Baseball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Milton, 6 – Final – Foxboro scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to make it a one run game, but Milton pulled away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sean O’Leary and Tyler Prescott (run) each had two hits for the Warriors, who had 10 total hits as a team. Louis Carangelo drove in two runs while Liam Mulkern added one RBI for Foxboro.
Franklin, 4 vs. Catholic Memorial, 2 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to break open a tie game and tacked on a key insurance run an inning later to take down Catholic Memorial, snapping a three-game skid. Tied 1-1, Joe Tirrell drilled a solo home run to left on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Panthers back in front. Jack Marino followed with a one-out single, took third on an error, and scored on a single from Evan Raider to put the Panthers ahead 3-1. CM struck with two outs in the next inning to get back within a run but Tirrell reached on a dropped third strike, courtesy runner Luke Sidwell stole second and took third on a passed ball, and scored when Ryan Gerety reach on an error to make it 4-2. Jacob Jette tossed a complete game for the win, allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits and no walks, striking out six.
Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final – After surrendering three runs in the top of the second inning, Oliver Ames pushed across four runs in the bottom half and held that lead the rest of the way in a non-league win over Dighton-Rehoboth. Nathan Carpentier (2-for-3) had an RBI single to plate Jake Waxman (leadoff single), Nick Ferrini drew a bases loaded walk to score Jack Muir (HBP), Jack Morley grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring Joe Cicchetti (HBP) home, and courtesy runner Brendan Connolly took home on a double steal to make it 4-3. Nick Clark had a strong outing on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out six in six innings of work. Ian Kelly allowed one hit but struck out one to record the save.
King Philip, 2 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and Ryan MacDougall limited the Warriors to their lowest runs scored this season to emerge with the win in a battle of unbeatens. MacDougall tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out one in the win. KP struck first in the top of the first inning after an RBI single from Shawn Legere scored Travis Crawford (leadoff double). Taunton had an immediate response with three runs in the bottom half. Dawson Bryce (triple) scored on a single from MacDougall, and courtesy runner Brayden Cali came home on a sac fly from Colby DeCouta, and AJ Lewis smacked a two-out RBI double to put Taunton ahead 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Braden Sullivan had a two-run single to bring both Bryce (single) and MacDougall (single) in to extend the lead to 5-1. KP got one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Brendan Sencaj. The Warriors brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh but MacDougall induced a grounder for the final out.
Sharon, 8 @ Brookline, 3 – Final – Sharon saw a two-run lead vanish in the third inning but responded with two runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to break into the win column with a victory on the road over Brookline. Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Jack Broughton hit a one-out RBI double to bring in the tying run and Palash Raina put the Eagles ahead with a sac fly to score Dylan Labbe (HBP). Dan Okstein tripled in the first run of the fifth, Ryan Baker followed with an RBI single, Broughton drew a bases loaded walk three at-bats later, and the Eagles tacked on another run with a passed ball. Sophomore Luke Meixel was strong on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and four walked in 5.1 innings, striking out six for the win. Baker tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Natick, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Tyler DeMattio had a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in two runs while Derek Maceda also chipped in with a pair of hits for the Rocketeers.
Softball
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 11:00
Franklin, 3 @ Walpole, 6 – Final
Mansfield, 3 vs. Bay Path, 1 – Final – Mansfield earned its first win of the season by handing Bay Path its first loss. Julia Kelly went the distance in the circle, allowing six hits, striking out five, and keeping Bay Path scoreless for the final six innings. The Hornets trailed 1-0 into the fourth. Liv Madeira singled and moved to third on a Casey Moussette base hit. Jill Koppy dropped down a well-placed bunt to bring in the tying run. It stayed 1-1 into the sixth thanks to solid defense from the Hornets. Alanna Conley threw out a runner at the plate in the fifth and Koppy caught a runner stealing second in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half of the inning, Mousette singled and pinch runner Reilley Slaney went from first-to-third on a single by Koppy. Pinch hitter Olivia Bovey came through with the big hit, singling in both runners to put the Hornets up 3-1.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ East Bridgewater, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame an early deficit and Katie Melendy pitched a complete game, shutting out the Vikings over the final six innings for a win on the road. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead (Maddie Homer squeeze bunt to score Caitlin Miller) in the top of the first but the Vikings plated two in the bottom half for the lead. In the top of the third, OA surged back ahead with Miller scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Lexi Galsband. Miller came in to score a key insurance run on another wild pitch in the top of the fifth. Melendy allowed the two runs on just five hits and two walks, striking out eight in the win.
Stoughton, 8 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final – Alyssa Edwards continued to swing a hot bat for the Black Knights, going 3-for-3 with a homer, to lead Stoughton to the non-league win. Kerry Driscoll went the distance to pick up her sixth win, allowing six hits and striking out five. Edwards got Stoughton off to a good start with a two-run homer in the first, added an RBI triple, and then led off the sixth with a double. Camryn Whitman had an RBI triple and Driscoll, Sydney Menz, Melody Casna, Julie Powers, and Angie Berry all had hits in the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Sharon, 7 @ Dedham, 5 – Final – Brady Daylor continued his strong start to the season and the Eagles picked up a key non-league win on the road over Dedham. Daylor scored five goals while Ben Shocket (9-for-16 faceoffs) and Jace Nestler each scored once in the win.
Taunton third baseman Braden Sullivan makes a throw to first base against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. — In a back-and-forth seesaw battle between two of the top teams in the Hockomock League, the Taunton baseball team emerged with a quality win over visiting Franklin.
Franklin built a pair of leads but Taunton erased both of them, using a three-run fifth inning to take the lead for good in a 7-5 win.
The Panthers seized a 2-0 edge in the top of the second inning only for the Tigers to answer with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Franklin’s offense struck for two runs in the third to tie it and took the lead once again with a single run in the fourth, but Taunton rallied for a second time by plating three runs in the fifth.
“We knew we were going to be in for a good one today,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “Franklin is always a perennial powerhouse so we knew what we were getting into. I told them the guys before the game they might get punched in the mouth, and I wanted to see how they’d respond. I was really proud of them for having good, quality at-bats. We were moving guys over, hitting the ball hard, putting pressure on them.
“It’s a great group, really hard working. I can’t say enough about the camaraderie, really happy to be coaching them.”
Trailing 5-4 and down to the final nine outs in the bottom of the fifth, junioe Dawson Bryce hustled down the first base line and slid in head-first for a leadoff infield single. Two pitches later, junior Ryan MacDougall smacked his second single of the day to put the go-ahead run on base.
Senior Colby DeCouta delivered the biggest of the game, driving a double to the outfield to bring in both runs for a 6-5 lead. An error allowed DeCouta to move up to third and two batters later, junior Brady Boucher laid down the squeeze bunt to bring DeCouta home for a key insurance run.
“It’s about piecing things together, and we had some fundamental baseball with some small ball,” Bourque said. “We work on it quite a bit and even though Brady’s hitting the ball pretty well, we felt like we wanted to make sure we get that run across and he did a great job and it was great execution, both Brady’s bunt, and Colby’s read. Having that two-run lead is huge, that’s really important. That comes from doing the little things.
“I give a lot of credit to Colby, he’s the leader on the team right now. He got them together and got them going, making sure we were confident in our ability to come back. I think we have one of the better offensive teams that we’ve had in a while. Colby’s a leader behind the plate, and on the bench, and he deserves a lot of credit for making sure, mentality-wise and confidence-wise, that they could come back.”
MacDougall, who took over in the top of the fourth inning, stranded a runner on third with a strikeout to end the sixth inning. Franklin kept fighting until the end, as Ben Jarosz (walk) and Henry Digiorgio (single) both reached with two outs but MacDougall ended the game with his seventh strikeout.
Taunton baseball
MacDougall finished with just one run allowed, as the first batter he faced — Ryan Gerety — singled and scored on a base hit by Evan Raider. The only other hit he allowed was to Digiorgio just before the final out.
Taunton senior Evan Cali started on the mound and pitched three solid innings, allowing four runs but just two earned while striking out three.
“We don’t really have that number one [pitcher],” Bourque said. “Evan’s a great pitcher, Ryan’s a great pitcher but in years past, we’ve had college-level pitching, we don’t have that this year. So we’re going to have to trust our defense, put the ball in play, and help them out as much as we can. We need the pitchers to throw strikes and they did that today.
“Evan did a great job keeping us in the game early, his pitch count started to get a little high. Ryan came in and did really well. We were able to come back and put a couple runs on the board.”
Jarosz laced a one-out double in the top of the second and came around to score two at-bats later on a double from Joe Tirrell. Gerety followed with a hard hit ball over the right fielder’s head for a triple, scoring speedy courtesy runner Luke Sidwell to make it 2-0.
Taunton baseball
Braden Sullivan led off the bottom half of the inning with a walk and moved to third on a base hit by Shawn Cali, who took second on the throw. A ground ball snuck past third and stayed fair for Boucher, bringing Sullivan home. Jack Gobin followed with a base hit of his own to tie the game, and Andrew Cali reached safely on a bunt.
With the bases loaded, Evan Cali brought a run home on a fielder’s choice with the force out at second. Bryce added another single for the Tigers, bringing Taunton’s fourth run of the inning home.
Franklin chipped away at the lead right away as Raider and Eisig Chin both reached on infield errors by the Tigers. Jase Lyons made them pay with an RBI single to right field to cut the deficit down to one. With runners on the corners and two outs, Digiorgio delivered a single to bring the tying run home to make it 4-4.
Franklin starter Jacob Jette (4.1IP, 9H, 4K, 1BB) retired the side in order in the bottom of the third, sandwiching a pair of fly balls to the outfield around a web gem of a catch from Jarosz at third.
Gerety singled, Jack Marino walked, both runners moved up on a ground out from Chris Goode, and Raider drove one up the middle to bring Gerety home to give Franklin its second lead of the game, 5-4.
“This is always a tough place to come play, they have a great club,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “We knew coming into the game it was going to be back-and-forth, you know that’s real competition. They do good things, we do good things. Unfortunately at the end of the pendulum today, they had the upper hand.
“But what I really liked from our guys is they kept fighting. They could have folded but even down to two outs, we were scrapping and clawing to get the tying run on base with a chance there at the end. It didn’t go our way today but we’ll learn from it and hopefully, it will fuel our desire to continue to work hard during practice and heighten our attention to detail.”
Taunton baseball (3-0 Hockomock, 3-0 overall) will hit the road on Wednesday for a trip to Canton. Franklin (3-1, 3-1) is on the road again on Wednesday with a trip to Community Field to take on North Attleboro on tap.
2021 Record: 5-11 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.
It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.
Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.
In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.
“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”
2021 Record: 8-7 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.
The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.
“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”
2021 Record: 5-10 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.
Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.
Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.
Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.
“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”
2021 Record: 16-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.
Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.
King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.
Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.
“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”
2021 Record: 8-8 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.
The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.
“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”
2021 Record: 5-9 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.
Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.
The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.
“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”
2021 Record: 12-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.
Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.
One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”
2021 Record: 9-6 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.
A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.
“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”
2021 Record: 3-12 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.
It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.
Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.
2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”
2021 Record: 4-10 2021 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.
Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.
Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.
“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”
2021 Record: 13-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.
The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.
Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.
“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”
Baseball
D1 South
#8 Norwood, 7 @ #1 Franklin, 11 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed hot in the postseason as the Panthers pushed across double-digit runs for the second straight game (and sixth time this season) in an 11-7 win over upset-minded Norwood, the #8 seed in the bracket. Franklin built a four-run lead (6-2) through the first four innings but the Mustangs rallied to tie the game with a four-run fifth inning. Franklin responded with five runs in the bottom half and never looked back to book its spot in the D1 South semifinals. Franklin received contributions from up and down the lineup with Nate Cooke (run, RBI) and Jack Marino (run, two RBI) each recording a pair of hits in the win. Chris Goode added two runs on two walks, a hit, and an RBI, Ryan Gerety and Luc Boudreau each scored a pair of runs, Jake Fitzgibbons smacked an RBI double, and Ben Jarosz had an a hit, a walk, and an RBI. James Kuczmiec earned the win in relief, tossing 1.1 innings with one run allowed on one hit and two walks, striking out one. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone was had a strong start, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings without issuing a walk. Franklin will play #13 seed BC High on Friday at 7:00.
#7 Taunton, 13 @ #2 Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Taunton had one of its best showings of the season, tying a season-high with 13 runs while blanking the #2 seed Bridgewater-Raynham to advance to the D1 South Semifinals. On the mound, senior Danny MacDougall tossed six shutout innings, working around four hits and three walks while striking out three in the win. And offensively, MacDougall had a pair of hits, driving in one run while scoring four times. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall had a big day a the dish for the Tigers, who scored single runs in the first and second innings, twice in the fourth, three times in the sixth, and put the game away for good with six runs in the top of the seventh inning. The younger MacDougall had three hits on the day, driving in five runs — one on an RBI single in the first, two on a base hit in the fourth, and two more in the sixth. Alyjah Marshall recored three RBI and a run, Dawson Bryce had three hits, three runs, and two RBI, Braden Sullivan added two hits and two RBI, and Colby DeCouta scored once and had two hits in the win. Taunton will travel to #3 Xaverian in the D1 South Semifinals on Friday at 4:00.
D2 South
#8 North Attleboro, 17 @ #1 Nauset, 9 – Final (8 Inn.) – Down to its last out in the seventh inning, North Attleboro rallied to tie the game to force extras, where the Rocketeers pulled away to earn a big win over previously undefeated Nauset. In another roller coaster, back-and-forth contest, North scored twice in the final frame to stay alive. Christian Bates was hit by a pitch to lead off, Jared Penta singled to left to move pinch runner Eric Malcolmson to second and sophomore Derek Maceda was intentionally walked to load the bases. Junior Gavin Wells, who had the game-winning hit against OA in the opening round, hit a two-out, two-run single to center to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning. North senior Aidan Weir tossed a scoreless seventh inning to force extras as sophomore Aidan Conrad threw a runner out at second to end the inning. In the top of the eighth, Penta (four hits) plated Tyler Bannon with a single down the third base line to give North a 10-9 advantage. North went on to score seven more runs on four hits, six walks, and two hit batters. In total, the Rocketeers recorded 15 hits, 14 walks and three hit batters, bringing in 16 of the 17 runs on an RBI. North jumped out to an early lead (4-0 on a hit, error, and six walks) but Nauset battled back to tie the game 5-5 after three innings. The Warriors took their first lead in the top of the fifth but Maceda stroked a two-run single to put North back in front, 7-6, in the sixth. Nauset took a 9-7 lead with a three-run home. Weir closed the game out in the bottom of the tenth with a pair of ground outs and a strikeout. North Attleboro will play again on Friday, scheduled for a 4:00 PM start against the winner of #4 Dighton-Rehoboth and #5 Hopkinton.
Softball D1 South
#9 Walpole, 0 @ #1 Taunton, 9 – Final – Taunton jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the first inning and added runs in four of the next five innings to take down the visiting Timberwolves of Walpole. The Tigers scored a pair of runs in each the first, third, fifth and sixth innings, tacking on a single run in the fourth. Meanwhile, senior Kelsey White continued her dominance in the circle with another complete game shutout. In seven innings, White allowed four hits and one walk while striking out 15 batters. Offensively, the Tigers had nine hits with White smacking a pair of home runs, driving in a total of four. Senior Hanna Aldrich had three runs, including a triple and a home run, finishing with three RBI. McKenzie McAloon added a hit and an RBI for Taunton. Taunton will host Hock rival and #4 seed King Philip on Thursday at 7:00.
#10 Mansfield, 5 @ #7 Silver Lake, 8 – Final – Mansfield tried to mount a seventh inning comeback but was unable to erase a five-run deficit and saw its playoff run come to an end at Silver Lake. The Hornets trailed 8-3 heading to the final inning, but Callie Lake doubled, pinch hitter Olivia Harnden walked, and Jill Koppy singled to bring in a run. With two runners on, Casey Moussette hit a deep fly ball, but it stayed in play for the center fielder. It was Mansfield that got off to a good start to the game, with a pair of two-out runs in the first. Koppy started the rally by getting by a pitch, Moussette singled, and Molly Kucharski brought both runs in with a single. The Hornets pushed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a Nicole Kobasa double and an Alanna Conley RBI single. Silver Lake was able to score twice to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning and went ahead with four runs in the fifth.
D2 South
#12 Foxboro, 5 @ #4 Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final – Emma Callahan struck out six and allowed only two hits to record a shutout and keep Foxboro’s playoff run going. Fiona Dunn had a big hit from the seven-hole, leadoff hitter Peyton Feldman scored a pair of runs, and Morgan Sylvestre had a sac fly with a deep fly to center. Foxboro coach Mark Maguire said, “We took advantage of some mistakes to get some runs and we’re on to the semis.” The Warriors will travel to top seed Middleboro on Thursday at 6:30.
Boys Tennis D1 South
#3 Sharon, 0 @ #2 Brookline, 5 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Central
#6 Wachusett, 0 @ #2 Milford, 3 – Final – Milford will host #9 seed Lincoln-Sudbury in the Central sectional final on Friday at 5:00.
Baseball D1 South
#26 New Bedford, 0 @ #7 Taunton, 10 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton belted out 10 hits and walked nine more times to produce 10 runs in a five-inning rout of #26 New Bedford. Senior Alyjah Marshall led the charge for the Tigers, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk, smacking a pair of triples and driving in five runs. Sophomore Braden Sullivan added a hit and two RBI in the win. Senior Conor Quinlan earned the win on the mound, allowing just one hit without issuing a walk in four scoreless innings of work, striking out two. Taunton will host #10 seed Walpole on Monday at 4:00.
#21 Weymouth, 2 @ #12 Mansfield, 8 – Final – Mansfield scored in four straight innings punctuated by a big sixth inning to earn a win at home over visiting Weymouth. The Hornets pushed across two runs in the third, one run in each the fourth and fifth innings, and put the game away with a four-run sixth inning. Junior Anthony Sacchetti tossed six scoreless innings before the Weymouth offense got going. Sacchetti (6.1 IP) earned the win, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out seven. Offensively, sophomore Conner Zukowski had two of the Hornets’ eight hits, including a triple, and drove in four runs to lead the way. Luke Urban (run), Liam Anastasia (run), and Jared Fraone (double, two runs) all had a hit and an RBI in the win. Mansfield will travel to #5 seed Wellesley on Monday at 4:00.
#22 Attleboro, 11 @ #11 Hingham, 5 – Final – Attleboro outscored Hingham 7-0 over the final three innings to earn an upset win over the Harbormen on the road. Hingham held a 5-4 lead going into the fifth but the Bombardiers pushed across four runs to take an 8-5 lead and then put the game away with three more runs in the seventh. Sophomore Danny Johnson had a huge day at the plate for Attleboro, going 5-for-5 and recorded six RBI. He also came in and pitched a scoreless seventh inning to secure the win. Dillon James came on in relief to get the win, allowing two hits with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work. Matt McMahon (3-for-4) and Evan Houle each clubbed a pair of doubles while senior Bailey Camacho had a pair of hits. Attleboro will travel to #6 seed Braintree on Monday night at 7:00.
D2 South
#17 Sharon, 5 @ #16 Somerset-Berkley, 8 – Final
D3 South
#18 Foxboro, 4 @ #15 Sandwich, 6 – Final – Foxboro had the tying run on base and the go-ahead batter at the plate in the top of the seventh inning but a bad bounce closed the door on the Warriors’ season. Sandwich scored once in each the second and third innings to stake a 2-0 lead but Foxboro responded with a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth to tie the game. Sandwich came back with four runs in the sixth to take the lead; Foxboro pushed across two in the top of the seventh and had runners on the corners but a ground ball hit one of the base runners and the Knights got the final out. Junior Mike LaVita went 3-for-3 at the dish with a run scored while sophomore Ryan LeClair (RBI, run) and senior Cam Prescott (two doubles, RBI) each had a pair of hits in the win. Mike O’Toole and Jack Watts both knocked in a run as well.
Softball D1 South
#27 Durfee, 8 @ #6 North Attleboro, 9 – Final (10 Inn.) – Ally Levine’s 10th inning single brought in Belle Clarkin with the game-winning run, as North avoided the upset and advanced to the next round. Clarkin started the two-out rally in the 10th with a single. She advanced to second on a Zoey McDonough base hit and got to third after Shaelyn Burns walk. Levine provided the big moment walking it off with an RBI-single. Mandi Hanewich had a big day at the plate for North, recording three hits, including a two-run homer. Emily Nardelli reached base four times (three walks and a hit), Grace Simmons had a hit and two walks, Julia Forman had a double and a run scored, and Emma Bailey was on base twice. McDonough threw all 10 innings and struck out 16 to get the win. North will host #11 seed Bridgewater-Raynham on Monday morning.
#19 Whitman-Hanson, 2 @ #14 Attleboro, 15 – Final
#17 Marshfield, 7 @ #16 Stoughton, 10 – Final – Down to their final six outs, Stoughton rallied to erase a five-run deficit and stun visiting Marshfield. The Rams held a 7-2 advantage going into the bottom of the sixth but Stoughton put together eight hits to score eight runs, knocking off Marshfield in the playoff opener for both squads. Senior Nicole Baker, who tossed a complete game, helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Junior Sydney Menz added three hits as well, including a double and a triple, with two RBI, Julia Driscoll plated two runs with a base hit, Melody Casna added an RBI double, and Kate Bulger chipped in with a pair of hits. Alyssa Edwards, Julie Powers and Sarah McGrath all had a single in Stoughton’s big sixth inning. Stoughton will travel to #1 seed Taunton on Monday at 6:30.
#18 Mansfield, 10 @ #15 Needham, 0 – Final – Mansfield scored early to get in front and then put the game away with seven runs over the final two innings to secure the win at Needham in the D1 South preliminary round. The Hornets grabbed three runs in the first. Callie Lake led off with a single, Liv Madeira walked, and Jill Koppy singled to load the bases. Casey Moussette provided what turned out to be the game-winning hit with a single that plated two. Nicole Kobasa added a single to make it 3-0. Third baseman Olivia DeTrolio came through with a big defensive play in the fourth, erasing a lead-off triple by getting the lead runner on a fielder’s choice. Mansfield broke the game open with a four-run sixth. Molly Kucharski started the rally with a walk, followed by singles from Ashlyn Conley and Kobasa. Alanna Conley drive in a pair and the Madeira followed with a two-run single of her own. The Hornets tacked on three more in the seventh with four hits and a walk all with two outs. Mansfield will face another road trip to a Bay State Conference opponent when it travels to #2 seed Natick on Monday.
#22 Canton, 5 @ #11 Cardinal Spellman, 4 – Final – Canton was able to hold on to pull the upset on the road against Spellman and advance in the D2 South sectional. Liz Bickett sparked the offense with a big two-run homer in the third inning. Sarah Kelly went 2-for-3 and scored two runs and Steph Trendell also drove in a pair of the Bulldogs. Sophia Santos went the distance and struck out seven to pick up the win. Canton will travel to face #6 seed Plymouth South on Monday afternoon.
Boys Lacrosse D1 South
#17 Weymouth, 6 @ #16 Mansfield, 8 – Final
#18 Attleboro, 4 @ #15 Marshfield, 18 – Final
D2 South
#16 North Quincy, 1 @ #1 Canton, 16 – Final – Top-seeded Canton opened its playoff run in style, earning a big win over North Quincy. The Bulldogs built an early 3-0 lead, extended it to 8-0 by halftime and carried a 15-0 advantage into the fourth quarter. Junior Sam Carlino paced the offense with seven goals and four assists and senior Michael Mondillo added a pair of goes in the win. Freshman Brendan Tourgee won 12 face offs, scoring twice with one assist while classmate Pat Drury scored twice and had three helpers. Canton will host #8 seed Nauset on Monday at 5:00.
D2 Central/East
#9 Belmont, 7 @ #8 North Attleboro, 20 – Final
Girls Lacrosse D1 East
#10 Mansfield, 0 @ #7 Concord-Carlisle, 20 – Final
#12 North Attleboro, 2 @ #5 Lincoln-Sudbury, 20 – Final
D1 South
#18 Whitman-Hanson, 13 @ #15 Canton, 12 – Final (OT)
#17 Marshfield, 9 @ #16 Taunton, 7 – Final
Boys Tennis D1 South
#14 Attleboro, 0 @ #3 Sharon, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – Sharon started its tournament run with a 5-0 sweep of Hockomock rival Attleboro, winning all five matches in straight sets. Freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Ruemon Bhattacharyya added a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Max Chen grabbed a 6-0, 1-0 win at third singles. Junior Deyan Kassev and freshman Matthew Lally emerged with a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while the team of sophomore Mitch Weiss and freshman Alex Budovalcev didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Sharon will host #11 Plymouth North on Monday at Sharon Middle School at a time to be announced.
#9 Mansfield, 0 @ #8 Needham, 5 – Final
#10 North Attleboro, 0 @ #7 Newton North, 5 – Final
#12 King Philip, 1 @ #5 BC High, 4 – Final – King Philip senior Nick Putney was the lone winner for the Warriors as BC High claimed a 4-1 win at home. Putney grabbed a hard-fought 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles for the lone KP point.
D2 South
#11 Foxboro, 0 @ #6 Westwood, 5 – Final
Girls Tennis D1 South
#9 Mansfield, 0 @ #8 Sharon, 5 – Final
#12 Attleboro, 0 @ #5 Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final
#14 Franklin, 0 @ #3 Wellesley, 5 – Final
D2 South
#1 Foxboro, 4 vs. #16 Somerset-Berkley, 1 – Final – Foxboro’s dominance in singles action carried over into the playoffs as the Warriors rolled to a win over visiting Somerset-Berkley. Athena Li notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Pam Nelson didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 decision at second singles, and Sarah Prag rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Foxboro got its fourth point from the second doubles team of Makayla Peck and Juliana Preston, who secured a 6-0, 6-1 victory. Foxboro, one of four undefeated teams in the D2 South bracket, will host #8 seed Monomoy on Monday at 5:00.
Baseball
Taunton, 13 @ King Philip, 2 – Final (5 inn.) – A day after a 1-0 win in 11 innings, Taunton’s offense exploded for 13 runs in a big win on the road over King Philip. Sophomore Braden Sullivan had three hits in the win while classmates Ryan MacDougall and Shawn Cali each had two to help the Tigers win. Ty Cali, Dawson Bryce, and Colby Decouta all had two hits as well. Senior Danny MacDougall tossed a five-inning complete game, allowing two earned runes on three hits and one walk, striking out six for the win.
Sharon, 6 @ North Attleboro, 11 – Final – North Attleboro set the tone early with a five-run second inning and went on to score in four other innings to knock off Sharon, clinching at least a share of the Davenport division title. Sophomore Aidan Conrad (four hits, three RBI) smashed a solo home run in the third but Sharon rallied to make it a two-run game at 6-4 through three innings. The Rocketeers used a double and a pair of singles in the fourth for a run and then tacked on three more runs on three walks and two hits in the sixth inning. North added one more run in the seventh, off a pair of walks and a pair of hits. Danny Curran struck out four in four innings of work for the win while both Joe Hartnett and Anthony Wescott pitched well in relief.
Softball
Taunton, 18 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton belted out 21 hits on offense while Sam Lincoln and Olyvia Mendonca combined for a one-hit shutout in the Tigers’ big win. Senior Hanna Aldrich went 4-for-4 and hit her 12th home run of the season, finishing with two RBI and three runs, Lianna Oliveira added three hits and three RBI, and Tayah DaCosta and McKenzie McAloon each hit a home run in the win. Lincoln struck out eight in three scoreless innings while Mendonca had one hit allowed and one strikeout in two innings.
North Attleboro, 10 @ Sharon, 11 – Final – Sharon came out with a one-goal win in a hard fought battle from both teams in the heat. Drew Litner notched six assists to go along with a pair of goals to set the Eagles up for the win. Brady Daylor netted a hat trick and had one assist, Ben Shocket (14-for-19 faceoffs) added a pair of goals and one assist, Dylan Cummings scored twice, and Ryan Zunenshine found the back of the net once. Adam Rabb played well in net with 16 saves.
Oliver Ames @ Stoughton, 3:45
Milford, 7 @ Bellingham, 6 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 23 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Franklin stayed undefeated on the season with a strong defensive effort, allowing just three goals agaisnt in a win on the road over Attleboro. Anna Grasso, Sydney Hawkins, Ali Socci and Emma Sousa all played well defensively in the Panthers’ win. Maura Cogavin netted a hat trick in the win, Kate O’Rourke and Katie Peterson each scored twice and had three assists, and Kaitlin Carney scored four times.
Foxboro, 16 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Lilly Vey scored a team-high five goals, including the 100th of her career, to help the Warriors earn a big win on the road. Mya Waryas added four goals and an assist, Ella Waryas and Mary Collins each had a pair of goals and one helper, Dylan Rappoli and Paige Curran both recorded two assists and a goal, Kate Collins found the back of the net once, and Val Beigel had two assists in the win.
Sharon, 14 @ North Attleboro, 20 – Final – The Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter but North Attleboro was able to hold them off and grab the win. Jenna Goldstein had a big game for Sharon, scoring seven goals and assisting on another, while also grabbing three draws. Cass Barbera and Molly McAlevey each scored twice with Barbera adding a pair of helpers. Athena Merck, Vivian Pedicone, and Katelyn Galeota each scored once and Tess Letendre made nine saves in the loss. Amelia Scappaticci had six draw controls and McAlevey had four for Sharon.
King Philip, 18 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – King Philip picked up its sixth straight win, rolling to a big win on the road over Taunton. Julia Marsden led the charge offensively with five goals and one assist while Peyton Mellman, Haley Izydorczak (two assists), and Lily Brown (three assists) each scored a hat trick in the win. Margo Riley had a great game defensively for the Warriors.
Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Brady Jannell moved up to first singles and overcame a one-set deficit, rallying to win in a tiebreaker to help King Philip take a 5-0 win over visiting Taunton. Jannell dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but won the second set and prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-7. Jon Cohen (second singles), Jackson Hom (third singles), and the team of Adam Gousie and Noah Ihley (second doubles) all won by 6-0, 6-0 scores while the pairing of Connor Sachleben and Diego Nieto secured a 6-2, 6-0 decision at first doubles.
Sharon, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took a pair of wins from both singles and doubles to secure a 4-1 win over North Attleboro, clinching the Davenport division title outright. Freshman Mehul Bhattacharyya dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles while junior Max Chen added a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles for the Eagles. Sophomore Rithvik Neti and freshman Matthew Lally grabbed a 6-1, 6-0 decision at first doubles and the team of junior Mitch Weiss and freshman Alex Budovalcev prevailed 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. North Attleboro senior Sam Gallagher was victorious with a 6-2, 6-2 result at second singles.
Baseball
Taunton, 5 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (9 Inn.) – Senior Ty Cali drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers, including the game-winning run in the top of the ninth as Taunton moved to 2-0 on the season. Tied 2-2 through seven innings, the teams traded runs in the eighth inning before Taunton was able to keep the lead for good in the ninth. Cali tripled in the go-ahead run and then came in to score an insurance run on a single from Braden Sullivan (2-for-3, walk). Danny MacDougall struck out six in 4.1 innings of work, allowing five hits and four walks with just one earned allowed. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall earned his first career win in a relief appearance, striking out one in two innings of work with no earned runs allowed.
Stoughton, 7 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton scored all of its runs between two innings, including a five-run sixth inning to erase a three-run deficit and earn a win. Stoughton claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Bulldogs battled back with four in the bottom half to jump ahead. Stoughton added three runs in the third, two more in the fourth, and one in the sixth to stake a 7-4 lead but the Bulldogs answered once again to retake the lead. Sawyer Julier-Albert (two runs, walk, RBI) and Andrew Middleton (run, two RBI) each had two hits for Canton, who totaled nine as a team. Steven Burbank and Zach Peters also drove in a run in the win. Matt Quan picked up the win in relief, allowing one run with one strikeout and two hits allowed in 3.2 innings of work. For Stoughton, Brady Conlin had four strikeouts, allowing seven earned on nine hits in a complete game effort. At the plate, Conlin went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Jake Queeney (run, two RBI), Kyle Doolin (two runs), and Hunter Malkin each had two hits for Stoughton.
Sharon, 7 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Sharon freshman Luke Meixel had a memorable debut for the Eagles, tossing a complete game with just two runs allowed on two hits and two walks to lead the Eagles to a win over Foxboro. Meixel had just one earned run allowed while striking out three. JD Rittenberg paced the offense for the Eagles, who blew open a 1-1 game with six runs in the top of the sixth. Rittenberg had three hits, two RBI, and scored two runs while Justin Brown added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Tom Marcucella and Sean O’Leary each had a hit and a run scored for Foxboro.
Milford, 3 @ Franklin, 13 – Final – Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone earned a win in his debut on the mound for the Panthers, allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out five in four innings of work for Franklin. Ethan Voellmicke (three strikeouts) and James Kuczmiec (two strikeouts) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Ben Jarosz led the offensive charge with three hits, including a pair of doubles, drove in two runs, and scored once himself. Ryan Gerety (two runs, RBI), Jack Marino (two doubles, two RBI, three runs), and Eisig Chin (two runs, RBI) each had two hits for Franklin.
Mansfield @ King Philip – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
Softball
Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Kelsey White struck out 16 batters and the Tigers held off a late-rally from the Bombardiers to win at home. Taunton scored once in each the first and third innings and tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth. White allowed two runs, both coming in the top of the seventh, on three hits and two walks, but closed the door shut to preserve the win. Taunton had just three hits on the day but took advantage of five walks and two Bombardier errors. Hanna Aldrich had an RBI and scored a run, White helped her own cause with an RBI, and Kyleah Plumb had a hit and a run scored in the win. In the top of the seventh, Brenna Morse drew a walk and Lora Woyton singled to put two on. Freshman Rylie Camacho smashed a two-run triple to bring the tying run to the plate but Taunton was able to close it out. AHS head coach Mark Homer credited Hailey Perry (shortstop) and Kayla Goldrick (third base) for strong defensive plays to keep Attleboro close. Woyton pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits and five walks.
Foxboro, 14 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Foxboro exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning, turning a close game into a big win on the road against the Eagles. Foxboro belted out 18 hits as a team, led by senior Morgan Sylvestre’s five-hit day. Sylvestre hit one home run and three doubles, driving in four runs in the process and scoring twice. Peyton Feldman added four hits out of the leadoff spot, including one double and one triple, and scored all four times. Nicole Theriault and Kaylee Bruce each added three hits and eighth-grader Emma Callahan helped her own cause with two hits. In the circle, Callahan tossed a complete game for her second win, scattering eight hits while striking out eight. Trinity Payne struck out nine and went 2-for-4 in the loss. Sharon also got three hits from Julia Earley and two from Penny Rabatsky.
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/12 at 3:45.
Canton, 5 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final – Stoughton picked up its first win of the season with a win at home over neighboring Canton. Senior Julia Driscoll led the offensive charge for the Black Knights with two hits, driving in three runs. Junior Sydney Menz (two doubles) and freshman Julie Powers each had two hits for the hosts, freshman Alyssa Edwards recorded her first hit and scored two runs, and seniors Sarah McGrath and Nicole Baker each had a hit on the day. Baker earned the win in the circle for the Knights, scattering seven hits while striking out nine.
King Philip, 7 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – The Hornets tried to mount a rally in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs and the top of the order due up but KP sophomore catcher Sarah Cullen picked off a runner at third ended the game. Cullen was the star of the game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, recording a double and a triple. She also reached a fourth time after being hit by a pitch and finished with two RBI for KP. The Warriors scored once in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth, and added one more in the sixth. Charlotte Raymond added three hits, including a pair of doubles, and two RBI while sophomore Libby Walsh smashed a two-run triple and had a strong game defensively (two putouts, four assists). Mansfield recorded five hits as a team, including two from Jill Koppy and one each from Olivia Madeira, Molly Kucharski, and Nicole Kobasa.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Zoey McDonough allowed a bunt single and a walk, but then retired the next 18 batters that she faced to earn her first career win and shutout. McDonough finished with 12 strikeouts and helped her own cause with three hits and four RBI. Kelly Colleran continued her hot start at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two triples, and a solo homer. Emily Nardelli, Belle Clarkin, and Ally Levine each had two hits for North. For OA, Maddie Homer (stolen base) and Grace Simone each recorded a hit.
Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 9 @ Canton, 11 – Final
Sharon, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Franklin had 11 players find the back of the net in a big win over visiting Sharon. Sophomore Jayden Consigli led the charge with seven goals and one assist while classmate Luke Davis scored four goals and had one assist.
North Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, 5/13 at 3:45.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 8 @ Taunton, 16 – Final – Taunton dominated at the draw, leading to a big win over visiting Attleboro. The Tigers won 22 of the 28 draws while both Alana Tavares (two assists) and Tasia Lajoie recorded seven goals. Rosemary McGrath added a pair of goals and an assist while Cali Melo had two helpers. Emily Gannon made 10 saves in the win for the Tigers.
Mansfield, 10 @ Canton, 11 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Canton jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the second half, but the Hornets rallied with eight of the game’s final 11 goals and the Bulldogs needed to win the final draw with just 50 seconds to play to hold on for the win. Canton led 3-2 after the first quarter, thanks to a pair of goals from Ella Yeaton and one from Kayla Albert. Lola Varricchione and Grace Danehy got on the board for the visitors. The Bulldogs broke the game open in the second and led 7-2 at halftime. Devan Spinale, Carly Fitzgerald, Emily McCabe, and Yeaton tallied for the home team, and then Allie McCabe scored off a turnover early in the third quarter to build the lead to six. Mansfield rallied with four straight to get back in the game. Lauren Clark scored three of the four and Ava Adams added the other, but Sierra Abbott stopped the run with 12.1 on the clock to send Canton into the fourth up 9-6. Spinale added her second (both with low-angle, backhand shots) a minute into the final quarter. AnnMarie McCoy scored back-to-back goals, but Abbott answered with her second of the night. Danehy got her second just 30 seconds later and then Adams made it a one-goal game with 49.9 on the clock. Canton controlled the draw and ran the ball down to the far corner, winding down the clock for its second win.
Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 23 – Final – Franklin defended its home turf against visiting Sharon as 13 players found the back of the net for the Panthers. Katie Ryan, Maura Cogavin, and Emma Sousa each scored their first varsity goal in the win.
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, 5/13 at 3:45.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches in singles action and picked up two more in doubles play to get a win on the road over Taunton. Evan Sousa earned a 6-4, 7-5 win at second singles while Matt Lortes picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo prevailed with a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles while Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Michael Kimmer won a long battle at first singles, 5-7, 6-4, 11-9.
Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton freshman Max Kupferman prevailed in three sets in a well-played match at second singles to help the Bulldogs secure a win on the road. Kupferman prevailed 6-1, 6-7 (8-10), 6-2 at second singles while Minh Duong scored a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Ethan Nguyen and Jalen Townsend didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Elias Jabbour and Charlie Doody teamed up for a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon earned a 6-3, 6-2 win in an excellent match at first singles.
Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets over Milford. Liam Marr picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Drew Mahoney earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik took home a 6-0, 6-1 decision at first doubles while Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas notched a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Hornets, winning all five matches at home against visiting King Philip. Kailash Elumelai prevailed with a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles, Dheeraj Valluru won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles, and Benson Delaney picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the team of Jonah Fine and Adam Elsner walked away with a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro started division play off with a win over visiting Oliver Ames, winning all five matches in straight sets. Jonah Manso didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Sam Gallagher took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second singles, and Will Folan won 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles while Brody Carter and Niteesh Saraanan won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro picked up a pair of wins from doubles action and then added a key win in singles play to edge out visiting Taunton. Lauren Anthony prevailed 6-2, 6-2 at second singles for the Bombarders while the teams of Rachel Rainey and Saharla Yusuf (first doubles, 6-5, 7-6 (7-5)) and Emma Pion and Tina Lam (second doubles, 7-5, 6-2) each won to help the match win. Taunton’s Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-3, 6-1 at first singles while Cayeesha Charles won 6-2, 6-3 at third singles for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton won two matches in singles action and added one win from doubles play to edge out visiting Stoughton. Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and Laura Correal earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. The team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles for the Bulldogs. Stoughton’s Allie Lada won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles while the team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Lynn Le earned a 4-6, 6-0, 10-6 win at second doubles.
Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro’s Sarah Prag emerged with a three-set win at third singles to secure the winning point in the Warriors’ 3-2 win over Sharon. Athena Li (first singles) and Pam Nelson (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 to give Foxboro two points while Sharon’s Anjali Jha and Julia Zelevinsky (first doubles, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3)) and the team of Tanvi Mittal and Sasha Fein (second doubles, 6-2, 6-0) each won to give the Eagles two points. Prag dropped the first set but rallied to win the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to get the win.
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final
Mansfield @ King Philip, 3:45
North Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – It was a clean sweep in singles action for the visiting Rocketeers, who also added a win from doubles action to beat Oliver Ames. Junior Charlotte Moynihan earned a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 win at first singles, senior Haley Strom won 6-2, 6-3 at second singles, and freshman Lauren Hunt grabbed her first win with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of juniors Lauren Consentino and Kyna Sha won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles for North. Oliver Ames’ Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Wrestling
Franklin, 18 @ Stoughton, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Mansfield, 25 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Greater New Bedford Voke, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton defended home court with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-12) sweep over visiting Greater New Bedford. Tyler Stewart had a big game for the Tigers with 17 kills, eight blocks, and five digs. Mattos Casagrande added seven kills, two aces, and a block while Faisal Mass chipped in with two kills and four blocks. Daniel Medina added two blocks and two aces to go along with his 29 assists while Travis Nunes played well in the back row.
