Franklin wrestling won the D1 Central Sectional championship. (Twitter/FHSWrestle)Sharon wrestling won the D2 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/SHS_Eagles)Foxboro wrestling won the D3 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/FoxboroWarriors)
D1 South
Teams
1. New Bedford – 250
T4. Mansfield – 154
6. Taunton – 149.5
Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Kelley-Rex
Vinnie Holmes, Mansfield
Davenport
Kyle Fitzgerald, Canton
Hockomock League All Stars
Kelley-Rex Division
Qualeem Charles, Attleboro
Michael Strachan, Attleboro
Jason Weir, Attleboro
Austin Jordan, Franklin
Thomas Gasbarro, Franklin
Evan Wertz, Franklin
Jack Nally, Franklin
Jake Davis, Franklin
Sean Piller, King Philip
Ryan Halliday, King Philip
Robert Jarest, King Philip
Terence Guy, Mansfield
Vincent Holmes, Mansfield
Michael Debolt, Mansfield
Nicholas Marciano, Mansfield
Cincere Gill, Mansfield
Jason Comeau, Mansfield
Nathan Cabral, Oliver Ames
Daniel MacDougall, Taunton
Davenport Division
Jack Connolly, Canton
Kyle Fitzgerald, Canton
John Hagan, Canton
James Murphy, Canton
Robert Gallery, Canton
Aidan Dow, Foxboro
Shayne Kerrigan, Foxboro
Anton George, Foxboro
Michael Sheehan, Foxboro
Luke Rosa, Milford
Colby Pires, Milford
John Kummer, North Attleboro
Ethan Mottinger, North Attleboro
Ethan Friberg, North Attleboro
John Saab, Sharon
Carlvin Laguerre, Stoughton
Anthony Pizzano, Stoughton
Chris Ais, Stoughton
Christin Ais, Stoughton
The Bulldogs (10-1), who won the Davenport division outright this season, capped a historic season with a 30-8 win over the Black Knights (10-1) in the 94th annual Thanksgiving meeting between the neighbors.
It marks just the fourth time in program history the team has won 10 games, joining 1979, 1981, and 1987.
“The kids were disappointed last year, we didn’t play great and Stoughton came to play,” said Canton head coach Dave Bohane. “You see it over there on their sidelines…we had to live with that for a whole year. We didn’t want to let that happen again. I always knew it was important to the program, but that win two years ago and that whole feeling. It was a great day for the program, as is today, and it kind of started this run.
“We have a healthy rivalry. There’s a lot of talk about how the playoffs have taken the luster out of Thanksgiving, but not around here. I know how [Stoughton] values this rivalry, and I know how much we value it. Its two teams with mutual respect. Stoughton has a very good team that is very well-coached. Beating them on Thanksgiving is quite an accomplishment, that’s how we view it.”
Canton scored twice in the second quarter to take the lead and its defense pitched a second half shutout out, holding the Black Knights without a first down for nearly the entire second half.
Not only did the Bulldog defense prevent the Black Knights, who were without star two-way players Christopher Ais and Christian Georges due to injury, from moving the chains after the break, they limited the visitors to less than five yards on its first five series of the second half.
“For this program, for our class, this means everything for us,” said Canton senior David Allen, who had a second half touchdown catch. “We’ve won a lot together from when we were young. Getting knocked out of the playoffs hurt but to be able to take this trophy home to end the season means a lot to everyone on our team.
“It’s such a big rivalry. After a loss, you get to think about it but then it’s on to the next game, and especially with Stoughton, there’s a lot of extra motivation behind playing on Thanksgiving against them. We played very well defensively today, and we just had to grind it out on every play.”
After a scoreless first quarter that saw Canton come up with a stop against a goal-to-go situation for the Black Knights, the Bulldogs started the second quarter with 1st and goal from the 10 after a nice run from senior Kyle Fitzgerald (eight carries, 85 yards, touchdown) and 21-yard pass from Johnny Hagan (5-for-15, 99 yards, two touchdowns) to senior Jace Emma.
But similar how to the Black Knights were denied in the opening quarter, the Bulldogs couldn’t solve Stoughton’s defense. Despite getting down to the one-yard line, Stoughton got a good push up front from the likes of Carlvin LaGuerre, Oluwole Fabikun, Jerry Brisson, and Kelven Rodriquez, and senior Jaden McCall and junior Sproul Derolus combined for a huge tackle for loss on third down, and a fourth down pass fell incomplete.
Despite not scoring, the Bulldogs were able to flip field position, and cashed in on its next drive. On the first play from the Stoughton 35-yard line, Hagan floated one down the middle that Fitzgerald went up and grabbed over the defender and battled his way the final five yards for a touchdown. Owen Lehane’s point after made it 7-0 with 8:14 left in the second quarter.
Stoughton’s next drive didn’t go far thanks to a tackle for a loss on second down from Canton senior Jack Connolly, and a sack on third down from senior Lucas Ragusa. A good punt return from senior Gersom Rivera gave the Dogs the ball at the Stoughton 20-yard line.
Two plays later, Fitzgerald took his second straight handoff on a jet sweep and cut right up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 5:39 left in the first half.
“It was a long break coming off the Holliston game, and you always worry if there will be a hangover from that loss,” Bohane said. “There was a couple of days I was a little worried but once we got back together, I could sense it. They are a very mature group, a lot of them play multiple sports and compete all the time. I could tell by the way they were acting that we’d be alright. The coaches did a great job preparing them and the kids came to play today.”
Stoughton responded with its best drive of the game to make it a one-score contest. Senior Clayton Rahaman (7-for-20, 147 yards) lofted one down the sideline that junior John Burke made a nice adjustment to haul in for a 35-yard catch, earning a first down on 3rd and 20.
Junior Jake Queeney got open and drew a pass interference call two plays later, and then moved the chains with an 11-yard catch. Sophomore Anthony Girolamo (11 carries, 30 yards) scampered for 13 yards to move inside the 10-yard line, and two plays later junior Christian Ais extended at the goal line for a 6-yard touchdown.
Rahaman connected with senior Anthony Pizzano for the two-point conversion to make it 14-8 with 1:14 left in the second quarter.
A good return from Rivera and a run from Hagan got Canton into scoring position with under a minute to go, but Ais came up with an interception in the red zone to put an end to the drive.
Neither team moved the ball to open the second half as Canton punted after a three-and-out, and Stoughton did the same after going backward. Field position benefitted the hosts again as they started at the Stoughton 29-yard line. Canton moved into the red zone but a holding penalty pushed them back and Burke broke up a pass in the end zone.
The Bulldogs settled for a 28-yard field goal from Lehane to make it 17-8 with 7:46 left in the third quarter.
While Canton’s offense tried to establish itself in the second half, the defense came it plenty of chances. Stoughton’s first four drives all resulted in punts and totaled -14 yards. Its fifth drive didn’t yield any yards and ended with an interception two plays in.
“The defense has been outstanding all year,” Bohane said. “We played great against Stoughton the first time too. We had a couple of lapses but Coach Eckler did a great job with his adjustments at halftime and we really never had any issues with the defense the rest of the way, it was an outstanding performance.”
Stoughton senior Savion Scott put an end to Canton’s next series with a terrific diving interception but the Bulldogs were back in business on their next series. Starting at their own 47-yard line, the Bulldogs needed just four plays to extend the lead.
Fitzgerald sprinted for a 19-yard gain, junior Cam Sanchez took a handoff for six yards, Hagan kept it himself for 20 yards, and Rivera capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown and a 23-8 lead with 1:41 left in the third.
Canton started its next drive at the Stoughton 33-yard line, and back-to-back runs from Sanchez and Rivera moved the sticks. Back-to-back penalties put Canton into 1st and 26, but Hagan delivered a pass to Allen right to the marker for a first down. Three plays later, Hagan hit Allen on the slant for a 7-yard touchdown and a 30-8 lead.
“When we lost last year, it was tough,” Gallery said. “Throughout the year, we were all looking forward to the Thanksgiving game and getting payback, that’s what it’s all about. It was a good win and it’ s nice to go out on a high note.”
This article was updated on Saturday, November 30th to include the 1987 Canton team as a 10-win team.
North Attleboro’s Tyler DeMattio (left) tries to run away from Stoughton’s Christian Georges (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Throughout the 48 minutes of a high school football game, there is usually one or two momentum swings that can change the direction of the contest.
The Stoughton football team was on the right side of the two biggest momentum swings on Friday night on its way to a 35-0 win over visiting North Attleboro. It marks the Black Knights’ first shutout of the Rocketeers since 1992.
Late in the second quarter, Stoughton haunted a North Attleboro drive with a goal line interception and scored two plays later. And with a chance to get back in the game on the opening kickoff of the second half, the Black Knights forced another turnover and returned it for another touchdown.
“The momentum in high school is huge,” said Stoughton head coach Greg Burke. “Those are two big plays. We work on pulling the ball away every day, and sometimes it happens, it was huge.”
Using Canton High’s field as their home turf for the night, the Black Knights made themselves right at home with an opening drive touchdown. Stoughton used 13 plays to cover 73 yards, using 7:31 of the clock before finding the end zone for an early lead.
The drive included a 23-yard pass and catch from Clayton Rahaman to Christian Ais to move the sticks into North Attleboro territory. The Black Knights got down to the Rocketeers’ 2-yard line before a holding penalty, an incomplete pass, and rush that lost yards forced Stoughton into third and goal from the 20-yard line.
Rahaman linked up with a wide-open Christian Ais up the middle, and Anthony Girolamo’s first of five success point after attempts gave the hosts a 7-0 lead.
It looked as though North Attleboro was primed for an answer on its first drive before the first big momentum swing hit.
The Rocketeers marched 77 yards on 19 plays, advancing all the way to the Stoughton 5-yard line in a drive that lasted 13 minutes. Facing a fourth and goal, sophomore quarterback Tyler DeMattio (20 carries, 121 yards) rolled out to his right, racing away from a pair of Stoughton defenders before firing a pass into the end zone. Stoughton junior safety John Burke read it perfectly, jumping in front to intercept the pass at the goal line and give the Black Knights the ball back with just under four minutes to play in the first half.
“We bend a little bit,” Burke said. “The problem in high school, you have to make adjustments quickly and fast. On offense, you have the ball and you can do whatever you want. Defensively we were trying to switch some things around, it just happens fast so you don’t have time to talk to every individual player, you can’t call each one over. We bend a little bit, but our speed and strength are coming through pretty good.
“[North Attleboro] is a good team, and unfortunately we’ll have to see that quarterback [DeMattio] for a couple of more years, he’s a tough kid, he’s a real good one. We were trying to blitz him but then we stopped and just kept the linebackers on him.”
The Black Knights wasted little time moving up the field. Christian Ais (six carries, 110 yards) broke off down the left side, making a move past a defender in a one-on-one situation for a 71-yard rush. On the next play, Christopher Ais (seven carries, 75 yards) broke a tackle and muscled his way to a 22-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead with 2:19 left in the half.
North Attleboro had some more success on its second drive, moving the sticks twice before time ran out in the first half. DeMattio picked up 83 yards on the ground in the first half and the Rocketeers were a play or two away from a tie game instead of a two-score deficit.
The Rocketeers didn’t have a chance to try and grab some momentum back as junior Mohamed Al-Halawahi knocked the ball free from a Rocketeer on the second half kick off. Christian Ais scooped the loose ball up and took off for a 48-yard fumble return, giving Stoughton a 21-0 advantage just 16 seconds into the second half.
“You just can’t make those kind of mistakes like we did against a good team like that,” said North Attleboro coach Don Johnson. “That’s exactly what can happen, they can bust it out in a second. You can’t give a team with talented guys like that extra opportunities to make plays because they can break one at any time.”
North Attleboro gained 46 yards on its first two plays of its ensuring drive with DeMattio rushing for 21 himself and Jacob Silva taking a handoff for 25 yards. But after a short gain on first down, Christian Georges and Carlvin LaGuerre came crashing in for a sack that pushed the Big Red back 11 yards, and North was forced to punt two plays later.
Stoughton’s showed its explosiveness on the next series as Christopher Ais broke off a 26-yard rush up the middle on a 3rd and two, and two plays later, Christian Ais used his speed to get to the outside and raced away for a 27-yard touchdown, his third score of the night.
“He’s something else, him and Christopher,” Burke said of Ais brothers Christian and Christopher. “They both got some long [runs] tonight. Christian, you give him a hole and he’ll dance through it. He’s big too, it’s hard to get a good hit on him, I haven’t seen anybody get one on him. Plus he can catch too, he’s got tremendous hands. Those guys are as good as you get athletically. I’ve seen a lot of great ones and they are right up there, and they are great kids too.”
North moved the ball to midfield on its next drive, including a fourth down conversion. On second and 11, Georges tracked down the ball carries, ripped the ball free, picked it up on one bounce and took it to the house for a 48-yard fumble return and a 35-0 lead with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter.
Playoff seeds won’t be officially released by the MIAA until Sunday. Based on the ratings from Jim Clark, formerly of the Boston Herald, the Black Knights are likely to have a home game in the first round, sitting in the third spot. North Attleboro is currently tied with Bishop Feehan for the eighth and final spot in the D3 South bracket as of Friday night. With games still to be played on Saturday, those rankings could change.
Canton recovered three fumbles in a shutout of Stoughton that gave the Bulldogs a win in their Davenport division opener. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – The teams were so similar that it was destined to be a close game. Canton and Stoughton both have speed in the backfield, strong offensive and defensive lines, and athletes all over the field. It was like looking in the mirror. So, it came down to turnovers and one drive that decided the game.
Having managed only five first downs to that point, including one drive stuffed inside the Stoughton 10, the Bulldogs took over possession with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. The drive started at their own 35 and nine plays later resulted in the game’s lone touchdown.
Senior quarterback Johnny Hagan (17 carries, 125 yards on the ground and 9-of-18 for 80 yards passing) had the big play on what turned out to be the game-winning drive, breaking free of the Stoughton defense for a 31-yard gain down to the one. Two plays later he got the last yard to give the Bulldogs the lead with just 14.4 seconds to go before halftime of their 10-0 victory in the 100th meeting between the Thanksgiving Day rivals.
“It was definitely a long two weeks,” said Hagan about having a bye last week. “We were itching to play last week, but just to get out here with the crowd and everyone was very fun.”
“I thought they’d be good,” Canton coach Dave Bohane said about his defense, which has now allowed only seven total points in three games. “To beat these guys 10-0, to play well against a very quality team, they maybe exceeded my expectations but we have good speed and some experienced guys. Experience really showed up tonight.”
The Canton defense allowed only three first downs and no points to a Stoughton offense that came into the night averaging 41 points per game. The Bulldogs held talented running backs Christopher and Christian Aiss to a combined 46 yards, while recovering three fumbles. Linebackers Owen Lehane, Lucas Ragusa, Robbie Gallery, and James Murphy were all over the field, making plays from sideline to sideline.
“We play five of them and that’s the strength of our team,” Bohane explained. “There was one play where Ais had the ball and Murphy came out of nowhere. Sometimes James finds another gear on big plays and he was really impressive on that. A lot of kids have had those guys tackled this year and it takes two or three people to bring them down so really credit to our kids tonight getting those guys on the ground.”
On its second possession, Canton came close to making the breakthrough. Hagan had the big play, a 47-yard keeper down the far sideline that got the Bulldogs to the Stoughton 24. They got as close as the two, but Carlvin LaGuerre stuffed Kyle Fitzgerald (21 carries, 64 yards) on third down for a one-yard loss and then Jerry Brisson and Oluwole Fabikun stuffed him again on fourth down.
“We battled,” said Stoughton coach Greg Burke. “They did a good job. Their big player is the quarterback, no doubt. He’s the key and we practiced all week trying to get him but it’s hard to duplicate him.”
It took until its fourth possession for Stoughton to manage a first down. Christian Ais finally got a seam and he broke a 33-yard run down to the Canton 15, but two plays later quarterback Clayton Rahaman couldn’t get a clean hand-off away and Matt Connolly pounced on the loose ball to end the drive.
Burke said, “I thought we hung in there but we fumbled down here and then fumbled down there. Without having the ball, you can’t score. We got the ball back a bunch of times but we didn’t do anything, so back to the drawing board.”
The game seemed destined to be scoreless at the break until the Bulldogs finally succeeded in finishing a drive. It was a huge momentum swing coming in the final seconds before halftime.
“It was huge because it wasn’t really materializing there and then all of a sudden we hit a couple plays and I was like we may put one in here,” said Bohane. “Obviously, we’ve got to work on our short-yardage stuff because that was frustrating to not put them in but Johnny kind of stepped up there.”
He added, “But, we were up 7-0 on Thanksgiving, so that came up a lot in the locker room.”
Canton got the ball to start the second half and marched into Stoughton territory, but stalled at the 36. Bohane elected to punt and David Allen’s effort was dropped at the 10. Murphy dove on top of the fumble to give the Bulldogs new life. A holding penalty denied Hagan his second touchdown, but Canton came away with points on a 27-yard field goal by Lehane.
Hagan said, “That was huge going into half and then coming out third quarter we needed to have a big third quarter. Making it a two-score game was definitely huge for momentum.”
It wasn’t what the hosts were hoping for, but a two-score lead felt insurmountable with the defense continuing to shut the Black Knights down.
The biggest play of the second half for Stoughton was a screen pass from John Burke to Christopher Ais for 15 yards but the ball was pried loose and Lehane recovered. Ais would answer by recovering a Gersom Rivera fumble eight plays later, but by then the clock was winding down and there was no chance for Stoughton to come back.
Canton (3-0, 1-0) will continue its league title defense next Friday night against Foxboro, while Stoughton (2-1, 0-1) will try to bounce back on Thursday night in Sharon.
Stoughton’s Christopher Ais carries the ball after hauling in a pass in the second half against Canton on Thanksgiving. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Outlook:
Canton had its best season in recent memory a year ago, but the 2019 squad is aiming to take it one step further.
With starters back at almost every position, Canton is aiming to defend its Davenport division title and get back to the sectional final for the second straight season. Johnny Hagan is back under center this season and has all of his weapons back. The Bulldogs ran a mix of Wing-T and spread offense a year ago so Hagan is comfortable running whatever is needed this year. Kyle Fitzgerald, Gersom Rivera, and Cam Sanchez are all talented backs that can help grind down opposing defenses while Hagan makes a lot of plays with his feet as well. Jace Emma was one of Hagan’s favorite targets last year and he will be joined by David Allen as options in the passing game. The offensive line will be anchored by senior Jack Connolly, who missed a good amount of last season with an injury. Matt Connolly, Derrell Brown, and Lucas Bryant return to the line as well while Carson Campbell and Brandon Baran are in the mix for the final spot.
A lot of the same names will make plays on the defensive end as well with Jack Connolly and Matt Connolly teaming up with Nnamdi Onyemelukwe to provide size on the line. The strength of the defense will once again be with the linebackers as the Bulldogs have James Murphy back in the middle alongside junior Lucas Ragusa. Owen Lehane and Robbie Gallery both had strong seasons coming from the outside. The entire secondary is back for the Bulldogs with Rivera and Sanchez handle the corners and Fitzgerald and Allen provide physicality from the safety spots. And for special teams, Lehane handles kicking duties, Allen returns as the punter, and Rivera and Fitzgerald handle return duties. The Bulldogs will look to build some depth with so many two-way players in the lineup.
“We have a lot of experience with a lot of guys that have played at this level, and we had the playoff run so that should definitely help us down the road,” said Canton coach Dave Bohane. “We are focused on Dighton-Rehoboth, focusing on one game at a time. We have a lot of competitors that don’t quit.”
Outlook:
Foxboro’s biggest win of the season came in its final game, a thrilling overtime win over rival Mansfield at Fenway Park two days before Thanksgiving. If the Warriors are able to carry any of that momentum into the 2019 season, Foxboro will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division title.
The Warriors return a good amount of talent from last year but will need to find a replacement for Liam Foley, who came on strong at the end of last season. Senior Shayne Kerrigan and junior Cam Prescott have both taken reps this preseason so longtime coach Jack Martinelli and his staff will have two good options to work with under center. Last year’s leading rusher Mike Luong also graduated so there will be an opportunity for someone to take on carries out of the backfield. The Warriors have good skill options in Brian Derba (three touchdown catches last year) and split ends Elijah Lewis and Ryan Hughes. Foxboro has some experience on the line as well as Zach Jenkins and Aidan Dow are both returning starters at the guard position.
Foxboro’s defense has returning players at all three levels so the Warriors will likely rely on that side of the ball, especially early on against two strong non-league foes. Anton George, a HockomockSports Hock 5 selection for defensive line, is back and will be a force to deal with for opponents. Austin Read will be key in Foxboro’s run defense from the defensive tackle spot. Mike Sheehan returns to anchor the linebackers group after a standout junior season. The secondary should be one of the top units in the league with a lot of experienced playmakers. Derba and Kerrigan made a lot of plays defensively last year and Michael Devlin could be poised for a big year for the Warriors.
“With a challenging scrimmage schedule and formidable non-league opponents, we should be prepared for the Hock grind,” Martinelli said “We have several key components returning to make this possible, but it’s one game at a time.”
Outlook:
Milford just missed out on the playoffs last season but the 2019 Scarlet Hawks are determined to get back to postseason play.
There is a lot of experience on both sides of the ball, and maybe most importantly, at key positions both offensively and defensively. The Hawks have Colby Pires back at quarterback after a big junior season that saw him toss 22 touchdowns, second most in the Hockomock League. But the challenge will be developing chemistry with a brand new set of receivers. Brendan White (12), Sean Lehane (5), and Shapel Feaster (5) all graduated so Milford is looking for new names to step up and make plays offensively. Junior Carter Scudo is a terrific athlete and will be one of the top options while Max Martin, Matt Varteresian, Herrick Louis, Kevin O’Connor, and Xavier Hilton are all battling to get reps on the field. Milford does bring back its leading rusher in Luke Rosa (seven rushing touchdowns), a very powerful back that will help the Hawks pound the ball. Juniors Nick Yohn, Dom Schofield, Mario Lee, and Dom Stallbaum provide a physical yet athletic offensive line.
The linebackers will be the heart of the Hawks’ defense this season. CJ Cerrella had a breakout junior year and will be on the top linebackers in the Hockomock League this season. He will be joined by Rosa, Louis, and O’Connor. A lot of the offensive line will see action on the defensive side of the ball as well while Scudo returns as a top defensive back at the safety position. Look for Martin, Varteresian, and Hilton to factor into the secondary as well for Milford this season.
“We have a very focused, determined, and excited team this season,” said head coach Anthony Vizakis. “They are a hard working group of guys with their eyes on one goal, one mission, and they are determined to do it together.”
Outlook:
The Rocketeers have won four straight league titles, the last three in the Davenport division, and will be looking to make it five straight this year.
If North Attleboro does make it five straight, they will need some new players to step up into new roles to do so. The Big Red graduated a lot of talent in almost every position but the Rocketeers are a program that doesn’t rebuild, they reload. The strength of the offensive will start with the offensive line as there are three returning starters. Ethan Mottinger (6’6, 294), who committed to UMass over the offseason, and John Kummer (5’11, 256) man the tackle positions while Ethan Friberg (6’5, 252) adds additional protection from the tight end position. Senior Casey Poirier, junior Matt Penta, and sophomore Tyler DeMattio are locked in a healthy battle at quarterback with each bringing a unique skill set to the offense. North lost almost all of its skill position players but there are a variety of versatile junior backs battling for time. Friberg, Russell Dunlap, and Robbie Donovan will be options in the passing game.
The strong suit of the Rocketeers’ defense will be in the front seven with several returning lineman and senior captain Tom O’Neill anchoring the linebackers. Friberg will be on one end while Montrel Jackson will see time at the other defensive end position. Kummer is joined by Trevor Hewett at defensive tackle to give North a strong, experienced defensive line. Owen Harding and Jacob Silva are in the mix to join O’Neill at linebacker while North will look for some new names to step up in its secondary alongside Jared and Matt Penta. DeMattio returns as the kicker after a standout freshmen campaign (32-for-35 PAT, 3-for-4 field goals).
“We will need to find a way to stay healthy and quickly develop some depth,” said North Attleboro head coach Don Johnson. “With the inexperience in the skill positions, we expect there to be some early growing pains, but we are hopeful that the great attitude and work ethic that has been displayed in the preseason will help us overcome the lack of experience.”
Outlook:
Sharon might not have as many players as some of the other programs in the league and might not match up in terms of size, but the Eagles have plenty of fight and are looking to showcase that this year.
The Eagles are going to look to capitalize on their team speed this year. Junior Nic Morrero was strong on both sides of the ball last season and will likely feature in the backfield this season for the Eagles. John Saab is another returning play that should pick up carries for the Eagles this year. Junior Kiran Chadrasekaran looks set to take over under center for the Eagles and will have a couple of experienced players to work with in senior receiver Alec Filipkowski and junior tight end Ike Ogbonnanze while junior receiver Owen Conway will likely see an expanded role this season.
Senior Jaden Williams-Thomas returns to anchor both the offensive and defensive lines and will be joined by junior Shea Letendre. Williams-Thomas will handle defensive tackle duties and should be a big part of the Eagles’ defense this year. Marrero anchors the linebackers alongside Saab and Ogbonnanze while Filipkowski and Conway will see time in the secondary.
“We have a great group of relentless players that have the right attitude and understand that they have a ton to prove,” said Sharon head coach Dave Morse.
Outlook:
Stoughton didn’t have the season it wanted in terms of record, but the Black Knights were competitive in just about every game last year and are hoping to get back in the hunt for the Davenport crown this year.
Despite finishing 4-7, Stoughton beat both Davenport champions in North Attleboro (21-10) and Canton (28-7 on Thanksgiving) during the year. If the Black Knights are able to string together those type of performances throughout the year, they will definitely be competing for their first division crown since 2015. Offensively, Stoughton has a good battle at quarterback with junior John Burke and senior Clayton Rahaman. Both saw time last year so head coach Greg Burke has two experienced options to start under center. The offensive line should be a strength for Stoughton with a good group of seniors that includes Oluwole Fabikun, Jaden McCall, Carlvin LaGuerre, and Jerry Brisson. Having a strong and experienced line will set things up nicely for the Black Knights strong run game, which will feature Savion Scott, Christopher Ais, and Christian Ais. Tight end Anthony Pizzano, junior Jake Queeney, and track star David Peters will provide options in the pass game.
Stoughton is often known for its defense and will be looking for that to continue during the 2019 season. Kelven Rodrigues will be a big part of the defensive line for the Black Knights, joined by Brisson, LaGuerre, and Fabikun. Georges had a very strong season on the end last season but will mostly line up as a linebacker this year, alongside Scott and Christopher Ais. Stoughton will have a hard hitting secondary once again this season with Burke, Pizzano, Christian Ais and Kamari Grant all likely to see time.
“We hope to stay healthy and be competitive in the league, all of our athletes improved their strength and conditioning,” Burke said. “We have many juniors also playing and will be a big part of the team. We will need help from all players and try to improve depth.”
North Attleboro – Division 2 South Champions (Courtesy photo).Franklin – Division 1 Central Champions (Courtesy photo).Mansfield – Division 1 South Champions (Courtesy photo).
Three Hockomock teams claimed sectional titles on Saturday, five others finished inside the top five, and 26 grapplers claimed individual sectional titles. Franklin dominated the D1 Central bracket, racking up 272 points behind six individual champions, two finalists, and two third-place finishes. The Panthers had over a 50 point cushion over second place Brookline. In the South section, Mansfield repeated as D1 South champions by edging out host Brockton, and North Attleboro snagged another D2 South title with six individual champions.
Foxboro earned second place in D3 South with an impressive 13 wrestlers finishing sixth or better at the tournament. Oliver Ames had its best ever finish at sectionals, taking third place in the D2 South bracket while Sharon took fifth overall. King Philip took third place in the D2 Central sectional, edging out Milford by a half of a point. Stoughton tied for seventh place in D2 South, Canton earned eighth in D2 Central, and Taunton placed 11th in D1 South.
Franklin’s Drew DiFilippo earned the D1 Central sectional title at 106 with a 7-0 decision. He scored all seven of his points in the first round, earning a takedown and then a pair of near falls. Jake Carlucci picked up a 7-4 win in the 113 final, using an escape and a late reversal to seal the title. Jordan Carlucci dominated in the 132 final, scoring nine straight points after the match was tied at 2-2 early on, and Ken Sauer won the 138 championship with an impressive 9-1 decision, only allowing an escape late in the third period. Dominic Sackley was the fifth Panther to win a title, using an escape and takedown in the second, and a takedown in the third to secure a 7-1 decision. And Matt Leofanti scored an upset in the 220 final, using a second period takedown and a third period escape to upend the top seed, 3-1. Caleb MacLean (160) and Riley Downing (285) earned second, Alex Fracassa (126) and Dylan Nawn (182) were both third, and Ben Jacoby (195) was fourth.
A year after Mansfield claimed its first sectional title, the Hornets grabbed their second D1 South crown in a row. Will Stratton needed less than two minutes to get a pinfall victory in the 145 title match, and George Glaropoulos had a similar performance in the 160 championship, earning the title by pinfall in 1:31. After a scoreless first period, CJ Glaropoulos scored a reversal in the second and a takedown in the third to secure the D1 South title at 152. Jayden Curley cruised through the 170 bracket in impressive fashion, pinning his first two opponents in under a minute, winning his semifinal match via pinfall in 1:34, and then took the title with a pin in just 33 seconds. Ethan Nirenberg was Mansfield’s fifth winner, using a second period escape and a near fall in the third to win 4-0. Antonios Sevastos added a second place finish, and Stefan Steyn earned third for the Hornets. Taunton’s Jackson Wellman, in his first year wrestling, earned third at 182 and Christian Balmain took home fourth.
Of the 14 champions in Division 2 South, nine came from Hockomock teams with North Attleboro having six winners and Oliver Ames taking three individual titles. After a tech fall and a decision to reach the final, North Attleboro’s Mike Burns earned a first round pin to win the 138 crown. Two weight classes later, North’s Michael Edmonds scored all of his points in the second and third rounds, overcoming a 5-0 first round deficit to stun top-seeded Tristan Williamson of Hingham for the 152 D2 South championship. Montrel Jackson followed suit, scoring a second round pin to upset top-seeded Declan Byrne of Pembroke. In the 220 final, John Kummer added another upset win for the Rocketeers, getting five points in the final 31 seconds to knock off top-seeded Will Dion of Plymouth North by a score of 8-3. Liam Rizk was trailing 6-2 in the 220 match before securing a pinfall victory, and Mateusz Kudra needed just over a minute to get a pin over Stoughton’s Calvin LaGuerre in the 285 final for North’s sixth individual title. Oliver Ames’ Nick McGovern had a big day, earning two pins to advance to the semifinals, then knocked off #2 Vinay Chinnam of Sharon, 13-10. In the final, McGovern shocked top-seeded David White of Hingham with a second period pinfall. Billy Tat (170) earned the title with a first round pin, and Dean Pacini secured the 195 crown with a third round pin.
Also in D2 South, North Attleboro’s Ethan Smith (120) was second, and Jon Lozinski (132) and Matt Warsofsky (170) both placed third. OA freshman John Dobbin continued his strong rookie season by taking second in the 106 bracket, and Max Anderson (220), Nelson Malone (132), and Remi Creighton (120) all earned fourth place finishes. Sharon had five grapplers take third place including Alex Bolt (195), Amit Levin (120), Huguens Pierre (138), Jon Wald (182), and Tyler Cashton (152) while Andrew Ableman (160) and Vinay Chinnam (126) finished fourth. On top of LaGuerre’s second place finish in the heavyweight bracket, Stoughton’s John Santos (113) took third overall, and CJ Carpenter (106) was fourth.
All three Hockomock teams in the D2 Central tournament earned at least one individual champion. King Philip had a pair of champions as Luke Fitch (182), and Shawn Conniff (195) earned back-to-back pinfall victories. Conniff earned an upset in the final, knocking off top-seeded Alex Childs of Nashoba. Mohammad Lofti (145) and Yousef Lotfi (285) both finished second for the Warriors and Benjamin Leclair (113) and Noah Riedel (138) each finished fourth. Milford will be sending six wrestlers to states, highlighted by Carlos Terrinha, who won the D1 Central title at 120. After winning the first two matches by fall, Terrinha earned the title with a 10-3 decision. Nick Marcolini (152) finished second, Dan Pinto (138), Dylan Ortiz (132), and Joao Neiva (195) each took third, and Evan Hazard (126) was fourth overall. Canton’s Cole Murphy won his first sectional title, earning a pinfall victory (his second of the day) in the 170 final to get the win. Harry Carter (132) and Zach Peters (106) each took second, and Mark Carstairs (120) finished third overall for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro had a terrific showing at the D3 Sectional, having a wrestler place sixth or better in all but one weight class. The Warriors, who finished second to Norton in the team standings, had three individual champions. Shayne Kerrigan (132) won by pinfall in his first two matches and then picked up a pair of decisions, the latter a 7-1 win in the finals to get the title. Tommy Gallagher (138) followed Kerrigan’s title win up with one of his own, earning a pin in his first match, a 2-0 decision in the semifinals, and then a 6-3 decision in the finals, highlighted by a nearfall in the third period. William Ogebebor (220) was the third Warrior to win a sectional title, needing just 30 seconds to win his first match, advancing to the final with a 5-0 win in the semifinal, and then an 8-2 decision to become the champion. Foxboro’s Adam Lanctot (120), Tom Cullen (170), and William McNeil (285) each finished third while Matt Sharkey (145) and Sean Bubencik (106) each took fourth place.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 1 – Final – Ryan Morry and Sam Larkin each scored once as the Bombardiers skated to a season-opening win over visiting Martha’s Vineyard.
Foxboro, 6 @ Norton, 0 – Final – Foxboro opened its season in style, scoring three goals in the second period en route to a 6-0 win over Norton. Kirk Leach (two goals, assist), Ronnie MacLellan (two goals, two assists), and Brendan Tully (goal, two assists) all had multi-point games for the Warriors while junior Espen Reager played well in goal to record the shutout.
Mansfield, 9 vs. Newton North, 0 – Final – Mansfield scored three goals in the first period and never looked back in a season-opening win over Newton North. The Hornets scored three more in the second period, and added three goals in the final period. Jack Garland and Coleman O’Brien each scored a pair of goals and had an assist to pace the Hornet offense. Jake Lund (goal, two assists), Kevin Belanger (two assists), Matt Copponi (goal, two assists), Ben Ierardo (goal, assist) and Joe Troiano (goal, assist) each had multi-point games for Mansfield.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Medway, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames outshot the Mustangs 23-9 and opened the season with a 6-1 decision. Seniors Colin Bourne and Cullen Gallagher each scored a pair of goals and had an assist while Max Ward and James Beatty each scored once and added a helper. Owen Connor earned the win in net for the Tigers.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Sandwich, 2 – Final – Canton opened the season with a win on the road at Sandwich. Lauren Fitzpatrick paced the offense with a pair of goals while Maggie Malloy and Ellie Rae Roberts each scored once for the Bulldogs.
King Philip, 1 @ Ursuline Academy, 1 – Final – King Philip freshman Sydney O’Shea scored her first career goal as the Warriors skated to a 1-1 tie with Ursuline Academy.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 @ Medfield/Norton, 3 – Final
Wrestling
Xaverian Quad (Canton) – Canton went 0-2-1 on the day at the Xaverian quad. The Bulldogs opened the day with a loss to the hosts (43-27) but bounced back to earn a tie with Burlington. Natalie Keppler earned a pin in her first varsity match to help the Dogs tie, 39-39. In the final match of the day, Canton was edged by Tyngsboro (40-39).
Danvers Quad (Foxboro), 9:30 – Foxboro picked up two wins in a super quad meet at Danvers but also suffered two setbacks to open the season. The Warriors picked up wins over Danvers (57-19) and Lowell (54-24) but lost to Shawsheen (46-25) and Chelmsford (49-28). Tommy Gallagher, Billy McNeil, and Tom Cullen went 4-0 on the day for Foxboro.
Mount Hope Tournament (Franklin, Stoughton) – At the annual Sharon Lombardo Holiday Tournament, Franklin took home the championship and Stoughton was fourth overall. Franklin placed first with 211.5 points with four champions and five finalists. Stoughton had two finalists and had 118.5 points. Franklin’s Jake Carlucci (113, dec. 8-7), Jordan Carlucci (132, pin 0:34), Ken Sauer (138, dec. 5-3), and Dominic Sackley (170, pin 3:09) won individual titles while Drew DiFilippo (106), Adam Colella (160), Caleb MacLean (160), Dylan Nawn (182), and Ben Jacoby (195) each finished second. Stoughton’s Thomas Ratcliff (170) and Carlvin Laguerre (285) each had second place finishes.
St. John’s (Shrewsbury) Quad (King Philip) – King Philip picked up two wins in its first action of the 2018-2018 season. The Warriors beat host St. John’s Shrewsbury (58-17) and Quabbin (48-24) but suffered a setback to Vermont’s Essex (45-27).
Lincoln-Sudbury Quad (Mansfield) – Mansfield opened the season in style, picking up three wins at the LS quad. The Hornets took down Brookline (51-29), Leominster (45-6), and Lincoln-Sudbury (60-23) to move to 3-0. Max Farley, Antonios Sevastos, Stefan Steyn, Will Stratton, CJ Glaropoulos, George Glaropoulos, and Jayden Curley each went undefeated on the day for the Hornets.
Milford Quad (Milford), 9:00
North Attleboro Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro began the 2018-2019 campaign with three wins at its first quad meet of the season. The Rocketeers opened the day with a win over Burrillville (54-24), rolled over Whitman-Hanson (60-12) in the middle match, and closed with a win over East Providence (42-36). Ethan Smith, Montreal Jackson, and John Kummer each had three wins apiece while Mateusz Kudra earned a pair of wins for the Rocketeers.
Devin Ness Tournament (Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames hosted its annual Devin Ness tournament to kick off the season and took ninth place with one champion. The Tigers earned 93.5 points and had a third, fourth, and fifth place wrestler. Dean Pacini was champion of the 195 bracket and earned the tournament’s outstanding wrestler award. Billy Tat took third at 170, Remi Creighton was fourth at 113, and Andrew Fraser earned fifth at 182.
Sharon Quad (Sharon) – Sharon started the season with a pair of wins, knocking off Pembroke and Walpole. The Eagles opened the day with a 54-12 win over the Titans and then grabbed its second win with a 46-27 decision over the Rebels. Sharon freshman Adam Landstein and Aaron Cashton each went 2-0, while Ben Shocket and David Hirshorn each went 1-0 for the Eagles.
Watertown Quad (Taunton) – Taunton opened the season by going 1-2 at the Watertown quad. The Tigers suffered setbacks to the hosts (48-36) and Norwood (60-21) but notched its first win over Carver (39-24). Candido Santos went 3-0 for the Tigers with a pair of pins, Devin Wilson went 2-0 with one pin, and Tyler Lima was 2-1 with a pin. Woudanly Danger was 1-0 with a pin.
Below are the official 2018 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Eddie Marinilli, Canton
Hockomock League All Stars
Anis Chakir, Canton
Eddie Marinilli, Canton
Phil Dure, Foxboro
Adam Lanctot, Foxboro
William Ogebebor, Foxboro
Ian Bakalars, Franklin
Jake Carlucci, Franklin
Jordan Carlucci, Franklin
TJ Remillard, Franklin
Luke Fitch, King Philip
Jayden Curley, Mansfield
George Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Vinnie Holmes, Mansfield
Nick Marcolini, Milford
Daniel Cooper, North Attleboro
Jake Direnzo, North Attleboro
Brady Folan, North Attleboro
Zack Gould, North Attleboro
Mattuez Kudra, North Attleboro
Brad White, North Attleboro
Anthony Berksza, Oliver Ames
Dean Pacini, Oliver Ames
Justin Wells, Sharon
Sam Mandelbraurt, Sharon
Carlvin LaGuerre, Stoughton
