Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/27/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalOliver Ames scored one run in each the fourth and fifth innings and that was enough offense for junior pitcher Jack Richardson. Richardson didn’t allow an earned run in a complete game effort, striking out seven to get the win. Offensively, Will Whiteside went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI and Ryan McKenney added a hit and an RBI.

Canton, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final (8 Inn.)Canton erased a one-run deficit in the top of the sixth and then tacked on three runs in the top of the eighth to earn a win in extra innings on the road. The Bulldogs totaled eight hits on the day with Cam Sanchez (run) chipping in with two and six others registering one. Sawyer Julier-Albert drove in a pair of runs and scored once while Matt Chafin and Andrew Middleton each had one RBI. Zach Peters allowed just one unearned run on two hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts in five innings of work. Matt Quan, Andrew Butler, and Nico Bonanno each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

Foxboro, 6 @ Milford, 12 – FinalMilford took advantage of eight hits and nine walks to score 12 runs and get a win at home over visiting Foxboro. Mario Lee drove in three runs for the Hawks while Evan Cornelius (run) and Grant Scudo (two hits, run) each had two RBI in the win. Carter Scudo added a pair of hits, a pair of runs, and one RBI for Milford, who scored six runs in the second inning to take a 7-2 lead and pulled away for good with four runs in the sixth. Ryan LeClair went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run for Foxboro while Sean O’Leary added three hits and an RBI.

Sharon, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalFranklin erased an early one-run deficit, scoring once in each the second and third with two big insurance runs coming in the fourth inning. Ethan Voellmicke tossed 4.1 innings of shutout ball with just two hits allowed, striking out nine to get the win. James Kuczmiec came in to get the save with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Offensively, CJ Jette had a pair of hits including a double, and drove in one run, Marcus Baker slapped a pair of hits, Jake Fitzgibbons drove in a run, and Jack Marino had a hit, a walk, and scored a run.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 9 – FinalTaunton scored once in each of the first four innings, tacked on two more in the fifth, and pulled away for good with three runs in the sixth to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ty Cali (run, RBI) and Colby DeCouta (run, RBI) each had two hits for the Tigers while Danny MacDougall had four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI in the win. Matthew Ferrara got the win on the mound with two runs allowed on 10 hits and one walk, striking out two in 6.2 innings of work.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 9 – FinalJunior Shawn Lagere and senior Conor Cooke hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and King Philip never trailed in a win over Stoughton. Stoughton cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third but KP answered with four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth inning. Cooke finished with three runs and a pair of stolen bases while Lagere had two stolen bases and two runs.










Softball
Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalLindsey Perry picked up her fourth win of the season, tossing a one-hit shutout on the road to lead the Bombardiers. Perry carried a no-hitter in the final inning before OA registered its first hit. Perry struck out seven and issued just one walk in the win. Attleboro played solid defense throughout and offensively the Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team with Hailey Perry accounting for three hits and Brenna Morse and Meghan Gordon each with two. Taylor Lake had the hit for OA while Katie Melendy allowed five earned in a complete game effort.

Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final

Franklin, 13 @ Sharon, 2 – FinalFranklin found its offense late in the game, pulling away to pick up its fourth win of the season. The Eagles kept it close early, trailing by just four after four full. Sophomore pitcher Ally Foulsham had four strikeouts for Sharon.

Mansfield, 8 @ Canton, 7 – FinalMansfield jumped out to an early need, Canton rallied to jump in front in the fifth inning, but the Hornets were able to come back and scored two runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win. After taking a 1-0 lead in the second, Mansfield scored four times in the third. Jill Koppy got it started with a lead off single, followed by hits from Ashlyn Conley, Alanna Conley, and Abby DeCoste. The Bulldogs answered back with four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to go up 6-5. Hits from Casey Moussette and Molly Kucharski led to the tying run for the Hornets in the sixth. In the seventh, DeCoste, Callie Lake, and Moussette each had hits to plate the game-winning runs. Canton got one back in the bottom of the seventh but the Hornets held on. Lake, Moussette, and Kucharski each finished with three hits for Mansfield, which had 17 as a team.

Taunton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 0 – FinalTaunton scored a pair of runs in each the second and seventh innings while Kelsey White was lights out in the circle as the Tigers passed their toughest test to date. White allowed just two hits and issued one walk while striking out 14 batters. McKenzie McAloon drove in two with a base hit in the top of the third to give the visitors the lead. Taunton tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh with Angie Lynch and Kylie Thorpe coming in to score their second runs of the game. North Attleboro sophomore Zoey McDonough had a strong showing in the circle with four runs allowed (three earned) on six hits and four walks, striking out five.

King Philip, 10 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalKing Philip set the tone early with three first inning runs and never looked back in a win on the road. The Warriors added four runs in the third and three more in the fourth. Sophomore Sarah Cullen belted out a team-high three hits (including a triple) along with three RBI and one run scored while Mia Bennett also drove in three runs on a pair of hits. Sophomore Charlotte Raymond (two RBI, two runs), freshman Ava Lanza (two runs), and freshman Maddie Paschke each had two hits in the win. Junior Emma Sheehan earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on three hits and one walk, striking out five in a complete game effort. Sydney Menz hit a triple for Stoughton while Nicole Baker and Julie Powers each hit a double.




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalOliver Ames won all three singles matches in straight sets to secure a win over visiting Attleboro. Junior Kylash Ganesh picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Rapheal Vache earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and freshman Nick Westerbeke prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at third singles to give the Tigers the win at home. Attleboro’s Alejandro Jimenez and Malachi Jefferson emerged with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win at first doubles while the pairing of Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 2 @ Canton, 3 – FinalBy sweeping all three singles matches, Canton defended home court with a 3-2 decision over visiting Mansfield. Suraj Ramanathan earned a big win at first singles with a 6-1, 6-4 score, Max Kupferman added a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles and Minh Duong prevailed 6-2, 7-5 at third singles. Mansfield won both doubles matches with Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lankipalle taking a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles while Adam Elsner and Jonah Fine won 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles.

Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – FinalFoxboro swept all three singles matches and added another point from doubles play in a 4-1 win over visiting Milford. Garrett Spillane was victorious 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Justin Neale earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Jason Kandula walked away with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Bo Canfield and Visruth Chavalam took care of business at first doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 win. Milford’s second doubles team of seniors Connor MacLeod and Mike Tersarotto secured a 7-5, 6-2 win.

Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – FinalFranklin’s Vayshnav Malhotra emerged from a three-hour marathon match at second singles with a three-set victory to give the Panthers a 3-2 decision over Sharon. Malhotra won the first set in a tiebreaker, dropped the second set, and then prevailed in a back-and-forth third set, the score finishing 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5. Liam Marr (6-2, 6-2) added a win at first singles while the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (7-5, 6-4) battled to a tight win at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalNorth Attleboro dropped just one total game in a clean sweep against visiting Taunton. Jonah Manso, Sam Gallager, and Will Folan all won in straight sets in singles action while both of North’s double teams — Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq at first doubles and Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan at second doubles — won 6-0, 6-0.

King Philip, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalKing Philip won both doubles matches in straight sets and junior Jon Cohen emerged with the deciding point for the Warriors in a win on the road. Cohen picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles to give the match to the visitors. The team of Diego Nieto and Jackson Hom dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while juniors Adam Gousie and Connor Connor Sachleben earned a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon battled to a 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 win at first singles while Rayan Sablon secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles.




Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – FinalAttleboro defended home court with a singles sweep and one more win in doubles in a victory over visiting Oliver Ames. Ella Lynch Bartek (6-3, 6-1), Lauren Anthony (6-1, 6-4), and Tina Lam (6-2, 6-3) all won in singles action while Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson emerged with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win at second doubles. OA’s first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou recorded a 6-0, 6-2 win for the Tigers.

Canton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalCanton picked up a close win on the row, scoring points with a pair of singles wins and one from doubles action. Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Laura Correal rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 win at second singles, and the first doubles pairing of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles. For Mansfield, Alexis O’Keefe was victorious at third singles 6-4, 6-2 while Ally McDavitt and Alexis Togue teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final Foxboro’s second doubles team of Sara Brennan and Emily Stow rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a win to complete the sweep on the road over Milford. Brennan and Stow picked up a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win while the team of Abby Costa and Alyssa Cloherty notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles. Athena Li (first singles) and Sarah Prag (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Maggie McAuliffe earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles.

Sharon, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalNorth Attleboro freshman Lauren Hunt emerged from a back-and-forth evenly matched first singles match with a tiebreaker win in the third set to clinch the deciding point for the Rocketeers in a win over Taunton. Senior Haley Strom rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles while Kyna Sha and Lauren Consentino battled to a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory at second doubles. Hunt prevailed with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9) win at first singles to clinch the match. For Taunton, Kayla Parrett secured a 6-4, 6-4 win at second singles and the team of Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett battled to a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at first doubles.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final




Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 88 @ Canton, 48 – FinalCanton’s Deyontai Dennis took first place in four different events: the 400M hurdles (58.3), the 110M hurdles (16.3), the long jump (20’9.5″), and the triple jump (44’9.5″).

Franklin @ Milford, 5:00

King Philip, 39 @ Mansfield, 97 – FinalMansfield took first place in 14 of the 16 events to earn a big win on senior day. Seniors Trevor Flint took first in the 1 Mile (4:44.2), Ryan Rispoli won the 2 Mile (11:01.6), Stephen Saba added a first place finish in the javelin (118’6), and DaSean Peters-Wolfe clocked a new PR with a first place time of 22.8 in the 200M. Jake Wall qualified for nationals and broke his own school record with a leap of 23’2 in the long jump.

Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 80 @ Canton, 56 – FinalFor Canton, Tayla Mendez-DeGraw broke the school record in the 100M (12.5) and anchored the winning 4×400 team (52.0).

Franklin @ Milford, 5:00

King Philip, 63 @ Mansfield, 73 – FinalMansfield took first place in both relays and swept the javelin for key points in a close win over visiting King Philip. Caitlin Dumouchel won the javelin for the Hornets with a throw of 109’9″, Kelsey Hubler was second at 69’8″, and Aimee Cowles took third at 68’4″. In the 4×100 relay, Abbie Scott, Meghan Driscoll, Brooke Penney, and Anna Buckley teamed up to cross first in 51.1 while the Mansfield 4×400 relay team of Katie Miller, Norah Puleo, Caitlin Dumouchel, and Anna Darlington won that event in 4:11.6. Dumouchel picked up her third win with a first-place time of 67.2 in the 400M hurdles.

Wrestling
North Attleboro, 48 @ Taunton, 30 – Final

Oliver Ames, 21 @ Milford, 44 – Final

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/17/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final

Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 5 – FinalCanton got off to a strong start offensively and held off a late rally attempt from Sharon to get the win and stay unbeaten on the year. The Bulldogs pushed across two runs in the first inning and tacked on single runs in the second and third to establish a 4-0 lead. Sharon rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game but Canton gave itself some breathing room with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Cam Sanchez (RBI), Matt Chafin (two runs), and Steven Burbank (RBI, run) each recorded two hits for the hosts, who had 10 hits as a team. Andrew Middleton picked up his third win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, striking out eight in six innings of work. Andrew Butler recorded the save with a scoreless inning in relief. Sharon’s Colby Lentell drove in two runs for the Eagles while Justin Brown and Daniel Zagoren each had one RBI.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final Foxboro took advantage of free bases and aggressive base running to jump out to an early lead and held on the rest of the way. The Warriors drew four walks in the opening inning and had five stolen bases, resulting in a 6-1 lead after an inning of action. Oliver Ames was able to close the gap with two in the third and one more in the fourth, but Foxboro scored an important insurance run in the sixth inning. Tom Marcucella (run, two RBI) and Sean Yoest (run, RBI) each had two hits for the Warriors while Sean O’Leary (run), Liam Mulkern, and Mike O’Toole each drove in a run. Cam Prescott got the win on the mound, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out five in five innings of work. Senior Sebastian Ortiz closed it out, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out a pair in two innings. Oliver Ames’ Jaden Ricci went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while Patrick Finnerty and Nate Fulford each drove in a pair of runs for OA.

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 10 – Final (5 inn.)For the fourth time in just five games, Franklin’s offense put up double-digit runs and the Panthers recorded their second straight shutout, this time a 10-0 decision over King Philip. Sophomore Alfred Mucciarone tossed five shutout innings for the win, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out six. Offensively, Ryan Gerety had a pair of hits including a double, scoring twice while Jake Fitzgibbons added an RBI on two hits. Ben Jarosz had three hits on the day with a run scored and an RBI, Nate Cooke scored once and had an RBI, and Henry DiGiorgio had a hit, a walk, and scored twice.

Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 8 – FinalTaunton had a strong day at the plate, scoring in five of the seven innings to knock off visiting Mansfield for a key division win. The Tigers plated two runs in the first inning and added two more in each the third and fourth, tacking on single runs in the fifth and sixth. Ty Cali set the tone for the Tigers’ offense, scoring three runs on two hits (including a triple) and driving in one run from the leadoff spot. Ryan MacDougall, Danny MacDougall (two runs), and Bretton Heggs each added a hit and an RBI while Dawson Bryce drove in a pair of runs and scored once. On the mound, Conor Quinlan got the win, allowing just one unearned run on five hits and one walk, recording six strikeouts in five innings. Evan Cali pitched two innings in relief, allowing one run with one strikeout.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 7 – FinalStoughton senior Brady Conlin got it done both at the plate and on the mound as Stoughton rallied for an important division win over rival North Attleboro. North Attleboro’s Gavin Wells had a two-out two-run single in the top of the fifth inning to put the Rocketeers up 4-1 but Stoughton answered with a big sixth inning to take their first lead, an advantage they wouldn’t relinquish. Conlin tossed a complete game, striking out five with two walks. Conlin also had a solo home run to left in the bottom of the fourth that got Stoughton on the board. In the sixth, Colin Alessi singled in the tying run while Kyle Doolin drove in two more with a double.










Softball
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 12 – FinalAttleboro senior Lora Woyton fired a two-hitter to earn her second win of the season in the circle, leading the Bombardiers past visiting Milford. Woyton struck out eight in five innings of work and helped her own cause offensively, going 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored.The Bombardiers used strong team defense behind Woyton to limit the Hawks’ chances. Hailey Perry and Natalie Mansur each had two hits and scored a run while Kayla Goldrick added two hits for Attleboro, who had everyone in the lineup score.

Foxboro, 7 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalFor Oliver Ames, Taylor Lake had an RBI single that scored Mollie Crabtree while Grace Simone, who had two hits on the day, had a two-run double that scored Maddie Homer and Emma Varella. Katie Melendy pitched a complete game, striking out four for OA.

Franklin, 5 @ King Philip, 8 – FinalAfter Franklin took the lead in the top of the first inning, King Philip tied the game in the bottom half and then built a lead with runs in the third, fifth, and sixth innings to knock off the visiting Panthers. Tied 2-2 through an inning, KP took the lead with a run in the third, extended their advantage with two in the fifth, and added three more in the sixth. Franklin rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh but KP shut the door to stay unbeaten. Charlotte Raymond had a big day for KP, going 3-for-3 at the plate, including a two-run home run. She finished with three RBI and three runs scored, reaching a fourth time after being hit by a pitch. Paige Berdos added two hits, a run, and an RBI while sophomore Sarah Cullen blasted a two-run home run.

Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 7 – FinalGillian Gordon earned her first career win and gave Canton its first win of the season. Gordon struck out six over seven innings of work. Taylor Reynolds was 3-for-3 with three doubles and a pair of RBI, while Ellie Bohane and Liz Bickett both went 3-for-4 for the Bulldogs. Olivia Mackwell started the scoring for Canton by driving in a pair in the fourth.

Taunton, 12 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final (5 inn.)Taunton held Mansfield to two hits to earn its fourth shutout in five games this season. It was scoreless until the third inning when Taunton scored five times to take control. The Tigers added seven runs in the top of the fifth to grab the win. Taunton leadoff hitter Angie Lynch set the tone with three hits and two runs while Hannah Aldrich drove in for runs on three hits, including a home run. Skylar Rheaume, McKenzie McAloon, Kelsey White, and Tayah DaCosta each drove in a run for the Tigers. Freshman Sam Lincoln earned the win in the circle, allowing just two hits in a five-inning complete game effort, striking out 10. Jillian Koppy and Molly Kucharski had Mansfield’s only hits.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 12 – FinalNorth got its fourth straight solid start, as Kelly Colleran struck out 12 and allowed only two hits and two walks to earn the shutout. The Rocketeers haven’t allowed more than one run in a game since giving up 11 in the season opener. Colleran helped her own cause with a pair of hits, including a solo homer. Emily Nardelli led the North offense with three hits, including a double and a three-run homer, and drove in four. Zoey McDonough and Shaelyn Burns both had two hits and two RBI and Mandi Hanewich had a couple of nice catches in the outfield.




Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 20 – FinalFranklin moved to 4-0 on the season with a big win over visiting North Attleboro. Matt Lazzaro led the offensive charge with three goals and two helpers while sophomores Jayden Consigli and Luke Davis each recorded four goals apiece. Jack Maguire made six saves in net for the win.

Sharon, 12 @ Mansfield, 10 – FinalBen Shocket won 19-of-25 faceoffs and six different Eagles found the back of the net in a win on the road over Mansfield. Brady Daylor led the way offensively for the visitors with five goals, Drew Litner and Kobe Jacobson each scored twice, and Bobby Burns, Connor McLoughlin, and Shocket each scored once in the win. Adam Rabb had a strong showing in net with 17 saves.

Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 3:45

Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 8 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this gameFoxboro used a balanced scoring attack and a dominant day on the draw to earn the road win. Mya Waryas (two assists) and Lilly Vey (one assist) were the top scorers with three goals apiece. Ella Waryas (two assists), Mary Collins, Kate Collins, Val Beigel, and Paige Curran each scored two goals, as the Warriors worked the ball around and made sure everyone got a touch. Dylan Rappoli had a goal and three assists and Grace Riley added one goal for Foxboro. Hannah Webster scored for Attleboro in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout and Maggie Porreca made five saves in goal.

Canton, 8 @ Taunton, 17 – FinalTaunton senior Alana Tavares had 10 draw controls and scored nine goals to help the Tigers defend their home turf against visiting Canton. Tasia Lajoie added four controls and six goals in the win while Rosemary McGrath had three draw controls and three assists in the win. Senior Tori DaRosa and junior Sarah Clark each netted one goal, freshman Cali Melo added an assist, and junior Emily Gannon added 13 saves in the win.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 20 – FinalKenzie Baker did it all for the Panthers with five draw controls, two goals, and two assists as Franklin rolled to a win at home. Stella Regan added four draw controls and three goals, Katie Jones chipped in with three goals and an assist, and Payten Crandall (two ground balls) played well defensively.

Sharon, 7 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final




Boys Tennis
Milford @ Attleboro, 3:45

Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – FinalSharon took a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play to earn a key win on the road over division rival Canton. Mehul Bhattacharyya (6-1, 6-1) won at first singles for the Eagles while Max Chen earned a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of Matthew Lally and Rithvik Neti emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at first doubles while the Eagles’ second doubles pairing of Mitch Weiss and Alex Budovalcio secured a 6-0, 6-0 decision at second doubles. Canton freshman Max Kupferman earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a well-played second singles matchup.

Foxboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalFoxboro won all three singles matches in straight sets and emerged with victories in both doubles matches to earn a win over Oliver Ames. Junior Garrett Spillane picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at first singles, senior Justin Neale won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles, and senior Jason Kandula picked up a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles. Foxboro’s first doubles pairing of junior Bo Canfield and freshman Justin Kandula won 6-3, 6-2 while junior Guillermo Marroquin and freshman Visruth Shavalam teamed up for a 6-7, 7-5, 10-6 win at second doubles.

Franklin @ King Philip, 3:45

Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final

Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – FinalAttleboro went on the road and picked up a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action to take down host Milford. Ella Lynch Bartek (6-0, 6-2) and Lauren Anthony (6-0, 6-0) each picked up wins at first and second singles, respectively, for the Bombardiers. The team of Rachel Rainey and Saharla Yusuf picked up a 6-1, 6-1 decision at first doubles while Attleboro’s second doubles team of freshmen Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson won 6-0, 6-1. For Milford, Lavinia Mocenni battled back for a 2-6, 6-0, 10-5 win at third singles.

Canton, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalSharon swept both doubles matches and grabbed one more victory at third singles to fend off an upset bid from visiting Canton. The team of Anjali Jha and Ritu Sreeram battled to a hard-fought 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) win at first doubles while Sharon’s second doubles team of Sophia Oh and Sasha Fein emerged with a 6-4, 6-1 victory. Sophomore Allie Aguilar was impressive in Sharon’s third win, recording a 6-0, 6-0 decision at third singles. Canton’s Rachel Kupferman notched a 6-2, 6-4 win at first singles while Laura Correal recorded a 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 win at second singles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – FinalFoxboro didn’t drop a single game in any of its three singles matches and added one more win in doubles play to secure a victory over visiting Oliver Ames. Athena Li (first), Pam Nelson (second) and Sarah Prag (third) each won 6-0, 6-0 to sweep the singles matches. The team of Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa added a 6-0, 6-2 decision at first double for Foxboro’s fourth point. OA’s second doubles team of Lizzie MacAdam and Elizabeth O’Brien picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win.

King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalMansfield went on the road and earned a win over Taunton by sweeping doubles play and adding a pair of straight-set decisions in singles play. The team of Sarah Harrington and Alexis O’Keefe battled for a 7-5, 5-7, 10-6 win at first doubles while ALly McDavitt and Caroline Guravage took care of business with a 6-1, 6-4 win at second doubles. Mansfield senior Alex Burnham won 6-3, 6-4 at first singles and junior Kate Martin earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles. Taunton’s Kayla Parrett notched a 6-3, 6-4 win at second singles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – FinalStoughton picked up its third straight win, this time defending home court with a victory over visiting division rival North Attleboro. Stoughton’s second doubles team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Stefani Reznikow continued their impressive campaign, clinching the winning point with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win. Allie Lada moved up to first singles and picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win for the Black Knights while. The first doubles team of Emily Pham-Nguyen and Emilia Lada added a 6-2, 7-5 win at first doubles. North Attleboro’s Haley Strom (7-5, 6-3) and Lauren Hunt (6-1, 6-0) won at second and third singles, respectively.

Boys Outdoor Track
Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track
Attleboro, 59 @ King Philip, 77 – FinalAttleboro’s Cassondra Stuger won a pair of events but King Philip was able to earn the overall team win on Monday. Stuger won both the 400M (61.6) and the 200M (26.6) for the Bombardiers, who also got first-place finishes from Diana Blouin (1 Mile, 5:37.6), Kelly Neuendorf (2 Mile, 12:16.0), Elayna Marinelli (javelin, 78-7), Samantha Fregault (discus, 72-1), and Kamsi Igbobi (shot put, 34-5).

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Barnstable, 1 – FinalTaunton won its fourth straight match to open the season, this time a 3-1 decision (25-17, 25-16, 20-25, 25-14) over visiting Barnstable. Daniel Medina set the offense in motion with 34 assists, adding two kills in while Tyler Stewart had an impressive showing with 19 kills, five blocks, and 13 digs in the win. Travis Nunes played well defensively and in serve receive for the Tigers, Mattia Casagrande added six kills and seven aces, and Jakob Thorpe chipped in seven kills and four aces.

Milford vs. Bellingham, 6:00

Wrestling
Oliver Ames @ Foxboro, 4:30
King Philip, 25 @ Franklin, 51 – Final
Milford, 45 @ Stoughton, 10 – Final

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/11/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 8 @ Taunton, 3 – FinalAttleboro exploded for six runs in the top of the first and never looked back, securing their first win of the season with an 8-3 decision over Taunton. Senior Jake Gorman, junior Evan Houle, and sophomore Owen Taber each had two hits for the Bombardiers while senior Bailey Camacho drove in a pair of runs. Junior Billy Saltmarsh picked up the win with five strong innings of work on the mound while sophomore Danny Johnson pitched well in two innings of relief.

Canton, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalCanton junior Andrew Middleton dazzled on the mound for the second straight start, tossing his second straight shutout. After a perfect game in his first start, Middleton allowed just one hit — a bunt — in a complete-game effort, striking out 16 for the second straight contest. He walked just two batters while throwing 65 of his 94 pitches for strikes. Offensively, senior Cam Sanchez set the tone from the leadoff spot with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI, sophomore Matt Chafin drove in two runs on two hits, and Steven Burbank and Middleton each had an RBI.

Foxboro, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – FinalFoxboro got the bats going early with three runs in the second inning and Dylan Quinn was solid on the mound from start to finish as the Warriors picked up their first win of the season. Quinn allowed one run on three hits and two walks, striking out two in five innings of work. Sophomore Sean O’Leary pitched two scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout for the save. Sophomore Ryan LeClair (run) and junior Jack Watts (run) each had a pair of hits for Foxboro, which totaled 10 as a team. Liam Mulkern and Quinn reach drove in a run in the win.

Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 2 – FinalAfter Milford tied the game with a run in the bottom half of the sixth, Franklin regained the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh to sweep the series with the Hawks. Jacob Jette’s pinch-hit RBI single drove in Jack Marino for what proved to be the game-winning run, and Jette scored the insurance run on contact from Ryan Gerety. Ethan Voellmicke picked up the win in a relief appearance, tossing two innings with three strikeouts while James Kuczmiec earned the save, stranding the tying run at first. Jake Fitzgibbons was the starter for the Panthers, allowing one run on three hits in four innings of work with three strikeouts. Nate Cooke added a hit, a walk, and two RBI for the Panthers. For Milford, Wes Solomon tossed a complete game with four runs allowed (three earned) on four hits, striking out two while Mario Lee had a hit and a run scored.

King Philip, 5 @ Mansfield, 6 – FinalKing Philip rallied to erase a five-run deficit but Mansfield jumped back ahead with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Chris Potts drew a bases-loaded walk to push across the go-ahead run as Mansfield moved to 2-0 on the season. The Hornets plated four runs in the top of the first and added one more in the second but KP responded with two in the third and three in the fifth to tie the game. Potts’ walk was one of nine drawn by the Hornets on the day, who had just five hits total. Juniors Anthony Sacchetti and Aaron Blinn each had a hit and an RBI for Mansfield. Freshman Jake Maydak earned the win in relief, striking out three with just one walk allowed in 2.1 scoreless innings of work. For KP, Shawn Legere went 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, and Conor Cooke recorded a pair of hits, runs, and RBI.

Oliver Ames, 8 @ North Attleboro, 6 – FinalOliver Ames rallied from a four-run deficit, scoring four runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure a win on the road against North Attleboro. Jadon Ricci had the big two-run hit in the sixth and added a run himself on a passed ball. Jake Waxman added a hit and an RBI and Derek Milliken had two hits, including a double, and an RBI to pace the Tigers’ offense. Kosta Spiliakos pitched five innings for OA with two strikeouts and two walks while Nick Clark threw two innings of hitless relief, striking out the last four batters to earn the save.










Softball
Taunton, 13 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final (6 inn.)Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Hanna Aldrich hit a pair of homers and drive in five runs and freshman Sam Lincoln struck out 10 over five innings to earn a win in her first career start, as Taunton swept its home-and-home series with Attleboro. Taunton wasted little time getting its offense into gear. Angie Lynch and Kyleah Plumb had back-to-back singles and then Aldrich drilled a homer to left center. Although one of the runners was ruled out for not touching third, Taunton got its third run when McKenzie McAloon crushed a solo homer to left field. The Tigers added one in the fourth when Hayley Krockta’s base hit skipped past the left fielder and she came all the way around to make it 4-0. The floodgates opened in the fifth, as Taunton scored six times on four hits and a couple of costly Attleboro miscues in the field. Aldrich and Kelsey White each plated a run with singles and Skyler Rheaume drove in one with a sac fly. Taunton scored five unearned runs off Attleboro starter Lindsey Perry in the game. Lincoln dominated the first five innings, allowing only three base runners, two hits, and one ball out of the infield (a single to right by Rylie Camacho). Lincoln struck out the side in both the third and fourth innings. Aldrich tacked on two more with her second homer of the day in the sixth and White scored on a passed ball to end the scoring. White, who struck out 16 on Monday, came in to pitch in the sixth and struck out the side to seal the win.

Sharon, 1 @ Foxboro, 11 – FinalFoxboro eighth-grader Emma Callahan continued to shine during his debut season, getting it done both in the circle and at the plate. Callahan allowed just one hit while striking out 12 in the win. At the plate, she helped her own cause with three hits. Sophomore Ally Foulsham made her pitching debut for the Eagles and struck out five. Trinity Payne accounted for the lone Sharon run with a solo homer.

Milford, 9 @ Franklin, 11 – FinalFranklin prevailed with an 11-9 win in a back-and-forth battle with visiting Franklin to present head coach Katie Holbrook with her first career win. In an offensive battle, senior Gabby Colace clubbed out four hits and scored four runs, driving in three runs and junior Julia White added three hits with two RBI. Senior Lauren Cote (two doubles, two RBI) and freshman Carly Johnson-Pellegri (two doubles, two runs) each added two hits in the win. Milford’s Carly Ferreira went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs, and RBI, Elise Fauerbach went 5-for-5 with two runs, and freshman Maddie Burns had four hits, two RBI, and a run scored.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its hot start to the season, this time putting up 17 runs at PAL in a win over visiting Mansfield. Charlotte Raymond clubbed four doubles for the Warriors, driving in three runs and crossing home three times as well. Sophomore Libby Walsh added three hits, including a double and a triple, while knocking in four runs, and sophomore Sarah Cullen went 3-for-3, reaching a fourth time after being hit by a pitch, and had a home run, a double, and a single with three RBI. Jordan Bennett, who had two doubles at the plate, tossed a five-inning shutout, allowing two hits while striking out six.

Stoughton, 9 @ Canton, 4 – FinalStoughton sophomore Kerry Driscoll earned her first career win as the Black Knights earned a season sweep of rival Canton. Driscoll threw four innings with one run allowed on four hits and four strikeouts. Nicole Baker came in for three innings of relief for Stoughton. Offensively, freshman Julie Powers led the charge with three hits, including a double and a triple, with two RBI and two runs scored. Mel Casna and Alyssa Edwards each drove in a pair of runs for Stoughton, Sarah McGrath added two hits, and Sydney Menz and Catherine Leal (RBI) each had a hit in the win. Liz Bickett went 4-for-4 and Ellie Bohane went 2-for-3 with a double for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 15 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (5 inn.)Kelly Colleran earned her career win, allowing only one hit and striking out eight Tigers over five innings. She also continued her hot start at the plate, racking up three hits and driving in three. She now has 10 hits in the first three games of her career. Belle Clarkin had two hits and also drove in three for North, while Emily Nardelli had two hits and three runs scored. Mandi Hanewich scored three times and Ally Levine hit a homer and drove in a pair. Caitlin Miller had a hit and scored a run for OA while Emma Varella had three strikeouts in the circle.




Boys Tennis
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – FinalAttleboro completed the series sweep of the Tigers, this time taking a 5-0 decision. All three singles players won in straight sets for the Bombardiers with Ethan Johnson winning 6-4, 6-3 at first singles, Evan Sousa winning 6-2, 6-2 at second singles, and Matt Lortos taking a 6-3, 6-2 decision at third singles. The team of Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 at first doubles while Malachi Jefferson and Alex Suarez didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – FinalWaseem Sablon won in straight sets at first singles for Stoughton but Canton took the points in the other four matches to get the victory. Sablon won 6-0, 6-3 at first singles for the Black Knights while Max Kupferman earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles for Canton, and Minh Duong grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of Ethan Nguyen and Jalen Townsend secured a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles while Elias Jabbour and Charlie Doody picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalSharon went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to sweep the series against Foxboro. Mehul Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles, Max Chen secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at second singles, and Rithrik Neti emerged with a 6-4, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of freshmen Matthew Lally and Alex Budovaloev earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while juniors Mitch Weiss and Deyan Kassev teamed up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalFranklin defended its home court, taking care of business with a clean sweep of visiting Milford. Both Liam Marr (first singles) and Vayshnav Malhotra (second singles) won 6-0, 6-0 while Drew Mahoney earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory at third singles. The first doubles team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik took home a 6-2, 6-0 win while Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas won at second doubles with a score of 6-0, 6-0.

Mansfield, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – FinalMansfield went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to sweep the series against King Philip. Kailash Elumelai earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles, Dheeraj Valluru took a 6-1, 6-4 decision at second singles, and Benson Delaney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of seniors Kai Schirmacher and Nikhil Lanikpalle secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while the team of junior Jonah Fine and senior Adam Elsner picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro made it three straight wins to start the season, taking another 5-0 decision over Oliver Ames. Jonah Manso (first singles) and the team of Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan (second doubles) both won by the score of 6-0, 6-0 for the Rocketeers. Sam Gallagher added a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles, Will Folan picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles, and the team of Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at first doubles.




Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – FinalAttleboro won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles action to get their second straight win over the Tigers. First singles Ella Lynch-Bartek (6-3, 6-4) and second singles Lauren Anthony (6-1, 6-1) each won in straight sets for the Bombardiers. The first doubles team of Rachel Rainey and Tina Lam won 7-5, 1-6, 10-8 while the pairing of freshmen Maddie Fulscado and Kyra Johnson picked up a 7-5, 6-1 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Cayeesha Charles won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles.

Canton, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – FinalA day after suffering a loss to Canton on the road, Stoughton flipped the script and earned a 3-2 win at home over the Bulldogs. Allie Lada emerged with a three-set win at second singles (6-0, 3-6, 6-4) to secure the winning point for the Black Knights. Lena Allie added a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles, and the team of Nadia Prokopiuk and Stefani Reznikow picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton’s Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles while Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham teamed up for a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles.

Foxboro, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final For the second straight day, Foxboro won at all three singles matches to get a victory over Sharon. Freshman Athena Li won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Pam Nelson earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sarah Prag once again won a close set at third singles, this time 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 to help the Warriors earn the victory. The team of Anjali Jha and Julia Zevelinsky emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 6-1 win at first doubles while Alice Zaniewski and Sophia Oh picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Milford, 0 – FinalFranklin won its second straight match, this time going on the road to Milford and getting a sweep. Junior Vedika Vinayek picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles, freshman Hailey Morin earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at second singles, and junior Sarah Schiavo was victorious at third singles with a score of 6-0, 6-0. The team of sophomores Kelsey Maguire and Allison Bagley prevailed at first doubles 5-7, 6-4, 10-7 while the pairing of sophomores Lexi Masters and Tanvi Shah won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles.

King Philip @ Mansfield, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – FinalNorth Attleboro won all three singles matches to defend home court, earning a second straight win over Oliver Ames. Junior Charlotte Moynihan prevailed in a tight battle at first singles, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3), senior Haley Strom earned a 6-0, 3-6, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Lauren Hunt won 6-2, 6-4 at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Kate McLaughlin and Grace Houser picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles while Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper secured a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.




Boys Outdoor Track
Stoughton, 91 @ Canton, 45 – FinalCanton’s Deyontai Dennis broke the school record in the long jump, taking first with a leap of 21’11.5″, while also winning both the 400MH (60.4) and the 110MH (17.0).

Oliver Ames, 88 @ Foxboro, 47 – Final

Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Taunton, 67 @ King Philip, 69 – Final

Girls Outdoor Track
Stoughton, 62 @ Canton, 74 – FinalCanton’s Maddie Rousseau won four events and broke her school record for the second straight meet. Rousseau set a new Bulldog record in the 100M hurdles, clocking in at 14.9. She also placed first in the 200M (26.2), the triple jump (31’0.5″), and the high jump (4’10”). Kiara Cerruti set a pair of new PRs in the win, taking first in the 1 Mile (5:46.9) and second in the 800M (2:36.2).

Oliver Ames, 75 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final

Sharon @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Taunton @ King Philip, 3:45

Wrestling
Foxboro, 45 @ Taunton, 36 – Final

King Philip, 24 @ Sharon, 48 – Final

North Attleboro, 40 @ Milford, 31 – Final

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton senior Danny MacDougall, pictured here as a sophomore in 2019, is one of the few returners for the defending D1 State Champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 14-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Steve Dunlea

Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.

“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”

Canton

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Shuffain

Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.

The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.

Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.

“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”

Foxboro

2019 Record: 6-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Derek Suess

For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.

Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.

Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.

“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 22-3
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Zach Brown

While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.

Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.

Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.

“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”




King Philip

2019 Record: 8-12
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jeff Plympton

There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.

Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.

“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 18-7
2019 Finish: Reached Super 8
Coach: Chris Hall

Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.

Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.

Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.

“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”

Milford

2019 Record: 11-11
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Alex Dion

Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.

The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.

Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.

“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 11-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Mike Hart

North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.

Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.

“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 12-13
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Abarr

After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.

Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.

Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.

“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 2-18
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Andrew Poliferno

The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.

Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.

“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”

Stoughton

2019 Record: 14-9
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Armour

Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.

The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.

Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.

“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”

Taunton

2019 Record: 21-7
2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Blair Bourque

It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.

Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.

“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”

2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Canton Passes Test, Holds Off Visiting Sharon

Canton football
Canton celebrates Vincent O’Brien’s (9) first quarter touchdown that put the Bulldogs into an early lead against visiting Sharon. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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CANTON, Mass. – With leading rusher Cam Sanchez sidelined with an injury and facing a short week ahead of Thursday night’s visit from Sharon at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, Canton was searching for different ways of getting into the end zone.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

For the first time this season, the Bulldogs found success in the passing game. Canton threw a pair of first half touchdowns, including one on a halfback pass by Jack Albert, and leaned on its defense during a scoreless second half to pull out a 17-6 win over the Eagles that moves the Bulldogs back to .500 on the season.

“We’re trying to find ways to replace Cam Sanchez, and it’s a difficult thing to do when you have someone that dynamic,” admitted Canton coach Anthony Fallon. “The guys are finding their way into different positions. Sometimes you give up some yards and then you can buckle down when you figure it out.”

Canton had good field position to start its opening drive and took advantage, going 59 yards in 10 plays to jump in front. The Bulldogs had good balance, with Colin Albert (15 carries, 59 yards), Jack Albert (nine carries, 65 yards), and quarterback Robert Botelho all getting positive yards on the ground.

After a false start on fourth and two back the Bulldogs up to the Sharon 33, Botelho (7-for-13, 77 yards) rolled out to his left and hit Vincent O’Brien in stride down the near sideline for the touchdown. It was Botelho’s first career touchdown pass.

The Bulldogs would started their third possession from their own 42 and again made the good field position count for points. Botelho found Jack Albert for a 23-yard gain down to the Eagles 26. Bahsor Mahn gained six on third and five down to the 15-yard-line, but the drive stalled there. Will Keefe made sure Canton didn’t leave empty-handed, kicking a 33-yard field goal.

Sharon needed a spark and found some life offensively on the ensuing possession. Kiran Chandrasekaran (11-for-20, 174 yards and 14 carries for 55 yards) rushed for 29 yards on a keeper to get the ball into Canton territory. On first down from the 20, Chandrasekaran fired a strike on the far sideline to PJ McManus. The extra point was blocked, but the Eagles cut the lead to 10-6.

It was Canton’s turn to answer and the Bulldogs needed only three plays to get back in front by double digits. Andrew Butler’s kickoff return out to the 44-yard-line set up the drive. Jack Albert took a toss for 11 yards to the left. Butler went around the right side for 13. Fallon called for a little trickery, as Albert took the toss to the left, pulled up, and lofted a perfect pass to Butler for a 32-yard score.

“A little jet pass from Mr. Albert,” said Fallon. “We ran that in practice and this afternoon I think he was all geared up and wanted to run it and we thought it was good time to do it. Senior night, you want the win but you also want them smiling and having fun and that was part of the fun tonight.”

The visitors had more than two minutes left in the half and tried for an instant response. A 40-yard pass to Owen Conway got them into Canton territory and a personal foul call added 15 more yards down to the 19. Carson Campbell made a big play to drop Ike Ogbannanze for a five-yard loss, on third down Ryan Richards sacked Chandrasekaran, and the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs.

“Kiran had a great game,” said Sharon coach Dave Morse. “He helps us with both the run and the pass. The receivers did a great job with a couple of big catches. We’re moving it but then we’ve got to finish it off. It’s been the story of the last couple of years and the next three weeks we’ve got to figure out how to finish.”

Late in the third quarter, Canton went for it on fourth and three at the Sharon 41, but Albert was stripped of the ball and Jack Murphy jumped on the fumble for the Eagles. Nico Marrero picked up nine yards to convert a third and five and Chandrasekaran hit Ogbannanze for 13 on a fourth and six.

Sharon got as far as the Canton 24 but a Campbell sack on fourth down put an end to the drive.

“We really killed ourselves with penalties and field position, so that was the difficult part of moving the ball in the second half,” Fallon explained. “They had couple of sustained rives where we didn’t lock it down until they got deep into our territory.”

After a three-and-out by the Bulldogs, Sharon was on the move again. Chandrasekaran and McManus (four catches, 53 yards) combined for 24 to the Bulldogs 40 and then Conway made a grab down to the 27. A holding call backed the Eagles up but gains of seven, six, and eight yards brought up fourth and one from the 18. Chandrasekaran’s keeper was stuffed for a loss of one.

Penalties were an issue for the Bulldogs throughout the second half and a holding call pushed Canton back to its own eight. On third and 17, Butler came up with a huge play that effectively sealed the win, He took a sweep to the right, cut inside and broke a 22-yard run for a critical first down.

“He did a great job there,” Fallon said of Butler’s run. “He hit the seam really nice and covered up the ball when he had contact too.”

Morse added, “We had some guys up front, all did a great job and the linebackers were getting more aggressive. Defensively, I think we saw the progression we wanted. A couple mistakes and they bit us for it but I was very, very happy with the effort to the football.”

Canton (2-2) will host King Philip in a divisional crossover game next Friday afternoon. Sharon (0-4) will step outside the Hock and travel to Blue Hills.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro Bounces Back With Shutout of Canton

Foxboro Football
Foxboro senior Luis Sulham returned a first quarter punt for a touchdown, helping the Warriors to a 37-0 victory against Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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FOXBORO, Mass. – Coming off its first loss of the season (to league-leading Stoughton), Foxboro was looking for a reaction when it hosted Canton on Friday night at Sam Berns Community Field. Thanks to a dominant defense and big plays on special teams, the Warriors answered the challenge and got right back on track.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro picked off a pair of passes, allowed only three first downs in the first half, scored on a punt return, and kicked three field goals, beating Canton 37-0 to stay within one game of the Black Knights (and North Attleboro, which plays on Saturday) in the Davenport division.

“I can’t say enough about the kids tonight,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli. “They did a great job in a game they had to win. I always told them that I don’t judge them after a loss or a win, it’s when you get knocked down can you come back like they did tonight. That’s the true test of character.”

It was always going to be a tough road trip for the Bulldogs, but the task got considerably tougher when leading rusher Cam Sanchez was injured on the opening possession and didn’t return.

“Cam can go at any time and we didn’t have ability to have that weapon for us this week. We’ll find out if he’s healthy or not,” said Canton coach Anthony Fallon. Martinelli added, “Would’ve been a different kind of game. [Sanchez is] a home run hitter.”

Canton’s defense was looking tough to beat in the first quarter too, Jack Albert had a pair of sacks on Foxboro’s second possession, but the Warriors took advantage of a turnover to grab the lead. Dylan Gordon intercepted a Robert Botelho pass and returned it down to the Canton 13. Two plays later, Gordon took a counter 10 yards into the end zone. The conversion was no good after a bad snap, but the Warriors were up 6-0.

The Bulldogs went three-and-out on their next possession. Luis Sulham stepped up to receive the punt at his own 46 and weaved his way through the Canton cover team, reversing field twice on his way to the end zone. Gordon was able to punch in the conversion and Foxboro led 14-0 after one.

After another three-and-out, the Foxboro offense finally clicked into gear a little but Sulham was ruled to have lost the ball just before he was able to stretch it across the line for another score. He would step up on Canton’s next punt, again coming up with a big return to give Foxboro the ball at the Bulldogs 11.

“You either have it or you don’t,” Martinelli said about the speed he has on the roster. “You can coach quickness but you can’t coach speed and we have some speed.”

Although Foxboro went nowhere, sophomore Sam Carpenter came in and drilled a 27-yard field goal to make it 17-0. A Trent Rennie sack ended Canton’s next possession and then Rashaad Way returned the punt 50 yards to get it back down to the 24. Again, the Warriors went nowhere, but Carpenter split the uprights from 40 yards.

“I have all the confidence in that kid,” said Martinelli. “Thank god for the double season,” he added, referencing Carpenter’s ability to play soccer and football this year. “He wanted to give it a try and we watched two kicks and just kind of said you’re in. I was looking at the list and said, who’s Sam Carpenter? Well, now I know who he is.”

Carpenter was a difference maker for the Warriors. Foxboro started the second half with the ball and, after a 38-yard pass from Cam Prescott (6-of-15, 98 yards) to Way moved the Warriors into the red zone. Instead of leaving without points, Carpenter stepped up again and nailed one from 31 yards.

The Bulldogs were seeking answers on the offensive end. Colin Albert took over from Sanchez as the primary running back and finished with 100 yards on 17 carries, continuing to fight for extra yards even as the Warriors started to pull away.

“Colin did a great job filling in, running the inside zone,” said Fallon. “Colin’s a tough kid going both ways and grinding it out like that, especially against a good team like that who’s going to hit you on every play.”

Trying to make something happen, Canton called for a halfback pass but Tom Sharkey stepped in the way of Andrew Butler’s throw. On the first play of the drive, Prescott hit Sharkey for 30 yards down to the Canton four. On the next play, Mike Norvish burst up the middle for the touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, Foxboro added one more score. Tom Marcucella took over at quarterback and broke a 23-yard run on third down. He had his pass to the end zone picked off by Vincent O’Brien, but a roughing the passer call negated the turnover and moved Foxboro to the 10. Four carries later Steven Petrillo was able to find a little seam on the right side of the line for a one-yard score.

“It killed us,” Fallon said about the struggles on special teams. “Our coverage was lacking tonight for sure and we’ll have to see if we can sharpen that up. Short turnaround, so we’ll put a game plan together and turn around and play on Thursday.”

Foxboro (2-1) will be on the road next week to face Oliver Ames. Canton (1-2) will have a short week to prepare for a home game against Sharon.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Player of the Week: Cam Sanchez, Canton Football

Cam Sanchez
 
By HockomockSports.com Staff

Canton senior Cam Sanchez has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for March 14 through March 20. Sanchez is the 15th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2020-21 school year and second in the fall II season.

Sanchez helped Canton rebound from a loss o North Attleboro, scoring all three of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns in a 26-6 win at Oliver Ames. He scored twice on offense and added an important kick-off return that put Canton in front for good. Two of his scores were by more than 80 yards.

“He can go at any time,” said first-year Canton coach Anthony Fallon following the Bulldogs’ win over OA. “Sometimes you’ve got to just keep tapping the rock and the rock will break. He’s our ‘tap the rock’ guy this year.”

OA took the lead in Friday night’s game, which was the first league meeting between the teams in four years, but on the ensuing kickoff Sanchez grabbed the ball at his own nine and went straight up the middle for a 91-yard score that immediately flipped momentum. OA’s lead lasted just 16 seconds.

After Canton stopped OA’s next drive inside the red zone, Canton faced third and six at its 12-yard-line. Sanchez took an option pitch, after an audible by quarterback Robert Botelho, and he raced up the OA sideline for an 88-yard score. In the fourth quarter, Sanchez put the game away with a 28-yard burst up the middle for his third touchdown. He finished with 166 yards on 14 carries.

The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.

Cam Sanchez
Cam Sanchez The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Cam Sanchez The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.

Sanchez Provides Scoring Punch for Canton at OA

Canton football
Canton senior Cam Sanchez (22) rushed for 166 yards and scored three touchdowns to power the Bulldogs to a 26-6 win at Oliver Ames. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


NORTH EASTON, Mass. – It makes things significantly easier on an offense when you have a player that can break big plays at any time. Canton didn’t have to worry about putting together long, time-consuming drives in Friday night’s game at Muscato Stadium because senior Cam Sanchez was capable of finding the end zone from anywhere.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Sanchez (14 carries, 166 yards) scored three times, including once on special teams and twice on plays of more than 80 yards, lifting Canton to a 26-6 victory over Oliver Ames in the first league meeting between these rivals in four years.

“He can go at any time,” said first-year Canton coach Anthony Fallon. “Sometimes you’ve got to just keep tapping the rock and the rock will break. He’s our ‘tap the rock’ guy this year. Last year it was Fitz (Kyle Fitzgerald) and this year it’s Cam.”

It was the Tigers that got on the board first, taking advantage of good starting field position on their second possession. Jake Grimaldi (1-for-11) recorded his lone completion on a 26-yard pass to Jadon Ricci (89 yards of offense) and OA got an extra 15 yards when an official collided with a Canton coach on the sideline. After sophomore Chad Silva (15 carries, 94 yards) gained 14 to the Canton one, Grimaldi reached over the line and just broke the plane.

The two-point conversion attempt was stopped but OA had a 6-0 lead. It lasted 16 seconds.

One the ensuing kickoff, Sanchez grabbed the ball at the nine and took it straight up the middle, getting a couple of key blocks and bursting through the OA coverage for a 91-yard score. Will Keefe’s extra point put Canton in front 7-6.

“We just put that middle return in this week and everyone seemed to hit their assignment, which was great, and Cam took it right up the middle,” Fallon explained.

OA went right back to work on its next drive. The Tigers put together a 13-play drive that got all the way down to Canton eight. Collin Williamson (10 carries, 60 yards) had a pair of carries for 30 yards on the drive and Grimaldi had a three-yard sneak to convert a big third down. On third and goal, Jack Albert came up with his first big defensive play, sacking Grimaldi back to the 16.

The first fourth down and goal attempt resulted in a pass interference on the goal line. That moved the ball half the distance to the goal (the eight-yard-line) but wasn’t an automatic first down. Brian Murphy got to the quarterback on the second fourth and goal attempt, forcing an incompletion and a turnover on downs.

Three plays later, Robert Botelho (3-for-12, 13 yards) audibled on third and six, running an option play to the near sideline. Sanchez took the pitch and hit another gear, flying past the OA defense for an 88-yard touchdown.

“We’re thinking, okay we can get a score here and then we don’t and they come right out and take the ball and run their option, Cam Sanchez is a hell of a player, and they coached it right up” said OA coach Ed DeWitt. “They did a good job with the scheme on that one and he takes it right down the sideline. It’s a 14-point swing.”

It was one of those days for OA. The Tigers continued to move the ball and had some success in the ground game, but penalties and big plays by the Canton pass rush (six sacks, including three by Carson Campbell) seemed to stymie their chances of putting points on the board.

“It’s so frustrating,” DeWitt admitted. “We feel like we had a couple of shots there, where we got the ball either inside the red zone or just to the red zone and then it’s penalty, mistake, holding, turnover down here. Offensively, we’ve got to finish drives.”

On its first possession of the second half, OA again moved the ball into Canton territory. Silva had carries of 10, 11, and 13 yards to get down to the 15. The energy level had picked up on the OA sideline but a fumbled hand-off was recovered by Albert, ending a great scoring chance.

Albert was a standout for the Canton defense. After Botelho was intercepted by Ricci early in the fourth quarter, Albert almost single-handedly ended the OA drive. He made the tackle on first down, stopped Silva for no gain, and then dropped Silva for a loss of two on third down.

“Jack was tremendous on defense,” said Fallon. “His helmet is going to be covered in bones. He had a great defensive game. In big moments he came up, when it was third and we needed a play he did a great job.”

Canton got great field position off that stop, as a short punt gave them the ball at the OA 28. Sanchez had been quiet for a couple of quarters, so he took the first carry straight up the gut, going untouched into the end zone for the score that put the game out of reach.

The Bulldogs continued to have Grimaldi on the run. Pressure from Bahsor Mahn led to an interception for Andrew Butler. Later in the fourth, Campbell and Albert had back-to-back sacks to put OA on its own five. On third down, the duo combined to force an intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety.

DeWitt said, “We thought we had some of the run stuff, but when you go down two scores in the fourth quarter that kind of goes out the window. We know we need to score early to get ourselves ahead. We know we have to play with the lead.”

Keefe would cap the scoring with 22 seconds remaining, as the soccer player who is taking advantage of the extra season to play football, nailed a 34-yard field goal.

Fallon said, “Last week (against North Attleboro) we struggled with some guys not knowing their assignments, not doing their assignments, and this week we were better at it. We still have a lot to work on and we’re going to keep grinding it out and getting there.”

Canton (1-1) will try to keep things going next week with a trip to Foxboro. Oliver Ames (0-2) will look for its first win of the season when it travels to league-leading North Attleboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 03/19/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Canton, 26 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (OA) Jake Grimaldi 1-yard rush, 2-point conversion no good; (C) Cam Sanchez 91-yard kickoff return, Will Keefe XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) C. Sanchez 88-yard rush, W. Keefe XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (C) C. Sanchez 28-yard rush, W. Keefe XP good; (C) Safety; (C) W. Keefe 34-yard field goal.

Franklin, 28 @ Taunton, 25 – Final

North Attleboro, 48 @ Sharon, 7 – Final
1st Quarter: (NA) Tyler DeMattio 8-yard pass to Tom Whalen, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) Jared Penta 1-yard rush. T. DeMattio XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 1-yard rush, Evan Vigorito XP goo. (NA) T. DeMattio 25-yard pass to Matt Penta, E. Vigorito XP good; (NA) T. DeMattio 24-yard pass to T. Whalen, E. Vigorito XP good.
3rd Quarter: (S) Ike Ogbonnanze 85-yard rush, Molly McAlvey XP good; (NA) Nathan Schulz 79-yard kickoff return, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (NA) Aidan Conrade 3-yard rush, E. Vigorito XP good.

Foxboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 21 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (S) Christopher Ais 44-yard rush, Jonah Ly XP good; (F) Omarion Otto-Broomstein 1-yard rush, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (S) Christian Ais 2-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (S) John Burke 9-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.

DeMattio, North Attleboro Score Big Win Over Canton

North Attleboro football Tyler DeMattio
North Attleboro junior quarterback Tyler DeMattio carries the ball on a run in the first half against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 CANTON, Mass. – The chance to put last season in the rearview mirror couldn’t come soon enough for the North Attleboro football team.

The Rocketeers had a rare sub-.500 season in the Fall of 2019 but with the majority of its roster back, including eight starters on each side of the ball, the Big Red was ready to get back on track as one of the most successful programs in the state.

North Attleboro needed less than a minute to do so.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Rocketeers scored just three plays into the new season and then really hit their stride on offense in the middle of the game, scoring on four straight possessions between the second and third quarters, to run away with a 41-13 win over host Canton.

After a drop on the first play, North senior Jared Penta (three carries, 65 yards) ripped off a 20-yard run and on the next play, junior quarterback Tyler DeMattio (8/12, 138 yards, touchdown, nine carries, 73 yards, three touchdowns) kept it himself and weaved his way through the defense for a 45-yard score and a 7-0 lead just 53 seconds into the game.

The combination of penalties, self-inflicted mistakes, and Canton’s defense stifled the Rocketeers over their next three drives, including two fourth down stops and one punt, which was set up by a sack from Canton senior Matt Connolly. North even got inside the 10-yard line on their third drive but a botched snap on a field goal attempt ended with an incomplete pass.

North Attleboro football

But while North’s offense worked out the early season jitters, the Rocketeers’ defense was smothering from the start against a Canton offense that featured new faces in almost every position. Canton went three-and-out on its first five possessions and the sixth came to an end just two plays in for the halftime whistle.

“We looked like a team that hadn’t played in 15 months…some stupid penalties early, procedure stuff, a bad snap on the field goal attempt…it was a lot of stuff that you get out of your system if you play a second scrimmage, which we normally do,” said North Attleboro head coach Don Johnson. “Once we got into a groove though…we still have a lot of work to do but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.”










Even though North’s fifth drive didn’t start in an ideal manner due to a false start and a two-yard loss on first down, the Rocketeers finally clicked into gear. DeMattio kept it himself for a 32 yard gain the move the chains and then hit Matt Penta (three catches, 74 yards, touchdown) for another first to move into the red zone.

Two plays later, DeMattio kept it himself up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 4:37 left in the second quarter.

“North Attleboro has a strong tradition, they are a great program, they have good coaches and good players over there, that’s a solid team for sure,” said first-year Canton head coach Anthony Fallon. “We’re working hard over here, we graduated a big senior class last year, and we’re getting better.”

Canton’s ensuing drive came to an end after a sack from North’s Jared Vacher. The Rocketeers needed two plays to tack on another score by halftime with DeMattio hooking up with Penta down the middle for a 47 yard gain. And then DeMattio kept it to the left and won the race to the pylon to make it 21-0 with 1:07 left in the first half.

A pair of sacks sent Canton backward on its first drive of the second half and North started with good field position after the punt. Helped along by a 15-yard penalty on the defense, DeMattio finished the drive by hitting Penta in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 28-0 with 7:43 left in the third.

North Attleboro football




“I thought our defense was pretty good because I was worried about it with them having new players, a new coaching staff,” Johnson said. “We basically had half of a scrimmage to go off of and they played their starters for about 15 plays so there was definitely that fear of the unknown but I think the experience in our secondary and our linebackers paid off today.”

The Bulldogs put together their best drive of the game on the ensuing drive, Anthony Botelho (12/23, 160 yards) hitting Vincent O’Brienn to convert a third down, and then connecting with Cam Sanchez down the middle for 41 yards. Carson Campbell had a big lead block on a fourth-down run that allowed Sanchez to get the first down, and two plays later, Botelho scrambled into the end zone. Will Keefe’s extra point made it 28-7 with 2:19 left in the third.

North needed less than a minute to respond as Jacob Silva (six carries, 104 yards) broke free for 11 yards, DeMattio linked up with Jared Penta for 39 yards down the right sideline, and then Silva scampered into space for a 21-yard touchdown.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“[Tyler’s] a hard-nosed tough kid who has had to learn how to play the position,” Johnson said. “If it was up to him, I think he would run the ball every single down and just lower his shoulder and run through people. He’s had to learn how to play quarterback, learn to read coverages, learn when to throw it and when to dump it, and all that stuff. And he’s just getting better every year with it.”

Sanchez capped a 10 play, 77-yard drive for Canton with a touchdown from one-yard out but North blocked the point after. On the ensuing kickoff, North junior Danny Curran took the kickoff the distance to get the touchdown right back for the Rocketeers.

North Attleboro (1-0) is back on the road again next week when it takes on Sharon, who will host the game at Mansfield High. Canton (0-1) hits the road to Easton to take on Oliver Ames.