Tag: Billy Drummond

Sinacola Leads North Attleboro Past Somerset-Berkley

By Brian Hines, HockomockSports.com Contributor

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Nearly two weeks off in between games didn’t seem to bother the North Attleboro Red Rocketeers, as they defeated the Somerset Berkley Raiders, 5-0, in a Division 2 South baseball quarterfinal matchup.

University of Maine commit Nick Sinacola tossed a complete game shutout for the Rocketeers, allowing just two baserunners all game (one hit). The right-hander struck out 12 Raiders, including six straight batters in the second and third inning.

“Nick has some great ability out there,” said North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart. “He trusts his stuff, he really is trying to pound the zone and come after hitters. A lot of the guys, when they’re up to bat, have faith in him to keep the game within reach and keep the other team’s hitters at bay and gives us confidence at the plate.”

And the lineup showed its confidence at the plate, striking early and often.

North was able to take an early lead in the first inning off a Zach DeMattio sacrifice fly, and they then doubled their lead in the third after a hard-hit single by Nate Pearce.

The duo struck again in the fifth, as a DeMattio single scored Sinacola and Pearce’s double plated pinch runner Billy Drummond.

North’s offense wasn’t done, however, as Brendan McHugh’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning allowed the Rocketeers to jump out to a 5-0 lead.

McHugh, DeMattio, and Pearce accounted for six of the Rocketeers nine hits on the afternoon. McHugh, who batted leadoff, was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. No. 3 batter DeMattio went 1-for-3 with RBI single and sacrifice fly, while Pearce, who batted clean-up, went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.

“They have a lot of ability of up at the plate,” Hart said. “They’re great athletes, which translates into hitting. Those are the guys that we rely on, they’re at the top of the order for a reason.”

The North Attleboro base running and defense was also as terrific as it has been all year, stealing seven bases in seven attempts and not committing an error.

#9 Somerset Berkley ends their seasons 12-10, with one win in the playoffs. The top-seeded Red Rocketeers (19-2) now advance to the semifinals, where they play #5 Dartmouth (15-7) on Wednesday night at 5:00 at Rockland Stadium at Rockland High School

“We’re going to keep taking the same approach, one game, one pitch at a time and just worry about the things we need to do to win some games,” Hart said.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/09/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield got off to a strong start with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, extended the lead with three runs in the fifth inning and tacked on one more in the sixth in a win over Attleboro. Tyler Dalton went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Hornets’ offense while Cullin Anastasia was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Kevin Dow struck out nine in five innings of work, allowing four hits and just two walks with no runs against to earn the win. Alvaro Espinel was 1-for-3 with an RBI while Matt Callahan (hit) scored Attleboro’s run.

Stoughton, 6 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Stoughton plated four runs with two outs in the top of the third to build a lead it never let go of. Robbie Seaman had a two-run single and Evan Gibb (2-for-4) followed with a two-run double for the Black Knights. George Currier went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Ruben Gonzalez had another strong day, getting the win on the mound (5 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 5 K) and went 3-for-3 with a walk.

Canton, 1 @ Milford, 11 – Final – Milford senior Aidan Wilde had three hits, the second one being the 100th of his career, to lead the Hawks to a big win over Canton. Wilde notched the milestone in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single into left field. Sophomore Luke Rosa earned his first career win, striking out three with just one run allowed in five innings of work.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Taunton took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on five hits but Franklin tied the game with three runs off two hits in the top of the fifth. The Tigers responded right away with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Medeiros got it done at the plate and on the mound for the Tigers. Offensively, he had two hits and an RBI. And on the mound, he earned the win, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 in a complete game effort. Jacob Crawford added two hits and two runs and Griffin Tomaszycki had a hit, two RBI, and a run scored for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames and King Philip each scored two runs in the first inning but the Tigers were able to beat the Warriors the rest of the way. OA tacked on two more runs in the top of the third, KP cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the third, but the Tigers added the insurance run in the sixth inning. Michael Friel (hit) reached bases three times, stole two bases, scored a run, had an RBI, and played outstanding defense at second base to pace OA to the win. Matt Muir (RBI, double) and Jack Erlich (run) each had two hits for the Tigers. OA’s Tom Parker earned the win with six innings of relief work, not allowing an earned run.

Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro junior Ryan Warren roped a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to break open a tie game and help the Rocketeers beat upset-minded Sharon. Zach DeMattio got things started with a walk, and pinch runner Billy Drummond took second on a sac bunt from Jeff Gale (2-for-2, two runs). After Cohen reached on a drop third strike, Drummond advanced to third, and Cohen stole second. That’s when Warren delivered. Sharon held a 2-0 lead after an inning but North tied things in the third on DeMattio’s two-out, two-run single. Peter Cohen pitched 5.1 innings of relief to earn the way for the Rocketeers.

Softball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Attleboro exploded for 20 hits on the day, getting the game started on the right foot with seven runs in the first inning. Each Bombardier in the lineup had at least one hit led by MacKenzie Killough, who went 3-for-5 with two home runs. Freshman catcher Lora Woyton added a three-run home run, freshman Autumn O’Connell had three hits, Ashley Macia (two doubles) went 3-for-3 and Jordyn Lako was 4-for-5 for the Bombardiers. Jenna Gittle struck out five in six innings of work for Attleboro.

Canton, 1 @ Milford, 13 – Final (6 inn.) – Milford senior Kelley Reichert struck out 10 in a six-inning performance and Emily Piergustavo (3-for-4, four RBI) and Emily Hartman each belted a two-run home run as the Hawks won big at home. Kate Irwin (two runs), Jess Tomaso (double, two RBI), Antonia Bonina (two runs, RBI), and Maddy Bonvino (double, RBI) each had two hits on the day for Milford.

Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Foxboro avenged a loss from earlier in the season to the Black Knights with a big win on its home field on Wednesday afternoon. Lexi Buckner went 3-for-4, including two doubles and a home run, and finished with six RBI to pace Foxboro’s offense. Morgan Sylvestre went 3-for-4, Kelli McCarthy added two hits and two RBI, and Hannah Davis knocked a run in Emma Rohan scattered five hits, walked one and struck out seven for Foxboro.

Taunton, 6 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Taunton pushed across three runs in the first inning, added another in the second, and put the game out of reach with a pair in the fourth inning on the road at Franklin. Tigers freshman Kelsey White won her fourth game of the season, allowing just one run on seven hits with eight strikeouts (and no walks). Offensively, Alexa White and Liana Duarte (RBI) each had two hits while Jaime Brown (RBI) reached four times with three walks and a triple. Kya Enos, Hanna Aldrich, and McKenzie McAloon each knocked in a run for the Tigers. Franklin scored in the sixth inning when Ally Shea doubled and courtesy runner Molly Collins came around to score on a single from Tara Hartnett. Emily Valentino struck out four while Gabby Colace played a great game defensively for FHS.

King Philip, 13 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – King Philip scored eight runs in the top of the third to create separation against the Tigers and never looked back. Destiny Goyco, Lilliana Rolfe, and Faith Turinese each collected three hits for the Warriors while Nicole Carter and Meghan Gorman each pitched in with two apiece. Turinese earned the win, allowing one run in seven innings of work. For OA, Katie Mills was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Mills was knocked in by Katie Abreu (2-for-3); Sarah Tetrault and Lexie Campbell also each had a hit for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 14 @ Sharon, 2 – Final (5 Inn.) – Olivia DesRoches pitched five innings and struck out four to pick up the win for the Rocketeers. Abby Gallagher had four hits and drove in a pair of runs for the North offense, which also got two hits apiece from Olivia Capobianco, Bella Erti (including a two-run homer), and Andrea Miceli. Stephanie Inglese hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Emily Pastore made a “highlight-reel grab” for North in the win.


Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Milford scored four goals in each the second and third quarters, taking a shutout into the final frame against visiting Attleboro. Freshman Evan Hazard turned aside 15 shots while Andrew Gallagher and Ryan Hazard each scored three goals apiece for the Hawks.

Canton, 7 @ King Philip, 8 – Final (OT) – Canton junior Mike Shaw scored in the final minute of the game to tie it and send it to overtime but the Warriors prevailed with the win. KP was able to hold off Canton’s extra-man opportunity to begin the overtime period before netting the winner. Canton sophomore Jack Connolly played great in goal with 12 saves while Dan Cohen (two goals) was one of six Bulldogs to score.

Foxboro, 7 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 17 – Final – Senior Johnny O’Glishen scored a pair of goals and added an assist to help the Panthers pick up a big win on Senior Night. Sophomore Ben Greco added a pair of goals, while sophomore Luc Sweeney and junior Patrick Morrison each had one goal and one assist each. Eric LeBlanc scored three goals for Oliver Ames.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 7 – Final – Sharon limited North Attleboro to just one goal in the first half, building a 4-1 advantage that it never let go of. The Rocketeers got within two late in the fourth quarter but the Eagles secured the win with a seventh goal with three minutes to go. A big reason for Sharon’s big defensive game was goalie Jonathan Greenberg, who turned away 18 shots in the in. Offensively, Chase Waxman had three goals for the Eagles, Kadin Nestler added two, and Spencer Hall and Dan Lilienfield each scored once. Senior Brett Litner collected four assists for the Eagles.

Stoughton, 7 @ Taunton, 5 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 6 @ Attleboro, 12 – Final – Kyra Lyons paced the Bombardiers with seven goals and Kim White scored her first varsity goal in the win. Attleboro also got goals from Hannah Aspinwall, Emily Patton, Sydney DiLiddo, and Rylee Fontes. Head coach Kevin Patton called it a “total team effort.”

King Philip, 16 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Seven different players scored goals for the Warriors in another big league win. Olivia Tormey and Caroline Klim each scored four goals for KP and Dana Truini scored twice and assisted on three other goals. Alli Meehan, Lauren Anderson, and Emma Izydorczak each scored once in the win, while Caroline Watson made eight saves in the KP goal. Leah McClellan and Maggie Connolly each scored twice for the Bulldogs and Kaitlyn Goyetch scored once. Connolly also had an assist. Vicki Revanche made 13 saves in the loss.

Mansfield, 5 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final

Franklin, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Franklin senior Nicole Houlihan and freshman Elizabeth Wilson each accounted for four points apiece as the Panthers rolled to a win on the road. Houlihan had two goals and two assists, Wilson finished with one goal and three assists, and sophomore Erin Walsh chipped in with three goals and three assists. FHS coach Kristin Igoe-Guarino said Annie Walsh and Hailey Toolin both played well in the midfield for the Panthers. Chloe Kilkelly scored twice for Oliver Ames while Olivia Piazza recorded three assists.

Sharon, 9 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Maeve Barbera scored the game-winning goal, her second of the afternoon, for Sharon with 15 seconds left in the game to split the season series against North. Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain called this a “huge win” for the Eagles and said that the game was “very close and competitive the whole time.” She added that the Eagles defense created turnovers in big moments and that the transition was “really great.” Sabrina Robbins scored three goals and Emma Eberhardt had four goals and an assist. Jenna Goldstein had an assist and Rose Wald made five saves in the win. Mackenzie Rosenberg scored six goals in defeat for the Rocketeers.

Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield went on . the road and picked up a sweep over Attleboro, winning all five matches in straight sets. Luke Nickerson didn’t lose a game at first singles, Luke Devine won 6-3, 6-1 at second singles, and Peter Lally emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 decision at third singles. The team of Sam Cavicchi and Nilay Pangrekar won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles, and Sam Schirmacher and Sam Donellan won by the same score at second doubles for the Hornets.

Milford, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton picked up a pair of wins in singles and two more victories in doubles to beat visiting Milford. Dillon Anderson won 7-6, 6-0 at second singles and freshman Minh Duong took a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of Charlie Malloy and Aidas Jakubenas won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles and Justin Luk and Ethan Nguyen prevailed 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles for Canton. Milford’s BrenO’Shaughnessyessy rallied from a one-set deficit to win 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Stoughton freshman Waseem Sablon picked up a win in straight sets at first singles but the Black Knights fell on the road to the Warriors. Sablon won his match 6-3, 6-1.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin took a pair of wins from singles play and swept doubles in straight sets to get a win on the road at Taunton. Freshman Liam Marr won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles and senior Tyler DiPalma prevailed 7-5, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Tony Calderone and Derek Wu won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Saketh Saripalli and Shournik Sompally lost just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Panthers.

King Philip, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Max Goreham and Riley Outlaw recorded their first career wins, taking a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles in the Warriors sweep of OA. Jake Mager and Zak Ryan added a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles, Nick Putney (first singles) and Jack Cannon (second singles) didn’t lose a game, and Nick Ihley won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles for KP.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of this match.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets swept doubles play and picked up two more wins in singles action, winning all four matches in straight sets against the visiting Bombardiers. Senior Sarah Doyle won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and junior Elizabeth Elsner notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles for the Hornets. The team of Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Samantha Sternburg and Aryana Khosravani won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles for Mansfield. Attleboro’s Anna Nelson won 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Canton freshman Natalie Keppler emerged with a third set breaker to get the win, helping the Bulldogs finish off the sweep on the road. Keppler won 6-4, 2-6, 10-6 to get the win, classmate Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, and Sarah Hernandez won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles for Canton. The team of Stelina Michaelidis and Caitlin Matthews earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Anjali Mandal and Jamie Cree teamed up to win 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Foxboro’s three singles players combined to drop just three games total in a clean sweep over Stoughton. Sophia Prinos didn’t drop a game at first singles, Pamela Nelson won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles, and Kayla Prag earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Julia Muise and Sarah Prag paired together for a 6-2, 6-4 victory at first doubles while Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender dropped just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Taunton won all five of its matches in straights, going on the road to get a sweep at Franklin. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Vanessa Rosa took a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-1, 6-2 decision at third singles. McKenzie Lucie and Samantha Martin notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Amanda Pugh and Brianna Fevrier teamed together for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – After dropping a first set tiebreak, Oliver Ames’ second doubles team of Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke rallied to win two straight sets and clinch the winning point for the Tigers. Groebe and Stryke won 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 while OA’s first doubles team of Kristin Bloumbas and Emily Yu also recorded a comeback win, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. Sophomore Maura Kiernan also won in three set for OA, taking a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 decision at third singles. KP’s Erin Regnier won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles and Meghan Sepich prevailed 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.

Sharon, 5 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of North Attleboro on the road. Nupur Shukla won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Lulu Yuan earned a 6-0, 6-3 decision at second singles, and EmilyWen prevailed 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Katie Merport and Sachi Bhasin notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein continued their strong season with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Millis, 0 – Final


2017 Hockomock Baseball Preview

2017 Hockomock Baseball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017 Hockomock Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2016 Record: 13-10
2016 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal
Coach: Matt Bosh

Coming off a great run in the state tournament a year ago, the Attleboro Bombardiers will be looking for a repeat performance in 2017. This year, instead of relying on just one or two pitchers, Attleboro will trust the depth of its pitching staff to get things done on the mound.

Senior Tyler McGovern will be the anchor of the staff while classmates Matt Callahan, Dylan Maskell and Tyler Davis will also factor in on the mound. Juniors James Weir, Drew Pagano, Erik McCormick and John Candiales, along with sophomore Eoin Hammel-Kelleher could all see innings on the mound as well.

Callahan will also see time in the field at shortstop while Weir looks to be a reliable option at first base. Matt Marguerite will patrol the outfield while Steve Hamerski, Tyler Davis, Drew Pagano, Sam Larkin and Alex Whittingham are all likely candidates for spots in the outfield as well. Head coach Matt Bosh said there is a lot of internal battles for most positions.

“Every year brings new challenges and elements,” said head coach Matt Bosh. “The biggest difference from last year I think is the depth of the pitching staff. While last year we were top heavy with Nate and Tyler, this year I think we have more guys that can compete and spread the wealth in eating up innings. But we’ll see how that plays out. The Hock will be tough, like always”.

Canton

2016 Record: 11-11
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Greg Digirolamo

First year head coach Greg Digirolamo likes what he sees from his Bulldogs so far, but the challenge has been finding some grass to play on. Heading into the first week of the season, the weather has prevented the Bulldogs from getting to play outside yet.

Nonetheless, there are some experienced varsity players that will likely factor in right away for Canton. Junior outfielder Matt Casamento might be the most experienced player of the returnees but seniors Jackson Maffeo, Danny Hartnett, Kevin Monagle, Tommy Kilduff and Matt Crandall are all likely to factor in during the season.

A trio of juniors will be Digirolamo’s go-to for pitching to start out the season. Ryan White, Austin Maffie and Rob Wilkenson are all likely to see a lot of innings as the season gets underway.

“It will take the first couple weeks of the season for me to know what we have from a talent perspective,” Digirolamo said. “I will tell you, it only took a week of tryouts to find out I have a good group of kids. They work hard and they’re eager to learn. As a first year coach, that’s all I can ask for right now.”

Foxboro

2016 Record: 8-13
2016 Finish: Reached D3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Chris Sullivan

Foxboro will be looking to get back to the postseason again this year and will rely on its starting pitching and experience to get there.

Hockomock League All Star Aaron Wentling is back on the mound while Colin Thoener – who missed nearly all of last season – is healthy and ready to produce on the mound. Steve McLaughlin, who has some varsity experience, will also get starts on the mound for the Warriors.

There aren’t many players more experienced at the varsity level than catcher Jesse Galanti, who enters his fourth year as a starter and third as captain for Foxboro. Outfielders AJ Bubencik and Cam Feldman have also played a lot of games at the varsity level and will be counted on to lead the way for the Warriors along with infielder Chad Bearce.

“This group has been through a lot of adversity both on and off the field and has shown a ton of resiliency,” said Foxboro head coach Chris Sullivan. “At this point, nothing really fazes these guys they just keep showing up ready to play every day.”

Franklin

2016 Record: 13-10
2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Zach Brown

Between Franklin’s pitching staff and its lineup, there is a lot of experienced players with success at the varsity level ready to go this season.

After relying on a trio of sophomores on the mound last year, all three are back ready for strong junior campaigns. Jake Noviello and Jason Ulrickson logged a lot of innings are starting pitchers while Bryan Woelfel emerged as one of the best bullpen options in the league. Now they are poised to be one of the top starting rotations in the league.

“We are optimistic that the three of them will give us a chance to have a solid rotation this season and be competitive in every game,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “All three guys are very different but all of them are competitive.”

Offensively, Franklin brings back outfielders Ryan Hodgkins (.388) and Jake Lyons (.368) along with first baseman Josh Macchi (16 RBI) and catcher Tyler Gomes (16 RBI). While there are spots to fill left by talented seniors that graduated, having those four back is a very good sign for the Panthers.

King Philip

2016 Record: 15-6
2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Pat Weir

It’s going to be a challenge for King Philip to replace three all-star caliber pitchers in one season, but head coach Pat Weir and his Warriors are ready to try.

Jake Cavanagh, Jack DiCenso and Jon Rolfe are all pitching at the collegiate now after helping guide the Warriors to a Kelley-Rex title a season ago. This season, Stephen Murray and Chris Wing are back as two of the more experienced arms available for Weir. Will Weir, known for his bat and defensive play at shortstop, could also emerge as an option on the mound.

Will Weir is also one of the key bats back for King Philip, along with senior centerfielder Ryan Coulter. Both had impressive seasons as juniors and will be relied to lead the way in 2017 for KP.

“I’m hopeful we can improve on yesterday and compete today, all we ask is all you got,” said head coach Pat Weir.

Mansfield

2016 Record: 9-11
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Joe Breen

After just missing out on the postseason a year ago, there is a lot of optimism for the 2017 Hornets squad. With two top pitchers and a solid lineup returning, there’s plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

One main reason is the return of senior pitcher Nolan Dousa, who missed last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. After a standout sophomore campaign, Dousa had to watch last season from the dugout. With Dousa on the self, sophomore Tyler Dalton emerged as the team’s ace, giving the Hornets a great 1-2 combination for 2017.

Offensively, the Hornets bring back shortstop Max Boen – one of the team’s top hitters a season ago – along with senior outfielder Zach Peterson, who led the team in runs last year, and senior infielder Aidan Cahill.

“We look to combine the experience of our senior class with the ambition of our underclassmen to create a competitive team for the upcoming season,” said head coach Joe Breen. “Our goal is to be the hardest working, most passionate high school baseball team in the state and let the pieces fall where they may.”

Milford

2016 Record: 8-12
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Paul Pellegrini

Milford will be looking to get off to a better start in 2017 after a slow one a year ago played a big part in the Scarlet Hawks missing out on the postseason.

The good news for head coach Paul Pellegrini is that he has the majority of his impactful players back this season. Senior Alex Macek really impressed after missing the beginning part of the season with injury and could be one of the top pitchers in the league this season. Tylor Renaud also provided quality innings a year ago.

Aidan Wilde has been one of the top players in this league for two years yet he’s only a junior this season. Not only is he very good defensively, he’s one of the toughest at-bats in the league and will certainly be a spark plug for the Hawks. Expect senior Anthony Arcudi and sophomore Alex Coady to be contributions this season as well.

North Attleboro

2016 Record: 7-13
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Paul Tobin

The Rocketeers will boast a young squad, but not one that lacks in talent. After graduating 13 seniors last year, Big Red will rely heavily on the players they do have returning this season.

The strength of the squad will be up the middle of the field, starting senior captain Kyle McCarthy in centerfield, senior captain John Brennan patrolling shortstop and junior Zach DeMattio – and his big bat – manning the catcher position. From there, each spot is open for competition according to head coach Paul Tobin. Matt Iaconis and Peter Cohen are competing for time at third while Nick Crawley, Aidan Harding, Billy Drummond, Jackson Billingkoff and Nick Sinacola are all batting for infield spots.

Nick Sinacola, Nathan Pearce, Aidan Harding and Matt Iaconis are all candidates to form Big Red’s starting rotation while Peter Cohen, Ryan Prince and Ryan Pasquel are likely to see time out of the bullpen.

“We are talented but inexperienced, so there will be some learning and growing to go through,” said head coach Paul Tobin.

Oliver Ames

2016 Record: 11-11
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr

Oliver Ames has a lot of players back from a year ago and first year head coach Joe Abarr believes that should translate into a potent lineup for the Tigers.

2016 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Matt Muir will be captaining the team as a junior and will make the transition from second base to shortstop. He will likely fill the leadoff role for Oliver Ames and will also see time on the mound. Senior Sam Burr is also a team captain, will be the team’s number one starter and also man first base for the Tigers.

Sophomore third baseman Chris Pearsons is back after making some noise during his freshman year and senior Kyle Gagliardi will bring a lot of experience while he patrols center field for the Tigers. Michael Mulrean will see a lot of time on the mound again this year and sophomore catcher Jake Erlich will look to give the Tigers a boost after transferring from Xaverian this year.

“We should hit this year with lots of players with power potential,” Abarr said. “Our pitching staff is very deep with an abundance of arms available from day to day. The challenge will be writing the right lineup. We have a solid infield with underclassmen that should be able to get comfortable in their positions over the next couple of years.”

Sharon

2016 Record: 2-18
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Kee Arguimbau

The Eagles had a lot of young pieces a year ago and will be looking to take the next step in 2017. Leading the way will be two three-year varsity players in captains Jake Marglous and Aiden Arnold.

Marglous will be back behind the plate for another season while Arnold, one of the top power hitters in the league, will be back at first and also be an option to come in to pitch in relief situations. Other returning Eagles with varsity experience include Jake Teven, Danny Emerman, Jason Hertz, Ben Schwartz, Drew Naisuler, Ben Stamm, Brad Zongetti and Spencer Singer.

Max Tarlin had a very strong season as a sophomore a year ago and will be at the top of the rotation as a junior this season. Sophomore Noah Kamens also picked up some valuable varsity time a year ago and will be a top option for Sharon this season.

“Our strength will be in the experience we have in our pitching staff,” said head coach Kee Arguimbau. “We’re looking forward to the season behind the leadership of our captains, Jake Marglous and Aiden Arnold.

Stoughton

2016 Record: 16-7
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinals
Coach: Mike Armour

There aren’t many teams in the area that have the luxury of returning their top three pitchers, but the Black Knights of Stoughton do.

Justin Hutchinson, Ryan Sullivan and Nico Parmeggiani are all back after stellar junior seasons on the mound, putting Stoughton is a good position to start the season. Luke Johnson will also see time on the mound, adding another experienced arm for the Black Knights.

Jack Connelly is back at first base after a breakout junior season, Ruben Gonzalez will shift over to take over at shortstop while Matt Hadley and Michael Batte will both see time in the infield as well. Both Hutchinson and Sullivan will see time in the outfield when they aren’t pitching while Pat Hagerty and Nick Hardy are back as well. Johnson and sophomore Evan Gibb will battle for the starting catcher spot.

“We have a lot of experience returning, with 10 seniors on the roster, and look forward to competing in the always tough Hockomock League,” said head coach Mike Armour.

Taunton

2016 Record: 14-7
2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Blair Bourque

While there is a new coach in the dugout for the Tigers, there will be a lot of the same faces on the field for Taunton in 2017.

Blair Bourque takes over the reigns for the Tigers, who also lost league MVP Luke Figueira to graduation. However, Matt Machado and Joe Manchester are back in the outfield, Jacob Crawford is back in the middle infield, Jimmy Hoye is back and ready to take over as starting catcher, and Danny Keogh and Jack Moynihan return as two experienced pitchers.

With the battle for the number one pitcher open, Keogh and Moynihan will be the main two options to begin the season.

“Both of these guys saw success last year pitching at the varsity level and we are looking to continue and build on that success,” Bourque said.

Machado, one of the top defensive players in the league, had a breakout junior season at the plate and will look to be one of the top offensive producers again this season. Manchester shined in his sophomore season and will give the Tigers some power in the middle of the lineup. Crawford is easily one of the best defensive infielders in the league and Hoye will look to prove he’s one of the top catchers.

North Attleboro Beats Foxboro, Clinches Davenport

North Attleboro boys basketball
North Attleboro’s Brent Doherty attempts to dribble past Foxboro’s Joe Morrison in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It’s time to dust off the boys basketball league championship banner hanging inside Pickering Gymnasium at North Attleboro High School.

It’s time to add 2017 to the list.

For the first time since 2001, the Rocketeers are Hockomock League champions following a 45-40 win over Foxboro on Friday night. With a win, and a Milford loss to Sharon, North Attleboro clinched the division title outright.

It’s been a long four year stretch for head coach Sean Mulkerrins and his squad. The Rocketeers went 0-20 in his first year at the helm, won just five games a year later and eight games one season ago.

Now, North Attleboro has 12 wins with three games to go and sits atop the Davenport division as Hock champs.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“To be honest, it’s been a roller coaster,” Mulkerrins said of the past four seasons. “At times, it felt like insurmountable odds, it felt like we were putting in a lot and not necessarily getting a lot. I credit [former Rocketeers coach] Chris Perron, who’s been everything to me as a mentor and a father figure when I played for him here at North, and opposing coaches like Jon [Gibbs] and Mike Vaughan who were helpful along the way.

“Every year we’ve taken a small step. Four years ago, my first captain Jake Lang kept that locker room as positive as it could be. And I think it kept those freshmen seeing and hearing those positive things. It feels good to see those kids go through the process and get here.”

The three freshmen on that winless team were Brent Doherty, Jonny Friberg and Thomas Reynolds. All three, along with classmates Kyle McCarthy and Hacmoni Cuevas, have been a vital part of keeping the program moving forward and winning the title this season.

“This feels great, I couldn’t be happier for the coaches and the team,” Doherty said. “Coming from where we were earlier in my career to winning the Hock tonight is the best feeling. All the hours of practice paid off and now we’re looking to do as much damage as possible in playoffs.”

It took a defensive stand over the final six minutes of the game for the Rocketeers to hold off Foxboro, who secured a second play finish and a trip to the postseason based on all of the results in the league.

“We didn’t talk or say much about a league title, or talk about the tournament during the season because we want to focus on the process,” Mulkerrins said. “We finally mentioned it the other day because we had to come out and play and we wanted to motivate the guys. The defense down the stretch was great. Jon [Gibbs] does such a great job, isolating guys, getting the matchups. It was kind of like playing chess and he’s freaking good. I have so much respect for him. But hats off to our guys, they played just well enough and I’m so proud of them.”

“I thought our effort was terrific all night,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “I thought we really battled and competed. I thought defensively we did a really good job. We came into the game with a plan to deal with Doherty and Friberg. We didn’t want them to beat us, we’re going to try and make other guys step up and make shots and they did. So give credit to North Attleboro, it was a great team win for them.

The Rocketeers led by as much as 10 early in the third quarter but the Warriors fought back to make it a one possession game. North’s Hacmoni Cuevas converted a three point play to put the Rocketeers up 34-25 with 3:51 to play in the third, but Foxboro closed the quarter with a 9-3 run.

After Mark Clagg and Doherty (nine points, three assists) traded three pointers, the Warriors were able to pull within three by shutting down North for the rest of the quarter and both Joe Morrison (nine points) and Teddy Maher connecting from beyond the arc. The Rocketeers led 37-34 heading into the fourth.

That lead didn’t last too long. North’s scoreless streak stretched over two minutes into the final period while Morrison hit a jumper and Andrew Block (seven points, five rebounds, four assists) drove the lane for an easy two to take a 38-37 lead.

While the momentum seemed to be swinging in Foxboro’s favor, suddenly it stopped.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

North broke through on the offensive end, with the inside-out game paying off as Friberg (12 points, 14 rebounds) kicked it out to Cuevas for a three and a 40-38 lead with 5:40 to play.

Foxboro wouldn’t score again until under a minute to play.

“It speaks to the metal toughness of this group,” Mulkerrins said. “Similar to the game at the Dunk against Milford, we were up big, then down big and we could have quit. And this game, same thing. Maybe in years past, this team might have, but I think they finally found out what it means to be a winning team.”

It actually took the Rocketeers two minutes to add onto the lead with Reynolds hitting a pair of key free throws to double the lead with 3:31 to play.

The Warriors had a couple of open looks during the stretch, but were unable to convert.

With just under a minute to play, Friberg took it baseline and somehow managed to reach back underneath the basket and lay it in for a 44-38 lead. Foxboro responded with a putback with 30 seconds to play but Chad Peterson(seven points) iced the game with a free throw as Foxboro missed on the other end.

“I thought down the stretch we got some good looks and we just didn’t make them and that’s just basketball,” Gibbs said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow because at times I thought we executed fine but just didn’t put it in the basket…but that happens some times. At the end of the day, I’m really proud of them. We battled and held them to under 20 points in the second half.

“North did a nice job defensively, they did a lot of things to take us out of our rhythm. Both times we’ve played them this year they made it really difficult for us to score. So give a lot of credit to Sean [Mulkerrins] and credit to those guys on North.”

It was a bit of a slow start for both sides, combing for just five points in the five 5:32 of play. North eventually was able to get into a rhythm and threes from McCarthy and Billy Drummond handed Big Red a 15-9 lead after one.

Foxboro cut the deficit to one (18-17) midway through the second quarter, but North finished the frame with a 9-2 run — a Peterson three, a layup from Doherty, and four straight from Friberg — to take a 27-19 lead into the locker room.

North Attleboro boys basketball (12-7 overall, 9-6 Hockomock) is back in action inside Pickering Gymnasium on Sunday when the Milford Scarlet Hawks come to town. Foxboro (9-9, 8-8) can finish no lower than second in the division, thus clinching a playoff spot. The Warriors will look to improve their record and seeding next ween as they host a February vacation tournament, starting with a game against Randolph.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.