to .500 on the season. Steph McKenna opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, off a pass from Pratt. Autumn Hewitt set up Pratt for what turned out to be the game-winner, as Pratt was able to beat the keeper to the ball and finish. Sivannah Marcy got the lone goal for the Black Knights in the closing minutes. North coach Bill Wallace praised the play of midfielders Brayden Rice, Charlotte Moynihan, Brooke Sullivan, and Lily Adams. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima is hoping that his team can carry momentum from a solid performance into Friday’s game with Norwood. He highlighted Morgan Cook for her playmaking and Shayla Ford for being able to create scoring chances. Lima also credited Bianca Casna and Emma Byrne for being able to put pressure on the North defense.
Boys Cross-Country
Taunton, 24 @ Franklin, 32 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Girls Cross-Country
Taunton, 40 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Franklin took first and second overall, three of the top five, and used its depth to take a win over Taunton. Senior Charlene Peng clocked in at 20:20 for first overall while sophomore Alexandra Batla took second in 20:30. Taunton freshmen Colby Dunham (20:39) and Emerson Deponte (20:49) finished third and fourth, respectively, while Franklin sophomore Vivienne Loukota took fifth in 21:33.
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Golf
Canton, 147 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Canton’s Will Gefteas fired a two-under par round to lead the Bulldogs to a big win on the road. Gefteas came in with a two-under round of 34 for medalist honors while Mekhala Costello shot a 37, and both Conor Hunter and Mike Leonetti carded rounds of 38. Jack Gobin led the way for Taunton with a 38.
Mansfield, 164 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Junior Drew Urban fired a 41 in his first varsity match, helping the Hornets pick up their 10th win of the season against Taunt. Senior Cian Goulet shot a team-low round of 39, senior Hunter Tang added a 40, Urban came in with a 41, and Jordan Tavares, Ryan Doherty and Nathan McLean all shot a 44. Jack Gobin earned medalist honors, leading Taunton with a low-round of 38.
Attleboro, 161 @ Milford, 170 – Final – Brendan Raymond earned medalist honors, coming in as the lone golfer under 40 for the day to lead the Bombardiers past Milford at Hopedale Country Club. Raymond shot a 36, Evan Houle and Leo Lombardo each carded a 41, and Jackson Sweeney finished with a 43 for Attleboro. Nate Lawrence led the Scarlet Hawks with a 40 while Ronan Fleming shot a 43.
Foxboro, 162 @ King Philip, 148 – Final – Mike Matheson had the best individual round of any Hock golfer this season as King Philip took down Foxboro. Matheson had three birdies (three, four, six) and added an eagle on the fifth hole to finish with a 31. Jared Curran added a 37 while both Pat Reardon and Gavin Croke shot a 40 for the hosts. Jack Watts led Foxboro with a team-low round of 37.
Oliver Ames, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jo Jo Gaultier recorded four birdies and the Tigers rolled to a win at Easton Country Club. Gaultier birdied on two, six, eight, and nine to finish with a two-under medalist round of 34. Senior Jake Kaplan added a 38 in the win while sophomores Sean Kearns and David Rodgers each carded a 39. Anthony Hern led the way for the Black Knights with a 41.
Taunton’s Conal Scully blasts a shot from distance in the second half against Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – It was jubilation for Attleboro and disbelief for Taunton.
The Bombardiers, who trailed by a pair of goals in the second half, cashed in during the final minute of play on a penalty kick to steal a point on the road in a 3-3 draw with the Tigers.
A long throw-in into the area in the final minute of play took an unlucky bounce and hit off the hand of a Tiger defender, giving the visitors a penalty kick. Sophomore Alex Vecchioli sent the keeper the wrong way, tucking his shot into the corner to bring the Bombardiers level with seconds left.
While it was an unfortunate bounce, the call was correct. But the throw-in before that, the one that led up to the handball, was more than just your average throw-in.
Seconds before, Taunton keeper SuJavonte Fernades grabbed a loose ball in the area off a cross but a teammate went down with an injury right in front of him. Fernandes immediately punted the ball out for the injury, but the Bombardiers didn’t buy it and elected to keep the throw instead of playing it back to the keeper.
“When you’re that close, you go for it,” explained Attleboro head coach Peter Pereira. “They were playing with the time delay, which is all part of the game but when you start doing that, we can play it too. But they are a good team, and they are young so they’ll be good for a couple of years now.”
While Attleboro took the early lead, it was the hosts who dominated play for a solid 50 minutes of action.
Attleboro junior Esvin Morales won a free kick from 25-yards out off a handball just eight minutes into the game, and before the ref could stop the time to map out 10 yards for the wall, Morales floated a shot to the far post before the keeper was ready and just like that, the Bombardiers built a 1-0 advantage on the road.
Taunton was coming off its first loss of the season after opening the year with four wins and now found themselves in an early hole against a division foe. But the Tigers, who have a very young roster with just three seniors, responded like a veteran squad.
Attleboro boys soccer
Seven minutes after falling behind a goal, Taunton found the back of the net with the equalizer. Junior Aidden Fitting drove a free kick into the attacking third where junior Riley Rebello was the first to it, flicking it on with his head to put the ball in behind the defense. Junior Conal Scully made the run onto it and tapped it in from in close to make it 1-1.
It looked like the visitors would retake the lead just minutes later when Morales drove a low corner to the near post and Liam Bischoff faked the defense with a terrific dummy, but the ball went through the area and the chance went begging for the Bombardiers.
Taunton started to knock on the door over the next couple of minutes. A bit of “Route One” soccer saw Fernandes blast a long ball over the top of the defense that Rebello nearly chased down but Attleboro defender Cashel Stuger did well with his position to shield it back to sophomore keeper Tyler Rocchio.
Attleboro boys soccer
Three minutes later, Taunton sophomore Delano Costa-Hanlon won a loose ball in the midfield, linked up with Rebello but his blast was denied by a nice diving effort from Rocchio.
The Tigers finally broke through on their third good chance in a 10-minute span. A quick throw from Scully down the left sideline found Rebello, who used his size and skill to create enough space to launch a cross to the far post where Sete de’letoile was all alone and tucked away his header.
“I’m really proud of them because even at the end of the game, they kept their head up and got together as a group and were focused on moving on,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters. “They are working hard, we have a great group of guys that are very talented. We just have to keep learning from these mistakes.”
It was a dream start to the second half for the hosts, tacking on a third goal less than a minute in. Scully cut the ball back to his right foot at the top of the area and curled a shot past the outstretched keeper and off the far post and in.
“They play good soccer, they have nice ball control,” Pereira said of the Tigers. “They got a couple of goals to go ahead and then that third one was beautiful, no one is going to stop that. With 20 minutes left, we had to push people up. We got a break on the second goal and we went from there. That’s a good point away for us…they probably should have had the game but it’s not over until it’s over.”
As time ticked into the latter portions of the second half, the Bombardiers elected to push numbers forward. Luke Hagopian nearly linked up with Morales on a nice diagonal ball but Taunton defender Jonathan Trinh did well to recover and deny the through pass. A minute later, Vecchioli’s shot from distance was gobbled up on the bounce.
Attleboro boys soccer
Attleboro got a big boost in the 63rd minute when Stuger blasted a free kick from midfield into the area and the ball slipped through the keeper’s hands and into the net, cutting a two-goal deficit in half to make it 3-2.
The Bombardiers were on the front foot for the rest of the game. Vecchioli found classmate Billy Badger in behind the defense but the latter’s touch was too heavy and grabbed by the keeper.
Before the pen, it looked like Fernandes had saved the two points for the hosts. Thomas Russo came flying out of the back with possession for Attleboro and he found Vecchioli, who did well to drift away from the defender. Vecchioli carried in the area, cut back to get space from the defender, and ripped a left-footed blast from 12 yards out but Fernandes parried it away with a diving effort.
“Any time we have a setback or a failure, we take it as a lesson and try to turn it around for future games,” Whitters said. “We have to have more of a success rate for a long stretch of the game. They are working hard at it and they’ll get there.”
Taunton boys soccer (4-1-1) will try to bounce back at home on Monday when they entertain Oliver Ames. Attleboro boys soccer (3-2-1) returns home for a date with Stoughton.
