North Attleboro sophomore quarterback Chase Frisoli releases a pass just before being tackled by Taunton junior Bryan Joanis in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. — You never know what to expect in a Hockomock League game.
North Attleboro sophomore Austin Clemente booted a 24-yard field goal with 9:33 left in the fourth quarter and senior Ayden Delaney blocked Taunton’s potential game-tying field goal attempt with 3:08 to play and the Rocketeers walked away with a hard-fought 3-0 win over the Tigers.
Taunton entered the contest averaging over 30 points per game while North Attleboro averaged just a hair under 22 points through its first five contests. Both teams had scored at least two touchdowns in every game this season.
But Friday night the spotlight belonged to the defenses — and special teams — as the Rocketeers earned their first shutout in three years. North limited the Tigers to under 200 yards of total offense, while Taunton kept the Rocketeers in check by doing the same.
“We knew this was going to be a grind,” said North Attleboro head coach Mike Strachan. “Our defense played really strong. I thought we stopped the run up front by mixing up a lot of fronts. It’s a great win on the road like we’ve done all year so I’m really proud of our defense and our kids.
“They’re physical and this Taunton team is a legit team. You saw a battle up front with the lines tonight. I thought [Greg] Berthiaume and [Ryan] Bannon played phenomenal and our secondary played great. I knew it’d come down to the wire but if you told me it was going to be a 3-0 game, I wouldn’t have believed you because they have athletes everywhere so I’m super proud of our kids.”
On top of Delaney’s key block, senior Greg Berthiaume blocked Taunton’s 37-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. North also forced four punts and one turnover on downs, which was a pivotal stop in the fourth.
Taunton’s defense certainly played well enough to win as well. Senior Ethan Harris had a pair of interceptions, and the Tigers forced a turnover on downs in the second quarter and forced three punts. Even North’s only points came after Taunton stood tall with a stop inside their own 10-yard line.
“Our kids came to play on defense,” said Taunton head coach Brad Sidwell. “We had that turnover on downs in the red zone, add in two interceptions…we just couldn’t quite get it going offensively. We couldn’t get a manageable third down, it was always a long one. We executed but they made some plays against us there at the end.”
Fast forward to the drive that resulted in the only points of the game. North’s defense forced a quick three-and-out after a third down sack from seniors Kaiden Leary and Zach Gallagher.
Despite a first down sack from Tanner Brannon, North Attleboro sophomore Chase Frisoli delivered a perfect third-down pass to Jovany Rivera to get the drive going. An offside gifted North a first down and then Frisoli dropped a perfect pass down the right sideline — a split second before pressure from Taunton’s Bryan Joanis — into the hands of Bryce Kiser for a 35-yard completion down to the Taunton 7-yard line.
A holding call backed North up, but Frisoli hooked up with Kiser again to get back to the 7-yard line, but good defense on third down by Taunton’s MMckyen Gonsalves forced an incompletion. With a good hold from Kyle Conroy, Clemente split the uprights for a 3-0 lead with 9:28 to play.
Taunton moved into North territory quickly on the ensuing drive as Malachi Johnson returned the pooch kick to the 43-yard line. A 10-yard pass and catch from Jacob Leonard to Jose Touron moved the sticks, and Johnson rattled off a 19-yard gain. After back-to-back short gains, Ryan Bannon swatted down a third down pass attempt and a fourth down pass play fell incomplete for a turnover on downs at the North 24-yard line.
But on second down of North’s ensuing drive, Harris wrestled away his second interception of the game on a short pass to the right sideline and returned it all the way to the 9-yard line for a first-and-goal scenario. A jet sweep only got a yard, and back-to-back runs up the middle totaled four yards.
Taunton’s attempt at a 21-yard field goal to tie it was blocked by Delaney, who came up the middle and got his hand to it. North took over at the 20-yard line and fed Nathan Shultz (14 carries, 74 yards) to a pair of first downs to run out the clock.
“With five minutes left to go and they have first and goal, and four tries against this Taunton team and how athletic they are…I thought our defense played tremendous,” Strachan said. “We practice that, and I tell the kids every day we have to practice the way we play. Those are the things that we practice and we executed, I was really happy to pull that out.”
Taunton considered going for it on fourth but elected for the field goal attempt from Sete Deletoile, which was essentially the same distance as an extra point.
“I thought we were playing tough and that’s an extra point, we have to be able to make an extra point,” Sidwell said. “If we scored, we would have had to kick it from there too. The fact that it was blocked was frustrating, [Deletoille] has done great for us, I don’t blame him. I’m proud of our kids, we just have to keep fighting. It’s a playoff atmosphere for the rest of the games we have left, it has to be.
North’s defense started strong by forcing a punt on Taunton’s opening drive, but the Rocketeers’ ensuing drive was cut short when Harris read a dump off and picked it off. Despite starting at the North 38-yard line, the Tigers went backward and had to punt.
“They are a good team, they ran the ball hard,” Sidwell said of North. “When we had to, we bowed up but offensively we just couldn’t quite punch it in. They were good inside and they covered our receivers, they made it hard for the quarterback to get the ball to them. We didn’t make too many mistakes, just couldn’t get the ball to them.”
North advanced into the red zone on its third series of the game and hurried to the line on 4th and short at the Tiger 9-yard line but a QB sneak was stuffed by Ryan MacDougall and Elijah Prophete for a turnover on downs.
Bryan Batista and Johnson helped move the Tigers down the field, a 17-yard catch and a 24-yard catch both from Touron moved the sticks twice but the drive stalled and a 47-yard field goal attempt with a minute left in the half was short.
North Attleboro football (1-2 Hock, 4-2 overall) returns to Community Field next week to host first-place King Philip. Taunton (0-3, 4-3) hits the road with a visit to Attleboro.
Football
Taunton, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. 1st Quarter: (T) Dmitrius Shearrion 79-yard rush, XP no good; (T) Malachi Johnson 38-yard rush, Sete Deletoille XP good; (OA) Chad Silva 1-yard rush, C. Silva 2-point rush; (T) Bryan Batista 1-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) M. Johnson 30-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good; (T) Jacob Leonard 47-yard pass to Jose Touron, XP no good; (T) B. Batista 5-yard rush, 2-point conversion no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) B. Batista 1-yard rush, Abby Doherty XP good; (OA) Brian Silva 5-yard pass to CJ Crocker, XP no good.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – North led by two goals early, allowed Sharon to score three straight to grab the lead, and then rallied with a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes to pull out the win. Clara Giuliano opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing off a pass from Angelina Bostock. Samantha Hardy doubled North’s advantage in the 18th minute off of an assist from Caroline Ferrin. Sofia Goclowski sandwiched a brace for the Eagles around a goal from Autumn Simon while Carly Pinnix had a pair of assists. After Sharon took the lead in the 70th minute, Giuliano pulled the Rocketeers level on a shot from 25 yards out in the 76th minute. Just a minute later, Hardy headed in a cross from Lily Adams for the winner.
Field Hockey
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Attleboro scored three goals in each half on its way to a win at home over visiting Milford. Stella Krawiec, Marley Young, and Siobhan Landers each scored a pair of goals and had an assist to pace the offense. Alyvia Bessette also had an assist for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Franklin, 6 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Franklin’s Haley Wernig scored a pair of second quarter goals inside a five minute span to give the Panthers some breathing room and Kaitlyn Carney’s third quarter tally added key insurance as Franklin survived a tough test from King Philip. The teams traded goals in the first quarter with Payten Crandall’s first goal of the game giving the visitors the lead. Wernig scored twice in the second to take the lead again before KP got one back, cutting the Panthers’ lead to 3-2 at half. Carney scored the lone goal of the third to make it 4-2, and Crandall’s second of the game late in the fourth pushed it to 5-2. KP pulled one back but Franklin once again responded with a goal with just over two minutes to play from Chloe Essam. Leah Santoro, Makenzie McDevitt and Lauren Barriero each had a goal for the Warriors. Devon Barry made six saves in net for Franklin while Haley Bright turned away nine shots for KP.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Julia Puccio had a hand in all six of the Rocketeers’ goals, leading the way to a big win on the road. Puccio scored three — the opening goal just under four minutes into the game (from Kelsey Thompson), the third goal of the game on a corner with 30 seconds left in the first half (from Ella Luistro), and the sixth and final, a strike with three minutes to play in the third assisted by Caroline Folan. Carrying a 1-0 lead into the second quarter, Thompson scored off of a corner, Madison Folan added one with 5:20 to go. Caitlin Vacher converted a pass from Puccio with 5:57 left in the third to make it 5-0. Gracie Leary and Eman Farid combined for the shutout for North.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final
Mansfield, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro defended its home turf with its third straight shutout and 10th of the season in a 5-0 win over Mansfield. Mary Collins paced the offense with a hat trick while Mya Waryas and Mia Dinunzio each scored once for the Warriors.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon rallied to win the third set to keep the match alive but Canton closed out in impressive fashion to secure a 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 25-7) win on the road, avenging a loss to the Eagles from earlier this season. Jess Wright had a great game for the Bulldogs, recording 14 kills, 19 digs, four aces, and a block. Erin Bigham ran the offense with 33 assists and chipped in with a pair of kills while Sally Hoban added 11 kills and a pair of blocks. Haley Duhaime, Riley Costa, and Melanie McDonough provided a spark and played good defense for Canton.
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – In a great back-and-forth battle, Foxboro emerged with a hard-fought 3-1 (25-23, 27-29, 27-25, 25-21) win over Mansfield in a battle of evenly matched teams. Sami Sloan led the charge offensively for the Warriors with 17 kills and five aces, Juliana Petigrew added eight kills, six digs, and five aces, and Mallorie Meyer chipped in with six kills, two aces, and 13 digs. Alyssa Cloherty ran the offense with 37 assists and three aces. Lauren Rubicine had 16 digs, five aces, and four kills for the Hornets, Elyssa Buchanan added four kills, four digs, and three blocks, Keira Fitzpatrick dished out 13 assists and had 10 digs, and Lily Campbell added seven blocks, five digs, three kills, and a pair of aces.
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Attleboro cruised to back-to-back wins to finish out a 3-1 (25-5, 21-25, 25-8, 25-8) win over visiting Milford. It was a strong all-around performance for the Bombardiers with Julia Leonardo (21 kills, seven aces), Addie Shelton (10 kills), Ellie Shelton (four aces, two kills), and Tigin Bombardier (four kills) playing well offensively. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense with 35 assists along with 10 aces while Sadie Whitmarsh notched 20 digs to anchor the defense.
North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15
Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match. – Stoughton tied the match at 1-1 after rallying to take the second set, but Oliver Ames closed it out with two straight set wins for a 3-1 (25-16, 24-26, 25-12, 25-22) decision. Sarah Hilliard (22 kills) and Courtney Raymond (10 kills, six aces) paced the attack while Maddie Homer (41 digs) and Megan MacDonald anchored the defense for the Tigers.
Golf
Foxboro, 91 @ Stoughton, 96 – Final (5 holes) – In a rain-shortened match, Foxboro pulled out a close win over Stoughton. Patrick Callahan and Louis Carangelo each shot 22 through the first five to lead the way for the Warriors and Mat Sullivan carded a 23. Stoughton’s Joe Rush and James Spector each shot 22 through five as well.
North Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:00
Taunton, 179 @ King Philip, 154 – Final – King Philip closed out its regular season schedule with a non-league win over Taunton. Freshman Evan Regan fired a two-over par medalist round of 37 to lead the way for the Warriors. Senior Gavin Croke added a 38, Ethan Sullivan shot a 39, and Cameron Hasenfus finished with a 40.
Football
King Philip, 14 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final 1Q: (KP) Kyle Abbott 46-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good.
2Q: No scoring.
3Q: (KP) Will Astorino 32-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
4Q: (A) Matt Harvie 33-yard pass to Anthony Salviati, Josue Salguero XP good.
Canton, 7 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (OA) Chad Silva 3-yard rush, Nick Ferrini XP good; (OA) Wayne Casey 21-yard pass to C. Silva, XP blocked.
2nd Quarter: (C) Godson Ofonagoro 13-yard rush, Hayden Rose XP good; (OA) W. Casey 10-yard pass to C. Silva, Conversion no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Foxboro, 31 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (F) Lincoln Moore 1-yard rush, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2Q: (F) L. Moore 2-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) Mike Marcucella 29-yard pass to Nolan Gordon, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 9-yard pass to Jaden Becker, S. Carpenter XP good.
3Q: (F) S. Carpenter 30-yard field goal.
4Q: No scoring.
Franklin, 35 @ Taunton, 14 – Final 1Q: (T) Malachi Johnson 8-yard rush, Sete Deletoile XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 12-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, Garrett Portesi XP good; (T) Bryan Batista 1-yard rush, S. Deletoile XP good.
2Q: (F) J. Lyons 25-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
3Q: (F) J. Lyons 61-yard pass to L. Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
4Q: (F) J. Lyons 13-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good; (F) L. Davis 30-yard interception return, G. Portesi XP good.
Mansfield, 24 @ Haverford (PA), 14 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Conner Zukowski 25-yard pass to Trevor Foley, Travis Hennessey XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 20-yard pass to T. Foley, T. Hennessey XP good.
2nd Quarter: (H) Wright 1-yard rush, XP no good; (M) C. Zukowski 6-yard pass to T. Foley, T. Hennessey XP good.
3rd Quarter: (H) Wright 8-yard pass to Marciano, 2-point conversion good.
4th Quarter: (M) T. Hennessey 21-yard field goal.
North Attleboro, 15 @ Milford, 33 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (M) Evan Cornelius 1-yard rush, XP failed; (M) Nicholas Araujo 43-yard field goal.
3Q: (M) N. Araujo 40-yard field goal; (NA) Greg Berthiaume blocked punt fumble recovery in the end zone, G. Berthiaume 2pt rush; (NA) Nathan Shultz 17-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good.
4Q: (M) E. Cornelius 16-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) E. Cornelius 24-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) Romeo Holland 26-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
Sharon, 36 vs. Roxbury Prep, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (S) Liam Conway 3-yard rush, Jace McCarron XP good; (S) L. Conway 12-yard pass to Anthony Piron, J. McCarron XP good.
2Q: (S) Mason Lelling 30-yard interception return, 2pt rush failed; (S) Safety; (S) L. Conway 20-yard pass to Kyle Samuels, J. McCarron XP good; (S) Gabe Korn 8-yard rush, J. McCarron XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: No scoring.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final
Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – A strong first half resulted in a pair of goals for the visiting Hawks, and that proved to be enough to secure a key two points on the road to pull into a first place tie with Franklin. Nick Ribeiro’s cross found Eduardo Santana for the opening goal of the game, and Milford doubled its lead when John Borges played Jonny Tacuri Castro in to make it 2-0. Milford played the final 20 minutes down a man after a red card, and Franklin cashed in just moments later when Rex Cinelli finished a free kick from Noah Cain, but the visitors were able to play out the rest of the game with the lead. Lucas Fernandes had a strong game, including a massive second half save to preserve the lead.
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip rallied for a pair of second half goals to earn a win on its senior night. The visiting Tigers took the lead in the 12th minute on a penalty kick, and carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime. Just under 10 minutes into the second half, the Warriors pulled level as Matt Crago finished off a feed from Will Bowen on a set piece to make it 1-1. Just minutes later, Colin Dervin set up Bowen for what turned out to be the game-winner. Connor O’Reilly made six saves in net for the win.
Girls Soccer
Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield and Canton split four goals and each team walked away with a point. Mekhala Costello opened the scoring from the penalty spot, after drawing a foul in the box, but Kara Santos equalized for the Hornets off an Olivia Dunham corner. Alexandra Fernandes gave Mansfield the lead off a Meghan McCann assist, but Emily McCabe would score Canton’s second penalty of the game to level the score. Canton keeper Marissa Staffiere made a great save on a blast from Avery Hawthorne in the closing minutes to preserve the draw, and made several crucial stops throughout the afternoon. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo said it was a game that either team could have won and that a draw felt like a fair result in an even match.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. OA scored three times in the second half, including a pair of Mary Cross goals, to earn its ninth straight win. In a first half with very few chances, Emma Gavin provided a moment of class to put the Tigers in front. Just three minutes before halftime, Gavin pressed the Foxboro defense, stole the ball, and fired a 25-yard shot off the bar and in. Jolie Diaz almost doubled the lead seconds later but Allie Sougaris made a nice save and Jenna Gilman hit the rebound over the bar. One minute after the break, OA grabbed a second. Diaz hit a cross from the right that landed in the six, took a bounce off a defender, and then appeared to go off Gilman’s face and in. Eight minutes later, Sophia Byron’s corner was knocked down in the box by freshman Caroline Bowers and Mary Cross pounced on the loose ball. In the 64th minute, Byron again delivered a great corner that dropped in the box. Cross was on hand to knock in the loose ball for her brace. Erin Foley came closest for the Warriors with a quickly taken free kick that went just over the bar.
Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin scored late in the first half and added a pair of late goals to pull out the road win. Caitlyn Bruno opened the scoring with three minutes left in the first half, from a Chloe Stavely assist. Olivia Costa had a brace in the second half for the Panthers. Anya Zub and Bridget Leo had the assists. Rachel Welch and Hailey Aniki combined for six saves and a clean sheet. Milford coach Lou Colabello praised his team’s performance against one of the league’s elite, taking a lot of positives from the game. He noted the play of freshman Kaleigh Tourtelot, who impressed in only her third varsity game in goal.
King Philip, 6 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Heidi Lawrence and Makayla Thompson each scored twice to lead the Warriors to a big road win. Lawrence opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game, finishing off a diagonal pass from Ella Pisani. Thompson scored three minutes later on a corner from Danielle Gresham. Dani Lomuscio made it 3-0, taking a pass from Gresham and finding the net from 20 yards. Ilah Weiblen scored her first varsity goal with 15 minutes to go before the break. Kylie Menendez had the assist on the fourth goal. Lawrence got her second, again from Pisani, seven minutes after halftime and Thompson added a second goal from a corner, this time after a short pass from Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 14 @ Milford, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up its third win of the week, sweeping visiting Bridgewater-Raynham in straight sets, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20). Junior Rachel Fleischman gave the Tigers a big boost with a strong defensive effort (12 digs) while adding three aces. Sophomore Clare Kavoulis dished out 34 assists in the win with Sarah Hilliard (14 kills) leading the offense. Maddie Homer added 30 digs and sophomore Ava Barth added 10 digs and four aces.
King Philip, 3 vs. Medway, 0 – Final – King Philip made is nine in a row, defending home court against non-league foe Medway with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-12) win. Ahunna James had a strong all-around game with eight digs, seven kills, and four aces, both Emily Sawyer (seven kills) and Sami Shore (six kills) played well at the net, and junior Ava Kelley chipped in with six digs.
Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 3 – Final – The Bulldogs secured their second win of the week, pulling out a close win in the fourth set to fend off a feisty Stoughton squad, 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 28-26). Jess Wright had a big day for the hosts, recording 17 kills to pace the offense while Sally Hoban added nine kills for the Bulldogs. Zoe Scibelli continued to anchor the Canton defense with 25 digs and added three aces. Charlotte Clyve gave the Bulldogs a big boost off the bench with a few big kills.
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00
Golf
Oliver Ames, 171 @ Foxboro, 173 – Final – Oliver Ames tackled the tough course at Foxboro Country Club and a strong Foxboro squad to grab a close 171-173 win, clinching at least a share of the Davenport division title, the program’s first division title since 2018 and first Davenport crown since 2015. Junior Sean Kearns fired a 39 to lead the Tigers, sharing medalist honors with Foxboro’s Patrick Callahan (five pars, one birdie). David Rodgers added a 42, Daniel Paul chipped in with a 44, and Braden Shapiro capped his strong week with a 46. Reese Curreri and Louis Carangelo each shot a 44 and Mat Sullivan finished at 46 for the Warriors. Oliver Ames travels to Mansfield on Tuesday with a chance to clinch the division title outright with a win.
Football
Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 24 – Final 1Q: (M) Romeo Holland 57-yard rush, Nick Araujo XP good; (M) N. Araujo 34-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
2Q: (M) N. Araujo 51-yard field goal good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (M) Evan Cornelius 26-yard pass to Cameron Phillips, N. Araujo XP good.
Foxboro, 14 @ Hopkinton, 3 – Final
Franklin, 21 @ North Attleboro, 20 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (NA) Nathan Shultz 49-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 24-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (F) J. Lyons 31-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good; (F) J. Lyons 30-yard pass to Grayson Hunter, G. Portesi XP good.
3Q: (NA) Greg Berthiaume 7-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
4Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 1-yard rush, Conversion failed.
Taunton, 24 @ King Philip, 26 – Final 1Q: (T) Jacob Leonard 24-yard pass to Jose Touron, XP failed; (KP) Will Astorino 64-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good; (T) J. Leonard 70-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, 2pt pass failed; (KP) Tommy McLeish 42-yard pass to Will Laplante, 2pt rush failed.
2Q: (T) Brian Batista 2-yard rush, 2pt pass failed; (KP) Kyle Abbott 3-yard rush, 2pt failed.
3Q: (KP) K. Abbott 10-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
4Q: (T) J. Leonard 40-yard pass to J. Touron, 2pt rush failed.
Oliver Ames, 32 @ Stoughton, 35 – Final 1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 2-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (OA) C. Silva 65-yard rush, XP good; (S) Alex Huynh 13-yard rush, Tommy Silva XP good; (OA) C. Silva 43-yard rush, XP failed; (S) Jarred Daughtry 4-yard rush, T. Silva XP good.
3Q: (S) J. Daughtry 61-yard pass to Tagh Swierzewski, T. Silva XP good; (OA) C. Silva 3-yard rush, 2pt failed.
4Q: (S) J. Daughtry 2-yard rush, 2pt failed; (OA) C. Silva 48-yard rush, 2pt failed; (S) J. Daughtry 63-yard pass to A. Huynh, Liam Pearl 2pt rush.
Sharon, 35 @ Case, 6 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – In a battle of the top two teams in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin used a late-winner to take over first place in the division at the midway point of the season. The Panthers got off to a great start at home as Trey Lovell finished off an assist from Will Kryzak in the sixth minute for the early lead. Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli converted a pass from Esvin Morales to bring the visitors level in the 15th minute. The game stayed level for the majority of the game before Kryzak finished off a great pass from Andrew O’Neill in the 77th minute to secure the win.
North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored just before halftime and then doubled its lead minutes into the second half, earning a 2-0 win on the road at King Philip. The Rocketeers gained a huge momentum boost when goalie Owen Goeller denied the Warriors on a penalty kick in the first half. North capitalized on a free kick from just outside the box as sophomore Patrick Etienvre converted his shot in the 34th minute. Just moments into the second half, Griffin Rodden linked up with Kaden Burns to make it 2-0 in the 43rd minute. North head coach Mike Lacasse praised the efforts of his defense in the win.
Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Stoughton cut the deficit to one goal just before the midway point of the second half but the Hornets slammed the door shut with a late insurance goal to collect two points in a 3-1 win over the Black Knights. Mansfield found the back of the net less than 10 minutes in as Sam Oliveira took an assist from Tyler Znoj for a 1-0 advantage in the ninth minute, a lead the Hornets carried into half. Just five minutes into the second half, Dante Spivak blasted a shot in from 30 yards out (assisted by Aiden Steele) to double Mansfield’s lead to 2-0. Stoughton pulled one back in the 53rd minute but Steele recorded his second assist, this time setting up Grady Sullivan in the 73rd minute for the insurance tally. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan praised the efforts of Dan Checkoway in the midfield as well as the defensive group of Derek McGrath, Matty Sullivan, Aidan Jones, Brendan Flynn, and Kyle Johnson.
Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford scored a pair of goals in each half, taking a 4-0 decision over Taunton to push its win streak to four games. The Scarlet Hawks, who have scored at least three goals in each game during the winning streak, had another strong first half. Freshman Danny Da Silva set up Marcello Alves for the opener, and Eduardo Santana converted a cross from Andre Baiano to double the lead before halftime. In the second half, Nick Ribeiro’s free kick service was finished off by Kaua Pereira to make it 3-0. Alves earned his second point of the day, finding Santana for his second goal, for a 4-0 advantage.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – After a scoreless battle for 20 minutes, Oliver Ames exploded for six goals over the final 60 minutes to secure a key win over Davenport rival Sharon. Sophomore Casey Milliken scored OA’s first two goals, first finishing off a pass from classmate Andrew Martins, and then taking a feed from senior Mirray DaSilva and scoring to make it 2-0, which held until halftime. Milliken returned the favor to Martins to open the scoring half as Martins scored his first of two goals. Sophomore Luke Churchill set up Martins’ second goal to make it 4-0, and Milliken earned his fourth point of the day with an assist to senior Jason Zalis. OA junior Braeden Blass capped the scoring by finishing off a pass from junior Diego Rivera. Drew Hall recorded his fourth shutout of the season for OA.
Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored on either side of halftime to grab a 2-1 win over visiting Foxboro, snapping a three-game skid. Senior Jack Lauro put the hosts ahead with a goal just before halftime, and then just minutes into the second half, senior Drew Garrett scored to double the lead.
Girls Soccer
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kelly O’Connor scored a pair of goals to help Franklin bounce back from its loss on Wednesday and to keep pace with KP in the league title race. It was an even first half, but the Panthers took the lead in the final five minutes, O’Connor nodding home a Bridget Leo corner. With Attleboro pushing for an equalizer, Franklin was able to strike twice more after the break. Anya Zub doubled the lead a little more than halfway through the second half, with O’Connor picking up the assist. O’Connor then secured her brace and her third point of the night with a goal with nine minutes to play. Alexis Campbell made six big saves that kept Attleboro in the game, while Rachel Welch made seven stops for the Panthers. Attleboro coach Steve Santos was proud of the way the team kept battling to the end.
Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – In an evenly played game from start to finish, Emma Cahill scored off a Mekhala Costello assist with only three minutes remaining to secure the victory. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo praised Costello for a “man of the match” performance with contributions on both ends of the field. Foxboro coach Jen Lippolis rued missed chances for her team again on Friday. Allie Sougaris had an impressive game in the Foxboro goal to help keep it scoreless into the closing minutes.
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. KP scored a pair of second half goals to earn the win and keep pace in the division title race. Ella Pisani scored the opener with a shot from outside the box that just eluded the fingertips of North goalie Maddie Ferrin. The Warriors sealed the points when Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn rose highest for a powerful header off a Danielle Gresham corner. While KP had the bulk of the possession and the scoring chances, North nearly equalized when Caroline Ferrin hit the bar with a shot from distance.
Mansfield, 1 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Jill Koppy followed up a shot in the final three minutes, slamming home the rebound to secure a hard-fought win for the Hornets.
Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Milford and Taunton split eight goals in a thrilling shootout at Aleixo Field. Milford jumped into a 2-1 lead at halftime. Paige Caldon and Dani Atherton scored in the opening half for the Hawks, while Emily Calderon got one back for the Tigers. Ava Uhl, who also had the challenge of marking Atherton on the other end of the field, scored to tie the game again in the second half. Brooke Ferreira and Atherton each had goals to put Milford in front after the break, but each time Taunton responded. Kaylee Lopes had a brace in the second half to secure a point for the Tigers. Serena Borges had an assist for the Hawks. Hayleigh Porter made 10 saves for Taunton and Milford keeper Kayleigh Tourtellot was even busier, making 15 stops. Taunton coach Dan Borges was pleased with the team’s reaction to keep fighting back after going behind and highlighted the back-and-forth battle between Uhl and Atherton, who he called one of the league’s top attackers.
Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three goals in the first half and added an insurance tally in the second to get a win at home over Sharon. Taylor deVos put the Tigers ahead in the eighth minute, and Mary Cross scored off a corner from Sophia Byron at the midway point of the first half. Carly Gibson also found the back of the net before halftime to make it 3-0. Sofia Goclowski scored Sharon’s lone goal off a corner from Olivia Soby, which cut the lead to 3-1, but the Tigers tacked on a fourth from Jolie Diaz to seal the win. Sally Brouhard and Jordanna Morris both had solid games for the Eagles in defense, while Jessica Li played well up top in the loss.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 8 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Holding a 3-0 lead at halftime, Franklin pulled away with two more goals in the third quarter and three more in the fourth to finish with an 8-0 lead. Emily Carney scored a hat trick for the Panthers, scoring once in each of the first three quarters, while Payten Crandall had two goals and one assist in the win. Kaitlyn Carney (one assist), Haley Wernig, and Sydney Rogan (one assist) each scored once in the win. Devon Barry and Megan Sullivan (two saves) combined for the shutout in net.
Mansfield, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – For Stoughton, Katherine Giroux, Nicole Reid, and Catarina Melo all played a great game.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final
Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Caelen O’Leary factored into all four goals, scoring twice and assisting on the other two, to help the Tigers secure a shutout win over visiting Milford. Ayla Jackson and Camryn Emond each scored once, finishing off a feed from O’Leary. Jasmine Lucier made two saves to record the shutout in net for Taunton.
Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro scored once in the second quarter and again in the third, and the Warriors’ defense became the first team to shut out Canton this year as the Warriors collected a vital division win. Mary Collins scored the opening goal to put the hosts ahead 1-0, an advantage they carried into halftime. In the third, Mya Waryas found the back of the net to extend Foxboro’s lead to 2-0.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to a lead by taking the first set but Canton rallied to win three straight for a 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 25-18, 25-22) win on the road. Jess Wright led the way for the visitors, registering 17 kills, 14 digs, and one block while Fatima Sidibay had a big night at the net with 11 kills and a trio of blocks. Zoe Scibelli anchored the defense with 19 digs and a pair of aces while freshman Erin Bigham (two aces) distributed the ball well with 32 assists. For Foxboro, Juliana Pettigrew had 18 kills, Sami Sloan put down 12 kills and added three aces, Mallorie Meyer added four kills and 18 digs, and Alyssa Cloherty dished out 37 assists.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – In a key division clash, Oliver Ames notched a convincing 3-0 (25-5, 25-22, 25-9) win over rival Sharon. Sophomore Ava Barth had a big day for the Tigers with 18 digs and five aces, junior Ariel Gao added 23 service points and six aces, and sophomore Addie Smock registered 10 kills and three blocks. Maddie Homer had 21 digs and Clare Kavoulis finished with 34 assists in the win.
Franklin, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro rattled off three straight points in the final set to turn a one-point deficit into a 3-2 (14-25, 26-24, 21-25, 25-20, 15-13) win over visiting Franklin, giving the Bombardiers one of their biggest wins in program history. Julia Leonardo was a monster at the net for the Bombardiers, putting down 36 kills to go along with 20 digs to pace the attack, while Sadie Whiwtmarsh had a huge showing with 23 kills. Addie Shelton added 11 kills and 12 digs in the win. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense for the hosts, dishing out 49 assists to go along with 15 digs and three blocks.
King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip rolled to a win, taking down North Attleboro 3-0 (25-8, 25-10, 15-12). KP’s trio of captains led the way as Sami Shore had five kills and two aces, Emily Sawyer added 10 kills and 10 aces, and Ahunna James added seven kills and four digs.
Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – After falling behind 2-1, Mansfield rallied to win two in a row to claim a 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-20, 15-9) victory over Stoughton. Keira Fitpatrick orchestrated the offense with 21 assists to go along with seven digs. Elyssa Buchanan notched 10 kills and eight digs while Lily Verheggen had a big day at the net with 12 kills.
Milford @ Taunton, 5:00
Golf
Attleboro, 175 @ Franklin, 145 – Final – Brendan Collins had a consistent day out on the links, shooting a medalist round to lead the Panthers to a win over Attleboro. Collins carded a 36 to lead the way, CJ Steel shot a 38, and both Caden Sullivan (one birdie) and Jack Hagerty (one birdie) each came in at 38. Bradley Martin led the Bombardiers with a 43.
Mansfield, 149 @ Oliver Ames, 145 – Final – Oliver Ames passed its biggest test of the season so far, landing a four-stroke win over Mansfield in a battle of the top two teams in the Davenport division. OA senior Daniel Paul and junior David Rodgers shared medalist honors with Mansfield sophomore Brendan Vokey, with all three coming in at 35 on the day at Pine Oaks. Juniors Sean Kearns and Lucas Riley rounded out OA’s scoring, carding a round of 37 and 38, respectively.
North Attleboro, 151 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 168 – Final – North Attleboro had all four of its scorers come in under 40 in a non-league win over Dighton-Rehoboth on the middle course at Heather Hill. Sophomore Tyson Laviano was the match medalist, firing a one-over round of 36 to lead the Rocketeers. Jake Gaskin and Jordan Paradis each shot a 38 and Dillon Harding chipped in with a 39 for the Rocketeers. Drew Urban carded a round of 36 for the Hornets while Nathan McClean and Will Riley each shot a 39.
Outlook:
In a loaded Kelley-Rex division, Attleboro has largely been on the outside of the title race and the Bombardiers enter this season with an eye to the future, as they have a relatively inexperienced roster. First-year coach Jim Winters, who came from Silver Lake to replace Mike Strachan after his move to North Attleboro, will lean on a talented crew of skill position players and an aggressive mindset to be competitive with the league’s top teams.
Offensively, the Bombardiers have a lot of depth and athleticism at receiver. Senior Anthony Salviati is a dynamic playmaker who can line up in multiple positions, whether out wide or in the backfield. He was also the team’s kicker last year. Junior Matt Harvie gets the nod at quarterback to start the season after seeing time under center as a sophomore. His strong arm and ability to read the defense will be key. Senior Ayden Ramirez will be another threat on the outside and junior Adrian Rivera will be the team’s go-to back at the start of the season. Senior center Isaiah Miranda is the team’s only returning lineman, on either side of the ball, and his leadership is going to be critical to the offense’s success.
Athleticism is going to be important on defense as well. Salviati will bring his playmaking to the secondary as a safety. Winters called Ramirez one of the best corners that he has coached, while senior linebacker Ethan Lako is a ball hawk who led the team in interceptions last season. Senior safety Spencer Sherck is recovering from a preseason injury and the Bombardiers will be hoping to have his leadership back on the field as soon as possible. The defensive line remains a question mark with young players getting their first taste of varsity action this season.
“We should be fast and aggressive at the skill positions,” Winters said. About the challenges on the line, he added, “We will be very inexperienced and do not have the size of Attleboro teams of the past.”
Outlook:
Franklin was not only the best team in the Kelley-Rex division last year, winning its first league title since 2009, but also proved to be one of the top teams in the state. The Panthers were a win away from a spot in the Super Bowl, going toe-to-toe with Springfield Central in the state semifinal. This season, the Panthers will have to overcome the graduation of a lot of skill position players to keep the positive momentum that the program has shown over the past few seasons.
Last year’s offensive group was as good as any in the state and it showed. This season, Franklin will have a lot of new faces and a lot of versatile athletes that will be part of the game plan. Senior Jase Lyons will take over at quarterback and is a dual threat with his legs and his arm. Senior Luke Davis will be one of the primary targets out wide along with junior wideout Derek Dubriske and senior tight end Grayson Hunter. The graduation of Mack Gulla opens space for new running backs to step up. Juniors Mike Davide and Cody Howard are backs to watch out for this year. Senior Ben Papa will lead the offensive line with junior Ben Ryan and sophomore Leo Meuse adding depth and size. Senior Garrett Portesi will be back on kicking duties and gives Franklin a consistent source of points.
While the offense got a lot of attention last season, Franklin’s defense allowed fewer points than anyone else in the league. The secondary was one of the biggest strengths in 2021 and should be again this year. Senior Devine Johnson is a lockdown corner, while classmates Luke Sidwell, Bobby Padula, and Davis all are playmakers in the passing game. Junior Connor Klawson will add depth in that position. The linebacking group is led by senior Nick Quintina, who will make plays in the middle, and Howard will be a new face in that position. Senior Emmett Lackey will control the defensive line, while senior Jay Gulla is a constant threat on the edge and sophomore Julian Rampino gives another big athlete at defensive end.
“We are taking this one day at a time,” said Franklin coach Eian Bain. “Last year was a whirlwind, and culmination of many years of hard work. It is important not to lose sight of the process that got us to such great accomplishments. It remains all about the process.”
Outlook: Last season was another banner year for the Warriors, reaching another Division 2 state final and took second in what was one of the most talented years in the Kelley-Rex division.
Certainly, the Warriors have plenty of holes to fill in due to graduation like at quarterback (Charlie Grant), running back (Crawford Cantave), Jonathan Joseph (defensive back), and on both the offensive and defensive line. But head coach Brian Lee has to like the weapons he does have back this season.
It starts with one of the best two-way players in the state in senior Rudy Gately, who will be a workhorse in the backfield and a reliable option at linebacker. He’s been making plays for KP for two years and that’s likely to continue again this year. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Will Astorino (full back) and Nathan Kearney, and they’ll work with junior Tommy McLeish (6’3), who takes over at quarterback. McLeish has weapons in Matt Kelley, who is not only one of the best kickers around but will also line up at receiver and defensive back, as well as Thomas Brewster.
The strength of the squad likely lies where it usually does: in the trenches. The Warriors are big up front on both sides of the ball and return two of the best linemen in the state in 6’6 265-pound Chris Sesay, who holds D1 offers from Eastern Michigan and Brown among others, and 6’0, 260-pound junior Sean King.
Defensively, Astorino will be one of the key pieces at linebacker while Sesay looks to be a force to reckon with on the defensive line.
“As far as strength and weaknesses go, we lost a lot of players from all different positions so we are just in the process of still figuring out what we are, who we are, and if we have all the right guys on the field and in the right spot,” Lee said. “Despite what we’ve lost, our goal is to be prepared and focused each week so that we can be competitive.”
Outlook:
Milford has come a long way in the past couple of seasons, earning wins over its Kelley-Rex division rivals, putting in a challenge for the league title, and making a run to the Div. 2 semifinals. The Hawks will try to continue building on that momentum this fall with the hope of a talented and experienced lineup bringing home a first Kelley-Rex title.
Senior quarterback Evan Cornelius is back to run the Milford offense after a strong junior campaign. Cornelius gives the Hawks a threat with either his strong arm or his ability to make plays with his legs and he helped Milford put together one of the league’s top offensive units last year. Senior wideout Isaiah Pantalone had a breakout junior season and emerged as one of the most dangerous receivers in the Hock. Junior Damien Carter can line up in multiple positions and classmate Nicholas Araujo can make an impact at receiver or as one of the league’s top kickers. Junior Keith Lee and senior Tyler Potter will be two of the top returning lineman and the Milford line got a huge boost by the transfer of Ryan O’Connor from Lawrence Academy.
Cornelius is just as impactful on the defensive side of the ball with his speed and size at defensive end. Lee, Potter, and O’Connor add strength to the interior of the Milford line. Araujo will be one of the key returning players at linebacker. Milford’s athleticism at receiver translates into a strong secondary as well. Carter and Pantalone are both playmakers on the edge and senior Jayden Archeval emerged as one of the top one-on-one cover guys in the league last year.
“We don’t have great numbers and will have to stay healthy,” Milford coach Dale Olson explained, “but have a talented group that has worked hard to rebuild this program.”
Outlook: The 2022 season marks a new chapter in the very rich history of North Attleboro football. Coming off a narrow loss in the Division 3 state championship, the Rocketeers have a brand new head coach along with a slew of new faces in new positions.
Mike Strachan is now at the helm of the Big Red. Strachan, who played for the Rocketeers in high school for legendary coach Ray Beaupre, had been the head coach of rival Attleboro since 2013 before switching in his Bombardier blue back to Rocketeer red.
He’ll have the tough task of finding replacements for a very talented senior class from last year, including star Tyler DeMattio – who played a handful of positions over the past four years, including quarterback, running back, linebacker, and kicker – as well as fellow league all star Tyler Bannon. But the cupboard is far from empty for Strachan, who is looking to uphold the high standards and tradition of North Attleboro football.
Sophomore Chase Frisoli returns at quarterback after an impressive freshman season. He will have a lot of new weapons to work with this year, and Strachan is leaning heavily on a big offensive line to not only protect Frisoli but set the tone with a strong running game. The line is anchored by Zack Gallagher (6’3, 280) and North will look to run behind him as well as Kaden Leary, Lucas Mattson, Jack Munley, Nolan McLoughlin, and Danny Locke. Nate Shultz will be the primary ball carrier and brings an explosive run game to the table.
“Nate will lead the defense at free safety [too],” Strachan said. “Nate brings breakaway speed to the offense and has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. In addition, Nate is a tremendously smart player and gives us the on-field leadership required to have a great team.”
On the defensive side, the Rocketeers will turn to veteran linebacker Greg Berthiaume, who lead the D3 finalists in tackles last year. With Berthiaume in the mix, North’s strength defensively will be its linebackers, with Ryan Bannon, Aidan Conrad, and Julian House also in the mix.
Outlook: Taunton took a step in the right direction during the 2022 season with five wins and a trip to the state tournament, but the Tigers went without a win in league play. With an experienced and talented group back in the fold this year, head coach Brad Sidwell and his Tigers will look to make a splash in the league and continue to move the program forward.
It will all start up front for Taunton because of a big and talented group of linemen that have a lot of varsity experience. The team’s three captains are all members of the offensive line: seniors Ryan MacDougall (center), Nathan LaPlante (guard), and William Guachichulca-Torres (tackle). They’ll be joined by senior Logan Frank (guard) and junior Bryan Joanis (tackle). All five register above 6’0 and have a lot of varsity experience under their belt.
Behind them will be returning quarterback Jake Leonard, who is in his third year as the starting quarterback for the Tigers. While Leonard lost some of his top targets from last year, he has some dangerous weapons at his disposal still, including Jose Touron (fresh off an impressive sophomore campaign), seniors Mckyen Gonsalves and Braden Mullen, and speedy junior Dmitrius Shearrion. After a promising start to last year was cut short due to injury, Bryan Batista is back in the mix at running back along with Etha Harris and Malachai Johnson.
Defensively, the Tigers boast an athletic secondary, a big defensive line, and a mix of veteran and new linebackers. Laplante will be among the most disruptive defensive linemen in the league and will be joined by Frank, Joanis, and senior Dom Kessel. MacDougall had a great year at linebacker last year and will be flanked by Harris, senior Tanner Brannon, junior Ryan Keenan, and sophomore Elijah Prophete.
“We have a solid nucleus of experienced players that have worked hard during the off-season,” Sidwell said. “As always, we look to play well, improve, and gain some momentum during our non-league battles to prepare us for the highly competitive Hockomock Kelley-Rex Division.”
Taunton junior running back Bryan Batista eludes a New Bedford defender in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – Looking at the scoreboard when time expired and seeing just 21 points, Taunton head coach Brad Sidwell knew his team left some points on the board.
But he was certainly pleased with the big zero on the visitor’s side of the scoreboard.
In the season opener — and return to Fall football — for both squads, Taunton posted a 21-0 win over visiting New Bedford for its first shutout since Thanksgiving 2018.
“Typical first game… too many penalties,” Sidwell said. “Every time we’d try to get the momentum going, there’d be a flag or a mistake. But this is certainly something we can build on, something we can coach on the mistakes we made. And we have to make sure we do a better job taking care of the ball with three turnovers.”
Taunton football
Taunton scored twice in the second quarter and added another early in the fourth to overcome three turnovers and some untimely penalties to sink the Whalers.
The Tigers’ defense ended up stealing the show, forcing the Whalers to punt on six of their eight offensive series, including four straight to open the game. The fifth drive of the game was stopped by a turnover on downs and the first drive of the second half — and longest of the game for New Bedford — was thwarted by an interception.
Junior running back Bryan Batista had a breakout game in his first career start. He scampered for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and also hauled in a 29-yard pass to help pace the Tiger offense. Junior quarterback Jacob Leonard also had a strong game, going 12-for-15 passing with 147 yards and a touchdown.
Leonard spread the ball around to all of his weapons with six players hauling in at least one catch, led by four receptions for Isaiah Williams. Trent Santos, Troy Santos, and Nathan Keenan all hauled in two passes as well.
Taunton football
Taunton forced a quick three-and-out to start the contest, highlighted by one of Ryan MacDougall’s four tackles for loss. And the offense looked poised to march down the field but the Tigers fumbled after a completion that was past the first down marker.
It wasn’t until the very end of the quarter until Taunton got the ball back on offense and this time, they held onto the ball and found the end zone. Going 68 yards on six plays that mainly featured quick short passes, the Tigers struck on a bubble screen. On third down, Leonard fired a quick strike to Trent Santos on the left side and the senior wide receiver did the rest, slicing across the field and through the Whaler defense, cutting up field and finding his way to a 22-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
John Castillo’s sack on first down set the tone for the next drive and New Bedford quickly went three-and-out. Leonard hit Batista on a screen for 29 yards to move just outside the red zone but an interception in the end zone put that drive to a screeching halt.
The defense stood tall again with a big stop on third and short, and an errant punt gave the Tigers prime field position at the New Bedford 34-yard line. Taunton took full advantage this time as Batista had back-to-back carries, the latter a 22-yard touchdown through a big hole on the right side of the line created by center Ryan MacDougall and guard Jack Moitoso.
“I thought it was good, he’s a good slash runner and was able to wear them down a bit at the end,” Sidwell said. “We have some skilled receivers too that can do some special stuff with the ball and all of them catches today and made some plays too. They’re working hard for us. Trent only had what, two catches? A year ago we had to throw it to him a lot but we’ve developed more weapons.”
The Tigers stopped New Bedford’s last-minute push when Faisal Mass came up with a big third down sack, getting the ball back with a chance to score before the break.
The offense sputtered a bit from there. Leonard and Williams linked up a couple of times to move up field as the clock ticked under a minute in the first half but New Bedford ended up applying enough pressure and the Tigers couldn’t convert before the half.
Batista opened the second half with a great run up the right side, going for 31 yards but he was stripped from behind and New Bedford took over after just one play.
The Whalers moved 30 yards and into Taunton territory but Nick Lima wrestled away a fourth down pass from a receiver for an interception to stop the New Bedford drive. The Tigers couldn’t capitalize and had to punt three plays later.
Tackles for loss from Nathan LaPlante and Lima on back-to-back plays forced the Whalers to punt just seconds into the fourth quarter and Taunton’s offense finally put together another scoring drive. Batista ran for 15 yards on first down behind the blocking of juniors Logan Frank and William Guachichulca-Torres and sophomore tackle Bryan Joanis.
Leonard hit Troy Santos on a quick strike and the sophomore receiver went for 33 yards to move into Whaler territory. Four plays later, on fourth and short, the Tigers iced the win with a 12-yard touchdown from Batista for a 21-0 lead with under five minutes left.
“It was odd, we had some film from the Fall 2 season but not knowing exactly who they had or what they’d run,” Sidwell said. “I think they were missing their top back today so that made a difference. But I thought the kids fought hard and the defense kept coming up with stops. There was some bending but hopefully, we can gain some confidence from this, smooth things out, and get some momentum going.”
Taunton football hits the road next week to renew acquittances with another longtime non-league rival, traveling to Fall River to take on Durfee. The Hilltoppers dropped a 10-7 decision to Attleboro on a field goal as time expired. Taunton and Durfee will kick off at 7:00 on Friday.
King Philip could be the favorite to challenge Mansfield for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Outlook:
Attleboro struggled on the offensive side of the ball last year, scoring only 44 points in six games and not scoring a touchdown until the fifth game of the season. The Bombardiers will need to improve on that side of the ball to try and move up the standings and challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex. With eight returning starters on both sides of the ball, Attleboro can rely on an experienced roster to try and turn things around this fall.
It will be obvious where Attleboro’s strength lies. The Bombardiers run 6’3 285, 6’3 255, 6’2 285, and 6’3 305 at the guard and tackle positions. They are going to try and overpower teams. The leader of that group is senior Chris Leonardo, who is a force on both sides of the ball. Seniors Alvin Harrison, Jacob Struminski, and Isaac Pereira are a formidable front and junior Isaiah Miranda will be back at center. Experience and size are important, but the Bombardiers will need its array of running backs to take advantage. Seniors Ryan Betts, Freddy Wheaton, Keigan Conley, and Kaiden Murray will all get the chance to carry the ball. Junior Aiden Hochwarter returns under center after taking over midway through last year and he will have classmate Anthony Salviati to throw to out wide and senior tight end Christian Dame.
The Attleboro defense will also rely on its strength up front with Leonardo and Harrison controlling the middle. The linebackers have plenty of experience, with Dame, Wheaton, Betts, Conley, and senior Hayden Hegarty all coming back after seeing significant time last year. The secondary has a lot of athleticism. Junior Ethan Lako, Salviati, and Murray are all capable of making big plays and forcing turnovers.
“It is great to have some normalcy back this fall,” said Attleboro coach Mike Strachan. “We have eight returning starters on each side of the ball this season and we have great senior leadership. We are looking to a great fall season.”
Outlook:
All eyes are on Mansfield and King Philip as the favorites in the Kelley-Rex and that’s how coach Eian Bain likes it. The Panthers are certainly flying under the radar a bit but that might not last very long, especially after their success during the preseason has turned some heads.
Having a lot of familiar faces in key positions will be an early advantage for the Panthers, who have a strong non-league schedule that starts with Wachusett and features perennial state powerhouse Duxbury. Senior Jared Arone gained a lot of experience at quarterback during the Fall 2 season and could be poised for a big year with a full schedule on tap. Part of the reason why is because of all the weapons around him. Both Shane Kindred and Will Tracey developed a lot of chemistry with the QB in the abbreviated season and will be his main two targets this year.
And while the Panthers have developed a reputation for a pass-heavy offense, we saw a much more balanced approach during the spring and with senior running back Mack Gulla ready for a breakout season, it’s likely that balance continues. Gulla is a tough runner that will keep defenses honest; he isn’t just going to help set up the passing game, he’s a true threat to run all over defenses. It will all start up front and the Panthers have center Ethan Aeillo and tackle Jack Porkorny back in starting roles.
Senior Joe Tirrell and junior Luke Davis give the Panthers a veteran presence in the secondary. Franklin allowed over 20 points per game last season but will be looking to bring that number down some this year as they try and establish themselves as a contender in the division. Senior Jonathan Martins impressed last season and will be a key piece on the defensive line while the linebackers will be anchored by senior Cullen Pek.
“The Panthers return many familiar faces but face a tough task of replacing some key positions,” Bain said. “Many players have stepped up but there is still a lot to be answered before the home opener against Wachusett.”
Outlook:
King Philip has a strong core of returning players set to compete for the Kelley-Rex crown this Fall season but the Warriors are hoping to develop some depth along the way as they navigate through one of the state’s toughest schedules.
KP is still hurting from the Fall 2 season, when they lost six players to season-ending surgery, four of which were starters. With a quick turnaround to this season, the Warriors will still be without those players but there is still lots of excitement around those who will be on the field this year. Senior Charlie Grant returns as the starter at quarterback and has some weapons to utilize around them, starting with receivers Danny Clancy, Nick Viscusi, and Jonathan Joseph. All three have varsity experience and are seniors. Junior Rudy Gately and senior Crawford Cantave give the Warriors a thunder and lightning running back combination. Senior Drew Danson was set to be one of the top tight ends in the league but is out due to injury. Sophomore Thomas McLeish will also be in the mix to play at quarterback and Grant could see time at receiver.
Hunter Hastings and Chris Sesay are the returners on the offensive line and will start at the tackle positions while Dan Nineve will be the center and Amro Ismail and Sean King man the guard positions. It will be a lot of the same names on the other side of the ball with Hastings, King, and Sesay all playing both ways. Junior Nate Kearney will also be in the mix as a pass rusher.
The veteran group on defense will be the KP secondary, which features a lot of familiar faces. Both Cantave (safety) and Viscusi (corner) had really strong junior seasons and will lead the way alongside junior Thomas Brewster, senior Eli Reed, and Joseph, who has really impressed so far this preseason. There will be a little inexperience at linebacker but the Warriors have Gately back in the fold alongside senior Jake Sullivan and junior Will Astorino. Matt Kelley is back as the starting kicker.
“I love my team, great kids,” said KP head coach Brian Lee. “We just have to make sure ready to go every single week. It’s been kind of a burn, playing in the Spring. It feels like we’ve been going, going, going, but now we have to focus on staying healthy and getting through Thanksgiving. It’s been fun to be around them, they are good kids that work hard. Hopefully, we can turn that into being successful.”
Outlook:
Mansfield won the 2019 state title, is riding a 16-game win streak, hasn’t lost a game in league play since September 2017, and hasn’t lost an in-state game since a triple-OT thriller against Foxboro at Fenway to close out 2018, so the Hornets have earned the target that is on their backs this fall. Everyone will be aiming to be the first Hock team to hand the Hornets a loss and try to end a three-year run as the top team in the Kelley-Rex. Although there are some guys in new spots, especially at the skill positions, Mansfield returns 10 starters and several players who saw significant action off the bench last year.
The offense will be powered by an experienced line. Four of five starters return from last year with only junior center Colton Johnson added. Seniors Mark DeGirolamo, Joe Forte, and James Gilleran, and junior Jephte Jean are all back and should give the Hornets an edge up front. Junior Conner Zukowski will be the new starting quarterback and he will have several new weapons to call on. Juniors Drew Sacco and Rocco Scarpellini are new starters in the backfield, but both were called on plenty last season. Senior Dana Johnson and sophomore Trevor Foley will get the start out wide.
Defense has been Mansfield’s calling card during its run, as the Hornets allowed only 23 points in six games last year. DeGirolamo and classmate Braeden Veno are back on the defensive line along with Jean and senior Pedro Cruz. All three starting linebackers returned, as seniors Zander Holmes and James Fichera are paired with Scarpellini. Junior safety Ryan DeGirolamo is the only starter back in the secondary and will need to provide leadership for sophomores Foley and CJ Bell. Senior Jared Fraone will start at the other corner spot.
Mansfield coach Mike Redding is counting on a tough preseason, against state powers Everett and Central Catholic, to help the Hornets prepare. He is also excited about the new statewide playoff system that could pair Mansfield with a new set of tournament opponents as they seek to make it a three-peat in Div. 2.
Outlook:
Milford made a successful move into the Kelley-Rex last season. Under first-year coach Dale Olson, the Hawks earned a first-ever win over perennial league power King Philip and finished second in the division. This year, the Hawks will try to make another title challenge despite having several new faces stepping into important roles.
On offense, the Hawks will be transitioning from the pass-first offense that Brady Olson ran last year. Junior Evan Cornelius is a very different quarterback, who will bring a lot of size and strength to the position (which makes sense, since he also plays defensive end). Graduation took away a lot of dynamic playmakers from last year’s offense but seniors Tyler Lane, Angelo Romero, and Grant Scudo will give Milford a deep backfield and last year senior Jaden Agnew emerged as a major threat in the passing game.
The Hawks will be tough up front again this year on both sides of the ball. Seniors Alex McColl and Marco Monteiro are big and tough and will open holes on offense while clogging running lanes on the other side. Cornelius will add a threat on the edge defensively and the linebacking corps continues to be a factor, led by Lane and Romero. Scudo seeks out the ball at safety and is always a threat to force a turnover.
Olson admits that his team lacks experience at the skill positions, but he added, “Having three scrimmages will help prepare the first-year varsity kids to play week one.”
Outlook:
Taunton didn’t have the best record during the Fall 2 season but the opportunity to just get on the field and play was incredibly valuable for the Tigers. There are less than a dozen seniors (eight) on the roster for the Tigers this season so head coach Brad Sidwell will be looking for a strong class of juniors, as well as some sophomores, to make up the majority of the lineup this Fall.
A good chunk of those juniors were inserted into the starting lineup or played a large number of snaps just five months ago when the Tigers played six games. That allowed the Tigers to build some depth for the upcoming season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Junior Jake Leonard got a jump start to his career when he took over for an injured Danny MacDougall. That experience will be key as he begins his first full season as the starter under center. Leonard will have three veteran options to work with in senior captains Trent Santos and Nate Keenan — two receivers — and tight end Nick Lima. Senior Faisal Mass will be a big target as a tight end, also providing key blocking on the line, while seniors Jon Castillo (receiver), Jack Moitiso (offensive line) and Evan Perrota (running back) will be in the mix as well.
Junior Ryan MacDougall started on the offensive line last season and will be joined by classmates Nate Laplante, William Guachiculca-Torres, and Logan Frank while sophomore Bryan Joanis will also be in the mix so some playing time. Keenan could also get some carries out of the backfield while junior Bryan Batista could emerge as a go-to option carrying the ball. Juniors Tyler Wynn, Isaiah Williams, and McKyen Gonsalves are three names to watch as receiving options for Leonard.
Taunton has a lot of experience in its secondary with both Santos and Keenan playing on both sides of the ball, and that experience will be a big strength for the Tigers. There is also a lot of depth in the linebackers, starting with Lima, who uses his speed to attack the ball. He can also step out and play in coverage or drop back into a safety role if needed. Lima will be joined by Frank, MacDougall, and Perrota as linebackers. On the line, Laplante had a strong sophomore season and could be poised for a breakout year.
Taunton will prepare for the ever-challenging division slate with non-league games against New Bedford, Durfee, and Middleboro in its first three weeks. It also marks the first year of its new Thanksgiving rivalry with Milford.
“We’re excited to begin the season with this group after productive preseason practices and scrimmages,” said head coach Brad Sidwell. “Although we only have eight seniors, many of our players gained experience in the spring season. We need to improve through the non-league start of the season as the Hockomock Kelley-Rex is always a challenge for any of the teams involved.”
