Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 47 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – Franklin built a 10-point lead after a quarter, doubled it by halftime, and led the entire second half in a big win over visiting Attleboro. Justin Allen hit two of his four threes in the opening quarter, Geino Scaringello added another triple, and Andrew O’Neill, Bradley Hernon, Caden Sullivan, and Sean O’Leary all had buckets as the Panthers’ offense got going early for a 19-9 lead. O’Neill, Allen, and O’Leary all had triples — Franklin finished with 10 total — in the second and the Panthers’ defense limited the visiting Bombardiers to just seven points for a 36-16 advantage at halftime. O’Leary finished with a team-high 18 points and both O’Neill and Allen had 14 points in the win. Jaiden Outland and Neo Franco each had 13 points for Attleboro.
Foxboro, 75 @ Canton, 73 – Final (2OT) – Foxboro senior Ryan LeClair came up with a steal with just over 10 seconds left and classmate Alex Penders converted a putback with just seconds left as the Warriors outlasted Canton in an absolute thriller. Penders had a career-high 33 points to lead the Warriors while Sam Golub added 19 points. Canton’s Matt Chafin drilled a three-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force an overtime. From there, it was back-and-forth for both overtime and double overtime. Canton scored the first four points of the first overtime as Jamaal McConnell, who had a career-high 24 points, hit a pair of free throws and Julius Hicks (13 points) converted a tough layup for a 60-56 lead with two minutes to go. Penders used a nice fake and finished for two and Sam Golub drove to the basket for two more to tie it. Canton’s Caden Mirliani had a traditional three-point play with 30.7 seconds to go before Penders drove the length of the court for two to cut the deficit to one. Canton extended the lead with a free throw with 19.9 seconds left and forced a turnover with 10 seconds to go. After going 1/2 from the line again, Canton had a 65-62 lead. Foxboro was off on a game-tying three but sophomore Nolan Gordon soared in from the baseline and converted the putback while being fouled. His free throw with 1.9 seconds left tied the game to send it to double overtime. Golub gave Foxboro the lead early but Hicks had a three-point play to put Canton bak in front. LeClair battled through contact for two before McConnell answered for Canton to make it 70-69 with 2:00 to go. After Foxboro tied it with a free throw, Mirliani had a huge steal with under a minute to go and hit an open three for a 73-70 lead. Golub wasted little time and drained a deep three from straight away to tie it 73-73, setting up LeClair’s steal and Penders’ winner.
Stoughton, 52 @ Mansfield, 83 – Final – Mansfield’s offense clicked into high gear, scoring over 20 points in three of the four quarters to run away with a big win over the visiting Black Knights. The Hornets had four players in double figures and combined for 13 three-pointers with seven players hitting at least one. After building a 16-10 lead after one, the Hornets put up 21 points in the second, 22 points in the third, and ran away with the win with 24 points in the fourth quarter. JT Veiking (17 points) and Caden Colby (15 points) each hit three three-pointers to lead the offense while both Trevor Foley (12 points, five rebounds, four blocks) and Eddie McCoy (six rebounds, four assists) also finished in double figures for Mansfield. Davon Sanders (nine rebounds, four assists) and Chris Hill (13 rebounds, six assists, three blocks) each finished with nine points. Jayden Costa-Haywood led Stoughton with 13 points and Jarred Daughtry added 12 points.
Taunton, 87 @ Milford, 63 – Final – Taunton senior Chris Perault sank six three-pointers for a career-high 24 points and Chris Volcy added 22 points as the Tigers secured a win on the road behind a big offensive outburst. Gus Coutinho scored nine of his 17 points in the opening quarter as Milford led by a point, 16-15, but Taunton flipped the game with a big second quarter. Not only did the Tigers put up 23 points, they held the Hawks to just eight to flip a one-point deficit into a 38-24 lead at halftime. Perault hit half of his threes in the second and junior Troy Santos added nine of his 18 points in the frame to give Taunton a double-digit advantage. Perault added two more threes in the third and Jakari Innocent, Al Morisseau, and Travis Johnson had buckets to keep Taunton ahead, 61-44, going into the fourth. Taunton exploded for 26 points in the final frame as Santos hit a pair of threes and Volcy, Perault, and Gerry Cardoso each had one. Andrew Rivera scored a team-high 21 points for the Hawks including 15 in the second half.
Oliver Ames, 58 @ Sharon, 62 – Final – Oliver Ames went on the road and put Sharon on upset alert but the Eagles answered the call and closed out a close win over the Tigers. Oliver Ames rallied for a lead at 41-40 in the third quarter but the Eagles closed the frame with a 7-0 run to take the lead into the fourth. A three-point play from OA freshman Soren Lolonga (18 points) got the Tigers within three in the fourth but Tyler Goodman answered with a three, Nate Katznelson (19 points) converted a putback, and Jacob McLoughlin (game-high 21 points) had a steal and a breakaway dunk to give the Eagles a double-digit lead at 56-46. Chris Elias (13 points) hit a three and Lolonga had two more to get within five but Katznelson and McLoughlin each had a bucket to keep Sharon ahead. Sophomore Cole Craffey also had 18 points for Oliver Ames.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 66 @ Attleboro, 55 – Final – In a battle for first place in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin outscored Attleboro 22-9 in the fourth quarter to overturn a two-point deficit and pull out the 11-point win. The Bombardiers bounced back nicely from a tough loss to Foxboro last time out, scoring 20 points in the first quarter to grab the lead. Avery James and Lily Routhier each scored six in the first to get Attleboro off to a great start. Franklin cut the lead to five heading to the locker room and chipped three more points off in the third, with Chloe Fales scoring seven and Katie Peterson adding five in the quarter. Franklin’s offense clicked into gear in the fourth. Peterson went 6-for-6 from the line in the quarter (9-of-10 for the game) and Fales and Caelyn Leonard each added five points, while Lizzie Newman scored four. Vanessa Ellis had six of Attleboro’s nine points in the final period. Peterson led all scorers with 17 on the night. Fales scored 16, Newman added 12, Leonard had 10, and Bridget Leo scored seven points for the Panthers. Attleboro had only four players on the score sheet on Friday. James led the way with 16, Routhier scored 15, Ellis had 14, and Kayla Goldrick chipped in with 10. The Panthers now lead the division by one game.
Canton, 32 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Kailey Sullivan and Camryn Collins each scored 15 points and Foxboro continued its unbeaten start to the league campaign. Six of Foxboro’s eight wins this season have been by at least 23 points. Addie Ruter added 14 points for the Warriors, while Isabelle Chamberlin grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds.
Mansfield, 80 @ Stoughton, 37 – Final – Mansfield set a new program record for points in a game, extending its win streak to six games and staying within two games of league-leading Foxboro. Abby Wager scored a game-high 31 point to power the Hornets offensively. Kara Santos added 15 and Hallie Popat scored 14 for Mansfield. Maiya Merritt paced the Black Knights with 10 points, while Kirsten McKay added seven. Stoughton also got six points apiece from Caleigh Clark, Raina Tat, and Leah McCarty.
Milford, 36 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – The game was tied at 18 going into halftime, but Taunton found an extra boost of offense in the second half to bounce back from a loss on Tuesday and get back to .500 on the season. Cali Melo and Lexi Haywood combined for 14 of Taunton’s 18 in the first half and Aliza Syed continued her solid season by scoring half of Milford’s first half points. Melo continued her strong offensive play after the break, adding 10 more points to finish with a game-high 18. Haywood added five more in the second half, while Tarynn Campbell went 5-for-6 from the line and scored seven of her eight points. Chelsea Bousquet added all six of her points in the second half for Taunton to help the Tigers pull out the win. In addition to Syed’s 11 points, Milford got nine from Emily Croteau and six from Brooke Ferreira.
King Philip, 54 @ North Attleboro, 33 – Final – After a 9-0 North run to end the first quarter, KP built a six-point lead at halftime and outscored North 31-16 after the break to pull out the win. Emily Sawyer saw frequent double teams, and the North defense held her to four points combined in the second and third quarters, but she still managed to score a game-high 21 points. Maddie Paschke added 14 points and Jordan Bennett scored eight for the Warriors. Using its press, North climbed back within as few as four points but the Rocketeers struggled to consistently knock down shots and KP started to pull away. Ava McKeon scored a team-high 14 points and Sam Faria had a dozen for North. Katie Corsetti had a solid game in the post defending Sawyer.
Boys Swimming
Franklin @ Attleboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 76 @ Foxboro, 74 – Final
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 7:15
Milford @ Taunton, 3:30
Stoughton, 62 @ Sharon, 81 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin @ Attleboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 84 @ Foxboro, 85 – Final
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 7:15
Milford @ Taunton, 3:30
Stoughton, 26 @ Sharon, 70 – Final
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 42 @ Attleboro, 48 – Final – Foxboro hit a three with six minutes to go to create an eight point lead but Attleboro closed out the game on 16-2 run to snag the win. Michael Beverly (nine points) hit a tough layup and Connor Houle followed with a three-pointer. Spencer Sherck’s lone field goal of the game was a big one as he sank a triple to bring the Bombardiers even at 40-40, and after another defensive stop, Beverly hit a contested elbow jumper to put Attleboro ahead. Following a Foxboro miss, Hayden Crowley used a pump fake to buy some space and rattled home a three to make it 45-40 with three minutes to go. Foxboro’s Alex Penders (22 points) turned a turnover into a layup to make it a one-possession game, but the Warriors couldn’t crack Attleboro’s defense again. Jaiden Outland (15 points) beat the shot clock with a mid-range jumper with just 20 seconds left in the game to push it to 47-42. Foxboro led 13-12 after a quarter before Attleboro rallied for a 27-22 halftime lead. The Warriors held the hosts to just two points in the third to take a 34-29 lead into the fourth.
Canton, 52 @ Franklin, 57 – Final – The Bulldogs battled hard on the road and kept pace with top-ranked Franklin but the Panthers ultimately hung on for a hard-fought win. Canton came to play from the jump, building a 14-12 lead after a quarter but Franklin fought back in the second including five points from sophomore Caden Sullivan, who was making his season debut. Junior Sean O’Leary got it going in the second half for the Panthers, scoring 14 of his team-high 18 points after the break. Carrying a 39-35 lead into the fourth, Bradley Herndon and Justin Allen hit key threes to keep Franklin ahead. Ben Harvey added 10 points for Franklin. Jamaal McConnell had a team-high 15 points for the Bulldogs, Zaza Francoeur added 13 points, and Matt Chafin finished with 10 points.
Sharon, 76 @ King Philip, 68 – Final – King Philip cut the deficit down to three in the fourth quarter but Sharon never surrendered its lead and picked up an important win on the road. KP had a lead after the first quarter (17-14) and at halftime (34-33) but the Eagles pulled ahead in the third. Dante James scored nine of his 16 points in the third and Nate Katznelson added eight of his 21 points in the frame as Sharon swapped a one-point halftime deficit into a 56-50 lead going into the fourth. Tyler Goodman scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth and the Eagles went 8-for-9 from the line (15-for-18 for the game) to keep the lead. Jacob McLoughlin added 14 points for the visitors and Matt Baur chipped in with 12 points. Will Laplante went 11-for-14 from the free throw line and finished with a team-high 19 points, Tommy Martorano added 14 points, and Grant Kinney chipped in with 13 points.
Mansfield, 71 @ Milford, 52 – Final – Mansfield set the tone with a 21-point first quarter and increased its lead throughout the next three quarters to land a road win at Milford. The Hornets created a six-point lead after one (21-15) and extended it by double digits at halftime (33-23). Mansfield finished with 13 three-pointers and had five players score in double figures. Caden Colby hit four of those threes and had a team-high 14 points along with four boards and three assists while Eddie McCoy (12 points, nine assists, three steals), Davon Sanders (11 points, four assists), Chris Hill (11 points, six rebounds) and JT Veiking (10 points) each connected on two threes.
Oliver Ames, 38 @ North Attleboro, 30 – Final – North Attleboro opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run to get within a point but a big three from OA sophomore Cole Craffey (13 points) with just over two minutes left kept the Tigers ahead for good. Givany Carney scored six of his 11 points in the fourth, Jonnie Obuchkowski hit a three, and both Ryan Bannon and Derek Maceda chipped in with two points as the Rocketeers closed a 29-17 deficit at the start of the final quarter down to 31-30. Craffey’s three restored a two-possession lead for the Tigers. Craffey hit two free throws with a minute to go to extend the lead to 36-30. Freshman Soren Lolonga led OA with 14 points.
Stoughton, 46 @ Taunton, 81 – Final – Taunton built a double-digit lead in the second quarter and then dominated the second half to run away with a 81-46 win over visiting Stoughton. After a 21-point first quarter, Taunton established a 36-25 lead at halftime. The Tigers kept the pressure on in the third with 21 more points but turned up their aggressiveness on defense, forcing five turnovers and holding the Knights to a total of seven points to extend the advantage to 57-32, ending the frame with a 9-0 surge. Freshman Jakari Innocent had a strong game on both ends, finishing with a team-high 18 pooints, 10 rebounds, six steals, three assists, and two blocks. Chris Perault (17 points), Alivensky Morriseau (13 points, five rebounds), and Chris Volcy (12 points, 15 rebounds, three steals) all finished in double-digits for Taunton while Troy Santos chipped in with nine points, five rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals. Stoughton senior Jayden Costa-Haywood scored the Knights’ first 21 points and finished with a game-high 26 points.
Franklin, 47 @ Canton, 41 – Final – Franklin avoided a big upset on Tuesday and moved into a first-place tie with Attleboro ahead of Friday’s showdown. Canton jumped out to a 14-9 lead after one. Mercia Kolokithas buried a pair of threes and Emily McCabe had one in the first to help the Bulldogs grab the early advantage. The Panthers were able to cut the deficit to one before halftime, but managed only 18 points in the opening 16 minutes. Franklin would grab a one-point lead in the third. Katie Peterson scored six of Franklin’s 12 points to make it 30-29 going to the fourth. In the final eight minutes, Franklin’s offense finally clicked and the Panthers scored 17 points. Peterson added four more, finishing with a team-high 17, and Chloe Fales added five of her 10 points. Samya DaSilva scored four of her five points in the fourth to help keep Canton close. The Bulldogs finished with eight three-pointers as a team. Kolokithas made five of them and she scored a team-high 17. Emily McCabe chipped in with seven points. Bridget Leo added seven for the Panthers.
King Philip, 48 @ Sharon, 38 – Final – Jasmine Davis scored 17 points for the Eagles and Eva Poulton added 10.
Milford, 30 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – The Hornets got off to a slow start offensively, but a 16-2 second quarter helped Mansfield open up a double-digit lead at halftime. Abby Wager was the top scorer for the Hornets with 15 points, including six in the third quarter as Mansfield broke the game open. Kara Santos added 14 points, scoring six of Mansfield’s 10 in the first and six of the 13 in the fourth. Rose Maher and Bridget Hanley each chipped in with five points apiece. Milford was led by Aliza Syed, who scored 10 points and knocked down a pair of threes. Erin Michelson scored five in the loss.
North Attleboro, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 60 – Final – OA won back-to-back games for the first time this season, scoring 20 points in the first quarter to grab a lead that it never relinquished. Kaydance Derba (eight rebounds) scored eight points in the first, with Avery Gamble (10 rebounds and five steals) and Sarah Hilliard adding six apiece for the Tigers. Leading 31-16 at the break, the Tigers came out of the locker room intent on putting the game away. OA scored 23 points in the third, with Gamble scoring 12 of her game-high 18 and fellow freshman Kamryn Derba (five assists) scoring nine of her 11 in the quarter. The Derba sisters each scored 11 points and each nailed a trio of three-pointers. Hilliard would finish up with 10 points. Annie Reilly came off the bench to give the Tigers a spark on the defensive end, grabbing six boards and four steals. North battled to the end, holding OA to only six points in the fourth. Ava McKeon (six points) returned from injury to give North a spark on both ends of the floor. Sam Sweeney added eight points for the visitors.
Boys Basketball
King Philip, 40 vs. Xaverian, 66 – Final – King Philip fell behind by double-digits in the first quarter and couldn’t recover against Xaverian’s lengthy zone defense. Sophomore Brandon Nicastro hit a pair of threes and finished with a team-high 10 points while Tommy Martorano, who else had a pair of threes, added eight points.
Mansfield, 68 vs. Bishop Feehan, 55 – Final – Mansfield erased a 22-point deficit and surged past Bishop Feehan in the second half to beat the Shamrocks in stunning fashion. The visitors raced out to a 33-11 lead in the second quarter but Mansfield closed the gap by finishing out the first half strong. Chris Hill scored nine of his 14 points in the second and Eddie McCoy had six of his career-high 21 points as the Hornets closed the deficit to 37-24 by half. The Hornets carried that momentum into the fourth and opened with a 22-8 run to take the lead at 46-45 and the teams entered the fourth locked at 50-50. Davon Sanders (14 points), Caden Colby, and McCoy each hit a three and six different Hornets scored to bring the hosts back into the game. Trevor Foley added six of his 14 points in the fourth, and both Sanders and McCoy had five points while the Hornets’ defense limited the Shamrocks to just five points.
Mansfield junior Trevor Foley goes up for a dunk after a steal in the third quarter against Taunton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. — Mansfield hasn’t fully found its groove on the offensive end of the floor yet, but the way the Hornets are playing defense will give them a chance at winning every game.
Mansfield forced Taunton into over two dozen turnovers, limited the Tigers to under 30% shooting from the floor, and kept the visitors in check all night long en route to a 59-42 win on Tuesday night.
“Defensively, we’re long, we can move, we’re athletic,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I think the difference in the score was probably the defense turning into offense. I think score for score, we were close to even but we were able to get five or six baskets off the defense and we were able to build that lead.”
Points were at a premium for the most part as Taunton’s defense was up to the task into the third quarter. While the Hornets searched for a rhythm on offense in the first half with just 25 points at the break, the defense did its job as it limited the Tigers (who were without second-leading scorer Chris Perault) to 14 points through 16 minutes.
A 7-2 start to the second half for Taunton made it a two-possession game but some key defensive plays sparked a big run to close out the quarter for the hosts.
Davon Sanders, who recorded a career-high 14 points, scored back-to-back buckets, the latter coming off one of his eight steals. Another Taunton turnover resulted in a three from Sanders, who assisted on Mansfield’s next bucket from Caden Colby.
“I thought Davon played great,” Vaughan said. “In that third quarter, he made a few plays that we really needed.”
JT Veiking (17 points, six rebounds) leaked out for two on a feed from Chris Hill following a miss, and Trevor Foley (13 points, five rebounds, four blocks) capped the quarter with a pair of big plays. First, he hauled in a defensive rebound and went the length of the court for two followed by a steal and a breakaway one-handed dunk to give the Hornets a 42-23 lead going into the fourth.
“We came out ready to play in the second half but then it changed. I don’t think they made any big adjustments, things just started to work for them…and when things were working for them, they weren’t working for us and it snowballed.
“We lost our heads at times. [Mansfield] plays so smart for a high school team. You try to work on it, and it works in a calm gym during practice but during the games it’s different.”
Veiking started the fourth with a personal 6-0 run, including a three-pointer on the first possession (after a steal from Sanders) as Mansfield’s lead peaked at 48-23.
Taunton senior Chris Volcy (career-high 24 points, 11 rebounds) and freshman Jakari Innocent (eight points) each had early three-point plays, and Volcy added a three but the Tigers never got within striking distance.
Mansfield held Taunton to single digits in scoring in each of the first three quarters.
“I told them at halftime that we’d getting blown out if our defense wasn’t so good because we can’t sustain scoring right now,” Vaughan said. “The kids have to get out of their own heads, they have to get me out of their head, and just start playing and start making team-orientated decisions. We have guys that are trying to make the plays instead of just letting the offense come.”
The win marked the seventh double-digit win for the Hornets, and the seventh time (in nine games) they have held their opponent under 45 points.
Mansfield boys basketball (5-0 Hockomock, 9-0 overall) is back home again on Friday against Davenport division rival Sharon while Taunton (3-2, 4-3) will try to snap its current three-game skid at home against Attleboro.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 43 @ Catholic Memorial, 72 – Final
Mansfield, 57 vs. BC High, 41 – Final – Mansfield continued to impress on the defensive end of the court, holding BC High to single digits in both the third and fourth quarters on its way to a 57-41 win. The Hornets jumped out to a quick start with 19 points in the first eight minutes but the visiting Eagles responded with 16 points in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 33-26 at halftime. Mansfield allowed just one point in the first 3:33 of the final quarter and continued to pull away down the stretch. Chris Hill led a balanced scoring effort with 14 points, seven steals, six rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, Trevor Foley (nine rebounds, five assists) and Caden Colby (six rebounds) each added 11 points, and Davon Sanders chipped in with nine points.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 52 @ Oliver Ames, 45 – Final – Mansfield scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, turning a tie game into a seven-point road win against a division rival. Kara Santos turned it on in the final eight minutes, scoring 14 of her game-high 22 points in the last quarter, including a pair of threes. Sophomore Ella Palanza scored five of her 11 in the fourth and Bridget Hanley (14 points) drilled a three, one of her four makes from beyond the arc. OA trailed 22-17 at halftime, but the Tigers rallied in the third (13-8) to tie the game and had its best scoring quarter in the fourth, although it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Hornets. Freshman Avery Gamble scored 12 points, including eight in the second quarter, to lead the Tigers. Sarah Hilliard scored 10 of 11 points in the second half. Freshman Kamryn Derba added eight points and her older sister Kaydance chipped in with seven points, eight blocks, and three steals.
Boys Basketball
Stoughton, 60 @ Attleboro, 69 – Final – Attleboro got off to a strong start with a 21-point first quarter, build a double-digit lead at halftime, took a 21-point lead into the final quarter, and then held on after a late surge from Stoughton to secure a 69-60 win. Junior Neo Franco poured in a career-high 29 points, hitting one of Attleboro’s four first quarter three-pointers. Franco had 15 points by halftime while Michael Beverly scored all of his career-high 19 points in the first three quarters. Jaiden Outland and Hayden Crowley also had first quarter threes for Attleboro, which led 38-24 at halftime and 55-34 after three quarters. The Bombardiers limited the visitors to just five points in the second and 10 in the third to grow their big lead. Jayden Costa-Haywood dropped a career-high 25 points for the Black Knights, hitting five three-pointers, and sophomore Matt Greenspoon drained four threes and finished with 16 points.
Canton, 47 @ Taunton, 59 – Final – Taunton took the lead in the second quarter and built on it with a big third, improving to 3-0 on the season with a win over visiting Canton. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead (17-12) with a strong first but the Tigers clawed back and carried a 31-25 lead into halftime. Taunton carried that momentum into the second half, exploding for 21 points in the third quarter to push the lead to 52-37 going into the final eight minutes. Chris Perault scored six points in the second and added a three in the third, finishing with a game-high 19 points for Taunton. Tyson Carter added a three in both of the middle quarters, freshman Jakari Innocent scored 12 of his 14 points between the second and third, and Troy Santos had seven of his nine in the same stretch for the Tigers. Canton hit three threes in the opening quarter but only had two more the rest of the way. Jamaal McConnell led Canton with 13 points while Zaza Francoeur chipped in with 10 points.
Oliver Ames, 50 @ King Philip, 63 – Final – King Philip caught fire in the third quarter, sinking seven three-pointers inside eight minutes to pull away from Oliver Ames for a 63-50 win. The Warriors scored 10 points in the first and 13 in the second, but Oliver Ames held a two-point lead at 25-23 at the break, thanks in part to Nick Asiaf scoring all nine of his points in the second. In the third, senior Will Laplante hit four threes and had 13 of his team-high 21 points in the third. Tommy McLeish added a pair of triples and Tommy Kilroy hit another as the Warriors exploded for 31 points in the third, flipping a two-point halftime deficit to a 54-37 advantage going into the fourth. Kilroy added another three in the fourth and Tommy Martorano finished with 14 points for KP. OA sophomore Cole Craffey scored a career-high 24 points to pace the Tigers.
Mansfield, 50 @ North Attleboro, 33 – Final – Mansfield used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead and did enough to keep North Attleboro at arm’s length the rest of the way, grinding out a tough win. The Hornets’ defense limited the Rocketeers to single digits offensively in each of the first two quarters to stake a 27-13 lead by halftime. Caden Colby scored eight of his team-high 11 points in the second quarter, hitting a pair of threes to help the Hornets establish their lead. JT Veiking had eight of his 10 points and Eddie McCoy scored half of his 10 points in the second half to keep Mansfield ahead. Sophomore Chase Frisoli scored a team-high 11 points for the Rocketeers.
Sharon, 71 @ Milford, 54 – Final – Sharon set the tone defensively early and had a strong overall showing, taking home a 71-54 win from Milford. The Eagles limited the hosts to just one field goal in the first eight minutes and the offense fed off that energy as Ryan Brown (11 points), Jacob McLoughlin (21 points), and Nate Katznelson (20 points) combined to give the Eagles and 18-2 lead. Anthony Piron and Jaden Segal added buckets in the second as Sharon established a 39-17 lead at halftime. McLoughlin added eight more in the third and both Zach Wise and Dante James contributed baskets to help the Eagles stay in front. Luca Testa scored all of his team-high 11 points in the second half while Jack Buckley and CJ Farrell each chipped in with 10 points for Milford.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 59 @ Stoughton, 29 – Final – Attleboro locked in defensively, allowing Stoughton just 11 points in the opening half, and then pulled away with a dominant third quarter to earn its third straight win. The Bombardiers led 13-4 after one and 26-11 at the break, but scored 21 points in the third to break the game wide open. Vanessa Ellis continued her strong start to the season with a game-high 21, including eight in the third quarter alone. Lily Routhier added 16, half of those coming in the third. Attleboro also got eight points from Avery James and seven from Kayla Goldrick. Stoughton was led again by freshman Kirsten McKay, who finished with 12 points. She had eight of those in the second half. Katrina Varnum added four points and nine rebounds, while Caleigh Clark, Raina Tat, and Avery Hobbs each scored three points for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 56 @ Canton, 52 – Final – Taunton turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, holding Canton to just seven points over the final eight minutes, and rallied from seven points down to pick up its third win in a row to start the season. The game was tied at 24-24 at the break, but Canton stepped up on offense to win the third 21-14, led by Samya DaSilva with seven points and Erin Beatty with six. Taunton responded in the fourth, staying unbeaten under new coach Gretchen Rodrigues and in a first-place tie atop the Kelley-Rex. Aaliyah Yera scored six points in the fourth, while Cali Melo added four and Jillian Doherty added four free throws. Freshman Taryn Campbell led the way for the Tigers with 13 points, including eight of Taunton’s 14 in the third. Doherty and Melo each finished with 11 and Yera had nine, all of them from beyond the arc. DaSilva was Canton’s top scorer with 14, while Beatty chipped in with eight and Emily McCabe had seven for the Bulldogs, who knocked down nine threes as a team.
Franklin, 50 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Camryn Collins scored 20 points for the second straight game and Foxboro rallied from 11 points down in the second half to end Franklin’s 44-game league win streak. The first quarter was tight, as both teams came out firing. Collins had 10 of Foxboro’s 16 and Katie Peterson had 11 of Franklin’s 15. The Panthers locked down in the second, holding Foxboro to just two points to go into the locker room leading 27-18. Foxboro rallied early in the third, cutting the lead to just two, but then Franklin put together a run to extend the lead out to as many as 11. Sasha Tracey knocked down a pair of threes for the Panthers and had all six of her points in the quarter. Down nine heading to the final eight minutes, the Warriors found another gear on both ends of the floor and pulled out a 25-11 fourth quarter to secure the victory. Kailey Sullivan caught fire and scored 10 of her 12 points in the fourth, while Ava Hill added three of her seven and Collins scored seven points in the frame, including a clutch pull-up jumper to put Foxboro in front. Peterson would finish with 19 for the Panthers, 15 of them in the first half, and Lizzie Newman scored seven points.
King Philip, 52 @ Oliver Ames, 48 – Final – Emily Sawyer scored a career-high 28 points and the Warriors held on down the stretch to pick up an important, early-season road win. Sawyer was dominant in the first half, scoring six in the first quarter and 10 more in the second. Jackie Bonner added a pair of threes to help KP jump out to a 26-18 lead heading into the locker rooms. OA rallied in the second half, winning the third quarter 13-10 to cut the deficit to just five (36-31). The Tigers took the lead in the fourth, but KP was able to make the plays it needed down the stretch to secure the win. Jordan Bennett scored five of her seven points in the fourth and Sawyer added six more to help the Warriors hang on late. Sarah Hilliard made her season debut for OA and scored 11 and grabbed seven boards in the loss. Avery Gamble added nine points, including seven in the fourth, and Maddie Homer (12 rebounds, including nine offensive) and Kamryn Derba each chipped in with six.
North Attleboro, 41 @ Mansfield, 72 – Final – Mansfield tied a program record with 72 points, remarkably scoring 18 in each of the four quarters, and clamped down on defense in the second half to secure its first win of the season. Abby Wager tied a season-high with 22 points, including 16 in the first half, to lead the Hornets. Kara Santos scored 17, eight of them in third, and Olivia Salisbury scored seven. Mansfield led 36-24 at halftime, but the Hornets pulled away after the break, holding North to 17 points in the second half, and started to dominate on the glass. North was led by freshman Ella McLaughlin, who hit three from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points. Ava McKeon chipped in with nine and Sam Sweeney scored eight, including a pair from outside.
Milford, 45 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Sharon rallied from eight points down in the fourth quarter and Olivia Landstein (five points and four steals) buried a late three to secure the Eagles their first victory under first-year coach Matt DellaBarba. Jasmine Davis continued to dominate in the paint, scoring a season-high 25 points and pulling down 19 rebounds. Rachael Hager had a solid all-around game for the Eagles with eight points, nine rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
Boys Indoor Track (@ the TRACK at New Balance)
Mansfield, 53 @ Oliver Ames, 46 – Final
Sharon @ Canton, 4:30 – Sharon picked up it first the league win of the season on Tuesday. For Canton, Josh Richards took first place in the shot put and Jimmy Podgurski came in third. Luke Darling won the 600 and Dan Kraslynkov took first place in the 300 with Christian Hanlon finishing third.
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 4:30
King Philip, 30 @ Attleboro, 70 – Final
Franklin @ Milford, 4:30
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Girls Indoor Track (@ the TRACK at New Balance)
Mansfield @ Oliver Ames, 4:30
Sharon, 37 @ Canton, 63 – Final – Canton got three PRs and swept the shot put, as the Bulldogs pulled out a win against Sharon. Emma Massih took first with a new personal best of 30’75”, Jess Brathwaite took second with a PR of 25’7.5”, and Taylor Kernen also set a new personal mark with a throw of 23’3” to take third. Canton also won both the 4×200 (Diana Tambi, Katie Oliver, Jayda Proffit, and Syriah McCruse) and the 4×400 (Tahlia Weaver, Lexi Piazza, Lianna Camille, and Nora Giannacopolous) relays.
Boys Basketball
Milford, 55 @ Attleboro, 63 – Final – Attleboro sank four of their nine threes in the fourth quarter to pull away from visiting Milford for their first win in their new gym. Jaiden Outland, who had a game-high 15 points, had one of those threes and scored seven points in the fourth while Hayden Crowley (nine points), Michael Beverly (14 points), and Neo Franco (10 points) also hit from downtown in the frame. Franco had a steal and a layup with just under two minutes to go to push Attleboro’s lead to 59-51 but a jumper from Andrew Rivera (at 1:26) and a layup from Luca Testa (with 45 seconds) brought the Hawks within four, at 59-55. Justin Hanrahan, Beverly, and Outland hit free throws down the stretch, and Spencer Sherck drew a charge to help the Bombardiers close out the win in the final minute. Attleboro head coach Mark Houle praised Sherck’s defensive effort against Milford, who were without two rotation players. Freshman CJ Farrell led Milford with 15 points, Ryan Franklin added 12 points, and Testa finished with 11 points.
Mansfield, 59 @ Foxboro, 50 – Final – Mansfield built a 12-point lead at halftime and opened the second half with a 12-0 run to surge past Foxboro in their first showdown as division rivals. After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with a halfcourt buzzer beater from Trevor Foley (nine points, seven rebounds), Mansfield locked in defensively and limited the Warriors to just two field goals, outscoring the hosts 14-6 to build a 33-21 lead at halftime. Caden Colby (career-high 14 points) hit one of his four threes, Davon Sanders drove to the bucket for two, and Eddie McCoy (nine points) had back-to-back baskets, including a three, and Chris Hill (17 points, eight rebounds) finished a tough layup in transition as the Hornets pushed their lead to 45-21 with 4:30 to go in the third. Foxboro closed on a 13-0 run over the final three minutes to get to the final score. Alex Penders led Foxboro with 16 points while both Ryan Kelley and Sam Golub had eight points apiece.
Franklin, 58 @ King Philip, 50 – Final – Franklin finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, shaking an upset-minded King Philip squad, to grab a 58-50 win on the road. The Panthers led by two at the end of the first quarter (13-11) and halftime (24-22), and carried a three-point lead into the fourth quarter (40-37). Justin Allen hit a pair of key three-pointers in the fourth, Hansy Jacques had six of his 10 points in the frame, and the Panthers got a bucket each from Bradley Herndon, Ben Harvey (13 points), and Sean O’Leary (14 points) to close out the win. After a quiet first half, King Philip senior Will Laplante scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half while Tommy Kilroy added a career-high 12 points.
North Attleboro, 51 @ Taunton, 69 – Final – Buoyed by a 20-point second quarter and a 26-point third quarter, Taunton ran away with a big win at home over visiting North Attleboro. Chris Volcy exploded in the second half, netting 18 of his career-high 20 points to help the Tigers pull away. Senior Chris Perault added a career-high 19 points, knocking down all three of Taunton’s three-pointers. The Rocketeers and Tigers were locked in at 11-11 after eight minutes but Taunton established a 31-20 lead by the break as Troy Santos scored seven of his 11 points in the second quarter. Jonnie Obuchowski and Derek Maceda each scored nine points for the Rocketeers.
Stoughton, 45 @ Oliver Ames, 50 – Final – A see-saw back and forth battle ended with Oliver Ames holding on for a 50-45 win over neighboring Stoughton. With under two minutes to play and locked in a one-possession game at 43-40, Oliver Ames got a pair of big baskets from a pair of underclassmen. Sophomore Cole Craffey drove to the basket for a layup and freshman Soren Lolonga drained a three just before the minute mark to push the Tigers’ lead to 48-40. Stoughton freshman Aiden Wideout answered with a bucket down low off a feed from Liam Pearl, but Craffey was able to work his way through the defense with 20 seconds left to make it 50-42. Matt Greenspoon knocked down a three with 5.7 seconds left to close the gap to 50-45 but OA held on for the win. Chris Elias scored 10 of his team-high 15 points in the second quarter while Lolonga had all 15 of his points in the second half. Stoughton’s Jayden Costa-Haywood finished with a team-high 19 points while Greenspoon added 16 points for the Black Knights, who led 19-18 at halftime.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 56 @ Milford, 35 – Final – Attleboro had three players score in double figures and jumped out to a 20-point lead by halftime to secure its second straight win. Kayla Goldrick and Lily Routhier led the Bombardiers with 13 points apiece. Goldrick helped the visitors get off to a good start with six in the first and Routhier helped build a 36-16 lead at the break with a pair of threes and nine points in the second. Vanessa Ellis scored nine of her 11 points to help break the game open early. Merry Bosh added seven in the win. Milford was led by Erin Michelson’s nine points, all coming in the second half. Aliza Syed scored eight and Olivia Baglione chipped in with six for the Hawks.
Foxboro, 67 @ Mansfield, 31 – Final – Foxboro made it two straight wins to start the season with a dominant road win over fellow division title contender Mansfield. Camryn Collins powered the Warriors on offense with 24 points. Addie Ruter had 13 to continue her strong start to the season with another double-digit scoring night. Erin Foley chipped in with 10.
King Philip, 43 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Thanks to a strong first half, Franklin picked up a second straight home win to start the season and kept alive its league win streak to 44 games. The Panthers jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one quarter and extended it to 31-15 going into the locker room. Sophomore Chloe Fales (career-high 16 points) and Katie Peterson (14 points) combined for 15 in the opening half and Caelyn Leonard buried a pair of threes and scored all eight of her points in the first. KP picked up its offense in the second half, and cut the lead to as little as seven points, but Franklin held on to secure the victory. Emily Sawyer scored 16 points, including eight in the third. Jackie Bonner had 13 points and Maddie Paschke added 11 in the loss.
Taunton, 46 @ North Attleboro, 32 – Final – Taunton put in a strong defensive performance to make it two wins from two games under first-year coach Gretchen Rodrigues. The Tigers held North to just 10 points in the first half (building a 13-point lead at the break) and then just six in the third quarter to pull away. Jillian Doherty led the way with 14 for the Tigers, including eight of the team’s 12 points in the first. Cali Melo added nine points, while sophomore Chelsea Bousquet had eight and freshman Taryn Campbell added seven. On a tough shooting night as a team, North was led by Ava McKeon’s 15 points. She scored 12 of North’s 16 in the fourth as the hosts tried to mount a late comeback. Freshman Ella McLaughlin added eight points in the loss.
Oliver Ames, 79 @ Stoughton, 42 – Final – OA carried over momentum from the second half of its opener against Franklin and exploded for 79 points on Friday to even its record after two games. The Tigers jumped out to a 21-5 lead after one quarter, extended it to 45-17 at halftime, and added another 22 points in the third. Freshman Kamryn Derba knocked down five three-pointers and finished with a game- (and career-) high 20 points. Classmate Avery Gamble added 14 points (on 9-of-11 from the line) and the duo combined for 25 points before the break. Freshman Maeve Horsman had 12 points, Kaydance Derba scored 11, and Annie Reilly had nine for OA. Stoughton also got an impressive performance from a freshman, as Kirsten McKay scored eight of her career-high 15 points in the third. She added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Raina Tat chipped in with 10 points and Alyssa Edwards added eight. Katrina Varnum pulled down 14 rebounds for the Black Knights.
Wrestling
Silver Lake Quad (Franklin), 4:00
Boys Swimming
Foxboro, 40 @ Milford, 69 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 58 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 85 – Final
Girls Swimming
Foxboro, 71 @ Milford, 87 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield, 7:00
Stoughton, 32 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 84 – Final
Mansfield junior Eddie McCoy goes up for a layup in the second half against Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. — Buoyed by a dominant second half on both ends of the court, the Mansfield boys basketball team opened the new season in grand style.
Host Attleboro had a good first quarter and kept close with the Hornets for the first half but Mansfield was relentless for 32 minutes on the defensive end and used their athleticism and size to attack the basket, both in transition and in the half court, to pull away for a 62-33 win over the Bombardiers.
“I think in the first quarter both teams were amped up, and sometimes when you’re amped up in your own gym balls go in, and when you’re amped up on the road they don’t,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan, now in his 19th year at the helm. “I thought we did a really good job defensively. I think our length will bother people and I think it did tonight. Night number one, couldn’t be happier with the result and how the kids responded after their early punch and sticking with the game plan.”
Not only was it Attleboro’s home opener for the season, but it was also their first home game in their brand new high school, which opened up this fall. The Bombardiers translated that energy into a strong opening quarter as Hayden Crowley and Nathan Hodson — both varsity newcomers — each hit a three and junior returner Neo Franco sank a pair of shots.
But even Attleboro’s strong start wasn’t enough for the lead after eight minutes as Mansfield senior Chris Hill, the most seasoned player in the Hock entering the season, helped the Hornets quell the early waves of momentum and hit a pair of threes of his own, the latter of the two giving Mansfield a 14-13 lead after a quarter.
Mansfield improved on both ends of the court in the second quarter, upping its scoring output while lowering Attleboro’s. That trend continued in the third and fourth quarters as well as the Hornets outscored the hosts 33-10 in the second half, pitching a shutout in the fourth quarter until 10 seconds to play.
“Their defensive intensity stayed pretty consistent throughout the entire game,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle, now in his 28th year leading the Bombardiers. “I think for us, the early energy was great both offensively and defensively, but I think they wore us down a bit on the defensive end. We weren’t making shots and their length hurt us inside. Having kids get experience today was important, especially against a really good, well-coached team. Matching them early was good but in order to compete at that level, you have to do it for 32 minutes.
“They went into a different gear in the second half and we weren’t ready for that.”
Hill had a terrific performance with 21 points, eight rebounds, five blocks, and four assists. He led the charge again in the second quarter with seven points, converting an early layup that canceled out a three from Crowley, and then finishing a putback plus the foul just a couple minutes later that evened out yet another triple from Crowley (nine points).
Juniors Trevor Foley (16 points, six rebounds), Brandon Jackman, and Eddie McCoy (six points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals) all scored to help Mansfield establish a 29-23 lead at the break.
Mansfield’s single-digit advantage didn’t last long in the third quarter. The Hornets got out on the break, after makes and misses, running up the court for quick, and at times, easy baskets. Foley, McCoy, and senior Caden Colby all scored early and Davon Sanders scored off an offensive rebound midway through the quarter.
A brief 6-2 burst — featuring a bucket and assist from JT Veiking (10 points, three rebounds), a dunk from Foley up the middle, and two more from Hill extended Mansfield’s lead to 45-31.
“We tried to do a little more in transition because we have guys like Eddie and Trevor who can get out in front,” Vaughan said. “And we had touches in the paint tonight for the first time in 16 years, so that was pretty good. If we can go inside out and move the ball, and be a little more consistent with the movement, we can be good but I was pretty happy with how we played.
“I thought our flow was good, our transition was good and our defense was great.”
Hill drained a three to start the fourth and Mansfield never looked back. Their swarming defense forced the Bombardiers into 13 turnovers and Mansfield recorded seven blocks as a team (five from Hill), taking advantage of their size.
“He played pretty consistent through four [quarters] and he has a calming way about him,” Vaughan said of Hill. “The difference between this year and previous years is now he’ll exert himself in an offensive possession or on defense too, he had some really impressive blocks. He has that ice in his veins, just does his job.”
For Attleboro, which had all but three of its players getting their first meaningful varsity minutes, the experience is invaluable
“It’s a lot about details…we need to sprint and get back on defense,” Houle said. “it was a layup drill for them in the second half. Even when we scored, we turn around, and two passes later they are getting a layup. It will be important when we watch the film and I think they’ll learn from this game and figure out what we can do better as a team.”
Mansfield boys basketball (1-0 Hockomock, 1-0 overall) is on the road again Friday, making a trip to Foxboro for a key Davenport division clash. Attleboro (0-1, 0-1) is home again when it hosts Milford.
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Outlook: After experiencing some growing pains against a tough schedule last season, the Bulldogs boast a good number of returning players looking to have a bounce-back year in 2022.
Canton has key pieces in key spots on the field and has a total of 22 seniors on the roster. The defense will be filled with veterans including a talented group of linebackers that include seniors Jack Flaherty (captain) and Hayden Rose along with junior captain Owen Lane. While the linebackers are likely to be the heart of the defense, the Bulldogs also have some key experience – and some noticeable size – on the defensive line with seniors Julian Prentice (captain) and Jack Digirolamo. In the secondary, Charlie Cox and Josh Richards will man the safety positions to anchor the secondary unit.
The Bulldogs have a familiar face back at quarterback in Lane, an athletic lefty that can make plays with both his feet and his arm. As just a sophomore a year ago, Lane gained valuable experience and will be looking to build on a solid campaign. He will work behind a somewhat inexperienced line that is anchored by senior captain Matt Lesser at center with Nathan Levis and sophomore Luke Richard at guard, and junior Giovanni Disasio and sophomore Luke Laguerre at tackle. Senior Godson Ofonagoro has transferred in and will be in the mix at running back along with James Robbins, Cole Ouellette, and Michael Sayers.
Canton opens the season on the road at Dighton-Rehoboth but then hosts back-to-back non-league games as the Bulldogs look to build some momentum before their first meeting with Mansfield since 2012.
Outlook:
Foxboro narrowly missed out on a trip to Gillette last year, falling in the Div. 5 state semifinal. The reigning Davenport division champions will have to replace the production of league MVP Dylan Gordon, but the Warriors have a host of younger players ready to step into bigger roles this season and will be excited about adding league title drama to their Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Mansfield.
Even graduating its starting tailback and quarterback, Foxboro will have a lot of depth in the skill positions this season with several underclassmen showing that they are ready to contribute right away. Sophomore Mike Marcucella will take over under center and will have plenty of options in the backfield and at receiver. Junior Lincoln Moore has the strength and quickness to be a dynamic runner along with junior Brandon Mazenkas-O’Grady, senior Jaiquann Williams, and sophomore Ben Angelini. Senior Payton France will be an option at wideout, junior Tony Sulham adds speed wherever he lines up, and sophomore Nolan Gordon will be a big target on the outside. The offensive line is loaded with size this season. Senior Andrew Finn will be the leader of a group that includes junior Nate Urman and sophomore Jonathan Balde. Sam Carpenter is one of the league’s top kickers and gives Foxboro the chance for points every possession.
Defense has always been a focal point for the Warriors and they have plenty of experience returning to be a strong group. As one offense, Foxboro will have plenty of size up front. Finn and Mazenkas-O’Grady are constant threats from the ends with Urman and Balde helping out in the interior. Moore was a standout linebacker as a sophomore and he leads a group that includes Williams and Angelini. Sulham is a lockdown corner and Gordon, Francis, and Marcucella will all add depth in the secondary.
“If the players and coaches are patient and are mindful that you never pick up where you left off, assuming nothing, this can be a good football team, characterized by senior strength and tremendous underclass talent,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli.
Outlook:
It usually doesn’t take Mansfield long to rebuild and the Hornets come into the new season with an experienced core of returning players, particularly in the skill positions, that is poised to challenge not only for the program’s first Davenport division title but also to make a deep run in the state tournament. With nearly all of its production back from last year, Mansfield will be counting on that year of experience to be ready for a tough schedule meant to prepare the Hornets for the playoffs.
The Mansfield offense should have plenty of balance to it this season. Senior Conner Zukowski will be back under center for the Hornets and he has a host of weapons to take advantage of in both the passing and ground games. Seniors Drew Sacco and Rocco Scarpellini will be in the backfield this season and both are dynamic runners who can grind yards or break big plays. Juniors Brian Butler and Nolan Bordieri could also be added to the mix. Junior Connor Curtis will give another option as a running QB. Junior Trevor Foley emerged as one of the top receivers in the league last season and junior CJ Bell, Bordieri, and junior Brandon Jackman give the Hornets a lot of depth on the outside, while senior Ryan DeGirolamo gives Zukowski a big target at tight end. The line should also be deep this season, led by seniors Jephte Jean and Colton Johnson and newcomers senior Dexter Harris, and juniors Aidan Gleavy, Matt Tryon, and Jason Riley.
Experience is a strength on the other side of the ball as well. Foley and Bell give Mansfield playmakers in the secondary that will cause havoc with opposition passing attacks. Bordieri and Jackman will add to that defensive back group. Jean was an imposing force on the defensive line and he will be helped by Gleavy and Harris. DeGirolamo gives the Hornets a threat from his defensive end position and Riley could step into that role on the other side. Scarpellini and senior Caden Colby will return at linebacker.
“Depth and experience at offensive skill positions with the return of about 95 percent of the team’s production from last year,” Mansfield head coach Mike Redding said of his team’s strength. “Defensive group is also experienced with the secondary returning three of the four starters and two of the three linebackers, so good experience there as well.”
Outlook: Buoyed by a productive offseason, Oliver Ames is looking to get back into the heart of the division title race this season. The Tigers have a strong nucleus of players back and are hoping a strong line – both offensively and defensively – will pave the way for success this season.
Three of the Tigers’ five captains call the offensive line home so OA will lean heavily on that unit to pave the way for the offense. Columbia University-commit Jaden Hinton has transformed into one of the best two-way linemen in not only the Hock but in the state. He will be joined by fellow captains Chris Young and John Carey, as well as classmate Luis Fernandes. The unit will be in charge of creating holes for four-year starter and captain Chad Silva. After handling lead blocking duties last year, Silva will likely be the feature back for the Tigers and has a great combination of power and speed.
Senior captain Wayne Casey will start under center and will be tasked with controlling the offense. He will work with Robert Jenkins, Jaden Graham, and Bronson Burnham as weapons on offense.
Silva is back for another year at linebacker and is a big-time playmaker on that side of the ball. Seniors Jack Morley and Jordan Young round out an experienced group while Hinton will work with Young, Fernandes, and classmate Donovan Howard along the defensive line. Seniors Jack Perron and Nick Ferrini will play in the secondary alongside Jenkins and Graham.
“I am thrilled about the work our older guys have put in this offseason and really think it should help them pay off,” said OA head coach Ed DeWitt. “We really want to continue to improve week to week and play with more consistency than we did last year.”
Outlook:
Sharon is continuing its independent schedule this fall and, with 13 returning starters, the Eagles will have plenty of experience. Depth continues to be a challenge for the program, but there is room for development, and head coach Dave Morse is hoping that a very young roster will continue to develop this season.
Junior quarterback Liam Conway will lead an offense that is going to try and add more balance this season. Senior Kyle Samuels and junior Jacob McLoughlin will be the primary targets in the passing game. Juniors Gabe Korn and Duncan Seaman will be in the backfield and will give the Eagles a couple of threats in the running game. Senior fullback Joden Chanel will try and lead the way in the running game and senior lineman Dan Davis will be there to open holes.
Defensively, Sharon wants to be more aggressive. Korn and Seaman will lead the linebacking corps and add playmaking on the defensive side of the ball. Davis will be an impact player on the line and Chanel will give Sharon speed on the edge. In the secondary, Samuels will be one of the top cover guys, while junior Elijah Wisdom will be a ball hawk at free safety.
“Hoping to continue to develop and turn that into winning football games,” Morse said. “We are still very young because of the lack of seniors but it is my job to get all of our players up to speed at the varsity level.”
Editor’s note: Sharon is competing a non-league schedule this season.
Outlook: Stoughton finished in the middle of the pack in the Davenport division after an injury-plagued season last year. The Black Knights reached the state tournament and kept it close before falling in the first round, and ended the season with a win over rival Canton on Thanksgiving to finish at 5-6.
Between the graduating seniors and the players returning from injury, there will be plenty of new playmakers for the Black Knights this season. One familiar face will be the one under center as junior Jarred Daughtry is back at quarterback after getting a lot of reps a season ago. Daughtry showed that he can make plays with his arm but he’s very athletic and will be someone opposing defenses have to keep an eye out for.
Running the Wing-T, Daughtry will have senior Tagh Swiezewski and juniors Liam Pearl and Alex Huynh – both of who got off to promising sophomore campaigns before injuries. All three will be involved in blocking and running, and also key pieces in the Stoughton passing game. Junior James Currier has emerged as a top option as a receiver as well.
Stoughton has been known for its tough defenses over the years under longtime head coach Greg Burke, and the Black Knights will be looking to continue that tradition this year. Stoughton gave up over 23 points per game last, which was unusually high for a program that has kept teams under 20 for at least the six seasons prior to that. An athletic secondary will feature Swierziewski, Daughtry, Huynh, and Currier. Timmy Chung returns as one of the starting linebackers alongside Pearl and Beder, while Laz, Noel, and Thomas will all be two-way linemen.
“We need to stay healthy and improve on the line,” said Burke. “We need younger players to play and to improve every week.”
