04/13/2016

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/13/16

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Franklin, 13 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Franklin’s offense reached double figures for the second straight game to pick up another road win. Tyler Gomes had a pair of doubles and five RBI to lead Franklin while Jake Lyons had two hits, an RBI and a run scored, Josh Macchi had two hits, two runs and an RBI, Ryan Hodgkins had a triple and three runs scored, Steven Luttazi had a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI and Joe Corsi scored a pair of runs. Mike Skaza got the win on the mound, tossing five innings and striking out four. Ryan Morse pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Franklin. Attleboro’s Pat Collins went 2-4 with an RBI double for the Bombardiers.

Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 12 – Final – Canton’s Kevin Powers threw a complete game shutout with four strikeouts, issuing just one walk for the win. At the plate, Powers was 3-4 with two runs scored, Joe Peccia was 1-3 with three runs scored, Mike McMahon was 3-4 with a run scored and a stolen base and sophomore Matt Casamento was 1-2 with two runs scored.

King Philip, 2 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final (9 inn.) – Senior Jon Rolfe picked up the win with a complete game shutout, allowing just five hits. Rolfe had 82 total pitches – 62 for strikes – in an efficient outing that saw him strike out three batters. In the top of the ninth, Stephan MacMean’s leadoff double to turned into a run when junior Will Weir singled him home. Three straight singles from Rolfe, senior Jack DiCenso and senior Jake Cavanagh plated pinch runner Rich Lucente for the Warriors’ second run.

Milford, 7 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sophomore Aidan Wilde struck out six in five innings of no hit baseball to get the win on the mound for the Scarlet Hawks. Chris Speroni was 2-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored while Blake Hill had a triple and two RBI.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro’s John O’Donnell scattered five hits and one walk over seven innings of work, striking out five to pick up the win for the Rocketeers. North Attleboro erased a deficit with a four run fourth inning to get the lead including a pair of runs coming off suicide squeezes. Zach Rofino was 2-5 with two RBI, Kyle McCarthy was 2-4 with a pair of RBI, Ethan Hebard added a pair of hits, Bryan Harris had a hat and two sacrifices and Ridge Olsen finished with two hits. North Attleboro amassed 12 hits as a team. Taunton’s Max Bowden had two hits and an RBI for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Stoughton scored eight runs with two outs in the top of the fifth inning.

Softball
Franklin, 8 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final

Canton, 5 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Foxboro scored six runs in the sixth inning to earn its first win of the season. Emma Rohan struck out seven and walked just three to earn the win in the circle for Foxboro. At the plate, Marylou Long went 3-3 and Chelsea Gibbons had a pair of hits in the big sixth inning for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Kali Magane struck out 15 batters and threw her first no hitter of the season for the Warriors. Offensively, King Philip had 14 hits as a team led by Jenn Hutnyan’s three hits and a fourth inning grand slam. Christa Wagner had three hits, including a double and a triple, and Ashley Hession had two hits.

Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Milford’s Kaitlyn DeCapua was 3-3 with a pair of runs knocked in and a home run in the first inning that was the highlight of a 10-run inning for the Scarlet Hawks. Sophomore Emily Piergustavo was 3-3 at the plate, driving in four runs and scoring a pair herself and Maggie Farrell added a pair of hits and knocked in four runs. Kelley Reichert struck out four, allowing just one hit, in five innings of work to earn the win.

Taunton, 9 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Taunton’s Aimee Kistner threw her second consecutive no hitter, this time striking out 10 while scattering three walks. Sophomore Kya Enos went 4-4 with a double and an RBI, Jordan Wade had three hits with two RBI and a double, Meg Navarro had two hits and an RBI and Jaime Brown went 2-3 with a double and two RBI. Bailey Clapp and Sarah Bagge each added two hits and Rebekah Lajoie had a pinch hit two run home run for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – OA’s Lexie Campbell’s complete game effort, with just two earned runs allowed, helped the Tigers pick up a win. Jamie Gottwald went 3-3 at the play, knocking in a pair of runs and Rachel Han was 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Lizzie Miller also had an RBI and a run scored while Victoria Ziner and Caroline Mahoney each added hits for Oliver Ames. Stoughton’s Nicole Bodette, Jordan Lyons and Karly Estramerea all had two hits for the Black Knights.

Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 14 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Ryan Smith led a balanced attack with a game-high four goals while Sam O’Connell and Connor Finerty each added three goals and Joe Cox and Billy Grant chipped in with two goals apiece.

King Philip, 10 @ Canton, 4 – Final – King Philip started strong, building a 5-1 lead after the first quarter but didn’t put the game away until adding four goals in the fourth quarter. Sam Agricola led the offense with four goals and one assist and senior Steven Eaton led the defense with 10 groundballs. John DeLuca and Harrison Fallon each scored a pair of goals and Tim Watson added two more with an assist.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 12 – Final – Louis Piccolo scored four goals and Colin Spinney netted a hat trick to lead the offense for the Warriors. Connor McNamara added a goal and three assists and Brendan Tully found the back of the net twice and had one assist. Pat Kaveny had five groundballs for Foxboro.

Franklin, 18 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – The teams finished level (3-3) at the end of the first quarter but Franklin won the second quarter 6-0 and the second half 9-1 to get the win. Freshman Jacob Alexander dominated the faceoff X, winning 24/26 draws while sophomore Eric Civetti tied a team record with eight goals in the game. Senior Austin Kent added four goals and three assists and sophomore goalie Connor O’Rourke made seven saves in net. Head coach Lou Verrochi credited the defense of Sean Lockhart, Matt Pleshaw, Wyatt Arsenault and Patrick Morrison for limited the Eagles after the first quarter.

Milford, 4 @ North Attleboro, 16 – Final – Sophomore Colin Young scored four goals to lead the Rocketeers.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 11 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final (OT)

Foxboro, 18 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final

Sharon, 3 @ Franklin, 17 – Final – Julia Jette scored a team-high four goals, including her 100th career goal, and added two assists to lead the Panthers. Grace MacCallum had a pair of goals and four draw controls and Olivia Truenow had two groundballs and played well on defense according to head coach Kristin Igoe.

North Attleboro, 19 @ Milford, 3 – Final

Boys Tennis
Franklin, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin’s Rahul Herur and Eli Brooks picked up 6-1, 6-1 wins at first and second singles respectively to lead the Panthers. Tom Mancini won 6-2, 6-1 at third singles for Franklin, James Johnston and Cam Piana won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles and Jeremy Gan and Dan Barrow won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles for the Panthers.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final

King Philip, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip sophomore Cole Ginter rallied for a 3-6 7-5, 1-0 (11-9) at first singles to lead the Warriors. Garrett Schneider won 6-2, 6-3 at second singles and Blake Ginter won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Ryan Gemelli and Sam Colella won 6-3, 6-2 at first doubles and Justin Rohan and Jake Webster won 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles for KP.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final

North Attleboro, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Rallies at both first and second singles anchored the Rocketeers to a win. Mitchell Dyer rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-5) win at first singles and Barsomo Nuay won 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5). North junior Zack Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles, Jeff Yao and Nick Lockavitch won 6-3, 6-4 at first doubles and Jake Fontes and Daniel Zhang won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames won each singles match in straight sets to pick up its first win of the season. Thomas O’Leary won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Greg Weinstein won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles and Jarrod Hedlund won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin didn’t lose a game at first or second singles as well as first doubles to get the win. Hannah Sweeney and Anna Humphreys won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles respectively while junior Anja Deric and senior Katelyn Davenport won with the same score at first doubles. Franklin junior Madison Derby won 6-3, 2-6, 13-11 at third singles and seniors Halle Love and Selina Wu won 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Diana Prinos, Sophia Prinos and Lexi Nelson all won in straight sets without losing a game in singles play to lead the Warriors. Michaela McCarthy and Diana Hickox won 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles for Foxboro. Canton’s Tiffany Ha and Sarah MacQuarrie won 6-2, 6-4 at first doubles.

Mansfield, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – The Warriors swept doubles play and got a win at third singles to edge out the Hornets. Kelly Masse’s and Megan Davenport’s marathon 7-6, 1-6, 6-4 win at first doubles was key while Molly Citarell and Corinne Palumbo won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles. Sophomore Megan Sepich notched a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback win at third singles for the Warriors. Mansfield’s Paulina Martin won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles and Kathleen Giffels won 6-2, 6-3 at second singles.

Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Sharon didn’t lose a game in singles play and lost only three games in the two doubles matches combined in the win. Lulu Yuan, Nupur Shulka and Emily Wen all won 6-0, 6-0 at first, second and third singles respectively. Pooja Puttigampala and Michal Kondratiev teamed up for a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and Katie Merpot and Sydney Gordon won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final

Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames swept singles play and got a win at first doubles to pick up the victory. Riley Spillane won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, Jackie Sulkala won 6-2, 6-3 at second singles and Sarah Leger won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles. Lark Warner and Olivia Groebe rallied to win 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 at first doubles for OA. Stoughton’s Becca Lawson and Ellie Kashian won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at second doubles for the Black Knights.

Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro @ Attleboro 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 121 @ Attleboro 15 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 1 vs. Barnstable 3 – Final – Taunton fell behind 2-0 in close, won the third game but Barnstable won the fourth game to win the match. Set scores were 23-25, 23-25, 25-13, 14-25. Ricardo DaFonseca had 43 assists and 11 digs along with a block and an ace for the Tigers. Sophomore Lance Law had 22 kills, eight digs and an ace, Collin Hunter played well with 11 kills and a block and Nate Grant was strong in the back row with 16 digs.

04/03/2016

Boys Lacrosse: Davenport Division Preview 2016

By HockomockSports.com Staff

CANTON

2015 Record: 11-7
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Bill Bendell
The Bulldogs have won two Davenport division titles in the last three years and will be looking for a third in 2016. With a beefed up non-league schedule, Canton will be looking to make a deep run in the D2 South tournament this season.
“I really like this team and I think we will be very difficult to beat once we figure things out,” head coach Bill Bendell said. “Our goal this year is to trust the process…ignore the scoreboard and instead focus on doing your job to the best of your ability and the wins will follow.”
Canton will be relying on an experienced defense this season. Senior Chris Albert returns to the cage while senior Jake Ragusa and junior LSM Michael Pigeon will anchor the backline. Senior Dan Nadeau, junior Jonathan Sutton and sophomore Gabe Galeotos all saw time on defense last season and will fit in nicely again this year.
On offense, Ben O’Neill – one of the best offensive players in Canton history – enters the season with 125 career points. He’s got a high lacrosse IQ and can battle through defenses to find the net. Shaun Kirby, Dan Dillon, Bobby Mullaney and Eddie McCabe will all chip in with O’Neill offensively.

FOXBORO

2015 Record: 12-8
2015 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East Quarterfinals
Coach: Matt Noone
Foxboro graduated a handful of talented players last season but the biggest loss might be losing last year’s leading scorer Pat McCarthy to a knee injury this year. But with five seniors and plethora of youth, Warriors will look to try and claim their first Davenport title since 2011.
“You can’t replace Pat McCarthy, thankfully we still have his leadership, he will help the young guys,” Foxboro head coach Matt Noone said.
Connor McNamara and Brian Buckner are both entering their third year on varsity and will be relied upon heavily. McNamara is a factor at both sends of the field, Noone adding “He can carry us at times.” Buckner, a defenseman, possess great speed and positions himself well, Noone saying “His athleticism and IQ make him tough to beat on and off the ball.”
Foxboro will rely on Andrew Whalen, Louis Piccolo and James Silveria – all sophomores – on attack. McNamara will be complemented in the midfield by senior Austin Ryan and juniors Colin Spinney and Trey Guerrini. Noone called all three great athletes. Defensively, two year starters Tom Piccolo and Bobby Kierce will work alongside Buckner while sophomore Pat Kaveny has improved his game as well.
Expect sophomore Jake Addeche and junior Tyler Silveria to battle for the starting goalie job.

MILFORD

2015 Record: 2-17
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ralph Bono
Milford will be looking to try and improve after recording just two wins in the 2015 season. New head coach Ralph Bono will try to turn things around in his first year at the helm.
The Scarlet Hawks graduated their two top scorers from last season in Nick Mobilia (30 points) and Spencer Lawson (19 points) so there will be some questions to answer up front.
In midfield, junior Alex Salamone registered 10 points last season and had 12 grounds balls while sophomore Andrew Gallagher made an impact with nine points in his rookie campaign. Jack Boyle, Nick Lurie and Ian Bucal all factored into the scoring last year as well.
Defensively, Harrison Bliss led the Scarlet Hawks defensemen in grounds balls as a sophomore while Andrew Palaria and Riley Burns also saw time. In goal, Pietro Bon Tempo made 123 saves last year in 17 games played and should provide some experience in the back.

OLIVER AMES

2016 Record: 6-10
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Chris DiGiacomo
After missing out on the playoffs last season, second year skipper Chris DiGiacomo will be relying on a large senior class to try to get back to the postseason.
“There is a lot of positive energy surrounding the program currently,” head coach Chris DiGiacomo said. “The boys have been working very hard, and we are very excited to get started.”
Senior attack Matt Gilson is back for his fourth year on varsity to pace the offense while senior Jake Aronson returns to man the goal for the Tigers. Senior captain middie Aidan Connly will be relied upon to take care of both ends of the field.
Connly will be joined by classmates Mike Sullivan, Jack Long, Connor Howe and Max Bamford so the Tigers will boast a very experienced midfield. On defense, senior Max Sheldon will anchor the backline in front of Aronson.

Sharon

2015 Record: 10-9
2015 Finish: Reached D2 Central/East First Round
Coach: Peter DeSisto
The Eagles are looking to get back to the top of the Davenport mountain and are hoping former Canton player Peter DeSisto will lead them there in his first year at the helm.
“I am really excited for this season, we are a young team but the captains and upperclassmen have really set the tone for this season,” DeSisto said. “They’re showing the newer players what it takes to be successful at this level. We’ve set high expectations for ourselves, but we know that if we come together as a unit and work hard we are completely capable of reaching our goals.”
After coming up just short in the division race last year, Sharon has a strong returning core to try to win the division for the second time in three years. Senior captains Mark Bloom and Craig Titus will be the focus of the attack again this year while sophomore Jon Greenberg will be back in goal after a terrific freshman campaign in 2015.
UMass commit Josh Rotman will be paired with senior captain Matt Cancian in the midfield to provide a power 1-2 punch while sophomores Spencer Hall and Chase Waxman will also see a lot of time in the middle of the field. Sharon will have to fill some holes defensively but expect junior Jared Zunenshine and sophomore Zach Reingold to step in.

12/04/2015

HockomockSports.com 2015 Football Awards

Click here for the 2015 HockomockSports.com Football Awards.

11/22/2015

The 2015 Hockomock Football All Stars & HMs

FootballMVPs
Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Kelley-Rex MVP

Nick Morrison, North Attleboro

Honorable Mentions

Sean Donnelly, Attleboro
Nick Yelle, Franklin
John DeLuca, King Philip
Nicholas Martin, Mansfield
Kyle Gaumond, North Attleboro
Connor Briggs, Taunton

Davenport MVP

Jake Ragusa, Canton

Honorable Mentions

Mack Brown, Canton
James Blake, Foxboro
Jack DeSantis, Milford
Ryan McCarthy, Oliver Ames
Tyler Smith, Sharon
Matt Medina, Stoughton

11/22/2015

The 2015 Hockomock Football All Stars & HMs

FootballMVPs
Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Kelley-Rex MVP

Nick Morrison, North Attleboro

Hockomock Kelley-Rex All Stars

Honorable Mentions

Sean Donnelly, Attleboro
Nick Yelle, Franklin
John DeLuca, King Philip
Nicholas Martin, Mansfield
Kyle Gaumond, North Attleboro
Connor Briggs, Taunton

Davenport MVP

Jake Ragusa, Canton

Hockomock Davenport All Stars

Honorable Mentions

Mack Brown, Canton
James Blake, Foxboro
Jack DeSantis, Milford
Ryan McCarthy, Oliver Ames
Tyler Smith, Sharon
Matt Medina, Stoughton

10/02/2015

Foxboro Edges Canton In Davenport Division Clash

IMG_1154_2 — Foxboro’s Ronnie Martin tries to evade a tackle from Canton’s Jake Ragusa in the second half (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By Ryan Lanigan, Editor-in-Chief
CANTON, Mass. – After surrendering a touchdown on Canton’s opening possession, Foxboro’s defense didn’t break again.
The Warriors’ offense scored 10 unanswered points in the second half and the defense tossed a shutout in the second frame as Foxboro beat Canton, 10-7, in the HockomockSports.com Game of the Week.
The Bulldogs took the opening drive of the game 77 yards on 14 plays, running the ball every single down to take over eight minutes off the clock. A four yard toss to the right to Woanyen Mahn with 2:48 left in the first quarter put Canton ahead 7-0.
Foxboro’s defense bent a little on a handful of Canton drives throughout the rest of the game, but never broke.
The Warriors nearly responded right away, getting to 2nd and goal from the Canton two yard line but a rush for a two yard loss, a sack from Canton’s Brian Smith and a pass breakup in the end zone from Mahn forced a turnover on downs.
Canton went back to work on the ground, this time running 18 plays and getting all the way to the Foxboro 23 yard line. Facing 3rd and 7, Foxboro’s Allston George got into the backfield for a sack to force Canton into a 46 yard field goal that just fell short.
At the half, Canton was up 7-0 and had had run over triple the plays (32 to 9) that Foxboro’s offense had.
“We couldn’t stop them,” Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli said. “We couldn’t get off the field on third down. Two or three yards here, up inside and then they’d get to the edge. I have to give them credit but I have to give my guys credit too, bouncing back in the second half and shutting things down. It made it more difficult for them to pick up yardage.”
Foxboro started the second half with bang, as junior Mark Clagg connected with Connor McNamara over the middle and McNamara turned it into a 29 yard gain. A defensive penalty moved the ball up five more yards and then Foxboro was able to find the end zone. Clagg took the snap and was able to dance his way around two would-be tackles in the backfield and eventually dumped the pass off to running back Ronnie Martin. Martin took the pass, broke through a tackle and raced his way in for a 43 yard touchdown along the right side.
Canton’s offense started to move the ball yet again on the ground behind the combination of Jake Ragusa (21 carries, 125 yards), Mahn (nine carries, 40 yards) and Joe Bires (25 yards), moving into Foxboro territory. But a five yard penalty, a four yard loss and then a sack pushed Canton into 3rd and 23. Quarterback Dennis Ross nearly completed a long pass to Michael Harris for the first down but the ball just slipped through Harris’ one hand attempt.
The punt was nearly a disaster but Thomas Monagle was able to track down the high snap and still get a punt away.
Clagg then took a QB option for 39 yards to the Canton 15 yard line but the Bulldogs defense would stand tall. A three yard rush from Austin Ryan (81 all purpose yards) was followed by an incompletion and then a rush for no yards. Foxboro junior John Cronin then drilled a 29 yard field goal, his league leading fifth of the season, with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
“The little ice man, he has ice water in his veins,” Martinelli said of Cronin. “He’s been clutch for us.”
Canton was forced to punt again (and another great play by Monagle to snag a high snap) but the Bulldogs defense forced Foxboro to do the same. This time it was a high snap from Foxboro that went over Clagg’s head. Canton’s Dijmon Harding was able to get to Clagg before he could get anything off and forced a 21 yard loss and a turnover on downs.
Canton took control in the Foxboro red zone at the Warriors’ 18 yard line with 7:10 left.
That’s when Foxboro’s defense had it’s best stand of the game. On first down, Foxboro’s front four got a great push and caused a loss of six yards on a rush. An incomplete pass over the middle was followed by a 10 yard run from Ragusa. Canton’s field goal attempt from 31 yards just sailed wide and Foxboro kept its lead with 5:34 to play.
From there, it was heavy dose of Ronnie Martin (13 carries, 46 yards). Martin took the first two hand offs for a total of four yards before Clagg connected with McNamara for nine yards and first down. Another carry from Martin was followed by a QB option run by Darren Kelly that went for 21 yards and a first down. Four straight carries from Martin set Foxboro up for 3rd and 7 and that’s when Ryan took a sweep up the left side for eight yards and a first to ice the game.
“The two quarterback [Clagg and Kelly] situation, I have to give me coaches Mike Bordieri and AJ Dooley a lot of credit for working their magic with that,” Martinelli said. “They both understand their role and root for one another and today’s day and age, that’s hard to do.
“And Ronnie had a good game, I thought he ran hard. He’s starting to get to his peak performance level right on schedule. It will make life easier if we can run the ball a little more.”
Canton finished with an advantage in first downs, time of possession and rushing yards but Foxboro came away with the win to move to 4-0 overall.
“That’s a great football team,” Martinelli said of Canton. “I knew they were and I knew they could run the ball and that’s just what they did. I think maybe we wore them down in the second, maybe a little I don’t know. I would never take anything away from Canton. The last three or four years, they have played as hard as anyone on the schedule. We knew they would be tough, we knew they would be tough running the football and defensively. We’re happy to escape with a 10-7 win, believe me.”
The Bulldogs suffered their first setback of the season but were able to push the Warriors, who are just one of two remaining undefeated teams in the Hockomock and just one of three in D4 South, to the limit.
“I feel like it was a tale of two teams,” Canton head coach Dave Bohane said. “They’re kind of a finesse team and can throw the ball very well with two good quarterbacks and good receivers and we’re more, come at you on the ground team. I thought both teams did exactly that. But Martin is a good runner and I have a lot of respect for him and I knew he would play a factor at some point. They are good but I thought our kids played very well, I think we limited their plays as much as we could. I think we did what we set out to do but we came up short.
“I think penalties got us in some key spots and we got into some positions where we had to get out of our comfort zone. We were in a position to maybe win the game though but we just couldn’t quite do it.”
Foxboro (4-0, 2-0 in the Davenport) will look to continue its perfect start when they host Milford (2-2, 1-1), which is fresh off a 42-8 win over Oliver Ames. Canton (3-1, 1-1) will look to bounce back when they travel to neighboring Stoughton (2-2, 2-0) on Friday night.
Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.

09/18/2015

Dramatic Finish Hands Martinelli 250th Victory

Foxboro’s Pat Flannery gives head coach Jack Martinelli an ice bath after following his 250th career win. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By Josh Perry, Managing Editor

FOXBORO, Mass. – With 2:32 remaining in the game, after a 12-minute touchdown drive and two-point conversion gave King Philip its first lead, Foxboro took the ball at its own 32-yard-line with one last chance to pull out a victory and improve to 2-0 on the season.
It was also one last opportunity to get head coach Jack Martinelli his 250th win in a career at Foxboro that stretches back to 1982.
Quarterback Mark Clagg was sacked on first down, but he stepped up to find Connor McNamara for 14 yards and a first down and then Austin Ryan for 38 yards down to the KP 15. Two plays and three yards later, Clagg threw an incomplete pass and history came down to the foot of junior John Cronin.
Cronin, who had kicked a game-winning extra point as a freshman against Attleboro, seemed calm as he stood over the ball. “They were calmer than the coaches,” said Martinelli after the game.
The kick was a line drive knuckleball that stayed inside the left upright to put the hosts ahead with just 20 seconds remaining. KP ran two plays but could not make a dent and the Foxboro players stormed onto the field to celebrate not only a big league victory but history for their coach.
“It feels great,” said Cronin. “It was a great way to win on his day. Great win.”
Senior captain Connor Downs added, “It’s such an honor to be the ones that gave him that. It was our goal to not keep him waiting long and finally did it against a real good team.”
“I’m really pumped right now.”
Martinelli, as expected, would not take credit for any of the success that the Foxboro program has had over the past 33 seasons. For many years, the Warriors were a dominant force in the Hockomock, winning league and Super Bowl titles. Demographics have shifted and Foxboro is one of the smaller schools in the league, but football remains a cornerstone program.
“The focus is really on the kids and the probably 3,000 kids that have played here since 1982,” said Martinelli, “and the coaches that have been with me since 1982 that’s where the credit goes.”
“It’s all on the kids that come out. We’re a small school and we dress 95 kids…250 is just a number.”
On the opposite sideline, KP coach Brian Lee, who is now in his eighth year in charge, spoke of the respect he has for the coaches that have been successful in a competitive league for as long as Martinelli has.
“They’ve been awesome since as long as I can remember, since I was in high school,” said Lee.
“My first couple of years coaching here at KP, the only thing that could stop Foxboro from scoring was Jack and I appreciated that mercy back in the day.”
Lee added, “Looking across the sideline and seeing a guy with that wealth of knowledge…that’s what is great about the Hock, to have coaches like that.”
That knowledge is being passed down to new generations of Foxboro players. Downs noted, “Defensively, he just sees the field so well it’s amazing.”
When asked if he said anything to Martinelli after the final whistle, Downs replied, “Just said congratulations and let him enjoy this moment right now.”
Surrounded by reporters, with the band playing a few feet behind him, Martinelli was not worried about his own legacy or what it meant to reach such a milestone.
“I mean…am I happy? Yeah,” he responded when asked.
“But, I think it’s a load off the kids’ backs too because it was never said or mentioned but between the kids. For the kids’ sake, they can get out of here pretty happy.”
He remembers when it all began, 33 years ago in a game he described as being very similar to Thursday night’s. His team went out and edged Westwood on the road 14-13. More than three decades later, he is still on the sidelines, still calling out defensive assignments and still barking for calls.
Two hundred and fifty is just a number but only because Jack Martinelli’s legacy at Foxboro goes well beyond wins and losses.
Connor Downs said, “I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know it was real.”
“It’s the most motivation we could ask for and he’s honestly the best coach I’ve ever witnessed.”
Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.

09/18/2015

Late Field Goal Lifts Foxboro Over King Philip

By Ryan Lanigan, Editor-in-Chief
FOXBORO, Mass. – The snap from senior Sean Smalley was on point. Senior Connor McNamara took the snap and put the football down perfectly.
From there, junior John Cronin took three steps, planting his left leg and using his right to split the uprights for the game-winning field goal as Foxboro took down King Philip, 17-15, and deliver head coach Jack Martinelli his 250th career victory. Martinelli becomes just the 15th coach in Massachusetts high school history to reach the milestone.
“I have to say the kids came to play tonight,” Martinelli said. “It wasn’t easy and I knew it would be like that, just like last week. I knew they would try to beat us up and at times they did. They kept us off the field but I think we proved that we can play against physical football teams as well as finesse teams.”
King Philip looked like they completed a drive that might have put an end to game, chewing up over 12 minutes of game clock and pushing in a touchdown and a two point conversion to take their first lead of the game.
But with 2:24 left and starting from their own 36 yard line, Foxboro was able to move the ball down the field in just three plays and then three plays later, connected on Cronin’s field goal.
A sack by Daniel Loewen on first down pushed Foxboro back but after that, junior quarterback Mark Clagg connected with Connor McNamara on a screen for 14 yards on second down. On first down from Foxboro’s own 47, Clagg hit Austin Ryan over the middle and after a juke move, Ryan went on to gain 38 yards to the KP 15-yard line.
Two rushing plays and an incompletion got the clock to under 30 seconds. That’s when Cronin hit his 28-yard field goal to put Foxboro up 17-15 with 21.2 seconds left.
“Clagg had all the composure just like John Cronin who kicked the field goal,” Martinelli said. “With at least two timeouts to ice him, he still made it perfect. I’m so proud of him.
“I’d like to say it’s coaching but it isn’t it’s all the kids. The long snapper Sean Smalley has been great and the holder Connor McNamara, they were a lot calmer than the coaches on the sideline. I guess that’s what makes heroes, what they did tonight.”
King Philip trailed 7-0 and 14-7 in the game but it wasn’t until their second to last drive when they finally took the lead. Starting at their own 11-yard line, King Philip used 20 plays to go 89 yards to find the end zone. Junior quarterback John DeLuca did most of his work on the ground but not in the conventional way most high school signal callers do. DeLuca, working from under center, gained 31 of those yards on 10 QB sneaks, capped off by his plunge in from a yard out.
Because of the success of DeLuca’s sneaks, KP head coach Brian Lee elected to go for two. Once again, DeLuca followed the blocks right up the middle set by center Daniel Loewen and guards Michael Sullivan and Billy Dittrich and converted the two-point conversion to give KP a 15-14 lead with just over two minutes to play.
Foxboro took the first lead of the game on the first drive of the game. Starting at their own 25, it took just six plays before they found the end zone. On the second play, Clagg found McNamara on a short pass and he scampered down the right sideline for 61 yards all the way to the 15-yard line of King Philip. Two negative rushes and a 10-yard completion to Ryan forced Foxboro into a 4th down situation.
Martinelli first sent Cronin and the field goal unit out but after a pair of timeouts – one from each side – the Warriors trotted out Clagg and the offense again. Clagg connected with McNamara on the right side again and he raced into the end zone to give Foxboro a 7-0 lead.
King Philip knotted the game in the second quarter. The Warriors alternated carries from their backs and DeLuca to move the ball. First it was a pair of runs fro Sean Garrity that netted 19 yards. Two more from Gio Fernandez picked up 11 yards and then two from Garrity sent for seven yards. On third down from the one yard line, DeLuca took it form under center on the sneak and went all the way to the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
KP fumbled away possession on their first drive of the second half but got it right back four plays later from a punt from Foxboro. Martinelli’s defense stood strong though and were able to get the ball back. A holding penalty backed KP up 10 yards and an incomplete pass made it 2nd and 20. Foxboro’s James Blake made his way into the backfield to sniff out a run from Garrity for a loss. On 3rd and 23, Pat Flannery came flying in on a safety blitz and dropped DeLuca for a 10 yard loss.
A punt from King Philip had an unlucky bounce backwards and Foxboro took control at KP’s 29-yard line. Foxboro didn’t waste anytime as Clagg dropped back and hit senior Jason Procaccini, who was wide open after a double move created separation. Procaccini walked in untouched to put Foxboro up 14-7.
With the win, Martinelli earned his 250th win to become just the 15th coach in Massachusetts high school history to reach that mark. But, unsurprisingly, Martinelli was quick to credit his players and staff.
“The focus is really on the kids,” Martinelli said. “Probably about 3,000 kids who have played here since 1982 and the coaches that have been with me since 1982, that’s where the credit goes. It’s all on the kids that come. We’re a small school and we dress 95 kids every year and it’s a credit to the community and the kids. 250 is just a number. Am I happy? Yeah I’m happy. But I think it’s a load off the kids’ back too. It was never said or mentioned other then amongst the kids so just for the sake, they can can be happy.”
Clagg finished 10/12 for 183 yards and two touchdowns for the Warriors while McNamara (105 yards) and Ryan (57 yards) each had four receptions. While Foxboro’s passing game worked, King Philip stuck with the running game. Gary had 109 yards on 23 carries, DeLuca had 78 yards on 17 rushes and Fernandez picked up 45 yards on seven carries.
Foxboro (2-0) will open its Hockomock League Davenport Division schedule when they host Sharon next Friday. King Philip (0-2) will look for its first win when they host North Attleboro.

09/11/2015

Friday's Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/11/15

Today’s games are listed below.
Game of the Week – Football
North Attleboro, 14 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final
1st Quarter: (NA) Chad Peterson 12 yard pass to Nick Morrison, Connor Flynn XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Jake Gibb 43 yard pass to Steven Elice, XP fail.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (NA) Kyle Gaumond 49 yard interception return, Connor MacIver XP good.
Football
Attleboro, 55 @ Bishop Feehan, 26 – Final
1st Quarter: (A) Brendan Nunes 6 yard rush, Elijah Lewis XP good; Bishop Feehan 2 yard rush, XP fail; (A) Brendan Nunes 36 yard pass to Alex Silva, E. Lewis XP good.
2nd Quarter: (A) Tyler McGovern 1 yard rush, Lewis XP good; (A) B. Nunes 1 yard rush, E. Lewis XP good; Bishop Feehan 90 yard kickoff return, XP good; (A) T. McGovern 1 yard rush, E. Lewis XP good.
3rd Quarter: (A) T. McGovern 1 yard pass to Jon Dunn, E. Lewis XP good; Bishop Feehan 33 yard pass, 2pt fail; Bishop Feehan 46 yard pass, XP good; (A) B. Nunes 53 yard rush, 2pt fail.
4th Quarter: (A) Cam Furtado 14 yard pass to A. Silva, E. Lewis good.

Canton, 17 @ Rockland, 14 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring
2nd Quarter: (C) Jake Ragusa 3 yard rush, Thomas Monagle XP good; (C) Joe Bires 3 yard rush, T. Monagle XP good.
3rd Quarter: Rockland 20 yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) T. Monagle 25 yard field goal good; Rockland 7 yard pass, XP good.
Foxboro, 25 vs. Westwood, 20 – Final
1st Quarter: Westwood 36 yard pass, 2pt fail; (F) Ronnie Martin 6 yard rush, XP good.
2nd Quarter: Westwood 50 yard pass, XP fail; (F) John Cronin FG good.
3rd Quarter: (F) Daren Kelly 7 yard pass to Connor McNamara, M. Clagg 2pt rush.
4th Quarter: (F) D. Kelly 15 yard pass to Jason Procaccini, XP good; Westwood 2 yard rush, 2pt good.
Franklin, 0 @ Arlington, 21 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ East Bridgewater, 20 – Final
1st Quarter: East Bridgewater 8 yard rush, XP good.
2nd Quarter: East Bridgewater 46 yard pass, XP good.
3rd Quarter: East Bridgewater 80 yard kick return, XP fail.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Mansfield, 14 vs. St. John’s Prep, 42 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Brian Lynch 5-yard rush, XP good; St. John’s Prep 22-yard pass, XP good.
2nd Quarter: St. John’s Prep 60-yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: St. John’s Prep 52-yard pass, XP good; (M) B. Lynch 2-yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: St. John’s Prep 29-yard pass, XP good; St. John’s Prep 19-yard pass, XP good; St. John’s Prep 13-yard rush, XP good.
Milford, 22 @ Marlborough, 21 – Final
1st Quarter: Marlborough 75 yard kickoff return, XP good; Marlborough 11 yard run, XP good.
2nd Quarter: Zach Lanzetta 21 yard pass to Blake Hill, Sean Lehane XP good; B. Hill 3 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: Marlborough 6 yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: Z. Lanzetta 25 yard pass to Tony Mobilia, 2pt fail; S. Lehane 21-yard FG.

Oliver Ames, 0 vs. Hanover, 27 – Final

Sharon, 0 @ Falmouth, 30 – Final

Taunton, 20 vs. New Bedford, 45 – Final
Taunton scoring only
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: Jared Tage 13 yard pass to Brian Cherenfant, Jason DaRosa 2pt rush.
3rd Quarter: J. DaRosa 5 yard rush, 2pt fail.
4th Quarter: J. DaRosa 2 yard rush, 2pt fail.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Jake Goloboy scores the lone goal of the game three minutes into the second half to give the Eagles their first win of the season. Goloboy’s goal was set up when Matt Lowerre fed Sunny Somdah a through ball and Somdah got to the ball and cross over to Goloboy for the goal.
Franklin, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin’s Kevin Hall headed home a cross from Austin Kent in the first half and then Kent converted a penalty kick in the second half to give Franklin its first win of the season.

King Philip, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final– Milford freshman Joey Madden scored his first career goal just over 10 minutes into the game to give the Scarlet Hawks the lead. In the second half, Sttarley Flores found the back of the net after a great feed from Justin Borges. Borges then tacked on the third goal shortly before the final whistle on an assist from Jon Torres. Milford goalie Mike Da Silva made eight saves in net.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Loubensky Lucas volleyed in a corner from Jordan Asnes in the 30th minute for the lone goal of the game. North Attleboro goalie Rob Heaney played well for the Rocketeers with six saves.
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames seniors Chris Romero and Keegan Nutt and junior Thomas McCormick all scored once and picked up an assist as the Tigers rolled. Jack Carroll made two saves in net to record his second straight shutout. Head coach John Barata said Nathaniel Cardoza and Cam Vella played “extremely well” in the midfield while Jared Mallers, Max Ahearn and Max Bamford guided the Tigers defense to its second straight shutout.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Rebekah Entwistle scored two goals in the opening six minutes of the game and Kayla Merritt added the Bombardiers third. Paige Medeiros had two assists for Attleboro.
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – The Panthers got goals from defenders Meghan Dieterle and Nadia Havens to earn their first win of the season.
Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Nicole Dahlgren scored two minutes into the game for Milford and 13 minutes later KP tied the game on a penalty by Emma Corcoran. Seven minutes later, the Warriors took the lead on a header by freshman Logan Greenburg off a corner by Lauren Hehn. Milford tied the game on a Kristen Franzini penalty in the 28th minute. With nine minutes left, KP found the winner when Elizabeth Cooley found the top corner from 25 yards off an assist by Kelly McSweeney.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon grabbed its first win of the season with a 25-14, 25-17, 25-23 win over the Bombardiers.

Mansfield, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton moved to 2-0 on the season with a 25-14, 25-20, 25-15 win over the Hornets. Olivia Devoe had another big game at libero with 20 digs, Elizabeth Hamilton had a game-high 15 kills, Rye Verille chipped in with seven kills and three blocks. Head coach Pat Cawley said Sarah Reissfelder and Emma Murphy were strong at the net. For Mansfield, Cathryn Heavey recorded 27 assists and Meg Hill had five kills.

Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Franklin was able to edge the Warriors 21-25, 25-21, 8-25, 29-27, 15-12. Franklin’s Dayna McCue had a match-high 47 serve receives and added 14 digs, Alyssa Shea had 11 kills, Caroline Maguire also had 11 kills and added a pair of blocks and aces while Beth Neal had 27 assists, eight kills and four aces for the Panthers.

King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip swept by the scores of 28-26, 25-17 and 25-10. Emma Lopez had four aces for the Warriors, Josie Rowean had 12 kills and Micaela Murray had a team-high in digs. King Philip moved to 2-0 on the season.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton won the first game 25-19, North Attleboro battled back with a 25-23 win in the second game but Stoughton won out, 25-19 in the third set and 26-24 in the fourth set. Stoughton senior Bianca DeSousa shined for the Black Knights with 19 digs, 11 assists, six aces, six kills and three blocks. Bridgette Whalen had nine blocks, seven kills and 14 digs and Ava Siegel added five kills and 22 digs for Stoughton.

Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final– Taunton swept 25-21, 25-13, 25-21. Tatum Speicher shined with 25 assists and two aces while a pair of Tiger middle hitters played well at the net. Alyssa Gibson had four kills and three blocks and Aimee Kistner had seven kills, three aces and a block.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 8 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Attleboro jumped out to a 3-0 lead at halftime and added five more goals in the second half to move to 2-0 on the season, still yet to surrender a goal. Grace Mayer and Emily Houle each scored twice for the Bombardiers.

Mansfield, 2 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Caroline Maher and Emily Ierardo each scored a goal for the Hornets, who moved to 2-0 on the season. Canton senior Abby Powers scored her first varsity goal on an assist from Caroline Hagan as the Bulldogs suffered their first loss this year.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Olivia Schlehuber, Erika Paul and Mia Russell each scored a goal to lift Stoughton to 2-0 on the season.
Golf
Stoughton, 205 @ Foxboro, 176 – Final
Taunton, 161 @ Franklin, 170 – Final – Taunton’s Mario Wilson shot a match-low 38 to pace Taunton. Ryan O’Berg and Kaynel Gonsalves each shot 40. Franklin’s Matt Dao shot a 40 and Matt Pleshaw shot a 41.
Attleboro, 173 @ Canton, 149 – Final – Sophomore Jack Goyetch shot a match-low 36 to lead the Bulldogs. Senior Steve Gorham shot a 37 while juniors Pat Duggan and Jackson Maffeo both shot 38. Attleboro Senior Keagin Larkin carded a team-low 41.
North Attleboro, 154 @ King Philip, 159 – Final

09/10/2015

Football: 2015 Davenport Division Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Canton

2014 Record: 6-5
2014 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Dave Bohane
Key/Returning Players: Jake Ragusa, Sr., HB/LB; Mac Brown, Sr., OL/DL; Joe Bires, Sr., FB/LB; Nick MacGregor, Sr., OL/DL; Kenny Dulcio, Sr., OL/DL; Michael Harris, Sr., SE/DB; Woanyen Mahn, Sr., HB/DB; Mike McMahon, Sr., HB/FS; Dennis Ross, Jr., QB/LB.
Outlook: The Bulldogs graduated a handful of big names this past Spring but Canton has a lot of talent coming back in key positions. Anchored by a handful of returning starters, including some who will start for the third straight year, Canton could be a tough opponent every single week.
Offensively, junior Dennis Ross will take over under center after Brian Hagan graduated. There are some similarities between Ross and Hagan (21 total TDs in 2014) so the transition will be a bit easier than others experience. Ross has some speed with his legs and has good throwing strength. One target Ross will look for is Michael Harris, who is a big threat option and will get a lot of looks this season. The offensive line is strong and there is a good amount of experience.
On defense, head coach Dave Bohane has a solid amount of experienced talent that will be key this season. Senior Jake Ragusa is back and has been one of the Bulldogs leading tacklers in both his sophomore and junior years. Joe Bires’ athleticism is key but his football IQ is something that will help the Bulldogs. Nick MacGregor will be an anchor on the defensive line while Bohane had high praise for Mike McMahon, who will be the defensive quarterback from his safety position.

Foxboro

2014 Record: 7-4
2014 Finish: Reached D4 South Semifinal
Coach: Jack Martinelli
Key/Returning Players: Ronnie Martin, Sr., RB/LB; Connor Downs, Sr., RB/LB; Trevor Fishman, Sr., OT/DE; James Blake, Jr., OT/DE; Austin Ryan, Sr., WR/CB; Connor McNamara, Sr., WR/CB; Pat McCarthy, Sr., P/WR/SS.
Outlook: While the spotlight is on Stoughton as the favorite of the Davenport, Foxboro has a strong core of players and should be right in the thick of things. There are some big shoes to fill left by the Class of 2015 but to no one’s surprise, Jack Martinelli looks to have his team primed for another playoff push.
Junior Mark Clagg looks to be the one that will gets the reps at quarterback this season. Clagg already has a career touchdown pass under his belt when he tossed one against Walpole last year. Despite minimal varsity experience, Clagg will have a good amount of weapons to work with. Hockomock League All Star Ronnie Martin is back and should get the majority of the carries this year. Austin Ryan had a great summer in passing league and could carry that momentum into the season. With a couple of key pieces back on the line, Foxboro’s offense could be among the best in the league.
Defensively, there will be some holes that the Warriors need to plug. Connor Downs will be one of the top linebackers this season while Pat McCarthy, Austin Ryan and Connor McNamara will all see time in the secondary. The key could be getting a push up front for the Warriors.

Milford

2014 Record: 7-4
2014 Finish: Reached D3 Southwest Semifinal
Coach: Joe Todd
Key/Returning Players: Jack Desantis, Sr., RB/DB; Leo Moronta, Sr., TE/DE; Ryan Nesta, Sr., WR/LB; Zach Lanzetta, Sr., QB; John Niro, Sr., OL/DL; Blake Hill, Jr., WR/RB/LB; Ryan Gray, Jr., OL/DL; Asong Aminmentse, Jr., RB/DB; Riley Burns, Jr., OL/DL; Harrison Bliss, Jr., OL/LB; Tony Mobilia, Jr., WR.
Outlook: Milford was one of the biggest surprises in all of Division 3 last year with the run they made. With the talent they had, it’s no surprise. Although the Scarlet Hawks graduated a good amount of contributors from 2014, expect Milford to give opponents a tough time all season.
One big positive for Joe Todd and Milford will be having Zach Lanzetta under center. Now a senior, Lanzetta has been getting some reps since his sophomore year. After sharing QB duties over the past two years, it looks like Lanzetta will be full time this year. Jack Desantis will get a good amount of carries out of the backfield while Blake Hill, Leo Moronta and Tony Mobilia are all receiving threats that have experience.
There is a good amount of experience returning on defense for the Scarlet Hawks. Desantis and Aminmentse will patrol the secondary, while Ryan Nesta, Harrison Bliss and Blake Hill will form one of the more formidable linebacking corps in the Davenport. On the line, Ryan Gray and Riley Burns are two players with experience. Expect Milford to sneak up on some teams this season.

Oliver Ames

2014 Record: 3-8
2014 Finish: Reached D3 Southwest Quarterfinal
Coach: Mike Holland
Key/Returning Players: Connor Moroney, Sr., FB/LB; Andrew Callachan, Sr., RB/LB; Shawn Cardoza, Sr., TE/DE; Chris Hanegan, Sr., LB; Charlie Ryan, Sr., QB; Pat Mills, Sr., OL/DL; Kevin Geary, Sr., OL/DL.
Outlook: There is a lot that changes with a new coach but the Tigers have more than just a new face to deal with. With graduation and a couple of transfers, Oliver Ames has a lot gaps to fill this season. Luckily, new coach Mike Holland has been in the program for years which makes the transition smoother.
Charlie Ryan is back for his second year under center and his first full season as starter. Ryan tossed for nine touchdowns last season, which is second among quarterbacks returning this year. The biggest question will be finding new targets to catch those passes. Andrew Callachan has moved into the backfield this season and should get a good amount of carries. Connor Moroney will be an option on offense as will Shawn Cardoza but the Tigers will need some other faces to step up on offense.
On defense, Moroney could be one of the biggest surprises at linebacker while Shawn Cardoza could be one of the best lineman on defense this season. Kevin Geary has seen varsity time and could be poised for a breakout senior season. After giving up over 23 points on average last season, the Tigers will look to get back to 2013 form, where they gave up less than 10 points a game.

Sharon

2014 Record: 2-9
2014 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Dave Morse
Key/Returning Players: Nate Hirsh, Jr., OT; Joey Dowler, Sr., TE; Josh Rotman, Jr., WR/CB; Kenny Marrero, Sr., OG; Bryce Smith, Sr., WR/CB; Tyler Smith, Sr., RB/WR/CB; Matt Cancian, Sr., RB/LB; Carlos Grullon, Sr., RB; Juvan Elisma, Jr., RB; Xavier Hackett, Jr., Safety; Keson John, Sr., WR; Ian Longol-Leonard, Jr., OT/DT; Peter Banks, Jr., OC.
Outlook: The Eagles were forced to change things up last season and although the offense struggled for consistency at time, the defense was a big bright spot. Sharon was one of the top defenses in the league last year with just a hair over 20 PPG allowed.
The good news for Sharon this year is the amount of players they have back at the skill positions. When the quarterback is settled on, expect players like Matt Cancian, Carlos Grullon, Juvan Elisma and Tyler Smith to all get looks coming out of the backfield. With Josh Rotman and Bryce Smith — two players that saw a lot of varsity time last season — back in the fold, Sharon will have plenty of options on offense. The key will be establishing a consistent offensive line.
Defensively, the Eagles will have a strong secondary and linebackers. With both Tyler and Bryce Smith, Josh Rotman and Xavier Hackett back, the secondary has plenty of experience. Kevin Jones also has a good amount of varsity experience and will be paired with Matt Cancian at linebacker. John Dentino and Ian Langol-Leonard will be two players counted on to bolster up the Eagles defensive line. With the talent that Sharon has back, a playoff appearance might be in the picture.

Stoughton

2014 Record: 9-2
2014 Finish: Reached D3 Southwest Semifinal
Coach: Greg Burke
Key/Returning Players: Jake Gibb, Sr., QB; Guy Eddy, Sr., RB/LB; Jordan Taylor, Sr., RB; Ryan Sullivan, Jr., RB/DB; Xzavian Marrero, Sr., RB/DB; Izon Swain-Price, Jr., SE/DB; Nick Hardy, Jr., RB/DB; Steven Elice, Sr., SE/DB; Jack Connolly, Jr., TE; Matt Medina, Sr., OL/DL; Matt Soto, Sr., OL/DL; Antoyne Sellman, Sr., DB; Donny Foley, Sr., LB; Devlin Carroll, Sr., LB.
Outlook: If you want to know what the Stoughton football team values, look no further than the roster they hand out at games. The Black Knights are the lone team to put defense positions first. It may be reading into it a little bit, but Stoughton has been become one of the defensive power houses in the entire state.
Obviously last year was a great year for Stoughton but expect the Black Knights to reload for 2015. With their athleticism, speed and strength, there is a lot of reasons to expect another hard-nosed defense. Linebackers Guy Eddy, Donnie Foley and Devlin Carroll are all experienced players with speed and leadership qualities. IN the secondary, Ryan Sullivan, Steven Elice, Antoyne Selman and Izon Swain-Price are all individuals capable of making a big play. Stoughton will be looking to get a push on the line similar to what they had last year.
Similar to the defense, Stoughton’s offense will first need to establish a solid offensive line. With Greg Burke in charge of developing the line, expect Stoughton to produce another strong one. That will be key as the Black Knights will have Jake Gibb back for his third year at quarterback and could be one of the top players in the league. Ryan Sullivan and Xzavian Marrero will be dangerous coming out of the backfield while Christian Hill, Nick Hardy, Guy Eddy and Jordan Taylor could see time carrying the ball. Steven Elice and Jack Connolly could emerge as go-to guys for Gibbs this year.