Tag: Dylan Kerrigan

Third Quarter Run Propels Foxboro Into Elite Eight

Foxboro Boys Lacrosse
Tommy Sharkey scored four goals to help Foxboro beat Falmouth for the second time this season and reach the Div. 3 quarterfinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FOXBORO, Mass. – Just 30 seconds into the third quarter of Friday afternoon’s Div. 3 Round of 16 game at Sam Berns Community Field, Falmouth junior Rafe Grant managed to escape a triple team, drove across the center of the Foxboro defense, and managed to squeeze a shot past goalie Adam Addeche.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The goal extended the Clippers’ run to four straight and cut the Foxboro lead down to just one. Momentum seemed to be with the visitors, but before the face-off the officials conducted a stick check, ruled that Grant’s stick was illegal, and not only took the goal off the board but also gave Foxboro a two-minute, man-up opportunity.

Connor Noone took advantage of the extra space to score his second goal of the day. Instead of a one-goal game, Foxboro led by three and took back control. The Warriors would tack on three more in the quarter to push the lead to as many as six and held on in the fourth to secure an 11-7 win and a spot in the last eight.

“I’m proud of the boys, great win for us today,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone, who also welcomed the Warriors playing in Div. 3 for the first time this spring. “It’s nice to go on a little run.”

Foxboro got off to a perfect start, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. Noone got things started after a couple of minutes, able to get his hands free for a lefty rip. Three minutes later, Tommy Sharkey broke free and found the bottom corner from distance to double the lead. On a man-up, Sharkey went across the crease with a pass to Jack Avery at the back post to make it 3-0.

Less than a minute later, Foxboro added its fourth with a quick transition that started with a perfect Addeche outlet pass to pole Dylan Kerrigan, who raced down the sideline before picking out freshman Jon Sacchetti for a close-range finish.

The lead could’ve been more but Falmouth goalie Chris Ledwick (19 saves) came up with huge stops to deny Sacchetti and Lincoln Moore. The Clippers made the stops count by getting on the board when Matt Shea found the back of the net with a minute to go in the first.

Foxboro responded early in the second. Sacchetti was able to cut through the Falmouth defense and despite taking a hit was able to bury the shot. Another two-man advantage turned into a five-goal lead for the Warriors, as Sharkey had plenty of time to line up a sidearm shot for his second.

Although the hosts seemed to have the game in hand, mistakes and penalties allowed the Clippers to creep back into the game.

“Offensively, I thought we pressed,” Noone explained. “We weren’t valuing possession of the ball and so I asked the kids, can we get a long possession? The way you’re going to beat teams that you shouldn’t beat is to possess the ball longer, so we’ve been trying to work on that.”

A bad pass in transition gifted Oliver Partridge a free run at Addeche and he made no mistake to cut the lead to 6-2. Shea was able to turn the corner and and went high past the stick of Addeche to make it a three-goal game. Jackson Falcone nearly made a two-man advantage count only to have Addeche come up with a huge stop with his mask.

With 2:16 left in the half, Falmouth got back within two. After a turnover Cooper Young fired a pass across the middle. Addeche gambled for the steal, but the ball made it through to Kevin Coyne for a finish into the open goal.

“Penalties killed us, we let them get back in it,” Noone said. “Being in the penalty box…now we’re in the playoffs man, sometimes during the season you can get away with that but the deeper you go in the playoffs, if you’re a man down most teams are going to be able to score.”

It looked like things had gone from bad to worse for the Warriors after Falmouth won the opening draw of the second half, but the goal was wiped away and Noone restored a three-goal cushion.

Foxboro then got back to what had worked so well in the first quarter. Sharkey was denied by Ledwick while taking a big hit, but Foxboro retained possession and Moore went right back to Sharkey for his hat trick goal.

Three minutes later, Addeche had another long outlet to Kerrigan, who pulled in the pass with a nifty over-the-shoulder catch, and it was finished by Noone in the middle. Sharkey would add his fourth of the day with a man-up goal and the Warriors went into the fourth leading 10-4.

“Tommy was great,” Noone said. “Sacchetti, our freshman, played great. What’s great about the attack is that if someone has an off day then someone will pick them up. So, when they shut off Connor, then Linc picks it up and, if Lincoln is having an off day, then Sacchetti is there.”

Falmouth kept battling back. Max April went top shelf on the run just 30 seconds into the quarter and the Clippers forced a turnover on the ride to give Grant a wide open chance and cut the lead to four.

Noone proved to be the run stopper. The Merrimack College-commit had his first chance saved but he recovered the loose ball at the ‘X’ and got to his left hand before firing a shot inside the far post. Partridge would get one back with 2:48 left, but the Warriors earned their second four-goal win against the Clippers this season.

The Warriors held onto the lead thanks to the play of Addeche, who made half of his 12 saves in the fourth, and the aggressive marking of Kerrigan, Ben Ricketts, Matt Grace, and the rest of the defensive unit.

“My defense was awesome today,” Noone raved. “To be man-down so much and hold them to seven goals, they’re a good team.”

He added, “Adam played probably his best game today. He was involved in the defense, you could hear him talking, he made some great saves, his outlet passes were on today. I need him to do that more and more.”

Foxboro (14-6) advances to face the winner of No. 4 Dracut and No. 13 Shawsheen Valley Tech at a date and time to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/16/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Taunton, 17 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final (5 Inn.)

North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro jumped in front with three runs in the third inning and tacked on two key insurance in the top of the seventh to secure a win on the road over Canton. The win clinched at least a share of the Davenport division for the Rocketeers, who would win it outright with one more win or a Foxboro loss. Jack Digirolamo drove in a run on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead but North took the lead for good with three in the third. Danny Curran reached on an error that allowed Derek Maceda to score, Dillon Harding followed with an RBI sac fly, and Jordan Paradis had a one-out RBI single to give the visitors the 3-1 edge. in the top of the seventh, Maceda and Tyler DeMattio had back-to-back singles and both scored on a base hit from Curran to make it 5-1. Curran got the win on the mound as well, allowing just the one run on six hits and four walks, striking out four in 3.1 innings of work. Harding came on in relief and tossed 3.1 scoreless innings with three hits allowed and two strikeouts.

Sharon, 1 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro freshman Nolan Gordon had another strong outing on the mound and the Warriors’ offense came through with some timely two-out hits to secure a win at home over Sharon. Gordon scattered five hits in 6.1 innings of work, allowing one (unearned) run with one walk and six strikeouts for the win. Sean O’Leary came on for the final two outs to record the save, getting back-to-back outs against the tying run at the plate. Louis Carangelo had a leadoff walk, stole second, and put the Warriors ahead on a two-out double from Tom Marcucella in the bottom of the second. Foxboro doubled its lead an inning later when Ryan LeClair was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on a double from O’Leary. Sharon got a run back in the top of the fourth when Will Hippler led off with a double, moved to third on a single from Dan Okstein and scored on a grounder from Dylan Labbe that was mishandled. Marcuella drew a two-out walk in the top of the sixth and scored off a triple from Kenny Mello for a key insurance run. Sophomore Luke Meixel pitched well for the Eagles in the loss, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks, striking out three in 5.2 innings of work.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin took the lead with a run in the first, added three in the third, and that was enough for junior Alfred Mucciarone as the Panthers prevailed from a tight contest with a win over rival Mansfield. In the bottom of the first, Chris Goode drew a two-out walk, stole second, and then scored on an RBI single up the left side by Evan Raider. The Panthers struck again with two outs in the third as sophomore Henry Digiorgio hit a base-clearing double to left to score Ryan Gerety (walk), Jack Marino (single), and Raider (single) to make it 4-0. Mucciarone tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits — a two-out single in the fourth, a one-out single in the sixth, and a two-out single in the seventh, but none advanced first — and two walks (both in the top of the third) along with 10 strikeouts.

King Philip, 11 @ Milford, 1 – Final – King Philip’s offense roared to life with 11 runs on 14 hits, taking down Milford at Fino in the Warriors’ best offensive output of the month. KP pushed across a pair of runs in the second and third, but blew the game open with five runs in the fourth inning. Max Robison (two hits, stolen base, run) had a leadoff single in the fourth and both Shawn Legere and Brendan Sencaj (3-for-4, three runs, stolen base) were hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a wild pitch brought Robison home, Rudy Gately (RBI, two runs) drove in Legere with a single to right. Matt Kelley (three RBI) followed with a RBI sac fly, Aiden Astorino (two hits, two runs, RBI) smacked a two-out double to bring in a run, and Eli Reed (two hits, three RBI) had a two-out single to make it 9-0. Nick Viscusi got the win on the mound, allowing one run (unearned) on five hits and three walks, striking out for in 4.1 innings of work. Tommy McLeish tossed 1.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and Legere tossed a scoreless inning in relief as well. Evan Cornelius had a hit, two walks, and an RBI for the Scarlet Hawks.

Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Oliver Ames belted out 14 hits in a balanced attack, putting up eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure its third straight win. Every player in the Tigers’ lineup had a hit, including two apiece from Ian Kelly (three RBI), Jake Waxman (three RBI), Jack Richardson (RBI, two runs), Nathan Carpentier (RBI), and Jack Muir (RBI, two runs). Nick Clark pitched all five innings for the Tigers, allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out eight. Jonah Ly had two hits for the Black Knights.








Softball
Attleboro, 6 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Attleboro put it all together to secure arguably its biggest win as a program since joining the Hockomock League, knocking off defending state champs Taunton. The Bombardiers had it going pitching, defensively, and offensively to get the win, getting key defensive plays from Lindsey Perry at shortstop and Lauren Eby at second to deny Taunton’s comeback bid. Attleboro did all its damage on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, scoring all six of its runs. Consecutive hits from Perry, Sarah Maher, Lily Routhier, Eby, Kayla Goldrick and a double from Rylie Camacho to make it 5-0 in favor of the visitors. Emily Eby added a two-out single to bring Camacho home to make it 6-0. Routhier pitched five innings for the win, allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Perry came on for the save, tossing the final two innings.

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – North clinched at least a share of its third straight Davenport division title with a shutout of Canton. It is the first time in program history that the Rocketeers have won three straight league titles. Zoey McDonough dominated in the circle, recording 14 strikeouts and allowing only a walk and an infield hit. Ally Levine and Shaelyn Burns led the offense with two hits apiece. Kelly Colleran, Maryellen Charette, Emma Hanwell, Grace Simmons, and McDonough each had a hit and scored twice. Mandi Hanewich had a hit and drive in three, while Mary Rogers had a run scored and drove in a run with a sac fly.

Foxboro, 14 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Emma Callahan went the distance allowing only three hits and striking out four to get the shutout for Foxboro. Callahan also added a pair of hits at the plate. Peyton Feldman sparked the Foxboro offense with four hits, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. Ava Hill also chipped in with a pair of hits.

Franklin, 8 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Franklin rallied with six runs in the top of the seventh inning to come back from a run down and pick up a big road win. Freshman Sarah Boozang delivered the big hit, coming on as a pinch-hitter and smacking a double that plated the tying and the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh. Juniors Georgia Harvey (run, RBI) and Katy Liberman (two runs) each had two hits on the day while Hannah Cacciapaglia (run) and Julia White (two runs, RBI). Aislinn Lavery got the win, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks, striking out eight for the Panthers. each had a triple. After the Panthers jumped ahead 2-0 in the second, Mansfield answered back with a pair of runs in the third on a Julia Kelly single and Olivia DeTrolio homer. Jill Koppy gave the Hornets their first lead with a solo homer in the fifth, but the Panthers turned the game on its head with a six-run seventh. Callie Lake and Alanna Conley also had hits for Mansfield.

Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored in each of the five innings, including three runs in the second and five more in the third to secure a win at home over Milford. Senior Meg Sherwood (two runs, double) and sophomore Taylor Regan (two RBI, two runs) each had three hits apiece for the Warriors while Maddie Paschke had a big day at the plate with a pair of hits, including a triple, and three RBI. Senior Mia Bennett added two runs, senior Lauren Hooper had a hit and a run scored, and senior Emma Sheehan added a hit and two RBI at the plate and tossed a shutout in the circle, allowing three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Cae Pellegrini had a double and two walks for the Scarlet Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – After building a three-run lead over the first three innings, Oliver Ames broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning and secured a 12-5 win over Stoughton, sweeping the season series. Juniors Maddie Homer (3-for-5, two doubles, three runs) and Caitlin Miller (3-for-5, three runs, three RBI led the charge offensively for the Tigers. Freshman Emily Martin added two hits, a run, and an RBI, freshman Devon Morris drove in two runs and scored a run, and sophomore Madison Monteiro went 4-for-5 with an RBI, a double, and a run scored. Sydney Menz (run) and Melody Casna (two runs, RBI) each had a pair of hits for Stoughton.




Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 17 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final

Franklin, 16 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Tommy Sharkey scored half of Foxboro’s goals, while Tony Sulham, Dylan Kerrigan, and Sully Kenneally each netted one for the Warriors. Adam Addeche had a strong game in goal with 10 saves.

Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 19 – Final

North Attleboro, 15 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – North dominated the draw, as Jared Vacher won 15-of-18, and got big days from a few of its attackers to clinch at least a share of its first league title since 2017. Connor Ruppert led the way in attack with six goals and a pair of assists, while Matt Antonetti scored four times and dished out six helpers. Jack Regan also stepped up offensively with four goals and a hat trick of assists. Ethan McGrath made 11 saves for the Rocketeers.

Oliver Ames, 9 @ Sharon, 13 – Final – Ben Reardon scored four goals and Wyatt Fritchman added three for the Tigers. Ryan Jaco added one for OA and freshman Shawn Teehan scored his first varsity goal. Noah Isleib did his best to keep the Tigers in the game, making 27 saves.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 4 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Canton jumped out to a 9-1 lead at halftime and got hat tricks from three different players to pick up the home win. Carly Fitzgerald, Ella Yeaton, and Allie McCabe each scored three times for the Bulldogs, while Maggie McCready notched her first career goal. Elyse Broderick made five saves in the win.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – Franklin earned a big win against fellow division leader Foxboro to close in on another league title. This is the 96th consecutive league win for the Panthers (92nd in a row under head coach Kristin Igoe Guarino). Kaitlyn Carney led the way for the Panthers with six goals. Kate O’Rourke had four goals and pulled down seven draws and Katie Peterson had two goals, three assists, and five draws. Stella Regan added a hat trick, Jackie O’Neil had a pair of goals, and Lindsay Atkinson found the back of the net once for Franklin. Freshman Ella Mahoney made five saves to pick up the win in goal. Cate Noone scored twice and Paige Curran had one goal for the Warriors. Mary Collins had an assist and Audrey Campbell made a pair of saves in the loss.

King Philip, 18 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Julia Marsden scored four times, including the 100th goal of her career, to lead the Warriors to a big road win. Morgan Cunningham and Makenzie McDevitt recorded five points apiece for KP. For Milford, Aislin Bennett (assist) and Emily Croteau each scored twice, Carley Haley had one goal and one assist, Jordan Douglas and Stephanie Goulet each scored once and Fiona Jordan had one assist. Caitlyn Bangert made 10 saves in net for the Hawks.

Mansfield, 9 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final

Sharon @ Oliver Ames, 6:00




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – It took three sets for three matches, but Attleboro won them all plus a win at second doubles to take a win on the road over Taunton. The team of Brady Rosen and Connor Coleman claimed a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles for Attleboro’s lone win in straight sets. Ethan Johnson prevailed with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win at second singles while Tyler Rocchio earned a 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 victory at third singles. Arnav Sodhani and Evan Sousa overcame a one-set deficit for a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win at first doubles. Taunton’s Michael Kimmer secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles.

Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – A sweep of doubles play and a win at third singles handed North Attleboro a 3-2 decision over visiting Canton. Junior Griffin Rodden teamed with sophomore Quinn DiFiore for a 6-1, 6-3 first doubles victory while sophomores Arnav Raghuvanshi and Caleb Cheney teamed up for a hard-fought 7-5, 6-2 win at second doubles. Freshman Darren Liang battled to a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles for North’s third win. Canton sophomore Max Kupferman grabbed a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles and senior Suraj Ramanathan earned a 6-1, 6-0 second singles win.

Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – It took a second-set tiebreaker at second doubles and a tightly contested three-set battle at first singles, but Franklin prevailed with a 3-2 win in a great match against rival Mansfield. Senior Vayshanv Malhotra split the first two sets but took care of business in the third set to win 6-7, 6-7 (1), 6-2 for the Panthers’ lone point from singles action. The team of seniors Tim O’Keefe and Thomas Broyles rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles while the team of sophomores Jay Gorgas and Ahan Shetty prevailed with a 6-4, 7-6 (6) win at second doubles to get the win for Franklin. Mansfield freshman Neema Khosravani took a 6-1, 6-2 verdict at second singles and sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles for the Hornets.

Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip collected wins from second and third singles, plus both doubles matches, in a 4-1 decision over visiting Milford. Jonathan Cohen (6-1, 6-0) and Connor Sachleben (6-1, 6-1) were victorious at second and third singles, respectively, for the Warriors while the team of Adam Gousie and Leo Manning earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles, and the duo of Arjun Kullo and Ashrith Epuri grabbed a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles. Milford junior Tyler Andreotti battled to a 6-4, 4-6, 10-5 win at first singles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames went on the road and won all five matches, including four in straight sets, to knock off the Black Knights. Sophomore Nick Westerbeke notched his seventh win of the season with a 6-0, 6-0 verdict at first singles. Ben Dias and Alex Vasiliou were pushed to a third set tiebreaker but prevailed 10-8 to complete the sweep.

Girls Tennis
Taunton, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro continued its strong season with a pair of wins in both singles and doubles for a 4-1 decision over visiting Taunton. Senior Ella Lynch-Bartek claimed a 6-1, 6-3 win at first singles and sophomore Maddie Fuscaldo added a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second singles for the Bombardiers. Seniors Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf won the first set in a tiebreaker and then rolled in the second set (7-6 (3), 6-1), and seniors Ally Rebelo and Delia Barthel emerged from second doubles with a 6-0, 6-0 win. Taunton sophomore Ava Alves earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – The Rocketeers took wins from all three singles match plus one from doubles action for a 4-1 verdict on the road at Canton. Lauren Hunt (6-1, 6-1), Grace Noreck (6-2, 6-0), and Kyna Shah (6-3, 6-3) swept the singles matches for the Big Red, and the team of Ashlyn Cziria and Teresa Fan secured a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles. Canton’s Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed from second doubles with a 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 win.

Sharon @ Foxboro, 3:45

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin won all five matches to defend home court against Mansfield, inching closer to a division title with the victory. Izzy Trull dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 first singles win, Chloe Essum grabbed a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sarah Schiavo prevailed 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-fought battle at third singles. The team of Allison Bagley and Vedika Vinayak won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Amulya Jayam teamed with Shriya Rajesh for a 6-3, 6-0 second doubles decision.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip took care of business, taking all five matches in straight sets for a win on the road at Milford. Ahunna James flexed her strong shots on her way to a 6-0, 6-0 win, Shea Mellman toughed it out at second singles to secure a 6-2, 6-2 win, and Sammie Taylor used a consistent top spin to roll to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Resha Ahoy and Lauren Casper improved as the day went on in a 6-3, 6-0 first doubles win while Palina Yakimovich teamed up with freshman Jaelyn Dang, who was making her varsity debut, for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames celebrated its six seniors by defending home court in a win over Stoughton. Senior Ally Brass battled to a 4-6, 6-4, 12-10 win at third singles, seniors Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 verdict at first doubles, and seniors Kate McLaughlin and Shelby Brass emerged from second doubles with a 6-4, 6-1 win. Hannah Farber added a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles for OA while Emilia Lada grabed a 4-6, 6-4, 13-11 win at second singles for Stoughton.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Norwood, 6:00

Taunton, 0 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/02/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Sharon, 4 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final (8 inn.) – After seeing its two-run lead disappear, Sharon tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth to get an extra-innings win on the road over Attleboro. The Eagles had a 2-0 lead after an inning of play but the Bombardiers put up one in the third and one in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Nate Yaffe led off with a walk and Ryan Baker reached on a bunt. A sac bunt from Will Hippler moved both runners up and Dan Okstein drove in Yaffe with an RBI single. Baker then came home on a double steal to put the Eagles ahead 4-2. Sophomore Luke Meixel got the win, tossing an eight-inning complete game. He allowed just one earned run on five hits and three walks, striking out four. Sharon took the lead in the first in similar fashion to how they scored in the eighth with Yaffe walking and Baker reaching on a bunt. Hipper had an RBI single and Baker came home to score on an error. Attleboro cut the deficit in half in the third when Cooper Johnson walked and courtesy runner Evan Houle came around to steal home. In the bottom of the seventh, Billy Saltmarsh had a lead off single and pinch runner Ethan Lako stole second, and took the next two bags, each on a passed ball.

Mansfield, 10 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield senior Anthony Sacchetti dazzled on the mound, allowing just one hit and one walk in five shutout innings of work to lead the Hornets to their fourth straight win. The Bulldogs had a two-out walk in the second and Matt Chafin had a leadoff single in the fourth, but Sacchetti retired the side in order in the first, third, and fifth innings and finished with eight strikeouts. Offensively, the Hornets continued to get the offense going early with three runs in the first, three more in the second, and two apiece in the third and fourth innings. Conner Zukowski (two hits, run), Matt DeShiro (two hits, two runs, walk), and Connor Curtis (hit, run) each drove in two runs for the Hornets.

Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final (10 inn.) – Foxboro senior Liam Mulkern had a one-out single with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Warriors walked off with a win over Milford. Jack Watts led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk to Louis Carangelo. After a strikeout, Tom Marcucella drew a walk to load the bases and Mulkern hit a 1-1 pitch into left to bring in Watts for the win. Sean O’Leary got the win in relief, tosing 5.1 shutout innings with just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Matheiu Sullivan got the start for the Warriors, allowing one earned run on three hits and two talks, striking out three in 4.2 innings. Foxboro took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Kenny Mello tripled and then scored on a wild pitch. Milford answered in the top of the fifth when Grant Scudo walked, was sacrificed over to second by Tyler Lane, and scored on an RBI double from freshman Ian Carter. Junior Tyler Caldon was strong on the mound for the Hawks, allowing just one run in eight innings, with just five hits and two walks along with 11 strikeouts.

Franklin, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Holding a 1-0 lead after four innings, Franklin scored seven runs over the final three innings to pull away for an 8-0 victory on the road at Stoughton. The Panthers had 11 hits as a team with Ryan Gerety (two RBI, run), Jack Marino (RBI, run), and Joe Tirrell each recording two apiece. Jace Lyons recorded three RBI on the day while Marino, Chris Goode, and Evan Raider each drove in one. Jacob Jette earned the win on the mound with six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts for the win. Evan Voellmicke tossed a scoreless inning in relief, walking one and striking out three.

King Philip, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip scored once in the fourth, twice in the sixth, and then exploded for six runs in the seventh to secure a big win on the road at Frothingham. Senior Quin Garstka had the best start of his career, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven for the win. Matt DiFiore drew a two-out bases loaded walk to bring Brendan Sencaj home for the first run of the game in the fourth. The Warriors plated two more two-out runs in the sixth as Max Robison had an RBI double to score Rudy Gately (walk) and Robison eventually came around to score on a wild pitch after back-to-back walks to DiFiore and Eli Reed. KP loaded the bases again in the seventh and Will Astorino was hit by a pitch to bring in a run, Robison drove in a pair with another double, Reed plated two with a double of his own, and Travis Crawford had an RBI triple to left to make it 9-0.

Taunton, 10 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton junior Ryan MacDougall tossed a one-hit six inning shutout while striking out nine and the Tigers used a seven-run sixth inning to put the game away. MacDougall issued just two walks with the lone hit coming with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Offensively, Taunton took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo home run from Braden Sullivan, and then pushed the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs (MacDougall and Evan Cali RBI). Dawson Bryce cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the top of the sixth, Sullivan brought in two more, Colby DeCouta had an RBI, and AJ Lewis singled in the final run to make it 10-0.








Softball
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 17 – Final (5 inn.)

Canton, 5 @ Mansfield, 17 – Final (5 inn.) – Mansfield erased a five-run deficit by scoring 11 runs in the fourth inning, all with two outs, to take the win over the visiting Bulldogs. Canton went up 1-0 in the third and tacked on four more in the fourth for a 5-0 lead but the Hornets’ bats came alive to surge ahead. With the bases loaded in the bottom half, Cate Kipp had an RBI single, Callie Lake and Liv Madeira drew back-to-back walks, and Casey Mousette (two hits, three RBI) had a two-run hit. After two walks loaded the bases again, Molly Kucharshi (three hits, four RBI) had a bases-clearing double for a 9-5 lead. Olivia DeTrolio added a two-run single two at-bats later for an 11-5 lead. The Hornets stayed hot in the fifth as well with Mousette, Alanna Conley, Jill Koppy (two RBI), and Kucharski all driving in runs. Amanda Schwarz and Julia Kelly shared pitching duties for the Hornets, allowing seven hits.

Foxboro, 9 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Peyton Feldman shined defensively for the Warriors, setting the tone in a 9-2 win on the road. Feldman put the end to a Milford rally with a terrific diving play up the middle, and also turned a double playe later on with a great catch on a ball destined for the outfield. Emma Callahan got the win in the circle. Milford sophomore Camille Bonina had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Scarlet Hawks.

Stoughton, 5 @ Franklin, 11 – Bottom 4th (Delay)

Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Lexi Galsband blasted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put the Tigers ahead 2-1 but KP responded with three runs in the bottom half and three more in the fifth and emerged with a win over a game OA squad. After Galsband’s blast, KP’s Liv Petrillo answered with a two-run double to put the hosts back ahead, and two at-bats later, Sarah Cullen followed with a two-out RBI double for a 4-2 lead. In the fifth, Meg Sherwood sent a leadoff solo shot over the fence in left and two batters later, Taylor Regan drove one just inside the foul poll for another solo shot. Charlotte Raymond singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI ground out from Mia Bennett for a 7-2 lead. OA got one back in the sixth on an RBI single from Emily Martin, and Caitlin Miller drove in a run with a two-out single in the seventh. The Tigers brought the tying run to the plate but Jordan Bennett got a ground out to second for the final out.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 16 – Final (6 inn.) – Taunton belted out 15 hits and stole seven bases on its way to a big win over visiting North Attleboro. North took a 1-0 lead after an inning but the Tigers pushed across six run in the seven and scored multiple runs in each of the next five innings. Senior Katelyn Bizarro led the charge with a team-high four hits and scored three runs while Ava Venturelli went 3-for-4, with a home run and two doubles, driving in three and scoring three. Brooke Aldrich, Liv Mendonca, and Cate Larson all drove in a pair of runs in the win as well. Larson got the win on the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks, striking out six in six innings of work. North senior Shaelyn Burns went 3-for-3 on the day, including a double, and drove in three runs.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 11 @ Sharon, 13 – Final – Sharon used a balanced attack with six different goal scorers to earn a close win over visiting Attleboro. Ben Shocket (24-for-28 on faceoffs) and Brady Daylor each had three goals to lead the charge, Sam Rothbaum, Ryan Brown, and Edward Bondar each scored twice, and Matt Harsfield added one goal in the win. Matt Powers made eight saves in net for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 8 – Final

King Philip, 12 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – For Foxboro, Conor Noone (three assists) and Tony Sulham each had a hat trick, Lincoln Moore added two goals, and Dylan Kerrigan and Jon Sacchetti each scored once.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 24 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 2 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final – For Sharon, Bailey Garte scored both goals.

Canton, 10 @ Mansfield, 9 – Final – Canton built a four-goal lead at halftime but had a to hold off a pesky Mansfield squad for a one-goal win on the road. The Bulldogs took a 6-2 lead at the break but the Hornets continually came back, making it a one-goal game at 7-6, 8-7, 9-8, and eventually the final score of 10-9. Ella Yeaton led the offense with four goals, Fay Gallery added two goals and two assists, Emily McCabe scored a hat trick, Allie McCabe chipped in with one goal, and Devan Spinale had one helper. Elyse Broderick made five saves in net for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 9 @ King Philip, 10 – Final – King Philip built a four-goal lead at halftime and then held off second half push from Foxboro to secure a key league win. Lily Brown (one assist), Makenzie McDevitt, and Abby MacDonald each scored a pair of goals to lead KP’s balanced attack. Both McDevitt (eight draw controls) and Julia Marsden (five controls, one goal) did well on the draw while Haley Izydorczak (one goal, four assists) helped set the offense in motion. Emily Campbell had a huge game in net for the hosts, making eight saves to help KP hold on for a one-goal win. Foxboro also had a balanced attack with Mya Waryas, Paige Curran (assist), Val Beigel (two assists), and Cate Noone finding the back of the net twice apiece. Mary Collins added one goal and Audrey Campbell had five saves in net for Foxboro.

Franklin, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final

Taunton, 6 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford’s Aislinn Bennett scored five goals as the Scarlet Hawks picked up their second straight win at home, this time over visiting Taunton. Emily Croteau added two goals in the win while Carly Haley, Jill Araujo, Jordan Douglas, Erin Michelson (three assists), and Ava Lebel (first career goal) each found the back of the net once. Caitlyn Bangert made six saves in net while junior Molly Hartman had a standout performance defensively. For Taunton, Cali Melo scored a team-high four goals while Maddison Szala and Caroline Vallarelli each scored once for the Tigers.




Boys Tennis
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and took all five matches in straight sets to take down the Bombardiers. Matthew Lally picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at first singles, Alex Budovalcev added a 6-3, 6-0 decision at second singles, and Jacob Slavsky secured a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles. In doubles action, Mitch Weiss and Ruemon Bhattacharyya continued their stellar season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Savir Basil and Sava Kassev added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Canton @ Mansfield – Delayed

Foxboro @ Milford, 3:45

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind two wins from singles action and two wins in doubles play, Franklin defended home court against visiting Stoughton. Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at first singles while sophomore Ahan Shetty added a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles for the Panthers. At first doubles, the team of seniors Tim O’Keefe and Aidan Karlowicz grabbed a 6-0, 6-4 win while the team of sophomore Jay Gorgas and junior Tyler Fitzpatrick emerged with a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Stoughton senior Anish Sinha prevailed 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.

Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 3:45

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon freshmen Jenny Sand and Grace Zhang rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a win at second doubles, completing the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep of Sharon. Sand and Zhang prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 while Sharon’s first doubles team of seniors Ritu Sreeram and Sasha Fein secured a 6-0, 6-1 win. Sophomore Navya Shukla earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Ale Aguilar grabbed a 6-4, 6-3 win t second singles, and freshman Judy Song was victorious, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles.

Mansfield, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Mansfield took both doubles matches and added one more win in singles action to grab a 3-2 decision on the road at Canton. Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey grabbed a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Hornets and Alexis O’Keefe and Claire Copp added a 6-2, 6-2 victory at second doubles. Caroline Guralage was the lone Hornet to win in singles action, prevailing 6-1, 6-1 at third singles. Canton’s Camila Cutter earned a 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Laura Correal added a win at second singles.

Milford @ Foxboro, 3:45

Franklin, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Franklin went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to take down host Stoughton. Izzy Trull (6-0, 6-1), Vedika Vinayak (6-0, 6-1), and Sarah Schiavo (6-4, 6-3) all won in singles action for the Panthers. In doubles action, the team of Chloe Essam and Shriya Rajesh picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Chloe Fales teamed up with Ava Davies for a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles.

King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its recipe for success with a sweep of doubles play and another win at third singles to take down visiting King Philip. Seniors Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasiliou earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of juniors Marina Mierzwinski and Olivia Querzoli took a 6-2, 6-3 decision at second doubles for the Tigers. Elizabeth O’Brien was the lone OA win in singles action, taking a 6-3, 6-4 victory. KP sophomore Shea Mellman earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles. First singles did not finish due to weather.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Norton, 5:00
Milford, 2 @ Natick, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Barnstable, 5:15

2022 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

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

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

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

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

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

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

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

Canton

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

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

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

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







Foxboro

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

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

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

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

Franklin

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

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

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

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

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




King Philip

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

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

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

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

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

Mansfield

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

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

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

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

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




Milford

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

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

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

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

North Attleboro

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

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

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

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

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

Oliver Ames

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

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

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

Sharon

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

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

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

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

2022 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars

Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Kelley-Rex Division MVP

Mack Gulla, Franklin

Kelley-Rex Division All Stars

Chris Leonardo, Attleboro
Kaiden Murray, Attleboro
Jared Arone, Franklin
Shane Kindred, Franklin
Will Tracey, Franklin
Joe Tirrell, Franklin
Hunter Hastings, King Philip
Crawford Cantave, King Philip
Rudy Gately, King Philip
Mark DeGirolamo, Mansfield
Jephte Jean, Mansfield
Trevor Foley, Mansfield
Rocco Scarpellini, Mansfield
Tyler Lane, Milford
Marco Monteiro, Milford
Isaiah Pantalone, Milford
Trent Santos, Taunton

Davenport Division MVP

Dylan Gordon, Foxboro

Davenport Division All Stars

Bahsor Mahn, Canton
Tom Marcucella, Foxboro
Rashaad Way, Foxboro
Dylan Kerrigan, Foxboro
Aidan Hughes, Foxboro
Tom Sharkey, Foxboro
Tyler DeMattio, North Attleboro
Tyler Bannon, North Attleboro
Jared Vacher, North Attleboro
Keysun Wise, North Attleboro
Gavin Wells, North Attleboro
Collin Williamson, Oliver Ames
Jonah Ly, Stoughton
Anthony Girolamo, Stoughton
Emmett Pearl, Stoughton
Shawn Fargher, Stoughton

Honorable Mentions
Isaac Pereira, Attleboro
Colin Albert, Canton
Ryan Addeche, Foxboro
Cullen Pek, Franklin
Nick Viscusi, King Philip
Joseph Forte, Mansfield
Evan Cornelius, Milford
Greg Berthiaume, North Attleboro
Chad Silva, Oliver Ames
Konrad Rogers, Stoughton
Jose Touron, Taunton

Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Football All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. 2021 Hockomock League Football All Stars

Foxboro Can’t Sustain Quick Start, Falls in Semifinal

Foxboro football
Rashaad Way (2) had 160 yards receiving, including a big third quarter touchdown reception, but Foxboro lost to Duxbury in the D4 state semifinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


QUINCY, Mass. – Foxboro got off to a great start to Saturday night’s Div. 4 state semifinal at Quincy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, but Duxbury rallied with 24 unanswered points and was on the verge of putting the game away. The Warriors got a huge spark when Rashaad Way snagged a pass over the middle and broke free for a long touchdown that cut the deficit to just three points.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After the defense held, Foxboro was right back in the game, the energy was back on the sidelines, and the Warriors were on the verge of getting the ball to start the fourth quarter. The punt wasn’t held and Duxbury took advantage of the short field for a dagger score.

The Dragons would tack on another touchdown in the fourth, pulling out a 38-21 victory over the Davenport division champions. Duxbury quarterback Matt Festa accounted for five touchdowns (three rushing and two passing) and more than 300 yards of offense, leading the Dragons to a Super Bowl berth.

“Everybody’s tried to do that (stop Dylan Gordon) and then we have to throw, which I thought we did pretty well, but I would have to say our inability to get to the quarterback and pressure him was the difference in the game,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli.

Foxboro got the opening kick and put its explosive offense to work, marching 62 yards on 11 plays to grab the early lead. Dylan Gordon got the call on all but two of the plays, as the Warriors tried to set the tone with a straight ahead running game. Gordon had 50 of his 70 rushing yards on that drive alone. He punched it in from two yards and Sam Carpenter added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Tommy Sharkey made a nice play on the first pass from Festa and Gordon made a nice tackle on third down to force a three-and-out.

On Foxboro’s second drive, the passing game got involved. Tom Marcucella (13-of-25, 160 yards) found Sharkey for six to convert on third and four and then Gordon broke a 12-yard run on third and short to get to the Duxbury 34. After a loss of four, Marcucella hit Rashaad Way (six catches (120 yards) to the 18. A fumble forced Foxboro into third and 15, but Marcucella and Way connected again to get the ball down to the two, where Gordon finished it with his second score.

Duxbury’s offense got going on its next drive. Festa threw a strike to Matt Ciesielski on the far sideline for 32 yards and then hit Brady Madigan for 27 down to the Foxboro 24. After an 11-yard run got the ball to the 13, the Foxboro defense made a stand. Way broke up one pass and Dylan Kerrigan dropped into coverage to tip a pass on third down. Dennen Sullivan got the Dragons on the board with a 30-yard kick.

After forcing a three-and-out, Duxbury got moving again. Foxboro was struggling to get consistent pressure on Festa, although Kerrigan and Brandon Mazenkas-O’Grady both got into the backfield to force incomplete passes on the possession. On third and nine from the 11, Foxboro got some bad luck, as Ciesielski appeared to bobble the ball going out of bounds but the officials ruled it a catch and a first down. Festa would eventually go over right tackle for a six-yard touchdown that made it 14-10.

The Dragons would get one last shot before halftime but Lincoln Moore and Tony Sulham combined to knock down a pass and a final shot to the end zone fell incomplete as time expired. It was only a temporary reprieve, as two plays into the second half Festa (15-of-29, 259 yards) fired a strike to James Anderson on a deep slant for a 62-yard touchdown to take the lead for good.

“Their offensive line held us from getting up inside and putting pressure and the kid was accurate and has a great arm,” Martinelli said of Festa. “He’s the best [quarterback] we’ve seen this year, that we’ve played.”

Foxboro was struggling on offense. Another three-and-out gave Duxbury back the ball and Festa threw a perfect back shoulder pass to Madigan for 30 yards. On second and goal from the nine, Festa fired a pass to Ciesielski. It appeared that the receiver was unable to make the catch inbounds but once again the official on the sideline ruled it a catch and a touchdown.

“You make your own breaks,” Martinelli replied, when asked about the calls on the sideline. “We came out flying and then kind of ran out of gas.”

The Warriors needed a play to get some life back into the team. They tried a reverse to a flea flicker but Gordon was unable to bring in the pass on the sideline thanks to good coverage. Two plays later, on third and 10, Marcucella looked across the middle for Way, who managed to pull in the pass with a defender draped on his shoulder, keep his footing when he landed, and then shoot past the Duxbury secondary for a 58-yard touchdown.

It was 24-21 and suddenly it felt like there was momentum on the Foxboro bench. Duxbury got a first down on a nice catch by Chris Walsh but then the Foxboro defense held and forced a punt. The ball bounced inside the 30 and Way tried to be aggressive and field it to save a few yards of field position, but he couldn’t collect it cleanly and, despite vehement Foxboro protests, the officials ruled that Duxbury recovered at the 25.

Sharkey made a big play on first down to force a loss of seven, but then Walsh came up with a ridiculous one-handed, over-the-shoulder grab at the goal line to set up a Festa touchdown.

It was a back-breaker for the Warriors, who went for it on fourth and long at their own 33 but Marcucella’s scramble was a few yards short of the marker. Festa capped his night with a 15-yard score to seal the win.

“We couldn’t sway momentum,” Martinelli explained. “We couldn’t get it back. We needed a couple of stops and we didn’t get it.”

Foxboro (9-2) will travel to Mansfield on Thanksgiving Day in the season finale.

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Foxboro Picks Off Newburyport In Playoff Opener

Foxboro football
Foxboro senior Tre Stith hauls in an interception in the second quarter. Stith returned it for Foxboro’s third pick six of the game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
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 FOXBORO, Mass. – Foxboro’s defense needed just one play to put its stamp on the playoff opener against Newburyport.

By halftime, the Warriors’ defense had a season’s worth of highlights.

Foxboro football

Foxboro had its first of three first half pick-sixes on the very first play of the game, added a blocked punt before the break, and the third-seeded Warriors rolled to a 45-13 win over #14 Newburyport in the first round of the Division 4 tournament.

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Senior Dylan Gordon continued his spectacular season by returning the first pass of the game 22-yards to the house, added a rushing touchdown on Foxboro’s first offensive series of the game, and tacked on a 47-yard pick-six with just under three minutes left in the opening quarter.

Senior Tre Stith also had an interception returned for a touchdown from 45 yards out, senior Tom Marcucella tossed a pair of touchdowns — one to classmate Tom Sharkey and one to classmate Nick Medeiros — and sophomore Brandon Mazenkes-O’Grady blocked a punt that led to a field goal from junior Sam Carpenter.

“From what we saw on film, they had some weapons,” said Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli. “We knew that had a kid coming back that had been out and their quarterback can make things up but we kind of kept him in check. We jumped out with those interceptions for touchdowns and that kind of made the rest of the way easier.”

On the first play, the pass popped off the chest of the intended receiver and Gordon snatched it from the air, sprinting down the right sideline and into the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 10 seconds into the game. It marked Gordon’s second straight game with an interception return for a touchdown.










Foxboro football

Foxboro got the ball back after the Clippers’ drive stalled near midfield but it didn’t take long for the Warriors to march down field. In fact, it took just four plays and each one was a handoff to Gordon. After over 30 yards on the first three carries, Gordon broke free up the left side following some nice blocks from Steve Bridges and Ryan Addeche, breaking away for a 45-yard touchdown as he outran the Newburyport secondary across the field and into the end zone.

As the Clippers tried to orchestrate an answer, their drive came to another sudden halt. On the fifth play, facing a 3rd and 7, the pass over the middle was sniffed out by Gordon and he found space along the left sideline for a 47-yard pick-six, his 29th total touchdown of the season (20 rushing, six receiving, three interception returns).

“I’m amazed every week, the numbers he’s put up this year are inconceivable from my perspective,” Martinelli said of Gordon. “He does it on both sides of the ball too. Defensively, he’s got that something you can’t teach, that knack. You can put kids in position but he takes it the next step and executes. It’s kind of uncanny. I haven’t seen a kid like him in a long time to be honest.”

While Gordon only had 95 yards on the ground, he averaged over 11 yards per carry. He’s gone over 200 yards of offense in five games this season. Foxboro’s offense only ran 12 plays in the first half and scored on a quarter of them.

Rashaad Way had a big punt return to give Foxboro great field possession but the Warriors’ offense stalled some with a pair of incomplete passes and Foxboro settled for a 38-yard boot through the uprights from Carpenter.

The Warriors started their next drive at their own 45-yard line but quickly moved down the field. After a couple of runs from Gordon, Marcucella went with the play fake and had time in the pocket with good protection from Dylan Kerrigan, Aidan Hughes, and Andrew Finn. Medeiros released up the middle and was wide open for a 21-yard touchdown and a 31-0 lead with 6:50 left in the second quarter.




Newburyport was forced into a three-and-out on its next series but the punt was blocked by Mazenkes-O’Grady, who came flying in from the left side and leaped with his hands raised. The ball bounced all the way back to the Clippers’ own 20-yard line.

On the first play, Marcucella fired a quick pass to the left sideline to Sharkey and he used his speed to race past the defense and into the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown.

Foxboro football

The Foxboro defense added a cherry on top of what was already an impressive first half when Stith hauled in an interception and was able to break free from the receiver and go in for a 45-yard touchdown and a 45-0 lead at halftime.

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“I kind of like it because there’s no preconceived notion on prior games, they just go out and do what they can do,” Martinelli said of the new statewide format and playing new teams. “You can see film but you don’t always know the quality of the opponent or get to see them physically. [Newburyport] has some good young kids so they’ll be good again next year.”

With a comfortable lead, the Warriors were able to take out all of its starters on both sides of the ball. Newburyport scored on a 62-yard interception return from Jack Hadden in the third quarter and then quarterback Finn Sullivan kept it for a 19-yard rushing score in the fourth.

Foxboro football

Foxboro (8-1) will return to the Ahern Middle School next week for a D4 Quarterfinal matchup with #11 Wilmington, who knocked off #6 Middleboro on Friday night. The game is set for a 7:00 PM kickoff.

Foxboro Hits It Big In Second Half to Sink North

Foxboro football
Rashaad Way breaks free for a long touchdown, his second of the night, to help Foxboro beat North Attleboro in a title showdown at Community Field. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Even down by eight points and with a zero on the score board midway through the third quarter, Foxboro had confidence that its offense could figure things out. The top scoring team in the league, averaging more than 42 points per game heading into Friday night’s visit to Community Field, it felt like only a matter of time until the Warriors hit a big play.

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It turned out that the confidence was far from misplaced. Foxboro scored on three straight possessions, needing only four plays combined, to flip the game around and beat North Attleboro 21-14, putting the Warriors in the driver’s seat to win its first league title since 2015 and first outright league title since 2010.

“They weren’t down,” Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli. “They weren’t doubting themselves. We just kind of had the will to hang in there and rely on the kids who’ve done it all year.”

He added, “Those kids (North) played their hearts out too. It was kind of a game that nobody should’ve lost and nobody should’ve won, but I’m sure glad we did.”

Leading 2-0 coming out of halftime, North tried to put together one of its patented long scoring drives to take control, but things stalled around midfield and the Rocketeers were forced to punt. On Foxboro’s first play of the third quarter, Dylan Gordon coughed up the ball trying to extend a play and Kaiden Leary recovered for North at the Warriors 25.

Two plays later, freshman Chase Frisoli (7-of-17, 71 yards) hit Gavin Wellss, who started on the opposite side of the field and worked his way across the entire secondary, at the front pylon for a 24-yard score. The extra point was no good.

On the first play of Foxboro’s next possession, Gordon (17 carries, 142 yards) finally broke free, bursting through the line for 30 yards into North territory. The next play finished in the end zone. Tom Marcucella, who only completed three passes on the night, fired the ball out to Rashaad Way (three receptions, 146 yards) on a receiver screen. Way somehow tiptoed down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown. The same duo combined on a two-point conversion to tie it.

North’s momentum may have been stalled, but the Rocketeers followed that with their best drive of the night. The hosts went 72 yards on 11 plays to regain the advantage. It was all done on the ground, as Tyler Bannon (17 carries, 97 yards) and Tyler DeMattio (21 carries, 109 yards) pounded out six first downs. DeMattio capped the drive with a one-yard plunge, taking a hit that sent his helmet flying in the process.

There was a long injury break before North lined up for the conversion and Bannon was stuffed at the one to keep the score 14-8.

Foxboro took over at its own 28. Just 13 seconds later, the Warriors had their first lead. Gordon flashed through the middle of the line untouched and sailed past the North secondary for a 72-yard touchdown run. Sam Carpenter’s kick put Foxboro ahead.

After forcing a three-and-out, the visitors took over at their own 42. A holding call backed them up an additional 10 yards, but that just added extra yards for Way to burn through. Another screen pass from Marcucella got Way into space and he did the rest, blowing past the secondary for 68 yards.

“That was our fear going in, they have that big-play capability,” North coach Don Johnson said. “Every single play Rashaad can score on the edge and Gordon inside. We didn’t give them any big plays in the first half and they hit them in the second half.”

North’s next drive reached Foxboro territory, but Bannon was dropped for a loss of one on second and six from the 40. Frisoli was then brought down on a keeper for no gain by Ryan Addeche and Steve Bridges. On fourth and seven, Frisoli went deep but Way made an acrobatic interception. North would get one more chance starting at its own 42, but this time it was Dylan Kerrigan stepping in to make the pick and seal the win.

It was appropriate that the defense got to make the final play for the Warriors because it was the defense that kept Foxboro in the game in the first half. North was getting pressure in the backfield from the opening kick, with DeMattio flying through for a sack to end Foxboro’s first drive and Bannon getting one on the second. Bannon turned the game around with a booming 50-yard punt that pinned Foxboro inside its own 10 to start the second quarter. Three plays later, Bannon got through on the punt block, knocking the ball out the back of the end zone for a safety.

“We hung around,” Martinelli said. “We bent defensively, but it didn’t hurt us on the scoreboard. It could’ve been a lot worse at halftime, not only on the scoreboard but emotionally and that didn’t happen.”

The Rocketeers had chances to break the game open, starting each of the next three possessions in Foxboro territory. Andrew Finn’s sack and a holding call stymied the first drive. Good pressure from Addeche helped slow down another drive in the red zone, which ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down. A good tackle by Gordon and more penalties helped keep the third drive from ending in points.

“We shot ourselves in the foot too often,” Johnson explained. “We had more holding calls in the first half then we’ve had all season. That was a big difference maker. We should’ve had more points and had a little lead to work with.”

He added, “We gave them too many opportunities.”

Foxboro nearly grabbed the lead heading into the locker room. Marcucella nearly was intercepted by Garrett Ingelese on first down but Gordon followed with a nice run and Way caught his first pass of the night and broke it 38 yards to set up a short Carpenter kick. The Rocketeers were able to get a tip on it and it stayed 2-0 at the break.

“At halftime, we just said it’s 2-0,” Martinelli said. “It’s a long game, especially with the 12-minute periods. The big play kids made the big plays. Gordon, Marcucella to Rashaad, then Kerrigan on defense all with big plays.”

Foxboro (5-1, 2-0) will travel to Canton next week looking to secure at least a share of the league title. North Attleboro (2-3, 1-1) will try to keep the pressure on Foxboro and keep alive hopes for a split with a trip to Oliver Ames.

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Foxboro Unstoppable in Rout of Plymouth South

Foxboro football
Dylan Gordon rushed for 280 yards and four touchdowns, lifting Foxboro to a 51-14 win over previously unbeaten Plymouth South. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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FOXBORO, Mass. – Foxboro’s offense has been clicking from the first week of the season, but on Friday night at Jack Martinelli Stadium, the Warriors found another gear. After scoring 66 points in the opening two weeks, Foxboro looked capable of putting up at least that many in week three.

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Dylan Gordon rushed for 287 yards and scored four touchdowns and Tom Marcucella threw for three other scores, two of those to Rashaad Way, as the Warriors rolled to a 51-14 demolition of previously unbeaten Plymouth South. Only two Foxboro drives didn’t end up in the end zone, the final possession of the first half (where a penalty wiped out a huge gain) and the last possession of the game, when the starters were busy celebrating on the sidelines.

“In as long as I can remember,” said Foxboro’s longtime coach Jack Martinelli, when asked the last time he had an offense as dynamic and balanced as this year’s group. “We have some special kids and, when you have special kids, everything you run makes it look like we knew what we were doing. Gordon, he’s super.”

The only blemishes in what was a dominant performance on both sides of the ball were a pair of long touchdown runs by Plymouth South’s Casious Johnson (15 carries, 206 yards). He broke free for a 76-yard score in the second quarter that made it 30-7 and added an 80-yard counter in the third that cut the lead to 44-14. Martinelli praised the young running back and, referencing Johnson only being a sophomore, joked, “The kid’s going to be really good. So, we may not play them next year, you know?”

Foxboro knocked the Panthers on their heels right from the opening kick. Tommy Sharkey (five catches, 60 yards) returned the opening kick out to the 37. Gordon got the Warriors into Plymouth South territory and then broke a 25-yard carry into the red zone. Marcucella (9-for-13, 134 yards) hit Sharkey on an 18-yard touchdown to make it 7-0.

After forcing a three-and-out, Foxboro was gifted two more points. The snap sailed over the head of Plymouth South punter Jesse Hayes, who retreated all the way back to the goal line to recover the loose ball. He tried looking up field and threw the ball forward attempting to avoid a safety, but was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone. By rule, Foxboro got the safety and a 9-0 lead.

Joe Gonzalez had a good return on the short kick, giving Foxboro the ball at its own 49. It took only two plays for the Warriors to put another seven on the scoreboard. Gordon bounced a run to the right for 37 yards down to the 11. On the next play, Gordon went to the left and found the end zone for the first time.

Sam Carpenter made the extra point. He would go a perfect 7-for-7 in the game and all but one of his kick offs ended up as touchbacks, which his coach recognized as a big advantage.

“I could probably be on the kick-off team with him kicking because it’s always going to go in the end zone,” Martinelli quipped.

Foxboro’s defense had a torrid time in the opening week against Milford, which has the league’s top offense through three weeks (four points better than Foxboro). After a shutout against Whitman-Hanson last week, the Warriors were locked in defensively again on Friday. Aidan Hughes stuffed Johnson for a short gain and then Dylan Kerrigan added a tackle for a loss to force a second straight punt.

While the Panthers got their second punt away, it only traveled four yards, so Foxboro started at the Plymouth South 31. On third and eight from the 16, Marcucella hit Way on a slant and the receiver weaved through the secondary untouched for the score. It was 23-0 and there were still two minutes left in the first.

After allowing a first down, the Foxboro defense shut down the Panthers. Sharkey nearly made a one-handed interception and then stepped up to stop a jet sweep for a loss of a yard on third and 11, Lincoln Moore jumped into the backfield to stuff the play for a loss of 10.

“We kind of clicked on all cylinders tonight,” Martinelli explained. “Defensively Dylan Kerrigan spearheaded a pretty good defensive effort.” When asked if the team had learned anything from the opening week (a 49-28 loss to Milford) after giving up only 14 points combined the last two games, Martinelli said, “I honestly think we learned more about having to be really ready to go. We weren’t ready to go from square one on that double pass (against Milford) and it was kind of indicative of how that game was.”

The Warriors would take over at their own 20. It took all of eight plays to drive right back down the field. Gordon started the drive with two carries for 26 yards and then ran over a few Panthers for 22 yards down to the Plymouth South 19. Two plays later, Gordon got the call again and, with a lot of help from his friends, was able to push into the end zone from 12 yards out.

Johnson answered for the visitors, breaking the first of his two touchdown runs, but the momentum lasted less than two minutes before the home crowd was cheering once again. The big play was a 41-yard bomb from Marcucella to Way that got Foxboro inside the 10. Gordon made it look easy on a five-yard run and it was 37-7 at the break.

Foxboro came up with a turnover on the opening drive of the third quarter. Ja’Syia Garcia-Cameron jumped on a Johnson fumble at the 45. The Warriors made the good field position count again. On third and 10 from the 19, Marcucella hit Way on a receiver screen, which was executed perfectly, and he broke loose for his second touchdown.

Although Johnson would find pay dirt just 16 seconds later after an 80-yard run and the Warriors were pushed back to their own seven by penalties, nothing was slowing Foxboro down. Only four plays later, the lead was extended. Gordon turned on the jets, breaking free on a 59-yard run to cap his incredible night.

“This was a good win for us,” Martinelli said, “and a chance to get all the seniors on the field and that doesn’t always happen.”

Foxboro (2-1) will try to make it three wins in a row to close out its non-league schedule when it hosts Hopkinton next Friday.

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Milford Makes Statement With Big Win Against Foxboro

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Junior Isaiah Pantalone (5) made an impressive debut with more than 350 total yards and three touchdowns in Milford’s big win over Foxboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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MILFORD, Mass. – Milford graduated almost all of its starters from last year’s prolific offense. There were concerns that it may take the Hawks a few weeks to integrate new faces in new positions and start producing close to what they were able to during the Fall II season. It turns out, the new players didn’t need long at all to find their footing.

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Junior Isaiah Pantalone (four receptions, 296 yards) touched the ball six times in the game and accounted for three touchdowns and more than 350 total yards. Junior Evan Cornelius stepped into the quarterback position, replacing UMass quarterback Brady Olson, and threw for two scores and rushed for two other. Senior Tyler Lane took over as the primary back from Carter Scudo (also playing at UMass) and rushed for 116 yards and a pair of scores.

It all amounted to a 49-28 season-opening win for the Hawks against Foxboro, one of the favorites in the Davenport division. The Milford sideline clearly felt that they were underrated coming into the year and they believed this was an emphatic statement to the rest of the league that they shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Losing nine kids on offense from last year’s team, but I knew we had a good core group of kids coming up,” said second-year Milford coach Dale Olson. “Our sub-varsity went undefeated and we had some talented kids. You saw that kid tonight, Isaiah Pantalone, he’s a special kid.

“They struggled to stop our run off tackle and made them put everybody in the box and then you get one-on-one matchups and Evan Cornelius delivered the ball a few times.”

Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli admitted that his team struggled to contain Milford’s balanced attack and was undone by allowing too many big plays. “They were a lot more physical than we were and they deserved to win the game. We didn’t quit, we kept coming back, but just didn’t have the ability to stop them in any way or fashion.”

It took only 13 seconds to show how explosive the new faces on offense could be. Milford turned to a little trickery on the first play from scrimmage, as Matt Girard looked upfield on a halfback pass and saw Pantalone all by himself. It was an 80-yard strike that set the tone for how the Hawks would attack.

Foxboro’s offense answered right back on its first possession. The Warriors marched 64 yards on 10 plays, twice converting third downs thanks to offsides calls against Milford, to tie the game. Tom Marcucella rolled out and threw a strike to Tre Stith for a 10-yard score to bring Foxboro level. Marcucella was impressive throughout, completing 26-of-45 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns.

“Offensively, we did what we had to do,” Martinelli said. “It was the other end, the defensive end, we had no answers for them. We’d put seven in the box to stop the run and they were good enough to throw the ball.”

On Foxboro’s second possession, Sam Carpenter (4-for-4 on extra points) attempted a 52-yard kick that was short to the left. By rule, Milford took over at the 20. On third and four, Cornelius fired the ball across the middle to Pantalone, who eluded a pair of Warriors and was off to the races again. This time it was a 74-yard touchdown and a 13-7 lead.

The Warriors had a chance to try and tie or take the lead after Cornelius’ fumble was recovered by Dylan Kerrigan at midfield. Milford’s defense came up with a three-and-out to get the ball back. Carpenter did his job in the punting game, pinning the Hawks at their own two.

Milford proved that it also had the ability to put together a long drive. Lane took the first carry for 22 yards to get out from the shadow of his own end zone and the Hawks never looked back, producing a 10-play, 98-yard drive (six carries for Lane and four for Grant Scudo) to extend the lead. Lane finished it with a one-yard plunge and Cornelius ran in the conversion to make it 21-7.

Foxboro answered right back. Three plays later, Marcucella swung the ball to Dylan Gordon (158 total yards), who proceeded to break three tackles on the sideline, somehow staying inbounds, and broke free for a 76-yard touchdown. Pantalone made sure the momentum was short-lived, returning the ensuing kick 61 yards to the Foxboro 37. Lane got the ball to the one and Cornelius punched it in, restoring the two-score lead.

After nearly hitting a Hail Mary pass to end the half, Foxboro came out and put together another strong drive to start the third quarter. Marcucella was 5-for-5 and found four different receivers on the possession. He picked out Tommy Sharkey on an out-route to the front pylon for an 18-yard touchdown that got the Warriors back within seven.

Lane came up less than a yard short on fourth down at midfield, giving Foxboro the chance to pull even, but again the Hawks were able to make a key defensive stand and force a punt. With Foxboro trying to step up and stop the run, Cornelius hit Pantalone on another slant route. This time it was for 76 yards but Sharkey hustled to delay the touchdown. Two plays later, Lane got his second of the day, barreling over the goal line from four yards out.

Jaden Agnew then came up with a huge play, reading the bounce off the receiver to pick off Marcucella and return it down to the Foxboro 12. Pantalone went 11 yards to the one and then, after Foxboro’s line stuffed two attempts from inside the one, Cornelius started the fourth quarter by getting just into the end zone for a 42-21 lead.

“They’ve got skill all over the place, the quarterback puts the ball on the money, and them coming down and making it a one-score game, but then we answered and then we answered again,” Olson said about going up by more than two scores. “I knew we were going to be alright because they couldn’t stop us off-tackle. It was just over and over, it was no secret we were running over (senior lineman) Marco [Monteiro].”

Following a Foxboro punt, helped by a couple of solid coverage plays by Scudo, Milford effectively sealed the win. No surprise, it was Pantalone again. The Warriors had bunched up at the line expecting the run and the receiver was able to beat his coverage at the line and caught a 66-yard pass from Cornelius for his third score of the night.

To their credit, the Warriors kept fighting despite the big deficit. Marcucella went 6-of-10 on the next drive, including a highlight-reel sidearm toss to Rashaad Way ( nine catches, 121 yards) and a 10-yard touchdown to Gordon. After Agnew was ruled to have fumbled out of the end zone as he dove for the pylon, Foxboro mounted one more drive to try and make it a game, getting all the way to the Milford six with five minutes to play, but the drive stalled.

“They’re a good program, they’re well-coached, but we kind of thought we’d be able to enforce our will,” Olson explained. “We did graduate a lot but we’re good up front, we’ve got some good kids, and I couldn’t be prouder.

“People were writing us off, saying they’re one-and-done, they’re rebuilding, but I think we’ve got one of the better teams in the Hock. We want to keep rising this program.”

Milford (1-0) will travel to Wellesley next Saturday. Foxboro (0-1) will try to bounce back with a trip to Whitman-Hanson on Friday.

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