12/04/202212/04/2022

King Philip Falls To Catholic Memorial In D2 State Final

King Philip football Matt Kelley — King Philip senior Matt Kelley is tackled by Catholic Memorial’s Maxwell Tucker at Gillette Stadium during the Division 2 state championship. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – For the second straight year, the King Philip football team went toe-to-toe with the best team in Massachusetts on the biggest stage, but unfortunately for the Warriors, the result was the same.

Catholic Memorial blanked KP over the final two quarters and scored a pair of second half touchdowns to pull away for a 27-7 win to claim their second straight MIAA Division 2 state championship and extend their win streak to 29 straight games.

“It’s just a lot to hang with for a long time,” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee. “Our kids have such great heart and work so hard, and we’re gifted with great coaches, but in the end, it’s just too much to hang with for that long. We couldn’t bail out our defense enough. We couldn’t run the ball and get sustained drives. It was hard, it was tough, they are so fast and converge on the ball so it was just tough.”

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The Warriors were in a good spot after 24 minutes of action, trailing by just a score at 14-7 going into the halftime break. The Knights scored on their opening drive – 10 plays for 80 yards, helped along by a 30-yard fumble recovery by an offensive lineman – and then again on their fourth series, punching in a touchdown with just 16 seconds left in the halftime.

KP bounced back after going three-and-out on its opening series. The defense, which played well for all four quarters, forced a turnover on downs on CM’s second drive to get the ball back. The Warriors marched 60 yards on 14 plays to find the end zone.

Rudy Gately (14 carries, 43 yards) converted a third down with a 6-yard carry running behind senior center Michael Murphy and right guard Logan Van Vaerenewyck, Will Astorino also moved the sticks with a 4-yard burst up the left behind Luke Danson and Sean King, and two plays later Gately got his biggest run of the game for 16 yards. A roughing the passer flag kept KP’s drive alive and moved the Warriors inside the 10-yard line.

The drive stalled inside the 5-yard line but KP elected to go for it and after not finding an open receiver, junior quarterback Tommy McLeish kept it himself and dove across the goalline for a 4-yard touchdown. Matthew Kelley’s extra point got KP within a point, down 8-7, with 9:49 left in the second quarter.

KP’s defense once again forced a turnover on downs but the CM defense stood tall and forced a punt from the Warriors. The Knights covered 54 yards in seven plays, going with play action on first down as freshman quarterback Peter Bourque found Maxwell Tucker for a 23-yard strike. The two-point attempt was picked off by KP sophomore Aiden Astorino, but couldn’t be returned.

Despite trailing 14-7 at half, the Warriors were set to receive the second half kickoff.

“Just keep doing what we were doing,” Lee said of the halftime discussion. “We were in it, we were hanging in there. We knew we needed to get a little more going. It was kind of the same thing last year, in the second half we get tired running guys on and off. They wear you down. They’ve got some humongous tackles, some serious players and it just wears you down.”

A strip sack on third down put an end to KP’s first drive of the second half and set CM up at the KP 40-yard line. Despite good field position, the CM offense couldn’t crack the Warriors’ defense and seniors Will Astorino and Carson Meier dropped CM running back Carson Harwood in the backfield for a turnover on downs.

KP was able to get a first down on the ensuing drive on a penalty but an interception by Tucker stopped the Warriors. That set up CM’s third scoring drive as JC Petrongolo hit Harwood for a 22-yard touchdown with just 1:22 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors had to punt on their first series of the final quarter and the Knights cashed in just four plays later. Meier had a tackle for a loss on first down and an incompletion on second down – due to pressure from Chris Sesay – set the Knights up for 3rd and 11 but Bourque hit Jaedn Skeete in stride down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown and a 27-7 lead with 10:36 left in the fourth quarter.

“These kids come out and know what they are going up against and they sat in there and fought,” Lee said. ”And they did it a bunch of times this year. We had some really big wins, had a few losses mixed in, but you have to be, and I am, so proud of what they’ve accomplished. No matter what you’re doing in life, you’re trying to maximize what you are and what you can be. Nobody wants to be average, and these guys didn’t want to be average. They didn’t want it to be a rebuilding year, and they came back to Gillette. I’m so proud of them.”

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Kyle Abbott had a first down run and McLeish had a couple of QB sneaks on fourth down to keep the drive alive and move the chains. A 12-yard pass from McLeish to senior Will Laplante earned another first down and moved KP into the red zone. But the Warriors couldn’t finish the drive and turned it over on downs.

“For them to work and get back here, to have the kind of wins they did, to take the steps to put themselves back here and have another chance at this is very, very impressive,” Lee said. “When I look at what our ceiling was and how we smashed through it, and willed ourselves back here, that’s a tribute to the kids and their work.”

King Philip football finishes the season at 9-3.

11/24/2022

Franklin Wins Back-to-Back Titles After Comeback at KP

Franklin Football — Franklin senior Luke Davis (6) hauls in a two-point conversion with 2:46 remaining, which lifted the Panthers to a come from behind win at rival King Philip and to a second straight Kelley-Rex title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

WRENTHAM, Mass. – King Philip got the ball back up by seven points with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter of Thursday morning’s holiday matinee at Macktaz Field and went back to work with the ground game that had been nearly unstoppable for most of the game.

After running more than seven minutes off the clock, KP had first down from the Franklin 30 and looked like it was maybe one or two plays away from clinching the title-deciding showdown.

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Rudy Gately (21 carries, 116 yards) was stopped for a loss of three by Emmett Lackey. Quarterback Tommy McLeish took the next snap and went on a sweep around the left side, but Franklin read the play and pried the ball loose. Devine Johnson pounced on it at the 34 to give the visitors a chance with 6:11 on the clock.

Mike Davide (11 carries, 40 yards) broke free for a 13-yard gain into KP territory and Jase Lyons (20-of-27, 232 yards) hit Josh Ribeiro on the sideline. Ribeiro refused to go out of bounds, cutting back infield and eventually gaining 17 to the KP 28. After back-to-back completions to Luke Davis, Lyons kept it himself, looking for contact in the secondary and being brought down at the three. Davide finished the drive to bring the Panthers within one.

Instead of lining up for a Garrett Portesi extra point and potentially playing for overtime, Franklin coach Eian Bain rolled the dice and kept the offense on the field.

“Not for a second,” Bain said later, when asked if he thought about kicking. “We were going for two and then just onside kick it if we have to. We were going for the win right there and then make them have to make a decision too, do they stick with the offense they ran the whole game?”

Lyons dropped back and looked for Davis on a quick out-route a couple yards into the end zone. Davis (nine catches, 153 yards) made the diving grab and put the Panthers up 29-28 with only 2:46 left on the clock. The Franklin defense was able to limit KP to just one first down, sealing a win and a share of its second straight Kelley-Rex division title.

“We just had a good matchup,” Bain said. “We had a play call for both sides and when they adjusted from the empty backfield, we had Luke one-on-one, which is what we wanted.”

Davis was thrilled at his coach’s decision to stick with the offense in that situation. He said, “I was hoping for him to say that. Obviously, KP is a good team and they have their drives, so just to get that extra point was huge. I had full confidence in Jase and the offense to make the play, so it was a great call. Trust coach.”

KP coach Brian Lee rued uncharacteristic turnovers from his team that led to two Franklin touchdowns, including the eventual winner, but also praised Bain for his call to go for two at the end.

“We were just about another first down away from giving (Matthew) Kelley a chance for a field goal and kudos to them,” Lee explained. “Bottom line, we’ve got to hold onto the ball. We turned it over twice. Once on an exchange – points, and down here – points.”

He added, “The guts on coach to go for two. That’s a great call. I love that stuff, going for that win here. It shows that program is in good hands.”

Franklin came into Thanksgiving an underdog against KP, which is heading back to its fifth Div. 2 Super Bowl in six seasons, but the Panthers were riding the confidence of beating the Warriors last year (ending a decade without a win in this series) and got off to a roaring start. On third and five, Lyons went deep down the sideline to Davis, who hauled in the pass then cut back towards the hash mark and raced past a pair of defenders for a 69-yard TD.

“He does everything,” Bain said about Davis. “He’s going to be impossible to replace. I don’t think the kid ever gets tired, I don’t think he ever doesn’t smile, he always goes and he does it right way too.”

Davis noted, “Being on that team last year, we got that feeling of success. We’ve been working at it all year, had KP in the back of the mind all year until it was finally Thanksgiving week. Having that success last year, helped us know what it meant and know what the feeling is to win this game.”

KP responded like it usually does, but lining up behind its big offensive line and running right at the heart of the defense. On their first drive of the day, KP marched 64 yards on nine plays, all of them runs between the tackles. Gately had five carries on the drive, including a 16-yard rush inside the Franklin 10. William Astorino (14 carries, 109 yards) punched it from the two to tie it.

Kyle Abbott and Christopher Sesay each sacked Lyons to end Franklin’s next possession. KP got the ball back and went 57 yards on eight plays, again all runs right up the middle, to take the lead. Astorino and Gately split the carries on the drive, with Astorino finding the end zone on a 12-yard run. Kelley’s extra point made it 14-7.

Franklin drove into KP territory, but David Constantine’s interception ended the drive at the Warriors 12. On third and 17, a fumbled hand-off was recovered by Jack Nutter to give the Panthers the ball at the 18. The Panthers took advantage, as Lyons recovered from being sacked twice (by Carson Meier and Astorino) to hit Davis for a six-yard score, tying the game with 46 seconds left in the half.

Coming out of the locker room, the Warriors took control. A seven-play, 65-yard drive kicked things off. Abott broke free for 16 yards into Franklin’s half of the field and then Astorino ran over defenders on a 32-yard rush down to the 13. Four plays later, Astorino got his third score of the day from two yards out.

The KP defense stepped up to stop Franklin. Gately was playing centerfield and he read a deep ball to Davis on the sideline, coming across to pick it off and return it down to the Panthers 26. On second down, McLeish went play-action and hit Astorino in the right flat. The running back did the rest, weaving his way to the end zone for a 28-14 lead.

Momentum was swinging back-and-forth and this time it was Franklin’s turn to steal it back. The Panthers went 69 yards in nine plays to get back into the game. A pass interference call got the ball to the 27. After and eight-yard pass to Derek Dubriske (five catches, 32 yards), Lyons fired a strike to Davis, who went up and over the defensive back to pull in the 19-yard score.

Killing the clock and killing off the game is usually KP’s forte, but the Panthers found a way to force the turnover and give themselves one last chance to retain the Kelley-Rex crown. When they found the end zone, there was no question of going for the tie, only for the win.

Bain said of the comeback that earned Franklin (7-3) its first back-to-back league titles since 1971, “King Philip makes you play a certain way. You’ve got to get a little grimy, you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and you’ve got to bang with them. Today we got hit in the mouth plenty, there were any number of times where we could’ve said, ‘You know what, we had a good run,’ but these guys never gave up.”

King Philip (9-2) will play Catholic Memorial in the D2 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night at 8:00. It is a rematch of last year’s title game, but Lee was adamant that the upcoming final had no impact on his team’s play on Thursday.

“Up 14, that’s something where you feel like you should be able to control it and we just couldn’t,” Lee said. “No. 6 (Davis) is a dude and the quarterback gets the ball out on time and that puts you under pressure. They kept making plays, kept fighting, and kept believing and that’s a hard thing to combat.”

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11/19/202211/19/2022

KP Holds Off Feehan, Books Another Visit to Gillette

King Philip Football — Carson Meier celebrates after sacking the Bishop Feehan quarterback in the first half of Friday’s Div. 2 semifinal at Alumni Field. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

MANSFIELD, Mass. – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – King Philip makes enough plays down the stretch, getting the defensive stops it needs to hold on and grind out a playoff win. It seems to now be built into this program’s DNA that, as the weather gets colder and the games get tighter, the Warriors will find a way to come out on top.

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On Friday night at Alumni Field, KP did it again. The Warriors scored 17 unanswered to hold a three-score lead at halftime and then held on, making a red zone stand to force a field goal and picking up a key interception to all but seal a 17-10 win over upset-minded Bishop Feehan in the Div. 2 semifinal.

“In the end, they always seem to grit up and find a way to do it,” KP coach Brian Lee said of his team. “We were able to hang in there, make them grind and put them in a passing situation, something they didn’t really want to do, and then we can make that play at the end.”

Senior lineman Christopher Sesay added, “It’s hours of hard work. We know how to work together, we know each other, and we all trust each other. When the game is on the line, we all rally together and we know what to do, what plays we’ve got to make, what business we’ve got to handle.”

The Warriors set the tone early in the game with a prototypical KP drive. Behind its imposing offensive line, the Warriors took the ball and proceeded to march 66 yards on 11 plays and chew up more than six minutes off the clock.

William Astorino got things started with a couple of dives for 15 yards and Kyle Abbott burst through the line for 12. Astorino (12 carries, 70 yards) broke free for 15 more down to the Feehan 20. Rudy Gately (10 carries, 63 yards), who is only recently back from an injury that kept him out for the majority of the regular season, got a couple handoffs. Astorino would get the call on the final three plays, eventually punching it in from a yard out on fourth down.

Feehan had scored 97 combined points in the first two rounds of the tournament (KP had allowed only 19) and was riding the legs of running back Nick Yanchuk, who had rushed for more than 300 yards in each of the first two games. KP knew what was coming on Friday and tried to bottle up the Shamrocks star.

Carson Meier and Luke Danson combined for a tackle on first down, then Aiden Astorino made back-to-back stops to force Feehan’s first possession to end in a punt. On its second drive, Feehan got into KP territory but a false start forced third and long and Meier sacked Niko Iovieno for a loss of five to get the ball back.

KP started at its own 41. On second down, Gately was able to spin out of the pile and broke down the near sideline for 29 yards. It was KP’s longest run of the day. Two plays later, Abbott (seven carries, 53 yards) went around the left side of the line and raced down the sideline for a 25-yard score.

The Warriors were winning the battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Danson stuffed Dante Bruschi for a gain of one and, on third and four, Feehan tried a draw to Yanchuk that was dropped for a loss by Robert Casper.

Following a punt return by Gately, KP started at its own 47 and there was a feeling that another touchdown would seal the win even if there was another half to play. Astorino got five yards to convert third and four, but KP wouldn’t be able to keep the drive going. Matthew Kelley made sure that the Warriors came away with points, splitting the uprights from 46 yards out to make it 17-0.

Coming out of the break, the game flipped on its head. Feehan was suddenly winning the battles up front and Yanchuk, who had been held to 49 yards in the first half, finally found some room to run. A 30-yard gain would get the ball into KP territory and a bench interference call tacked on 15 more. On second and goal, Yanchuk (29 carries, 155 yards) would slip through the right side to put the Shamrocks on the board.

It was an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes off the clock, almost an exact replica of KP’s opening possession. When the Warriors went three-and-out on offense, it put a tiring defense back on the field against a Feehan team that felt momentum shifting.

Starting at their own 48, the Shamrocks were going to sink or swim with the ball in Yanchuk’s hands. He got the call on 11 of the next 12 plays, pushing the Warriors back to their own 15. A false start gave the defense a little life and Aiden Astorino made a big play on third and seven to stop Yanchuk for two yards. Brett McCaffrey would pull Feehan back within seven by booting a 30-yard field goal.

“We realized what’s on the line here,” Sesay said about the team coming up with a big stand to hold Feehan to three points. “We owe it to ourselves to get back to Gillette and take it home this time, so I guess we all motivated each other with, if we don’t win this game then we’re going home. Most of our d-line is seniors and it’s our last season together and it’s just the culmination of all the hard work since we were like eight years old.”

KP was unable to get things going with the ball, getting one first down but then failing to fool the Shamrocks with a Thomas Brewster end-around on third and nine. Feehan would get the ball back at its own 30 down by a score with 4:19 to go.

Iovieno converted fourth and an inch with a QB sneak and got another first down on second and short with the same play. Now in KP territory, Feehan was backed up five on a false start. On first and 15, Iovieno was sacked by Abbott and Meier for a loss of seven. Feehan spiked the ball to stop the clock, bringing up third and 22 with 1:49 to play.

Kelley broke on the route on the outside, picking off the Iovieno pass and returning it to the Feehan 21, effectively sealing the win and sending KP back to the state title game.

“Watching film I saw they like the out-route,” Kelley explained, “and I was playing deep because I didn’t want to let anything behind me. I saw the out-route, saw the quarterback’s eyes, and just jumped it.”

With the victory, KP advances to the D2 Super Bowl for the fifth time in six seasons. The Warriors are now 18-3 in playoff games since 2016.

“It’s pretty freaking crazy,” Lee said. “The kids work and give so much. It’s not easy to win and it’s harder now than it ever was, so to be able to do that, to get there again, it hasn’t even sunk in. Five in six years, that’s pretty awesome.”

When Sesay was asked about being part of the program’s sustained success, he replied, “It feels amazing just to be a part of a program that can do something that big.”

“To know we’re part of something this big that will carry on for generations, it’s something special I’ll always hold with me and I’ll know with these guys, it’s something I’ll remember my whole life being part of the KP dynasty.”

King Philip (9-1) will have a rematch in the state title game, regardless of the opponent. Either the Warriors will face top seed Milford in a rematch of their league encounter from October or they will face No. 4 seed Catholic Memorial in a repeat of last year’s title game.

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10/15/2022

King Philip Grinds Out Key Win Over Milford

King Philip football Kyle Abbott — King Philip senior Kyle Abbott breaks free from a group of

MILFORD, Mass. — King Philip senior Matt Kelley’s foot has been a major weapon for the Warriors over the past two seasons as one of the best kickers in the state.

Now he’s a weapon with his hands too.

Kelley made a terrific diving touchdown catch on a 13-yard pass from Tommy McLeish midway through the fourth quarter to help King Philip secure a 19-7 win on the road over Milford in a battle of two of the top teams in not only the Hockomock League but the entire state.

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“Unbelievable, that was money,” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee about the catch. “We have a lot of guys playing both ways but [Kelley’s] really stepped up to be a typical Warrior for us and I mean that as a huge compliment: it’s what we want to get out of a kid that just looks like your average Joe but he plays really tough.”

The touchdown came just plays after the Warriors’ defense forced its second turnover of the night. The Hawks were in the midst of driving into KP territory, having picked up two first downs already. But on a second down play, KP sophomore linebacker Will Astorino came flying up the middle untouched and hit Milford quarterback Evan Cornelius as he released his pass.

The pass wobbled away from the intended target and KP junior David Constantine hauled it in and raced the other way, taking it from his own 22-yard line down the sideline to the Milford 28-yard line. A personal foul tacked on 15 more yards.

After no gain on the ground on first down, McLeish targeted the end zone but couldn’t find a receiver. The Warriors went back the same direction and McLeish fired one near the pylon that Kelley laid out for and hauled in for the touchdown.

“The play right before it we ran a very similar play and I had the same route and I saw an opening,” Kelley said. “I told our coach that was open the way they were covering and he had trust in us, [McLeish] threw a great ball where only I can get it and I was able to make a play.”

It was typical King Philip football — the Warriors played tough defense all game long, holding the Hawks to 2-for-8 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. And they had a pair of takeaways, a strip sack in the first half from Kyle Abbott plus Constantine’s fourth quarter interception that turned into a key touchdown.

“It felt like KP football, that’s what I told the guys after the game,” Lee said. “We don’t win pretty, the uglier the game can be, it behooves us.

“They’re very good, they’re very talented so you’re trying to hang in there and capitalize when you can.”

While Kelley’s catch helped the Warriors ice the game, his leg gave the visitors key points early on.

After driving 79 yards on nine plays — including a 26-yard pass from McLeish to Thomas Brewster and a 36-yard completion to Daniel Silveria — the Warriors had to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Kelley.

KP couldn’t cash in on Abbott’s strip sack because the Milford defense stood tall in its own half with Andrew Rivera coming up with a key third down tackle for a loss followed by a fourth down incompletion.

But the defense quickly got them the ball back and the offense moved up the field as Abbott (22 carries, 88 yards) followed a nice block from Chris Sesay, who pulled from his right tackle spot to open up a gap for 22 yards. Isaiah Pantalone made a terrific play defensively on second down and the Warriors once again turned to Kelley, who blasted a 42-yard field goal through the uprights — and then some.

Milford put together its best drive of the game to end the first. After a pair of punts, a fumble, and a blocked field goal, the Hawks marched down the field to find the end zone.

Cornelius (15-for-27, 236 yards) hit Pantalone for 16 yards then Damien Carter for 11 more yards and another first down. After an incomplete, Cornelius went back to Carter for 18 yards and Romeo Holland advanced the ball with a first down carry. On second down, Cornelius dropped a perfect pass to Pantalone in stride down the right sideline for a 32-yard touchdown. Nick Araujo’s point after put Milford ahead, 7-6, with 1:35 left in the first half.

KP’s opening drive of the second half crossed midfield but Kelley’s field goal attempt was short. A sack from Nathan Kearney on third down quickly ended Milford’s ensuing drive though.

The Warriors mainly focused on the ground game on their second drive of the second half. Abbott burst through for 15 yards, Will Astorino pushed the pile for six yards, and after a couple of short runs, McLeish connected with senior Will Laplante, who went down and made a great catch to move the sticks at the end of the third quarter.

On third and goal from the 1-yard line, Will Astorino got across the goal line for a touchdown and a 12-7 lead following a failed 2-point attempt.

Milford ran 24 plays in the second half total but their second drive ended with an interception and the next series was slowed by a big sack from Abbott, with help from Will Astorino and Carson Meier.

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“Week in and week out, coach Wass draws up a great game plan,” Kelley said of the defensive game plan. “They have that spread offense where they can air it out but they can power it through on the ground so it’s a tough offense to defend. We were able to control the run and force them to pass more. They’re a good team so they were able to make plays but we were able to defend it for the most part.”

“I think we have a lot of guys that can help out so when they’re getting an opportunity, they are doing some things for us,” Lee said, also noting the strong play of senior lineman Robert Casper, who had a first quarter sack. “It’s not always perfect but we don’t want to ask them to do something they can’t do. It’s a credit to the type of kids we have…when it’s their turn, they step up. Whatever it takes to play your best…whether you need to be mad at somebody, want to play for your buddy, want to play for your grandma… I don’t care, just find something that makes you play better than you did last week and I think we did.”

King Philip (3-0 Hockomock Kelley-Rex, 6-0 overall) now has a week off before it hits the road again with a trip to Community Field to take on North Attleboro. Milford (2-1, 5-1) is in action next week with a visit from Barnstable for a non-league clash.

09/24/202209/24/2022

KP Defense Puts the Pressure On to Stop Xaverian

WRENTHAM, Mass. – During Brian Lee’s tenure at King Philip, the Warriors have displayed a penchant for making life difficult for even the most prolific offenses. In big matchups, like Friday night’s visit of highly ranked Xaverian to Macktaz Field, KP manages to turn the game into a low-scoring, ball control, defense-oriented affair.

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Against Xaverian, it was a prototypical KP performance. The Warriors had multiple players in the backfield on seemingly every play, making sure that star quarterback Henry Hasselbeck had next to no time to make plays down field. KP finished with four sacks, a forced fumble, a couple of passes batted down, a pick-six, and countless quarterback pressures.

Riding its defense’s dominant play in front of a packed house, the Warriors pulled out a 19-14 victory, solidifying its place among the state’s elite again this fall.

“Really just put a lot of pressure on him, and sustained pressure, and the back end and the secondary did their job too,” Lee said about his team’s defense. “When you’re playing an opponent who has such a reputation, it’s going to amp you up. Everybody knows what Xaverian is, how good they are, how well-coached they are, they have a culture, all the things you’re afraid to face in a program.

“We knew it was going to have to be our best, sustained effort.”

Right from the start, the Warriors were sending blitzes from every angle to make Hasselbeck uncomfortable. On Xaverian’s second possession, Carson Meier’s pressure forced an incomplete pass on first down and Kyle Abbott’s pressure caused one on second down. Will Astorino chased down Michael Oates on a screen pass for a loss of four and a three-and-out.

“Coach Wassel planned a ton of blitzes against them,” Astorino explained after the game. “We knew that if we got pressure we could disrupt them. We did that and that’s why they couldn’t get anything going offensively. That was a great defensive performance. We put on a show.”

On the next Hawks drive, Sean King came up with the big hit on Oates, forcing the ball loose. KP recovered at the Xaverian 40 and used the short field to take the lead. Astorino got the call on three straight fullback dives and then Abbott (18 carries, 66 yards) gained seven. Nathan Kearney got a first down to the 19, but KP managed only three more yards and Matthew Kelley split the uprights on a 33-yard kick.

Jonathan Monteiro almost immediately gave the visitors the momentum with a 52-yard kickoff return. After a Christopher Sesay sack, Oates had his best run of the day, gaining 21 down to the KP 19. Abbott read the sweep and dropped it for a one-yard loss. A drop on third down and a penalty made it fourth and 14 before Kearney got a big hand on a screen pass attempt, leading to a turnover on downs.

KP went into the break leading 3-0 and hadn’t allowed a point in 10 quarters to start the season. Early in the second half, the defense showed that it can score as well as keep other teams off the board. Sesay again got into the backfield, hitting Hasselbeck as he threw. The pass fell into the hands of Meier short of midfield and he went the distance to make it 10-0.

Lee said, “It was huge. We definitely struggled on offense. It was a defensive battle, everybody was having trouble moving the ball. Once we got up 10, it really felt like alright, okay, now we’ve got a little bit of breathing room here. It was just a huge, huge play for us.”

Hasselbeck (8-of-16, 148 yards) just didn’t have the time to get anything going for the Hawks. On the next drive, Abbott pressured one incompletion and on third down, Astorino chased down the quarterback for a four-yard loss.

Thomas Brewster’s good punt return set KP up with another short field, starting at the Xaverian 39. A 16-yard completion from Tommy McLeish to Connor Mello converted a third down to the 21. Aiden Astorino had a couple of carries and on third down KP took no chances with a QB sneak to set Kelley up for a 30-yard kick and a 13-0 lead.

The visitors would get the ball back in the closing seconds of the third. Aiden Astorino batted down the first pass attempt, but on the final snap of the quarter, and with multiple Warriors draped all over him, Hasselbeck was able to lay a ball out for Monteiro on the edge and he took it 77 yards for the score. It was the first points allowed by KP this year.

KP got the ball back midway through the fourth quarter, starting at its own 46. On fourth and three from the Xaverian 47, McLeish was able to draw an offsides penalty for a critical first down. Three plays later, play action fooled the Xaverian defense and McLeish hit Kelley down the right sideline for a 36-yard completion. It was KP’s longest play of the night.

“The offensive coordinator (Shawn Hill) was like I want to throw and I was like I don’t know,” Lee said about the big play call. “It’s three minutes and maybe we just eat some clock here because you could feel every second was going to count.”

Kearney got the ball on the next snap from the six and he churned for extra yards and got an extra push from the line to get into the end zone.

The conversion failed but KP restored its two-score lead with just 2:20 to play. Hasselbeck tried to get the Hawks up the field quickly to give themselves a chance. With the help of a personal foul penalty, Xaverian got to the KP 25 with a minute to go.

Luke Danson got the fourth sack of the night, dropping Hasselbeck for a loss of four, but on the next play the Xaverian QB found Monteiro in the back corner of the end zone. After a brief conversation, the officials ruled him inbounds to cut the lead down to five with 43 seconds to go.

Daniel Silveira snagged the onside kick attempt, sealing the victory for the Warriors.

Astorino, who wasn’t unable to contain his excitement after the win, said, “So proud of those guys. They gave it all that they had. We knew they were going to be a tough challenge. Probably every one of their players outweighs us by 50 pounds, but we played with some heart and some passion. That’s how KP plays.”

When asked about the significance of beating a program of Xaverian’s pedigree, Lee explained, “It’s knowing you played a good team and you were able to compete. I didn’t know really what we were. I didn’t know how mentally tough we were, I didn’t know how resilient we were, I didn’t know what we would do when we couldn’t run the ball, who would make plays in the pass game for us, and can we play that old school KP ‘D’ that has kept us in games.

“We got a lot of yeses and a lot of things to feel better about this week.”

King Philip (3-0) will open Kelley-Rex play next Friday with a visit from also unbeaten Taunton.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

09/23/202209/26/2022

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/23/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Attleboro, 20 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final
1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (A) Matt Harvie 27-yard pass to Ayden Ramirez, Adrian Rivera 2-point rush good; (A) M. Harvie 14-yard pass to Cole McKenna, XP failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (A) Shaun Maher 4-yard rush, 2-point rush failed.

Canton, 14 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final
1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (C) Owen Lane 22-yard pass to Michael Thomas, Hayden Rose XP good.
3Q: (C) O. Lane 3-yard rush, H. Rose XP good.
4Q: No scoring.

Foxboro, 14 @ Plymouth South, 21 – Final

Franklin, 21 vs. Duxbury, 34 – Final
1Q: (D) Alex Barlow 1-yard rush, XP good; (F) Michael Davide 5-yard rush, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (D) Matt Festa 6-yard rush, XP good; (D) M. Festa 40-yard pass to Chris Walsh.
3Q: (D) Adam Barr 1-yard rush, XP failed; (D) M. Festa 88-yard pass to C. Walsh, XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 37-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, G. Portesi XP good.
4Q: (F) J. Lyons 49-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good.

King Philip, 19 vs. Xaverian, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (KP) Matthew Kelley 33-yard field goal.
3Q: (KP) Carson Meier 45-yard interception return; M. Kelley XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 30-yard field goal; (X) Henry Hasselbeck 77-yard pass to Jonathan Monteiro, Joseph MacDonald XP good.
4Q: (KP) Nathan Kearney 6-yard rush, 2-point conversion failed; (X) H. Hasselbeck 29-yard pass to J. Monteiro, J. MacDonald XP good.

Mansfield, 35 @ Doherty, 0 – Final
1Q: (M) Drew Sacco 18-yard rush, Travis Hennessy XP good; (M) Brian Butler 12-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good; (M) B. Butler 9-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
2Q: (M) Connor Curtis 8-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
3Q: (M) Tommy Smith 13-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
4Q: No scoring.

Milford, 42 @ Natick, 27 – Final

Oliver Ames, 35 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final1
1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 2-yard rush, 2-point failed.
2Q: (OA) Wayne Casey 25-yard pass to Bronson Burnham, XP failed; (OA) W. Casey 70-yard pass to Nick Ferrini, C. Silva 2-point rush good.
3Q: (OA) C. Silva 2-yard rush, W. Casey 2-point pass to Jack Morley; (OA) Jordan Young 2-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
4Q: No scoring.

Stoughton, 14 vs. Hanover, 51 – Final
1Q: (H) Nick Freel 17-yard rush, XP good; (H) N. Freel 15-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (H) Ben Scalzi 5-yard rush, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 36-yard pass to N. Freel, XP good; (S) Jonathan Goncalves 90-yard interception return, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 15-yard pass to David Quinlan, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 38-yard pass to John McDonald, XP failed.
3Q: (S) Liam Dunn 51-yard rush, XP good; (H) J. McDonald 25-yard field goal.
4Q: (H) Marvin Felix 2-yard rush, XP good.

Taunton, 24 vs. Middleboro, 13 – Final
1Q: (T) Tanner Brannon 35-yard fumble return, XP failed.
2Q: (M) Jacob Briggs 66-yard rush, Matt Cohen XP; (T) Malachi Johnson 1-yard rush, 2pt pass failed; (M) J. Briggs 56-yard rush, XP failed; (T) Jacob Leonard 32-yard pass to Jose Touron, 2pt rush failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (T) M. Johnson 52-yard rush, 2pt pass failed.

Sharon, 0 @ Dover-Sherborn, 16 – Final

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli scored twice and assisted on a third to lead the Bombardiers to a bounce-back win on the road at Taunton. Vecchioli opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off an assist from Billy Badger to put the visitors ahead 1-0, which they took into halftime. Vecchioli set up the next goal, finding Steve Etienne who scored to make it 2-0. Clay Tyler assisted on Attleboro’s final goal, connecting with Vecchioli, who buried his fourth goal of the week.

Foxboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final

Franklin, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final – A goal-filled first half favored Milford and that was all the scoring in the contest as the Scarlet Hawks staked a 3-1 win over King Philip. The teams traded goals to start as Milford took a 1-0 lead when Eduardo Santana found Mathias Felipe for the opener but King Philip leveled on a goal from Matt Crago, assisted by Dermott Amorim. Santana put the Hawks back ahead, finishing off a corner from Arthur Tome, and then right before the halftime whistle, John Borges found Nick Ribeiro, who squeezed one in from a tough angle.

Sharon, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of goals inside a five-minute span in the second half to secure two points in a win over Mansfield. The Hornets took the lead 10 minutes into the game when Cooper Austin headed in a corner kick from Tyler Znoj for a 1-0 lead, an advantage that Mansfield carried into halftime. In the second half, Palash Raina headed in the equalizer off a cross from Rishi Shetty. Just four minutes later, Cam Birnbaum ran onto a through ball from Adam Eastman and finished for the eventual game-winner. Znoj, Austin, Derek McGrath, Dylan Mullin, Marco Germiniani, and Lucas deSousa played well for Mansfield.

Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Neither team could find the back of the net in a game where the advantage depended on who had the wind at their backs. Taunton keeper Hayleigh Porter made nine saves to earn the first clean sheet of her career, while Alexis Campbell played well to get her first clean sheet this season. Christina Da Costa, Cali Melo, and Jenna Pereira all played strong games in Taunton’s defense, while Emily Calderon and Juliana Matos sparked the Taunton attack in the second half. Eighth graders Kaylee Lopes, Maddie Crowley, and Lia Abouyazbek also impressed for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Foxboro and Stoughton played to a scoreless draw at Sam Berns Community Field. The Warriors created a few chances through forward Erin Foley, but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Allie Sougaris made several important stops in the second half and earned her second clean sheet of the season for Foxboro.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final

Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Rachel DeFlaminis scored a second half hat trick and Mikalyla Thompson finished with three assists to lead the Warriors to a big win at home. Ella Pisani’s brace had KP up 2-0 in the first half (her fifth and sixth goals in the past two games), but Milford cut the lead in half when Dani Atherton’s cross wasn’t cleared and Erin Michelson finished from close range. KP was able to score in the final minute of the half to restore its two-goal lead, as Kylie Menendez finished off a pass from Thompson. Heidi Lawrence added two goals, Ally Pochay scored on a Danielle Gresham corner, and Dani Lomuscio (two assists) slipped a pass through to DeFlaminis to make it 7-1 just 12 minutes into the second half. DeFlaminis would score twice more, one off an assist from Menendez, to wrap up the scoring.

Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Saturday, 10/29 at 10:00AM.

Field Hockey
King Philip, 1 @ Westwood, 2 – Final – King Philip put up a great fight but fell on the road in a non-league tilt at Westwood. Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal for the Warriors while Maggie Murphy had a great game defensively in front of goalie Haley Bright (16 saves).

Stoughton, 0 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final

Volleyball
Attleboro, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Attleboro rolled to a 2-0 lead and then closed out the sweep with a competitive third set over Bridgewater-Raynham (25-14, 25-7, 25-23). Mary Katherine Runey called it a “full team effort” in the win. Natalie Brojek notched 26 assists and six aces, Julia Leonardo recorded 13 kills and five aces, and Addie Shelton chipped in with seven kills and four aces.

Milford @ North Attleboro, 5:15

Golf
Attleboro, 176 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – King Philip’s Cameron Hasenfus carded three birdies in a medalist round to lead the Warriors past Attleboro. Hasenfus birded on the second hole and then back-to-back on seven and eight to finished with a medalist round of 34. Anthony Fraone shot a 37, Jason Silva added a 39, and Gavin Croke rounded out the scoring with a 41.

Mansfield, 177 @ Sharon, 178 – Final – Mansfield senior Drew Urban fired a team-low round of 42 and the Hornets left the Cape Club of Sharon with a one-stroke victory over the Eagles. Brendan Vokey added a 44, Davon Sanders shot a 45, and Jason Friedman rounded out the scoring with a 46.