Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/07/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Stoughton, 5 @ King Philip, 12 – FinalKing Philip scored three runs in the first inning and five runs in the third to pick up its second win of the season with a 12-5 decision over Stoughton. The Warriors had 17 hits on the day, led by Rudy Gately’s three hits, and two apiece from Travis Crawford, Matt Kelley (three RBI), Brendan Sencaj (four RBI), and Eli Reed (two RBI). Sencaj had a two-run double in the first and another RBI single in the fifth while Kelley had an RBI in each the second, third and fourth innings. Tommy Martorano didn’t let up an earned run in five innings of work, striking out seven.

Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 11 – FinalNorth Attleboro pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in a win over visiting Sharon. Tyler DeMattio smacked a two-run home run, David Floyd (walk) scored on a double steal, and Christian Bates drove in a run with a double. Sharon put up two runs in the fourth inning by Dillon Harding had an RBI single in the fifth and highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a two-run base hit. Tyler Bannon earned the win on the mound, allowing three hits with three strikeouts in four innings. Harding pitched three scoreless innings in relief with one hit allowed.








Softball
King Philip, 19 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final (5 inn.)King Philip scored at least three runs in each of the five innings, including nine between the first two to grab a win on the road over Stoughton. Sophomore Taylor Regan went 4-for-4 on the day with thee runs scored and two RBI to lead the offensive charge for KP, who had 20 hits as a team. Freshman Liv Petrillo added two hits, four RBI, and two runs, Charlotte Raymond drove in three runs and scored three runs, and Meg Sherwood, Ava Kelley, and Mia Bennett each had two RBI. Stoughton’s Camryn Whitman drive in three runs with a double in the second.

Boys Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Attleboro, 16 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Attleboro trailed 3-0 in the first quarter and 5-3 early in the second, but found another gear and pulled away in the second half to pick up a second win in as many days. Carter Shelton scored six goals and Keigan Conley had three goals and three assists for the Bombardiers. Ben Reardon scored four times and had two assists for the Tigers. Reardon got OA off to a great start with two goals in the opening four minutes and Wyatt Fritchman had one to make it 3-0. Conley set up Shelton to get Attleboro on the board and then Freddy Wheaton teed up Conley to bring the hosts within one. Reardon assisted on a Joey Carney goal but Shelton set up Patrick McAvoy to make it 4-3 after one. Fritchman added his second to push the lead back to two, but Attleboro scored the next three to go into halftime leading 6-5. Shelton and Conley had the first two and Chad Beaupin assisted a Cole McKenna goal with 20 seconds left to put Attleboro ahead for the first time. Reardon tied it early in the third, but Attleboro responded with the next four goals (Spencer Sherk, Beaupin, and two from Shelton) to take control. After Reardon got one back, Seth LaPlaca and Shelton answered but Ryan Jaco tallied his first with five seconds left in the third to keep OA within four (12-8). Attleboro sealed the win by scoring the only four goals of the fourth. Conley, Wheaton, Shelton, and Sherk all finding the back of the net. Goalies Noah Isleib (OA) and Harry Wheaton (Attleboro) both played well throughout.

Canton @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Foxboro, 9 @ Sharon, 8 – FinalSharon dominated at the faceoff X to rally in the second half, but Foxboro held on to get the league win. The Warriors built a 5-2 lead at half but the Eagles tripled their first half production with six strikes in the second half. For Foxboro, sophomore Lincoln Moore scored six goals, Tony Sulham added two more, and Jack Avery scored once in the win while sophomore goalie Adam Addeche turned in a 17-save performance to keep Foxboro ahead. Sophomore Ryan Cotter had a standout game defensive for Foxboro with six ground balls. Sharon senior Ben Shocket won 18 of 21 face offs taken.

Franklin, 25 @ Milford, 4 – FinalFranklin poured in 21 goals in the opening half to secure a road win to move to 2-0 on the season. Tyler Sacchetti led the charge with four goals and six ssists, Jayden Consigli had five goals and four assists, and Luke Davis added four goals and three assists.

King Philip, 17 @ Hopkinton, 7 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

North Attleboro, 7 @ Canton, 11 – FinalKnotted at 4-4 at halftime, Canton found the back of the net seven times over the final two quarters to get a win over North Attleboro. Emily McCabe and Devan Spinale both had four goals to pace the Bulldogs’ offense while Ella Yeaton scored twice and Shannon McGrann had one goal. Elyse Broderick made 10 saves in net to get the win.

Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 20 – FinalFoxboro completed a perfect opening week with another double-digit win. Ten Warriors found the scoresheet on Thursday, led by Paige Curran with five goals and two assists. Mya Waryas added four goals and three assists, while Kate Collins (one assist), Cate Noone, and Val Beigel each scored twice. Grace Riley and Meghan Burke both had goals and an assist and Kaelin Connors, Jennifer Gallagher, and Hannah Blake found the back of the net once apiece. Anna Hertzel and Kiera Ledyard scored for the Eagles and goalie Tess Letendre made 13 saves in the loss.

Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 21 – Final

Mansfield, 16 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalCali Melo scored both goals for the Tigers.

King Philip, 14 vs. Hopkinton, 5 – FinalKing Philip scored six goals in the first half and added eight more after the halftime break in a win over Hopkinton. Julia Marsden paced the offense for the Warriors with seven goals while Makenzie McDevitt had a hat trick plus three helpers. Lily Brown notched six assists along with a goal, Nikki MacDonald scored twice, and Abby MacDonald added one in the win.

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalA singles sweep and another win in doubles play gave King Philip a win on the road at Stoughton. Brady Jannell rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, Jonathan Cohen didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jackson Hom took a 6-2, 6-1 victory at third singles. KP also added a win from Diego Nieto and Noah Ihley at first doubles (6-0, 6-4). Stoughton’s Jake Berry and Joe Mark claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ Medway, 5 – Final

Oliver Ames @ Milton, 3:45

Taunton, 1 vs. Durfee, 4 – Final




Girls Tennis
Sharon 2, vs. Bishop Feehan 3 – Final

Milford vs. Whitinsville Christian, 3:45

Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 2 – FinalA sweep of doubles action plus one singles win was enough for Taunton to get a win on the road over the Hilltoppers. Senior Kayla Parrett battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 win at first singles for the Tigers. The first doubles tandem of sophomores Morgan Smith and Sam Parrett notched a 6-3, 6-3 win and sophomore Janelle Garcia and senior Kelsey Brennan teamed up for a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 0 @ Bellingham, 3 – Final

Milford, 3 vs. Nipmuc, 0 – Final

Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 1 – FinalTaunton broke into the win column for the first time this season, taking the final two sets after splitting the first two for a 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17) win. Junior Ty Ekstrom set the offense up with 26 assists along with four aces, four digs, and a pair of kills. Antonios Dimakis led the offense with 11 kills, six digs, a pair of aces, and a block, Matt Freitas added nine kills, eight digs, and six aces, while Josh Duncan (eight digs, four kills) had a big day from the service line with 10 aces.

2022 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview
Following a first South final appearance, Franklin returns a strong group to go after a state title. Find full previews for all teams below. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 3-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro had some growing pains during the 2021 campaign, but has a good chunk of the roster back in the fold for 2022 and will try to take the next step forward as a program.

The Bombardiers will have a strong foundation on the defensive end of the field. Captain Fred Wheaton is back for another year to anchor the defense and he’s joined by fellow returners Bobby Sawyer and John Wheaton to give Attleboro a solid veteran nucleus to try and shut down some of the top offenses in the league. Attleboro also has sophomore Harry Wheaton back in net after gaining valuable experience in the cage in 2021.

Having last year’s top scorer in Carter Shelton back in the fold will give the Bombardiers a good start in the attack. Shelton scored 30 goals and had 15 assists, finishing 12th in the Hock in scoring. Captain Keigan Conley is also back to bolster the attack, coming off a 22 goal, 10 assist campaign a year ago. Freshman Nathan Conroy is also in the mix already in the attack.

Attleboro’s midfield will be anchored by captain Ryan Betts along with Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlace. The Bombardiers also expect contributions from Cole McKenna, Patrick McAvoy, and Spencer Scherck.

“We have a lot of returning guys that picked up valuable varsity experience last season,” said Attleboro head coach Kevin Patton. “We are looking forward to a strong season in 2022.”

Canton

2021 Record: 14-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Ryan Quinn
Canton split its two games with Foxboro to win a share of the Davenport title in 2021, just the third league title in program history and were an overtime goal away from reaching the Div. 2 South final. The Bulldogs have a lot of experience in the attack and the midfield this season with the goal of putting in another challenge for the league crown and putting together another state tournament push.

The Bulldogs had a dynamic attack last spring and the league’s leading scorer Sam Carlino headlines a strong group this season as well. Junior Jeff Chaput joins Carlino in the attack and the midfield group is filled with experience from last season. Sophomore Brendan Tourgee, juniors AJ Thomas and Chris Hamilton, senior Eddie Gillis, and Charlie Vaughn will all give Canton playmaking at the middie position.

Defensively, Canton will definitely miss graduated goalie Dylan Coyne but the Bulldogs have a talented group of poles that should be tough to score against this season. Senior Sean Connolly will lead that defensive group alongside sophomores Luke Darling and Colin Blake.

“I am really excited about this upcoming season,” said second-year coach Ryan Quinn. “Our student-athletes have been working hard to build on our success from last season, but are very aware that everything we achieve is based upon the work we put in this year, every day.  We are led by a small, but strong senior class, and have depth across all four grades levels. This group is a very coachable group and we are very excited to begin”







Foxboro

2021 Record: 11-4
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Matt Noone
After graduating just two seniors from last year’s team, Foxboro is back with a strong lineup that will look to reclaim the Davenport title that it shared with Canton in 2021. The Warriors will have depth up and down the field with the goal of not only returning to the top of the division but also being ready for a deep run in the statewide tournament.

Foxboro’s attack is all back from last season. The Warriors finished third in goals scored in the league in 2021 and a year’s worth of experience should make them even more dynamic. Junior Conor Noone was the league’s third-leading scorer last season and he will lead the line again alongside sophomore Lincoln Moore, coming off a breakout rookie campaign, and senior Jack Avery. Senior Tommy Sharkey was an all-star middie last season and he will be joined by junior Finn Stapleton and sophomore Tony Sulham, another player who made a strong varsity debut as a freshman.

Depth should be a strength for the Warriors, who return their second midfield group as well, including sophomores Sully Kenneally, Ryan Cotter, and Ian Foley. Foxboro’s defense is returning as a group too. Seniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts are the leaders at the back and will be joined by classmate Mark Jansen. Senior Matt Grace will start at LSM with sophomore Jack Sullivan backing him up. Sophomore Adam Addeche is back in goal, backed up by classmate Nate Urman, and freshman midfielder John Sacchetti and defender James Dee Gaffney are newcomers with potential.

“The Warriors graduated two seniors and return the core of their team,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “Everyone is a year older with varsity experience which will help us in our 2022 push.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 18-1
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Lou Verrochi
After reaching the program’s first sectional final in 2021, Franklin brings a typically strong lineup of experienced players who will be aiming to make a run in the new statewide tournament. The Panthers have loaded up their regular season schedule to prepare for the rigors of the tournament with state powers Medfield, Lincoln-Sudbury, and St. John’s Prep among the teams that Franklin will challenge itself against to be ready to shoot for silverware this spring.

Franklin’s attack scored more than 300 goals in 19 games last season and should be just as dynamic this year with junior All-American Luke Davis joined by classmate Jayden Consigli, who were both in the top five in scoring in the league in 2021. Junior Tyler Sacchetti will be the third member of the attacking crew. Sophomore Drew Hansen and Ed O’Brien and junior John Walshe will make up the first midfield. Junior Justin Alexander was one of the best face-off middies in the state last year and the Panthers will be counting on him to control possessions again this season.

Senior Kyle Palmieri will lead the defensive group, which should once again be a challenge for the opposition to score against. Junior Ben Harvey and senior Billy Gardner will also be key players at close defense. Sophomore goalie Matt Corvi will step into the cage this spring and has the potential to be a standout.

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

“Once again, we will have a very competitive team this spring with a very tough schedule,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi.




King Philip

2021 Record: 9-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Hal Bean
With more than a dozen players back in the fold from last year, King Philip is looking to take another step forward after posting a 9-5 record last year.

The Warriors have key pieces in the lineup all over the field, starting with senior goalie James Boldy. Boldy had a great campaign a season ago and will be among the top goalies in the league this year. He will work with fellow senior captain Will Weiblen and senior Shaun Fitzpatrick as the anchors of the King Philip defense.

There is a strong core of midfielders back in the mix this year, starting with returning faceoff specialist Thomas Brewster. He will be joined by a very experienced group that features seniors Ben Riggs, Sean McCarthy, Andrew Longobardi, Nolan Feyler,
Brayden Thompson, John Campbell, and Ian Hill, along with sophomore standout Noah Minkwitz. Riggs (31 points last year) will be one of the most dangerous two-way players in the league but KP has a lot of depth in the position.

Offensively, King Philip has Sean Crowther back in the fold, who was just one of six Hock players to reach the 40-goal mark on the season. He’s joined by Kip Bishop and Colin Lightbody, who both registered 19 points a year ago, as well as Colin Gillis and sophomore Donovan DeVellis.

“King Philip boys lacrosse expects to compete in every game and anticipates a productive season and playoff run,” said KP head coach Hal Bean “We all are looking forward to a fun season!”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 6-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Frias
With a handful of young faces fighting for spots in the lineup, Mansfield is hoping to pick up valuable experience early and make a late charge for a spot in the state tournament.

The Hornets do have some experience on the defensive side of the ball with Ryan DeGirolamo starting in the cage and senior captains Zander Holmes and Mark DiGirolamo patrolling the space in front of him. Mansfield has a handful of young poles that will be in the mix including Liam Barry, Patrick Gormley, Nolan Bordieri, and James DeGirolamo.

The group of upperclassmen will make up the majority of the field with senior Dash Munson joining a trio of talented juniors in Grady Sullivan, Drew Sacco, and Cody Gordon. The Hornets have a lot of young players looking to find spots in the midfield and lineup and general, and new names that could contribute early on include Aidan Steele, Jake Feinberg, and Liam Steele.

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

In the attack, senior Jack Roberts will be accompanied by a pair of sophomores in Tommy Smith and Andrew Burnham.




Milford

2021 Record: 2-11
2021 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Austin Costa
Under the guidance of new head coach Austin Costa, the Scarlet Hawks are aiming to show improvement throughout the season and set the program on an upward trajectory.

There is a strong mix of veteran leadership and new faces eager to find a spot in the lineup for Costa and the Scarlet Hawks this season. Senior captain Eric Landry is set to be the leader on the defensive end, and his experience will be key as Milford tries to fend off some lethal offenses. Landry will be joined by Brian Goncalves and junior Nick Casilli, both returners for the Scarlet Hawks. Defensive experience will be key as the Hawks turn to Alex McGuire for his varsity debut in the cage.

Offensively, look for veterans Jacob Ligor and Eric Farrell to be major contributors for the Scarlet Hawks. Both have a good amount of experience playing at this level and know what it takes to compete in the Hockomock League. Other returners for Milford include Kyle Donelan, Shawn O’Donnell, and Ronn Swineford while freshmen Alex Maietta and Jayden Martins have impressed early on and could be key contributors right away.

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 7-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Kevin Young
North Attleboro finished in a tie for third in the Davenport division last year and had an impressive playoff win over Belmont before being beaten by sectional finalist Medfield. The Rocketeers only graduated two players from last season’s team, so Big Red comes into the spring with big expectations of competing for a first league title since 2017 and being a threat in the state tournament.

The North attack should be an area of strength this season with seniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Ruppert, and Clayton Billingkoff all back up top. Antonetti led the team with 57 points in 2021. Juniors Jack Regan and Luke Ward have both had strong preseasons, while freshmen Ethan Gustafson and Brady Brackner could be poised for breakout debuts. Senior Jared Vacher will do his best to get as many possessions as possible for the North attack by winning draws.

North’s defense has plenty of experience as well. Senior Max Hobbs, Anthony Ferro, and James Brennan will get plenty of help from sophomore Connor Rajotte and junior LSM Julian House. The Rocketeers can also count on two experienced goalies with senior Ethan McGrath and junior JT Gallagher both back in the cage this spring.

“We know the Hockomock will be strong this year,” said North coach Kevin Young. “I am excited to watch this group compete and grow as a team.”

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 3-11
2021 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Devlin
Oliver Ames coach Ben Devlin stepped down after last season, but he was convinced to come back this spring to lead a young Tigers team. Twenty-four of the 34 players in the program this year are either freshmen or sophomores, so OA will be counting on younger players to step up across the field and Devlin is excited about the promise he sees during the preseason.

Senior midfielder Wyatt Fritchman and junior attacker Ben Reardon will be the leaders on offense. Fritchman was second on the team in scoring last year and Reardon went on a run of nine goals in the final three games of his sophomore season. Senior Wes Tower is back to run things in the midfield and sophomores Ryan Jaco and Alex McAndrew have the potential to find the back of the net.

On the other end of the field, senior Cam Tower has been converted to LSM this season. The other poles will be led by junior Jake Manthous, who also was in charge of the face-offs last year, and sophomore Landon Grothe. Junior Noah Isleib returns in goal to keep things organized on defense and sophomore Ethan St. Jean will be his backup.
 
“Despite being much younger, we are looking to improve on last year’s results and continue building the program,” said Devlin. “We expect to have some growing pains early in the season, but look to improve as the younger players get experience and develop their game during the season. It’s never easy to rebuild in a talented league like the Hock. There aren’t any easy games as every team is talented and well-coached…but we are setting our sights on winning enough games to reach the postseason.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon has a solid core back from last year’s nine-win team but without any juniors on the squad, there will be a lot of young players in the lineup with most getting their first taste of varsity lacrosse.

With over a half dozen seniors on the roster, head coach Jon Shocket will lean heavily on their veteran leadership and experience as the new players get integrated into the lineup and acclimated with the speed of the high school game. The senior trio of Ben Shocket, Brady Daylor, and Ryan Zunenshine are this year’s captains.

The other seniors on the team include Jace Nestler, Matt Mahoney, James Lillenfeld, and Chance Hanah, and all four will be vital as the Eagles make a push for the postseason. There are four freshmen already in the lineup including Matt Powers in net, Jordan Burke at attack, and Zach Bernstein and Ben Goldberg at defense. Sophomores Gabe Korn, Ryan Brown, Jacob Kaufman, and Ronin Widland will also be in the mix for the Eagles.

“I hope to get a lot of growth from our team as we get more experience,” Shocket said.

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only teams that responded to HockomockSports.com with information regarding their team and the upcoming season are listed in this year’s preview.

Attleboro

2019 Record: 4-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton

Attleboro is a young program and, after the two-year break, also has a young roster, but the Bombardiers have a group of experienced players to lean on at both ends of the field to try and build on the four wins from 2019.

Senior Michael Strachan will lead the Attleboro attack and he’s joined up top by junior Keigan Conley, who played two years ago as a freshman, and sophomore Carter Shelton. In the midfield, senior Dan White and Matt Perry will be joined by junior Ryan Betts. Attleboro has a lot of depth in the midfield with juniors Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlaca and senior Elijah Turner, who has transferred in from Xaverian. Junior Freddy Wheaton and senior goalie William Runey will be the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Wheaton’s brother John and freshman Bobby Sawyer will also jump in on defense. Senior Jack Nagy and freshmen Ethan Lyons and Shane Evans will also see action in defense this season. Freshman Harry Wheaton will be the backup goalie this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“After missing last season due to pandemic, our team (like all others in the league) is young,” said Attleboro coach Kevin Patton. “However, we do have a lot of varsity experience on the team from returning players. This coupled with leadership from our captains has me excited for the season.”

Canton

2019 Record: 12-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Interim Coach: Tommy Galvin

Canton came close to winning its third league title in program history in 2019, finishing just a game back of Foxboro, and now the Bulldogs return a veteran spine for the new coaching staff to build around. With a few exciting newcomers, especially in attack, Canton could be ready to challenge for its third title in the past eight seasons.

Experience will be key for the defensive unit. Senior goalie Dylan Coyne provides a big frame and a tough, physical presence in goal. In front of him, senior Jack Albert is a strong on-the-ball defender and freshman LSM Colin Blake should be able to step right in and make an impact. Canton is hoping to limit the transition game and use its strength to keep the opposition away from goal. Senior midfielder Jeff Fitzpatrick is strong on the faceoff ‘X’ and can jump into the attack. Junior Sam Carlino has been explosive through the first two games, with 12 goals already, and he leads a relatively young attacking crew. Sophomore attacker Jeff Chaput and freshman midfielder Brendan Tourgee should contribute to Canton’s offense right away.

“We have a mix of veteran players and new players and I am very excited to see what this group can accomplish this year,” said Canton interim coach Tommy Galvin. “We have great leadership and are a gritty team who plays until the final whistle.”




Foxboro

2019 Record: 12-7
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Matt Noone

Foxboro is in search of a three-peat of Davenport division titles, but the Warriors will also be looking to the future with a relatively young and inexperienced roster. There are only three seniors on the roster this season, so underclassmen will be getting the chance to contribute right away at both ends of the field.

Senior Nick Penders has been on varsity since his freshman season and will be an important contributor both at the faceoff ‘X’ and in the attack. He will be joined in the midfield by classmate Max Biegel, whose athleticism makes him a factor on offense and defense. Junior Tommy Sharkey, sophomore Finn Stapleton, and freshman Tony Sulham will round out the midfield unit. At the back, senior Paul Andrews will add leadership once he returns from a football injury. Junior Jack Avery saw some time as a freshman and he’ll get help in the attack from sophomore Conor Noone and freshman Lincoln Moore. Juniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts will lead the defensive corps until Andrews returns and freshman Adam Addeche will continue a family legacy as he steps in at goal.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“Right now we are shaking a lot of rust off,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “We are young, but we will be tough! I look forward to this young team as they grow and come together.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 18-3
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Lou Verrochi

Franklin has developed not only into a league power, having won the outright Kelley-Rex division title in each of the past five seasons, but is showing that it can compete with the top programs in the state. In 2019, the Panthers reached the South semifinal and lost by just one to perennial power Duxbury. This year’s team expects to be just as skilled and athletic as usual with sights set on another league crown.

The centerpiece of the Franklin attack will be senior Matt Lazzaro, an All-American in 2019, and he will be partnered up top by sophomore Luke Davis, whose brothers Will (goalie) and Jake (attacker) are both playing college, and sophomore Jayden Consigli, who moved from Northbridge. The midfield is loaded with athletes, including Owen Kielty, Joe Consigli, Tim Walsh, and Mike Griffin. Zach Harvey will lead the defensive unit along with Ben Harvey and Kyle Palmieri. Senior Jack Maguire will step in between the pipes with freshman Matt Corvi also ready to jump in and play goal when needed. Justin Alexander will be taking faceoffs, following in the footsteps of his brother Jacob who was the league MVP in 2019.

“We have a very competitive group of lacrosse athletes this year,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “We are looking forward to see what this group can do during our Hock schedule and hopefully advance in the state tournament.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 8-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Frias

Mansfield reached the postseason in 2019 only to have to face Franklin in the first round. With 10 seniors returning this spring, the Hornets will be hoping to lean on their experience to challenge the Panthers in the race for the Kelley-Rex division crown and get playing time for a large and talented sophomore class getting its first taste of varsity action.

The Hornets should have the speed to burn and plenty of aggressive play in the middle of the field with seniors Nico Holmes, Ethan Bruce, and Joe Gormley. Seniors Thomas Norton, Jake Quirk, and Dylan Morris will give Mansfield some versatility and dynamism in the attacking zone. Seniors Ben Johnston, Frankie Kennedy, and Ben Tatusko will be the leaders in the defensive corps. Sophomore Ryan DeGirolamo will step into the cage and anchor the defense.

“There are a number of key young players we look at to play an integral part in this year’s team,” said Mansfield coach Tim Frias. “Our strength will be speed and size.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 10-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Kevin Young

North Attleboro finished a game out of first in 2019 and now two years later the Rocketeers will be looking to take that next step and snatch back the Davenport division title from Foxboro. North has a good blend of experience and new faces, strength in defense, and dynamic attackers to challenge for the league title this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Defense is going to be a key for the Rocketeers. Senior Tyler Sarro has been a starter since his freshman year and the St. Michael’s-commit is going to be the leader in the defensive end of the field. Senior LSM Sam Gugliotta will add more experience at the back, while Eric Hobbs and James Brennan look ready to step into bigger roles. In the attack, juniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Rupert, and Clayton Billingkoff will try to build on the experience they had as freshmen to shoulder the scoring load this season. Midfielder Jared Vacher is going to step in at the faceoff ‘X’ and North has a pair of new goalies, Ethan McGrath and JT Gallagher, who have had solid preseasons and look ready to compete at this level.

“COVID has hit all sports hard,” said North coach Kevin Young. “We are focusing on getting all players ready to step into any role. It will be a challenging year but, we’re glad to be back.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 14-5
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Devlin

Oliver Ames won 14 games in 2019 and finished tied with King Philip for second in the Kelley-Rex division, but two years later only one player from that team is back as the Tigers look to make noise in the Davenport. Despite its inexperience, the Tigers will be hoping that the underclassmen can step in and help OA challenge for a league title.

The lone player with varsity experience is senior attacker Remi Creighton. One of the league’s most creative players, Creighton had 60 points as a sophomore and will be the spearhead of OA’s attack. Seniors Doug Oliveira and Ross Carroll will also add to the offensive punch and sophomore attacker Ben Reardon will make his varsity debut this season. Juniors Wyatt Frichtman and Wes Tower will both step in after a year with JV in 2019. Senior Brendan Cross and Michael Branagan will be joined on defense by sophomore Jake Manthous and freshman LSM Landon Grothe. Sophomore Noah Isleib and junior Cam Tower will battle for the starting goalie spot.

“It’s tough to replace what OA lax graduated last year,” said OA coach Ben Devlin. “We now have a lot of kids that haven’t played together before and many who haven’t played a lacrosse game in over two years. We’ll be focused on getting these guys on the same page and working off some rust while incorporating a lot of young players.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 7-11
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jon Shocket

Sharon has a team loaded with upperclassmen this season and, despite missing last spring, the Eagles are hoping that experience will carry them up the standings to challenge Foxboro at the top of the Davenport division.

The Eagles will be hoping to bolster the attack this season, led by senior Drew Litner, who played a part in more than half of the team’s goals as a sophomore. Junior Brady Daylor will be taking on a bigger role in the midfield this season and his classmate Ben Shocket could be ready for a breakout season on the faceoff ‘X’ after being third in the league in faceoff wins as a freshman. Defensively, senior Shea Letendre will be the vocal leader and senior Adam Rabb is back in goal to anchor things at that end of the field.

“We’re very excited about the upcoming season,” said Sharon coach Jon Shocket. “We have several returning starters with a majority of our team seniors and juniors.”

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview