Sophomore Trevor Marder made 27 saves, but Medway scored inside the final thre minutes to avoid Foxboro’s first round upset bid. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – This has been a tough season for Foxboro. The Warriors have battled injuries to its top players, seen portions of the team miss time due to COVID, and even had to start a player in goal who had never played the position before. After winning its final two games of the regular season, Foxboro (10-11-0) clinched its tournament berth and was given the No. 27 seed.
If there was any doubt that, when full strength, Foxboro had the potential to earn a much higher seed, Saturday afternoon’s Div. 3 first round playoff game against Medway at Pirelli Veterans Arena was proof.
The Warriors gave the Mustangs all that they could handle in front of the partisan crowd, with sophomore goalie Trevor Marder standing out in his playoff debut. The game was scoreless with less than three minutes to play and a few nervous Medway fans were thinking Foxboro might be able to pull off the upset.
But, a turnover in the defensive zone gave Medway one more chance and a perfect pass set up the game’s only goal, as the No. 6 seed skated away with the 1-0 win and advanced to face its rival Medfield in the second round.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We’ve dealt with a lot of adversity this year. I couldn’t be prouder of this senior class because they really showed some true grit and true leadership at the end.”
He added, “It just goes to show that we were a better team than what we were seeded. Some of those games that we were just missing guys, we showed tonight that we were better than a 27-seed.”
Medway dominated zone time throughout the game and would have a sizable advantage in shots on goal (28-18) but rarely felt like it had full control. Laurence Eaton broke free for Medway’s first good chance but Marder (27 saves) stayed tall to stop the backhand attempt at the post. The Mustangs would also hit the post in the first.
It took Foxboro 11 minutes to create its first shot on goal, with Jack Watts teeing up Matt Grace for a snap shot from the high slot that forced Medway goalie Evan Monaghan into a save. Derek Axon got in behind the medway defense on a rush up the left side but the back check of Camden Condlin denied the shooting chance.
After a relatively clean first period, the second was riddled with penalties. Alex Infanger had one of Medway’s best power play chances with a shot from the point that was blockered aside and the Mustangs had a goal waved off when Pari Lykourinos knocked in a rebound with his hand.
Foxboro continued to create scoring chances in transition. Tom Marcucella had a rush down the right wing but just missed the net from the face-off circle. Steven Bridges played a pass from behind the net to Axon out in front but Monaghan reacted quickly to smother the shot. Watts and Grace nearly combined to good effect only for Grace’s shot to slide just wide of the post.
The Warriors had a great breakout of the zone with two minutes left in the second. Watts played the puck up the boards and Axon’s deft touch took it past the defenseman and into the path of Grace, but Monaghan stuck out a pad to deny the opening goal. Marder then pulled off a nice glove save to rob Jack Carr in front.
Marder was just getting started and he would get plenty of help from his defensemen as well. Carr had another great look from the slot but Dylan Pothier put himself in the way to block. Just seconds after Sean Murphy hit the post with a rocket of a wrist shot, Nathan VanSaun was free in the slot until Sully Kenneally came diving across to block.
Then it was time for the Foxboro goalie to steal the show. Marder moved quickly to deny VanSaun, who was wide open in the slot, and he threw out a pad to stop another close-range chance VanSaun. Just seconds later, after Watts nearly hit on the break only to have Monaghan get a toe to a shot from the wing, Marder robbed Ryan Gagnon on the doorstep.
“Trevor played lights out,” said Cedorchuk. “Our D played spectacular. They all played well and our goalie really stepped up. He made some spectacular saves. There were a couple leg saves he made that I just thought that’s going in and he stuck out the leg.”
In the end, Marder could only do so much. A poor clearance from deep inside the defensive zone was picked off at the blue line and gave Eaton a free path to goal. The Medway defenseman saucered a pass across the crease to Gagnon coming in at the far post and he slammed it into the back of the net to finally end Foxboro’s resistance.
The Warriors would have one last chance with two minutes to go, but Ben Ricketts couldn’t get a clean shot off from the slot and Monaghan saved it comfortably. Medway saw out the final seconds to move on.
Cedorchuk said, “They got that one little play at the end when we were trying to come out of the zone. We misplayed the puck that one time and that was the break that they capitalized on but our guys came to play.
“They definitely left everything out on the ice and they played with intensity and fast pace and I thought for the most part we matched them.”
Boys Basketball
Canton, 48 @ Southeastern, 52 – Final – Canton made a final push in the fourth quarter but couldn’t quite catch Southeastern. The Bulldogs fell behind 21-12 after a quarter and were chasing the rest of the way. Southeastern carried a 46-39 lead into the final quarter, and Canton upped its defensive intensity to limit the hosts to just six points in the final frame but just couldn’t close the gap by the final buzzer. Matt Chafin led the way for Canton with 17 points, Lanse Dorcelus added nine points, and Jacob Solomon scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter.
Mansfield, 54 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 55 – Final – Mansfield held a three-point lead after a quarter and at halftime, and had a four-point advantage going into the fourth, but Bridgewater-Raynham was able to keep it close and scored the winning basket just before the buzzer to steal the win. Junior Chris Hill scored a career-high 23 points to lead the offensive charge for the Hornets. Matt Hyland added 13 points and Anthony Sachetti chipped in with 12 points for the Hornets.
Attleboro, 47 @ Bishop Feehan, 43 – Final – Sophomore Neo Franco sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left to push the lead to four and Attleboro held on for a season sweep over the Shamrocks. Attleboro had a five-point lead at 32-27 going into the fourth quarter and, for the second straight game, opening the final period with a big run to extend its advantage. Joe Francois-Annevil drove to the rim for his only bucket of the game, Franco hit a three, and Colin Morais (team-high 15 points) converted a traditional three-point play as Attleboro’s lead ballooned to 40-27 in the first 90 seconds of the fourth. Feehan cut it down to two with just over a minute to go but Alvin Harrison (nine points) had another traditional three-point play to keep the Bombardiers ahead. Evan Houle (nine points) hit two threes in the first and Jake Struminski and Morais each had one as Attleboro raced out to a 18-7 lead. Feehan battled back to make it 25-21 at half, and then trailed Attleboro by five going into the fourth.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 71 vs. Bishop Fenwick, 48 – Final – Two players scored more than 20 points and the Panthers scored at least 17 points in every quarter to earn an impressive non-league win against another top 10-ranked team. Katie Peterson led the way for Franklin, scoring 16 of her team-high 22 in the second half. Stefany Padula added 20 points and Olivia Quinn had 12 in the win. Franklin led 18-10 after one and had a 10-point edge at halftime. After pushing the lead to 15 through three quarters, Peterson (eight), Padula (six), and Quinn (four) combined for 18 points in the fourth to put the game away and seal the win.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro erupted for five goals in the second period during its win over Attleboro. The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a nice backhand goal from freshman Dan Jacobs. Senior Ben Ricketts had a pair of goals in the win while Matt Grace, Tom Marcucella, and Dylan Pothier each scored won.
Stoughton/Sharon, 3 vs. Cambridge R&L, 7 – Final – Ava Buckley scored a pair of goals but Stoughton fell to visiting Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Zoe Bangs added a goal and an assist while Lily Dinh and Mikayla Snyder each had an assists as well.
Wrestling
Foxboro, 44 @ Mansfield, 33 – Final
Oliver Ames, 30 @ Taunton, 49 – Final – In a battle of two of the top five teams in the Hock, Taunton pinned down a win over visiting Oliver Ames. Michael Leskoski, Ryan Jones, Brandon Mendes, Xavier Sandoval, Ben Mandeville, Christian Balmain, Elijah Prophete, Peter Ye and Logan Frank had wins for Taunton.
Sharon, 36 vs. Andover, 37 – Final – Adam Landstein , Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Ben Shocket, Ben Grabie , Philip Varvak, and Cormac Horlbogen each won for the Eagles, who fell in a tight non-league clash with Andover.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 55 @ Milford, 43 – Final – Attleboro made it two wins in two days by jumping out to a big halftime lead and holding off a Milford comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Meghan Gordon scored a game-high 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while Maddalena Mannucci Pacini led the Hawks with 19 points. After scoring 17 in the first half on Tuesday night, Gordon was held to three points in the opening quarter on Wednesday, but Kayla Goldrick scored five of her 14 to help the Bombardiers take a 16-10 lead. Attleboro’s defense stepped up in the second, holding the Hawks to just four points (all of them by Pacini). Gordon caught fire in the second quarter, scoring 12 of Attleboro’s 16 in the frame, including a pair of threes. Leading 32-14 at the break, Attleboro kept up the offensive barrage in the third, adding another 16 points, but the Hawks found the range to match them. Goldrick had six in the quarter for Attleboro, while Pacini had five in the third and Jess Douglas knocked down one of her two second half threes. In the fourth, Brooke Ferreira scored five of her seven points and helped Milford close out the game with a 13-7 quarter and cut the lead down to a dozen. Lily Routhier chipped in with six points in the game for Attleboro.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD.
Foxboro, 3 @ Taunton, 4 – Final (OT) – Taunton earned its first league win of the season, scoring an overtime goal to hand Foxboro its first loss of the season. Junior forward Connor McGrath scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the way for the Tigers. McGrath also registered an assist while junior Colton Scheralis scored once and recorded two assists. Junior Dylan McCaughey scored and had an assist, and Nathan Fernandes, Travis Cashman, and goalie Cam Tomaszycki (25 saves) each had an assist. The Warriors got goals from Dylan Pothier, Tom Marcucella, and Connor Hayes.
Franklin, 4 vs. Hingham, 2 – Final – Franklin saw its two-goal lead disappear in less than three minutes but the Panthers had an immediate response and secured one of their best wins of the season over one of the state’s top teams in Hingham. The Panthers had a dream start when Adam Quinn (from Ben Jarosz and Liam O’Reilly) scored just 14 seconds into the contest for a 1-0 lead. Dom Lampasona netted an unassisted goal with just over three minutes left in the first for a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. Midway through the second, Hingham scored a pair of goals in 2:31 but Franklin’s Anthony Lampasona (from Quinn) put Franklin back ahead just 27 seconds later. Lampasona (from Logan Marchand) netted his second of the game with 3:20 left to secure the win. Sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter had a strong game between the pipes with 34 saves against the Harbormen.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 @ Dedham, 0 – Final
Franklin, 0 @ Westwood, 5 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 3 @ Norwood, 4 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Medfield, 0 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 vs. Medway, 9 – Final
Wrestling
Foxboro, 57 @ Canton, 21 – Final
Taunton, 37 @ Franklin, 27 – Final – Taunton won eight matches, including four by pinfall, to secure its first win over Franklin since joining the Hockomock League nearly a decade ago. Mike Lesksoki (106, 3:03), Christian Balmain (152, 3:29), Avery Justa (220, 0:44), and Logan Frank (285, 3:13) all won by pin to score six points each, Brandon Mendes (120, 17-4) won by major decision, and Anthony Vieira (126, 6-2), Xavier Sandoval (132, 8-5), and Ethan Harris (182, 3-1) each one by decision. Franklin picked up wins from Riley Carlucci (113, 16-0), Tim O’Leary (138, 0:51), Alex Fracassa (145, 11-0), Connor Dillon (160, 9-4), Alex Foley (170, 3;45), and Nolan Sheridan (195, 14-7).
Milford, 39 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Milford won five of the seven matches by pinfall to secure a victory over a shorthanded Hornets squad. The Hawks picked up wins from Michael Boulanger (113, 5:02), Robert Lyons (120, 3:39), Paul Hough (152, 5:08), Dan Alves (160, 3:42), Ryan Donovan (170, 12-4), Cameron Phillips (195, 0:13), and Hampton Kaye-Kuter (220, 4:50).
North Attleboro, 46 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final
Sharon, 37 @ Oliver Ames, 33 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match – Vehnil Rangaraman’s pin at 113 gave the Eagles a big momentum boost, Adam Landstein and Cam Brinbaum followed with back-to-back pins at 120 and 126, respectively, and Aaron Cashton’s pin at 152 clinched the match as the Eagles secured a key division win over Oliver Ames, moving to 3-0 in Davenport action. Mason Lelling earned a key three points at 182, Ethan Siao won a close 2-1 match for three points at 220, and Nick Varvak prevailed in overtime at 132 for three more points. Ashmith Yeruva had a major decision at 106 to secure four points. Oliver Ames got wins from Gio Juste (170), Anthony Hoffman (195), Jaden Hinton (285), John Dobbin (138), Kyle Hardie (145), and DJ Lipski (160).
Boys Swimming
Canton, 74 @ Milford, 93 – Final – Click here for full results – Canton had more individual winners and won two of the three relays, but Milford’s depth was on full display as the Hawks took two of the top three spots in all but one individual race. Jack Weiner was a two-time winner for Milford, taking first in both the 50 free and the 100 free, and Corey Rattray added a first place finish in he 100 backstroke. Weiner was joined by Aaron McIsaac, Ben Pezza, and Josh Anderson to take first in the 200 free relay, and all three of those swimmers added key points with individual top three finishes. Canton’s Talis Veidis won a pair of individual races (500 free, 200 free) and was apart of both of the Bulldogs’ two winning relay teams.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 7:30
2020-2021 Record: 1-8-0 Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro had a difficult 2020-21 season, as delays and big breaks early in the season led to three games in three days to close things out. The Bombardiers will be hoping that they can build off that experience and make a push to get back into the postseason mix with several underclassmen stepping in to supplement the returning corps.
The offense has depth to it this season and head coach Greg Chamberlain is expecting a lot of grit and effort in the attacking zone to create scoring chances. Senior Nate Parker will be the leader of the forward line but he will get help from juniors Colin Flynn and Mike Lachance, who have both had two seasons on varsity already. Freshmen Austin Bessette and Nate Conroy have impressed the coaches in the preseason and could be ready to contribute right away.
Defense could be a strong unit this season, as the Bombardiers have decent skaters and decent depth along the blue line. Senior Sean Marshall will be the key to that group, providing on-ice leadership. Sophomore Dane Holske had a good first season on varsity and can help out both in defense and at forward. Senior Nick Piazza is capable of being one of the top netminders in the league and will be back between the pipes for Attleboro this season.
“Biggest thing that is a positive for us is the guys wanna earn some respect and be tough to play against,” said Chamberlain. “We understand what we have but we think our schedule can help us gain some real confidence.”
2020-2021 Record: 11-0-1 Coach: Brian Shuman
The Davenport division has been ruled by Canton, which has won the title every season since the league split. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of returning players to hunt a 12th straight league title and defend the Div. 2 state title that they won back in 2019-20, but for many of the players, this will be their first season with a full slate of games.
Canton is known for its goalscoring, but the Bulldogs typically start from the defensive zone and this year should be no different. Senior Sean Connolly, the reigning league MVP, will be back at the blue line alongside classmate Ryan Doucette. Juniors James Young and Leo Owens should also see plenty of time on the ice with seniors Brennen Pecararo and Jay Kelleher slotting in at defense or at forward. The goalie job is up for grabs coming into the season with a three-way battle going on between senior Aiden French, junior Carson Eagles, and freshman Collin Davis.
As usual, the Bulldogs should be potent in front of the goal this winter. Senior Eamon Kelly, the team’s leading scorer last year, is back for his fourth season on varsity. Seniors Andrew Valkanas, Tommy Phaneuf, Sam Carlino, and Eddie Gillis will all chip in and junior Jeff Chaput could be poised for a big season after scoring 13 points last year.
“Solid team defense is the expectation as always this season, and we ask all positions to be important players all over the ice,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “Our forwards need to be able to shut down opponents and our defense must contribute to our offensive production to have a successful year.”
2020-2021 Record: 4-6-0 Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Just two years removed from one of the best seasons in program history, Foxboro comes into the winter with an experienced squad, featuring nine seniors, to try and make another push for a state tournament berth. Although the Warriors went 4-6 in the shortened 2020-21 season, four of those losses were against Franklin and Canton and the other two were to North Attleboro by a combined three goals, so there is potential for the Warriors to get back to their 2019-20 form.
The forward line should have plenty of firepower this season with the return of seniors Jack Watts, Matt Grace, and Ben Ricketts, who combined for 13 goals in 10 games last year. Fellow forwards Derek Axon and Steven Bridges will give Foxboro good leadership and depth in the forward line. The Warriors also got plenty of scoring from the blue line, with senior Tom Marcucella adding four goals and three assists last winter.
Improvements in the defensive zone (and not playing almost every game against the league’s top-scoring teams) will be expected this season. Marcucella is listed as a defenseman but has the versatility to line up in multiple positions and he will be helped on defense by classmates Dylan Pothier and Brady Callahan. Junior Alex Coviello and sophomore Sully Kenneally are also going to step into bigger roles on the blue line this season.
“I would say all nine of our seniors are going to be major contributors and that’s definitely a first for Foxboro hockey and it’s a good thing!” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “I would say we will be skilled and experienced.”
2020-2021 Record: 10-2-1 Coach: Anthony Sarno
This will be a new-look Franklin team that takes the ice this season, looking to win its 11th straight league title and make a deep run in the postseason. The Panthers graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team and only return seven players with significant varsity experience to try and manage a schedule loaded with some of the best teams in the state.
Senior forward Dylan Marchand is the key returning player in the forward line. The team’s leading scorer last year, the speedy center scored eight goals and nine assists in 13 games. Seniors Justin Magazu and Domenic Lampasona and juniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio will also return to add more firepower to the attacking end of the ice. With 14 new players on the roster, there could be a lot of new names on the score sheet this winter.
Defensively, the Panthers will lean on experienced players like seniors Aidan Hunt and Jack MacKinnon to guide the younger players, as they take on the high-end talent that Franklin will face right from the start of the season. In goal, sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter and freshman Jack O’Connor will both get chances between the pipes.
“I am optimistic with the youth we have and excited to watch us grow together,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “We will just have to weather the ebbs and flows, try to remain even-keeled, communicate, and trust each other as a team in order for us to grow and move forward as a complete unit.”
2020-2021 Record: 9-1-0 Coach: Paul Carlow
Last season, King Philip won a share of its first league title since 2006, picking up a rare win against rival Franklin in the process. With 12 returning players and a roster that has 16 upperclassmen, the Warriors will try to make more history by winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history and also put together a run in the state tournament.
There are four players coming back this year that averaged a point per game in 2020-21. Three of those players are forwards. Seniors Shaun Fitzpatrick and Sean Crowther and junior James Boldy, who combined for 15 goals and 22 assists in 10 games last season. Senior Nolan Feyler will be a big boost, as the forward had a strong sophomore season but missed all of last year due to an injury. Senior Kevin Birenbaum is another of the nine seniors on the forward line.
Sophomore defenseman Brad Guden is the fourth Warrior who averaged a point per game last year. He broke into the lineup and scored 10 times and had 10 assists in his first varsity season. Seniors Nolan Jackson and Quin Garstka add leadership and experience at the blue line and sophomore Max Robison returns after an impressive rookie season. Senior Kyle Abbott will be back between the pipes for the Warriors.
“We have a tough schedule this season but we are looking to challenge for another Hockomock League title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. We have great leadership from our seniors and a good mix of skill and speed with the younger players. I’m really looking forward to working with this group and build on last year’s success.”
2020-2021 Record: 5-6-0 Coach: Mike Balzarini
With its top six forwards all back from last year, there is optimism that Mansfield will consistently put the puck in the back of the net and in turn, challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title.
And another big positive for the Hornets is junior Chris Hormann back between the pipes with a solid amount of varsity experience now under his belt. That combination of experience in the offensive zone and in the crease is what Mansfield is hoping translates to success. The challenge will be getting a new mix of defensemen working together as the Hornets graduated the majority of that unit.
Leading scorer Mark DeGirolamo returns with a lot of varsity experience under his belt, coming off a season with eight goals and five assists. He’s joined by Dillon Benoit (7 goals, 5 assists), Kyle Oakley (2 goals, 5 assists), Doherty (2 goals, 3 assists), Liam Anastasia (6 goals, 5 assists), and Brayden Purtell (4 goals, 2 assists). As the stats suggest, the Hornets have a very even top two lines which means head coach Mike Balzarini can trust both units to get it done.
Looks for the line of Cullen Egan, Cody Gordon, and Connor Davey to provide energy and some offensive punch throughout the season. Balzarini is looking for some new faces to step up on the blue line. A mix of depth pieces are back, and the Hornets have converted some forwards to defensemen looking to solidify that unit. Patrick Gormley, Brendan Flynn, Will Cameron, Ryan DeGirolamo, and Ty Carroll are all in the mix to get some minutes.
“Last season was difficult for everyone so we’re excited for a more normal year,” Balzarini said. “We’re going to be quick and we have multiple lines that can be a factor for us. We’ve seen some success on offense in our scrimmages so scoring should be a strength, these kids are working well together.”
2020-2021 Record: 8-6-0 Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro returns 14 players from last year’s roster, including two of the league’s top three scorers, and the Rocketeers will be looking to use that experience under first-year coach Kyle Heagney (who formerly coached Norton and was a North assistant the past two seasons) to challenge Canton at the top of the Davenport division and to put together a playoff run.
Although the Rocketeers bring back senior forwards Nik Kojoain and Brady Sarro, who combined for 41 points in 14 games last year, North is a team built on hard work and team effort in the offensive zone, rather than on individual stars. Seniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and juniors Joe Quinn and Mark Ayvazyan will provide plenty of help in front of goal and all have plenty of experience at the varsity level.
North graduated only one of its defensemen from last year. Senior Austin Comery will be the leader for North at the blue line and he will be assisted by classmate Anthony Westcott. Sophomore Kyle Gruber is back in goal for North after an impressive debut season, where he was thrown in against some of the league’s top teams, including a first appearance against Canton.
“Our strength is that we are not a team of superstars,” said Heagney. “We are a team of hockey players that will win first in the locker room before the ice. We look forward to the season and having fun. These are memories that will live forever with our players.”
2020-2021 Record: 1-10-0 Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames has been in a rebuilding phase under head coach Mike Zucarelli. The Tigers won just once in the shortened 2020-21 season and head into this winter with a roster loaded with underclassmen. While this may be a difficult season, Zucarelli is excited for the potential on his team and the growth the program is making for the future.
Seniors Cam Tower and Eliot Cohen will be instrumental in shoring things up at the blue line. The two defensemen will need to provide leadership for the younger players and help limit the opposition scoring chances. Junior forwards Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron will hope to improve the team’s scoring punch as well, after OA was held to 10 goals in 11 games last year. Zucarelli is already seeing more confidence and better decision-making in the offensive zone and is hoping the team’s work rate will lead to more chances.
With seven sophomores on the roster, OA will rely on its youth movement to turn things around. After a lot of growth in the offseason (both physically and mentally), Zucarelli thinks that the septet is ready for the challenges of playing varsity hockey day-in, day-out. Winger Andrew Livingstone and center Matt Lawson will add to the team’s production in the offensive zone and defenseman Landon Grothe could be a standout in the defensive end of the ice. Junior Brandon Burke had a solid summer with his club team and will be the starting goalie for the Tigers this winter.
“If we continue to put in the effort I have seen both on and off the ice to start this year, I believe these young men have the opportunity to do something special,” Zuccarelli said.
2020-2021 Record: 0-6-1 Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton had a tough 2020-21 season, as the Tigers were only able to six games, and come into a winter of transition. The roster is going to be very young, with only nine upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) in the program, so there will be a lot of younger players getting their first taste of varsity action and others experiencing a full season for the first time.
The forward line has a lot of speed and the Tigers are going to rely on that energy to try and create scoring chances. Senior Nathan Fernandes is the most experienced forward returning and he will be joined up top by junior Connor McGrath.
Defensively, the Tigers will be an inexperienced group but there is potential and the desire to get better over the course of the season. Senior Ethan Ross will be the leader at the blue line and junior Colton Scheralis can add his experience there as well. Freshman Cameron Tomaszycki will be jumping between the pipes this season to get his first varsity action.
“We are happy to be back for a full year,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “Last season was full of delays, pauses, and feelings of frustrations that made for a very long, short, season. The lessons learned from last season has made the players within the program grateful for a return to a more normal season. We will plan to improve every day and be a better, more complete team by the end of the season.”
Football
Oliver Ames, 20 @ Taunton, 45 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Nathan Keenan 31-yard field goal; (T) Jacob Leonard 61-yard pass to Trent Santos, N. Keenan XP good; (T) Faisal Mass 54-yard fumble recovery return, N. Keenan XP good.
2nd Quarter: (OA) Collin Williamson 6-yard rush, Sean Friel XP good; (T) Evan Perrotta 2-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) E. Perrotta 4-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good; (OA) Robert Jenkins 77-yard rush, S. Friel XP good; (T) N. Keenan 1-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good; (OA) C. Williamson 34-yard rush, XP blocked.
4th Quarter: (T) Jose Touron 7-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Milford built a two-goal lead by halftime and tacked on an important insurance goal in the second half to pick up two points on the road over King Philip. Eduardo Santana scored twice and assisted on the middle goal for the Hawks, who pushed their unbeaten streak to seven games. Santana opened the scoring on a pass from Dylan Borr and then set up Artur Tome to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage. Tommy Tommy Lomuscio cut the deficit in half but Santana secured the two points with his second goal, this one assisted by John Borges. Milford head coach Antonio Pinto praised his back line for a strong defensive effort.
Girls Soccer
King Philip, 8 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Ella Pisani scored three times, all in the opening 17 minutes of the first half, and had five total points as KP rolled to a road win against a shorthanded Milford. Sarah Harper, Paulina Baczkowski, Heidi Lawrence, Eilish McGowen, and Alyssa Legere each scored once for the Warriors and Sara Cullen and Lauren Casper combined for four saves to record the clean sheet. Mikayla Thompson, Kylie Anderson, Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn, and McGowen all added assists.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin exploded for four goals in the first quarter, including a hat trick from Shaw Downing, and never looked back in a win over Attleboro. Downing opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game and then scored twice more before the first quarter expired, assisted by Emily Carney on the second and Kaitlyn Carney on the third. Downing assisted on the other goal in the period, setting up Kaitlyn Carney. Haley Wernig also had a hat trick for the Panthers, scoring once in the second, third, and fourth quarters while also setting Kaitlyn Carney up for a goal.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Sarah Cunningham scored a pair of goals as Canton secured a key two points against Oliver Ames.
King Philip, 5 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – King Philip raced out to a three-goal lead after two quarters to secure a win on the road over Taunton. The Warriors had three different players score in the opening half with Sydney O’Shea opening the scoring off an assist from Mara Boldy, who had the third goal of the half off of a pass from freshman Makenzie McDevitt. Junior Lauren Barreiro had the middle goal of the first half on an assist from O’Shea. Senior back Lily Brown scored the final two goals for KP, the latter assisted by freshman Abby MacDonald.
Mansfield @ Milford, 3:45
North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin took care of business on Senior Night, earning a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-13, 25-15) over the visiting Bombardiers. For Attleboro, freshman Julia Leonardo recorded nine kills while both Kate Petrosso and Delia Barthel played well at the net.
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – King Philip kept its undefeated season going with a 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-9, 25-10) over Taunton. Emily Sawyer led a balanced offensive attack for the Warriors with 14 kills while Sami Shore added nine kills in the win. Both Liv Carey and Ahunna James (three aces) added five kills in the win while Samantha Asprelli notched eight digs. For Taunton, Mikayla Cleary played well with eight kills, two blocks and an ace, Angie Lynch added four kills, two blocks, and an ace, and Anna Abouzeid had a strong game with 12 assists, two aces, and two kills.
Mansfield, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final
Golf
Stoughton, 186 @ Canton, 140 – Final – Canton capped an undefeated season with a big win at home at Blue Hill Country Club, knocking off the visiting Knights of Stoughton, claiming their sixth straight Davenport division title. The Bulldogs had all four of their scorers share medalist honors as Mekhala Costello, Will Gefteas, Conor Hunter, and Mike Leonetti all came in with a 35 to lead the way. Anthony Hern followed a strong showing at Hocks with a 39 for Stoughton while Pat Smith added a 44.
Milford, 170 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – King Philip clinched the Kelley-Rex division title outright with a win over Milford at Wentworth Country Club. Pat Reardon carded a medalist round of 36 to lead the way for the Warriors. Mike Matheson added a 37 while both Tim Hartwell and Jared Curran shot a 39 for KP. Anthony LaPierre had a great round for the Hawks with a team-low round of 37 while Nate Lawrence shot a 39.
Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:00
Oliver Ames, 169 @ Foxboro, 168 – Final – Foxboro finished the regular season with one of its best wins of the season, taking down visiting Oliver Ames. Matt Fossella led the way for the Warriors with a team-low round of 41, Jack Rounds and Jack Watts each added a 42, and Dylan Pothier came in with a 43. OA sophomore Sean Kearns was the medalist with a round of 40, Jo Jo Gaultier and Jake Kaplan each shot a 42, and Daniel Paul finished with at 45.
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Highlighted by a five-goal outburst in the second quarter, Franklin continued to roll with another big win. Sydney Rogan scored the lone goal of the first quarter in the 10th minute before Kaitlyn Carney scored two in a row in the second to make it 3-0. Payten Crandall sandwiched a pair of goals around one from Raena Crandall while Emily Carney, Kendall Jones, and Ella Mahoney all had first half assists. Ella Aldred scored twice in the second half while Kaitlyn Carney and Emily Carney each scored once. Shaw Downing and Jill Finerty recorded second half assists. Megan Sullivan and Chloe Strassner combined for the shutout in net.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip carried a 3-0 lead into the final minutes of the game and held off a comeback bid from the visiting Tigers. Senior Margo Riley and freshman Makenzie McDevitt scored in the first half to help the Warriors build a 2-0 advantage by the halftime break. Riley tacked on another goal to push the KP lead to 3-0; McDevitt, Sydney O’Shea, and Christina Gifun all had an assist in the win. KP received strong defensive play from seniors Morgan Cunningham and Haley Izydorczak. OA’s Lauren Mularzcyk scored her first career goal to jumpstart the Tigers, who got a goal from Erin Cottam with five seconds to play. Both Ava Costello (assist) and Julia Maclaine had strong performances for OA.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – North Attleboro’s Julia Puccio scored a pair of second half goals to help the Rocketeers record a close win on the road at Taunton. After a scoreless first half, Puccio and Taunton’s Kaysie DeMoura traded goals in the third quarter. Caroline Folan help set up the game-winner, which saw Puccio fire a nice backhand shot while in traffic in front for the game-winner. Sophomore Gracie Leary made a pair of key kick saves in the final moments to help preserve the win. Em Gannon recorded nine saves for the Tigers.
Volleyball
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Natalie Brojek dished out 23 assists and Attleboro picked up a 3-0 (25-11, 25-25, 29-27) win at home for its seventh victory of the season, the most in over a decade. Brojek added four aces in the win, freshman Julia Leonardo was a force at the net with 16 kills, and Lilly Boedeker anchored the defense with nine digs.
Foxboro, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final
Canton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two games, Mansfield went on to win the final two sets to secure a 3-1 win (25-23, 22-25, 25-11, 25-20) over the visiting Bulldogs. Julia Kelly paced the offense with 15 kills, Nicole Santos added 10 kills and had a strong showing from the service line with six aces, and Lexie Scibilia added six kills in the win. Christina Lydon (20 assists) and Izzy Flint (17 assists) ran the offense for the Hornets. Anne Verille had another stellar showing for Canton with outstanding defense and aggressive serving while Fatima Sidibay and Amaiah Christian played well in the middle, combining for nine kills and four blocks.
Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – It was a day to remember for Franklin senior Cailyn Mackintosh, who recorded the 1,000th assist of her career and had a strong all-around game to lead the Panthers to a dominant sweep, 3-0 (25-7, 25-6, 25-7). Mackintosh finished with 24 assists along with seven digs, five kills, and four assists for the undefeated Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip prevailed in a tight second set that went down to the wire and went on to complete the sweep, 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-11) of Oliver Ames. Stella Bailey had a big day at the service line with 14 service points, including five aces, while Samantha Asprelli added four more aces to go along with five digs. Sami Shore chipped in with four aces as well to go with eight kills and three digs while Ahunna James recorded a pair of aces and seven kills for the undefeated Warriors. For OA, sophomore Sarah Hilliard had a strong showing with 14 kills to pace the Tiger offense. Senior Hadley Rhodes added 20 assists and junior Maddie Homer finished with 15 digs and 18 serve receptions.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Taunton saw its 1-0 lead disappear as North rallied to grab all the momentum with back-to-back close wins in the second and third sets, but the Tigers bounced back to win two straight sets and the match, 3-2 (25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 25-22, 15-12). Taunton had a balanced attack on offense led by Hayley Krockta (12 kills, six digs, four aces), Mikayla Cleary (11 kills, five blocks, two aces), and Angie Lynch (nine kills) while Aislinn Campbell had a big game at the net with seven blocks and six kills. Anna Abouzeid put the offense in motion with 25 assists as well as two kills and two aces while Jess Foley, Dani Lofgren, and Mia Fernandes all played well defensively with eight digs apiece.
Boys Cross-Country
Attleboro, 31 @ Mansfield, 26 – Final – Mansfield took five of the top eight spots to earn a close win at home over Attleboro. Senior Collin Stevens paced the Hornet pack with a team-best time of 17:42 for second overall. Senior Chris Leonard (18:17) took fourth, sophomore Talon Johnson added key points with a fifth place finish (18:24), senior Riley Tremblay took seventh (18:55), and junior Clark Mackin rounded out the Mansfield scoring at 18:59 for eighth overall.
North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/7 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 34 @ Foxboro, 21 – Final – Senior Nick Olson crossed first and Foxboro took five of the top seven spots in a win at Payson Road against Stoughton. Olson won the race in 17:27, junior Brooks Stone took third overall (19:32), and junior Stephen Haney (19:37) was fourth. Senior Jared Ciora and junior Cooper Hassman rounded out the scoring for the hosts by taking sixth and seventh, respectively.
Franklin, 36 @ King Philip, 21 – Final
Taunton, 22 @ Milford, 38 – Final – Taunton continued its strong start to the season, improving to 4-0 with a win on the road over Milford. The Tigers took five of the top seven spots, including three of the first four, to get the win. Brayden Cali was the top runner for Taunton, taking second overall in 17:08. Sam Dennis clocked in at 17:12 for third while Andrew Cali took fourth overall (17:18). Ryan Strawbridge (17:25) and Cam Dorr (18:26) rounded out the scoring for the Tigers.
Sharon, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 20
Girls Cross-Country
Attleboro, 48 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – The first five runners to cross the finish line were all members of the Mansfield Hornets, who knocked off Attleboro on a 5K course at the Plymouth Street Soccer Complex. Sophomore Anna Moore led the charge for the hosts, who had eight of the top 10 overall runners in the race. Moore clocked in at 21:48 for the win, senior Meghan Johnston took second (22:09), senior Alanna Conley crossed third (23:43),senior Sophia Allen was fourth (23:55), and junior Devin Anderson rounded out the scoring with a fifth place finish (25:02). Freshman Emily Quaglia was the top runner for Attleboro, crossing the finish line in a time of 25:59 for seventh overall.
North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/7 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 31 @ Foxboro, 24 – Final – Foxboro swept the top three spots all within a 30-second time span and that was enough to lead the Warriors to a win over the visiting Black Knights. Junior Casey Dahl won the race in 22:03 while classmates Aine Fitzpatrick (22:09) and Mabel Linck (22:30) rounded out the top three. Juniors Kyla Palmer and Sarah Howard took eighth and 10th, respectively, for the Warriors.
Franklin @ King Philip, 3:45
Taunton, 22 @ Milford, 38 – Final – Taunton freshman Emersyn Deponte set a new program record with her third dual meet win of the season and all five of the scorers for the Tigers clocked in a new personal records in a win over Milford. Deponte won the race in 20:27 with classmate Colby Dunham taking third overall just three seconds later. Kiley Quinlan (22:06) was fourth, Phylicia Dias (22:30) took fifth, and Jakhai Nicholson (24:36) earned ninth for the Tigers.
Sharon, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 22 – Final
Golf
Franklin, 169 @ Mansfield, 164 – Final – Mansfield kept its division title hopes alive with a close win over Franklin, splitting the season series with the Panthers. Senior Cian Goulet fired a team-low round of 38 to help the Hornets get the win at Norton Country Club. Seniors Ryan Doherty (41), Hunter Tang (42), and Jordan Tavares (43) rounded out the scoring for the hosts.
Milford, 174 @ Taunton, 190 – Final – Jacob Hipolito and Anthony LaPierre each shot 42 to lead the Hawks to a win on the road over Taunton. Nate Lawrence added a round of 45 in the win and Tommy Donato added a 46 for Milford. Loran Corcoran and Nathan Fernandes both shot 46 to pace the Tigers.
Sharon, 163 @ King Philip, 154 – Final – King Philip avoided an upset bid from Sharon to grab its 10th win of the season, staying undefeated on the year. Mike Matheson birded the fifth hole on his way to a match medalist round of 36 to lead the way for KP. Jared Curran birdied both the first and fifth holes to finish at 38 while both Pat Reardon and Ethan Sullivan shot a 40. Sharon’s Nathan Daley also birded the fifth hole and had a team-low round of 38. Eric Carter added a 40 for the Eagles and Owen Kevorkian shot a 42.
Canton, 156 @ Foxboro, 160 – Final – Foxboro nearly pulled off the upset of the season on the Front 9 at Foxborough Country Club but Canton came away with a close win to keep its lead in the Davenport division. Canton’s Will Gefteas and Mekhala Costello each shot a 38 on the day, sharing match medalist honors with Foxboro’s Dylan Pothier. Charlie Cohen and Nate MacDonald each added a 40 in the win. Jack Rounds shot a 39 for the Warriors and Louie Carangelo added a round of 40.
North Attleboro, 170 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Senior Jo Jo Gaultier fired an even par round of 35 as Oliver Ames picked up its eighth win of the season by beating North Attleboro at Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton. Jake Kaplan, David Rodgers, and Sean Kearns all shot 40 to round out the scoring for the hosts.
Boys Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield built a 2-0 lead by halftime and then doubled its advantage inside a five-minute span in the second half to land a big win over visiting Taunton. Danny Rowe, Andrew Bain, Dan Checkoway, and Matt Hyland all scored, getting on the end of a service into the area. Rowe opened the scoring off of a feed from Hyland in the 12th minute, and then Hyland set up Bain off a throw-in from Michael Caridi in the 28th minute. Checkoway scored the first goal of the second half on a cross from Bain, and Hyland made it 4-0 four minutes later on another service from Bain. Jack Lasbury-Casey recorded the shutout with eight saves.
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 7 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Tarynn Smith recorded a brace for the third time in a week and helped Mansfield to its fourth straight win. Katie Miller, Avery Hawthorne, Carly Devine, Kara Santos, and Aniela Diieso (first varsity goal) also found the back of the net for the Hornets. Abby Jean had a pair of assists.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
King Philip, 0 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Canton scored midway through the first half and the Bulldogs turned in one of their best defensive performances of the season to knock off King Philip. Carolyn Durand posted the shutout in net while senior Carly Fitzgerald, Junior Sierra Abbott, and Sophomore Laura Valkanas all played well defensively. Sarah Cunningham finished off a pass from Erin Lane for the lone goal of the game.
Franklin, 6 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin found the back of the cage three times in each half to pick up a win on the road in Foxboro. The Panthers built a 2-0 lead in the first quarter with goals from Raena Crandall and Shaw Downing (from Crandall), and extended the advantage to 3-0 on a goal from Kaitlyn Carney (from Ella Mahoney) midway through the second quarter. Payten Crandall, Haley Wernig, and Downing all scored goals in the second half.
Mansfield, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Milford @ North Attleboro, 6:00
Taunton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Georgia Costello scored twice and added an assist as the host Tigers took care of business against visiting Taunton. Erin Cottam opened the scoring in the first quarter for OA, who scored once in each quarter, with Lily Gaskill on the assist. Costello tacked on an unassisted goal int he second and then set up Gaskill for a goal in the third. Costello made it 4-1 by scoring in the fourth on a pass from Cottam. Sophomore Casey O’Leary scored for Taunton with an assist from senior Braeley MacDonald.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Attleboro picked up its sixth win of the season after taking a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-21, 25-15) on the road at Stoughton. Freshman Julia Leonardo led the way for the Bombardiers with 11 kills and four aces while Brianna Frissora had a standout game at the net. Lilly Boedeker anchored the defense for the visitors.
Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin rolled to its seventh win of the season, this time in the form a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-20, 25-6) win on the road at Foxboro. The Panthers, which have only dropped one set all year, were led by Lindsey Tarantola, who had 10 kills and three blocks in the win.
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home court by taking down visiting Taunton with a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-15, 25-14). Sophomore Sarah Hilliard led the charge for the host Tigers with a strong all-around game with 10 kills, 12 serve receptions, and 16 digs. Senior Hadley Rhodes added 18 assists and four kills, junior Maddie Homer notched 22 digs, and sophomore Claire O’Rourke recorded nine kills.
Boys Cross-Country
King Philip, 27 @ Mansfield, 28 – Final – Mansfield had the top two runners but King Philip’s depth was on display by taking third, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth to edge out the Hornets. Chris Leonard was first overall (17:46) with teammate Collin Stevens (17:47) finishing second.
Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 9/30 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 19 @ Foxboro, 44 – Final
Milford @ Attleboro, 4:30
Girls Cross-Country
King Philip, 25 @ Mansfield, 30 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 9/30 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 27 @ Foxboro, 28 – Final
Milford @ Attleboro, 4:30
Golf
Attleboro, 157 @ North Attleboro, 158 – Final – After losing its last two matches by a combined three strokes, Attleboro ended on the right side of a close match with a win over rival North Attleboro at Heather Hill. Leo Lombardo led the way for the Bombardiers with a team-low round of 37, Carter Shelton added a 39, and Brendan Raymond and Parker Sackett each shot 41 in the win. Tyson Laviano was the match medalist with a low-round of 36, Aaron Levesque came in with a 40, Jake Gaskin added a 41, and Dillon Harding shot a 42 for the Rocketeers.
Foxboro, 158 @ Stoughton, 188 – Final – Foxboro’s Jack Rounds fired a medalist round of 38 and the Warriors went on the road and picked up a win at Easton County Club. Jack Watts added a 39 for Foxboro, Dylan Pothier added a 40, and Matt Fossella finished with a 41 in the win. Joseph Rush shot a team-low round of 44 for the Black Knights.
Canton, 154 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – Mike Leonetti was the match medalist for the Bulldogs and Canton stayed undefeated with a win on the road at the Cape Club of Sharon. Leonetti’s low-round of 37 led the way while Mekhala Costello added a 38, Will Gefteas shot a 39, and Conor Hunter came in with a 40. Nathan Daley paced the Eagles with a 40, Eric Carer and Noah Glassman each shot a 44, and Rosie Leonard chipped in with a 45.
Taunton, 197 @ Mansfield, 164 – Final – In the front end of a home-and-home matchup with Taunton, the Hornets secured a win at Norton Country Club over the Tigers. Hunter Tang was the match medalist with a round of 39, Cian Goulet added a 40 for the Hornets, Ryan Doherty chipped in with a 42, and Brendan Vokey added a 43.
Milford, 175 @ Franklin, 165 – Final – Junior Jack Hagerty birded on the seventh hole to help earn medalist honors and help the Panthers take care of Milford at Franklin Country Club. Hagerty finished with a low-round of 39 while sophomores CJ Steel and Brendan Collins, along with freshman Ben Paterson, all came in at 42. Nate Lawrence led Milford with a round of 40.
2019-2020 Record: 5-14-1 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro struggled down the stretch last season, losing nine of its final 11 games (five of those losses by two goals or fewer) and narrowly missing out on a postseason berth. Former Canton assistant Greg Chamberlain has taken over this season with the goal of making the Bombardiers competitive in the Kelley-Rex division.
Goalie will be a position of strength this year, as Attleboro has three players that can step in between the pipes. Junior Nick Piazza will be the starter after a breakout sophomore year where he made nearly 500 saves. Junior Michael DuTremble and freshman Julien Horton are the other goalies on the roster. In front of Piazza, Attleboro has three solid pairings. Senior Owen Dryjowicz moved from forward to defense late last season and looked comfortable on the blue line. Junior Sean Marshall and senior Zack Pierce are also returning defenders that the Bombardiers are counting on.
Offensively, the Bombardiers will miss the scoring of Ryan Morry, who led the team with 21 points, but with several returning players Attleboro has the potential to put together solid forward lines. Senior Aidan Dryjowicz is the team’s top returning scorer with nine goals and classmate Jake Ward, junior Nate Parker, and freshman winger Dane Holskie have the potential to contribute to the attack this season.
“I think the key to this season,” said Chamberlain, “is that everyone needs to pull their weight. If you look around the league teams that win have three or four lines that they can roll out every night. That is going to be the name of the game for us. Keeping it simple and do your job.”
2019-2020 Record: 21-1-3 2019-2020 Finish: Div. 2 State Co-Champion Coach: Brian Shuman
Although Canton didn’t get the chance to go to the TD Garden to face Lincoln-Sudbury and try to avenge its only loss of the past two seasons, the Bulldogs brought home a second straight Div. 2 state championship. Even for a program with the sustained success of Canton, last year’s senior class had a uniquely impressive record and that class’ graduation leaves a lot of holes that new faces will need to step into.
Last year’s top scorers, Johnny Hagan and Chris Lavoie, combined for 37 goals and 68 points, so it will be tough to reproduce that output. Senior Dylan Coyne will be hoping to make up some of that scoring punch and the Bulldogs will hope junior Eamon Kelly can return from an injury and get back to the form he showed last year.
While the defense was also hit hard by graduation, Canton returns a pair of defensemen that saw considerable time on the blue line last season. Junior Sean Connolly and sophomore Vincent Sica both jumped right into the lineup and looked comfortable competing at the top level, but this year they will also be experienced veterans and leaders in that group. Senior Liam Polles will get the chance to jump in goal this year.
Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “I can say that after the first two weeks, things are certainly different in many ways, but I am confident that we will adapt and adjust like most teams our league to give our players a much-needed physical outlet and important connection to a team.”
2019-2020 Record: 12-5-5 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Semifinal Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro has grown by leaps and bounds in recent seasons. Each of the past three years have seen the Warriors set a new standard for the best season in program history, culminating in last winter’s 12 wins and run to the Div. 3 South semifinal.
Depth at the forward line will be a strength this season and Foxboro should be capable of scoring plenty of goals. Senior forward Kirk Leach was second in the Hock last year with 20 goals and he leads an experienced group. Junior Jack Watts had 13 goals and 14 assists last year and is another big, physical forward. Senior Brady Daly will look to add to his nine points from last season and junior Eoin Reager can play multiple positions, including forward, and added 14 points as a sophomore.
The Warriors will obviously miss former Hock MVP Espen Raeger, who was one of the league’s top goalies. Senior Jack Spinney was the backup goalie last year and could step in between the pipes after seeing a few minutes of action as a junior. Junior Dylan Pothier and sophomore Alex Coviello are two of the returning defensemen from last year’s team and both played big roles in the team’s strong performance in the postseason. Eoin Reager can also play in the back line.
“We have a lot of forwards returning, so the depth is there,” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We also have a lot of skilled defenseman holding the blue line. Looking forward to the season, even though it will look and feel a lot different, I’m just happy for our guys get to play.”
2019-2020 Record: 11-8-4 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal Coach: Anthony Sarno
Head coach Anthony Sarno can’t help but wonder what could have been for this season. Franklin had a strong group of returners back from last year’s squad and Sarno had a schedule filled with top teams from around the state ready to see how his Panthers stacked up to the elite talent. But now Franklin will focus on its 10-game Hockomock schedule with a chance to prove it’s the top team in the league.
Franklin will rely on its senior class to lead the way. The Panthers will be very solid in the back, starting with senior goalie Jack Paterson. After serving in a backup capacity previously, Paterson steps into the starting role but is getting pushed in practice by classmate Gary Mandia. Along the blue line, Franklin has plenty of familiar names with the likes of Joe LeBlanc (nine points), Will Sheehan, Justin Abely, and Pat Dolan — all four are seniors with a good amount of varsity experience.
Offensively, the Panthers have a good variety of attacking options led by last year’s HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Dylan Marchand (13 points). Sarno is carrying 20 players and plans to use them all, rolling four lines offensively. JT Dwyer and Declan Lovett are both senior centers and have been strong in the face off circle so far. Sophomore Ben Jarosz should see an expanded role after getting some time last year. Franklin will look to expand on its puck possession after making the switch from a dump-and-chase team.
“We were looking forward to playing against some of the best teams in the state but we’re going to make the most of this opportunity,” Sarno said. “We’re going to give it our all each game. We’ve going to practice as hard as we play in games, the energy the kids have brought has been contagious. We’re treating every game like a playoff game, that’s the type of energy we want to bring to each game.”
2019-2020 Record: 10-6-5 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Paul Carlow
King Philip pushed Franklin to the final week of the regular season in its quest to win a first league title since 2013 (and end the nine-year reign for the Panthers in the Kelley-Rex). The Warriors did get back into the postseason, although again Franklin stood in the way in the preliminary round, and will return 13 players to make another run at that elusive league championship.
Experience on both ends of the ice will be the strength for KP this season, with eight seniors and eight juniors on the roster, including a pair of four-year players. Senior forward Conor Cooke and senior defenseman Rocco Bianculli have been critical players for each of the past three seasons. Bianculli is not only a leader at the blue line, but also one of the league’s top offensive defenders. KP returns three of its top four scorers from last year. In addition to Bianculli, senior Aidan Boulger and junior Nolan Feyler provide the scoring punch on the forward line and are a good mix with Cooke’s physical presence up front. Seniors Paul McDonald and Justin Yatsuhashi add speed and depth.
Defensively, senior David Lawler will join Bianculli on the blue line. More of a defensive-minded player, Lawler adds solidity in his own zone and is counted on to make the right plays under pressure. Seniors Shea Cunningham and Geoff Bowes are also returning defensemen that couple size and experience around their own net. Sophomore Kyle Abbott will take over between the pipes
“As always we are looking to build on last year and compete for the league title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. “Our team this season has some good experience. We also have some real skill and speed in the younger group.”
2019-2020 Record: 7-8-6 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Mike Balzarini
The Hornets aren’t focusing on how many games are on the schedule but focusing on taking it one game at a game instead. Mansfield brings back a lot of players that picked up varsity experience last season during the team’s postseason run.
Replacing three-year starter Sean McCafferty in goal won’t be easy but head coach Mike Balzarini has praised the work of Chris Hormann, who will be taking over in between the pipes. Balzarini said Hormann learned a lot last season in his backup role, is coming off a stellar fall season and has looked strong so far in practice this year. Captain Jake Quirk will anchor the blue line unit for the Hornets and will be joined by some familiar faces. Senior Joseph Gormley will bring a lot of experience to the defensive group and will be joined by sophomore Patrick Gormley as well as Ben Levine and James Hughes.
Senior captain Cam Page will spearhead the attack for the Hornets this season. Mansfield lost most of its point production to graduation so there will be plenty of opportunities for new faces to take advantage of. Mark DiDiralamo, Kyle Oakley, Dillon Benoit, Ryan Doherty, and Liam Anastasia are all in the mix for the top six for Mansfield.
“It’s a shortened season but we have looked good thus far in practice and in our scrimmage,” Balzarini said. “We’re looking to push the pace this year and play a faster-paced game.”
2019-2020 Record: 7-8-6 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round Coach: Ben McManama
On the ice, it’s been business as usual for the Red Rocketeers, who have a strong returning core ready to make a run at dethroning Canton atop the Davenport division. The biggest challenges for head coach Ben McManama and his squad so far have been adapting to all of the changes off of the ice.
Expectations are high for the Big Red with some familiar names at each position. The most returners come from the offense where the Rocketeers have a handful of forwards back, giving McManama the flexibility to run at least three lines. Senior captain Tyler Sarro will be a leader on and off the ice and will be joined by his brother Brady as the wings on the top line. Nik Kojoian is back after missing almost all of last season and will center the top line. McManama notes his second and third lines are interchangeable, more “2A” and “2B” rather than second and third lines. Juniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and sophomores Mark Ayvazyan and Joe Quinn will all be in the mix.
The Rocketeers will have a lot of spots to fill along the blue line after graduating a strong corps of defensemen from last winter. Senior Charlie Connolly and junior Austin Comery are the veterans in the group, entering this season with the most experience. McManama has tabbed junior Anthony Westcott as another option along the blue line while the final spot is up for grabs. Senior James Burtch will take over in net for the Rocketeers while freshman Kyle Gruber is pushing for time.
“The big thing for us this year is being a system team,” McManama said. “We have to be disciplined with our system. We’re really harping on sticking to our system and what we do, and we have to be really disciplined and do our jobs. That’s how we’re going to generate goals and it’s going to be how we stop shots too, it works on both ends. We’ve had great practices, it’s been fun getting the kids back.”
2019-2020 Record: 6-13-2 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames finished 2019-20 with six wins, but also had four losses by a single goal (all four to teams in the playoffs), so the Tigers were closer to earning a postseason berth under first-year coach Mike Zuccarelli than the final record may indicate. This season, the Tigers return to the Davenport division for the first time since 2016 and with only six returning players there will be opportunities for new faces to step in and contribute right away.
Seniors Ross Carroll and Matt Nigro will provide leadership in the forward line and much-needed experience for a young group. Sophomores Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron both saw action last year and their development will be important for the Tigers to get consistent production from the forward lines.
Defensively, senior Kevin Tremblay and junior Elliot Cohen both grew into bigger roles last year and will be expected to lead the blue line corps this season. Sophomore Brandon Burke will take over in net after backing up Owen Connor last winter. Zuccarelli is also counting on a strong freshman group to come in and provide an instant impact and is excited about the potential for the program going forward.
“Patience and resilience are going to be two major themes this year as we have already experienced,” said Zucarelli. “Our goal is to grow as a team and tackle each challenge we are presented together both on and off the ice. I am confident with our senior leadership, outstanding assistant coaches, and the support we receive from the OA community that we will have a season to remember.”
2019-2020 Record: 4-16-1 2019-2020 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Dan Mark
After an up-and-down first year in a co-op with Brockton, the Black Knights are aiming for an improved 2021 season. After a year away, Stoughton is back in Hockomock League competition and will be vying for the Davenport title.
With just four players gone to graduation, longtime head coach Dan Mark has a veteran squad at his disposal for the upcoming 10-game schedule plus a small postseason planned. The foundation of the team starts between the pipes as the Black Knights have two goalies back with experience. Sophomore Chris Andrade will compete with senior Ryan Spano for the starting job in net.
In front of goal, Mark is leaning on a trio of juniors plus one senior to get the job done. Senior Kenny Young will be joined along the blue line by Josh Greenspoon, Anthony Hern, and Steven Westerlund — all returners from a season ago. Offensively, the Black Knights will turn three-year starters in junior Colin Alessi and Joe McNulty to anchor the offense. They’ll be joined by seniors Kyle Cruickshank, Cade O’Connell, Mike Andrade, and Ryan Flannery to bolster the attack.
“We have a veteran team blended with some younger players and are looking to improve on last year’s record,” Mark said.
2019-2020 Record: 10-11-3 2019-2020 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton is returning a plethora of players from last year’s varsity squad that had double-digit wins and made a trip to the postseason. Now, the Tigers are just hoping to play a complete — albeit shortened — season.
The Tigers got a couple of days on the ice before the school district paused all athletic activities over the winter break. Head coach Kris Metea and his 18 returning players are hoping to resume practice on Monday and get their season back on track. While the break will certainly be a setback for the Tigers, having such an experienced squad will help when Taunton does get back on the ice. Leading the way will be a pair of defensemen: senior captain and Hockomock League All Star Brady Nichols and junior Jack DeMoura, a HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman Team selection.
Having reliable options on the blue line will be key as the Tigers sort out the situation between the pipes. Senior Jason Frates, who only has a handful of years of experience at the position, is set to start in net. Offensively, the challenge will be replacing the production from Michael Albert, one of the most productive players in program history. Metea will look to juniors Nathan Fernandes and Loren Corcoran as well as sophomores Colton Scheralis and Connor McGrath to replicate that production. Senior Camden Faria will be a leader of the offensive group
“2020 has been a challenging time and we are hoping that athletics can provide respite for players and families as we enter 2021,” Metea said. “We will take whatever games guidelines allows us to play and be thankful for the opportunity to skate in the presence of friends!”
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip scored twice in the fourth quarter to secure two points on the road, grabbing a victory at Attleboro. Evan McEvoy opened the scoring after a short corner, taking three touches towards goal before blasting a shot into the side netting. With two minutes left, McEvoy set up a key insurance goal with a long ball over the top. Caleb Casetta-Waxman raced onto the ball and beat the oncoming keeper, lobbing a volley that found the back of the net.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames clinched the Davenport division title outright with a 2-0 decision on the road over the Bulldogs. Colin Milliken gave the visitors the lead, converting a chance from Anthony DaCosta in the first half. Milliken then set up Matt Nikiciuk for a goal in the second half. Drew Nickla had the shutout in net, getting help from Ben Cohen, Hector Bucio, Jimmy Keane, Brady deVos and Mathias Taylor.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro broke the deadlock midway through the third quarter to earn two points on the road. With the score tied 1-1, North Attleboro senior Eddy Mendoza took a pair of touches before dishing off to Matt Conley, who one-touched Mendoza through on a textbook give-and-go and Mendoza finished in alone on the keeper to make it 2-1. The Rocketeers took the lead in the opening quarter when Connor Ward smashed a 30-yard bomb off the crossbar that bounced down and deflected off the keeper and in. Foxboro drew level in the second quarter when freshman John Hollis played Max Beigel into space and he cut his shot past a defender from just inside the 18-yard line. Big Red keeper David Floyd had a strong day in net, making two big saves in the fourth to preserve the win.
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – A well-played, competitive match ended up with both Mansfield and Franklin earning a point on Wednesday night. Both coaches praised the work ethic from both sides and agreed it was a hard-fought match from both squads. Eric Sullivan earned the shutout in net behind a strong defensive performance from the Hornets. Franklin’s Luc Boudreau picked up his first shutout, earning the praise of head coach Fran Bositis for his continued improvement throughout the season.
Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Sharon scored a pair of second half goals to earn a pair of points on the road with a win over the Black Knights. Playing under the lights on the new turf at Stoughton, the Eagles peppered the Black Knights with a handful of good chances in the third quarter but Stoughton goalie Nolan Gerome stood on his head to keep Sharon off the board. Finally in the 56th minute, senior Bryce Nathan rifled a shot from distance that went just under the bar for a 1-0 lead. In the fourth, junior James Zhang took advantage of time and space atop the area and placed a perfectly weighted shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Attleboro scored midway through the first quarter and put in a solid defensive performance to get the road win and split the series with KP. Meghan Panzer got credit for the game’s only goal, when her cross deflected off a KP defender and into the back of the net. KP coach Gary Pichel said of Attleboro, “They played great defense all game long.”
Canton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames took an early lead but Canton responded with three unanswered goals to earn the win on the road. Lauren Sellmayer (from Emma Pereira) scored in the first quarter to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Elisa Diletizia scored a pair of goals and Mia Gilmore had a goal and an assist to bring the Bulldogs back on the road and keep Canton atop the Davenport division. Marissa Staffiere saved a penalty kick late in the second half to keep Canton ahead by two. Sarai Costello added an assist in the win.
Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Jordyn Collins scored twice and assisted on another, as Foxboro swept the season series with North and kept the pressure on league-leading Canton. Collins had a hand in all four goals that Foxboro scored against North this week. She opened the scoring in the third quarter, assisted by Jordan Carman, and doubled the lead in the fourth, assisted by Kailee McCabe. In between the first two goals, North nearly equalized. Steph McKenna struck the crossbar and the ball went straight down but not over the line. Collins also set up McCabe for the third goal that sealed the points and keeps Foxboro within a point of Canton heading into two games against the Bulldogs next week. North coach Bill Wallace said that Summer Doherty, Charlotte Moynihan, and Jordyn Sullivan played well defensively.
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Stoughton went on the road and earned its first point under first-year coach Hermes Lima. Shayla Ford moved from striker into defense for most of the game to try and slow down the Sharon attack. Lima said, “Shayla was by far my best player on the field today and played a heck of a game. We had our chances but could not capitalize but I am proud of the way the girls played today!” He also highlighted Isabella Rodrigues for her play moving from center mid to forward.
Field Hockey
Stoughton, 6 @ Sharon, 2 – Final
Golf
Franklin, 154 @ Mansfield, 145 – Final – Mansfield set a new home course record and finished undefeated against division opponents, clinching the Kelley-Rex division title outright with a win over Franklin. Mansfield senior Ryan Dow fired a two-under par round of 33 to pace the Hornets to the division title clinching win while Cian Goulet added a 36, and both Nate Morreale and Jason See shot 38. Franklin’s Nolan Norton shot an even par round of 35 while Pat Dolan added a 38 and Jack Paterson shot a 39.
Sharon, 181 @ Stoughton, 179 – Final – Stoughton earned its first win of the season with a two-stroke decision over Sharon at Easton Country Club. Max Huminik led the way for the Black Knights with a team-low round of 44. Anthony Hern, Jake Curtis, and Patrick Smith all chipped in with a 45. Eric Carter was the match medalist, leading Sharon with a low round of 42. Nathan Daley added a round of 45 for the Eagles.
King Philip, 149 @ Attleboro, 163 – Final
Oliver Ames, 166 @ Canton, 145 – Final – Canton completed an undefeated regular season with its second straight win over Oliver Ames. Nate MacDonald was the match medalist, shooting a low round of 35 to pace the Bulldogs. Thomas Singleton added a 36 while Will Gefteas and Ryan Doucette each shot a 37. Noah Isleib and David Rodgers led the way for OA, each carding a round of 41.
Foxboro, 154 @ North Attleboro 150 – Final – North Attleboro senior Aidan Weir and sophomore Dillon Harding both a great day on the links at Heather Hill Country Club, leading the Rocketeers to a win over visiting Foxboro. Weir and Harding split match medalist honors, shooting a one-over round of 36. Sam Gallagher and Tyler DeMattio each shot 39 in the win. Foxboro’s Dylan Quinn, Jack Watts, and Dylan Pothier each shot 38 while Mat Sullivan and Matt Fossella finished at 40.
Golf
Franklin, 149 @ Attleboro, 168 – Final – Franklin senior Nolan Norton fired a one-over par round of 36 to lead the Panthers to a win in their first match of the season. Senior Brian Sandham added a two-over round of 37 at Stone-E-Lea Golf Course in Attleboro while sophomore Jack Hagerty and senior Jack Paterson each shot 38 for the Panthers. Attleboro junior Brendan Raymond had a team-low round of 37 while Carter Shelton added a 41 for the Bombardiers.
Foxboro, 164 @ Canton, 140 – Final – Canton earned a win in its first home match of the season, taking down Foxboro on the Challenger Course at Blue Hill Country Club. Thomas Singleton and Will Gefteas shared match medalist honors, each shooting an even par round of 34 to pace the Bulldogs. Mike Leonetti added a 35 while Owen Donovan finished with a 37 for Canton. Jack Rounds carded a team-low round of 38 for Foxboro while Dylan Pothier (41), Dylan Quinn (42) and Mat Sullivan (43) also scored for the Warriors.
Milford, 187 @ Mansfield, 151 – Final – Mansfield made it two wins in two tries as they hosted Milford for their first match at Norton Country Club this season. Senior Brian See earned match medalist honors for the second straight match, this time finishing with a low-round of 36. Nate Morreale added a 37, Ryan Dow finished at 38, and Joe Gormley carded a round of 40.
Sharon, 178 @ North Attleboro, 162 – Final – All four Rocketeers finished within a four-stroke radius to help North Attleboro split the season series with Sharon, picking up a win at Heather Hill after falling to the Eagles earlier in the week on the road. Sophomore Jake Gaskin was the match medalist after carding a low-round of 39. Aidan Weir (40), Jordan Paradis (41) and Tyler DeMattio (42) also factored into the scoring for North. SHaron’s Eric Carter had a low-round of 41 for the Eagles while Rosie Leonard chipped in with a 44.
King Philip, 174 @ Taunton, 204 – Final – King Philip’s Mike Matheson earned match medalist honors, shooting a 38 at Segregansett Country Club in the first match of the season for both squads. The teams will be back in action at Wentworth Country Club on Friday afternoon.
