09/27/202210/01/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/28/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Attleboro exploded for four goals in the second half to surge past visiting Foxboro. It took the hosts less than five minutes to start the second half scoring when Lucas Marques was quick to pounce on a rebound in the box after Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter made a strong stop on a blast from Esvin Morales. Attleboro doubled the lead in the 50th minute, striking on a quick counter after a Foxboro corner. Billy Badger got the ball up to Steve Etienne, who played a streaking Luke Hagopian in on goal and his low shot found the back of the net despite Cotter getting a piece of it. Richard Ferreira linked up with Morales in the 65th minute, and Morales played a perfect switch over the top of the defense to find Kyle Neuendorf, who blasted a shot from in close that was denied by Cotter, but Neuendorf cleaned up his own rebound. The Bombardiers capped the scoring late when Ferreira headed a corner from Neuendorf off the crossbar and Clay Tyler was first to it and nodded it past the keeper.

Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip found the back of the net for the lone goal of the game in the final moments to give the Warriors an upset win over visiting Sharon. Junior Jack Morgan scored the winner in the 79th minute, finishing off an assist from classmate Neelam McGrath. Senior Connor O’Reilly recorded four saves for the shutout in net.

Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Milford buried three first half goals but this time, needed one in the second half to put away visiting Mansfield, who rallied for three goals in the second half. All three first half goals came in the final 20 minutes, starting with Johnny Castro’s first career goal. Castro, who was called up from the JV team, latched onto a pass from Kevin Barbosa and got just enough to touch it past the keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Nick Ribero found Castro on the left sideline, and his through ball to Arthur Tome sent him into the box where he was able to touch past a defender before being brought down for a penalty kick. Tome finished the pen himself in the 31st minute, burying a low right-footed shot into the corner. Freshman Danny Da Silva was fouled in the final moments of the first half and Ribeiro drilled a free kick from 25 yards out, over the wall and inside the near post past the outstretched keeper for a 3-0 lead at halftime. Mansfield pulled one back in the 56th minute as Grady Sullivan’s long throw in into the area snuck under a defender’s foot and fell right to Dan Checkoway, who buried it from in close. Milford answered six minutes later when Kaua Pereira looped a header from a Ribeiro free kick over the keeper to make it 4-1. Tyler Znoj took a free kick quickly at the top of the area before the Hawks’ defense or keeper could set to bring the Hornets’ within two. Aidan Lopes had a great run before laying it off for Sam Oliver for a shot from distance that skipped in to make it 4-3 in the 79th minute.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its undefeated start to the season, grabbed its fifth win of the season with a 3-0 decision on the road at North Attleboro. The Tigers built a 1-0 lead in the first half when sophomore Casey Milliken buried a free kick from just outside the area for the lone goal of the first half. Ryan Linhares doubled the visitors’ advantage, finishing off a deflected pass from Milliken. Michael MacAdam capped the scoring, converted a penalty kick that he earned himself after being brought down in the box. Drew Hall notched his third shutout of the season while defenders Hector Bucio, Jake Williams, Diego Rivera, and Jackson Mercieri played well in front of him.

Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind a pair of goals in each half, Franklin pushed its unbeaten streak to six games with a win over visiting Canton. Trey Lovell and Andrew O’Neill each had a goal and an assist in the win, bookending the scoring for the hosts. The two hooked up for the opener as O’Neill set Lovell in the 13th minute to make it 1-0. Lovell then assisted on Franklin’s second goal from center back Rex Cinelli to double the advantage. Sophomore Vignan Kamarthi opened his account in the 60th minute, taking a pass from Bradley Herndon for the Panthers’ third goal. O’Neill capped Franklin’s scoring, notching a goal in the second straight game off an assist from Garrett Scagliarini in the 75th minute. Franklin coach Fran Bositis praised the play of his midfield, noting the strong efforts from Noah Cain along with centerbacks Will Klawson and Cinelli.

Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton emerged from a back-and-forth, competitive contest on its brand new turf field with two points behind a brace from Javonte Fernandes and a late-winner from Josh Letourneau. The visitors notched the first goal of the game as Sam Santos worked his way behind the defense in the 10th minute and slid one past the keeper one-on-one for the early lead. The Tigers pulled level in the 20th minute as senior Aidden Fitting made a great run from his outside back spot and was taken down in the area for a penalty kick. Fernandes stepped up and converted with a low shot to the corner. Taunton took its first lead just five minutes into the second half when Fitting sent a long ball into the area that was flicked on by Riley Rebello. Fernandes was able to collect in the area and blast a deflected shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. Similar to Stoughton’s first half, Taunton’s advantage didn’t last long. The Knights sent two to the corner, and with just one Taunton defender, were able to use a quick one-two with Matheus Groberio open for a shot, which he blasted past the keeper. The winner game in the 70th minute after 20 minutes of near chances from both sides, including one off the post from Fernandes that prevented his hat trick. A throw from Rebello bounced past the Stoughton defense and Letourneau latched on, keeping it in play on the end line before using a tidy finish to the far post to make it 3-2. Taunton keeper Jack Buffington made a save in the final minutes on a good header from Joao Marotti. Ben Shirey played well in net for Stoughton, including a one-on-one save on Fernandes in the 60th minute.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro put in what head coach Steve Santos described as a complete team performance on both ends of the field to pick up the road win over Foxboro and move back to .500 on the season. Jamie Davies scored the winner from the spot after Tatum O’Brien’s slaloming run drew a foul in the box. In the second half, Zenda Gjoni headed in a Kacey Parker free kick to secure the two points for the Bombardiers. Alexis Campbell had another strong game in net to earn the clean sheet. Lindsey Resnick had a good game for the Warriors in the back and delivered several dangerous set pieces, while Lauren Miley had a strong game in midfield, but Foxboro couldn’t find the finishing touch.

Franklin, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – KP continued its scorching form in front of goal, scoring seven times on the grass at Sharon. The Warriors have scored 20 goals over the last three games. Ella Pisani sparked the attack again on Wednesday, scoring one goal and assisting on four others. Sofia Goclowski scored both Sharon goals and Autumn Simon recorded an assist. KP grabbed the lead in the fifth minute, as Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn took a pass from Pisani and found the back of the net from 30 yards out. Pisani teed up Rachel DeFlaminis for her fourth goal in the last two games to make it 2-0 at the midway point of the first half. Seconds before the break, Pisani got a hat trick of assists, playing Heidi Lawrence in behind the defense. Pisani got a goal of her own four minutes into the second half, with DeFlaminis picking up the helper. DeFlaminis added another assist six minutes later with a cross that Mikayla Thompson put away. Eilish McGowen blasted a 25-yard shot with 20 minutes to play (assisted by Pisani) and Olivia Florindi scored off a pass from Ally Smith to make it seven.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tallied a pair of goals in each half to earn its sixth win of the season, a 4-1 verdict over visiting North Attleboro. Mary Cross wasted little time to give the hosts the lead, converting just five minutes in for a quick 1-0 lead. Sophia Byron netted an “olimpico” in the 26th minute, curling in a corner kick directly in to double the Tigers’ advantage. In the second half, Jessica Keane added to OA’s lead off a feed from Emma Gavin in the 65th minute, and Carly Gibson (from Lucinda Li Cotter) capped the hosts’ scoring in the 72nd minute.

Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Stoughton senior Shayla Ford and sophomore Makenzie O’Connor each scored twice to lead the Black Knights to a 5-2 win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Bianca Casna opened the scoring in the 11th minute, combining with Emma Tran just outside the area before unleashing a shot to the near post for a 1-0 lead. Stoughton doubled its lead less than 10 minutes later as Ford took down a throw in from classmate Isabella Rodrigues, cut around a defender and blasted a shot that hit off the far post and in to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, which they carried into halftime. O’Connor made it 3-0 in the 44th minute but Taunton junior Ava Alves answered, looping a high arching shot that bounced off the crossbar and in. Four minutes later, Taunton goalie Hayleigh Porter made a nice one-handed save on a free kick from Stoughton’s Emma Tremblay, but the ball hit off the crossbar and Ford was the first too the rebound and buried it in the 50th minute. Taunton eighth-grader Kaylee Lopes won an individual battle before slotting a shot to the far post in the 57th minute, but a last minute goal from O’Connor capped the scoring at 5-2. Freshman Molly Fox made seven saves in net for the win for Stoughton.

Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton took the led on an early goal in the first quarter, but Franklin rallied with three straight to grab the lead and a win over its fellow division leader. Izzy Digirolamo put the Bulldogs in front after two minutes, but Payten Crandall tied it with the first of her three goals. The game remained tied until the third quarter. Haley Wernig put the Panthers in front off assists from Sophia Cuneo and Shaw Downing. Crandall’s second unassisted goal of the night made it 3-1 in the fourth but Canton answered back on a goal from Carolyn Schiavo. Crandall capped her hat trick and sealed the points by finishing off a pass from Emily Carney in the final minute. Devon Barry made one save for the Panthers.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Mara Boldy recorded three points to lead the Warriors to a win against visiting Sharon. Boldy had one goal and a pair of assists in the win while both Leah Santoro and Ella McDonell scored a pair of goals. KP senior Kari Calderone notched her first career goal in the win.

Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final

Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton got back in the win column for the second time this season after collecting a 5-1 victory on the road at Stoughton. Kaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals and added an assist to pace the Tigers’ offense while Caroline Vallarelli scored twice and Ayla Jackson had one in the win. Morgan Groppi scored off an assist from a Katherine Giroux for the Black Knights, while Kerry Driscoll, Cat Melo, and Jordan Coleman played excellent defensively.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After rolling to a two-set lead, Sharon surprised the visiting Warriors with a third-set win but King Philip finished strong to earn a 3-1 win (25-12, 25-16, 22-25, 25-9). Sami Shore dazzled at the net in the win, landing 16 kills along with a pair of aces to pace the KP offense. Emily Sawyer added six kills, four aces, and three blocks, Ahunna James notched seven kills, two aces, and eight digs, and sophomore Madison Asprelli had 22 assists and six aces in the win.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court with a clean sweep, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-18), of visiting North Attleboro. Sophomore Caroline Hansen had a standout performance, notching 10 kills for the Tigers. Clare Kavoulis dished out 25 assists, Sarah Hilliard landed 20 kills, Maddie Homer notched 19 digs, and Courtney Raymond chipped in with five aces and three kills.

Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro went on the road to Foxboro and came back home with a win, sweeping the Warriors 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-18). Natalie Brojek continued to shine for the Bombardiers with 20 assists, eight digs, and four aces, Julia Leonardo added 14 digs, nine kills, and four aces, and Sadie Whitmarsh was strong defensively with 15 digs. Addie Shelton (six kills) and Ellie Shelton (four kills) were strong at the net. For Foxboro, Alysa Cloherty had 16 assists along with four digs, two aces, and two kills, and Sami Sloan notched eight digs and seven kills.

Milford, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

Taunton, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton fended off a challenge from visiting Taunton, emerging with a 3-1 win over the Tigers. Junior Maya Ashu (eight kills) and senior Jessie Queeney paced the offense for the Black Knights.

Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Franklin returned from a trip to Canton with a dominant 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-15) sweep of the Bulldogs. Taylor Lacerda continued to do it all for the Panthers, notching 12 digs, 10 kills, and a pair of aces while Makayla Kuykendall had a strong game with 11 kills, nine digs, and four aces. Sophomore Zoe Scibelli and junior Kelly Schiavo played great defense for Canton, adding six aces.

Boys Cross Country
Taunton, 21 @ Milford, 37 – Final – Twins Brayden and Andrew Cali took the top two spots, less than 10 seconds apart, to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting Milford. Brayden Cali was first overall in 17:24 while Andrew Cali clocked in at 17:32. Senior Jack Pawlowski was fifth overall, junior Daris Alves took sixth, and senior Aiden Zamora was Taunton’s fifth scorer and seventh overall.

Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 46 – Final – Canton took the top four spots on its way to a win on the road at Stoughton. Luke Darling led the pack, taking first in 18:54 for the Bulldogs. Sam Vail, Austin DiBiaso, and Dom Gray took the next three spots for the visitors. Maks Alves also had a strong race for the Bulldogs, setting a new personal best.

Mansfield, 19 @ Foxboro, 40 – Final

Oliver Ames, 20 @ Sharon, 35 – Final

North Attleboro, 40 @ Attleboro, 21 – Final

King Philip, 31 @ Franklin, 27 – Final

Girls Cross Country
Taunton, 26 @ Milford, 29 – Final – By taking second, third, and fourth overall, Taunton pulled out a close win over the Scarlet Hawks. Milford’s Sydney Kalil took first but Taunton’s Colby Dunham (20:34), Emersyn DePonte, and Kiley Quinlan took the next three spots for key points. Sophomore Arianna Abatangelo added a seventh place finish and senior Jakhai Nicholson finished 10th to give the Tigers the win.

Canton, 34 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final – Canton was led by Johanna Bouwmeester (24:18), who took fourth overall, followed by Tahlia Weaver and Tema Manzonson. Klara Redquest had a solid race for the Bulldogs, running a season best time (25:51).

Mansfield @ Foxboro, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 15 @ Sharon, 50 – Final

North Attleboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 36 – Final

King Philip 45 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – For King Philip, senior Kate Burban took third overall in 21:10 while senior Leah Burke (10th) clocked in at 22:35 and junior Rachel Bailer (12th) came in at 22:51.

Golf
Milford, 147 @ Stoughton, 161 – Final – Stoughton had one of its best performances in program history but fell to a strong Scarlet Hawks squad. Junior Anthony LaPierre continued to shine for Milford, earning medalist honors with a one-under round of 35 while Nate Lawrence came in with an even par round of 36. Jacob Hipolito added a 37 in the win for Milford. Stoughton was led by juniors Colby Strunk (37) and Mason page (39).

Sharon, 169 @ Oliver Ames, 147 – Final – Behind a one-under round from junior Sean Kearns, Oliver Ames moved to 8-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Kearns was the match medalist after carding a 33, recording a birdie on three holes (1, 4, and 9). Seniors Daniel Paul (37), Michael McGinnis (38), and David Rodgers (39) rounded out the scoring for OA. James Spoto and Dylan Cummings led the Eagles at Pine Oaks, each coming in with a 41.

Foxboro, 157 @ Canton, 159 – Final – Foxboro senior Josh Connolly fired a team-low round of 38 and both freshman Zac Georgantas and senior Louis Caranglo came in under 40 as the Warriors secured a rare win at Blue Hill Country Club, sweeping the season series against the Bulldogs. Georgantas and Carangelo both shot a 39 while seniors Reese Curreri and Mat Sullivan came in at 41 to help the Warriors get the close win. Canton sophomore Huck McCready had another medalist round, shooting a 37 to lead all golfers. Matt Anderson added a 39 for the hosts, Brian Middleton shot a 41, and Brendan Tourgee rounded out the scoring with a 42.

North Attleboro, 164 @ Franklin, 155 – Final – In a crossover clash between two of the top squads in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin defended its home turf with a win over visiting North Attleboro. Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors in the win, each shooting a 37 on the day. CJ Steel added a 40 in the win and Caden Sullivan rounded out the Panthers’ scoring with a 41. Jordan Paradis led the visiting Rocketeers with a team-low round of 38.

Taunton, 185 @ Mansfield, 162 – Final – Mansfield emerged from its crossover match with Taunton with a big win at Norton Country Club. Nathan McClean led the Hornets with a medalist round of 39, Drew Urban added a 40, and Davon Sanders chipped in with 41 after a strong finish. Brendan Vokey and Cody Nieratko each shot a 41 to round out Mansfield’s scoring.

09/19/202209/20/2022

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/20/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Field Hockey
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames found the back of the net three times in each half to secure a big win on the road at Attleboro. Junior Erin Cottam led the charge for the Tigers, scoring four goals and assisting on OA’s other two, which were both scored by Kayla Kenney. Julia Maclaine registered two assists and Megan Crabtree had one in the win. For Attleboro, Nora Desrosiers and Siobhan Landers each scored once with Marley Young assisting on both.

Foxboro, 2 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip twice erased a one-goal deficit in the third quarter to earn a 2-2 draw against visiting Foxboro. After a scoreless first quarter, the visitors took the lead when Cam Collins took a pass from Val Beigel and found the back of the net with less than a minute to go in the first half. King Philip came back to tie it on a goal from Leah Santoro to make it 1-1, but Foxboro got its second of the game off the stick of Jenny Gallagher with 2:17 left in the third. Before the buzzer, the hosts pulled level yet again as Mara Boldy found the back of the net to make it 2-2. Charlotte Raymond, who also had an assist, and Abby MacDonald had strong performances while Haley Bright made seven saves in net for KP.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 12 – Final – Franklin senior Shaw Downing scored four goals in the first quarter and finished with five overall and one assist as the Panthers rolled to a big win at home. Sydney Rogan added two goals, Ella Aldred, Kaitlyn Carney (four assists), and Sophia Cuneo each scored once, and both Chloe Essam and Maeve Rolston netted their first career goals.

Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Taunton and Mansfield battled back-and-forth for 60 minutes but ended in a stalemate as both teams earned one point from the draw. For Taunton, Jasmine Lucier made four saves in net to record the shutout while the defense of Thal Nogueira, Bridget MacDougall and Sydney Moreton, along with Kaysie DeMoura in midfield, played well for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Katherine Giroux, Carly Sanda, and Sophia Tombros all played well for the Black Knights.

Canton, 6 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Canton went on the road and earned their fifth straight win to open the season, this time a 6-1 decision over the Scarlet Hawks. Izzy Digirolamo had a huge day offensively for the Bulldogs with four goals. Milford senior goalie Stella Portes made 24 saves in net.

Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Bulldogs bounced back from a one-set deficit to win three in a row and grab a 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22) win on the road at Milford. Jess Wright was everywhere for the Dogs, finishing with 21 kills, 10 digs, and an ace. Fatima Sidibay was a force at the net with seven kills and four blocks while Zoe Scibelli was a calming force on defense with 12 digs and three aces.

Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After dropping the first set by double digits, Attleboro stormed back to win three straight and secure a 3-1 win (12-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-17) over visiting Oliver Ames. The Bombardiers picked up key contributions from Sadie Whitmarsh, who notched 15 digs, and Addie Shelton, who added seven kills in the win. Natalie Brojek dished out 25 assists and Julia Leonardo did it all for the Bombardiers with 20 digs and 18 kills. For Oliver Ames, senior Mary Derba had eight kills, sophomore Clare Kavoulis added 33 assists and three aces, Maddie Homer had 23 digs and 28 serve receptions, Sarah Hilliard added 14 kills, and Addyson Smock finished with seven kills and three assists.

Mansfield @ Taunton, 5:15

Boys Cross Country
Mansfield, 19 @ Canton, 41 – Final – Mansfield swept the top three spots to earn a win on the road over Canton at Pequitiside Farm. Junior Talon Johnson was first overall followed by senior John Sylvian and junior Sam Taylor. Canton junior Sam Vail clocked in a personal best 19:26 as the Bulldogs’ top finisher, while sophomore Max Mateo also had a strong showing for the hosts.

Foxboro, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final

Sharon, 15 @ Stoughton, 50 – Final

Attleboro, 24 @ Milford, 36 – Final

Franklin, 39 @ Taunton, 17 – Final – Taunton swept the top three spots to clinch a win at home over visiting Franklin. Sam Denis crossed the finish line first while Brayden Cali and Andrew Cali took second and third place, respectively, for the Tigers.

Girls Cross Country
Mansfield, 15 @ Canton, 48 – Final – Mansfield had the top five runners to earn a sweep on the road at Pequitiside Farm against Canton. Junior Anna Moore won the race, followed by senior Alexis DiVasta, sophomore Sierra Wojick, senior Devin Anderson, and freshman Alex Petrova to round out the top five. Johanna Bouwmeester was Canton’s top runner while freshman Honesty Johnson had a big personal best and finished fourth for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 43 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final

Sharon, 27 @ Stoughton, 32 – Final – Stoughton took second, third, and fourth but a first place from Sharon’s Sara Lessard and six straight finishers from fifth on helped the Eagles clinch the win. Stoughton’s Lilly Branco was second overall followed by teammates Elaine McCarty and Julie Richardson.

Attleboro, 39 @ Milford, 19 – Final

Franklin, 19 @ Taunton, 42 – Final – Taking four of the top five spots, Franklin ran away with a big win on the road at Taunton. Junior Alex Batla won the race in 21:21 with sophomore Fiona Morrison just three seconds back at 21:24 to take second. After Taunton’s Colby Dunham (21:27) took third, Franklin senior Ashley Tighe was fourth (21:34) and sophomore Abby Baker (22:29) was fifth. Senior Artemisia Saparoff rounded out Franklin’s scoring by taking seventh (22:57). Taunton’s Emersyn DePonte was sixth overall at 22:54.

Golf
Stoughton, 168 @ Milford, 154 – Final – Milford junior Anthony LaPierre had one of his best rounds of the season, firing a one-under par round to lead the Scarlet Hawks past Stoughton. LaPierre carded a one-under round of 34 to earn medalist honors at Hopedale Country Club. Jacob Hipolito added a 39 and Nate Lawrence chipped in with a 40 for the hosts. For Stoughton, David Monaghan shot a 39 and Mason Page finished with a 42.

Sharon, 192 @ Foxboro, 166 – Final – Foxboro’s Patrick Callahan carded six pars and one birdie on his way to a medalist round in the Warriors’ win over Sharon. Callahan finished with a 37 on the front nine at Foxboro Country Club to lead the way for the hosts. Reese Curreri (three pars, one birdie) added a 41, Zac Georgantas (five pars) finished with a 42, and Louis Carangelo (two pars) came in with a 46. James Spoto shot a team-low round of 43 for the Eagles.

Canton, 172 @ Mansfield, 168 – Final – Sophomore Will Riley proved to be a vital addition to the Hornets’ lineup on Tuesday, shooting a medalist round to lead Mansfield past division rival Canton. Riley, who was added to the starting lineup late in the day, was a co-medalist along with Canton’s Huck McCready as both sophomores fired a 40 on the day at Norton Country Club. Junior Jason Friedman added a 42 for the Hornets while junior Cody Nieratko and sophomore Brendan Vokey each shot a 43. For Canton, Joey Ryan chipped in with a 41, Brian Middleton added a 44, and Teddy Shuman carded a 47.

Oliver Ames, 163 @ Taunton, 183 – Final – Oliver Ames returned home from Segregansett Country Club with a non-league win over Taunton in a crossover clash. Senior Michael McGinnis and junior Sean Kearns shared medalist honors in the win after both finished the day with a 40. Senior Daniel Paul and junior David Rodgers rounded out the scoring for OA with at 42. Sean Murphy had a team-low round of 44 for the Tigers while Noah Faidell added a 45.

Franklin, 159 vs. St. John’s Shrewsbury, 152 – Final – Franklin came up just short in a non-league challenge against visiting St. John’s. CJ Steel and Caden Sullivan each shot a 39 for the Panthers.

09/15/202209/15/2022

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/15/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Attleboro exploded offensively in the second half to run away with a big win. Alex Vecchioli took down a deflection off a throw from Luke Hagopian and somehow kept possession between a pair of defenders and ripped a shot to the far post to give the Bombardiers a lead right before halftime. In the second half. Vecchioli grabbed his second of the game early in the second half, tracking down a pass from Lucas Marques before cutting it back onto his left for a shot from just outside the box that was tipped by the keeper and in. Late in the second half, Vecchioli linked up with Kyle Neuendorf, who played a perfectly weighted through ball in behind the defense that was smashed home by Billy Badger to make it 3-0. In the final minutes, senior Steve Etienne tracked down a long punt from keeper Tyler Rocchio and hit a low shot into the back of the net from inside the area.

Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin junior Hansy Jacques scored for the third straight game and the Panthers picked up two points in a 3-0 blanking of visiting Foxboro. Junior Michael Fernandez-Martin opened his varsity account, finishing off a pass from sophomore Matt Honekamp to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Jacques doubled the lead before halftime after an assist from Will Kryzak. In the second half, Trey Lovell buried a penalty kick to cap off the scoring for the Panthers.

Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Mansfield tallied twice inside a 15-minute span in the second half to pick up two key points on the road at North Attleboro. Aidan Lopes set up Tyler Znoj for a blast from 25 yards out to put the Hornets ahead, 1-0, in the 53rd minute. Mansfield doubled the lead in the 65th minute as Aiden Steele’s header off a corner from Dan Checkoway ended up at the feet of Sean Higgins, who dropped in a shot from just outside the box. Liam Doyle recorded his second straight shutout for Mansfield, making six saves. Derek McGrath anchored another strong Mansfield defensive effort with a great individual performance.

Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Each team converted off a set piece in a 1-1 draw at Milford. Visiting Sharon took the lead in the 18th minute as Adam Eastman buried a free kick from 25 yards out to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Milford pulled level in the 61st minute as Eduardo Santana buried a penalty kick, a call he earned himself, to bring the Scarlet Hawks level. Sharon goalie Matt Baur had a terrific performance in net.

Canton, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – A late goal from Canton helped the Bulldogs pull even and earn a point in a 2-2 draw on the road at Taunton. Carson Eagles scored a late goal to help the Bulldogs erase a one-goal deficit and pull level at 2-2. Jake McCabe scored Canton’s first goal while Taunton’s Javonte Fernandes (first half) and Devin Poe (second half) scored for the Tigers.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Morgan Cook’s goal just before halftime proved to be the winner, as Stoughton picked up its first victory of the season and its first under new coach Jon Grant. Shayla Ford opened the scoring in the third minute, running onto a Sabrina Rodrigues through ball behind the Attleboro defense. Jamie Davies leveled the match for the Bombardiers from the penalty spot in the 17th minute. Stoughton regained the lead in the 40th. Emma Byrne played a ball forward to Cook, who was able to get a telling touch on it and find the back of the net. Stoughton was able to limit Attleboro’s chances for a tying goal in the second half with a strong defensive effort. Katrina Varnum finished with 10 saves to help the Black Knights come out on top.

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored late in each half to earn its third win in as many games and move alone into first in the Davenport division. Emily McCabe scored both goals for the Bulldogs, her sixth and seventh of the season, the first assisted by Caira McKinney and the second by Gisella Berardi. While Canton held a sizable (17-4) edge in shots on goal and hit three posts, Taunton continued to fight and remained in the game until the final 90 seconds. Taunton coach Dan Borges praised the play of midfielders Juliana Matos and Emily Calderon for helping the Tigers compete to the end.

Franklin, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of second half goals to maintain its perfect start to the season and hand Foxboro its first loss. Olivia Costa opened the scoring off a Norah Anderson assist and Costa then provided the assist for Selene Hammad’s goal that wrapped up the points for the Panthers. Franklin keeper Rachel Welch finished with six saves, while Foxboro’s Allie Sougaris made nine stops.

King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Taylor deVos scored a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting King Philip. deVos converted a free kick opportunity in the first half to give the Tigers the lead. King Philip’s goal was scored by Heidi Lawrence, finishing a Rihanna Mason corner five minutes into the second half to bring the game level. Shortly after that, deVos buried another shot, which proved to be the game-winner. Catie Wilson, Rhiya Fisher, and Lucinda Li Cotter all had strong games for OA. Janiya Matier made six saves in net for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield and North each scored in the opening 20 minutes of the game and split a point apiece. Meghan McCann scored her first varsity goal four minutes into the game, off an assist from freshman Alexandra Fernandes. Emma Pratt equalized for North 15 minutes later, finishing off a corner to make it 1-1.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sofia Goclowski and Autumn Simon each scored a brace to lift Sharon to its second win of the season, already matching its league win total from 2021. Taylor Standring and Jessica Li each recorded assists for the Eagles and Kate Goloboy earned the clean sheet in goal.

Golf
Milford, 151 @ Attleboro, 157 – Final – After back-to-back close losses, Milford got back into the win column with its second win over the Bombardiers this season. Junior Anthony LaPierre was the match medalist, firing a low-round of 35 at Stone-E-Lea. Nate Lawrence added a 36 and David Fleming came in with a 39 for the Scarlet Hawks. Carter Shelton paced the Bombardiers with a 38 while Leo Lombardo chipped in with a 39.

North Attleboro, 155 @ Stoughton, 190 – Final – Tyson Laviano and Dillon Harding shared medalist honors to pace North Attleboro to a win over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Laviano and Harding each fired a 38 in the win. Paul Medeiros had a team-low round of 45 for the Black Knights.

Foxboro, 172 @ Franklin, 149 – Final – Franklin junior CJ Steel fired a 35 to lead the Panthers to a win in their home opener at Franklin Country Club over visiting Foxboro. Steel, who had one birdie on the day, earned match medalist honors while Jack Hagerty added a 37, Tyler O’Brien shot a 38, and Brendan Collins finished with a 39. Mat Sullivan had a team-low round of 40 for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 162 @ Canton, 165 – Final – Mansfield had a trio of golfers all come in with a 40 to help the Hornets land a rare win for the visiting team at Blue Hill Country Club. Brendan Vokey, Jason Friedman, and Nate McClean each shot 40 in the win while Drew Urban chipped in with a 42. For Canton, Huck McCready earned match medalist honors after carding a 37 on the day. Brian Middleton added a 41, Brendan Tourgee chipped in with a 43, and both Joey Ryan and Teddy Shuman finished with a 44.

09/14/202209/15/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/14/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Canton, 1 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Canton found the net early in the second half for the lone goal of the game to secure a key two points on the road at Sharon. Senior Caden Mirliani nodded in a cross from classmate Jake McCabe minutes after the break for the only tally of the contest.

Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Taunton got a scoreless draw on the road at North to earn first-year head coach Dan Borges his first Hockomock point. North had a significant edge in shots but couldn’t convert any of their scoring chances, including a bid from Abi Pratt that hit the post and stayed out. Borges praised the play of Cali Melo and Christina DaCosta on the defensive end. Eighth grader Ashlyn Hebert earned her first career start and first career clean sheet in the Taunton goal.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Attleboro’s Marley Young scored once and recorded three more assists to lead the Bombardiers to a win over a gritty Stoughton squad. Siobhan Landers scored a pair of first quarter goals to set the tone for the Bombardiers while Alyvia Bessette, Nora Desrosiers, and Emilie Chartier each added one. Young added a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter for the visitors. For Stoughton, Katherine Giroux had an outstanding game offensively while Morgan Groppi and Nicole Reid also had strong outings.

King Philip, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – King Philip countered with three unanswered goals in the second half to take care of business on the road in Easton, earning a 3-1 decision over OA. Following a scoreless first half, the Tigers took the lead in the third quarter on a goal from Erin Cottam off a feed from Olivia Stevens. KP tied it before the end of the quarter and took its first lead going into the fourth, where they added a key insurance tally. Leah Santoro scored a pair of goals for the Warriors, Kelly Holmes added one, and sophomore Lucy Weineck added a strong all around performance in the win.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – A pair of second half goals and a few key saves in the final moments helped North Attleboro secure a win on the road in a competitive contest at Alumni Field. North registered 11 corners in the first half but couldn’t solve Mansfield’s defense and goalie Lily Danehy. The Rocketeers finally broke through with just under five minutes to go in the third as Francesca Spencer kept the play alive near the touchline and dropped a pass into the middle where Julia Puccio was able slide a low shot into the net. North added a key insurance goal as the clock ticked under two minutes to go in the game as Puccio got her second, finishing off an assist from Caitlin Vacher. Puccio and Rory McGinley made key stops on Mansfield corners (six total) in the final minutes to prevent a look at goal. Eman Farid (six saves) made multiple saves with a minute to go to preserve the win. Gracie Leary (two saves) and Farid combined for the shutout for North.

Franklin, 0 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final – For Taunton, Thal Nogueira, Kaysie DeMoura, and Caelen O’Leary all had strong performances.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Sharon senior Alejandra Aguilar scored moments into the game and that proved to be enough as the Eagles fended off visiting Milford. Aguilar carried possession from midfield into the attack before sliding a lot shot into the back of the net just 16 seconds into the game. Sharon’s Natalie Kessler recorded the shutout in net.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 3-0 sweep (25-19, 25-21, 25-23) on the road over Oliver Ames. Senior middle Emily Sawyer had 11 kills, four blocks, and four aces to lead the way for the Warriors. Senior Ahunna James added six kills, three blocks, and three aces, and senior Sami Shore recorded four kills and four blocks in the win. For Oliver Ames, junior Rachel Fleischman had a standout game defensively with 15 serve receptions, 12 digs, and three aces. Maddie Homer added 25 digs, Clare Kavoulis finished with 24 assists, and Sarah Hilliard recorded 14 kills.

Taunton @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.

Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final

Milford, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – After dropping the opening set, Mansfield rallied to win three straight — including a thrilling 26-24 win in the fourth set — to take down the visiting Rocketeers. Keira Fitzpatrick recorded eight digs and dished out 24 assists in a balanced attack for the Hornets. Elyssa Buchanan had 11 kills along with five digs, three aces, and two blocks, Lexie Scibilia added six blocks, five kills, and a pair of aces, and Lilly Verheggen finished with seven kills, four digs, and two aces for Mansfield.

Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Attleboro went on the road and prevailed in three sets against a tough Stoughton squad (25-19, 25-10, 27-25). Natalie Brojek set the offense in motion with 33 assists and had a stellar day at the service line with nine aces. Julia Leonardo (14 kills) and Addie Shelton (eight kills) led the charge offensively for the Bombardiers. For Stoughton, Patrik Oliviera and Jessie Queeney had strong defensive performances while Maya Ashu led the front row with a great offensive game.

Golf
Stoughton, 186 @ Sharon, 175 – Final

King Philip, 150 @ North Attleboro, 155 – Final

Attleboro, 173 @ Mansfield, 155 – Final – Mansfield earned its first win of the season by taking down visiting Attleboro at Norton Country Club. Senior Drew Urban and junior Cody Nieratko shared medalist honors for the Hornets, each coming in with a round of 38. Nathan McClean added a 39 in the win and Michael Creedon finished with a 40 on the day. Leo Lombardo led the Bombardiers with a team-low round of 39.

Canton, 165 @ Oliver Ames, 149 – Final – Oliver Ames had six golfers come in under 40 in a key win over division rival Canton in a battle of Davenport heavyweights. Junior Sean Kearns was the match medalist, shooting a low-round of 36 to lead the way for the Tigers. Junior David Rodgers chipped in with a 37 while seniors Noah Isleib and Michael McGinnis each shot a 38 to round out the scoring for OA. For Canton, Huck McCready continued his strong start to the season with a team-best round of 39 and Brian Middleton added a 41 for the Bulldogs.

Boys Cross Country
Franklin, 16 @ Attleboro, 45 – Final

Foxboro, 25 @ Canton, 32 – Final – Canton got strong runs from Riley Swearingen, Austin DiBasio, Dom Gray, Maks Alves, and Declan Monahan.

Milford, 26 @ North Attleboro, 29 – Final

Girls Cross Country
Franklin, 15 @ Attleboro, 50 – Final

Foxboro, 20 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Canton’s top finisher was Johanna Bouwmeester and freshman Maddie Driscoll had a solid race with an eighth-place finish.

Milford @ North Attleboro, 3:45

09/07/202209/08/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/07/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
King Philip, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – Behind a pair of first half goals and a shutout defensively, King Philip opened the season with a win over Bishop Feehan. The Warriors opened the scoring just inside 20 minutes in as Dermott Amorim set up Brad Lynn to make it 1-0 in the 17th minute. KP went on to double its lead shortly before halftime as Will Bowen finished off an assist from Matt Crago. The Warriors put the game away in the 62nd mintue when Neel McGrath nodded in a service from Bowen.

Canton, 0 vs. Braintree, 1 – Final

Franklin, 2 @ Xaverian, 0 – Final – Connor Brown had a dream start to his senior season, scoring both goals for the Panthers and putting in a strong performance all game long. Junior Andrew O’Neill registered an assist on the second goal for the Panthers.

Mansfield, 0 @ Wayland, 4 – Final

Girls Soccer
King Philip, 1 @ Hingham, 1 – Final – KP started the season with a very impressive point on the road against top-ranked Hingham. With 11 minutes to play, Ella Pisani hit a long, diagonal pass to Ailish McGowen on the left and she hit a 35-yard shot over the keeper’s head. Makenna Norrman made eight saves, including several diving stops to preserve a point for the Warriors. Grace Lawler and Rihanna Mason had strong games in back for KP.

Mansfield, 0 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Feehan scored twice in the second half to pull out the win against Mansfield. A young Hornets roster battled with one of the highly-ranked teams in the state and showed that it can compete at that level. Goalie Olivia Salisbury made a handful of top-level saves and the center back pairing of Kara Santos and freshman Olivia Dunham also had a strong game against Feehan’s attack.

Milford, 2 vs. Norton, 2 – Final – Milford twice held a lead against Norton and walked away with a point in the season opener. Serena Borges put the Hawks ahead with a 30-yard free kick. Norton tied the game in the second half but Milford regained the advantage with 10 minutes play on Dani Atherton’s first goal of the season. With three minutes to play, the Lancers were able to score again to share a point apiece. Milford freshman goalie Chloe Murdock made 10 saves on her debut before leaving in the second half with an injury.

Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 3 @ Dartmouth, 3 – Final – North Attleboro found the back of the net twice in the opening quarter but needed a goal midway through the fourth to earn a tie on the road at Dartmouth. The Rocketeers opened the scoring just under five minutes in when Ava Spencer finished off a pass from Caroline Folan. After the hosts tied the game, Spencer returned the favor to Folan on a corner to give North the lead back with less than a minute to go in the quarter. Dartmouth tied the game in the second and took its first lead in the third but Folan’s second goal of the game (assisted by Julia Puccio) with 7:44 left brought the Big Red level. Gracie Leary made five saves in net for North, Francesca Spencer had a strong performance on the right wing, and both Ella Luistro and Ava Mckeon played well defensively.

Sharon, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Caelyn O’Leary registered four points and Sophia Cabral scored a pair of goals as Taunton rolled to a big win in its first game of the season. O’Leary opened the scoring (from Jillian Emond) and then assisted on goals from Olivia Reposa, Cabral, and Ayla Jackson. Cabral also netted an unassisted goal to make it 4-0. Jasmine Lucier had the shutout in net while Thal Nogueira, Caroline Vallarelli, and Sydney Moreton played well for the Tigers.

Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match.

Cross Country
Attleboro @ Bishop Feehan, 3:45
Milford @ Hopedale, 3:45
Stoughton @ West Bridgewater, 3:45

Golf
Attleboro, 169 @ Milford, 163 – Final – Milford got its season underway by earning a win over visiting Attleboro at Hopedale Country Club. Jacob Hipolito and David Fleming led the way for the Scarlet Hawks, each shooting a low-round of 40. Attleboro’s Leo Lombardo was the match medalist, carding a 37 on the day.

King Philip, 151 @ Oliver Ames, 146 – Final – Oliver Ames won its second match in a row to start the season, this time knocking off a strong King Philip squad in a crossover contest. Seniors Michael McGinnis and Daniel Paul shared match medalist honors along with King Philip’s Cam Hasenfus as all three shot a 36 on the day. Juniors Lucas Riley and David Rodgers rounded out the scoring for the Tigers, each coming in at 37 for the day.

Franklin, 151 @ North Attleboro, 152 – Final – Franklin grabbed a pair of wins on the day, including a one-stroke win over North Attleboro in a huge division showdown. Tyler O’Brien hit back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to finish with a team-low round of 36 for the Panthers. Jack Hagerty and Brendan Collins both fired a 38 and CJ Steel and Liam Lewandowski both came in at 39 for the day. North Attleboro’s Tyson Laviano was the match medalist with a low-round of 35 at Wentworth Hills. Caiden Albergio added a 38 and Jordan Paradis shot a 39 for North.

Taunton, 184 @ North Attleboro, 152 – Final

Taunton, 184 vs. Franklin, 151 – Final

Stoughton @ Mansfield – Postponed to TBD.

Sharon, 184 @ Canton, 162 – Final – Canton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Sharon at Blue Hill Country Club. Sophomore Huck McCready had the best round of the day, firing a match medalist round of 38. Brendan Tourgee added a 40 for Canton while both Brian Middleton and Joey Ryan came in at 42. Sharon’s Dylan Cummings, Reid Nierman, Mihir Basil, and Patrick Dykeman all shot 46.

03/21/2022

Three-Peat Bid Dashed as Canton Falls to Tewksbury

Canton boys hockey — Canton junior Jack Digirolamo tries to redirect a shot in the second period against Tewksbury. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BOSTON, Mass. – Throughout its postseason run, Canton has been able to put teams on their heels almost from the drop of the puck and has mostly played from in front. On Saturday evening at the TD Garden, it was Tewksbury that got off to the quick start and the Bulldogs were never able to fully recover.

In a rematch of the 2019 Div. 2 title game, the Redmen came out with extra energy, scored twice in the first period and then held on in the third to secure a 3-1 win. Tewksbury clinched its first title since 2011, ended Canton’s win streak at 22 games, its postseason win streak at 13 games, and its bid at a third straight state championship.

“It was a heck of a hockey game,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I think two of the better hockey teams in the state made it this far and Tewksbury came as advertised, outstanding team, especially on the back end, made it really hard to get any offense going in this game and then when you did get a couple opportunities against them their goalie made some great saves.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

He added, “Incredibly proud of our guys battling. It could’ve unraveled there when we went down 2-0 but we fought.”

It didn’t take the top seed long to show its intent to put pressure on the Canton defense. Jason Cooke forced a turnover in the attacking zone and fired a shot that freshman goalie Colin Davis turned aside with his blocker.

A couple minutes later, the Redmen took the lead. Caden Connors split a pair of Canton defensemen to get in on goal. He dragged Davis away from the net with a nice deke and the loose puck was knocked into the empty net by Matthew Cooke.

Things seemed to be just a little bit off for the Bulldogs. Passes didn’t seem quite as crisp or as accurate and pucks just seemed to be rolling off the blade at crucial times. Still, Canton kept battling and trying to create chances. Eddie Gillis set up a couple of shots, one from the blue line for Ryan Doucette and another on the forehand for AJ Thoams but Benjamin O’Keefe saved them both.

Davis came up with a big save with four minutes left in the first, as he stayed strong to deny a point-blank tip from Jason Cooke. Canton picked up a penalty on the back check and Tewksbury took advantage of the extra skater to double the lead. Connors again showed off his stick skills, weaving his way through three players before dragging it to the backhand while falling and depositing it in the open net.

“They did exactly what you want to do in a game like that, which is get the puck in the other team’s zone and keep it there for a while,” Shuman said about Tewksbury’s fast start. “Our goalie made some big saves. They set the tone for the game and, when that happens, it takes a little while to claw back in it, but I thought we did.”

Canton had a couple of chances at the end of the first. Eamon Kelly took a hit and forced a blocker save out of O’Keefe from the slot and Brennen Pecararo tried to match Connors with a dangle through the legs of the defensemen but O’Keefe closed down the five-hole.

Although shots were nearly even in the first (10-9), Tewksbury seemed to be creating more clear-cut chances. That continued at the start of the second. Another turnover gifted Cooke with a chance from close range that Davis saved. Two minutes in, Justin Rooney had a shot deflected and Doucette had to clear the rebound from the crease.

Brendan Tourgee tried to get things going with a steal in the neutral zone and a shorthanded slap shot that was partially blocked and kicked away by O’Keefe. With seven minutes left in the period, Canton had a great chance to get back into the game. Patrick Drurry’s shot from the left wing boards was kicked right to the stick of Brian Middleton in the slot, but the sophomore’s wrister was snagged by O’Keefe’s quick glove.

There were signs that the Bulldogs had turned the tide a little and they got a huge opportunity with their first power play. Sean Connolly twice had shots from the point saved, despite Jack Digirolamo providing a net-front presence, and Kelly forced a save with a wraparound try. Pecararo then hit Thomas right on the edge of the crease but again the Tewksbury goalie was there.

Canton made the breakthrough midway through the third period. Gillis collected the puck in the slot and slid a perfect pass into the path of an onrushing Thomas, who slammed in a one-timer to cut the lead to 2-1 with 7:13 to play.

“AJ’s had a great year,” Shuman said. “I think he surprised some people early on but he didn’t surprise anyone in our locker room. He’s got such a quick shot and he’s truly talented around the net.”

The spark of life from Canton was short-lived. In fact, it was Tewksbury that seemed to get a boost. Tyler Barnes spun and fired off a quick shot that Davis did well to turn aside, Ryan Flynn jumped on a mistake to race in alone but smacked the bar, and then Barnes got behind the defense on another breakaway only for Davis to shut down the five-hole and keep the Bulldogs in it.

With Canton pressing forward in the final minute and the net empty, Connors was able to break free down the left wing and he sealed the win for the Redmen.

When asked what it meant to be back playing at the Garden, especially after the Bulldogs were denied that opportunity in 2020, Shuman said, “Give me this any day of the week, to be here and give the kids the chance to play in this wonderful place, this amazing venue, and it’s just great to be back playing postseason sports. There’s nothing like it.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Canton (22-3-1) has lost only four games in the past four seasons, including two unbeaten campaigns. In that span, the Bulldogs have won four league titles, extended their win streak in the Hockomock League to 43 games, won two state titles, made three state title game appearances, and compiled a remarkable record of 79-4-6.

“It’s a testament to the kids that we have,” Shuman said about the sustained success of the program. “You look up in the stands there and you see all these Canton youth hockey players and these younger players from Canton that dream about being out there and they work hard so that they can make it out there and they work hard so they can make our program great when they do make it here.

“I think it’s a community effort and a community love for the sport and I think it just feeds itself.”

03/09/202203/10/2022

Thomas Nets Twice, Canton Continues Title Defense

CANTON, Mass. – It took a few minutes for Canton to find its footing in Wednesday night’s Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen matchup with No. 14 seed Plymouth North at the Canton Ice House. The Bulldogs found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 power play and their play didn’t have its typical sharpness.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

But, the Bulldogs still found the breakthrough midway through the first and then took full control of the game with a two-goal burst in the final minute of the period, including a goal from AJ Thomas with no time on the clock. That surge turned out to be decisive, as the two-time defending state champs would hold off the Eagles for a 4-1 victory.

Canton extended its win streak this season to 20 games and its playoff win streak to 11 games, going back to the D2 South semifinal in 2018.

“It started off well and then some penalties and stuff that kind of took us out of our rhythm, but they’re a good team,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “They worked hard from start to finish and they played with more of a sense of urgency when they were down but we had our chances. We had plenty of chances and their goalie played very well.”

The game got off to a sluggish start in part because, before either team had gotten into a flow, there were three penalties called in the opening four minutes. Canton was spent almost 90 seconds down two players, but managed to kill off the Plymouth North power play and keep the game scoreless. It was a big early boost.

“Credit to our guys killing off that 5-on-3, that was huge,” said Shuman. “You still see some nervous energy out there with some of our younger guys and we just have to battle through it and not find ourselves in the penalty box early in the game. Credit to our PK team, they did a great job killing those early ones off.”

Patrick Drury had one of the few good chances early in the game for Canton when his shot from the right wing circle forced a pad save out of Kaden Bono. About two minutes later, Canton had the lead. Eddie Gillis blocked a clearance in the slot, spun quickly and snapped off a shot that went inches wide. The Bulldogs kept battling to keep the puck in deep and Gillis wound up in the right spot to jam in a shot at the near post.

Things started to click into gear as time went on in the first. James Young made a nice pass up the far boards into the path of Andrew Valkanas, who raced down the left wing and forced another good pad save from Bono.

Canton’s best passing move of the night led to the second goal. Brendan Tourgee drove forward through the neutral zone and flipped a pass out to the left to Eamon Kelly, who in turn dropped a pass into the path of defenseman Brennen Pecararo. The senior, who played juniors for his first three seasons and started the season as a forward, smashed his one-timer past Bono.

“As soon as we moved him back to D, the third or fourth game, things have really settled down back there,” Shuman said of Pecararo. “He’s just a really strong defender but he sees the ice really well, can move the puck, and he’s been a real offensive and defensive strength for us this year.”

The Bulldogs beat the buzzer to add to the lead. Brian Middleton took a perfect outlet pass right down the middle but his breakaway opportunity was denied by Bono. Thomas was hustling to follow up the play and he was able to collect the rebound and snipe the top far corner just before the horn sounded.

Leading 3-0, Canton could’ve relaxed but the Bulldogs came out aggressive to start the second. Jay Kelleher held a puck in at the blue line and set up Thomas going to the net only for Bono to make a good stop.

Three minutes into the second, Thomas had another chance saved. The loose puck popped out to Pecararo pinching in but his shot just missed the open net. Thomas continued to fight for the puck on the side of the net and roofed a shot for his second and the team’s fourth.

Valkanas teed up Tourgee for a quick release shot that forced a pad stop from Bono and Pecararo later kept a puck in the zone to set up Thomas for a chance at a hat trick but the Eagles’ goalie made another good save.

The visitors would be outshot 32-19 for the game but weren’t without chances of their own. Evan Hallissey and Kevin Norwood both gave the Canton defense some issues with their speed but freshman Colin Davis continued to be a rock in goal, denying the Eagles from close range on several chances over the final two periods.

Plymouth North did get some momentum before the end of the second. Josh Bates had a steal at the blue line and raced forward for a shorthanded breakaway and he ripped it high to the glove side to make it 4-1.

Rather than let the Eagles build on that momentum in the third, Davis and the Canton defense were able to largely keep things tight in the defensive zone and the attackers were able to keep pressure down the other end of the ice.

There weren’t a lot of great chances for Canton, Valkanas had one shot saved and nearly connected with Tourgee right in front and Kelly forced a nice blocker save after a steal, but the Bulldogs remained in control throughout.

Shuman explained, “Those games are often tough, when you get up early on a team, desperation kicks in on their side, they really elevate their game, and that’s what happened to Plymouth North. They really elevated their game in the second and third period, in particular, and I thought our guys did a good job of still controlling the play and getting some chances.”

Canton (20-2-1) will face No. 6 seed Walpole in the D2 quarterfinal at a date, time, and location to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

03/02/2022

Canton Dominates Plymouth South in Return to Playoffs

CANTON, Mass. – While tournament success is nothing new for Canton, including back-to-back state titles in 2019 and 2020, a season lost to the pandemic means that many of the Bulldogs on the ice for Wednesday night’s Div. 2 first round visit of Plymouth South to the Metropolis Rink were getting their first taste of the playoffs.

There may have been a lot of new names and faces, but the result looked very familiar.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Canton dominated from start to finish, scoring twice in the first period and outshooting Plymouth South 47-8 to earn a 3-0 victory and advance to the round of 16. In the process, the Bulldogs earned their 19th straight win this season and avenged a loss to the Panthers from the 2018 South semifinal, which was the last time anyone beat Canton in the playoffs (10 straight wins and counting).

“It was the first real postseason game for a lot of those guys in there due to forces beyond their control,” Canton coach Brian Shuman explained. “Even though you may have played playoffs in your youth hockey days, there’s nothing like playing a high school playoff game and I thought they played very well.”

The Bulldogs may have had some nervous energy on the bench, but on the ice they jumped right into top gear. Canton outshot the Panthers 17-3 in the first period. AJ Thomas had a great scoring chance inside the opening minute when he stole the puck in the left wing circle and charged towards goal only to be denied by Plymouth South goalie Tristian Holmes.

Canton opened the scoring after nearly three minutes. Patrick Drury had the first effort from the side of the net, but Holmes made a good stop. With the puck sitting on the edge of the crease, Brian Middleton crashed the net and buried the rebound from close-range for his first career playoff goal.

Brendan Tourgee created the second goal six minutes later. He collected the puck in his own zone and danced through almost the entire Plymouth South team to get a clean look on goal. He didn’t get all of the shot and Holmes made the save but the rebound was loose and Thomas was first to react. Thomas didn’t get a lot on his shot but it was enough to push it past the leg of the goalie to double the lead.

“I think in a first round playoff game, in particular, it’s good to have a good opening five, 10 minutes,” Shuman said about Canton’s push from the opening face-off. “Even if you don’t get a goal, it’s good to put the pressure on.

Chances kept coming for the Bulldogs. Sean Connolly made a rush up ice and teed up Thomas for a chance, but Holmes covered up the five hole. Tourgee again showed off his strength on the puck to get loose in the slot and he flipped a pass to Andrew Valkanas but again the visiting goalie made the stop.

The second period seemed to be played at a slower pace, but with Canton still firmly in control. Drury did well to keep a puck in along the boards to create a chance in front that Holmes stopped. Valkanas had another good look with a shot from the right wing circle only to have Holmes flash the blocker.

With 5:38 left in the second, Eamon Kelly, one of the few Bulldogs with any significant postseason playing time prior to this season, put the game away. He dragged the puck past a Plymouth South defenseman in the right wing circle and then roofed his backhand shot, giving the goalie no chance.

Colin Davis (eight saves) was largely a spectator in the Canton goal, but he kept his concentration to come up with a big stop to deny Kenneth Thurston when the Panthers forward skated onto a loose puck on the edge of the crease. He picked up the first playoff shutout of his career.

One of the traits that made Canton so tough to handle in its last two playoff runs was that the Bulldogs maintained their pressure for the full three periods. The current crop of Bulldogs showed a similar attitude in the third.

“One of the things we kept saying was try to get the next one, play it like it’s 0-0,” said Shuman. “We got the third goal and there was still a lot of nervous energy on the bench and it’s natural in a first round game to never feel comfortable and a way to try and be more comfortable is to go out and just keep playing, keep pushing.

Kelly created a great chance a few minutes in when he slipped a pass into the path of Valkanas, who in turn moved the puck to Tourgee for a shot on goal. Kelly also set up Connolly for a wrister through a crowd that forced Holmes into a good pad stop. Valkanas continued to be a pest in the attacking zone and had another chance right in front stuffed with six minutes to go.

Shuman said, “It was 3-0 but I think we had plenty of opportunities, plenty of chances, and their goalie played great. They’re a good team, they had a great end to the season (finishing 7-3 after a 1-11 start). It was just a good hockey game.

Canton (19-2-1) keeps its title defense alive and advances to the Round of 16 to face the winner of No. 14 Plymouth North and No. 19 Concord-Carlisle at a date, time, and location to be determined.

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01/12/202201/13/2022

Tourgee, Blake Net Canton Comeback Win Against KP

CANTON, Mass. – Despite Canton dominating play in the third period and holding King Philip to just two shots in the final 15 minutes, the Warriors went into the final three minutes holding onto a one-goal lead. It would be a rare win for KP in the series, a rare win for any Hockomock League team against the Bulldogs, and a chance to take a big early step towards a second straight league title.

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But, there is a reason that Canton went into Wednesday night’s game at the Metropolis Rink having won 36 straight league games. The Bulldogs scored a pair of goals in 1:39, completed a comeback after being down two goals twice in the game, and pulled out a dramatic 4-3 victory.

“It’s huge for our psyche,” Canton coach Brian Shuman said. “It’s good for our guys to see that they can come from two goals down. Hopefully they’re not in that position too often, but it’s still good to build that mental toughness.”

After the game, KP coach Paul Carlow rued the missed opportunity to grab a lead in the Kelley-Rex division, even if it is just three games into the league campaign.

“They pinned us in in the third,” he explained. “They outshot us and outplayed us in the third period. Instead of continuing to take it to them, it felt like we were more trying to hang on. That never works.”

It was all KP at the start of the game. The Warriors came out flying and needed only 27 seconds to pick up the opening goal. Shaun Fitzpatrick did good work down the right wing, driving at the net and drawing a couple of Canton defensemen. He flipped the puck out in front to Sean Crowther, who sent the puck through a crowd of legs across the crease where James Boldy was standing all alone to tap into the empty net.

Rather than being a wake up call for the home team, the goal seemed to spur the Warriors on for more. Fiztpatrick collected the puck against the right wing boards and turned towards goal. He had a free path right at Canton goalie Aiden French (18 saves) and stuffed the puck under the pads to make it 2-0 less than six minutes in.

Shuman said, “KP does a great job of getting pucks and bodies to the net and you saw that on the first goal. That’s their bread and butter and we struggled with that mightily tonight. We just weren’t tough enough out in front, we were puck watching, and losing guys. They play a tough brand of hockey.”

KP got a chance on the power play midway through the first and Max Robison forced French into a tough save on a shot from the point. Canton cleared the rebound. It was one of a couple chances that the Warriors had to try and extend the lead, but the Bulldogs held on and got the kill.

Only 13 seconds after getting back to even strength, Canton was on the board. AJ Thomas’ pressure on the forecheck caused a turnover in the attacking zone. His first shot from point-blank range was stopped by KP goalie Kyle Abbott (28 saves) but Thomas stuck with it and knocked in the rebound, cutting the lead in half.

The goal seemed to give Canton momentum, as the Bulldogs went into the locker room on the front foot, but it didn’t carry over to the second period. Only nine seconds elapsed before KP added a third. Boldy snapped off a wrsiter just as he was entering the zone on the left wing and French appeared to be unsighted as the puck flew under the bar on the stick side.

“We had some really good chances and then didn’t convert,” said Carlow. “Canton had the momentum off the kill and then I think they scored the very next shift and now it’s a one-goal game. We got a goal to start the second and I think we just kind of ran out of gas.”

Canton needed a spark. Sophomore Brendan Tourgee nearly had a quick response when he sailed into the zone, split a pair of defensemen and got off a backhand shot from a tight angle that Abbott kept out. Sam Carlino had a partial break for the Bulldogs but Robison hustled back to get a piece of the shot from the right face-off dot.

The Bulldogs were able to cut into the lead midway through the second. After a couple of shots from the point by Sean Connolly that Abbott pushed aside, they swung it across the blue line to Ryan Doucette. His shot was heading wide of the post but sophomore Brian Middleton was able to get a telling touch on it to sneak it past Abbott low at the near post.

“To get one there was big and that line of Middleton, (Patrick) Drury, and Blake continue to get it done and I think our other guys can learn a little bit from them because they’re having success and getting big goals just by getting to the tough, dirty areas,” said Shuman.

KP tried to hold on in the third, blocking shots and trying to keep the Bulldogs away from the crease. Eddie Gillis nearly set up Thomas for a tying goal, but Abbott stayed with the tip in front and kept it out. Tourgee then showed off his strength on the puck, holding off two defensemen to allow the Bulldogs to get back onside and then turning into the zone, forcing Abbott into a good save with his shoulder.

Connolly had another shot from the point that forced Abbott into a save. Tommy Phaneuf corralled the rebound in front but was pressured off the puck and couldn’t get a shot on target.

While the chances were piling up, the clock was winding down. Finally, with 2:42 to play. Tourgee found the back of the net. He dragged the puck through a stick check on the left wing boards and then angled towards goal. His backhand shot through the crease somehow snuck through a thicket of legs and found the far corner.

“He’s so gifted on the puck,” Shuman said of Tourgee. “He’s strong on the puck, he’s fast, he’s just got a nose for the net. I think he’s got to trust getting pucks to the net instead of always trying to pick those corners because you can see how offensively gifted he is.”

The pressure continued, as Canton outshot KP 13-3 in the final period. With 1:03 to go, the Bulldogs got the winner. Brennen Pecararo dropped a pass back to sophomore Colin Blake and he pounced on the chance in the slot, slamming the puck into the back of the net.

KP had one last look with the goalie pulled and less than 10 seconds on the clock, but Brad Guden’s shot from the point hit a body to the side of the post and ricocheted into the corner.

“We just got off to a tough start this year with injuries and illness,” Carlow said. “I think we had eight out sick the first week of the season, so we got off to a tough start and we’re just trying to get rolling.”

Canton (4-2-1) will be back home on Saturday afternoon to face Mansfield, which was the last team to hand the Bulldogs a league loss back in February 2017. King Philip (2-4-1) returns to Canton on Saturday night, this time at the IcePlex, to take on Archbishop Williams.

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