Mansfield, 2 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Ben Paterson, Anthony Lampasona, and Dan Daley each had three points apiece in a big win against Mansfield. The Panthers built a 3-0 lead in the first period and then scored twice in the final minute to extend the lead to 5-0. Paterson had two goals and one assists while both Lamapsona and Daley scored once with two assists. Ryan Sicchio, Aidan Kuykendall, Logan Marchand, and Dylan McEvoy each scored once for Franklin.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Plymouth South, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 1 vs. Medway, 3 – Final
King Philip, 2 @ Norwood, 6 – Final – Mallory Johnston made 49 saves, including the 1,000th of her career in the loss. Katarina Precobb had both KP goals, one assisted by Mara Boldy and the other by Lydia Maxwell.
Hockomock Stars, 5 @ Dedham, 9 – Final
Wrestling
Cohasset Quad (Canton), 9:00AM
Foxboro Quad, 9:00AM
Algonquin Quad (Franklin), 9:00AM
Midland Duals (King Philip), 10:00AM (@ Quabbin)
Woburn Tournament (Mansfield) – Mansfield senior Colton Johnson dominated in the 220-bracket, going 4-0 to win the individual title as the Hornets took 14th place in the Woburn Invitational. Johnson, the top seed in the 220 bracket, opened the day with a first round, and won his second round match with a pin in 62 seconds. Johnson won in the semifinals with another first round pin and defeated the three seed in the finals with his fourth pinfall of the day. Dylan Detch (132) and Odin Miller (170) each finished sixth in their bracket.
Springfield Central Duals (Milford), 9:00AM
Cumberland Tournament (North Attleboro), 10:00AM
Oliver Ames Super Quad/Kieron Smith Tournament – Oliver Ames competed in two locations on Saturday, including a super quad meet at home and the Kieron Smith Memorial Tournament at Monty Tech. In the quad meet, Oliver Ames went 3-1 with wins over Durfee (66-22), Boston Latin Academy (72-12), and Norwood (45-33) along with a close loss to Milton (42-39). Senior captain heavyweight Jaden Hinton made his return to the line and went 4-0, including a pair of pins, and sophomore 145 Danny Dwyer went 4-0 in his varsity debut. Junior Ryan Smith (120, 3-1 overall) and freshman Taharka Parry (132, 2-1 overall) each recorded their first varsity wins. The other half of the squad placed fifth at the Kieron Smith Tournament, highlighted by a first place finish from senior Victor Romeiro (126). Seniors Jake Manthous (182) and Nathan Lipski (145) each took second, and freshman Jonah Bornstein (106) earned third.
St. John’s Shrewsbury Quad (Sharon) – It was another impressive day on the mats for the Eagles, who won all three of that matches. Sharon secured wins over Masconomet (66-12), Marlboro (60-24), and host St. John’s Shrewsbury (46-30). Robby Hutton, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Cyrus Jones, Aaron Stafford, Mason Lelling, and Cormac Horlbogen all went undefeated on the day.
Marshfield Quad (Taunton) – Taunton suffered its first loss of the season in a competitive match with Methuen but the Tigers did register three other wins on the day. The Rangers earned a 54-26 win to hand Taunton it’s first loss but the Tigers did pin down victories over South Shore Voke (78-6), Silver Lake (58-240, and host Marshfield (69-12). Xavier Sandoval, Ben Mandeville, Ethan Harris, and Logan Frank all went 4-0 for the Tigers.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 67 vs. Bishop Feehan, 65 – Final (OT) – Canton’s Matt Chafin hit a late three to help the Bulldogs force overtime and both Zaza Francoeur and Julius Hicks connected from downtown in the extra period in a win over Bishop Feehan. With the Shamrocks up by a point, Chafin (18 points) hit a corner three with under 10 seconds to go to make it 53-51. Feehan hit a layup at the buzzer to force overtime. Jamaal McConnell (18 points) opened the extra period with a traditional three-point play and then hit Francoeur (14 points) for a three on Canton’s next trip up the court. After Feehan closed the deficit down to two, Chafin drove to the layup for a bucket late in the shot clock. Hicks added a three on Canton’s next possession to push it to 64-59. Chafin added a key free throw in the final seconds to ice the win.
Foxboro, 82 @ Hopkinton, 80 – Final (OT) – Foxboro senior Sam Golub erupted for a career-high 40 points to help the Warriors topple the Hillers on the road. The Warriors staked a lead after the first quarter after connecting on five threes in the opening eight minutes, including three from Golub. But Hopkinton rallied to take the lead at halftime (33-31) and increased it to 60-52 going into the final quarter. Golub hit three more three-pointers in the third to keep the Warriors close, and Foxboro held the hosts to just 10 points in the fourth to rally back. Golub had seven more in the fourth while Ryan LeClair (11 points), Ryan Cotter (11 points), and Alex Penders (11 points) also scored to bring Foxboro back in it. In overtime, Golub stayed hot with four field goals, including one more three for a total of eight for the game, and Penders had a big block in the final seconds to preserve the win.
Oliver Ames vs. Cardinal Spellman, 6:30
Stoughton, 59 vs. Medway, 55 – Final – Trailing by two with under a minute to go, Stoughton finished off its comeback with a 7-1 run over the final 50 seconds to take down visiting Medway. Jarred Daughtry (11 points) cut the deficit to one with a free throw, and off a miss from the line, Tagh Swierzewski kept the play alive and Jayden Costa-Haywood, who scored a team-high 23 points, converted the putback for the lead. Stoughton got a stop on defense and Liam Pearl hit two from the line with 24.1 seconds to go to extend the lead to 57-54. Medway was off the mark on two free throws on their end and sophomore Matt Greenspoon iced the game with two more free throws with 1.6 seconds to go. Costa-Haywood scored 11 points in the fourth while Swierzewski, Greenspoon, and freshman Anthony Alessi each had a three in the final frame.
Taunton, 61 vs. Dartmouth, 57 – Final – After letting a halftime lead slip away in the third quarter, Taunton finished strong with 22-point fourth quarter to pick up the win and snap Dartmouth’s unbeaten start to the season. The Tigers cashed in from the free throw line in the fourth, going 9-for-13 from the line over the final eight minutes. Junior Troy Santos scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half while junior Tyson Carter gave Taunton a huge boost with a career-high 14 points. Chris Perault had nine points all in the first half and freshman Jakari Innocent added nine points, including five in the fourth quarter.
King Philip, 59 vs. Leominster, 51 – Final – King Philip played its best defensive game of the season to hand Leominster its first loss of the season. The Warriors held the Blue Devils to just nine points in the second quarter as KP turned a one-point deficit at the end of the first quarter into a five point halftime lead. KP kept its distance with a 40-33 lead going into the fourth and then went 9-for-12 from the line in the final eight minutes to ice the win. Senior Will Laplante hit four three-pointers and poured in a game-high 25 points to pace the KP offense while Tommy Martorano tossed in a trio of triples and finished with 14 points. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy had five points but also played outstanding defensive game for KP. King Philip will take on Framingham at 4:00 on Thursday.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 70 vs. Carlsbad (Calif.), 54 – Final – Franklin had five players score in double figures and dominated on the glass to overcome 32 points from Carlsbad star Madison Huhn and pick up a non-league win and hand head coach John Leighton his 300th career victory. The Panthers jumped out to a quick start, scoring 21 points in the first and building an 11-point lead. Huhn, who is committed to Miami (Ohio), caught fire in the second, with 18 of her team’s 21 points to cut the lead down to five at the break. After a nearly even third quarter, the Panthers exploded for 21 points in the fourth to break things open and seal the win. Katie Peterson was the top scorer for the Panthers with 21 points, including seven in the first and eight in the third quarter. Sophomore Chloe Fales added 13 points, knocking down three from beyond the arc, including a pair of triples in the fourth to help Franklin pull away. Bridget Leo scored 11 points, six of them in the first, and Lizzie Newman and Caelyn Leonard each added 10 points.
King Philip, 34 @ Framingham, 71 – Final
Oliver Ames, 29 vs. Walpole, 49 – Final – OA was held to only four points in the second quarter and six in the fourth, as the Tigers fell in the opener of the Sue Rivard Tournament. Walpole led by three after one, but a 12-4 second quarter opened up a double digit advantage (24-13) at halftime. The Tigers had a solid start to the second half, but Walpole built the lead back to 12 after three and didn’t look back. Sarah Hilliard led OA for the second straight game, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds. Maddie Homer chipped in with six points and 10 rebounds. OA will face Bishop Fenwick in the consolation round.
Sharon, 61 vs. Silver Lake, 58 – Final – Jasmine Davis was unstoppable on Wednesday, scoring 34 points and grabbing 26 rebounds to lead the Eagles to the final of the Quincy Holiday Tournament. Davis also dished out three assists and had a pair of steals and blocks. In the closing seconds, her two free throws sealed the win for Sharon. Carmen Leonardi (six points, three boards, and two assists), Eva Poulton (six points), and Thea Caproni (five points) also gave the Eagles solid all-around performances. Sharon faces the host team in the tournament final.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Norton, 9 – Final – Attleboro scored once in the first period and once in the third but the Bombardiers weren’t able to recover from four goals in the first seven minutes by Norton. Nick Fernandes scored off of an assist from Michael Lachance with three minutes to go in the first period while sophomore Austin Bessette scored his first career goal just over three minutes into the third with assists from Colin Flynn and Owen Parker.
Canton, 4 @ Westwood, 1 – Final
Franklin, 1 vs. St. Mary’s, 2 – Final
Mansfield, 4 vs. Shrewsbury, 5 – Final
Taunton, 5 @ Middleboro, 7 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 0 @ Notre Dame Academy, 3 – Final
Hockomock Stars, 0 vs. HPNA, 7 – Final
Wrestling
Lowell Tournament (Foxboro, Franklin, Milford), 12:00
Marshfield Holiday Tournament – Taunton had one champion and two finalists and finished third as a team while Sharon had three finalists to earn fifth overall at the Marshfield Holiday Tournament. Taunton’s Ethan Harris was the top seed in the 182 bracket and used a pair of falls and one decision while Sharon’s Cormac Horlbogen, the second seed, had two decisions and one fall to each reach the final. Harris took the individual bracket with a 16-2 major decision in the final. Taunton’s Ben Mandeville (145) and Logan Frank (220) and Sharon’s Ashmith Yeruva (106) and Cam Birnbaum (126) all reached the finals. North Attleboro was 18th overall with Austin Dean (160) taking fourth, Mansfield was 22nd with Colton Johnson taking first in the 220 bracket, and Oliver Ames finished 27th with Nathan Lipski (145) finishing sixth.
Gymnastics
Mansfield, 126.25 @ Oliver Ames, 130.50 – Final
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 130.50 – Final
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 10 vs. Tri-County, 4 – Final – Attleboro exploded for six goals in a scoring-filled second period and went on to pick up a win over Tri-County. The Bombardiers scored less than three minutes into the game and twice just seconds apart late in the period to establish a 3-0 lead. The two teams combined for nine goals in the second period, including four in a row from Attleboro with under seven minutes to go. Michael Lachance paced the offense with a hat trick while Antonio Mancini, Nathan Conroy, and Jack Moran scored their first career goals.
Foxboro, 4 @ Blue Hills, 2 – Final
Franklin, 7 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of goals within the first five minutes of the contest and erupted for five goals in the second period to skate away with a big non-league win over King Philip. Dan Daley put the visitors ahead just 68 seconds into the game, and Ryan Sicchio doubled the lead with 10:03 to play in the first. Sicchio scored a minute into the second and completed his hat trick before four minutes expired in the second. Anthony Lampasona, Vinnie Pasquarosa, and Dylan McEvoy each added a goal in the second.
Mansfield vs. Warwick Vets (R.I.), 7:00
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Rockland, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period and tacked on a key insurance goal in the third to hand head coach Jimmy Tierney his first career win. Dan Paul opened the scoring for the Tigers off of an assist from Jack Corey, and sophomore Shaun Teehan doubled OA’s advantage by finishing off an assist from Jack Perron. After Rockland cut the deficit in half in the second, Perron (from Landon Grothe and Sean McCarthy) iced the game with a third period goal.
Stoughton/Brockton, 3 vs. Dartmouth, 4 – Final – Charlie Caputo, Colby Strunk and Brendan Twohig each scored once but the Black Knights fell at home to Dartmouth.
Taunton, 5 @ Apponequet, 2 – Final – Taunton senior Colton Scheralis continued his strong start to the season, finding the back of the net four times to pace the Tigers to a win over Apponequet. Connor McGrath also scored while Dylan McCaughey, Conner Goranson, Travis Cashman, Breighdyn Simmons, and Brady Gomes all recorded assists. Cam Tomaszycki made 16 saves in the win.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final (OT) – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Freshman Kayleigh Koen scored the game-winning goal on the power play to give Canton a thrilling 3-2 overtime win on the road at Franklin. The Bulldogs twice took the lead, first in the final minute of the first period and then again with under six minutes to play in the game. But Franklin had an answer each time in regulation, tying the game at 1-1 less than two minutes into the third and then with just under two minutes to play to force overtime. Ellie Bohane gave Canton the lead with 47.8 seconds left in the first period, slamming home a rebound after a good save from Franklin goalie Izzy Brown. After a scoreless second period, Franklin found the equalizer early in the third. Shaw Downing ripped a wrist shot through traffic that took a deflection off a stick and in to make it 1-1 with 13:18 left. Canton cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play late in the third as Izzy Cusack redirected a low shot from Maya Battista to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with 5:40 to play. The Panthers answered again as Downing kept the play alive, Molly Hurley tossed the puck in front and Julia Flynn buried it to make it 2-2 with 1:44 left. After a penalty gave Canton an offensive zone face off, Audrey Koen won it back to Battista, who slid it across to Kayleigh Koen and she buried his wrister for the win.
Hockomock Stars, 4 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – Nicole McDonald, Kelly Holmes, and freshman Katie McGann each scored twice to lead the Warriors to a league win. Eighth grader Ella Morgan and freshman Lydia Maxwell also found the back of the net for KP, each scoring the first goals of their varsity careers. Holmes added three assists and eighth grader Calleigh Brady had a pair of helpers, while Maxwell, Morgan, and Mara Boldy each assisted on one goal. Mallory Johnston and Haley Bright combined for 21 saves in the win.
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 @ Newton North/Newton South, 8 – Final – Stoughton’s Ava Buckley scored the lone goal for the Black Knights. Sharon eighth grader Sarah Scappaticci starred in net, making 56 saves in the loss.
Wrestling
Sharon, 54 @ Canton, 21 – Final – The defending league champs opened the dual meet season with a convincing win at Canton. Ashmith Yeruva, Vehnil Rangaraman, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Aaron Stafford, Mason Lelling and Cormac Horlbogen all won their matches by pin for the Eagles.
Taunton, 57 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – The Tigers received wins from Johnnie Mainer Smith, Calvin Riveras, Ryan Jones, Xavier Sandoval, Anthony Vieira, Ben Mandeville, John Mandeville, Ethan Harris, Avery Justa, Logan Frank, and Bobby Tran in the win over King Philip.
Oliver Ames, 54 @ Mansfield, 30 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Anthony Stone (160) picked up his first varsity win with a first period pin and senior Nathan Lipski had a thrilling first round pin to beat the buzzer as the Tigers beat Mansfield. OA also got wins from freshman Jonah Bornstein (106), senior Jake Manthous (182), junior Nick Bosader (195), and sophomore Wood Habens Pierre-Louis (285).
Swimming
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Gymnastics
Mansfield, 136.25 @ Attleboro, 132.2 – Final – Mansfield’s Maddie Morris won a pair of events, Sophie Moore and Riley Charest each won one, and the Hornets opened their season with a win over Attleboro. Morris won both the beam and the floor (9.2), Moore took first in the vault (9.1) as well as third on the bars (8.3), and Charest was first on the bars (8.5) and second on the floor (9.05) to pace the Hornets. Attleboro’s Caroline DiMarco was top three in all four events, taking second in each the vault (9.0), the bars (8.4), and the beam (8.5) and third on the floor (9.0).
Miguel Vasconcelos (7) scored the only goal of the game to lead Sharon to a win at North Attleboro in the D2 Round of 32. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – When Sharon scored in the regular season, the Eagles were unbeaten (6-0-4). So, when Miguel Vasconcelos found the back of the net midway through the first half of Saturday morning’s Div. 2 Round of 32 game at Beaupre Field, Sharon must have been thinking a Sweet Sixteen berth was in its grasp.
It wasn’t going to be easy to get over the line with the win. North Attleboro, which won the regular season meeting between the teams, tilted the field in the second half, keeping the pressure on Sharon’s back line and getting the ball into the box at every opportunity.
Led by center backs Rhys Davis and Tyler Goodman and goalie Matt Baur, the Eagles were able to withstand North’s push for an equalizer and hang on for the 1-0 victory.
“I think we work hard to be composed all 80 minutes,” Sharon coach Scott Nathan explained. “I tell them all the time, especially when we’re up a goal, you know what the other team is going to do. They’re going to put more pressure on you, so you have to match their intensity, you have to stay composed, you have to use your skills and I thought we did that really well in the second half.”
First-year North coach Mike Lacasse said, “I think it’s something we’ve been working on all season long, and gotten better at it, creating those opportunities, but I think Sharon played very well. Their back line was really solid. I’m proud of everybody, they fought to the last second.”
Sharon started the game on the front foot, led by central midfielder Adam Eastman and freshman Vlad Shkolnikov. Eastman’s run from deep led to the first good chance of the game, as he was able to bring down a looped pass by Cam Birnbaum over the defender and draw a foul on the edge of the box. The North wall did its job though, deflecting Eastman’s free kick a foot over the bar.
North’s best chances would come from set pieces. An in-swinging corner kick from Patrick Etienvre picked out defender Sam Bush at the back post. Bush rose highest and got good contact on the header but it was inches wide of the top corner. Just seconds later, North was behind.
Eastman played a ball down the left channel for Vasconcelos to run onto. The senior forward got a step on his marker but didn’t get great contact on his first effort, which was blocked by North keeper Owen Goeller. Vasconcelos stayed with the loose ball and calmly slotted it into the now empty net to put the Eagles in front. It is Sharon’s 18th goal in 19 games this season.
“It’s huge,” Nathan said about getting the opening goal. “We know each other really well. We knew that we could get on them first and early that it would really help our cause and give us energy and I’m really happy we could do that.”
Another Etienvre corner gave Givany Carney a chance, but he was only able to make partial contact under pressure from his defender and Baur easily grabbed the loose ball.
Sharon was continuing to create chances at the other end, looking for a second goal that would make things more comfortable. Rishi Shetty’s cross from the left wing found Shkolnikov at the back post but North defender Brody Carter was well-positioned to clear it off the line. Shkolnikov sent Shetty away down the left side late in the first half, but Goeller was able to get down and block the shot at the near post.
In the second half, North picked up the intensity, searching for the tying goal. Kaden Burns was a consistent outlet for the Rocketeers, making runs down the left wing. He crossed into the middle of the box, but Zach Smahi was only able to get a toe on it with Carney just behind him ready to pounce.
Etienvre curled in a long free kick that was flicked on by Smahi to Burns but his header went agonizingly wide of the post. Burns then provided a deep cross to Smahi at the back stick but his downward header was blocked. Eliude Alcenat tried to follow up, but Baur was able to cut out the low cross before it could reach Bryce Newth in the middle.
Sharon had very little going forward in the second half but was able to fashion one chance to put the game away. Freshman Diego Martinez played a ball into the middle to Birnbaum, who took a touch and played the ball into the path of James Jennings on the left. Jennings charged into the box and, from a tight angle, forced Goeller to touch it around the post.
It was a rare foray into the attacking half for the Eagles. North came right back down the other end. Carson Dameron made a nice run to the end line, nutmegged the first defender, and crossed into Newth only for Goodman to clear. The ball fell to Etienvre but his shot was over. A few minutes later, Quinn Conley made a run on the left and cut it back to Smahi on the edge of the box but his shot was right at Baur, who covered.
“It’s difficult to stay composed,” Lacasse said about trying to find a late equalizer. “You have to adjust but still play within your style of play and try to create those scoring opportunities. Second half we were trying to get deep in their zone and work it back to the top of the 18 instead of crosses in towards their goalie because he’s tall and athletic.”
Dameron would find Burns with a late corner, but again the downward header was easily caught by Baur off the bounce. It would be the last chance for the hosts, as the Eagles were able to celebrate the win that keeps their season alive.
Nathan added, “I think this year, all but two of our games were one-goal games, so I think we’re used to and prepared for tight games, which I think helps us and I thought the boys did really well collectively as a unit today to finish it off. I’m proud of them.”
Sharon (7-6-6) will face the winner of No. 2 Hopkinton and No. 34 Fitchburg on Wednesday. North Attleboro finishes with a record of 8-8-3.
Sharon senior Cam Birnbaum passes the ball between a pair of Stoughton defenders in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – With the final stretch of the regular season just around the corner, both Sharon and Stoughton are looking to bolster their chances of making the postseason.
The latest power rankings released by the MIAA earlier this week saw the Eagles sitting at 24 while the Black Knights were just outside the playoff cutoff at 37.
After 80 minutes of hard-fought action on Thursday, each team took a point after a 1-1 draw.
Sharon took the lead just minutes into the second half but Stoughton responded with just under 10 minutes to go to pull level to secure a point on the road.
“We wanted to obviously win the game, especially with where we are at with our record and playoff rating so I’d say it was an okay tie,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Ruben Teixeira. “It’s not going to hurt us, but we wanted to get the ‘W’ to help us more. Now we turn the page to Franklin, a powerhouse, and hopefully, try and get some points there.”
The host Eagles had the edge in possession for most of the first half as the Knights mostly sat in their own defensive third without extending too much pressure. Teixeira shuffled his lineup and changed formations in the latter stages of the second half to get more of an attacking look and the Black Knights cashed in in the 70th minute.
“I thought we dominated the game so it’s a bad tie for us,” said Sharon head coach Scott Nathan. “We had one mental breakdown in our defensive third and it led to a soft goal. We kept talking about how a one-goal lead wasn’t good enough. We needed to continue the way we’ve been playing but be more aggressive and score more goals. I thought we tried but there were moments in that second half that [Stoughton] was being more aggressive and we were giving the ball away too easily instead of playing out of it.”
Sharon senior Brandon Mauricio registered the first scoring chance in the 14th minute, taking down a long ball from Adam Eastman, cutting to the middle of the field, and unleashing a shot from 25 yards out that was comfortably handled by Stoughton goalie Ben Shirey.
Ten minutes later, it was Eastman that uncorked a hard shot from distance but Shirey had a clear look at it the whole way and gobbled it up.
Stoughton’s first real chance came just before the half-hour mark as Kyle Grant’s free kick into the area was partially cleared but Sam Santos hustled to a loose ball and got off a shot, but it ended up high.
Eastman dished a service out wide to sophomore James Jenning, who was able to get a step into the area from the right sideline but good defense from Stoughton juniors Joe McSweeney and Evan Khang denied any scoring threat. On the counter, Matheus Groberio came racing up the field and tried to play a ball through but Sharon senior center back Tyler Goodman read it perfectly and held up, causing the Knights to be offside on the service.
After a strong shift in the first half, Eastman was rewarded for his hard work early in the second half. A clearance from the Stoughton defense was blocked and bounced back toward goal. Shirey came off the line but the ball took a funny bounce and Eastman was able to muscle his way to the ball and deposited it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute.
The Eagles had a couple of chances throughout the second half to double their lead, but couldn’t push one past Shirey.
In the 58th minute, a Rick Das service from the sideline was cleared away from Stoughton’s Alex Kozak but only as far as Sharon freshman Vlad Shkolnikov, who blasted a shot just over the bar from distance.
In the 65th minute, a nice give-and-go from Cam Birnbaum and Mauricio put the Eagles into the area but a last-ditch slide from Kozak broke it up and the Knights cleared. And just four minutes later, Birnbaum went in on goal but Shirey came flying out and got just enough of it. After it was knocked around in the area, a shot from Sharon was destined for the back of the night but Khang was positioned perfectly on the line and kept it out.
“The defense did a great job,” Teixeira said. “We watched film on Sharon of their game against Milford and took a lot of notes from that. This was a huge game for us, and it felt like the defense responded to it being a big game.”
Meanwhile, the Knights’ chances improved each time up the pitch. Groberio linked up with Kozak for a low shot that was handled by Sharon keeper Matt Baur. A dangerous attacking throw into the area was cleared away by Goodman minutes later, and then after some good work from Santos to find Groberio, a perfectly timed slide tackle from Sharon senior Rhys Davis thwarted the bid.
Stoughton finally chased in just moments after Khang’s goal line clearance denied Sharon a second goal. Joao Marotti helped transition the Knights from defense to offense and the ball ended up with Santos on the right side. A cross to the far post found Groberio open in the box, and he calmly took it down and blasted in from close range to make it 1-1.
“We changed the formation a little, moved some positions around to a more attacking style, we knew we needed goals and that gave us more of a threat, and it worked,” Teixeira said. “We just told the guys, going forward this is how it’s going to be. We have to be that aggressive from the first minute. We’ve shown that we can do it, now we just have to do it for 80 minutes.”
Sharon had a pair of chances in the final minutes at the game-winner, including Mauricio getting on the end of a cross from Rishi Shetty, but his header looped just inches over the crossbar.
“We created some decent chances but we just need to be more clinical in the final third,” Nathan said. “Right near the end, we had two solid chances, we had some good looks. We tend to get a bit amped up when we’re near goal because they want to score so badly. It’s getting them to figure out when to take the shot or to work with a teammate at that moment. The positive is that we’re creating a lot of good chances, we just need to be a bit more composed in the final third and put teams away.”
Sharon boys soccer
Sharon boys soccer (3-4-4) is off until Wednesday when they travel to play their final Kelley-Rex opponent of the season at North Attleboro. Stoughton boys soccer (3-6-2) is in the same situation as they travel to Franklin.
Football
Attleboro, 20 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (A) Matt Harvie 27-yard pass to Ayden Ramirez, Adrian Rivera 2-point rush good; (A) M. Harvie 14-yard pass to Cole McKenna, XP failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (A) Shaun Maher 4-yard rush, 2-point rush failed.
Canton, 14 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (C) Owen Lane 22-yard pass to Michael Thomas, Hayden Rose XP good.
3Q: (C) O. Lane 3-yard rush, H. Rose XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Foxboro, 14 @ Plymouth South, 21 – Final
Franklin, 21 vs. Duxbury, 34 – Final 1Q: (D) Alex Barlow 1-yard rush, XP good; (F) Michael Davide 5-yard rush, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (D) Matt Festa 6-yard rush, XP good; (D) M. Festa 40-yard pass to Chris Walsh.
3Q: (D) Adam Barr 1-yard rush, XP failed; (D) M. Festa 88-yard pass to C. Walsh, XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 37-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, G. Portesi XP good.
4Q: (F) J. Lyons 49-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
King Philip, 19 vs. Xaverian, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (KP) Matthew Kelley 33-yard field goal.
3Q: (KP) Carson Meier 45-yard interception return; M. Kelley XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 30-yard field goal; (X) Henry Hasselbeck 77-yard pass to Jonathan Monteiro, Joseph MacDonald XP good.
4Q: (KP) Nathan Kearney 6-yard rush, 2-point conversion failed; (X) H. Hasselbeck 29-yard pass to J. Monteiro, J. MacDonald XP good.
Mansfield, 35 @ Doherty, 0 – Final 1Q: (M) Drew Sacco 18-yard rush, Travis Hennessy XP good; (M) Brian Butler 12-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good; (M) B. Butler 9-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
2Q: (M) Connor Curtis 8-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
3Q: (M) Tommy Smith 13-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Milford, 42 @ Natick, 27 – Final
Oliver Ames, 35 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final1 1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 2-yard rush, 2-point failed.
2Q: (OA) Wayne Casey 25-yard pass to Bronson Burnham, XP failed; (OA) W. Casey 70-yard pass to Nick Ferrini, C. Silva 2-point rush good.
3Q: (OA) C. Silva 2-yard rush, W. Casey 2-point pass to Jack Morley; (OA) Jordan Young 2-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Stoughton, 14 vs. Hanover, 51 – Final 1Q: (H) Nick Freel 17-yard rush, XP good; (H) N. Freel 15-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (H) Ben Scalzi 5-yard rush, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 36-yard pass to N. Freel, XP good; (S) Jonathan Goncalves 90-yard interception return, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 15-yard pass to David Quinlan, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 38-yard pass to John McDonald, XP failed.
3Q: (S) Liam Dunn 51-yard rush, XP good; (H) J. McDonald 25-yard field goal.
4Q: (H) Marvin Felix 2-yard rush, XP good.
Taunton, 24 vs. Middleboro, 13 – Final 1Q: (T) Tanner Brannon 35-yard fumble return, XP failed.
2Q: (M) Jacob Briggs 66-yard rush, Matt Cohen XP; (T) Malachi Johnson 1-yard rush, 2pt pass failed; (M) J. Briggs 56-yard rush, XP failed; (T) Jacob Leonard 32-yard pass to Jose Touron, 2pt rush failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (T) M. Johnson 52-yard rush, 2pt pass failed.
Sharon, 0 @ Dover-Sherborn, 16 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli scored twice and assisted on a third to lead the Bombardiers to a bounce-back win on the road at Taunton. Vecchioli opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off an assist from Billy Badger to put the visitors ahead 1-0, which they took into halftime. Vecchioli set up the next goal, finding Steve Etienne who scored to make it 2-0. Clay Tyler assisted on Attleboro’s final goal, connecting with Vecchioli, who buried his fourth goal of the week.
King Philip, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final – A goal-filled first half favored Milford and that was all the scoring in the contest as the Scarlet Hawks staked a 3-1 win over King Philip. The teams traded goals to start as Milford took a 1-0 lead when Eduardo Santana found Mathias Felipe for the opener but King Philip leveled on a goal from Matt Crago, assisted by Dermott Amorim. Santana put the Hawks back ahead, finishing off a corner from Arthur Tome, and then right before the halftime whistle, John Borges found Nick Ribeiro, who squeezed one in from a tough angle.
Sharon, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of goals inside a five-minute span in the second half to secure two points in a win over Mansfield. The Hornets took the lead 10 minutes into the game when Cooper Austin headed in a corner kick from Tyler Znoj for a 1-0 lead, an advantage that Mansfield carried into halftime. In the second half, Palash Raina headed in the equalizer off a cross from Rishi Shetty. Just four minutes later, Cam Birnbaum ran onto a through ball from Adam Eastman and finished for the eventual game-winner. Znoj, Austin, Derek McGrath, Dylan Mullin, Marco Germiniani, and Lucas deSousa played well for Mansfield.
Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Neither team could find the back of the net in a game where the advantage depended on who had the wind at their backs. Taunton keeper Hayleigh Porter made nine saves to earn the first clean sheet of her career, while Alexis Campbell played well to get her first clean sheet this season. Christina Da Costa, Cali Melo, and Jenna Pereira all played strong games in Taunton’s defense, while Emily Calderon and Juliana Matos sparked the Taunton attack in the second half. Eighth graders Kaylee Lopes, Maddie Crowley, and Lia Abouyazbek also impressed for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Foxboro and Stoughton played to a scoreless draw at Sam Berns Community Field. The Warriors created a few chances through forward Erin Foley, but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Allie Sougaris made several important stops in the second half and earned her second clean sheet of the season for Foxboro.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Rachel DeFlaminis scored a second half hat trick and Mikalyla Thompson finished with three assists to lead the Warriors to a big win at home. Ella Pisani’s brace had KP up 2-0 in the first half (her fifth and sixth goals in the past two games), but Milford cut the lead in half when Dani Atherton’s cross wasn’t cleared and Erin Michelson finished from close range. KP was able to score in the final minute of the half to restore its two-goal lead, as Kylie Menendez finished off a pass from Thompson. Heidi Lawrence added two goals, Ally Pochay scored on a Danielle Gresham corner, and Dani Lomuscio (two assists) slipped a pass through to DeFlaminis to make it 7-1 just 12 minutes into the second half. DeFlaminis would score twice more, one off an assist from Menendez, to wrap up the scoring.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Saturday, 10/29 at 10:00AM.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 1 @ Westwood, 2 – Final – King Philip put up a great fight but fell on the road in a non-league tilt at Westwood. Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal for the Warriors while Maggie Murphy had a great game defensively in front of goalie Haley Bright (16 saves).
Stoughton, 0 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Attleboro, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Attleboro rolled to a 2-0 lead and then closed out the sweep with a competitive third set over Bridgewater-Raynham (25-14, 25-7, 25-23). Mary Katherine Runey called it a “full team effort” in the win. Natalie Brojek notched 26 assists and six aces, Julia Leonardo recorded 13 kills and five aces, and Addie Shelton chipped in with seven kills and four aces.
Milford @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Golf
Attleboro, 176 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – King Philip’s Cameron Hasenfus carded three birdies in a medalist round to lead the Warriors past Attleboro. Hasenfus birded on the second hole and then back-to-back on seven and eight to finished with a medalist round of 34. Anthony Fraone shot a 37, Jason Silva added a 39, and Gavin Croke rounded out the scoring with a 41.
Mansfield, 177 @ Sharon, 178 – Final – Mansfield senior Drew Urban fired a team-low round of 42 and the Hornets left the Cape Club of Sharon with a one-stroke victory over the Eagles. Brendan Vokey added a 44, Davon Sanders shot a 45, and Jason Friedman rounded out the scoring with a 46.
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-8-3 Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.
There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.
That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.
Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.
“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.
2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist) Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.
Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.
Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.
“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”
2021 Record: 9-9-1 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.
The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.
Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.
“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.
2021 Record: 11-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.
The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.
Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.
“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 3-13-2 Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.
The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.
Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.
“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”
2021 Record: 8-5-4 Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.
The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.
It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.
Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.
2021 Record: 12-4-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.
Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.
After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.
“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”
2021 Record: 8-8-2 Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.
Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.
Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.
“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”
2021 Record: 13-4-2 Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.
Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.
On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.
“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”
2021 Record: 6-9-3 Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.
With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.
The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.
“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”
2021 Record: 0-17-1 Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.
First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.
Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.
2021 Record: 5-10-3 Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.
With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.
Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.
Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.
“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 48 @ Southeastern, 52 – Final – Canton made a final push in the fourth quarter but couldn’t quite catch Southeastern. The Bulldogs fell behind 21-12 after a quarter and were chasing the rest of the way. Southeastern carried a 46-39 lead into the final quarter, and Canton upped its defensive intensity to limit the hosts to just six points in the final frame but just couldn’t close the gap by the final buzzer. Matt Chafin led the way for Canton with 17 points, Lanse Dorcelus added nine points, and Jacob Solomon scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter.
Mansfield, 54 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 55 – Final – Mansfield held a three-point lead after a quarter and at halftime, and had a four-point advantage going into the fourth, but Bridgewater-Raynham was able to keep it close and scored the winning basket just before the buzzer to steal the win. Junior Chris Hill scored a career-high 23 points to lead the offensive charge for the Hornets. Matt Hyland added 13 points and Anthony Sachetti chipped in with 12 points for the Hornets.
Attleboro, 47 @ Bishop Feehan, 43 – Final – Sophomore Neo Franco sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left to push the lead to four and Attleboro held on for a season sweep over the Shamrocks. Attleboro had a five-point lead at 32-27 going into the fourth quarter and, for the second straight game, opening the final period with a big run to extend its advantage. Joe Francois-Annevil drove to the rim for his only bucket of the game, Franco hit a three, and Colin Morais (team-high 15 points) converted a traditional three-point play as Attleboro’s lead ballooned to 40-27 in the first 90 seconds of the fourth. Feehan cut it down to two with just over a minute to go but Alvin Harrison (nine points) had another traditional three-point play to keep the Bombardiers ahead. Evan Houle (nine points) hit two threes in the first and Jake Struminski and Morais each had one as Attleboro raced out to a 18-7 lead. Feehan battled back to make it 25-21 at half, and then trailed Attleboro by five going into the fourth.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 71 vs. Bishop Fenwick, 48 – Final – Two players scored more than 20 points and the Panthers scored at least 17 points in every quarter to earn an impressive non-league win against another top 10-ranked team. Katie Peterson led the way for Franklin, scoring 16 of her team-high 22 in the second half. Stefany Padula added 20 points and Olivia Quinn had 12 in the win. Franklin led 18-10 after one and had a 10-point edge at halftime. After pushing the lead to 15 through three quarters, Peterson (eight), Padula (six), and Quinn (four) combined for 18 points in the fourth to put the game away and seal the win.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro erupted for five goals in the second period during its win over Attleboro. The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a nice backhand goal from freshman Dan Jacobs. Senior Ben Ricketts had a pair of goals in the win while Matt Grace, Tom Marcucella, and Dylan Pothier each scored won.
Stoughton/Sharon, 3 vs. Cambridge R&L, 7 – Final – Ava Buckley scored a pair of goals but Stoughton fell to visiting Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Zoe Bangs added a goal and an assist while Lily Dinh and Mikayla Snyder each had an assists as well.
Wrestling
Foxboro, 44 @ Mansfield, 33 – Final
Oliver Ames, 30 @ Taunton, 49 – Final – In a battle of two of the top five teams in the Hock, Taunton pinned down a win over visiting Oliver Ames. Michael Leskoski, Ryan Jones, Brandon Mendes, Xavier Sandoval, Ben Mandeville, Christian Balmain, Elijah Prophete, Peter Ye and Logan Frank had wins for Taunton.
Sharon, 36 vs. Andover, 37 – Final – Adam Landstein , Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Ben Shocket, Ben Grabie , Philip Varvak, and Cormac Horlbogen each won for the Eagles, who fell in a tight non-league clash with Andover.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 66 @ Southeastern, 67 – Final – Oliver Ames led after each of the first three quarters but Southeastern scored the go-ahead bucket with just over two seconds to play to steal the win from the Tigers. Junior Zach Tagliamonte scored a team-high 25 points for the second straight game to pace the Tigers. Jake Grimaldi chipped in with 17 points and Drew Baxter had 10 for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 72 @ Weymouth, 61 – Final – Deadlocked after three quarters, Stoughton poured in 24 points and get some key stops to secure a win on the road at Weymouth. Freshman Matt Greenspoon hit a big three and added another field goal in the fourth quarter to spark the Black Knights, finishing with 11 points (all in the second half). Senior Connor Andrews scored nine of his team-high 24 points in the final frame and junior Rayan Sablon had 11 of his 19 points in the last frame to help Stoughton get the win.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 46 @ East Bridgewater, 63 – Final – Jasmine Davis scored 27 points and added 20 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles fell on the road in a non-league game. Rachael Hager chipped in with 12 points for the second straight day.
Stoughton, 35 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Fay Gallery led the way for the Bulldogs with 23 points, including four three-pointers, as Canton extended its win streak to five games. The Bulldogs held a three-point lead after one and extended it to 10 by halftime. The Black Knights stayed within 13 heading to the fourth, but Canton outscored the visitors 19-7 over the final eight minutes to pull away for a big win. Kiara Cerruti scored 14 and Sydney Gallery added seven for Canton. Kate Bulger scored 13 for the Black Knights, including six in the first, and Vanessa Phelimond and Raina Tat each scored six.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Troy Carlisle scored a pair of goals and assisted on two other, helping North sweep the season series against Attleboro. Carlisle opened the scoring with a breakaway goal four minutes into the game and then picked up an assist about four minutes later when he set up Jack Dluhy in the slot. Attleboro goalie Nick Piazza made a pad stop but Joe Quinn knocked in the rebound. North hit the post twice in the first and Attleboro had a shot cleared off the line. Carlisle got his second when he stole the puck in the attacking zone and found the top corner. Nick Longa made it 4-0, assisted by Nik Kojoian and Mark Ayvazyan. North then got two more 39 seconds apart to lead 6-0 after two. Quinn scored his second off a Dluhy assist and Brody Gaulin was credited with a tip of Austin Comery’s shot from the point. Kojoian got his second assist early in the third when Anthony Westcott’s shot from the point went in off the bar. Gaulin added a 4-on-4 goal with 8:37 to play, assisted by Brady Sarro. Attleboro got on the board in the final 90 seconds, as Sean Marshall went the length of the ice on the power play and buried his shot in the top corner past North goalie Nate Kelly (eight saves). Piazza finished with 46 saves in the loss.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – King Philip sophomore Brad Guden scored a hat trick to lead the Warriors to a league win over Foxboro at the Foxboro Sports Center. King Philip scored twice in the first, three times in the second, and tacked on one more in the third to get the win. Guden set up KP’s first goal, carrying possession into the offensive zone before teeing up classmate Sam Naggar for a one-timer from the blue line that found its way through. Less than two minutes later, John Campbell used a nice move in front to beat the goalie, assists going to Sean Crowther and Kevin Birenbaum. Foxboro cut the deficit in half with 8:08 to play in the first as senior Ben Ricketts intercepted a clearance attempt and fired a wrister that was partially stopped but trickled over the line. Guden lit the lamp twice in the second, first firing a low wrister from the blue line that found the back of the net, and then minutes later, had another low shot take a fortunate deflection off a Foxboro skate and into the back of the net. Crowther came flying down the left side before roofing a shot with less than two minutes to go to make it 5-1 after two periods. Guden completed the hat trick in the third, finishing off a pass from Crowther for a 6-1 edge. Senior Josh Marcoux made 33 saves in net for Foxboro.
Franklin, 7 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin scored three goals in each the first and second periods on its way to a league win on the road over Taunton. Christian Shabbick scored a hat trick for the Panhters, scoring with eight minutes left in the first (on an assist from Ben Paterson) to make it 3-0, again less then two minutes into the second (from Anthony Lampasona) to make it 4-0, and then completed the hat trick (on another assist from Paterson) to push the lead to 6-0. Dylan Marchand added a pair of goals, Ryan Sicchio scored on the power play in the first period, and Paterson lit the lamp once and had a total of three assists. Freshman Jack O’Connor made 16 saves for the win. Taunton sophomore Conner Goranson scored off of an assist from senior Nathan Fernandes in the third period. Freshman Cam Tomaszycki made 46 saves in net for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 7 @ Cardinal Spellman, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Sean Farley scored a pair of goals to help the Black Knights pick up their second win over Cardinal Spellman this month. Ryan Summers, Joe McNulty, Cooper Card, Colin Alessi and Charlie Caputo each added one goal for Stoughton.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Medway/Ashland, 1 – Final – Audrey Koen scored a pair of goals to lead Canton to a third straight win and its fifth win in the last six games.
Franklin, 0 @ Medfield, 1 – Final (OT)
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Westwood, 2 – Final
King Philip, 9 @ Dedham, 0 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 2 vs. West/East Bridgewater, 7 – Final
Wrestling
Canton, 12 @ North Attleboro, 69 – Final
Sharon, 62 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – Ashmith Yeruva, Vehnil Rangaraman, Adam Landstein, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Kyle Samuels, Aaron Cashton, Phil Varvak, Cormac Horlbogen, Ethan Siao, and Ron Loebl each won for the Eagles, who clinched at least a share of the Davenport division title with the victory.
Mansfield, 21 @ Franklin, 49 – Final
Milford @ King Philip, 6:00
Oliver Ames, 78 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Senior Gio Juste, juniors Ryan Widdop, Kyle Hardie, and Victor Romeiro, and freshman Rory Gallagher-Lambert each earned a pinfall win for the Tigers.
Taunton, 72 @ Keefe Tech, 9 – Final – Ryan Jones (113), Christian Balmain (152), John Mandeville (160), Peter Ye (195), and Logan Frank (220) all won by pin to help Taunton secure a win on the road over Keefe Tech.
Boys Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 29 @ Taunton, 43 – Final
Girls Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 63 @ Taunton, 17 – Final
Boys Hockey
King Philip, 2 @ Archbishop Williams, 6 – Final
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 2 vs. Westwood, 1 – Final
Franklin, 3 @ Medway/Ashland, 3 – Final (OT) – Franklin freshman Julia Flynn scored a hat trick to help the Panthers erase a two-goal deficit and earn a tie. Flynn tipped in a shot from Shaw Downing to put the Panthers ahead but Medway/Ashland scored three straight to stake a 3-1 in the third period. Flynn scored twice in short succession (assists from Katie LeBlanc and Ava Vilella) to tie it 3-3, where it stayed through an extra overtime period. Izzy Brown had a strong game in net for Franklin.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames @ Nauset, 6:00 (@ Charles Moore Arena)
King Philip, 1 @ Braintree, 2 – Final
Wrestling
Hingham Quad (Foxboro), 9:00
Westford Academy Tri-meet (Franklin) – Franklin had a successful showing on Saturday, pinning down wins over both Westford Academy (66-18) and Algonquin (40-36). Matthew Leaman, Riley Carlucci, Brendan Collins, Ahmed Jawando, Jonathan Owen, Alex Fracassa, Alex Foley, Augustus Granata, Ryan Parlon and Nolan Sheridan each had a pinfall victory on the day.
Milton Quad (Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames swept all four matches at the Milton quad and had five grapplers pick up a win in each match on Saturday. The Tigers had a dominant win over Excel Academy (73-6) while also pinning down victories over Walpole (66-18), Norwood (56-21), and host Milton (47-33). Elyor Ruzmatov (113), Victor Romeiro (120), Nathan Lipski (132), DJ Lipski (160), and Jaden Hinton (285) all went 4-0 for the Tigers.
Marlboro Quad (Sharon) – Sharon continued its momentum from its big dual meet over OA earlier this week into the weekend, picking up three more impressive wins. The Eagles earned wins over Marlboro (54-21), Essex Tech/Masconomet (49-24), and St. John’s Shrewsbury (57-15). Ashmith Yeruva, Adam Landstein, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Kyle Samuels, Aaron Cashton, Philip Varvak, and Cormac Horlbogen all went undefeated for the Eagles.
Methuen Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Taunton split its two meets at Metheun, picking up a win over Silver Lake (72-6) but fell to the host Rangers (45-33). Brandon Mendes, Xavier Sandoval, Ben Mandeville, Christian Balmain, Ethan Harris, and Logan Frankl each picked up a pair of wins for the Tigers while Michael Leskoski, Ryan Jones, Anthony Vieira, Brian Haen, John Mandeville, Elijah Prophete, and Robert Tran each won once.
Gymnastics
Franklin, 142.5 @ Canton, 127.7 – Final
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Sunday, 1/30 at 7:00.
