Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 51 @ Foxboro, 59 – Final (OT) – Foxboro junior Joe Morrison scored 14 of his team-high 21 points in the first half, giving the Warriors a 28-21 lead by the break. Attleboro cut the deficit to two heading into the final quarter and tied the game inside the final minute to send the game to overtime. Foxboro junior Teddy Maher came up clutch with a big three in overtime as the Warriors outscored Attleboro 11-3 in the extra frame. Senior Andrew Block and freshman Brandon Borde added 10 points apiece for Foxboro. Andrew Milliken scored a team-high 14 points for the Bombardiers while freshman Qualeem Charles added 11 points.
Oliver Ames, 56 @ Canton, 45 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Nick Welch scored a career-high 28 points, accounting for half of Oliver Ames’ points in a remarkable performance. Carter Evin added 13 points for the Tigers.
Franklin, 80 @ Sharon, 57 – Final – Franklin scored 26 points in the first quarter and never looked back, hitting the 80 point mark for the second game in a row. Junior Paul Mahon dropped a game-high 18 points while senior Josh Macchi chipped in with 16 points for the Panthers. Sharon junior Malik Lorquet had 13 points and 10 rebounds and senior Ben Stamm added 10 points for the Eagles.
Mansfield, 66 @ Milford, 53 – Final – Milford raced out to a 12-3 lead and stayed within three late in the third quarter, but Mansfield was able to pull away with with a 16-9 final quarter. The Hornets connected on nine three pointers with Max Boen (11 points, six rebounds, four assists) hitting three and Christian Weber (11 points, four assists), Sam Hyland (10 points, five rebounds) and Ben Albanese (six points) each hitting two trifectas. Sam Goldberg led Mansfield with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Milford’s Anthony Arcudi poured in a career-high 30 points while Zack Tamagni added 10 points for the Hawks.
Canton, 33 @ Oliver Ames, 58 – Final – Oliver Ames’ defense limited Canton to just 15 points in the second half while the offense kept its pace to pick up the win at home. Kayla Raymond had 16 points and 15 rebounds, Niyera Mitchell added 16 points and both Hannah Carroll and Abby Reardon netted 10 points.
Sharon, 34 @ Franklin, 76 – Final – The Panthers had four players reach double figures in points led by Carli Koffinke’s 15. Ali Brigham added 12, Margaux Welsh had 11, and Bea Bondhus scored 10 for the Panthers. Sharon freshman Telishya Herbert, a recent varsity call-up, led the Eagles with eight points.
North Attleboro, 51 @ King Philip, 28 – Final – Julia Feid was the top scorer for North Attleboro with 14 points, while fellow sophomore Shannon O’Connor led KP with seven points.
Milford, 43 @ Mansfield, 53 – Final – Jen Peel scored 15 points and dished out eight assists for the Hornets, Ann Maher added 13 points and Meg Hill scored 12 points and pulled to lead Mansfield. Kate Irwin was Milford’s top scorer with 12 points and Christine Pye added eight for the Hawks.
Hockey
Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield built a 4-0 lead after the first period but Attleboro stormed back, netting three goals in the second period and then three more in the third period to get the win. Jake Parker scored five goals to lead the comeback for the Bombardiers while Cam Littig scored once.
Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Bubba McNeice scored twice and Brian Ghostlaw netted his first career goal to pace the Bulldogs. Mike Dadasis and Ryan Lodge scored back to back goals early in the first period to give Canton a 2-0 lead after one period. Charlie Malloy and Ryan Nolte also scored for Canton in the game.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Six different players found the back of the net for the Tigers, starting with a goal from junior captain Eric LeBlanc. Senior Mike Nikiciuk added a goal and an assist and freshman Hunter Costello scored his first career goal. Freshman goalie Owen Connor made five saves in the third period.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 8 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro sophomore Anthony Zammiello netted a hat trick in the first period while Devin Sparrow and Justin Moccia each scored their first career goals. Jon Lessa scored a third period goal for the Black Knights.
Wrestling
Canton, 43 @ Stoughton, 30 – Final
Franklin, 45 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – Franklin clinched the Kelley-Rex title outright, its first since 2014 and the program’s 17th Hockomock title with a win at KP.
Milford @ Taunton, 6:00
Sharon, 12 @ North Attleboro 60 – Final – North Attleboro clinched its first ever Davenport division title outright in its first year in the division with the win over the Eagles.
Foxboro’s Ashley Sampson drives to the basket along the baseline against Milford. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Coming into a game, Foxboro opponents know that they have to try and contain the Warriors leading scorer Ashley Sampson. The offense flows through the junior guard, who always seems to have the ball in her hands and can make plays in a number of different ways.
While stopping one player is hard enough, the challenge grows when the other players find the range as well. On Saturday morning at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Milford struggled to contain a Foxboro attack that was spearheaded by junior forward Grace Tamulionis, who scored a game- (and career-) high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals.
Foxboro had three scorers reach double digits and eight players get on the board on Saturday to beat Milford 66-37 and pull into a first place tie with North Attleboro atop the Davenport division standings.
“We’ve been practicing a little bit more and been able to translate that into the games,” said Foxboro coach Lisa Downs. “It started on Thursday against Oliver Ames (a 51-35 win) and they’re shooting the ball with a lot more confidence. It’s not just one girl that is contributing and every day we’re getting someone new to step up.”
Foxboro came out firing in the first quarter and Sampson led the way with eight of her 16 points. Three times Sampson got to the baseline on drives to the hoop and she also knocked down a step-back jumper. Tamulionis also looked up for it from the start with four points in the first.
Milford stayed close largely thanks to Jill Burley. After Riley Collins drilled a three off a Lauren Flahive assist to push the Foxboro lead to nine, Burley, who scored seven of her 11 in the quarter, scored on a pair of drives to the hoop to cut the deficit to five despite leading scorer Kate Irwin being forced to the bench with foul trouble.
In the second, Emma Liskov came off the bench to score five of her team-high 13 points to keep Milford hanging around, but Foxboro was able to push the lead to nine by the break. Shannon Smally scored her lone basket to make it 22-15 and then Flahive and Kristen Bortolotti (from a Lily Sykes steal and assist) scored the final four points of the half.
When asked if playing in the arena setting could have impacted the way the Hawks started, Milford coach T.J. Dolliver responded, “It could’ve been, I can’t say for sure. I know for me, it’s a big environment and it’s a little intimidating, but after you get out there and run around you’re playing, you’re coaching.”
In the third quarter, Milford was held to only two made field goals (one for Liskov and the other for Christine Pye) and Foxboro’s defense continued to shut down Irwin, who was held to just one point for the game.
“Our focus was to block her out from touching the ball,” said Downs of guarding Irwin. “We kept rotating Lily and Riley, our two quickest girls, and that’s going to tire anyone out.”
Dolliver added, “It’s tough. In games like this, you need your stars, your leading scorer, to show up and unfortunately it wasn’t a good game for all of us. It’s hard for me to say the effort wasn’t there because I have a great group of girls…but we didn’t show up to play.”
On the other end, Tamulionis emerged as the go-to player for the Foxboro offense. She scored 10 points in the third, including a pair of threes, and looked confident every time she touched the ball. Sykes (12 points) extended the lead to 20 with a pair of high-arcing three-pointers of her own that closed out the third with Foxboro ahead 47-27.
“Grace has been doing some amazing things defensively and on the boards and now to have her being able to put the points on the board is just an extra bonus that’s going to get us far,” said Downs of Tamulionis’ contributions.
Sampson scored four in the fourth quarter, Sykes added six, Collins knocked down a three, and Tamulionis hit a jumper as well. Milford was struggling to slow down the Warriors, who were shooting the lights out.
“We didn’t have a game plan of trying to stop Ashley,” said Dolliver, “because they have so many; we had to stop so many. They made some really good, contested shots, pulled away, and we couldn’t do anything about it.”
Downs was asked what impact it has on the Warriors when different players provide scoring, as Tamulionis did on Saturday and Sykes did against OA (she had 19 against the Tigers). Downs replied, “It’s huge. When we have another girl that other teams aren’t really paying attention to…all the focus isn’t on Ashley. That opens up a lot more things that we can do offensively.”
Foxboro (9-2, 8-2) is now tied with North Attleboro for first in the division heading into a tough trip to Attleboro on Tuesday. Milford (8-5, 5-5) drops to .500 in the league this season and faces a trip to Kelley-Rex leader Mansfield.
North Attleboro senior Caroline Collard (25) scored 16 points, 10 in the third quarter, to help the Rocketeers rally past Milford on Tuesday. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro was trailing by a point as the clock wound down under 90 seconds remaining in Tuesday’s game at the Kenneth Pickering Gym. The Rocketeers needed someone to make a play to avoid the upset against an upstart Milford team that was trying to tie North for the Davenport division lead.
Senior Ashley Ahern picked the pocket of Jill Burley, her fifth steal of the game, and raced the length of the court for a layup to give North a 46-45 lead. It turned out to be the game-winning basket, as the Rocketeers locked down on defense and Ahern sealed the 51-45 victory by knocking down 5-of-6 free throws.
It was an impressive come from behind win for the hosts, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, but also an indication of how far Milford has come in head coach T.J. Dolliver’s second season that the Hawks had the division leaders on the ropes.
“They did,” replied North coach Derek Herber about Milford having the Rocketeers on the edge. “We’ve seen enough of them…I told my girls that they’re scrappy like us and they can shoot a little bit, so we’ve got to be ready to play. They came out right away and did exactly that.
“They’ve come a long way and credit to T.J., he’s put a team together over there and they’re going to be a problem throughout the season.”
The opening quarter was an indication of the confidence that the Hawks are playing with this season. In an end-to-end period that resembled a track meet as much as a basketball game, the Hawks got points from six different players and scored 19 points.
Christine Pye (eight points) knocked down a pair of long jumpers and Burley scored four of her eight points on a pair of runners in the lane. Nicole Dahlgren (12 points, eight rebounds, five assists) scored on an offensive rebound plus the foul then assisted on a three-pointer by Juliana Tracy.
North kept it close in the opening quarter with a strong offensive attack of its own. Ahern scored four of her game-high 16 points and sophomore Julia Feid added six of her seven points in the first.
The pace continued in the second quarter, but the scoring slowed down. The teams scored six points apiece and headed into halftime with the Hawks ahead 25-21.
In the third quarter, Milford came out strong and took a double digit lead. Kate Irwin flipped a pass over the defense to Dahlgren for a layup then Gillian Valanzola used a pump fake to get past Caroline Collard in the post for a basket. After Dahlgren scored on one of Burley’s six assists, she then managed to keep a play alive while falling to set up Irwin (six points) for a three.
North trailed 36-26 and Herber called timeout.
“We’ve got to execute better on offense,” Herber told his team. “We have a height advantage, so lets try to get the ball to Collard and if we get the shots off that look that’s what we need to do. We were able to put some pressure on their guards and get in their face a little bit.”
Feid snagged a rebound of a missed free throw and fed it to Collard for a layup to get North started. Collard then scored a layup in transition off an Ahern assist and another off of a Feid inbound pass to get the Rocketeers back within three. Collard scored 10 of her game-high 16 in the quarter.
North regained the lead before the end of the third on back-to-back steals and transition baskets by Ahern. Dolliver was left rueing the missed opportunity to put North away.
“We just turned the ball over too much and it was just…careless,” he said. “They played good defense on it, but they were passes that we could avoid. We definitely have to take care of the ball a little more and that was the difference.”
North extended the run to 13 straight points with a pair of free throws and then Samantha Taggart answered a Dahlgren jumper with a three-pointer that made it 42-38. Pye scored on a layup to cut the lead in half, but Liz Morehouse scored her only points of the night to push the lead back to four.
Pye was left open on an inbounds play for a layup and then Dahlgren buried a straightaway three-pointer that put Milford back in front by a point with time running out for North.
“I was happy to see that they bounced back,” said Dolliver of his team’s response to the North run. “I really love this group. That’s the No. 1 seed [in the division] and you had them, so it’s a good sign in that aspect but I hold them to higher standards now. They know how to take care of end-of-game situations.”
The North defense was aggressive throughout the second half with Ahern causing problems for Burley and Emily Schromm holding Irwin, who currently leads the Hockomock in scoring, to just six points. It was Ahern who made the biggest play, turning the game around for North when it needed a stop and scoring the final seven points of the game.
“They all know it too, she’s the heart of the team,” said Herber of Ahern. “They take their cue from her. If she’s up on her person and in their face then everyone else has to have the same mentality. She’s still a little banged up and she fought through it today.”
North Attleboro (9-2, 6-0) will continue a tough stretch when it hosts Foxboro on Friday in another game against a team that is one game back in the division. Milford (6-2, 4-2) will have no time to dwell on the loss, as the Hawks host Hopedale on Wednesday.
Milford’s Kate Irwin drives to the basket in the second half against Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – There are a lot of things that TJ Dolliver wants his Scarlet Hawks to accomplish over the course of a game. Getting off to a strong start is near the top of that list.
Milford did just that, limiting Stoughton to just four points in the opening quarter and built on that advantage over the next three quarters for a 51-37 win on the road.
“We definitely started out strong…on the road, that’s the best you can ask for,” Dolliver said. “Honestly, in any game, if you have a great start that’s what you want. There’s been times when we haven’t started strong and the confidence level goes down. The girls can lose sight that it’s a 32 minute game. It’s nice when you can start strong and get that early lead.”
Christine Pye got things going early for the Scarlet Hawks, netting six of her seven points in the opening quarter. Kate Irwin, who had a four point play in the first quarter, paced Milford with a career-high 27 points.
Scoring from Pye and Irwin paced Milford’s offense early on while its defense blanked Stoughton for over six minutes. The Black Knights were able to finally break through with a free throw from Val Whalen (11 points, 10 rebounds) but the Scarlet Hawks held a 12-4 lead after eight minutes.
Stoughton got within six points halfway through the second quarter after a pair of free throws from Jordan Motley (15 rebounds) but Milford came back with an answer. Over the next four minutes, the Scarlet Hawks hit a trio of trifectas – one each from Nicole Dahlgren (six points, seven rebounds), Irwin and Jess Tomaso – and scored 12 points total to take a 27-16 lead into halftime.
Milford kept its 10 point cushion throughout the third quarter, coming back with an answer anytime Stoughton scored. Stoughton freshman Aliyah Wright (12 points) drained a three late in the third to cut it to eight but Milford’s Emily Piergustavo converted an offensive rebound on the ensuing possession. Wright scored again to make it single digits but a traditional three point play from Irwin put the lead back to 11.
“We seemed to have an answer each time,” Dolliver said. “Stoughton’s a very physical team, I really like that team a lot. They play so strong, they rebound very well and they’re hard to play against. Luckily our offense, when Stoughton went on a run here or there, we just found a way to get a bucket.”
Irwin scored nine of her 27 points in the third quarter and added five more in the final frame to help the Scarlet Hawks ice the game.
“She’s done a really good job of increasing her intensity,” Dolliver said of Irwin. “She’s evolved as a point guard over the last two years. One big focus point was getting her to take better shots. She’s taking less shots this year but averaging twice as many points this year.
“She’s making good decisions for us. If she has a good shot, we want her to take it but if it’s not a great shot, she moves the ball. She’s been very coachable about it and I love watching her play.”
Milford girls basketball (5-1 overall, 3-1 Hockomock) is back in action next week when it travels to Canton on Tuesday. Stoughton (1-5, 0-4) will be back in action on the same day with a trip to Foxboro.
Shannon Smally (15) of Foxboro and Val Whalen (14) of Stoughton battle in the post in one of last season’s Davenport division meetings. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2016-2017 Davenport Girls Basketball Preview
CANTON
2015-16 Record: 6-14 (3-13) 2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: Jim Choquette
The Bulldogs continue to add to the program both on the court and on the bench with former Canton and UMass Boston star Olivia Murphy joining the coaching staff this season to help out with the freshman team. It is a sign of the continued growth of the program under head coach Jim Choquette, who is hoping that the momentum built at the end of last season will carry over to this year.
Senior forward Emma Murphy returns after a league all-star season and will be joined on the front line by returning starters senior Casey Shea and juniorHannah Jerrier, who was an honorable mention for all-star last winter. Adding depth on the front line will be sophomore forwards Molly Ludwig and Erin Devine, who lacks inexperience but adds significant height.
Jess Powers is recovering from an injury suffered during lacrosse season and her return will add more scoring punch to a deep and quick backcourt group. Sophomore Julia Hamilton is back to run the point for the Bulldogs and will be joined by classmate Maggie Connolly, junior Lindsey Barrett, senior Taylor Carrington, and junior twins Lillian and Evelyn Carrington. This group will allow Canton to keep defensive pressure high all game long.
“Our strengths will be scrappy defense and rebounding on both ends,” said Choquette. “our goal is to improve each game and be playing our best headed into the last part of the season…the faster we find chemistry the faster we’ll find the win column.”
FOXBORO
2015-16 Record: 15-7 (11-5) 2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South quarterfinal Head Coach: Lisa Downs
Despite a lot of youth in the lineup, Foxboro has been one of the top teams in the Davenport division for several seasons and this year should be no different, as the Warriors enter the winter with very high expectations and as one of the favorites for the league title.
A lot of the interest in the Warriors stems from the continued development of junior point guard Ashley Sampson, who has turned into one of the best all-around guards in the Hockomock and is the player that the Foxboro offense flows through. Sampson has plenty of help in the backcourt with classmate Lily Sykes, who offers scoring from the perimeter, and seniors Lauren Flahive, Riley Collins (back after an injury), and Hailey Maling, who are all strong on the ball defenders.
In the front court, Kristen Bortolotti is back after missing last year with an injury and will add speed and a strong mid-range game. Junior Grace Tamulionis is another matchup nightmare for the opposition with her size on the boards and on defense and her ability to step outside and shoot the three. Junior Shannon Smally continues to improve and gives the Warriors an inside presence, while newcomers Chelsea Gibbons and Abby Hassmancould make big contributions for the Warriors.
“The girls have been playing together throughout the summer and fall and this familiarity should work to our benefit this season,” said head coach Lisa Downs. “We will continue to focus on our running game and our defensive efforts and I am fortunate to have the players that not only buy into this system, but, also appreciate this pace.”
MILFORD
2015-16 Record: 9-11 (5-11) 2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: T.J. Dolliver
After missing out on a playoff spot by one game a season ago under first-year head coach T.J. Dolliver, Milford enters this winter with high hopes of making the leap into the postseason with a deep and versatile roster that has gained a lot of experience together over the past few seasons.
The enthusiasm for the Hawks begins with dynamic junior point guard Kate Irwin, who has shown the ability to get to the basket at will, draw defenses to get open looks for her teammates and also be a pesky on the ball defender. With Irwin creating open shots, junior Emily Piergustavo’s return after missing last year with an injury will be a big boost on the perimeter along with senior guard Jill Burley.
Milford will also have plenty of players to contribute on the glass and in the paint. Senior Nicole Dahlgren, a two-year captain, is a strong rebounder but can also step out and hit threes as can junior Jess Tomaso. Five-foot-8 senior Christine Pye, 5-foot-11 junior Gillian Valanzola, 5-foot-8 senior Emma Liskov, and 5-foot-10 Juliana Tracy give Milford an imposing group of front line players.
“These girls have been playing together for a while and their team chemistry is amazing,” said Dolliver. “We are starting to learn the minor details of offense and defense in order to give our team a better chance of success.”
NORTH ATTLEBORO
2015-16 Record: 11-10 (9-7) 2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South tournament Head Coach: Derek Herber
The Rocketeers head into their first season in the Davenport division with eight returning players from last year’s team that was two points away from a first round victory in the Div. 2 South tournament against Hock rival Oliver Ames.
Senior Ashley Ahern is a three-year starter at guard and was the team’s leading scorer last winter. Ahern will be the player that gets the offense going, but she will get plenty of help from her classmates, Emily Schromm and Samantha Taggart. Schromm was one of the top defenders in the league and can stretch a defense with her outside shooting and Taggart can play all three guard positions and led North in assists last year. In the paint, senior Caroline Collard is the team’s leading rebounder and showed a soft touch around the basket.
North can also look for improvements from sophomore Julia Feid, who got valuable minutes as a rookie last year, senior Liz Morehouse, who adds depth in the post, and juniors Julia Santos, who both brought athleticism off the bench at the wing positions. Sophomore forward Mackenzie Roberts is a newcomer who adds size and outside shooting and junior Emily Pastore can step in at all three guard positions.
The Rocketeers have plenty of experience on the roster and will be one of the favorites for the league title at the beginning of the season. While head coach Derek Herber can count on a number of returning players, he hopes to “mix in a few new faces into the lineup to help with depth.”
Sharon is another team that has been building with youth and has created a lot of depth on its roster and, despite losing three of its top four scorers from last winter, has garnered preseason hype as a potential sleeper to make a return to the postseason for the first time since the Eagles made a run to the Div. 2 South final in 2013.
The Eagles will be hoping for an improvement on the offensive side of the ball, which was a challenge at times last winter. Junior point guard Shira Stoller, a three-year starter, is continuing to improve at limiting turnovers and looking for her own shot as well as setting up teammates. One of the players that benefits from Stoller’s ability to get into the lane is sophomore Emma Eberhardt, who was third on the team in points as a rookie and continues to develop into a consistent wing scorer.
Sophomore Veronica Wallace has emerged as one of the top backcourt defenders during the preseason and is one of the fastest players on the Sharon roster. Senior Ana Crosby, who is also a standout on the soccer and lacrosse fields, is another player that is continuing to improve and will have an increased role this season. Freshman Kaitlyn Wallace is a newcomer to watch and could have a bigger role to play over the course of the year.
“Our defense is going to have to be our key in order to compete, and our girls know that,” said third-year coach Cliff Tomassian. “We get our best looks on offense off of great defensive stands. Our girls are going to have to be patient and vigilant on both ends and be ready to take chances.”
STOUGHTON
2015-16 Record: 7-11 (7-9) 2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: Charmaine Steele Jordan
The Black Knights lost six seniors to graduation but this offers plenty of opportunities for a new crop of younger players to get playing time and learn the system of second-year head coach, and former Stoughton star, Charmaine Steele Jordan.
Two of the players that will be counted on most this season are junior forwards Val Whalen and Jordan Motley, who are two of the best rebounders in the league and can also get out on the break and score in transition. Their development in the half-court offense will be a key for Stoughton making a playoff push in the Davenport division this season. Senior Lili Njiem is another player that could make a big impact, as one of the team’s three captains.
The Black Knights will have as many senior as freshmen on this year’s roster (three) along with four sophomores and three juniors, so the foundation for the future is in place. Shyanne Trinh, Lexi Baptista, and Aliyah Wright are the three newcomers to the program who will be hoping to make an instant impact.
“So excited for the upcoming season,” said Steele Jordan. “We lost six seniors so there is lots of opportunity for our players to step up. Our returnees from last year will contribute for us despite being pretty young.”
Emily Piergustavo (22) and the Hawks opened the season with a non-league victory over Taconic. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – For the first two or three minutes of the game, it was Milford that looked like the team that had driven more than two hours from Pittsfield for Saturday’s non-league matinee. The Hawks fell behind 6-0 and look a little out of sorts in the season opener.
Then senior guard Jill Burley buried a three to cut the Taconic lead in half and the hosts kicked into gear. Milford went on an 18-2 run in the opening quarter to take a lead that it would never relinquish.
Sparked by junior Kate Irwin’s 21-point, four-assist, five-rebound performance and double-digit rebounds from senior Christine Pye (10) and junior Jess Tomaso (14), Milford held off Taconic 52-45 in a game that the visitors managed to keep close right to the end.
“The reason for it was we’re putting them at the line too many times,” said second-year Milford coach T.J. Dolliver of the Hawks inability to put the game out of reach in the second half. Taconic went to the line 19 times in the second half (30 times in the game) and made 10.
Dolliver added, “We fouled way too often and they were fouls that could be avoided. I said at halftime that if we’re going to keep them in the game then it’s going to be at the line and we need to stop fouling.”
The fouls started in the first quarter with Milford putting Taconic in the bonus before the end of the opening eight minutes and both Burley and fellow captain Nicole Dahlgren (seven rebounds) were forced to the bench for a long stretch due to foul trouble.
Milford showed its depth by finding other players to step up. Emily Piergustavo, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, had one of her three first half steals to get Irwin a transition basket and then the combo repeated it to tie the game at 8-8. Piergustavo (six points) buried a three off an Irwin assist to give Milford its first lead and Irwin added another basket off an offensive rebound.
Pye scored off a rebound and Gillian Valanzola scored off an inbound pass by Emma Liskov to give Milford an 18-8 lead. Taconic turned momentum around and went on a 10-2 run that cut the lead back to just two points, but Irwin scored with a drive to the left and a Dahlgren offensive rebound and kick-out gave Tomaso (six points) an open look from three to extend the lead back to eight.
Milford went into the break ahead 30-19 and rebounding played a big role in the Hawks lead. Dolliver said, “The nice part about our team is that we rebound from top to bottom. Our bigs rebound the ball very well and our guards rebound the ball very well. They’re very fundamental in their box outs and that’s huge.”
The third quarter was a struggle for both teams. Irwin buried a three to give Milford its largest lead of the game at 14 points, but the Hawks only managed one more made field goal for the rest of the quarter when Tomaso followed her own shot twice before finishing.
Luckily for the Hawks, Taconic was also finding it tough to score. The Braves had only two made field goals and three free throws in the third and could only cut two points off the halftime lead, trailing 35-26 into the fourth.
Milford started the fourth like it wanted to finally put Taconic away. Irwin hit a runner and then Dahlgren buried a long jumper. After being forced to the bench because of foul trouble, Burley finally got her chance and buried a pair of three-pointers that put the Hawks up 45-31.
“I was happy to see her hit those,” said Dolliver of Burley, “because I know she was frustrated because she got into early foul trouble and honestly didn’t play a lot until the end and then knocks down a couple shots and in her mind it’s forgotten.”
If Milford thought the game was done, Taconic had other ideas. After a two-hour drive, the Braves were going to keep it interesting for the full 32 minutes of game time. Taconic was 7-14 from the line and closed the gap to as little as six points with a few minutes remaining, but Dolliver called timeout to settle his team down.
When asked if in those pressure moments it helps having Irwin to give the ball to, Dolliver replied, “Of course…and now that we get Emily back as well it’s another ball-handler, which is huge when we’re getting pressured.”
Milford (1-0) will try to keep the momentum going at the start of the season in its league opener on Tuesday against King Philip.
Today’s games are listed below. Boys Basketball
Taunton, 61 @ Attleboro, 64 – Final – A back and forth fourth quarter ended with a big three from Jake Dunkley and a key free throw as the Bombardiers scored their first win over Taunton since Valentine’s Day 2013. Dunkley finished with a game-high 20 points while Kyle Murphy, Andrew Milliken and Lucas Boucicaut each had 12 points. Carlos Borrero led Taunton with 17 points while Jose Mercado added 13 points.
Sharon, 59 @ Canton, 50 – Final
Oliver Ames, 39 @ Foxboro, 47- Final – Jason Procaccini’s 15 points was a game-high as Foxboro grinded to a win to clinch at least a share of the Davenport division title. It marks the program’s first ever Davenport title and first league title since 2003. Charlie Ryan had 12 points for Oliver Ames.
Mansfield, 55 @ Franklin, 51 – Final – Franklin rallied from a 15 point second half deficit to get within two in the final minutes but a big shot from Mansfield’s Matt Ehrlich and key stops sealed the win for the Hornets. Tyler Boulter had a team-high 12 points while Sam Goldberg had 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Matt Ehrlich (four rebounds, four assists) and Christian Weber each had nine points, Nick Baskin had six and Max Boen had five points and four assists. Franklin sophomore Connor Peterson scored 21 points and hauled in nine rebounds while freshman Jay Dieterle netted 18 points.
King Philip, 38 @ North Attleboro, 49 – Final – Mario Bresko led the Rocketeers with 12 points.
Stoughton, 53 @ Milford, 59 – Final – Dimitry Torres once again led the way for the Scarlet Hawks, dropping in a game-high 21 points. Zack Tamagni added 13 points while Anthony Arcudi chipped in with 19 points. Dwight Anderson had nine points and 10 rebounds while Kayden Kelley added 10 rebounds. Stoughton sophomore Cam Andrews had a team-high 18 points. Girls Basketball
Canton, 43 @ Sharon, 67 – Final – Charlotte Ransom scored 19 points and six rebounds for Sharon. The Eagles also got a career-high 18 points from Emma Eberhardt and 16 points and five rebounds from Alyssa Piazza.
Foxboro, 40 @ Oliver Ames, 55 – Final – Niyera Mitchell came off the bench for OA to score 15 points and pull down 17 rebounds, both of which were game highs. Kayla Raymond added 11 points and 10 rebounds and Francesca Calabraro scored 11. Ashley Sampson was the top scorer for Foxboro with 15 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and Cassidy Harrison added 12.
Franklin, 38 @ Mansfield, 44 – Final – Meg Hill and Caroline Maher led the way for Mansfield with 12 points apiece. Lauren Rudolph was the top scorer for Franklin with eight points.
North Attleboro, 60 @ King Philip, 35 – Final – Caroline Collard and Ashley Ahern each scored 13 points for the Rocketeers. Riley Dalzell led the Warriors with 13 points.
Milford, 59 @ Stoughton, 41 – Final – Christine Pye was the top scorer for the Hawks with 14 points, while Jill Powers chipped in with 10.
Attleboro, 63 @ Taunton, 30 – Final – Emily Houle scored 31 points to lead the Bombardiers and is now only 21 points away from 1,000 for her career.
Alecia Quinones (13) and Stoughton have a new coach and will be hoping to get into the mix for the league title with the likes of Foxboro this winter. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
2014-15 Record: 4-16 (2-14) 2014-15 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: Jim Choquette
There has been significant progress made in the three years that Jim Choquette has been in charge of the program and he is hoping that this year “will be another step forward” for the Bulldogs. Canton comes into this winter with momentum after winning four games down the stretch of last season and, as Choquette explained, narrowly missing out on a handful of other wins.
Senior captains Meaghan Hunter (who did not play high school basketball until her sophomore year) and Shannon Foley will be the leaders of the team and counted on to get the team into its offense. Junior Emma Murphy is back for her third season on varsity and she continues to develop as a post player. As Choquette noted, Murphy has already started 40 games in her Bulldogs career, so experience is not an issue.
Junior Casey Shea will join Murphy in the post and she is another player that continues to develop. Sophomore Hannah Jerrier had a big season with her AAU team at Mass Premier and Choquette thinks that she is primed for a breakout season along with classmate Jess Powers, who emerged at the tail end of last season.
The Bulldogs will also look to incorporate a pair of freshmen into the system with Erin Devine, who Choquette said has already grown to 6-foot-3, and incoming point guard Julia Hamilton, who may be a star in the making.
“There’s a lot of buzz about this team,” he said. “The girls have really bought into the system. Now we just have to learn how to win those close games.”
Foxboro
2014-15 Record: 21-3 (14-2) 2014-15 Finish: Reached the Div. 2 South final Head Coach: Lisa Downs
Experienced is not generally an adjective used when describing a team that is going to start four sophomores at the beginning of the season, but all four of the underclassmen in Foxboro’s starting lineup saw significant playing time during the Warriors’ run to the sectional final last year. With HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Hock MVP Kat Tamulionis graduated, the ball is now going to be in the hands of these young players and they will be given every opportunity to produce.
The primary ball-handler will be sophomore Ashley Sampson. Sampson had a breakout rookie season in which she became one of Foxboro’s best weapons off the bench and showed no fear against even the best teams in the league and the state. Classmate Lily Sykes will join her in the backcourt and adds another good shooter and defender at the guard position. Cassidy Harrison will be the lone senior in the starting five and will provide shooting on the wing.
Sophomore Grace Tamulionis showed tons of potential last season and is a versatile forward that can step back and shoot and has the size to crash the boards. She will be joined in the post by classmate Shannon Smalley, who head coach Lisa Downs said had a great summer. Downs also noted that junior Lauren Flahive could come off the bench as a defensive option and senior Carolynn Will is another option as a shooter at the forward position.
Foxboro could see a big boost a couple of weeks into the season if junior small forward Kristen Bortolotti returns from a concussion suffered during soccer. In the meantime, Downs has no concerns about turning to her underclassmen. She said, “It’s so important that they had a year of experience. Kat [Tamulionis] was good for them because she had confidence in them and they played like it.”
MILFORD
2014-15 Record: 7-13 (5-11) 2014-15 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: T.J. Dolliver
Milford enters a new season with a new coach. T.J. Dolliver moves into his first head coaching position at the high school level, after being an assistant for boys’ coach Paul Seaver, and he is “excited” by the potential that the Hawks have shown in the opening weeks of practice and during the opening game of the season (a 44-21 win over Hopedale).
There is only one senior on the roster, but the Hawks gained a lot of experience last year. The focal point for the Hawks offense (and for opposing defenses) will be sophomore guard Kate Irwin. The dynamic lefty has quickness, vision, and shooting touch and she provides Milford with a spark on both ends of the floor. She will get plenty of help from junior forwards Nicole Dahlgren, Christine Pye and Brianna Croteau.
The lone senior on the roster is Jill Powers, who knocked down a couple of threes in the season opener. Sophomore forward Gill Valanzola will add depth at the forward position and junior guards Emma Liskov and Jill Burley will give Irwin help in the backcourt. Dolliver is also hoping to get sophomore Emily Piergustavo back at some point this season to help the Hawks spread the floor with her shooting.
Dolliver appreciates the depth and versatility in the Hawks roster this season and is already worried about making sure he spreads the minutes around to get everyone a chance on the court. “It’s exciting being at the head of the program,” said Dolliver. “We’re having a lot of fun. It’s about defense first and we make sure to keep them working hard.”
Oliver Ames
2014-15 Record: 12-9 (10-6) 2014-15 Finish: Reached the Div. 2 South first round Head Coach: Elaine Clement-Holbrook
The Tigers finished second behind Foxboro in the Davenport last year and expectations are high that this Oliver Ames team will challenge the Warriors again this winter. Team chemistry seems to be as high as ever in the Tigers group with a smaller roster of just nine players that have battled illnesses and other obstacles during the two weeks of preseason practice. Head coach Laney Clement-Holbrook is hoping that her team will rally around each other and can make a good start to the season.
Although she has missed a few days of practice with illness, junior Francesca Calabraro is going to be the player that OA counts on the most this season. Calabraro was the team’s leading scorer last season and also one of the league’s best in picking up steals. Calabraro is lethal on the break and that is a key to how the Tigers like to play. Sophomore Kayla Raymond, who saw plenty of time as a rookie, has shown the potential of being a top scorer and a force on both ends of the court.
Senior captain Kaitlyn McCarthy was credited with holding things together for the Tigers during the tumultuous opening weeks of practice and she is joined in the leadership role by fellow captain Sam Bamford who is a tenacious defender at the point guard position. Junior forward Niyera Mitchell gives the Tigers size and athleticism in the middle. Hannah Carroll and Abby Reardon will add depth at the guard position.
There may not be a lot of players on the varsity roster this season for OA, but Clement-Holbrookbelieves this may be the closest her team has been. She said, “There is a lot of energy in the gym and a level of enthusiasm that shows they want to be out there. I hope the players can come together and find support from each other on the court.”
In his first season in charge, Cliff Tomassian took over a program that had reached the sectional final at UMass Boston for the first time in decades but one that lost its three best players including HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Karlie O’Driscoll. The Eagles were competitive throughout the season, particularly on defense, but struggled on the offensive end and missed the tournament, something Tomassian believes can change this winter.
If Sharon is going to improve on offense and make a charge at the postseason then the Eagles will need a full season out of senior forward Alyssa Piazza. The team’s leading scorer last year has missed portions of each of the last two seasons, but when she is on the court is a strong post scorer and dominant rebounder. Tomassian said, “When she’s on the court, she’s one of our most productive players.”
Sophomore guard Shira Stoller will also be back this year and Tomassian has urged the point guard to look for her own shot more and take some of the pressure off Piazza. With a point guard that can get to the basket and a forward that can score in the post, the perimeter should open up for Sharon and that is where seniors Ashley Mukasa and Charlotte Ransom can excel as spot up shooters.
The Eagles will once again be counting on young players to acclimate to the varsity level quickly, including sophomore Jessica Allan and freshmen Emma Eberhardt and Veronica Wallace. “Once the girls get used to the physicality of the varsity level we’ll be fine,” explained Tomassian. “Our expectation is making the tournament.”
After three decades in charge, Janet Sullivan stepped down as the head coach at Stoughton and the program turned to someone who knows all about the program to step in this winter. Former Stoughton player and 1,000 point scorer Charmaine Steele-Jordan, who played at Quinnipiac and was an assistant coach at Boston University, takes over and had already brought a buzz to the Black Knights heading into the season. “There couldn’t have been a better place to fall,” said Jordan about the chance to take over at her alma mater.
Senior Alecia Quinones gives Steele-Jordan a weapon to work around. The forward has the size to match up with opposing post players and the athleticism to match up with wings. On offense she also adds versatility with an improving jump shot and good moves on the block. Fellow senior Jess Greer is the primary ball-handler and can also knock down the three.
Senior forward Ava Seigel is the third captain this season and is another important cog on both ends of the floor. Senior Bridgette Whalen and sophomore Valerie Whalen will add more size and strength in the paint for the Black Knights. Defense was always a strength of Stoughton and that will certainly continue under the new coach.
Last season, the Black Knights struggled in the half-court offense and Steele-Jordan has already introduced a much higher pace to the team during the first couple weeks of practice and is hoping that Stoughton can get up and down the court to get points in transition. She explained, “We want to get up and down the floor and only set up when we have to. We want to be able to press and try different things this year.”
For a list of 10 Players to Watch in Hockomock League girls’ basketball this season, click here.
Today’s games are listed below. Football
North Attleboro, 14 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 1st Quarter: (NA) Patrick Johnson 65 yard interception return, Connor Flynn XP; (NA) Nick Rajotte 30 yard rush, C. Flynn XP. 2nd Quarter: No scoring. 3rd Quarter: No scoring. 4th Quarter: No scoring.
Canton, 22 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final (OT) 1st Quarter: (Sto) Guy Eddy 1 yard run, XP missed. 2nd Quarter: (Can) Jake Ragusa 2 yard run, Thomas Monagle XP. 3rd Quarter: No scoring. 4th Quarter: (Sto) Jake Gibb 18 yard pass to Eddy, 2-point failed; (Can) Dennis Ross 35 yard pass to Michael Harris, Woanyen Mahn 2-point run; Gibb 27 yard field goal. Overtime: Ragusa 2 yard run, Monagle XP; Gibb 2-yard run, 2-point failed.
Foxboro, 42@ Milford, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Mark Clagg 52 yard pass to Austin Ryan, John Cronin XP good; (F) M. Clagg 15 yard pass to Ronnie Martin, J. Cronin XP good. 2nd Quarter: (M) Blake Hill 5 yard rush, XP good; (F) Darren Kelly 12 yard rush, J. Cronin XP good. 3rd Quarter: (F) Austin Ryan 99 yard punt return, J. Cronin XP good; (M) Zach Lanzetta 10 yard pass to Blake Hill, XP good; (F) R. Martin 11 yard rush, J. Cronin XP good. 4th Quarter: (F) D. Kelly 65 yard rush, J. Cronin XP good.
King Philip, 10 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 1st Quarter: (KP) Zach Boari 17 yard field goal. 2nd Quarter: (F) Nick Yelle 20 yard field goal. 3rd Quarter: (KP) John DeLuca 2 yard rush, Z. Boari XP good. 4th Quarter: No scoring.
Taunton @ Mansfield – Postponed to 10/10, 12:00
Sharon, 28 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final 1st Quarter: (OA) Liston Funai 7 yard rush, 2pt fail. 2nd Quarter: (S) Tyler Smith 55 yard rush, Josh Rotman XP good; (S) Rob Bayha 21 yard pass to Craig Titus, J. Rotman XP good; (S) R. Bayha 21 yard pass to Bryce Smith, J. Rotman XP good. 3rd Quarter: (S) Juvan Elisma 43 yard rush, J. Rotman XP good. 4th Quarter: (OA) Charlie Ryan 12 yard pass to Shawn Cardoza, XP fail. Boys Soccer
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final– Kevin Hall scored for the third straight game, this time off an assist from David Stowell to pace the Panthers. Austin Kent added an unassisted for for Franklin.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Kinge Philip, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Keegan Nutt headed home the lone goal of the game, finishing off a rebound off of Chris Romero’s shot that hit the crossbar.
Milford, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Lens Esquil scored for the second consecutive game, this time finding the back of the net twice for the Tigers. Senior Austin Botelho had two assists and Daeshawn Duffy scored once.
Sharon, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sharon found the back of the net just five minutes into the game when Lucas Allaria converted an assist from Jake Goloboy. James Dunlea doubled the league off an assist from Liam McManus and Stephen Higgins scored unassisted in the 34th minute to make it 3-0. Matt Lowerre capped Sharon’s scoring shortly into the second half off an assist from Dunlea. Gareth King netted a late goal for the Rocketeers. Girls Soccer
Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Megan Georges and Meghan Dieterle scored the goals for Franklin both assisted by Victoria Stowell.
Mansfield, 4 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Jen Kemp scored two goals and assisted on a pair of Jackie Carchedi goals in the first half for the Hornets. Hannah Burns scored in the first half and Lily Sykes scored with five minutes left for Foxboro.
King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Francesca Calabraro scored a pair of goals for OA. Emily Freeman and Julia Roy also scored, while Delaney Benton had three assists for the Tigers, who scored all their goals in the first half.
Taunton, 1 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Kristen Franzini scored off an assist by Gabbie O’Neil and Katie Brown headed home the winner with fewer than two minutes remaining assisted by Francesca Shipperd. Christine Pye returned from injury to make 11 saves in goal. Abby Small had the goal for Taunton.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Hana Caster scored once and had two assists, Shannon Kingsley netted a pair of goals and Haley Guertin picked up two points for the Rocketeers, who led 3-0 at half. Felocity Monfils also added a goal for the Rocketeers and Leah Jette had an assist. Kiersten Bixby and Nina Beauvias combined for the shutout in net. Volleyball
King Philip, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – King Philip fell on the road, 20-25, 25-21, 21-25, 16-15.
Mansfield, 1 vs. Needham, 3 – Final– Mansfield picked up a win in the second set to level the match but Needham took sets three and four to get the win, 19-25, 25-17, 22-25, 16-25. Cathryn Heavey had 33 assists and 10 digs in the loss for the Hornets.
Sharon, 1 @ Norwood, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 1 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final – Stoughton suffered a 26-24, 15-25, 24-26, 19-25 loss on the road. Bianca DeSousa had 16 assists, 14 digs, 10 service points, eight aces, five kills and two blocks and Val Whalen added seven kills and seven blocks. Field Hockey
Milford @ Taunton – Postponed to 10/19 Golf
Attleboro, 184 @ Foxboro, 174 – Final
King Philip, 169 @ Oliver Ames, 157 – Final – Jack Green’s 37 paced Oliver Ames while Brian Lambert carded a 39. Todd Bushway and Danny McLoughlin each shot 41 for King Philip.
Stoughton, 190 @ Franklin, 165 – Final – Matt Dao and Matt Pleshaw each shot a 40 for the Panthers.
Taunton, 208 @ Mansfield, 206 – Final (5 cards) – David Craig led Mansfield with a 39, who picked up its second straight win on a card off. Devon Barbero shot a 40, Mike Marry shot 41 and Matt Chirichiello carded a 42.
2014 Record: 10-7-3 2014 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Kate Howarth
The Bulldogs have been building with a young roster under Kate Howarth, who is entering her third year in charge, and that youth has created depth for a team that is looking to challenge OA and Foxboro for the league title.
The experience on the pitch together has Howarth believing that this could be a year to watch out for Canton. Sophomore Riley Duserick returns after earning all-star plaudits during her rookie season and she will be joined by midfielders Sarah McQuarrie and Sarah Connelly and forward Tessa Cudmore.
Howarth said, “If we play our game I think we will be able to be a very competitive team! We are talented and athletic!” The Bulldogs will try to turn that athleticism into wins.
FOXBORO
2014 Record: 12-3-4 2014 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals Coach: Kaitlin Lamothe-Vaughn
Foxboro reached the second round of the playoffs only to run into perennial Div. 2 power Medfield for the second year in a row. With a number of young players returning with more experience, the Warriors will be hoping to chase down the Davenport title that they narrowly missed out on last year.
Lily Sykes will be the key player returning. The sophomore led the league with 24 goals last year from her midfield position and she will be pairing up with junior Kristen Bortolotti, who is back for her third season on varsity. Goalie Hallie Canfield is back as is Carolyn Will in the center of midfield.
Youth was the story for Foxboro last year, but this season head coach Kaitlin Lamothe-Vaughn will only have one freshman on the roster, Alex Stamatos, who will step in and start for the Warriors on defense.
MILFORD
2014 Record: 5-10-3 2014 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Jay Mastaj
Injuries have plagued the Hawks in recent years with important players missing significant time with ACL tears and assorted other ailments. For a team that isn’t as deep as its rivals that can be a huge issue.
This year, Milford coach Jay Mastaj believes that he has a talented, and young, roster that can get Milford back into the playoffs and his goal is to get them a home tournament game. One of the keys will be senior Katie Brown, who moves from midfield to forward this season alongside junior Kristin Franzini.
Nicole Dahlgren will be back in the center of midfield to break up play and Milford returns almost all of its back four, which all saw a lot of playing time as freshmen last season. Christine Pye is also back in goal to help, Mastaj hopes, make Milford a tough team to play against this season.
OLIVER AMES
2014 Record: 11-2-4 2014 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Britt Sellmayer
Confidence is high around the Oliver Ames soccer field this preseason as the Tigers return the majority of last year’s Davenport Division champions and there are thoughts that this squad could be capable of getting back to the South final as OA did three years ago.
One reason for optimism is the return of senior defender Delaney Benton for a full season. Benton is a two-time HockomockSports.com Best XI defender, who missed almost a month of last season. In the midfield, OA will be relying on junior Francesca Calabraro, the reigning Underclassman of the Year, who will run the show for the Tigers in the center of the pitch.
There is rare depth at goalie for OA with head coach Britt Sellmayer saying he has three players he can count on and up front junior Kiana Lozzi has strength and skill to hold the ball up or finish. Sellmayer comes into the season confident he has a squad to challenge even in the loaded D1 South.
SHARON
2014 Record: 3-14-1 2014 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Jon Lavien
The Eagles struggled through 2014, but head coach Jon Lavien is confident that the roster is improving with experience and he is talking about the postseason for Sharon in 2015.
Victoria Zambello returns for Sharon after a league all-star caliber season. She will play both at forward and the midfield alongside returning starter Ally Filipkowski and junior midfielder/stopper Ally Steinberg. Brenna Pittman is also back to captain the defensive unit. In addition, twins Alex and Sam Rabb, as well as Sabrina Robbins and Anna Crosby add youth with club experience to the roster.
Lavien is also hoping the return of captain Abby Roseman from an ACL injury will provide a boost to the team’s lineup. He is very excited about the potential in his roster and hopes for a quick turnaround from last year’s struggles.
STOUGHTON
2014 Record: 2-15-1 2014 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Tara Daniels
Stoughton had a rough 2014 and new coach Tara Daniels has had a short preseason to get things together before the start of a new campaign.
Daniels will be counting on the leadership of her three captains to help get the roster in shape ahead of the season. 2014 Hockomock all-star Marissa Williams returns in goal where she backstops a defense that is led by fellow senior captain Samantha Tullis. Just in front of the defense is senior midfielder Taryn Bates.
Defense and conditioning have been the primary focus of preseason work as Daniels builds a defense that will be hard to play against and competitive in the Hock.
