Taunton freshman Alana Tavares (10) provided the historic goal three minutes into overtime to give the Tigers a win in their first playoff game in 27 years. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – Oliver Ames won both meeting with Taunton during the regular season. but Taunton turned the tables in the postseason to even the the season series. First, Taunton won the coin toss on Tuesday (it was actually names picked out of a hat) so that Thursday night’s Div. 1 South playoff game, the first for Taunton in 27 years, would be at Aleixo Stadium.
Cheered on by a large, partisan crowd, freshman Alana Tavares scored her second goal in as many games (and second of the season) three minutes into the seven-on-seven overtime to break a scoreless deadlock and hand Taunton its first postseason win in program history.
“We came out with energy that I’ve never seen before,” said Taunton head coach Liz Hathaway. “They just wanted it. I think they wanted it more.”
OA coach Abby Tepper echoed Hathaway’s sentiments, giving credit to the desire and urgency of the hosts. “The fact that they were home,” she said, “they had the adrenaline, the crowd, the first time in 27 years, I mean that’s got to get them going and it did.”
The first attack of the overtime period went to OA, but the Taunton defense made the stop and quickly transitioned down the other end of the field. Senior Liana Duartebullied her way past three OA defenders to create the scoring chance and on the third rebound Tavares was on hand to knock in the loose ball.
“That kid is definitely a spark plug,” Hathaway said of Duarte. “She has the biggest heart and talk about wanting it…she definitely wants it.”
Taunton assistant Mike Fox, who took over for Hathaway after the birth of her child during the season, added, “Graduation is coming in June and…three very vital seniors in the program are leaving us to go forward in college and it was a nice opportunity to maybe have a freshman take that torch and start carrying it.”
OA senior goalie Caitlin Grant nearly kept out Taunton in overtime, sliding out and using her whole body to stop not only Duarte’s initial shot but also the first rebound. In fact, OA would not have even gotten to the overtime, if Grant had not come through with a kick save in the final seconds of regulation to deny Diana Brens off a Tavares assist.
Tepper said, “I told her before the game, ‘You’re a top goalie in the league and you need to play like that. Play on your toes, be ready,’ and she was ready. She had two saves before the goal went in, so not her fault at all. We just didn’t clear it off the pads quick enough.”
What made the victory even more impressive for Taunton is that the Tigers were playing without leading scorer Kya Enos. The senior forward was sidelined with a concussion and forced to miss the playoff game, but for Hathaway and Fox this was a sign of the team’s depth.
“That just goes to show how much they all want it and how much of a team sport this is, not just heavily relying on one player,” said Hathaway. Fox noted, “We spoke about how we could use her injury as a scapegoat and play down or as a springboard and play better and we saw how the girls used it for 60-plus minutes.”
It was a game that featured back-and-forth action, but few clear-cut chances for either team. In the first half, neither team was able to put a shot on target and the two goalies only combined for three saves in regulation.
In the 17th minute, Sarah Stevens set up Hannah Stryke, but the freshman’s first-time shot was just wide of the post. Ten minutes later, Taunton nearly created an opening goal with a straightaway shot by Cierra Bartel off a Brens pass that also went wide.
Off a second half corner, Murphy blasted a shot that Grant blocked aside and off the post, but the official’s whistle called off the effort. Six minutes later, Taunton again had a good chance when Lauren Torres crossed for Brens but the senior was unable to get a touch to the pass.
The visitors were next to create chances with Maggie Woods got to a loose ball right in front but the shot missed wide and then Woods was fed by Stevens in front but her shot was kicked aside by Taunton goalie Emma Sheehan.
Jillian Pagliuca fired a long-range shot at the OA goal and Hannah Blackwell was open on the post but was unable to make contact and knock it in during the final, frenetic moments of regulation.
“I think they beat us to 50-50 balls and, as you can tell they wanted it more,” said Tepper, as the Taunton team and its fans celebrated after the game. “I think we were playing on our heels a little bit, we were reluctant, and they were aggressive.”
In the end, it was Tavares, who scored 64 goals for the lacrosse team as an eighth grader, that came through in the clutch with the winning touch. It was just her second career field hockey goal, but it was a memorable one, sending Taunton into the second round for the first time.
“They’ve got to execute and they did,” said Fox, “but it doesn’t hurt to have home-field advantage and I think you can feel the energy especially when we got to overtime. The girls are pumped up, they’re in front of the student body, they’re in front of their families and friends, and it was a pretty special night.”
Taunton (11-7-1, 8-7-1), the No. 16 seed, will advance to face undefeated top seed Somerset-Berkeley on Saturday afternoon at 3:00. Oliver Ames finishes the season at (9-7-3, 8-6-2).
Boys Soccer
Milford vs. Nipmuc – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/31 at 3:45.
Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final
Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames took a one-goal lead into halftime and added three more to conclude its Hockomock schedule with a win over Mansfield. Meaghan Rockey scored once and had two assists for the Tigers, who will travel to West Bridgewater on Friday to conclude the regular season. Maggie Woods, Hannah Stryke, and Sarah Stevens each scored once while Stryke and Cassie Gennis each had an assist. Caitlin Grant made nine saves in net for the Tigers.
Attleboro @ Taunton – Postponed to Saturday, 10/28 at 3:30.
Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/26 at 5:30.
King Philip @ Franklin – Postponed to Friday, 10/27 at 3:45.
Milford @ Sharon – Postponed to Friday, 10/27 at 3:45.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final
Stoughton, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Stoughton won games four and five to overcome a 2-1 deficit and grab its 16th win of the season. Senior Val Whalen and sophomore Mykiah Simpson combined for 29 kills while junior Molly Turner got 29 assists and 16 digs for the Black Knights. Senior Taylor Levine played strong in the back row with 17 digs. For Canton, Hannah Jerrier had a great night with 21 kills, hitting .340 and had two blocks. Megan McDonough had 25 digs and four aces and Nicole Brown had another outstanding night with 35 assists and 11 digs for the Bulldogs.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – King Philip capped its perfect Hockomock League schedule with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18) win over Franklin. Sydney Phillips continued her strong season at the net with 23 kills while Michaela Palumbo added 12 kills and 10 service points. Kat Kmetz had 11 service points, including two aces, and three blocks while Julianne Rando finished with eight digs. For Franklin, Meaghan Maguire (five blocks) and Hailey Sanders (two blocks) each chipped in with eight kills and Maggie Doyle (two blocks) had seven kills. Junior Lauren McGrath had 35 assists for the Panthers.
Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win games four and five to earn the win over Mansfield (27-25, 19-25, 21-25, 27-25, 15-11). After an 0-6 start to the season, OA has won 10 of their last 13 games to qualify for the state tournament. Sophomore Allie Kemp led OA with 41 assists and five aces, senior Emma Petrillo had 14 kills and three aces, senior Kayla Raymond finished 11 kills and nine blocks, and junior Sadie Homer had 34 digs. For Mansfield, Julia Harrison had 26 kills and 11 digs, Meg Hill had 25 kills and Emma Ascoli finished with 48 assists and 36 digs.
Boys Soccer
Sharon, 3 vs. Norwood, 2 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of goals in the final five minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and land a one-goal win. Freshman Bryce Nathan converted a free kick just outside the area in the 34th minute to bring the Eagles level. Norwood went up 2-1 in the 57th minute but the Eagles leveled the match when Antonio El Khoury scored on a bicycle kick inside the area in the 76th minute. Senior Andy Reyes-Jones headed in the winner in the 78th minute off a long throw-in from classmate Tyler Hippler.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Attleboro took the lead early but junior Annie Walsh tied the game last in the first half for the Panthers. FHS junior Cassi Ronan then scored the next two goals to give the Panthers the win. Franklin coach Lisa Cropper noted that senior Kyla Aldred played a strong game on defense.
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman Hannah Stryke scored a pair of goals in the first half to help the Tigers qualify for the state tournament. Senior Sarah Stevens assisted on the second goal while senior Caitlin Grant made two saves in net.
Stoughton, 6 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Julia Russell led the Stoughton offense with three goals while Jackie Evangelista scored a pair of goals and Brittni Paul found the back of the net once. Emily Locke scored for Sharon.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin defended home court with another balanced offensive attack. Hailey Sanders and Meaghan Maguire each recorded eight kills for the Panthers while Maggie Doyle had four kills to go along with 14 service points and a pair of blocks. Junior Lauren McGrath added 21 assists and 14 service points in the win.
Canton, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Canton went on the road and recorded a 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 sweep of Foxboro. Erin Devine had five kills and five blocks for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Pat Cawley noted that Caitlyn Cahill had some clutch serving and good defense while Angie Elias came off the bench and provided a spark on offense.
King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip picked up the sweep on the road over Kelley-Rex rival Mansfield, walking away with a 25-18, 26-24, 25-20 in a competitive contest. Sydney Phillips led the offense with 17 kills, five digs, and two aces while Michaela Palumbo added 10 kills, nine service points and a pair of aces. Grace Ely added four kills while Julianne Rando chipped in with six digs and six aces. For Mansfield, Julia Harrison led the offense with 11 kills while Meg Hill added 10 kills. Jolie O’Neil, Sam Sternberg, and Katie Dardinski each had 10 digs for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a tight win on the road, leaving Milford with a 25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 26-24 win over the Scarlet Hawks.
Taunton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Taunton won two of the first three games but Oliver Ames battled back to win games four and five and earn the win (24-26, 25-16, 14-25, 25-15, 15-4). Katie Flynn led the way for the Tigers with 14 kills while Emma Petrillo also had 14 kills as well as six aces. Allie Kemp finished with 36 assists, Sadie Homer added 32 digs and a pair of aces and Kayla Raymond slammed down eight kills with six blocks.
Stoughton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Stoughton bounced back after dropping a tight first set to win the next three and earn its 15th win of the season (27-29, 25-13, 26-24, 25-17). Senior Val Whalen led the way with 16 kills and 23 digs for the Black Knights while junior Molly Turner added 17 assists and 16 digs and junior Hanna Holden chipped in seven aces.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 3 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton junior Paul Cocoran netted his second hat trick of the season, including a pair of goals in the second half that helped the Bulldogs build a three-goal lead. Milford opened the scoring when freshman Leo Coelho netted his first career goal but Canton responded with a pair of goals in a two-minute span. Corcoran tied the game in the 21st minute and Simon Cruz gave Canton the lead in the 22nd minute. Cocoran added goals in the 56th and 64th minutes to go up 4-1. Milford sophomore Jordan Borges made it a two-goal game in the 75th minute and sophomore Walisson de Oliveira brought the Hawks within one in the final minute.
King Philip, 5 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – King Philip scored four goals in the second half to break a tie game and pick up two points at home. Tyler Mann put the Warriors up 1-0 on an unassisted tally in the ninth minute. Feehan tied the game midway through the first half. Mann completed his hat trick with a pair of goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half, making it 2-1 in the 44th minute on a feed from Anthony Bozza and 3-1 just two minutes later on a feed from Connor Mullins. Thomas Lugten scored a pair of goals in a five-minute span, with junior Justin Willson and freshman Evan McEvoy picking up assists.
Stoughton, 2 vs. Norwood, 1 – Final – Tyler Melo and Fabio Ponce de Leon each had a goal for the Black Knights to earn Stoughton its first win of the season.
Stoughton, 3 @ Norwood, 4 – Final – Chinazo Odunze scored a pair of goals and Mackenzie Manning had a goal and an assist for the Black Knights. Brigid Pearl and Nicole Weir also had assists in the loss.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 6 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Alli Meehan recorded a hat trick to pace the Warriors on the road. Senior Christina Hathaway netted a pair of goals and Dana Truini scored once for King Philip.
Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Sophia DiCenso led the way for the Warriors with a hat trick. Jackie Brion, Molly Murphy, Lily Daly, Annie Murphy, Lindsey Morris, and Lily Behn also scored for Foxboro.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin junior Anna Jardine had a strong game in net, making nine saves, including a gutsy slide tackle and a beautiful diving save – both in the second half – to help the Panthers preserve the win. Juniors Cassi Ronan and Regan Paterson each scored once in the first half for Franklin. FHS head coach Lisa Cropper said junior Annie Walsh played an outstanding game, creating numerous offensive chances and stopping OA from mounting an attack. Oliver Ames goalie Caitlin Grant made eight saves in net.
Mansfield, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Senior Kya Enos netted a hat trick for the second straight game and junior goalie Emma Sheehan made 12 saves to help the Tigers earn an upset over visiting Taunton. Diana Brens had two assists while Liana Duarte had one helper in the win. THS coach Mike Fox praised the defensive play of Jillian Pagliuca, Jocelyn Pagliuca, and Kathryn Robinson.
Milford, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Haley Apotheker scored a pair of goals to help the Black Knights defend its home field and earn a win over visiting Milford.
Volleyball
Canton, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford picked up a key division win at home, taking it 25-19, 25-18, 25-23. For Canton, Taylor Harris and Hannah Jerrier combined for 14 kills while head coach Pat Cawley praised the defensive play of Julia Minichiello.
Foxboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton earned a dominant win in the first game but had to orchestrate a comeback to win a close second game. The Black Knights completed the sweep with a convincing third game win, 25-5, 26-24, 25-10. Val Whalen took control in the first set, rattling off 16 service points, including six aces. Sophomore Mykiah Simpson paced the offense with five kills in the opening set. Whalen finished 16 kills, 18 digs, and eight aces while junior Molly Turner added 21 assists and six aces. Seniors Vicky Ramos and Haley Stone played well defensively for the Knights.
Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Franklin mounted a late comeback in the second half to help sweep the Tigers on the road. Junior Lauren McGrath (four aces) put the Franklin offense in motion with 30 assists while Meaghan Maguire had 10 kills and two blocks and Lauren Lockhart chipped in with eight kills. Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game.
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro earned the sweep, defeating Sharon 25-14, 25-20, 25-12. Seniors Amelia Murphy (13 kills) and Kezie De La Cruz (nine kills) led the Rocketeers to the win.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a convincing 25-14, 25-11, 25-14 win. Sydney Phillips led the way with 15 kills while Michaela Palumbo added four kills. Julianna Rando (eight digs) and Elise Pereira (seven digs) paced the Warriors’ defensive effort.
Golf
Taunton, 179 @ Attleboro, 174 – Final – Attleboro’s Kyle DelSignore eached match medalst honors with a low-round of 39 and was the difference between the Bombardiers and Tigers. The two teams matched on cards two, three and four – meaning DelSignore’s five-stroke win on the top card was the difference.
Canton, 157 @ Mansfield, 173 – Final – Canton sophomore Chris Lavoie fired a 36 at Norton Country Club, earning match medalist honors for the first time and helping the Bulldogs stay unbeaten. Danny Powers added a 39 for the Bulldogs while Brendan Loomer led Manfield with a round of 40.
Milford, 191 @ Foxboro, 178 – Final
Stoughton, 174 @ Oliver Ames, 139 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Mark Bissonette birdied the first two holes of play, finishing with a low-round of 33 to earn medalist honors. Ryan McGarry and Eric LeBlanc added rounds of 35 while Matt Kelley fired a 36 at Pine Oaks.
Oliver Ames’ Cristina Boudreau tries to get around two Milford defenders in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – It was only five minutes into the game, and Oliver Ames had the ball in the attacking half for most of that time, but Tigers’ second-year head coach Abby Tepper didn’t like what she saw, and burned one of her timeouts.
“We talked about our body language, communication…it was the controllables more than anything,” Tepper said. “I thought it was important to call it that early, and it did turn things around. It was all about the controllables more than the actual tactical skills.”
The result of the timeout was a spirited effort from the Tigers, scoring four goals in the next 20 minutes and walking away from Muscato Stadium with a 5-0 decision over visiting Milford.
OA created two great scoring chances just moments after the timeout. Junior Kayla Lozzi fed Liz Nuss up the middle, but Milford’s Emily Haley made a nice defensive play just in front of goal. A minute later, freshman Hannah Stryke ripped a shot that was tipped by Nuss, but Milford keeper Paige Reisman made the stop.
The Tigers kept up the pressure, earning their third corner of the game just over the midway point of the first half. Freshman Emily Han connected with Sarah Stevens on the corner, who passed back to Cristina Boudreau. The senior ripped a shot from distance and found the back of the net to make it 1-0.
The goal seemed to give Oliver Ames more confidence, as they kept pressuring the Hawks.
Just two minutes after the opening tally, sophomore Maura Kiernan was in the right place in front of goal, getting a slid touch on Stevens’ long shot, deflecting it into the cage to make it 2-0.
“I think we started off a little bit flat and I had to call a timeout early on,” Tepper said. “We really want the players to lead, I think the captains are good leaders and they got everyone going. Once we started scoring, that kind of opened up the floodgates more for us.”
OA added another goal just a minute later, converting on another one of their eight first half corner chances. This time, junior Meaghan Rockey found Boudreau for a shot. With Stryke perfectly positioned for a screen, Boudreau’s shot found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.
The Tigers capped their first half scoring with just over five minutes to play in the first half. Boudreau carried possession up the right side of the field and then drilled a cross through the area to the back post. Junior Katie Bosse corralled the pass and then placed her shot into the back of the net to make it 4-0.
Oliver Ames controlled the second half as well, earning 10 corners and putting 11 shots on net, but only converted once.
Five minutes into the second half, the Tigers earned a penalty stroke when the ball was covered in the area. Lozzi took the shot and drilled into to the left side of the cage to make it 5-0.
Milford had chances on the counter-attack, especially with the speed of senior Shannon Cormier. But Oliver Ames’ defense played a high line and continually thwarted the Scarlet Hawks’ attempts to break out.
“For this game, we wanted our defense to be marking,” Tepper said. “Sometimes we have the defense go low and be ready to recover. But we wanted to mark this game and deny them, we wanted to stop the ball before it even got into our end. Our defense did a nice job of forcing them wide and keeping them out of the circle.”
The Hawks finally did break out in the 54th minute, registering their first chance on goal. Bella Gonzalez sent a pass in behind the defense that Cormier raced onto, but Oliver Ames goalie Caitlin Grant came charging out and made a sliding save, double stacking her pads.
Milford earned its first corner of the game in the final minutes but OA’s defense denied a scoring chance.
“I think we’re playing pretty well right now but I think the schedule gets a lot tougher next week with Foxboro and Canton,” Tepper said. “I think there are some games we could capitalize a bit more but the team chemistry is good and the morale is up.”
Oliver Ames field hockey (7-1-2 overall, 6-1-2 Hockomock) returns to action on Tuesday when Tepper makes her first trip back to her alma mater, Foxboro. Milford (2-7-0, 2-7-0) will try to bounce back when it entertains Attleboro on the same day.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro had a penalty kick denied in the first half but found the winner in the second half. In the 57th minute, junior Joe Hilf finished off a through ball from sophomore Joey Coscarella for the lone tally of the match.
Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Zac White opened the scoring in the first half for the Warriors and Tyler Mann sealed the victory with a second half goal. Click here for a photo gallery from this game.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second half but Sharon found the equalizer with just three minutes to play to earn a point on the road. Wallison de Oliveira put the Hawks up in the 60th minute but Michael Bauer cleaned up a loose ball in the area to knot the game. Sharon nearly had the winner in the final minute, but Milford keeper Luke Capobianco made a key say. MHS head coach Brian Edwards added Tiago Carvalho played a great game in the midfield for the Hawks.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Samantha Tichelaar extended her goal-scoring streak to four games, while Megan Flanagan and Alex Wapenski each added goals to make it back-to-back wins for the Tigers. Khy Camaro, Emma Silvia, and Kasey Colvin each had assists in the win and Grace Pimenta made five saves.
Stoughton, 2 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Freshman Olivia Rodman scored a hat trick and recorded an assist for the Bulldogs to keep Canton in a tie for second place in the Davenport. Fellow freshman Elisa Diletzia added a brace for Canton. Sarah Collins and Morgan McCabe also scored in the win. Chinazo Odunze scored the first for the Black Knights off a Mackenzie Manning assist and Manning scored the second from the penalty spot.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Ashlyn Gaulin had a hat trick for the Davenport leaders and Haley Ferrin added the fourth. Haley Guertin had a pair of assists, while Rachel Labonte and Kayla Pasquel each added one. According to North coach Bill Wallace, Emma Noreck led a “strong defensive effort” and he noted the solid play of Emily Chiasson, Lauren Dow, Sam Hawkins and Julia Tolfa. Lizzy Davis had the lone goal for the Warriors and Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said that Alex Stamatos had a “great game” in the Foxboro defense.
King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – King Philip scored four times in the opening 20 minutes of the game and held on after Franklin scored two to halve the deficit before the break. Avery Snead scored twice and assisted on another, while Chloe Layne added a goal and an assist. Emma Corcoran had an assist and Ally Stanton added the fourth goal for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Emily Vigeant scored a penalty kick that turned out to be the game-winner for the Hornets. Stephanie Kemp had the other goal for Mansfield.
Milford, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Juliana France scored a pair of goals and Ashleigh Starks had one for the Hawks to end the team’s three-game winless streak and move Milford within a point of second place in the Davenport. Sharon coach Brad Furnival said that his team had its fair share of chances, including a Sabrina Robbins free kick that struck the bar, but that the Eagles “weren’t clinical enough. He added that the second Milford goal was “fantastic,” a 25-yard half-volley into the top corner.
Field Hockey
Taunto, 3 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton’s Maggie Malloy and Kaitlyn Goyetch each found the back of the net as the Bulldogs held off Stoughton in a tight affair. Allie Howe scored Stoughton’s lone goal of the game.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a pair of one-goal deficits in the second half to earn a draw on the road. The Tigers took the lead behind a goal from Hannah Stryke, assisted by Kayla Lozzi, but Mansfield stormed back with goals from Ann Maher (unassisted) and Brooke Downey (from Heather D’Ambra) to take a 2-1 lead at the break. Lozzi tied the game before D’Ambra put the Hornets back up on a feed from Emily Ierardo. Stryke netted her second of the game, on an assist from Maggie Woods, to tie the game. OA goalie Caitlin Grant made 11 saves in net.
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 9 – Final – Shannon Cormier netted four goals to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a big win over visiting Sharon. Danielle Fokas added three goals and Colby Bowers netted her first career goal in the win.
Volleyball
Taunton, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final
Canton, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton defended home court with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-14 win over visiting Canton. Senior Val Whalen led the Black Knights with 16 kills while senior Vicky Ramos had a strong game on the outside with five kills. Juniors Hanna Holden and Molly Turner combined for over 30 assists. Nicole Brown paced Canton with 20 assists and four kills, Taylor Harris had nine kills and Megan McDonough played great defense with 13 digs and a pair of aces.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro got stronger as the match went on, notching a 25-17, 25-12, 25-6 sweep against visiting Foxboro. Tori Melanson had a strong day at both the net (seven kills) and serving (five aces) while Amelia Murphy finished with eight kills. Kezia De La Cruz had her best serving performance of the year, finishing with nine aces to go along with five kills.
Franklin, 1 @ King Philip. 3 – Final – It was a strong team performance for King Philip, picking up a 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 25-20 win over Franklin. Sydney Phillips led the way offensively with 18 kills, four digs and two blocks while Michaela Palumbo added nine kills and 10 service points and Grace Ely chipped in with six kills and two blocks, Kat Kmetz had a strong day serving with 19 service points while Elise Pereira had four aces and seven digs. Rachael Veilleux had a strong all-around day with 34 assists and 12 service points, including five aces.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Trailing 8-7 in the deciding fifth set, Mansfield’s Katie Dardinski (11 service points) served six straight points to put the Hornets ahead for good. Mansfield won the match 17-25, 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 15-9. Meg Hill had a strong day at the net with 23 kills while Lexi Gardner added nine kills and 20 service points. Julia Harrison added seven kills and 12 digs for the Hornets. For Oliver Ames, sophomore Ally Kemp had 35 assists to go along with five kills while Katie Flynn (14 kills) and Kayla Raymond (nine kills, six blocks, four aces) paced the Tigers’ offense. Junior Sadie Homer finished with 19 digs and three aces for OA.
Golf
King Philip, 172 @ Mansfield, 163 – Final – Mansfield junior Jake DiSangro and freshman Nathan Morreale each carded rounds of 40 to lead the Hornets to a key division win over King Philip. Freshman Brian See added a 41 while senior Brendan Loomer carded a round of 42 in the win.
Milford, 176 @ Stoughton, 186 – Final – Milford’s Riley Lynch and Stoughton’s Brendan Campbell shared medalist honors, each carding a round of 42. Milford’s Andrew Fauerbach added a 44 in the Hawks’ win.
Franklin, 162 @ Attleboro, 167 – Final – Attleboro’s Corey McKenna and Franklin’s Bryan Woelfel earned co-medalist honors at Highland Country Club, but Matt D’Errico’s round of 40 and Gerard Collins and Jack Paterson both for 42 to help the Panthers earn the win. Jack Handy added a 41 for the Bombardiers.
Sharon, 165 @ Oliver Ames, 137 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Thomas Walsh birdied on five of his last six holes to shoot an incredible four-under-par round of 30 to lead the Tigers to a win. Walsh sank a 20-foot put on the last hole to finish at 30. Walsh’s round, which may be a school record, was complemented by Ryan McGarry’s par round of 34, Mark Bissonette’s round of 36 and Eric LeBlanc’s round of 37.
Boys Soccer
Canton, 2 @ Norwood, 0 – Final – Canton senior Jake Verille converted a penalty kick and freshman TJ McCabe netted his first career goal as the Bulldogs earned two points on the road in a non-league game.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Frankin junior Cassi Ronan had a hand in all four Panthers goals, scoring a pair and assisting on the other two. Juniors Annie Walsh and Regan Paterson each scored once and added one assist in the win. Panthers goalie Christina Luccini made nine saves in the win while FHS head coach Lisa Cropper said Jill McLaughlin did “an outstanding job in the midfield.”
Mansfield, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Mansfield scored once in each half, netting the game-winner with just over 15 minutes to play in the game. Hayleigh Crawford opened the scoring, putting the Hornets up 1-0 on an assist from Ann Maher just before the midway point of the first half. KP tied the game five minutes into the second half when Dana Truini converted a centering pass from Alli Meehan. Kristina O’Connell netted the winner on an assist from Crawford. Mansfield goalie Kayla Hunter made 21 saves in net.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames had three different players score in its win on the road. Liz Nuss, Maggie Woods and Maura Kiernan each found the back of the net while Kayla Lozzi had two assists. Caitlin Grant made nine saves in net for Oliver Ames. For Taunton, Diana Brens scored on an assist from Lauren Torres.
Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Stoughton’s Lauren Berteletti and Julia Russell both found the back of the net twice while Kamryn Oliveira and Haley Apotheker each added single goals for the Black Knights.
Volleyball
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Maggie Doyle had a strong day at the service line, recording 14 service points, including three aces, and added five kills as the Panthers earned a sweep on the road. Ellie Wisniewski (eight kills) and Meaghan Maguire (seven kills) helped pace Franklin’s offense.
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton defended its home court with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-15 sweep over the visiting Warriors. Nicole Brown led Canton’s offense with 18 assists, four kills and one block while Hannah Jerrier added 10 kills. CHS head coach Pat Cawley said Angie Elias and Nyah Claiborne played well off the bench.
Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned a sweep against the visiting Hornets, cruising in the first game before edging Mansfield in the final two (25-13, 25-23, 26-24). Sydney Phillips led the way with 22 service points, including four aces, and led the offense with 14 kills. Michaela Palumbo added 12 kills, Rachael Veilleux finished with 32 assists and Julianne Rando had six digs. For Mansfield, Meg Hill had eight kills and four blocks, Julia Harrison added six kills and Greenly Kelly finished with five kills and three blocks. Junior Katie Dardinski had eight service points for the Hornets.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – After dropping the opening game, Oliver Ames rallied for three straight wins to earn the victory on the road (24-26, 25-17, 25-20, 25-23). OA head coach Chelsea Cunningham praised senior Caroline Cavanaugh, saying she was “the glue on and off the court.” Sophomore Ally Kemp finished 30 assists, junior Sadie Homer had 22 digs, senior Emma Petrillo added 14 kills, and senior Kayla Raymond finished with 11 kills, four blocks and three aces.
Sharon, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22 win over Sharon. Senior Vicky Ramos and sophomore Mykiah Simpson had strong games from the outside while junior Molly Turner added 17 assists for the Knights.
Golf
Foxboro, 171 @ Milford, 170 – Final – Milford’s Andrew Fauerbach earned co-medalist honors, carding a team-low round of 39 to help the Hawks nip the Warriors. Foxboro’s Logan Sloan shared medalist honors with a 39 of his own. Milford’s Riley Lynch and Foxboro’s Noah Hicks each carded rounds of 42.
Franklin, 166 @ Mansfield, 162 – Final – Mansfield senior Brendan Loomer and freshman Brian See both carded rounds of 38 to lead the Hornets to a close win over Franklin. Senior Madison Haughey and freshman Joseph Gormley added rounds of 43 for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 179 @ North Attleboro, 150 – Final – All four of North’s top golfers finished with rounds under 40 in middle course at Heather Hill. Dylan Kane fired a one-over-par round of 36 while Matt Wanless, Marcus Costa and Jillian Barend each shot 38 on the day.
King Philip, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton junior Griffin Roach scored a pair of goals to lead the Bulldogs to a big win over visiting King Philip. Roach scored the opening goal in the 17th minute after a shot from Avery Minkin was deflected. In the second half, Roach doubled the lead when his shot from just inside the area was deflected into the top corner. KP scored in the 73rd minute when sophomore Brian McCarthy’s cross was headed home at the far post by senior Jack Bush.
Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Ryan Kelley had a hand in both of the Warriors goals, recording a goal and an assist in the win. Kelley scored the opener inside the first five minutes, smashing home a rebound on a shot from Cam Cass. Early in the second half, Kelley played Nic Beigel in, who finished his chance to make it 2-0. Franklin responded within five minutes to cut the deficit in half but Foxboro held on for two points.
Mansfield, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield netted a pair of second half goals and senior Nick Ferraz made six saves to record his second shutout of the season. Cullin Anastasia put the visitors on the board midway through the second half by converting a penalty kick. Sam Hyland doubled the Hornets’ lead five minutes later when he finished off a corner kick from Luke Savoie.
Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks netted the only goal of the game midway through the first half to earn their first win of the season. Junior Tiago Filadelfo nodded home a free kick service from sophomore Jordan Borges for his first career goal. Like Capobianco recorded the clean sheet in net for the Hawks. Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Leo Coelho had a strong game for the Hawks in midfield.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro got off to a great start, opening the scoring inside the first two minutes but Oliver Ames battled back to level the match before halftime, and that’s how it would finish. North Attleboro sophomore Dylan Corrigan scored his first career goal, finishing a pass from senior Josh Rodriguez. Head coach Geoff Burgess credited Joe Hilf with starting the counter attack that led to the goal. OA scored in the 33rd minute when senior Mason Galbato opened his 2017 account, finishing off a long throw with Nathaniel Cardoza assisting. OAHS head coach John Barata noted both Cam Vella and Chris Lawrence played great in the back for the Tigers.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – The Bombardiers made it two wins in a row with what head coach Steve Santos called, “a great team win.” Freshmen Briley Harnois and Isabella Salviati scored for Attleboro to open a 2-0 lead at halftime. Sharon got one back from Ally Filipkowski before Hannah Meier sealed the points with Attleboro’s third. Santos said that Kara Thornton did a great job marking Filipkowski and praised the defensive effort of his captains Jordyn Forte, Morgan Laplume, and Julia Hayes.
Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Chloe Layne had a goal and an assist for the Warriors, who continue the unbeaten start to the season. Ally Stanton opened the scoring in the ninth minute and the score stayed 1-0 until eight minutes after the break when Avery Snead finished a Layne pass to double the lead. Ten minutes later, Layne got her goal from a Jenna Hitchen cross to wrap up the scoring. Emma Durant made two saves for KP and Warriors coach Gary Pichel said that the back line of Emma Corcoran, Olivia Berry, Lauren Anderson, and Kyliegh Remmis “were unbeatable today.”
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – In an even game, in which both teams had good scoring opportunities, the Panthers earned all two points thanks to a goal in the final minute by Calen Frongillo, assisted by Anna Balkus. A minute before the Franklin goal, the Warriors had a scoring chance of their own but were denied by a diving Cat Robbins save.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Cassidy McMahon continued her strong start to the season with two goals and two assists to lead the Hornets to their third win of the season. Stephanie Kemp added a brace for Mansfield, which also got goals from Allison and Melissa Reef.
Milford, 2 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Milford picked up its first win of the season behind goals from Juliana France (assisted by Maddy Boyle) and Hannah Martin (assisted by Kristina Chiarelli). Samantha Tichelaar scored the lone goal for the Tigers and Grace Pimenta made 10 saves.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames took a 2-1 lead before the halftime break and that was enough, with goalie Tigers’ Caitlin Grant recording eight saves in the win. Meaghan Rockey and Sarah Stevens each found the back of the net, both on assists from Cristina Boudreau. Franklin junior Ashley Reutlinger’s first goal of the season, on an assist from Cassi Ronan, tied the game in the first half before OA retook the lead. OA head coach Abby Tepper said Grant “played amazing in net” and also praised the defensive play of Sarah Tetrault.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – King Philip earned a sweep on the road, beating Canton 25-18, 25-13, 25-13. Reigning Hockomock League MVP Sydney Phillips led the Warriors’ charge with 18 kills while Michaela Palumbo added nine kills and Grace Ely chipped in with seven kills. Elise Pereira (seven digs) and Julianne Rando (six digs) paced KP’s defense. For Canton, Sophia Connor had a strong all-around game, hitting .429 with 10 digs and 2 aces. Taylor Harris added four aces, two kills and two blocks for the Bulldogs.
Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin picked up its second straight sweep, this time on the road at Foxboro. Riley Marino had 11 serve receptions, seven digs and three aces for the Panthers while FHS head coach Kate Horsmann said Lauren Lockhart had another smart hitting match, finishing with eight kills. Maggie Doyle added four kills, two blocks and an ace in the win.
Mansfield, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton defended its home court with a big win over Mansfield, recording a 25-3, 25-9, 28-26 sweep of the Hornets. Junior Molly Turner had a great all around game for the Knights with 13 assists, four blocks and 25 service points. Senior Val Whalen led the Stoughton offense with 15 kills. “We started strong and kept up a great defensive game to hold off the Hornets in the third set,” said SHS head coach Erica Batchelder.
Taunton, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton notched its first win of the season, holding off the Hawks in the third set to earn a 25-18, 25-19, 28-26 sweep. Sam Reaume led Taunton with 10 digs, seven kills, two blocks and an ace while Kayli Fagan finished with 20 assists, three kills, two assists and a block. THS head coach Toby Chaperon said Rawan Hamie and Sam Martin provided a spark up front and at the service line, and praised the defensive play of McKenzie Lucie, Jaime Brown and Elaine Bodemer.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro earned its third win of the season, and first sweep, fending off Oliver Ames with a 25-15, 25-22, 26-24 win. Amelia Murphy had a strong game for the Rocketeers with nine kills and four aces while Kezie De La Cru added eight kills and two aces. OA sophomore Jordyn Vella had four kills, two blocks and three aces for the Tigers.
Golf
Taunton, 191 @ Franklin, 164 – Final
Foxboro, 225 @ Sharon, 227 – Final
Canton, 152 @ Stoughton, 185 – Final – Canton’s Joey Vaughan and Danny Powers shared match medalist honors, each carding a low-round of 37 to lead the Bulldogs to their second win in as many days. Jack Goyetch and Chris Lavoie each chipped in with rounds of 39. Stoughton’s Brendan Campbell had a team-low round of 42.
King Philip, 161 @ North Attleboro, 156 – Final – Dylan Kane and Marcus Costa each carded rounds under 40 to lad the Rocketeers to a close win over KP. Kane shot a 36 while Costa carded a round of 38 in the win.
Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield netted a pair of goals in each half in a win over visiting Canton. Senior Sam Hyland finished with a goal and three assists to pace the Hornets. Hyland opened the scoring 10 minutes into the match, taking a through ball from Luke Savoie. Five minutes later, Nick Wisnieski netted his first goal, finishing a throw from Hyland. Early in the second half, Wisnieski made it 3-0 off a cross from Hyland but Canton quickly made it a one-goal game. Junior Griffin Roach scored a pair of goals in a 10-minute span to make it 3-2 but Jared Gabrilowitz nodded home a throw from Hyland in the 79th minute to ice the game.
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip found the game winner in the final five minutes for the second straight game. Tony Bozza played a 1-2 combination with senior Thomas Lugten to get in behind the defense and the junior calmly finished in the 78th minute to give the Warriors two points.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin netted a pair of second half goals to erase a one goal deficit to earn its first win of the 2017 season. Milford’s Andre Oliveira put the visitors ahead in the first half but Franklin drew level midway through the second half. Sophomore Jacob Cummings made it 1-1 before the Panthers found the winner in the final two minutes. Sophomore Sam Stowell buried a penalty kick for the game-winner. Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Lucas Caetano had a strong game for the Hawks at left back.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton netted the go-ahead goal with less than five minutes to play but North Attleboro found an equalizer with just two minutes to play to earn a draw. The Tigers took the lead in the fourth minute when Francois Hennaux capitalized on a ball over the top and scored on a breakaway. North tied the game in the 60th minute when Gabe Pinhancos volleyed home a cross from Connor MacIver. The Tigers regained the lead when Liam Crowley buried a penalty kick but Pinhancos netted his second, again on a volley, on a cross from junior Joe Hilf.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored twice late in the second half to earn two points against Sharon. After hitting the post twice, the Tigers converted when senior Matt Alvarado’s cross found classmate Brandin Osborne, who buried his chance in front. Just before the halftime whistle, Alvarado found Nathaniel Cardoza, who rocketed his shot off the crossbar and in from distance for OA’s second goal.
Mansfield, 5 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Cassidy McMahon scored a brace for the Hornets, including the eventual game-winner in the second half, to help the Hornets hold off Canton in what Mansfield coach Kevin Smith called “a great game.” Bryn Anderson opened the scoring for the Hornets and Emily Vigeant added a second off a free kick. Canton got one back before McMahon scored her first for a 3-1 halftime lead. The Bulldogs again cut the lead to one but McMahon’s second made it 4-2. With five minutes left, Canton made it a one-goal game, but Emma Oldow sealed the points with Mansfield’s fifth.
King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 2 – FinalKP scored three goals in the opening 12 minutes of the second half to overcome a one-goal deficit and make it four wins in four games. Ally Stanton scored the opener for KP off an assist by Avery Snead. Foxboro took the lead before halftime as Jordyn Collins scored off a Lily Sykes assist and the returned the favor by assisting on a Sykes goal. Chloe Layne tied it four minutes into the second half off an Emma Corcoran pass and then assisted on a goal by Snead three minutes later to take the lead for good. Five minutes later, Makayla Griffin scored off an Abby Baker assist to wrap up the scoring.
Franklin, 1 @ Milford, 0 – Final – According to Milford coach Jay Mastaj, Brianna Braza, Rachel LeBlanc and Maddie Boyle played well on defense and Julianna France and Leeanne Kibbee had good games in what he called, “a strong team effort.”
Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro’s offense clicked on Monday, creating 21 shots and 11 corners. Haley Guertin opened the scoring in the first half off an Emily Chiasson assist, then created a second goal for Leah Jette. Jette then set up Ashley Gaulin to make it 3-0 and Britta MacDonald closed out the scoring off an assist by Meghan Slaney. Rachel Labonte played well defensively to secure the clean sheet.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Jackie Mills scored a brace for the Tigers, while Briana Gibson and Abby Hodges each added a goal apiece. Ally Filipkowski scored on a header off a Bridget McManus pass and Sabrina Robbins scored her first varsity goal off an assist by Bella Berger. All six goals were scored in the final 25 minutes of the game.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Attleboro’s Grace Mayer and Alex Compton each recorded a hat trick in the Bombardiers win on the road. Abigail Boudreau added the other goal for Attleboro while Katie Pelletier turned away eight shots for the shutout.
King Philip, 2 @ Canton, 0 – Final – King Philip finally broke through in the second half, netting a pair of goals to beat Canton on the road. The Warriors had a large advantage in shots in the game. Alli Meehan opened the scoring with 12 minutes left in the game and then Christina Hathaway added an insurance goal, finishing a corner on an assist from Dana Truini with less than three minutes to play. Canton senior goalie Riley Brown made 25 saves, including denying a penalty stroke.
Mansfield, 1 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield’s Tori Farrington scored the lone goal of the game, finding the back of the net just before the midway point of the second half to help the Hornets earn a win on the road. Mansfield’s Kayla Hunter made four saves in the second half to preserve the shutout. Stoughton’s Gianna Barbosa made 15 saves in net for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 6 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Kya Enos found the back of the four times and registered one assist to lead the Tigers to a big win on the road. Enos scored Taunton’s first two goals, the latter on an assist from freshman Alana Tavares. Diana Brens made it 3-0 on a feed from Enos and then Enos scored two straight goals, the first from Jillian Pagliuca. Lauren Torres capped the scoring with an assist from Mabel Smith. Junior Emma Sheehan made seven saves in the win. THS head coach Liz Hathaway said Smith, Tavares and Kathryn Robinson had strong games for the Tigers.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Kayla Lozzi and Liz Nuss each scored for Oliver Ames while Caitlin Grant made nine saves to help the Tigers earn a tie on the road.
Volleyball
Stoughton, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Stoughton senior captain Val Whalen combined with juniors Molly Turner and Hanna Holden for 37 service points. SHS coach Erica Batchelder said solid defense from the entire Black Knight squad led the team to the win.
Canton, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield recorded a sweep over visiting, earning a key win in the second set to get the win (25-18, 29-27, 25-16). For Mansfield, Julia Harrison had 14 kills and eight digs, Lexi Gardner had 18 service points, Meg Hill added 11 kills and 12 service points and Jolie O’Neil had nine digs. CHS head coach Pat Cawley said sophomore Taylor Harris had a good all around game with great serving including four aces, three blocks, and four kills. Hannah Jerrier added four kills and five blocks for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned a 25-10, 25-17, 25-6 sweep over the visiting Warriors of Foxboro. Rachel Veilleux led the way with 21 assists and 15 service points, Sydney Phillips added 11 kills and three digs, Michael Palumbo finished with five kills and five aces and Elise Pereira chipped in with four digs and three aces.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro picked up a win on the road with a 25-17, 22-25, 25-10, 25-13 decision over Taunton. Kezia De La Cruz recorded a team-high 18 kills and added six aces for the Rocketeers while Amelia Murphy added seven kills and four aces.
Sharon, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Sharon pulled out its second straight five set win, this time on the road at Oliver Ames (14-25, 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 15-6). Oliver Ames’ Sadie Homer had 19 digs and two aces, sophomore Ally Kemp had 33 assists and three aces, senior Katie Flynn had 10 kills, senior Jackie Kandar added eight kills and three assisted blocks and sophomore Jordyn Vella chipped in with seven blocks and four kills.
Golf
Canton, 155 @ Milford, 166 – Final – Canton’s Jack Goyetch earned match medalist honors, carding a low-round of 37 as the Bulldogs opened the season with a win. Joey Vaughan shot a 38 for Canton. Milford’s Riley Lynch had a team-low round of 39.
After registering just four wins a season ago, Big Blue is hoping for a big bounce back year in 2017. The toughest task will be finding replacements for the large amount of seniors that have graduated over the past two seasons. A big reason for hope to get back towards state tournament competition is four-year varsity player Grace Mayer. Mayer has been one of the top players in the Hock over the past couple of the seasons and led the Bombardiers with six goals and three assists for nine points. She will be joined on the forward line by junior Alexis Compton and junior transfer Takara Keele. Head coach Lindsay Antunes said her midfield has been strengthened “immensely” by sophomore Anna Beck, who was pulled up mid-season last year.
“There is an immense amount of unity on this team, and an outpouring of teamwork,” Antunes said. “Under the leadership of our current captains, many girls have assumed these roles [left by graduation] and are taking over the field. Some girls have been forced to transition into roles that are similar to ones they played in in the past, but not quite exact.”
2016 Record: 13-5-2 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Chrissy O’Connor
Canton is returning a strong core of players from a 13-win team a year ago and will be in the hunt for the Davenport title. Key returning players include senior forward Andrea McNeil and junior forward Maggie Malloy, who will be back to pace the Bulldogs’ offense, as well as senior midfielders Emily Campbell and Maggie Wade. With experience back in the mid, the Bulldogs expect to have a strong passing game and strong ball control. Senior Riley Brown will step in as the starting goalie and freshman Maria Femia could make an impact as a rookie.
“Coming into our second season we look to strengthen our passing game and game sense,” said Canton head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “We look forward to another competitive season in the Hockomock League!”
Coming off its best season in program history, Foxboro is now focused on 2017 and trying to write its owm chapter in the history books. While the Warriors graduated over a half a dozen seniors, they return last year’s Hockomock League MVP in goalie Kelli McCarthy as well as 2016 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Lily Daly. With experience on both ends of the field, Foxboro is set up nicely for 2017. Daly has led the Warriors in scoring in each of the past two seasons.
The middle of the field will look most familiar from last season with seniors Jackie Brion and Catherine Luciano, and juniors Meghan Curran and Sophia DiCenso all returning after playing valuable minutes last season. The biggest challenge for the Warriors could be replacing starting defenders Kelly Fisher and Angela VandenBoom, who both graduated.
2016 Record: 12-4-4 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions) 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Lisa Cropper
The defending Kelley-Rex division champions are in a good spot with so many returning players from last year’s squad. Leading the way is HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Annie Walsh, who led the Hockomock League with 25 points a season ago. Cassi Ronan (16 points) and Erin Walsh (10 points) are also back as Franklin returns its top three scorers. Another positive is that Franklin has some experience back on the defensive end as well. Kate Morse is back to anchor the unit after an impressive junior season and will be joined by Meri Gendreau and Emily Valentino in front of goalie Christina Luccini. Head coach Lisa Cropper expects senior Maddie Hinckley and freshman Victoria Quinn to also play big roles for the Panthers.
“Our biggest asset this season is depth,” Cropper said. “We are hoping to wear down our opponents and utilize our speed late in games.”
After coming just a point shy of splitting the league title with Franklin a season ago, King Philip returns a strong core that will look to make another push for the Kelley-Rex crown. One big reason that the Warriors will be in the mix is because senior goalie Abby Campbell is back in the cage this season. And in front of Campbell, KP returns senior Christina Hathaway – two big reasons why the Warriors allowed only 13 goals all season in 2016. The offense will look very familiar with senior Liz Furfari (13 points) and junior Alli Meehan (25 points) back in the fold. Juniors Kate Lindmark and Caroline Klim will help bolster the defense while Nicole Connor and Dana Truini will be important players in the midfield.
“We have speed and can create a quick transition game with our passing game and formation,” said KP head coach Liz Hathaway. “We also have a couple of big hitters which should help us generate getting the ball inside the offensive 25 and to execute on corners.”
2016 Record: 13-5-2 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Theresa Nyhan
Mansfield is relying on seven returning seniors and a mix of young players as they look to get back to the state tournament yet again this season. The Hornets have senior leadership all over the field, which will be important in a very deep and talented league. Up top, Mansfield had Heather D’Amdra and Kristina O’Connell, while seniors Emily Ierardo and Ann Maher will lead the way from the midfield. On the defensive end, seniors Nicole Berluti, Julia Burhman and Brittany Lam will anchor the back line.
“As a unit we are looking to move the ball at pace,” said Mansfield head coach Theresa Nyhan. “We have speed at all levels and look to transition quickly.”
2016 Record: 3-15-2 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Kim Danish
Although the Hawks graduated 11 seniors from last year’s squad, they return some key pieces that head coach Kim Danish is hoping will help Milford take a step forward. The Hawks will lean on tri-captains Shannon Cormier (the team’s leading scorer last season), Danielle Fokas (who will start on the wing) and Emily Condon (a returning member of the Hawks’ defense) to pave the way this season. Kate Wimette, Colby Bowers and Megan Larouco will see time in the midfield while Julie Rabinowitz would see time all over the field, depending on need. Milford is looking to rely on speed on offense to try and get the offense going.
“We have a strong mix of seven returning seniors who are fantastic leaders and a great core group from last year’s JV team who will step up and make an immediate impact on the field,” Danish said. “Overall, the motivation and work ethic among this group has been top notch! We are looking forward to a great season.”
After missing out on the state tournament in back-to-back years, Big Red field hockey is hoping to make a run at the Davenport crown and get back to the MIAA playoffs. One tough task will be replacing 14 seniors, including all-league goalie Liz Morehouse, all-star Mary Kummer and all-league honorable mention Teresa Bagarella. But head coach Karen Folan is confident she has the pieces to compete in a deep Hockomock League this year. Senior captains Emilie Pothier, Olivia Gedgaudus and Camille Pizarro return to make up the majority of the midfield. Senior Katherine Munley is also back on the wing, giving Big Red some speed on the outside. Sophomore Emma Strachan takes over in net this season, with Folan describing her as “quick and aggressive.”
“The returning members of the varsity team have shown they are ready to fill in any gaps our line up may have after graduating 14 seniors,” Folan said. “And our new team members are eager to step onto the varsity playing field.”
2016 Record: 11-6-3 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Abby Tepper
Oliver Ames will be relying on a mix of experience and youth as they try to stay competitive in a deep Kelley-Rex division. It starts with senior captain Sarah Stevens in the midfield, who will be the “quarterback” of the midfield according to head coach Abby Tepper. Senior Cristina Boudreau and junior Kayla Lozzi will bolster that midfield while senior Liz Nuss will provide speed to the attacking group. OA’s defense will be anchored by senior captain Sarah Tetrault while senior Caitlin Grant will be the starting goalie. Freshman Brynna Courneen has impressed defensively early on.
“This year our offense will be quick and have speed,” Tepper said. “We have some young players filling the wing spots and we are working on being hungry inside the circle. We want to be a scrappy team and get the ball in the bucket no matter what it takes. Our defense does a solid job recovering for one another in the circle and stepping to ball without hesitation. As a team we want to build a positive culture and work hard day in and day out.”
2016 Record: 1-17-0 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Andrea Vandette
Now in her third year at the helm of the Sharon Eagles, head coach Andrea Vandette is confident that her squad is ready to take the next step and find some more success. The Eagles are led by three captains: Elyse Korn, Abbi Solomon and Grace Leavitt. Leavitt started to come on strong at the end of the year last season and will be the anchor for the Eagles’ defensive unit this season. Senior Lindsay Moses will be be in the cage and has a good amount of varsity experience under her belt. In the midfield, Leora Leavitt will be in the center of the field and one of the Eagles’ most reliable players. Vandette is also expecting juniors Veronica Wallace and Stephanie Edwards to continue their growth after picking up the sport a season ago.
“My main goal for the girls this season is to compete,” Vendette said. “Being that this is my third year with the program, I believe they know my expectations and the seniors have a good understanding of how to move the ball on the field and how to be successful. We certainly have enough talent to put a few more wins on the board this season!”
2016 Record: 8-9-3 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Dan Mark
Despite graduating a handful of talented players, including 2015 Hockomock League MVP Angela Connolly, Stoughton head coach Dan Mark is bringing back several key players for the 2017 version of the Black Knights. The Black Knights’ offense will look the most similar to last season’s team that qualified for the state tournament. Julia Russell, Kamryn Oliveira and Jackie Evangelista are returning forwards who played regularly last year. Lisa Ramanauskas is a returning midfielder, and Haley Bushlow is back to anchor the back line. Gianna Barbosa will be the starting goalie again this season.
“We have several returning players who played many minutes last year and are expected to step in as starters this year,” Mark said.
2016 Record: 2-15-1 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Elizabeth Hathaway
With a strong core of experienced players back, and a couple of young talents looking to make an impression, the Tigers are hoping to improve on last year’s season. Senior Kya Enos has been a steady presence for the Tigers for the past four seasons and will be relied upon to lead the attack long with senior Liana Duarte. Juniors Jillian Pagliuca and Lauren Torres will be tasked with controlling the midfield along with freshman Alana Tavares. Sophomore Kathryn Robinson will be a key piece of Taunton’s defensive unit this season
“Our strength will be the ability of the forwards and mids to move the ball up the field,” said Taunton head coach Liz Hathaway. “Speed is also a factor that will help our offensive attacks.”
Players to Watch
Players are listed alphabetically
Abby Campbell, King Philip – Campbell has been one of the top goalies in the league for the past two seasons and helped KP come within a point of sharing the league title with Franklin last season and reaching the Div. 1 South semifinal. She had 11 shutouts in 2016 and saved 130-of-143 shots that she faced, finishing with a goals against average of 0.619.
Emily Campbell, Canton – Campbell was a versatile weapon for the Bulldogs, helping out both in midfield and defense to help Canton win 13 games and achieve a plus-40 goal differential for the season. With Campbell playing a critical role, Canton allowed only 14 goals on the year, which was second best in the league. She also chipped in with three goals and seven assists.
Lily Daly, Foxboro – Daly has been the leading scorer for the Warriors in each of her two varsity seasons, helping Foxboro win its first league title in 11 years and its first ever Div. 2 South title. Daly is a force near the net and was chosen as the HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year after scoring 16 goals and recording 11 assists.
Emily Ierardo, Mansfield – Ierardo emerged last season as one of the top offensive weapons for the Hornets, helping Mansfield make another run at the league title and reach the second round of the state tournament. She played five different positions in the forward and midfield areas and she scored nine goals and recorded six assists last fall.
Maggie Malloy, Canton – Malloy made quite the impact in her first season playing field hockey. She jumped onto the Canton varsity squad early in the season and finished as the league’s top goal scorer with 16 tallies for the year. She was a big reason for Canton’s improvement offensively and this year, with a season of experience, Malloy could have even bigger numbers.
Kelli McCarthy, Foxboro – Voted Hockomock MVP by the league’s coaches, McCarthy was the backstop for a Warriors defense that was one of the best in the league and helped Foxboro claim a Davenport division title and its first ever Div. 2 South title. She finished with 115 saves on the season and recorded 15 shutouts in 23 games, allowing only 13 goals total.
Alli Meehan, King Philip – Meehan was integral to KP making a run at the league title last season, holding a lead into the final week of the regular season, and reaching the Div. 1 South semifinal. Meehan scored 14 goals and recorded 11 assists to tie for the league-high in points. She also assisted on the goal that forced overtime against Somerset-Berkeley in a state tournament win.
Cassi Ronan, Franklin – Ronan was a versatile cog in Franklin’s league championship season in 2016, playing both midfield and forward for the Panthers. She finished with 10 goals and seven assists, while being named to the HockomockSports.com First Team, but also did a lot of the defensive work that didn’t show up in the box score.
Sarah Stevens, Oliver Ames – Stevens had a strong season for Oliver Ames in 2016 and the senior will be counted on to create scoring opportunities for the Tigers again this fall. She scored six goals and recorded nine assists for OA last season, helping the Tigers get to 11 wins on the season, beat Durfee in the first round of the playoffs, and push perennial power Walpole to overtime.
Annie Walsh, Franklin – Walsh is the reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (she was also Player of the Year in girls’ lacrosse) after leading the Panthers to a Kelley-Rex division title. A year after being named Underclassman of the Year, Walsh took her game to another level with 14 goals and 11 assists for a league-high 25 points.
