Boys Basketball Division 1
#24 New Bedford, 67 vs. #41 Milford, 54 – Final
Girls Basketball Division 1
#32 Acton-Boxboro, 62 vs. #33 King Philip, 57 – Final – The Warriors tried to rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Colonials 19-11 over the final eight minutes, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback in a tough road playoff opener. Emily Sawyer scored a team-high 29 points in the loss, including 13 points in the fourth, as KP tried to rally. A-B jumped out to a six-point lead in the first and the second quarter was even, as A-B went into the locker room ahead 29-23. Both teams caught fire offensively in the third quarter, combining for 37 points, but it was the home team that extended its lead to double digits heading to the fourth. Leah Santoro hit a pair of threes (her only points of the night) and Sawyer and Jordan Bennett each scored five in the third for the Warriors. Those were also Bennett’s only points of the game. In the fourth quarter, KP continued to get the ball into the paint. Sawyer had six made baskets in the quarter and had 13 of the team’s 19. Jackie Bonner knocked down her second three of the game, scoring four of her seven points in the fourth.
Boys Hockey Division 1
#12 Franklin, 11 vs. #21 Andover, 2 – Final – It was an offensive explosion for the Panthers in an 11-2 rout of visiting Andover in a Division 1 Round of 32 matchup. Franklin lit the lamp three times in the first period, including a pair of shorthanded goals from junior Ben Paterson, and one from sophomore Jack Wernig to establish a big lead. The goals kept coming in the second period, including three in the first five minutes of the period. Carmen Ianuzzi scored the first goal and Ryan Sicchio followed just seconds later to push the lead to 5-0. Dan Daley extended the lead to 6-0 with 10:45 to play in the period, and Dylan McEvoy and Carter Balducci each added one goal apiece as Franklin’s lead grew to 8-0 through two periods. Daley, McEvoy, and senior Lucas Sheehan added goals in the third period. Franklin advances to the Round of 16 to play #5 Marshfield, with a date and time to be announced.
Division 2
#5 Silver Lake, 5 vs. #28 Mansfield, 1- Final
#8 Hopkinton, 9 vs. #25 North Attleboro, 0 – Final
#12 Gloucester, 6 vs. #21 Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Division 3
#2 Lynnfield, 5 vs. #31 Foxboro, 0 – Final
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 44 @ Durfee, 58 – Final – Attleboro only trailed by four at halftime but the Bombardiers couldn’t quite get the offense in gear as the Hilltoppers pulled away in the second half. Jaiden Outland led the visitors with eight points while sophomore Dante Monestime and freshman Connor Houle each had seven points.
Canton, 47 vs. Wakefield, 48 – Final – Canton tightened up defensively to build a lead going into the fourth quarter but the Bulldogs’ offense went cold and a late three from Wakefield proved to be the difference. Canton trailed after one quarter, rallied to to it by halftime, and then held the visitors to just six points in the third to stake a 38-29 lead going into the fourth. Junior Lucas Massih sank four three-pointers for the Bulldogs, including three in the third to finish with a team-high 12 points. Jeremiah Predin and Kareem Porter each had 11 points for the shorthanded Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 56 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 33 – Final – Foxboro exploded for 40 points in the first half and used suffocating defense to deny Dighton-Rehoboth in the first round of the Warrior Classic. Senior Alex Penders scored eight of his 12 points in the opening quarter and both Ryan LeClair and Sam Golub had five points as the Warriors staked an 18-3 lead after eight minutes. Ryan Kelley hit two threes and had eight of his team-high 13 points in the second while Ryan Cotter drained three triples and had 11 of his points in the second to give Foxboro a 40-10 lead at halftime.
King Philip, 64 vs. Hanover, 72 – Final – King Philip had a great start with 26 points in the first quarter but Hanover rallied to take the lead going into the fourth and finished off the win. Five different Warriors contributed to the strong start as Will Laplante had 11 of his 20 points in the fame, Tommy McLeish hit two three-poitners, and Grant Kinney, Tommy Martorano, and Tommy Kilroy all had field goals as KP staked a 26-20 lead. Martorano, McLeish, and Laplante all had a three in the second as the lead settled at 42-37 at halftime. Hanover used a strong third quarter to take the lead and then scored 21 points in the fourth to finish it off. Kinney and McLeish each added 10 points while Martorano had nine points.
Mansfield, 71 vs. Hingham, 55 – Final – Hingham battled back to make it a game at halftime but Mansfield dominated the third quarter and never looked back in a big win over the visiting Harbormen. Mansfield opened the second quarter on 9-2 run to build a double-digit lead but Hingham closed the half out strong to get within 33-24. An 11-3 surge to start the second half restored Mansfield’s big lead and the Hornets rattled off a 10-3 run right after. The Hornets had seven players score in the pivotal third quarter as Caden Colby (12 points, five rebounds, four assists) drilled a pair of threes, Chris Hill (nine points, nine rebounds, two steals) added five points, JT Veiking (15 points) had four points, Davon Sanders and Eddie McCoy (12 points, five rebound, three assists) each had a three, and Brandon Jackman and Trevor Foley (10 points, seven rebounds, two steals) each had two points.
Milford vs. Hampden Charter West – Milford wins via forfeit.
North Attleboro, 49 @ Weymouth, 58 – Final – North Attleboro got off to another strong start with a 22-point first quarter and had a double-digit lead on playoff-bound Weymouth but the host Wildcats clawed their way back into the game and won the fourth quarter to win the game. Senior Givany Carney hit a trio of threes and led the Rocketeers with a team-high 17 points while sophomore Jonnie Obuchowski hit four three-pointers on his way to a career-high 16 points.
Sharon, 84 vs. Walpole, 62 – Final – Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin caught fire early as he sank four three-pointers in the opening quarter and Matt Baur (19 points) and Tyler Goodman (10 points) each added one more as the Eagles staked a 21-15 lead after the first. The first was a sign of things to come as the Eagles continued to find success on the offensive end, claiming a 39-29 lead at halftime. McLoughlin got it going in the third with 10 more on his way to a career-high 29 points. Dante James and Goodman each had a pair if buckets while Nate Katznelson scored five of his 13 points to keep Sharon ahead, 64-45, going into the fourth.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 62 vs. Durfee, 31 – Final – Attleboro lost the first meeting with the Hilltoppers by 20, but put together a complete performance at home on Monday and doubled up Durfee. The visitors led 10-9 after one and Attleboro went into the locker room up just 23-18, but the Bombardiers outscored the visitors 39-13 in the second half to earn the big win over another D1 playoff contender. Kayla Goldrick and Vanessa Ellis each scored 17 points to lead the hosts. Goldrick scored nine in the first half and then eight during the big third quarter run. Ellis scored six in the second and seven more in the third to put Attleboro well in front. Liy Routhier added 14 points, including 13 in the second half. Avery James chipped in with seven points.
Canton, 18 @ Westwood, 49 – Final
Foxboro, 56 vs. Tewksbury, 36 – Final – Foxboro put in a strong defensive performance and pulled away late to advance to the final of the Warrior Classic. Addie Ruter led the way for the Warriors with 18 points, while Camryn Collins and Kailey Sullivan finished with 15 points apiece. Foxboro will face Brookline in the regular season finale on Tuesday afternoon.
Mansfield, 57 vs. Westford Academy, 41 – Final – Abby Wager scored 30 points for the second time in the last week and the Hornets held Westford to just 16 points in the second half to book a place in the final of the Roundball Classic. Wager was on fire from the opening tip, burying a pair of threes and scoring 14 points in the first to lead Mansfield to a 21-14 advantage. She added another five points in the second and Hallie Popat drilled a three to make it 35-25 going into the locker room. The visitors would cut one point off the lead in the third, as Mansfield was held to just eight points, including five from Wager and another three from Popat. The Hornets would double up Westford in the fourth (14-7) to seal the win. Wager scored six more to cap off her night and Ella Palanza added all five of her points in the fourth. Bridget Hanley added seven point for the Hornets, who will face Bridgewater-Raynham (which is in the top 10 in the D1 power rankings) on Wednesday.
King Philip, 48 vs. Quincy, 62 – Final – KP closed the gap to just three points heading to the fourth quarter, but Quincy would outscore the Warriors 22-11 in the final frame to secure a win in the Norwell Invitational. Emily Sawyer would lead KP with 16 points, including 10 in the second half. Jackie Bonner and Kaelyn Clancy each knocked down three from beyond the arc. Bonner finished with 12 points overall and Clancy had nine, including six points in KP’s third quarter rally. Maddie Paschke added six in the loss. KP will face Newton North in the consolation round on Wednesday.
Oliver Ames, 58 vs. Malden Catholic, 41 – Final – With a big fourth quarter to break the game open, OA clinched the title at the Spartan Classic. The Tigers led 14-10 after one and extended the lead to seven at the break. The third quarter was even, but then OA exploded for 19 points in the final eight minutes to put the game out of reach against one of the top 10 teams in the D4 power rankings. Katherine Farley scored six points, Kaydance Derba had five, and Maeve Horsman added four in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. Farley would finish with a career-high 13, including nine in the second half. Avery Gamble added a dozen points and Kamryn Derba and Horsman each finished with nine. Maddie Homer scored eight and Kaydance Derba seven in the victory. OA heads into the state tournament having won six of its final eight games.
Boys Hockey
Franklin, 5 @ St. John’s Shrewsbury, 4 – Final (OT) – After going back-and-forth for three periods, Franklin’s Logan Marchand deposited a quick wrist shot on a breakaway bid in overtime to hand the Panthers an impressive 5-4 win over St. John’s Shrewsbury, who was ranked #10 in Division 1 in the latest rankings. Anthony Lampasona scored less than a minute into the second to tie the game 1-1, and then scored again on the power play for a 2-1 lead. After SJS tied it, Ben Paterson redirected a shot from Liam O’Rielly to go back in front. The Pioneers regained the lead just over six minutes into the third but this time it was Carter Balducci that found the equalizer at 7:18 of the third.
King Philip, 5 vs. Mansfield, 4 – Final (OT)
North Attleboro, 1 @ Walpole, 7 – Final
Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Westwood, 4 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Somerset Berkley, 6 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Algonquin, 1 – Final
King Philip, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final
Franklin junior Dylan McEvoy takes a shot in the second period against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – On paper, it’s just one of eight league games on the schedule, but there’s no hiding the significance of when Canton and Franklin meet on the ice.
The Bulldogs have won the Davenport every single year since the league split into two divisions and the Panthers have had a hand in all but one — a combined 23 division titles over the past 12 seasons.
Both squads are the favorites to win their respective division again this year and are the top two ranked teams in the league, meaning bragging rights were on the line at Pirelli Veteran’s Arena on Saturday night in front of a packed crowd.
Franklin junior goalie Colby Wagner was terrific in net from the opening puck drop, turning in a 38-save shutout performance to lead the Panthers to a 2-0 win.
The Panthers scored once in the first period and added on a key insurance goal late in the third period, with both goals coming in similar fashion thanks in part to Franklin’s speed.
“It’s one of eight [league games] but it’s a good one,” said Franklin head coach Chris Spillane. “It’s just fun to play teams like this, and you know every year it doesn’t matter who’s up or who’s down, when it’s Franklin-Canton, both teams show up to play. And we get to play them again in a non-league game and it will be the same exact thing, the same exact atmosphere in their building.
“It was a gritty win. Our goaltender [Wagner] kept us in this game tonight, he made some key saves. We struggled breaking the puck out, that’s typically our strongest going from defense to offense, we can fly but credit to [Canton], they took time and space away. It was just one of those typical Franklin-Canton games, it was gritty and there’s no space for anyone.”
It didn’t take long for the scoring chances to start as Canton sophomore goalie Colin Davis (31 saves) was forced into making a terrific save just seconds into the contest as senior Aidan Kuykendall found senior Ryan Sicchio streaking into the offensive zone all alone for a chance in close 15 seconds in. And seconds later, Davis denied Anthony Lampasona after a pass from Ben Paterson in a 2-on-1 situation.
Canton got its early chances too as the Bulldogs went on the power play just 63 seconds into the game. Junior Matt Anderson had a blast from the blueline handled by Wagner, and junior Colin Blake had a bid in close that was turned aside.
That set the tone for the next 40-plus minutes as the Panthers and Bulldogs went up-and-done the ice, back and forth with chances on goal. Franklin had four power plays and Canton had two man-advantage chances throughout the contest but neither team cashed in with its special teams.
The first breakout came right at the midway point of the opening period. Paterson won a faceoff in his own defensive zone to junior Logan Marchand, who chipped one up the left boards that eluded the glove of a Canton defenseman at the blue line. Lampasona raced down and got to the puck first in the offensive zone and centered to a wide-open Dan Daley and he roofed his shot just under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead with 7:47 left in the opening stanza.
“Danny Daley, he’s a player to be reckoned with,” Spillane said. “He’s fast and can shoot the puck, his center [Ben Paterson] and [Anthony] Lampasona are both good at getting him the puck. It’s a nice all-junior line to have as our second line.”
Canton nearly responded a minute later when junior Brendan Tourgee dropped a pass out front for Blake, but his deflection on net was denied by Wagner’s shoulder. The Bulldogs had another big chance with just under two minutes to play as junior Brian Middleton won a battle at the blueline and raced in on a breakaway but his backhand bid was turned away by a pad stop from Wagner.
Davis made a nice stop early in the second after Franklin’s Paterson and Daley played a little catch, the former ripping a shot that was turned aside. Canton countered with a nice tip off the stick of sophomore Travis Thomas but Wagner stood tall.
“He’s very comfortable in the net, his rebound control is really good,” Spillane said of Wagner. “They were pressuring the crease and he never got rattled. He’s our number one right now for sure, but we have two other good options too in Jack O’Connor and Joe Torraco.”
While there were chances in all three periods for both teams, both defensive groups played well to limit how many genuine scoring chances there were. Kuykendall paired with senior Liam O’Rielly while Marchand was matched up with Vinnie Pasquarosa. For Canton, senior James Young paired with classmate Griffin Hughes, freshman Teddy Shuman worked with Anderson, and senior Jack Lauro played alongside freshman Graidy Carr.
Canton did have a powerplay five minutes into the second but Sicchio had a big clear, Ben Jarosz interrupted a pass to clear the zone, and Dylan McEvoy won a key faceoff and cleared the puck himself.
The third featured more of the same with chances from both sides, including an early power play for the Panthers that Canton killed off, including a key clearance from Young.
Jack Digirolamo muscled his way into space for a shot that was tipped by AJ Thomas, only for Wagner to get a stick to it. Tourgee found space shortly after but his bomb of a shot was wide of the net.
“We had a lot of one-and-dones and I think a lot of that was the product of missing the net on some key chances, and that started their break out,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “And I think we were a little intimidated by their speed, guys backing off the line and just not able to win the races to pucks. That was preventing us from getting some good in-zone time.”
Franklin tacked on a key insurance goal with just over three minutes to go in the game. The puck bounced out from behind the Franklin net, and Daley was the first to it. He beat a pinching defenseman, slapping the puck off the boards and up the ice.
Sophomore Carter Balducci raced onto it and centered to his brother, senior Tommy Balducci and he found the back of the net to make it 2-0 with 3:04 to play.
“They have so much speed, they’ll disrupt any team they are playing against,” Shuman said. “That’s the fastest team we’ve seen all year, probably the fastest we will see all year. They can go three lines of speed, and they certainly look a lot faster in person than they do on LiveBarn. They’re a good team and any mistake that we made, they made us pay. Whether it was a bad pinch or a guy slightly out of position…our goaltender played well though and made some big stops.”
Franklin boys hockey (2-0-0 Hockomock, 6-1-0 overall) will head to Foxboro to take on the Warriors on Wednesday at 6:30 while Canton (1-1-0, 6-1-0) returns home to Ponky to take on Oliver Ames.
Boys Basketball
Mansfield, 71 vs. Bedford, 44 – Final – JT Veiking sparked a big run to start the second quarter that allowed the Hornets to pull away from a convincing win over visiting Bedford. Veiking scored 13 of his career-high 20 points in the midst of 19-2 run from the Hornets to start the second half, turning a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter (20-13) into a large double digit advantage. Senior Chris Hill had another strong all-around performance for the Hornets with 16 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four assists while Eddie McCoy chipped in with 12 points.
Milford, 90 vs. Assabet Valley, 31 – Final – Milford had nine players score, four with 13 or more points, and rolled to a win over Assabet Valley in an opening round matchup of the 2nd Annual Scarlet Hawks Holiday Invitational. Sophomore Andrew Rivera scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half while classmate Luca Testa accounted for three of Milford’s 11 three-pointers and finished with a career-high 17 points. Wyatt Zagami and Tyler Ballard (14 rebounds) each chipped in with 13 points.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 59 vs. Hingham, 31 – Final – Foxboro picked up a big non-league win to continue its unbeaten start to the season. Sophomore Addie Ruter had another impressive game in the post for the Warriors, scoring a career-high 24 points to pick up the win. Camryn Collins added 18 points for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 37 vs. Carlsbad (Calif.), 46 – Final
Milford, 30 @ Westboro, 38 – Final – Milford led after the first quarter, but then was outscored 22-11 over the second and third quarters. Emily Croteau was the top scorer for the shorthanded Hawks with 12 points. She scored eight of the team’s 10 points in the first, as Milford took a 10-8 lead, and then added four in the fourth, as Milford outscored the Rangers 9-8 in an attempt to come from behind. Aliza Syed added seven for Milford, including five of the team’s six points in the third quarter.
North Attleboro, 32 vs. Bedford, 45 – Final – North’s scoring struggles continued in a rematch against Bedford. The Rocketeers scored only 11 points before the break, fell behind by double digits, and never recovered, despite playing tough defense all game long and rallying to cut the lead to 10 with a little more than a minute to play. Maryellen Charette led the Rocketeers with nine points and Sam Sweeney finished with eight.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 4 vs. Old Rochester, 6 – Final
Franklin, 7 @ Malden Catholic, 2 – Final – Franklin had six different players find the back of the net as the Panthers used an offensive explosion to take down Malden Catholic. Anthony Lampasona had a pair of goals while Carter Balducci, Dan Daley, Jack Wernig, Logan Marchand, and Ryan Sicchio each scored once in the win.
King Philip, 3 vs. Milton, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Dartmouth, 2 – Final – Matt Lawson recorded a hat trick to lift Oliver Ames to a hard-fought win on the road over Dartmouth. Lawson lit the lamp in the opening period and then tacked on two more in the third, including the game-winner with a minute to go. Lawson’s third goal put OA up 3-1 before Dartmouth scored with 16 seconds left to make it a one-goal game. Brandon Burke had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Stoughton/Brockton, 4 vs. Holliston, 2 – Final – Colby Strunk scored a pair of goals to lead Stoughton/Brockton to a win in the opening round of the Bellingham Holiday Tournament. Jake McSweeney netted his first career goal and Charlie Caputo also found the back of the net. Dmytro Yakovenko had a strong game in net to earn the win.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 0 vs. Cape Cod, 2 – Final
Gymnastics
Taunton, 132.35 @ Franklin, 133.75 – Final – Franklin’s Emma Nelson took first both on the bars and on the beam on her way to taking first in the all-around, helping the Panthers pull off a close win over Taunton. Nelson took first on the bars with an 8.5 and on the beam with an 8.8, adding a second place score of 8.65 on the vault. Molly Chandler was Franklin’s top scorer on the vault (8.7) while Maia Keohane (8.8) was first on the floor.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton’s Connor McGrath and Tre Nadeau each scored a pair of goals as the Tigers skated to a non-league win over Attleboro. Attleboro goalie Julien Horton (22 saves) made some big saves early to keep the Bombardiers in it but Taunton cashed in with under a minute to go when McGrath finished off a rebound on the power play after Horton made three saves. In the second, Nadeau tipped in a shot at 9:16 during a 4-on-4 to make it 2-0 and before the end of the period, McGrath tucked in another rebound to extend the lead to 3-0. In the third, Nadeau scored midway through on an assist from Dylan McCaughey (two assists). Colton Scheralis recorded three assists in the win. Cam Tomaszycki made 21 saves for the shutout.
Canton, 3 @ Barnstable, 1 – Final – Canton cashed in just a minute into the game and went on to secure a 3-1 win on the road at Barnstable. Brendan Tourgee lit the lamp to give the Bulldogs the lead just moments after the opening faceoff and sophomore Travis Thomas doubled Canton’s lead with his first career tally; freshman Teddy Shuman assisted on both goals. Barnstable cut the deficit in half with a goal late in the second period but AJ Thomas scored a key insurance goal with four minutes left to ice the win. Colin Davis had a strong game in goal for Canton.
Franklin, 5 @ Gloucester, 2 – Final – Franklin senior Ryan Sicchio scored 13 seconds into the game to set the tone and the Panthers reeled in a 5-2 road win over the Fisherman. The Panthers established a 2-0 lead by the end of the first period as Ben Paterson set up Dan Daley for a one-timer right in front with just under two minutes to go. Sicchio netted his second goal of the game on the power play midway through the second period, taking a pass from Liam O’Rielly and blasting a shot in. Franklin had another goal, this time in the third period on a quick break out. Daley beat a defenseman at his own blue line, Anthony Lampasona won a battle on the boards and gave it back to Daley, who went in a 2-on-0 breakaway, sliding a pass across to Paterson for the one-timer to make it 4-1. Sophomore Carter Balducci used his speed to get past a pair of defenseman and scored on a breakaway to make it 5-2.
King Philip, 4 vs. Bishop Fenwick, 0 – Final – King Philip scored once in each of the first two periods and twice in the third to pick up a win over visiting Bishop Fenwick. LP had four different goal scorers and eight players register points. Grady Bianculli (from Cam Lehan-Allen), Nate Garska (from Charlie Pelkey), Rowan Boulger (from James Boldy) and Cole Kotkowski (from Sonny Bianculli) scored for KP while Kyle Abbott had the shutout in net.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Dartmouth, 4 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 8 @ Hockomock Stars, 0 – Final
Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip opened league play with a key 1-0 win over Franklin on Saturday night. Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal of the game, finishing off an assist from Mara Boldy in the second period. Mallory Johnston had a terrific game in net, making 34 saves for the shutout.
Wrestling
Canton @ Sons of Italy Tournament – Canton had a trio of wrestlers place inside the top six at the Sons of Italy Tournament at the Shriners Auditorium. Declan Monahan (132) took fourth place overall while John Mooney (145) and Reychard Accidat (160) both placed sixth.
Melish Duals (Foxboro, Sharon) – Sharon had an impressive showing at Melish Duals at Foxboro, going 3-1 on the day. The Eagles beat Plymouth North (54-24), Boston Latin (42-39), and Duxbury (42-39) and junior Anthony Hosu picked up his first career win.
Milford Tournament (King Philip, Milford) – Milford took first place and King Philip was third in the eight-team Milford Invitational. Aidan Baum (120), Derek Marcolini (106), Hampton Kaye-Kuter (285), Matthew Donis (195), Michael Boulanger (126), and Sean Donovan (170) each won individual titles for the Scarlet Hawks while Colby Cloutier (160) won his bracket for the Warriors. Milford got second place finishes from Kevin Coelho (195), Michael Mastroianni (220), Owen Matthews (182), and Ryan Donovan (160).
Brockton Quad (Mansfield), 10:00AM
North Attleboro Quad, 10:00AM
Marshfield Super Quad (Oliver Ames) – It was a good day for the Tigers, who posted a 4-1 record at the Marshfield Super Quad. Oliver Ames picked up wins over Pembroke (48-26), Scituate (54-18), Marshfield (57-18), and Toll Gate (39-38), dropping one match to powerhouse Tri-County. In the match against Toll Gate, sophomore Shannon Tran stepped into the lineup at 113 and had a comeback 10-9 win to clinch the win for OA. Senior Nathan Lipski went 5-0 on the day, getting four first period pins and one major decision. Seniors Ryan Widdop (152) and Jack Butler (160) both went 4-1 for OA.
Hingham Quad (Stoughton), 10:00AM
Knighthawk Wrestling Classic (Taunton) – Taunton had an outstanding showing in Holyoke, taking five individual champions as well as first place overall as a team. The Tigers had 239 points as a team, over 100 points over second place West Springfield. Michael Leskoski (113), Xavier Sandoval (132), Ben Mandeville (145), Ethan Harris (182), and Logan Frank (220) won their weight classes. Brian Haen (126) took second while Avery Justa (195) and Johnnie Mainer-Smith (106) each earned third.
Sandwich Early Bird (Taunton) – The Tigers sent a second team to the Sandwich Early Bird and had a solid showing. Tanisha White and Elijah Prophete each won as individual champions, Mel Jesus and Landen Rodriguez placed second in their bracket, and Mikayla Sheehan and Pierre Louis earned third.
2021-2022 Record: 0-15-0 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Gary Warren
Last season is not one to remember for Attleboro. The Bombardiers finished winless and had only eight goals in 18 games. New head coach Gary Warren will hope to find more firepower in front of goal and more depth with three forward lines and three defensive pairings as Attleboro tries to get back into the mix for a tournament berth.
Seniors Owen Parker and Colin Flynn will be the leaders on the top line with eighth grader Bryan Capone getting his first taste of varsity hockey. Sophomore Nathan Conroy will center the second line with senior Mike Lachance and junior Nick Fernandes on the wings. Eighth-grader Andrew Bessette will center the third line for the Bombardiers, joining up with sophomores Austin Bessette and Jack Moran.
Defensively, Attleboro will also lean on youth. Sophomores Alex Jarousky and Brody Shaw will partner on one line, eighth graders Beckett Stone and Cam Harrison will be a second partnership, and sophomore Lucas Devonis teaming up with senior Luke Logan. Junior Bradley Lehtonen and freshman Joey Santos will also see time on the blue line this season. After graduating four-year starter Nick Piazza, Attleboro will turn to junior Julien Horton and eighth grader Jacob Westwater between the pipes.
“Our success this season will hinge on good senior leadership, along with our younger players building confidence in their game,” Warren said. “We are a young, inexperienced team that hopefully will get better game after game.”
2021-2022 Record: 22-3-1 (D2 State Finalists) 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Coach: Brian Shuman
Only one team has ever won the Davenport division boys hockey title and, despite graduating 14 seniors off last year’s roster, Canton looks well-positioned to extend that run for another winter. After reaching the Div. 2 state title game for the third straight season, the Bulldogs will be incorporating a lot of new faces and young players (five freshmen and three sophomores) into this year’s roster to try and stay among the top teams in the state.
While there are several new players that will be getting time this year, Canton does return its top two scorers from last year. Senior AJ Thomas had a great playoff run to help the Bulldogs get back to the TD Garden and junior Brendan Tourgee was a standout as a sophomore with his combination of stick skills and strength. Juniors Pat Drury, Colin Blake, and Brian Middleton also saw plenty of ice time as sophomores and came through with some big goals during the season, while senior Jack Digirolamo adds some physicality in the attacking zone.
Canton always gets attention for its scoring punch, but its strength on the blue line has been one of the main reasons for its sustained success. Senior Leo Owens will start the season on the sidelines with an injury, so other players are going to need to step in while he gets healthy. Senior James Young and junior Matt Anderson, who scored the overtime winner in the season opener, will get plenty of ice time. Sophomore Colin Davis should provide the defense with plenty of confidence after a stellar rookie campaign between the pipes. He looked unflappable during Canton’s run to the final and senior Carson Eagles is a more than dependable backup in goal.
“As always, strong team defense and the depth to play four lines and six defense pairs will determine whether or not we can make a run for the league title and/or the playoffs this year,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman.
2021-2022 Record: 10-11-0 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32 Coach: Eric Galanti
Foxboro has a new head coach this season but it’s a familiar face as Eric Galanti steps in after five years on the bench as an assistant coach for the program. After graduating nine seniors from last year that accounted for a lot of production and ice time, the Warriors are looking for some new names to step up.
Albeit young, Foxboro has a strong core of returners from last year’s squad that had 10 wins and scored 70 goals. Senior Henry Diamond, who plays on the right wing, spearheads a relatively young forward group that includes returners Connor Hayers (left wing) and Luigi Muttart (left wing), both juniors, as well as sophomores Ryan Wood, Dan Jacobs — both centers — and, Finlay Campbell. Senior Jake DeMaino and sophomores Brendan LaCroix, Will Groves, and Connor Reardon bolster the offense. Freshman Michael Ruo and Owen McAuliffe are looking to make an impact right away.
Defense and goaltending will be a strength for Galanti and the Warriors this season. Senior Alex Coviello is a seasoned veteran that will anchor the blue line for Foxboro, joined by junior Tommy Devlin and a handful of sophomores who already have varsity experience including Tom Watts, Evan Paluzzi, Leo Campbell, and Connor Reardon. In net, Galanti has some veteran options with senior Peter Souaiden and junior Trevor Marder as options.
“We have a solid defense and great net minding that will allow a sophomore-heavy team to work toward an offense to match,” Galanti said.
2021-2022 Record: 14-9-0 (Kelley-Rex division champions) 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Sweet 16 Coach: Chris Spillane
A very familiar face has made his return to the bench for Franklin this season, as longtime coach Chris Spillane, who stepped away in 2019, is back in charge of the program. The Panthers have won 11 straight league titles and been a fixture in the Div. 1 state tournament and they boast a strong attacking lineup this season that will be looking to continue its control of the Kelley-Rex division.
Up front, Franklin will be boosted by the return of seniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio, who combined for 15 goals and 23 assists last year. Classmate Tommy Balducci will join them on the top line. Last year’s sophomore class was prolific in front of goal and, with a year of valuable experience, looks ready to be even more dynamic this season. Juniors Anthony Lampasona (six goals and 13 assists) and Ben Paterson (10 goals and 14 assists) will lead the way along with classmates Dylan McEvoy and Dan Daley. Sophomore Carter Balducci is a newcomer to look out for in attack.
Four players return on the blue line to give Franklin solid experience in the defensive zone. Seniors Liam O’Rielly, Aiden Kuykendall, and Lucas Sheehan will be joined by junior Dylan Marchand, who had an impressive sophomore season in defense. Sophomore Vinnie Pasquarosa should also see time on the back end. Goalie depth will be a strength for the Panthers this year, with sophomore Jack O’Connor returning, sophomore Joe Torraco making the jump from JV, and junior Colby Wagner coming back to the program after playing last year with the Northeast Generals.
“Offensively we will run three lines who all have the ability to score goals,” Spillane said. “The Panthers’ success will depend on our team defense, and how quickly we can understand our defensive systems.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-9-3 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Toby Carlow
King Philip is two years removed from taking a share of the Kelley-Rex division title (joining only the 2011 Mansfield team to win at least a piece of the division crown) and last year the Warriors showed off their potential by giving eventual state champion St. John’s Prep a battle in the opening round of the playoffs. Former Medfield coach Toby Carlow, who won a state title with those Warriors in 2016, take over this season with the intention of elevating these Warriors into one of the state’s top programs.
Carlow will be introducing new systems on both ends of the ice, relying on team speed and structure in the defensive zone to get back into the tournament. One challenge for KP will be replacing standout Brad Guden, who moved to Tabor Academy this season. In the defensive zone, junior Cam Lehan-Allen along with senior Sam Naggar will need to step up to provide leadership at the blue line. Senior Kyle Abbott will help out at the back, as he returns in goal after allowing fewer than two goals per game as a junior.
In addition to Guden, who had 17 points from defense last year, KP also graduated its three top goal scorers from last season, so the forward line will need new faces to step up and consistently find the back of the net. Senior James Boldy is the team’s top returning scorer with seven goals and 10 assists and junior Max Robison adds speed on the wing. Juniors Nate Gartska and Rowan Boulger also saw time as sophomores and provide depth in the forward lines.
“Our goal this year is to establish ourselves as a good solid team in Division 1,” Carlow said. “It’s time for King Philip to step into the upper level of Massachusetts hockey.”
2021-2022 Record: 7-12-1 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Mark O’Brien
Mansfield has a lot of turnover to contend with this season, as the Hornets open their first season of Davenport division play. Former assistant Mark O’Brien has taken over as head coach and he takes over a team that will lean on underclassmen to try and find the attacking threat to keep the Hornets in the league title mix and to stay in the tournament mix.
After graduating its top six forwards from last season, Mansfield will be hoping that a host of freshmen and sophomores can step up to the challenge of leading the line this winter. Seniors Cody Gordon, Connor Davey, and Brendan Flynn will provide much-needed leadership in the attacking zone. Sophomores Brendan Vokey, Matthew Tourigney, Matthew Cromack, and Kevin O’Brien and freshmen James Warren, Matt Kelly, Matthew Rabinovich, Liam Wells, and Cody Silva give the Hornets a lot of depth up front but also a lot of untested talent.
The blue line is a very different story. Mansfield’s defense should be a strength this season. Seniors Ryan DeGirolamo and Patrick Gormley return to anchor that end of the ice along with junior Will Cameron and sophomore Declan Foley. Sophomore Thomas Gormley is a newcomer to watch for the Hornets in defense. Freshman Aidan Shea and sophomore Luke McGuire are versatile players who could see time at forward or defense. In goal, Mansfield will have plenty of experience to call upon with senior Chris O’Brien and junior Josh Hussey.
“We have a tremendous group this season and they are committed to the team concept and giving their best effort for each other,” said O’Brien. “We are excited about our talented younger players and confident that our strong nucleus of upperclassmen will lead the way with a focus on team defense.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-11-1 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet 16 Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro head coach Kyle Heagney begins his second year in charge of the Rocketeers and they are looking to improve on last year’s 10-win season as they join the Kelley-Rex division for the second time in program history.
The Big Red will have to look for some new players to step up as they try to fill the void left by the graduation of a talented senior group, including Nik Kojoian, who led the Hockomock League in scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists last season, and Nick Longa, who was second in the league with 17 goals and tied for fifth overall in points with 26 points. The good news is that Heagney and the Rocketeers have one of the top returning forwards in the league in Mark Ayvazyan, who produced 13 goals and 12 assists in the regular season last year.
North will also look for seniors Brody Gaulin and Jack Dluhy to take on increased roles after netting five goals and two assists last season as well as junior Kaden Burns, who had five goals and one helper last season. Junior Kyle Gruber is back between the pipes after impressing last season.
2021-2022 Record: 6-11-1 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jimmy Tierney
Oliver Ames begins a new chapter in program history as they welcome a familiar face as new head coach in Jimmy Tierney, a former player and assistant coach. Tierney was the inaugural HockomockSports Goalie of the Year in 2013 and was a two-team First Team selection during his stellar career with the Tigers.
Now Tierney will look to guide this year’s team back to the success they experienced during his playing days when they reached the South sectional semifinals and finals during his sophomore and junior years. The Tigers have nearly their entire roster back from last year after graduating just two seniors, including senior center Sean McCarthy, who was second on the team with 10 goals and nine assists, and junior Andrew Livingstone, who earned HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors after leading OA with 12 goals and eight assists. The offense will have plenty of depth with seniors Matt Lawson (15 points), Jack Corey (15 points), Daniel Paul, and Jack Perron, who is a team captain for the second year along with McCarthy.
Sophomore Patrick DeLoughrey and freshman Brenden Teehan will look to make an immediate impact on the offensive end. Along the blue line, junior Sean Kearns (three goals, 11 assists) will look to build upon a solid campaign last year when he earned honorable mention for league all star. He’ll be joined by classmates Landon Grothe and Andy Poulos in the defensive group. The Tigers have experience in the net with senior Brandon Burke back between the pipes after playing in 17 games last year.
“Our biggest strength this season will be the team-first mentality our players have,” Tierney said. “The players care a lot about each other and will do what it takes to put the team first. This along with the hard work they are putting in is what will make us successful.”
2021-2022 Record: 11-11-2 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32 Coach: Dan Mark
The Stoughton/Brockton co-op team is coming off its most successful season together, and the Black Knights’ best campaign in over a decade after winning 11 games, including a preliminary game in the Division 3 state tournament.
The Black Knights won’t be competing in the Hockomock League again this season as they team up with the Boxers to try and replicate the success from last year. In order to do so, they’ll blend a mix of veteran and younger players as they navigate through their schedule, which will feature games against Hockomock League teams Attleboro, Foxboro, Oliver Ames, and Taunton. Offensively, Stoughton/Brockton returns a strong core led by last year’s leading scorer senior Charlie Caputo, who netted 13 goals along with 14 helpers. Senior Sean Farley added a team-high 16 goals as well as nine assists, while junior Colby Strunk is coming off a 21-point season as a sophomore.
Defensively, longtime head coach Dan Mark will turn to junior Ryan Summers to anchor a relatively inexperienced group. Summers had five goals and seven assists but the Knights lost three defensemen to graduation. In net, juniors Sean McGowan and Dmytro Yakovenko are battling for the starting job.
2021-2022 Record: 7-10-4 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton comes into the new season with definitely the youngest roster in the league and one of the youngest rosters in program history. Head coach Kris Metea has 35 players in the system this season and 26 of them are sophomores or younger. There is plenty of energy on the ice and plenty of potential, but there may be some growing pains for players getting their first taste of varsity action.
There are a few seniors on the team to provide the Tigers with much-needed experience and leadership. One of those seniors is Colton Scheralis, who will move up from the blue line to the attack at the start of the season. He recorded 13 points as a defenseman last year and should be able to bring his creativity and stick skills to the forward line. Senior Connor McGrath will also give Taunton a scoring punch, after his 13-goal, 13-assist junior campaign. Junior Conner Goranson scored 14 points last year as a sophomore and will be on the top line.
Experience is in short supply in the defensive zone, especially with Scheralis moving forward at the start. Sophomores Travis Cashman and Jon McGrath both saw time as freshmen and will look to build on that first season on the blue line. Sophomore Cam Tomaszycki is back in goal for the Tigers. He was a standout as a freshman, allowing a little more than three goals per game and saving nearly 90 percent of the shots he faced.
“We have a great group of players,” Metea said. “They are excited to go to the rink every day. They love each other and are willing to fight for one another. They make going to the rink a pleasure every day for our coaching staff.”
