Franklin, 9 @ Catholic Memorial, 2 – Final – Franklin senior Tyler Bellan provided an early spark offensively and classmate Alfred Mucciarone had another double-digit strikeout performance on the mound as the Panthers picked up an impressive 9-2 win at Catholic Memorial. Bellan belted a two-out three-run home run in the top of the first inning to give Franklin a lead that it never relinquished. Franklin went on to push across five runs in the fourth inning to pull away from the Knights for good. Eisig Chin (run), Henry Digiorgio (two RBI, two runs), Rex Cinelli, and Ethan DePaolo (run) each had a pair of hits in the win while Ben Jarosz knocked in three runs. Mucciarone allowed one run on four hits and no walks in six innings, striking out 11 batters for the win.
King Philip, 4 @ Walpole, 3 – Final – Freshman Leo Dowling drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to bring Max Robison home for the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning and junior Tommy McLeish slammed the door shut for the save in the seventh as the Warriors secured a key win on the road. After falling behind by a run, the Warriors struck for three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take the lead. Robison led off the fifth with a single and eventually came home to score on an error, and Aiden Astorino drove in a run with a one-out single to make it 2-1. Rudy Gately reached on an error, McLeish was intentionally walked to load the bases and freshman Johnny Prater drew a bases-loaded walk to give KP a 3-1 advantage. After the Timberwolves scored twice to tie the game, KP jumped back ahead in the top of the sixth. Robison had a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice from Matt Kelley, and after walks to Brendan Sencaj and Astorino, Dowling walked to bring in a run. Nate Pennini earned the win for KP, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks, striking out three in five innings of work. TJ Ahern threw a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout while McLeish struck out one in the seventh for the save.
Mansfield, 3 vs. St. John’s Prep, 2 – Final (9 inn.) – Mansfield tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and then walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to cap a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over visiting St. John’s Prep. The Hornets took the lead originally in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Aidan Jones but Prep plated a pair in the fourth and kept that lead all the way to the final inning. Junior Dylan Saraceno had a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice from Jones. Connor Curtis roped a double to left to bring the tying run in. Curtis had a one-out single in the ninth, stole second, and came in to score on Matt DeShiro’s double to right to win the game. Jake Maydak had a strong start for Mansfield, allowing a pair of runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out 10 in seven innings. Brian Butler tossed two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two.
Milford, 9 @ Oxford, 1 – Final – Milford’s offense erupted for nine runs on its way to a big win over Oxford, the program’s second win in as many days. Damien Carter had a pair of hits and scored a team-high three runs while Evan Cornelius had two hits, one RBI, and a run scored. Cam DelPrete cleared the bases with a three-run double for the Hawks in the top of the seventh inning. Anthony LaPierre earned the win on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits and four walks, recording 12 strikeouts in a complete game effort.
Oliver Ames, 6 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 5 – Final – Harrison Fitzpatrick celebrated his birthday by helping Oliver Ames celebrate a win over Dighton-Rehoboth in a non-league clash on Wednesday. Fitzpatrick had a hat and scored a couple of runs for the Tigers while Patrick Finnerty had a deep triple — through the tree in center field at Frothingham — and scored a run while Jack Perron had the go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning. Andrew Zagami was terrific in relief for OA, earning the win after tossing 4.2 innings.
Sharon, 2 @ Brookline, 8 – Final – Seth Bonner had a big day offensively but the Eagles fell on the road against Brookline. Bonner had two hits including a double, notching and RBI and scoring a run for the Eagles. Luke Meixel pitched well in relief, allowing one run on four hits and one walk, striking out three in 2.2 innings out of the pen.
Softball
Franklin, 0 @ Abington, 5 – Final
Boys Lacrosse
North Attleboro vs. Dartmouth, 12:00
Baseball
Milford, 9 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Milford raced out to a four-run lead over the first three innings and then put the game away with a big five-run sixth inning to pick up a win on the road at Canton. Damien Carter (RBI double, two runs) and Mason Baldic (run) each had a pair of hits to lead the Hawks’ offense, which scored twice in the first and then once each in the second (Sean McGee RBI walk) and once more in the third. Canton cut the deficit down to one on an RBI single from Matt Lesser and a two-run single from Kyle Redquest, but the Hawks rallied for five runs in the sixth. Evan Corenlius had an RBI single, Carter scored on a passed ball, and McGee had a two-run single. Carter got the win on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, striking out nine in five innings. Ian Carter came in and tossed two scoreless innings with just three walks issued, striking out five.
King Philip, 8 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Coming off a shutout loss earlier in the week, King Philip’s offense had a bounce back performance with an 8-2 win over Foxboro. After two scoreless innings from both teams, King Philip scored in each of the final five innings, and never trailed in the game. Rudy Gately was one of three Warriors with a pair if hits, driving in four runs on the day. Matt Kelley (two runs, RBI) and freshman Leo Dowling also had two hits. Tommy Martorano drove in a pair of runs while Tommy McLeish had a solo home run in the fourth to make it 3-0, KP sophomore Cameron Hasenfus had a strong outing on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) one three hits and a pair of walks, striking out seven in a complete game effort. Ben Angelini had an RBI triple and Ryan O’Leary brought in a run for Foxboro on a sac fly.
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Buoyed by a big second inning offensively and another stellar pitching performance, Franklin secured an 8-0 win over Sharon. Matt Miller allowed just one hit in three shutout innings, striking out a pair for the win. Zach Ramaswamy (1IP), Jake Shaughnessy (2IP, 5K), and Dillon Cashin (1IP, 1K) didn’t allow a hit in relief for the Panthers. Ryan Gerety scored in the first inning and then smacked a two-run double to highlight Franklin’s six-run second inning. Jase Lyons, Eisig Chin, Mike Davide, Ryan Carlucci, and Luke Sidwell also had an RBI in the win.
Taunton, 14 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final – Mansfield put Taunton on upset alert by scoring four runs in the fifth inning to take a one-run lead but the Tigers struck back for eight runs in the top of the sixth to secure the win on the road. Dawson Bryce, Dwayne Burgo, and Andrew Cali each had an RBI early on as the Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first two innings, but a three-run double from Connor Curtis in the bottom of the fourth brought the Hornets right back in it. Shawn Cali got one back from Taunton in the top of the fifth but the Hornets went to work in the bottom half. Sam Martin and Jake Maydak each hit an RBI double and two runs came in to score after a single from Kyle Marnikovic, putting Mansfield ahead 7-6. Burgo ignited Taunton’s comeback with a leadoff double and scored on a single from Brayden Cali. Ryan MacDougall (RBI single), Bryce (error), Shawn Cali (RBI single), Sean Murphy (walk), Burgo (two-run single), and Brayden Cali all brought runs in for the Tigers. Peter Moor earned the win in relief, allowing just one hit and one walk in 1.1 innings of work while Bryce closed things out with a scoreless inning.
North Attleboro, 10 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – North Attleboro pushed across four runs in the top of the first and never trailed in a 10-4 win on the road at Stoughton. Nate Kelly stayed hot with an RBI single to plate Jordan Paradis (leadoff single), Gio Martello laced a one-out, two-run single to center, and Reed Collins had a two-out RBI single to hand the Rocketeers an early 4-0 lead. North added two runs in the third (Martello RBI single, Collins RBI groundout), the eighth (Collins two-run single), and the seventh (Derek Maceda two-out, two-run single). Ayden Delaney earned the win for North Attleboro, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and four walks, striking our a pair in three innings. Maceda tossed four innings in relief, surrendering just one unearned run on three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. Stoughton’s Jeriel Cuello went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored. Liam Dunn pitched well in relief for the Black Knights with just two hits and a walk resulting in two unearned runs in 2.2 innings.
Softball
Canton, 2 @ Milford, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Milford had a dozen hits as a team and scored nine runs in the opening two innings to earn its second win in the last three games. Freshman Katelyn Kearnan sparked the Hawks from the eight-hole, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI. Cae Pellegrini, Maeve Williams, and Jianna Fernandes (two doubles) each had a pair of hits for Milford and combined to drive in five. Olivia and Ava Baglione (two runs) and Maeve Driscoll each had hits as well. Driscoll earned the win in the circle, going the distance allowing six hits and one earned run and striking out seven. Chloe Guernschuny was 2-for-3 for Canton. Anna Lehan drove in one and Laura Valkanas had a double.
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 12 – Final (5 Inn.) – Franklin broke the game open in the fourth inning to earn the five-inning win. For Sharon, Manasa Josyula struck out two over three innings, while Ally Foulsham struck out two in the fourth.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton used a pair of big innings to score a big win against visiting Mansfield on Friday afternoon. The Tigers scored once in the second but did the majority of their damage in the third inning (six runs) and the seventh inning (seven runs). Kaysie DeMoura (two RBI, two runs) and Sam Lincoln (double, RBI) each had two hits while Bella Bourque drove in three runs to lead the Tigers’ offense. DeMoura, Hayley Krockta, and Taylah DeCosta each drove in a pair of runs in the win. Lincoln was the winner in the circle, allowing two unearned runs on one hit and one walk, striking out six. Mansfield had a good start as they took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Molly Kucharski singled and scored on a sac bunt and error by Reilley Slaney, who then came home to score later in the inning on a bunt from Allie Koppy.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Kelly Colleran threw just 80 pitches and faced only one more than the minimum, striking out 16 to earn the shutout. She also had a pair of homers and drove in half of North’s runs. Maryellen Charette had a big game behind the plate, calling a great game and throwing out a base stealer early in the game. Arianna McDavitt had a three-run double in the fourth inning and Molly Willey and Emma Hanwell each had two hits for the Rocketeers. Emily Tucker scored a pair of runs and Grace Simmons scored once.
Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 10 vs. Hanover, 6 – Final – The teams went into halftime tied 4-4, but Canton outscored Hanover 6-2 in the second half to pull out the non-league win. Ethan Keleher led the Bulldogs with four goals. Jeffrey Chaput added three tallies and Michael Thomas had a pair of goals. Pat Drury had a big game in goal, making 15 saves in the win.
Franklin, 13 @ Acton-Boxboro, 11 – Final – On the road, against one of the top teams in the state, Franklin rallied in the fourth quarter to pull out an impressive win. Trailing 10-8 after three, the Panthers outscored A-B 5-1, including a run in the final two minutes, to secure the win. Luke Davis scored five goals and dished out an assist to lead Franklin’s attack. Jayden Consigli had a hat trick of goals and a hat trick of assists and Tyler Sacchetti had three scores and a helper. Drew Hansen scored twice for the Panthers. Justin Alexander dominated face offs, winning 22-of-25 and Michael Galvin made six saves.
King Philip, 7 vs. Hopkinton, 6 – Final (OT) – James Boldy had another strong performance in net and Henry LeClair was dominant at the face-off ‘X’ to lead the Warriors to an overtime win over Hopkinton. Boldy made 12 saves in the win while LeClair, who had one goal, won 11 of 13 faceoffs. Donovan DeVellis and Mason Thompson each scored a pair of goals and had two assists to lead KP’s offense while Justin Kosh (two assists) and Cullen McCarthy (assist) each scored once.
Milford @ Seekonk, 4:15
North Attleboro, 11 vs. Bishop Feehan, 14 – Final
Sharon, 17 @ Cardinal Spellman, 5 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 13 @ Braintree, 14 – Final – Emily McCabe had six goals and four assists, but Braintree was able to edge Canton in a tough, non-league battle. Ella Yeaton, Nora Giannacopoulos, and Shannon McGrann each scored twice for the Bulldogs.
Franklin, 10 vs. Westwood, 14 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams in the state, Franklin and Westwood were tied 6-6 at halftime, but the visiting Wolverines went on a late run to pull out a back-and-forth game. Lindsay Atkinson sparked Franklin’s attack with four goals and Katie Peterson added a hat trick. Jamie Tanner secured five draw controls and Julia Flynn put in a strong overall performance on both ends of the field.
Sharon, 3 vs. Ursuline Academy, 17 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. Dedham, 8 – Final – Morgan Groppi, Amanda Reid, and Hazel McBurney each scored once for the Black Knights. Groppi also had a pair of draw controls and Jordan Coleman made 11 saves for Stoughton.
Boys Tennis
Canton, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – After falling behind by three games in the second set, Canton’s second doubles team of Drew Garrett and Jon Sithivong rallied to win three straight games and then the tiebreaker to clinch the game and secure a 3-2 win for Canton. Garrett and Sithivong finished with a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) win while Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan won in straight sets at first and second singles, respectively.
Foxboro, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Foxboro bounced back after a couple of tough losses by earning a sweep of KP. Haji Glover (6-0, 6-1) and Raj Jetty (6-2, 6-2) won their singles matches in straight sets to put the visitors in charge. Greg Simone and Viz Chavalan also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The other two matches both went to three sets. Foxboro’s second doubles team of Ryan Fossella and Evan Paluzzi edged Leo Manning and Brent Schneider 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. At third singles, Luca Meyer pulled out a three-set win over Arjun Kollu.
Sharon, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Sharon swept Franklin to stay level with Mansfield atop the Davenport division standings. The Eagles were especially impressive in doubles, as the teams of Sava Kassev and Rithvik Neti and Kevin Li and Joel Zwicker dropped only one game combined. Jacob Slavsky (6-2, 6-1), Matthew Lally (6-2, 6-4), and Alex Budovalcev (6-1, 7-6 (4)) also won in straight sets.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North won its second straight match to stay on top in the Kelley-Rex. The Rocketeers got straight set wins at all three singles matches. Brody Carter (6-3, 6-2), Darren Liang (6-0, 6-1), and Caleb Cheney (6-1, 6-4) each picked up points for the hosts. Stoughton got a point at first doubles. Anthony Maylock and Aadil Vihad won 7-6, 6-4 to avoid the sweep. North got its fourth point at second doubles. Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna won 6-1, 7-5.
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept singles and got a point at second doubles to earn the crossover win against Franklin. Judy Song won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Navya Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles, and Ale Aguilar won 6-2, 6-3 at third singles to earn the Eagles the points that they needed. Olivia Landstein and Jenny Sand secured a fourth point with a 6-1, 6-4 win. The first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen made sure the Panthers avoided the sweep by winning 6-3, 7-6.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – North won both of its doubles matches to extend its win streak to five games to start the season. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva won 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles and Jayla Stone and Grace Manning added a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles. Grace Noreck also won in straight sets at second singles to improve North’s record to 5-0. Ally Lada won two tiebreakers, both 7-5, to earn the 7-6, 7-6 win at first singles and Stoughton also got a point at third singles with Dhruvi Patel winning 6-3, 6-2.
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Cambridge, 1 – Final
Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano had a stellar outing on the mound and the Bombardiers used a late run to slip past visiting King Philip. Pagano tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits (two singles, two doubles) and five walks while striking out five in the win. The game stayed scoreless for five-and-a-half innings before the Bombardiers were able to break through in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Victorio drew a two-out walk and Jackson Huntington sent the third pitch he saw into left for an RBI double for the lone run of the game. Rudy Gately had a strong game on the mound for KP, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.2 innings of work.
Canton, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Canton rallied from a 5-2 deficit to take the lead in the fifth inning, before breaking the game open with a six-run sixth to earn a big bounce back win. Jack Digirolamo was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. Owen Lane sparked the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. Matt Hart was also 2-for-3 and drove in three, while Nick Gillis had a double and a triple and drove in two. James Young added two hits and an RBI from the nine-hole. Hunter Malkin had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for the Black Knights, who also got a double and an RBI from Sean Farley. Freshman Chris Pirrera hung tough after giving up five runs (one earned) in the first two innings and ended up going 4-2/3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Redquest earned the win in relief, throwing 2-1/3 scoreless innings.
Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead with five runs between the first two innings and exploded for six more in the fifth to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored to pace the offense. Ben Angelini (two RBI, two doubles, run), Mat Sullivan (two runs), and Aidan Stow (run) each added two hits in the win. Tyler Prescott reached four times from the leadoff spot with a hit and three walks, driving in three runs with four runs scored. Nolan Gordon earned the win on the mound after tossing five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, striking out two. Palash Raina had a double and a triple with a run scored for the Eagles while sophomore Casey Stengel went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.
Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – In a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s state championship game, Franklin edged out Taunton by a run in the first meeting between the two teams. Junior Austin Campbell had another stellar start as he allowed just two runs on six hits and no walks, striking out nine to earn the win. The Panthers plated all three of their runs between the first two innings, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Back-to-back two-out singles from Henry Digiorgio and Jase Lyons resulted in the first run of the game as Eisig Chin (who reached on a fielder’s choice) crossed home plate. In the second, Ethan DePaolo singled and Luke Sidwell reached on an error, and two batters later, both came home to score on a single from Lyons. Taunton got two back in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan MacDougall smacked a one-out, two run triple to score both Dwayne Burgo (double) and Brayden Cali (single). Shawn Cali pitched well in the loss with three unearned runs allowed on nine hits and no walks, striking out one in a complete game.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Jake Maydak went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs, helping Mansfield end its three-game losing streak and get back to .500 in Hock play. Maydak also went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mansfield opened the scoring in the first but the Tigers tied it with a single run in the top of the second. The Hornets broke the game open with three in the third. OA cut the lead to two with a run in the fourth but Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matthew DeShiro had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs, Sam Martin scored a run, and Connor Curtis drove in one for the Hornets. Patrick Finnerty was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Harrison Fitzpatrick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Colin Costello drove in one for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning but North Attleboro responded with four more in the top of the sixth to get a key win on the road at Fino Field. The Rocketeers built a four-run lead with single runs in the second, the third (Dillon Harding sac fly), the fourth (two-out RBI single from Jack Munley), and the fifth (Nate Kelly infield single), but that lead was quickly erased by the Scarlet Hawks in the bottom of the fifth. Joey McGee drove in Louis Consigli (leadoff walk), Damien Carter drew a bases loaded walk, and Keith Lee tied the game with a two-out, two-run single to score both Sean McGee and Joe Butler, who had both walked. But in the top of the sixth, North loaded the bases when Munley was hit by a pitch, Kyle Conroy and Derek Maceda drew consecutive walks, and Harding came through with a bases-clearing double. After two more walks, Gio Martello brought Harding home with a sac fly to make it 8-4. Martello pitched two scoreless innings in relief, walking two and striking out two with no hits against.
Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 16 – Final (6 Inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its strong start to the season, scattering 14 hits — including three home runs — to land a big win over upset minded Attleboro. The Bombardiers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first (helped by a solo home run by Rylie Camacho) but the Warriors wasted little time erasing that deficit with five runs in the bottom of the first, including a two-run triple from Ava Kelly and an RBI single from Maddie Paschke. The Bombardiers got back on the board with a run in the top of the second when Lily Routhier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but KP answered with a run of its own in the bottom half, and then tacked on 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Freshman McCoy Walsh was strong in relief for KP for the second straight came, coming in in the top of the third with the bases loaded and getting a strikeout to end the threat. Walsh finished with just one hit allowed and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, striking out nine. Sarah Cullen set the offense in motion from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored while Kelley (3-for-4, three runs) and Paschke (2-for-4, run) each finished with four RBI. Libby Walsh and Liv Petrillo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Paschke ended the game with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.
Stoughton, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton walked off with a big division win over Stoughton. Jess Wright led the Canton offense with three hits. Olivia Mackwell, Kailyn Durham, Anna Lehan, Sam Grady, and Kiera Redquest each 2 hits apiece in the win.
Foxboro, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Emma Callahan and Ava Hill each went 4-for-4 to power the Warriors to a big road win. Callahan also picked up the win in the circle with five innings of one-run ball. Autumn Stowell threw the final two innings for the Warriors. Manasa Josyula went the distance in the circle for the Eagles, striking out seven. Isabella Zelenchuk scored twice and Maddie Hu had the third run scored for Sharon.
Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – After two scoreless innings, Taunton’s offense roared to life with 11 runs between the third and fourth innings while Sam Lincoln had another dominant performance in the circle for the Tigers in a win over Franklin. Taunton was limited to just one hit in the first two innings but Mia Fernandes launched a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third and the Tigers rolled from there. Ava Venturelli and Kaysie DeMoura had back-to-back two-run doubles to push Taunton’s lead to 5-0 after three innings. After Lincoln struck out the side in the top of the fourth, Mia Torres had an RBI single, Kyleah Plumb drove in a pair with a single, and Hayley Krockta smacked a one-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 11-0. An RBI double from Abbey Doherty in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. Lincoln allowed just one hit — a single in the first inning — while striking out nine with no walks allowed.
Mansfield, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Oliver Ames scored in every inning, including a huge seven-run sixth inning that featured three home runs to pull away from Mansfield in an offensive showdown. After teams traded runs back-and-forth, the game stood knotted at 6-6 after five innings of play. The Hornets jumped back in front after Molly Kucharski smacked a two-out double, stole third, and came home to score on an error. But OA had another response, this time in a big way. Maddie Homer (three RBI, three runs) smacked a three-run home run with two outs and three batters later, Katherine Farley (five RBI) did the same, and Crystaliah Covel followed with a solo blast as the Tigers surged ahead 13-7. A pair of bases loaded walks to Devon Morris (two home runs, four RBI) and Katie Melendy added insurance for the Tigers. Mansfield rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from Julia Marnikovic but the Tigers closed it out.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Kelly Colleran continued her dominant season, striking out 19, walking none, and allowing only four hits. She also led the way on offense. Batting leadoff, she went 1-for-2 with two walks, a homer, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Arianna McDavitt had a two-run single in the second inning, helping North jump out to a 5-0 lead. Molly Willey added two hits and an RBI for North. Cae Pellegrini had two of Milford’s four hits and was 2-for-3 on the day.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro bounced back from its first loss of the season by holding off Attleboro in a defensive battle. Tony Sulham scored two and assisted on two others to lead the Foxboro attack. Conor Noone added two goals and one assist and Jon Sachetti had one of each. Aidan Waller and Ian Foley each found the back of the net once. Adam Addeche recorded eight saves for the Warriors.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Canton, 13 – Final – OA got three goals and an assist from Ben Reardon. Shawn Teehan chipped in with a score and a pair of assist and Jake Manthous and Ryan Jaco each got a goal apiece.
Sharon, 7 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin’s Jake Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each scored five goals and had three assists as the Panthers rolled to another league win, this time over visiting Sharon. Franklin jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter as, Davis, Sacchetti, Jayden Consigli (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Grasso each scored once. The Panthers then rattled off 11 unanswered goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 15-1 lead by halftime. Justin Alexander went 21-for-23 on face offs and had an assist in the win.
King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 7 – Final – KP had 11 players record a point in a big win. Donovan DeVellis was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and three assists. Mason Thompson scored twice and dished out five assists, Hayden Schmitz had two goals and three assists, Jacob Booth had three goals and one helper, and Aiden McCarthy had a pair of goals. James Boldy was big in the cage, coming up with 15 saves for KP.
Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Warriors stayed perfect with a big win over Attleboro. Mya Waryas and Paige Curran each scored five goals for Foxboro. Waryas added three assists. Val Beigel had a hat trick, Mary Collins had two goals and two assists, Addie Riley had two goals and a helper, and Cate Noone scored one and added a hat trick of assists. Audrey Campbell had a pair of saves in the win. Amelia Collins and Isabella Cavallini each scored twice for the Bombardiers, while Addison Papagolos had one goal and Makenah Stones had one assist. Cavallini also chipped in with five draw controls.
Canton, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Sierra Abbott had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who picked up an important division win. Nara Giannacopoulos added her first varsity goal, one of seven Canton players to record at least one point. Ashley Balunas came up with seven big saves to help secure the win.
Franklin, 20 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Franklin went on the road and came back home with another league win, rolling to a 20-1 decision at Sharon. Katie Ryan had a strong game with three goals and two assists, Payten Crandall added two goals, and Norah MacCallum had a strong game defensively for the Panthers.
Milford, 4 @ King Philip, 19 – Final – Ten players recorded points for the Warriors, who bounced back with a big home win. Makenzie McDevitt continued her strong start to the season with a career-high nine points. She scofred four goals and added five assists. Nicole McDonald also tallied four goals, while Alyssa Legere, Lily McNulty, Emily Heslin, and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of scores. Haley Bright made five saves in the win. Emily Croteau scored twice for the Hawks, Carly Haley and TJ Downing each scored once, and Rhea Mathew and Erin Michelson each recorded an assist. Caitlyn Bangert played well in net for Milford with 11 saves.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Mansfield built a three-goal lead but pulled away with a strong second half to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ava Adams led the charge offensively with five goals while Cammy Shanteler, Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore (two assists) each scored twice. Rose Maher added a goal and two helpers with Carys Colby and Ella Souza each had one assist in the win. Caitlyn Zajac made eight saves for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 9 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Stoughton on Wednesday. Cali Melo paced the offense with five goals and two assists while Maddi Szala had a strong game with three goals and one assists. Raquel Azevedo added two goals while Caroline Vallarelli and Talia O’Leary each scored once; Mel Jesus turned away 12 shots for the Tigers. Stoughton had its best performance of its debut season. Morgan Groppi led the way for the Black Knights with six goals, while Amanda Reid added two and Nicole Reid had a goal and an assist. Mia Rivera added an assist and Jordan Coleman made six saves for Stoughton.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches — one singles, one doubles — in three sets to secure a 4-1 decision on the road at KP. Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two tight sets in a row at second singles (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) while the team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at second doubles to help swing the match to the Bombardiers. Kyle Neuendorf picked up another win at first singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win while the team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. KP’s Luke Bailer didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton’s first and second singles players Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan continued to roll early in the season, helping the Bulldogs knock off neighboring Stoughton. Both Kupferman and Ramanathan won in straight sets without dropping a game while sophomore Justin Ngan added a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles to complete the singles play sweep. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Wright added a 6-2, 6-0 win for Canton.
Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court by taking all five matches in straight sets against Davenport foe Foxboro. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Matthew Lally dropped just one game in each set for a 6-1, 6-1 win, and Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti emerged from a hard-fought match with a 6-2, 7-5 win while junior Savir Basil teamed with senior Hyojae Park for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – All three singles matches went three sets and first doubles was a back-and-forth battle but it was Franklin that came out on top in all five matches in a win at Taunton. Jay Gorgas prevailed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win at first singles, Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and Will Forrest rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 second doubles victory.
Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield had one dominant doubles win and swept all three singles matches to return home from Easton with a win over Oliver Ames. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani earned a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at first singles, Nikhil Nain added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Iniyan Karruppusami picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. OA’s Nick Washner and Jared Murphy emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro senior Brody Carter battled his way to a three-set victory, completing the Rocketeers’ sweep on the road at Milford. Carter took a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a competitive third singles match. The team of Brody Gaulin and Quinn DiFiore added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna didn’t drop a game in a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it back-to-back wins, handing Attleboro its first loss of the season with a 5-0 verdict. Senior Ahunna James had a terrific showing, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first single, Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Caroline Freese emerged from a hard-fought three-hour marathon of a match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Rirar used strong net play in a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.
Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – It came down to a third set tiebreak at second singles but Canton’s Olivia Duruham was able to pull it out and secure the win for the Bulldogs. Durham dropped the first set but rallied to take the second and third, the latter in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)) to help complete Canton’s victory. The Bulldogs also got a pair of hard-fought victories in doubles play as Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth went the distance, overcoming a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Canton’s second doubles pairing of Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while Dhruvi Patel secured a 6-3, 6-3 third singles victory for the Black Knights.
Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took two wins from both singles and doubles action to earn a key division win on the road at Foxboro. Navya Shukla dropped just one game in each set in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Ale Aguilar had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles squad of Olivia Landstein and Ellie Zhao emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Foxboro sophomore Hailey Kornbluth earned an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles.
Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Taunton picked up two wins from singles matches and one more in doubles to prevail over Franklin. Junior Morgan Smith battled to a key three-set win at third singles (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) while the all-junior second doubles pairing of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik emerged victorious in three sets (6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5). Taunton junior Ava Alves added a win at second singles, splitting the first two sets before getting the win when her opponent retired. Franklin’s Chloe Essam picked up a 7-6 (1), 6-0 victory at first singles and the Panthers’ first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Ava Davies won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA rallied for a pair of three-set wins in the doubles matches to earn the sweep. Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth dropped the first set 6-4 to Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey at first doubles, but battled back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. At second doubles, Marina and Ella Mierzwinski lost the opening set 6-0 to Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman, but the Tigers bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Hannah Farber (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Querzoli (6-4, 7-6), and Stella Zachos (6-2, 6-1) all won their singles matches for OA.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North won four of its matches in straight sets to earn a big road win and stay perfect on the season. Lauren Hunt (6-0, 6-1), Megan Atwood (6-0, 6-4), and Grace Noreck (6-1, 6-0) swept singles for North. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The second doubles match went to three sets. Sophomores Grace Manning and Jayla Stone pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 match against Milford’s Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford, 1 @ Newton North, 3 – Final
Baseball
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 15 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro’s offense exploded for 16 hits and 15 runs to secure its first win of the season against visiting Stoughton. Peter DelPozzo had an RBI single in the second at-bat of the game, scoring Brody McKenna (double) and the Bombardiers never looked back from there. Both DelPozzo (three RBI, three runs) and McKenna (four RBI, two runs) each finished with three hits while Aiden Hochwarter (two RBI), Ran Martin (two RBI, run), and Jackson Huntington (two runs) each had two hits apiece. Matt Harvie earned the win for the Bombardiers, allowing one hit and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, stirking out seven. Ryan Landry (0.2 IP) and Braxton Levin (1.0 IP) both pitched well in relief.
Canton, 0 @ Taunton, 11 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning and Peter Moor had a strong performance on the mound to lead the Tigers past Canton. AJ Lewis had a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the first inning to give the host an early lead. Dawson Bryce led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run and Dwayne Burgo roped a two-run double to left field as Taunton doubled its lead to 6-0 after three innings. Brayden Cali led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and both him and Bryce scored on a one-out single from Shawn Cali. Brady Boucher reached on an error and three runs scored to cap the scoring. Moor allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings on the mound, striking out four in the win. Brady Morin tossed a scoreless inning in relief for Taunton. Jack Digirolamo and Matt Lesser each had a hit for Canton.
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin senior Alfred Mucciarone had his second straight stellar start on the mound for the Panthers with a complete game shutout in a win over visiting Foxboro. Mucciarone a strong Warrior offense to just two hits (both singles) and one walk, striking out double-digit (10) batters for the second straight game. Offensively, Franklin built its lead over the course of the game with single runs in the first (two-out infield RBI single from Henry Digiorgio to score Jase lyons), third (Lyons RBI single to score Luke Sidwell), and fourth (Sidwell bases-loaded walk), before extended its lead with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth (Eisgi Chin RBI double, Lyons sac fly). Louis Carangelo and Mike Marcucella each had a hit for Foxboro.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 10 – Final (5 inn.) – After a scoreless first inning, King Philip plated at least a run in four straight including a big five-run fifth inning to end the game. Seven different Warriors recorded a hit, including two apiece from Max Robison (three RBI, run, walk) and Rudy Gately (two RBI, run, walk). Matt Kelley had a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning to push KP’s lead to 3-0, while Tommy McLeish (third inning) and Gately (fourth inning) each drove in a run. S D’Arcy had a two-run single to right field in the bottom of the fifth to cap the win. Nick Pennini had his second straight strong outing for the Warriors, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out three in five scoreless innings.
Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final (8 Inn.) – Down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh, North Attleboro tied the game to stay alive and then walked off with the victory in the bottom of the eighth to knock off Mansfield. Reed Collins reached on an error to start the bottom of the seventh, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. Sophomore Gio Martello delivered the big hit, sending a single to right to bring the tying run in. After Dillon Harding pitching a 1-2-3 top half in the eighth inning, Jack Munley had a one-out single, Ayden Delaney followed with a single to move Munley to third, Collins was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Munley came racing home on a wild pitch for the winning run. Harding earned the win, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and two walks, pitching all eight innings with five strikeouts. North took a 1-0 lead after Nate Kelly singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on an error in the bottom of the second but the Hornets jumped ahead with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Matt DeShiro walked and scored when Jake Maydak reached on an error, and then Maydak scored on a single from Brian Butler (two hits). Connor Curtis pitched well for the Hornets, allowing two unearned runs on fit hits and one walk, striking out eight in seven innings.
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 14 – Final (5 inn.) – Milford plated five runs in each of the first two innings on its way to a big win at home at Fino Field over Sharon. Evan Cornelius had a big day both offensively and on the mound, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, one RBI, and three runs scored while also tossing four shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven in four innings of work. Louis Consigli had a three-run triple to clear the bases in the bottom of the fourth while Ian Carter went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run, and two RBI.
Softball
Attleboro, 13 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro plated nine runs between the second and third innings to secure a win on the road at Stoughton. Freshman pitcher Jenna Callahan and freshman catcher Nina Sullivan both had big days at the dish as they each recorded two hits and scored two runs for the Bombardiers. Sarah Maher added three hits and three RBI while Paige Quaglia had a big showing with four RBI on three hits.
Taunton, 21 @ Canton, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton belted out 20 hits as a team and used a big first inning to set the tone in a win on the road at Canton. Bella Bourque (RBI, three runs), Ava Venturelli (five RBI, three runs, double, triple), Kaysie DeMoura (three RBI, run, double), and Brooke Aldrich (RBI, two runs, triple) each had three hits for the Tigers, who pushed across 11 runs in the first inning. Sophomore Cate Larson had a strong all-around game with a pair of hits, three RBI and a run scored offensively while allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk, striking out 12 in five innings.
Franklin, 11 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin clubbed out 21 hits and scored in five straight innings, including a five-run sixth inning, to get a win on the road over Foxboro. Franklin scored twice in the top of the third on an RBI single from Sarah Boozang and a sac fly from Katy Liberman but the Warriors cut the deficit in half in the bottom half on a single from Emma Callahan. The Panthers tacked on a run in the fourth (bases-laded walk from Katie Dowley) and fifth (Marley Allen home run) before exploding for five runs in the sixth. Carly Pellegri and Liberman had back-to-back RBI singles, Allen roped a two-run double to left, and Caitlin Hickey brought in a run with a single. Avery Chalk (run), Boozang, and Allen all finished with four hits for Franklin. Kiera Kotwicki allowed one unearned run on four hits and a walk in three innings while Sophia Sacramone didn’t allow a run in four innings, striking out six with four hits and one walk. Callahan and Natalia Leach each had two hits for the Warriors.
King Philip, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – King Philip sophomore Liv Petrillo drilled her third home run of the young season and senior Libby Walsh hit her second home run in as many games to lead the Warriors to a win over Oliver Ames on the road. The Tigers jumped out to a 3-2 lead after two innings off a couple of early walks but KP rallied for six runs in the top of the sixth, five runs between the next two innings, and four more in the seventh. Charlotte Raymond was hit by a pitch and Taylor Regan draw a walk before Petrillo sent a bomb over the fence in center field. KP tacked on two more on a sac fly from Ali Gill and Walsh followed with a solo shot to left field. Petrillo (three runs), Walsh (two RBI, two runs), Regan (four runs), and Sarah Cullen (RBI, run) each finished with three hits while Raymond clubbed two doubles. Freshman McCoy Walsh earned the win in relief, tossing six shutout innings with three hits, one walk, and 11 strikeouts. Emily Martin and Maddie Homer each had a hit and a run scored for OA.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final (11 Inn.) – North Attleboro senior Kelly Colleran struck out 28 batters as the Rocketeers were able to outlast Mansfield in an 11-inning thriller. North took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Mansfield knotted the score in the bottom of the second as Reilley Slaney’s bunt single scored Molly Kucharski (triple). North threatened but Mansfield’s defense kept the game tied at 1-1 as Jill Koppy and Kucharski combined to pick off a runner at third, and another great play from Liv Medeira and Slaney to catch a runner between second and third. With the international tiebreaker in effect, North pushed across four runs in the 11th as Julia Forman drove in Grace Forman to give North the lead. Arianna McDavitt, Molley Willey (three hits), Maryellen Charette (four hits) and Emma Hanwell each followed with singles to extend North’s lead. Mansfield brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third but Colleran closed it out. Freshman Dani Jameson pitched all 11 innings for Mansfield, scattering eight hits with 11 strikeouts.
Milford, 18 @ Sharon, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Milford got off to a strong start with six runs between the first two innings and the offense stayed hot throughout to earn its first win of the season over Sharon. Olivia Baglione set the table from the leadoff spot, going 5-for-5 (two doubles) with an RBI and four runs scored for the Hawks, who had 22 hits as a team. Cae Pellegrini added three hits, including a home run, and two RBI and four runs while Maeve Driscoll and (two RBI, run), Jianna Fernandes (RBI, run) also had three hits on the day. Driscoll earned the win in the circle, striking out five in five innings of work. Natalie Kessler had a hit for the Eagles with Ally Foulsham scoring the run.
Foxboro, 9 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip created some separation in the second quarter and stayed ahead the rest of the way in a key crossover win over Foxboro. James Boldy had another big game in the cage for the hosts, coming up with 17 saves to keep KP ahead. Donovan DeVellis paced the offense with a team-high four goals and added one assist while Mason Thompson scored a hat trick and added three helpers. Cullen McCarthy (assist) and Hayden Schmitz each added two goals, Tommy Kilroy recorded three assists, and Noah Minkwitz scored once. Tyler Douglas had a strong defensive game for KP with six ground balls. Adam Addeche also had a big game in net, making 17 saves for Foxboro to keep his Warriors in it. Conor Noone led the charge for Foxboro with five goals and one assist, Jon Sachetti added a hat trick, and Aidan Waller scored once.
Mansfield, 11 @ Sharon, 7 – Final
North Attleboro, 13 @ Milford, 7 – Final – North Attleboro turned a one-goal lead at halftime in a 13-7 win on the road at Milford. The Rocketeers led 5-4 at the break. For Milford, Eric Farrell scored a hat trick while both Jacob Ligor and Jayden Martins scored two goals apiece.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 18 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Buoyed by a big first half, Attleboro ran away with a win on the road at Taunton. The Bombardiers erupted for 11 goals in the opening half to build a big lead. Isabella Cavallini (six draws) paced Attleboro’s offense with five goals and two assists, Amelia Collins added four goals and one assist and Molly Moore chipped in with three goals and three assists in the win. Addison Papagolos (six draws), Jordan Mooney, and Kristin Vasquez-Trudeau each scored twice in the win. AHS head coach Shane Collins praised the defensive effort of Vasquez-Trudeau and Ella Stromfors. Cali Mello led Taunton with a pair of goals while Maddie Szala and Raquel Azevedo each had a goal and an assist. Mel Jesus turned away 13 shots in net for the Tigers.
Canton, 3 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – Franklin had 10 different players record a point as they earned a big win over visiting Canton. Lindsay Atkinson led the charge offensively with four goals while Kaitlyn Carney (five draws) had a hat trick and three assists. Katie Peterson (seven draws) and Jamie Tanner each added a pair of goals and three assists in the win while Ella Mahoney made three saves. Emily McCabe scored all three goals for the Bulldogs.
King Philip, 8 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Locked in a one-goal battle, Foxboro sophomore goalie Audrey Campbell came up with a huge point-blank save off of a free position bid from King Philip and the Warriors held on for a key crossover win. The teams were level at 5-5 at halftime and traded goals early on in the second half before Foxboro finally built a two-goal cushion at 9-7. KP got one back and had a chance to tie it with just over two minutes to go but Campbell made the save. Foxboro was able to kill some clock and Val Beigel clinched the win, cleaning up a rebound off her own shot to make it 10-8 with 1:21 to play. Mary Collins had a team-high three goals and one assist, Mya Waryas and Beigel each had two goals, while Paige Curran (two assists), Cate Noone, and Grace Riley each scored once. Makenzie McDevitt led KP with three goals while Kelly Holmes (two assists), Sammy Cloutier, Emily Heslin, Nikki McDonald, and Abby MacDonald each scored once. Emily Campbell played well in net for the visitors with 10 saves.
Sharon, 6 @ Mansfield, 19 – Final – Ava Adams scored eight goals, including the 100th of her career, to power the Hornets to a big league win. Lola Varricchione added four goals in the win, while Cammy Shanteler and Carys Colby each found the back of the net twice. Mansfield also got goals from Tessa Johnson, Rose Maher (two assists), and Ella Palanza. Keira Fitzgerald dished out a pair of helpers and Caitlyn Zajac made five saves in the victory.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Sunday, 5/21 at 5:00.
Stoughton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Amanda Reid scored four times for the Black Knights, while chipping in with an assist and three draw controls. Stoughton also got two goals and seven draw controls from Morgan Groppi, an assist and draw control from Nicole Reid, and 12 saves in goal from Jordan Coleman.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action, Attleboro returned from Stoughton with a 4-1 verdict over the Black Knights. Kyle Neuendorf battled his way to a close 7-5, 6-4 win at first singles while Tyler Rocchio dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second singles. The team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the Bombardiers’ second doubles pair of Clay Tyler and Noem Cook prevailed 6-4, 4-7, 7-5. Stoughton’s Paul Medeiros earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles.
Taunton, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton’s second doubles team of senior Drew Garrett and freshman Matt Wright prevailed from a hard-fought match with a win to clinch a 3-2 for the Bulldogs against visiting Taunton. Garrett and Wright battled for a 6-4, 6-4 win while Max Kupferman (first singles, 6-4, 6-0) and Bharat Ramanathan (second singles, 6-1, 6-0) also won for the Bulldogs. Taunton’s Heitor Sens secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles while Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles.
Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro took first and second singles but Franklin swept both doubles matches and had a third win at third singles to edge out Foxboro in a tight match. Both doubles matches came down to the wire but it was Franklin’s Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino that prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (5) at first doubles and the team of Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy that emerged with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) win at second doubles to clinch the win. Will Forrest added a 6-1, 6-1 third singles win for the Panthers. Foxboro’s Raj Jetty grabbed a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles and Luca Meyer earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at second singles.
King Philip, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield’s doubles team were pushed in the second set but both pairs were able to finish it off and complete a sweep of the Rocketeers, all five matches in straight sets. Neema Khosravani (first singles, 6-0, 6-1), Nikhil Nain (second singles, 7-5, 6-3), and Iniyan Karruppusami (third singles, 6-1, 6-1) each won for the Hornets in singles action. The team of Josh Weiner and Jacob Weiner prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at first doubles while the pairing of Jesse Colchamiro and Dhruv Jain took a 6-2, 7-5 decision at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets over visiting Milford. Jacob Slavsky took a hard-fought 6-1, 7-5 verdict at first singles, Matthew Lally added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and Hyojae Park dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. The team of Rithvik Neti and Sava Kassev rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 first doubles win, and Sharon’s second doubles team of Michael Wang and Mihir Basil won 6-2, 6-1.
Girls Tennis
Stoughton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro’s Bree Paulette had another thrilling win, taking her match in three sets to clinch a victory for the Bombardiers over visiting Stoughton. After splitting the first two sets, Paulette emerged victorious in the third set for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win. Attleboro also got wins from the first doubles team of Zoe Stanley and Kyra Johnson (6-0, 6-0) and the second doubles team of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos (6-1, 6-1). Stoughton’s Ally Lada battled to a hard-fought 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win at first singles, and Nadia Prokopiuktook a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory at second singles for the Black Knights.
Canton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton took a pair of wins from singles play and one more in doubles action to pick up a close win over visiting Canton. Junior Ava Alves grabbed a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles while Morgan Smith secured a 6-1, 7-5 win at third singles for the Tigers. The team of juniors Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik helped secure the win, taking a 6-2, 6-3 verdict at second doubles. Canton’s Camila Cutter won 6-2, 1-6, 10-5 at first singles, and the team of Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth prevailed 7-5, 6-2 at first doubles.
Foxboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept both doubles matches and took two more wins from singles play for a 4-1 verdict at home against visiting Foxboro. Sophomores Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles while seniors Allison Bagley and Shriya Rajesh secured a 6-3, 6-3 second doubles victory for the Panthers. In singles action, junior Brooke Taylor was victorious with a 6-1, 6-2 verdict at second singles, and freshman Isabelle Simino rallied from a one-set deficit to grab a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. Foxboro’s Hailey Kornbluth dropped just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip’s Shea Mellman and Caroline Freese both earned tight wins in singles matches to help the Warriors secure a win over Oliver Ames in a match that was closer than the score might indicate. Mellman ended up with a 6-3, 6-2 win but most of the games reached deuce; the win gave KP the match-clinching third win. Freese split the first two sets but gained some momentum late in the second set that she carried into the third for a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win at second singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar added a 6-3, 6-4 victory at first doubles for KP, and the team of Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang rallied from a three-game deficit in the second set to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles. OA’s Hannah Farber prevailed from a three-hour marathon of a match to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 at first singles.
Mansfield, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North swept singles and won at first doubles to stay unbeaten through three matches. Lauren Hunt won at first singles without dropping a game, Megan Atwood won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles, and Grace Noreck won by the same score at third singles. The Rocketeers also got a point at first doubles with sophomores Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva winning in straight sets (6-4, 6-2). At second doubles, North’s Kaeleigh Folan and Lizzy Fang and Mansfield’s Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman split the first two sets with the Hornets’ duo winning the tiebreak to take a point.
Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and returned home from a long trip to Milford with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets. Judy Song lost just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 first singles win, Navya Shukla rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sophia Oh earned a 6-3, 6-1 third singles victory. Sharon also picked up wins from the first doubles team of Zayna Cheema and Grace Zhong (6-2, 6-2) and the second doubles team of freshmen Sydney Wiener and Lila Hogan (6-0, 6-4).
Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Norwood, 5:45
Milford, 1 @ Agawam, 3 – Final
Taunton, 1 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final
King Philip senior Brendan Sencaj is one of the best offensive players in the league this year. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Coming off an appearance in the Division 1 state championship game, Franklin’s lineup is loaded with returning talent and ready to make another run at both another Kelley-Rex division title and the state title. You could pick a handful of different Panthers to make this list like Northeastern commits Ryan Gerety and Henry Digiorgio, or the big bat of Jase Lyons, but Chin — who is committed to play at Stonehill — is coming off a breakout year and gets the nod. A three-year starter for head coach Zach Brown, Chin hit 0.339 last year with 21 hits, 20 RBI, 17 runs scored, and seven walks. His emergence at the dish really strengthened Franklin’s offense and the Panthers will rely on his power in the heart of the lineup this time as he has started the year batting third.
Canton has aspirations to contend for the Davenport division title this year along with other potential hopefuls Foxboro and Mansfield, and their lineup could be the reason they have a serious chance. Canton has put up double-digit runs in each of their first three games in wins over North, Sharon, and Norwell so the offense is certainly off to a good start. At the heart of that lineup is senior first baseman Jack Digirolamo, who is coming off a monster junior season in which he hit 0.446 with 29 hits and 14 RBI. There are other Bulldogs that could have made this list, like Brandies commit Matt Chafin who was on it last year, because of their success at the dish. Digirolamo and Chafin are joined by Hayden Rose, Matt Hart, and Nick Gillis are returners this season that hit over 0.300 last year. If Digirolamo can replicate his success from last year, expect Canton to be in the mix for the title.
After graduating a majority of their lineup, including some of its top producers at the plate and on the mound, there will be some new faces in the mix for Oliver Ames this year. But one veteran piece of the lineup that head coach Joe Abarr will be able to lean on is senior Patrick Finnerty. Committed to playing in the Northeast 10 Conference next year for Bentley, Finnerty is coming off a solid junior campaign in which he batted over .300 and had 10 runs scored and 12 RBI, helping the Tigers reach the postseason (and win a game). He will be back patrolling center field for the Tigers, dealing with the infamous tree in play at Frothingham Park. He will also get some innings on the mound as a reliable arm in relief.
King Philip is coming off a spot in the Div. 2 state title game and the Warriors have a strong squad to try and go a step further this spring. Gately will be crucial for KP after showing his ability to impact the game on the hill and at the plate. He was the staff’s ace last year, going 5-1 with a 2.73 ERA. He stuck out 50 batters in a team-high 56.1 innings. Offensively, the Bowdoin commit batted 0.329 with 25 hits and six doubles. He drew 12 walks, drove in 21, and scored 21 runs. Gately’s competitiveness on the mound gives the team energy and he was counted on to face some of the best teams in the state, including six games against teams that reached the Final Four. The Warriors want to compete with Taunton and Franklin in the league, as well as make another D2 title challenge, and Gately’s ability as a pitcher and batter will be crucial to that.
The defending Div. 1 state champs will be one of the favorites again this season and MacDougall’s return to the lineup will be a major reason why. The reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year was a dominant presence at the plate last spring, batting 0.476 with a league-best 30 hits. He scored 17 runs, drew 11 walks, and knocked in 19 runs in the regular season. He also stepped up in the clutch, batting 0.600 in the playoffs and hit a game-winning solo homer in the sixth inning of the state championship game. The Dayton commit was also strong on the mound, tossing 36 innings and posting a 7-1 record with a 1.94 ERA. This year promises to be one of the most competitive seasons that we’ve seen in the Kelley-Rex division and MacDougall will give Taunton a foundation to try and build another state title-winning campaign.
The defending Davenport champs will be in the Kelley-Rex this season and a young roster is going to lean on its experienced leaders to carry it through what should be an ultra-competitive spring. Maceda has been vital to North’s success over the past two years and the senior outfielder has become one of the most consistent hitters in the league. Setting the table at the top of the order, Maceda batted 0.402 last year. He had 33 hits, including seven extra-base hits. Maceda had 12 RBI and scored a team-high 31 runs. A dynamic base runner, Maceda puts tons of pressure on the opposition and his aggressiveness helps manufacture runs. After getting to the Div. 2 Final Four in 2022, North will be counting on Maceda’s leadership to keep the Rocketeers in playoff contention again this year.
Franklin got to the state title game only to fall to rival Taunton. The Panthers will be seeking some revenge this season and will have a strong roster that can make another deep tournament run. Mucciarone will be the team’s ace this year. The UMass Lowell commit is in his third year on varsity and the righty has proven to be one of the league’s top starters. He went 6-1 with a 2.05 ERA, walking just six batters on the season and striking out 56 over 54.2 innings. An accurate thrower with explosive stuff, Mucciarone puts the pressure on opposition lineups and he showed composure in big games. A leader of the Franklin staff, Mucciarone will need to have his best stuff again this season, which promises to be as competitive as ever and with typically high expectations for the Panthers.
Foxboro surprised a lot of people by making a run to the Div. 3 Final Four and nearly pulling off the upset of top seed Austin Prep. O’Leary was a big component in one of the best seasons in program history. He was 6-2 on the mound, throwing 40.1 innings with a 2.25 ERA and holding opponents to a 0.208 batting average. O’Leary also had a pair of saves. One of the best hitters in the league, the UMass Lowell commit hit 0.443 with 31 hits, including 10 doubles. He drove in 25 runs and scored 13. Controlling games on the hill and punishing pitchers at the plate, O’Leary was one of the best two-way players in the Hock. Foxboro will be trying to build off the momentum of last spring and O’Leary will be a major factor for the Warriors with his ability to impact games in multiple ways.
King Philip has a good handful of bats back from last year’s squad that made a run to the Division 2 state championship before ultimately falling to a tough Milton squad. One of those bats is one of the best in the league is senior third baseman Brendan Sencaj. Last season, he was second on the team in average (0.390), runs (26), hits (30), and had a team-high in doubles (6) and RBI (25). He is among the most dangerous hitters in the league, having nine extra-base hits as a junior. He is also committed to play in the Northeast 10 Conference next year at Bentley University, joining OA’s Patrick Finnerty (above). The Warriors have aspirations to compete for the Kelley-Rex title and make another run in the D2 tournament, and having one of the best hitters in the league in Sencaj will give them a big boost.
Not every team has the luxury of bringing such a loaded lineup after winning a Division 1 state championship the year prior, but that’s the situation that Taunton finds itself entering this season. The Tigers have six of their eight starters from the championship game back in the mix, including reigning league MVP Ryan MacDougall (above) and star shortstop Dawson Bryce (Merrimack), and there are a number of players that could make the list but we’ve gone with UMass commit Braden Sullivan. Sullivan returns to third base to complete a very talented left side of the infield alongside Bryce. He led the Tigers in average last year at 0.482, was third on the team with 27 hits, and had a team-best 21 RBI during the regular season. There’s no doubt Taunton will be right back in the thick of the league title race, and the return of Sullivan will be a big reason why.
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford junior Damien Carter dazzled on the mound in his first start of the season, leading the Hawks to a win on the road at Attleboro. Carter allowed just one run on one hit and six walks, striking out 11 in five innings of work. Mason Baldic came in for a two-inning save, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out four — three in the seventh inning. Offensively, Milford took an early lead on a two-out bases loaded walk from Louis Consigli. In the top of the second, Carter helped his own cause as he reached on an error that allowed Brady Butler (single) to score, and the Hawks pushed the lead to 3-0 on a sac fly from Evan Cornelius that scored Joe Butler (walk). Consigli’s patience paid off again as he drew yet another two-out bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 4-0. Attleboro got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Jackson Huntington scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cooper Johnson.
Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 10 – Final – Canton jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the fifth, but Sharon, which was the home team in this game, rallied with a five run bottom of the fifth to get back within one. After each team scored once in the sixth, Canton put the game away with a three-run seventh to pull out a second straight win. Matt Hart went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs scored to lead the Canton offense. Matt Lesser (3-for-5) also had three hits for the Bulldogs, scoring once and driving in one. Owen Lane went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot, scoring twice, and driving in a run. Matt Chafin was 1-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI, while Jack Digirolamo was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Freshman Chris Pirrera went 4-1/3 innings giving up five runs to earn the win. James Young (one run allowed) and Kyle Redquest each went 1-1/3 innings in relief. Sharon’s offense was led by Cole Arundale, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. Drew Yaffe (1-for-4) also drove in two, while Palash Raina and Liam Conway each drove in runs.
Mansfield, 3 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Buoyed by a big third inning and a strong pitching performance from senior Mat Sullivan, Foxboro earned a key early win over division rival Mansfield. The Hornets had a strong start to the third as Will Lund drove in two runs on a single and Matt DeShiro plated another with a single to right for a 3-0 lead but the Warriors answered with five runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Foxboro started the inning with three straight singles from Louis Carangelo, Ben Angelini, and Ryan O’Leary, the latter scoring the former to get the hosts on the board. After a one-out walk to Alex Stern, freshman Aidan Stow ripped a two-run double to left to tie the game. Tyler Prescott drew another walk to load the bases and Ryan LeClair delivered a two-run single to put Foxboro head. Foxboro tacked on another run in the fourth (Carangelo RBI single) and three more in the sixth, including a two-out, two-run single from sophomore Mike Marcucella. Sullivan earned the win, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out a pair in five innings. Tommy Watts tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Franklin, 11 @ King Philip, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Franklin’s offense plated double-digit runs for the second straight game to start the season, this time on the road over rival King Philip. The Panthers scored one run in the first and another run in the third, then pulling away for good with four runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth inning. Junior Austin Campbell was dominant on the mound for the visitors, allowing just two hits (both singles) and one walk, striking out six in five shutout innings. Dillon Cashin came in and threw a shutout inning in relief with one strikeout. Ryan Gerety went 2-for-4, including his first career home run, and Eisig Chin (RBI), Ben Jarosz (run), and Luke Sidwell (RBI, two runs) each added two hits in the win.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton’s Jack Cali impressed in his first start of the season and the Tigers used two runs in the third inning to land a close win over visiting North Attleboro. The Rocketeers got off to a strong start when Derek Maceda led off with a double and came around to score on a one-out single from Dillon Harding, but Cali and Dawson Bryce combined to silence North the rest of the way. Cali allowed just one more hit in six innings of work and one walk, striking out four to earn the win. Bryce pitched a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout for the save. In the bottom of the third, Andrew Cali had a one-out single, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on an infield single from Brayden Cali. AJ Lewis moved Brayden Cali to second with a single, and both runners advanced on a double steal. Brayden Cali then scampered home on a throwing error to make it 2-1. Jordan Paradis was strong on the mound for North with just two runs (one earned) allowed on four hits and no walks, striking out nine in six innings of action.
Stoughton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 15 – Final – Oliver Ames got off to a great start with six runs in the first inning and then pulled away for good after a Stoughton comeback bid, plating six more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Matt Lawson went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored to pace the Tigers’ 11-hit game. Patrick Finnerty added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored while senior Ryan Lemay drove in a team-high three runs and had a double.
Softball
Attleboro, 21 @ Milford, 3 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro’s lineup continues to rake. The Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team, including 14 from the first six batters in the order, to open the season with a third straight win. The visitors wasted no time on Wednesday, scoring four in the first, nine in the second, and four each in the fourth and fifth innings. Lily Routhier went 3-for-5 with a homer, three runs scored, and four RBI and Lauren Eby went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI to lead Attleboro’s attack. The Bombardiers also got two hits apiece from Sarah Maher (2-for-4, four runs, and two RBI), Rylie Camacho (2-for-2, five runs, one RBI, three walks), Emily Eby (2-for-4, three runs, and three RBI), and Jenna Callahan (2-for-5, three RBI). Callahan also picked up the win in the circle. Grace Bonina went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Olivia Baglione was 1-for-3 with an RBI for Milford.
Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – Canton’s offense exploded and the Bulldogs earned their first win of the season. Olivia Mackwell had three hits and four RBI, while Jess Wright and Kailyn Durham each had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs. Shaelyn Murphy picked up the win for Canton.
Foxboro, 10 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Foxboro scored eight straight runs to take an 8-1 lead and then scored a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to hold off a Mansfield comeback, pulling out a big division win. Freshman Mia Flannagan had a big game for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a solo homer. Ava Hill also went 3-for-3 and scored once, while freshman Meghan Kelly went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Autumn Stowell was 0-for-4 but drove in a pair of runs for the Warriors. Mansfield scored first with a single run in the first and then battled back, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut Foxboro’s lead to 8-5. The Hornets added a sixth run in the seventh. Callie Lake had a pair of hits, pair of runs, and a pair of walks from the leadoff spot, reaching base all four times. Julia Marnikovic was 1-for-4 with two runs, four RBI, and a homer.
King Philip, 16 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (6 Inn.) – KP pounded out 12 hits, four home runs, and scored 16 runs to earn a big division road win. The Warriors scored five in the first, five more in the third, three in the fourth, and sealed the win with a pair of runs in the sixth. Franklin scored twice in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman Ali Gill (1-for-3, two runs scored), junior Maddie Paschke (2-for-4, run scored), and senior Charlotte Raymond (2-for-2, three runs scored) each hit homers and drove in three runs for KP. Libby Walsh went 1-for-3 with a homer and a pair of runs scored and Taylor Regan (1-for-3) also drove in two. Jordan Bennett gave up an earned run over 4-1/3 innings to earn the win. Carly Johnson-Pellegri was the star for Franklin’s offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI.
Taunton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.Taunton was able to manufacture just enough runs to score a close win on the road, emerging victorious from a pitcher’s duel between junior lefty Sam Lincoln and North Attleboro senior righty Kelly Colleran. The Tigers pushed a single run across in the second and third innings while North had a single run come home in the fourth inning. Lincoln was the winning pitching, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks, striking out 16. Colleran tied the program record for strikeouts in a seven inning game, fanning 19 batters while allowing three hits and two walks. In the top of the second, Brooke Aldrich hit a dribbler that stayed on the third baseline and fair for an infield single. Aldrich stole second, moved to third on a dropped third strike, and came home for a run on a wild pitch. In the top of the third, Ava Venturelli had a one-out single and moved to second on a throwing error. A sac bunt from Kaysie DeMoura moved Venturelli to third, and that allowed her to score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. Colleran led off the bottom of the fourth by reaching on an infield error and raced to third on an infield single from Maryann Charette. An RBI ground out from Molly Willey cut the deficit down to one but Lincoln was able to strand runners at second and third to escape the inning.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Stoughton rallied with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure a bounce-back win against a fellow Davenport title contender. Camryn Whitman and Angelina Berry each went 2-for-3 for the Black Knights, with Whitman driving in a pair and Berry plating one. Alyssa Edwards also went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Kerry Driscoll went the distance, overcoming a four-run third inning and striking out seven to pick up the win. Maddie Homer was 2-for-4 for OA, while Devon Morris was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Katie Melendy was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Melendy would pick up the loss in the circle, despite allowing only one earned run and striking out six.
Boys Lacrosse
Taunton, 8 vs. Norton, 7 – Final (2OT) – Taunton broke into the win column in its second game of the season as senior Connor McGrath potted the game-winning goal in overtime to hand the Tigers a thrilling double overtime win over Norton. Senior Israel Cruz paced the offense with four goals and an assist, Tommy Selfridge added three goals, and Colton Scheralis had one assist. Freshman Brody Coute had a strong showing in net with 10 saves.
Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 14 @ Norwood, 20 – Final
Boys Tennis
Attleboro. 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Attleboro’s Kyle Neuendorf rallied from a one-set deficit to take the win at first singles, highlighting the Bombardiers 4-1 victory on the road at Milford. Neuendorf dropped a tight first set but lost just five games between the final two sets for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles. Tyler Rocchio added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, the team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen secured a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Noem Cook and Clayton Tyler dropped just two games in a win at second doubles (6-2, 6-0). Milford sophomore Corey Rattray earned his first win of the young season with a 6-4, 6-1 win at third singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon swept both doubles matches and won two more in singles action, all in straight sets, to earn a 4-1 decision on the road in Canton. Junior Matthew Lally earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and classmate Alex Budovalcev dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 victory at third singles. The senior of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Kevin Li rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 first doubles win and sophomore Joel Zwicker and senior Savir Basil earned a 6-2, 6-1 victory at second doubles. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles.
Foxboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield junior Iniyan Karruppusami prevailed in a second-set tie break to secure a win at second singles and the Hornets edged out visiting Foxboro. Karruppusami was one of two singles players to win for the hosts, taking a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second singles while sophomore Neema Khosravani grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles. Mansfield’s second doubles team of Jesse Colchamiro and Dhruv Jain helped clinch the win with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Foxboro sophomore Luca Meyer earned his second win of the week with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 decision at third singles and the Warriors’ first doubles team of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi battled to a 6-4, 6-3 win.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept a pair of competitive doubles matches and added two more straight-set wins in singles action to knock off visiting King Philip. The team of junior Ahan Shetty and senior Eric Tomaino prevailed in a third set super tiebreak 6-2, 5-7, 10-6 at first doubles while Franklin’s second doubles pairing of sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy and junior Andrew Amante grabbed a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 win at second doubles. Junior Jay Gorgas added a 6-1, 6-2 first singles win and senior Tyler Fitzpatrick was victorious with a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. KP sophomore Arjun Kollu rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – After dropping the first set, North Attleboro senior Brody Carter rallied to win two straight to complete the comeback, capping a 5-0 sweep for the Rocketeers. Carter emerged with a hard-fought 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. North swept both doubles matches with junior Quinn DiFiore and senior Collin Lufgren taking a 6-1, 6-3 win and junior Arjav Raghuvanshi and freshman Rowan Kimmer winning 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – With a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play, Attleboro moved to 2-0 on the season by knocking off visiting Milford. Junior Maddie Fuscaldo had an impressive showing with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while junior Presley Biller earned a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 6-2 win at second singles for the Bombardiers. Senior Zoe Stanley teamed up with junior Kyra Johnson and the duo earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while the sophomore pairing of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles. Milford sophomore Mallory Brickley secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles.
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – After dropping a tight second set in a tiebreaker, Sharon’s Sophia Oh emerged with a win in a third set super tiebreak to complete the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep against visiting Canton. Judy Song (first singles) and Ale Aguilar (second singles) each won by a 6-2, 6-1 score while Oh emerged with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-8 win. In doubles play, Ellie Zhao and Abby Vilk grabbed a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and the pairing of Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro won a pair of singles matches and both doubles matches to pull out the league win. For the second time this week Haley Kornbluth took the win at first singles without dropping a game and Makayla Peck added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles. The doubles teams of Analise Jia and Audrey Paolino (6-2, 6-3) and Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen (6-3, 6-2) also won in straight sets to keep Foxboro unbeaten through three matches. Mansfield’s Kristin Coombes earned the team’s lone point with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles.
Franklin, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Franklin earned one win in singles action and swept both doubles matches, overcoming a one-set deficit in all three matches to edge out KP on the road. Junior Chloe Essam rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles, the sophomore team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen erased a three-game deficit in the third set to prevail with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles, and seniors Shriya Rajesh and Allison Bagley landed a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback win at second doubles. KP senior Ahunna James rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and senior Caroline Freese landed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Warriors.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Anchored by a sweep in singles play, North Attleboro picked up a close win on the road at Taunton. Junior Lauren Hunt continued her strong start to the season, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Megan Atwood grabbed a 6-3, 6-1 win at second single, and senior Grace Noreck was impressive in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. Taunton’s Morgan Smith and Janelle Garcia took a 6-3, 6-1 first doubles win and the team of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik earned a victory at second doubles (6-1, 6-2) for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames swept all three singles matches and both doubles to grab a win over Stoughton at home. Hannah Farber picked up another win to start the year, earning a hard-fought 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli took the win at second singles after an incredible back and forth battle (6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 10-2), and Ava Barth picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski grabbed their frist win of the year with a 6-0, 6-3 first doubles win, and the team of Emily Beaulieu and Abby Borden completed the sweep with a three-set victory (5-7, 6-1, 6-3).
Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45
Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 70 @ Milford, 66 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip kept the match going with a tight win in the third set, but Taunton completed the win by taking the fourth for a 3-1 (25-9, 25-17, 23-25, 25-16) decision. Matt Freitas paced the Tiger attack with 14 kills, adding five aces, a pair of blocks, and eight digs in a solid all-around performance. Owen Kelley added four kills, two aces, and eight digs while Josh Duncan pitched in with five kills and an ace. Ty Ekstrom (14 assists) and Daniel Freitas (16 assists, four digs) set the offense in motion while Bradley Hylander (five digs) played well defensively in the back row.
Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – A run in the bottom of the fourth ended up as the difference as Mansfield edged visiting Attleboro in a tight battle. The teams traded runs in the second inning with the Bombardiers jumping ahead when Jacob Bettencourt reached on a dropped third strike, allowing Aidan Hochwarter (leadoff single) to scamper home. Brian Butler led off the bottom half with a single for the Hornets, stole second, and came home to score on an RBI double from Will Lund. The difference came in the bottom of the fourth and Butler was the catalyst again, starting things with a one-out single. Wyatt Bolduc drew a walk and Lund delivered another big hit, this time a single to right to bring Butler home for the winning run. Both pitchers on both teams played well with Connor Curtis earning the win, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks, striking out 11 in six innings of work while Butler got the save, striking out a pair with no hits or walks allowed in one inning. Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out five while Braxton Levin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 11 – Final – North Attleboro scored in three consecutive innings to cut Canton’s one six-run lead down to one but the Bulldogs responded with five unanswered runs to open the season with a win. Hayden Rose (three hits, two RBI), who had a strong performance on the mound, had a two-run double and Matt Hart and Matt Lesser each had an RBI in the first inning as Canton jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Jack Digirolamo (4four RBI) added a second-inning RBI and Lesser drew a bases-loaded walk to extend Canton’s lead to 6-0 after two innings. North rallied for a run in the third and one more in the fourth (Dillon Harding RBI single), before pushing across three runs in the top of the fifth. Canton’s patience at the plate paid off in the bottom half as walks to Kyle Redquest, Owen Lane (three runs), and Matt Chafin brought in a run, and Digirolamo added another run with a sac fly. A two-out single from Digirolamo in the bottom of the sixth added insurance for the Bulldogs. North Attleboro’s Nate Kelly went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two walks, and a run scored.
Milford, 4 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – After seeing its three-run lead disappear in the fifth inning, Foxboro rallied for two runs in the sixth to take a season-opening win over Milford. The Warriors took the lead originally by scoring single runs in each of the second (Mike Marcucella RBI double), the third (Ben Angelini RBI double), and the fourth (Angelini RBI single) innings. Milford rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth as freshman Ian Carter led off with a solo home run, Louis Consigli had a one-out RBI single, Keith Lee drove in a run with an infield hit, and Sean McGee scored on a single by Evan Cornelius. Senior Ryan LeClair started the rally for the hosts with a one-out double and advanced to third on a double from Sean O’Leary. Louis Carangelo bought LeClair home on an infield single and O’Leary eventually scored on a wild pitch. Alex Stern got the win in relief for Foxboro, tossing a shutout inning while LeClair closed the door for the save. Cornelius was strong on the mound for the Hawks, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, five walks, and six strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
Franklin, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin senior Alfred Mucciarone dazzled on the mound on the road at Frothingham Park, leading the Panthers to a win over Oliver Ames. Mucciarone tossed five shutout innings, allowing just one run (unearned) on two hits, striking out 10 without issuing a walk. Offensively, Franklin wasted little time to get the bats going as they pushed across four runs in the first and scored in each of the next five innings. Jase Lyons (RBI, two runs) and Eisig Chin (RBI, two runs, two stolen bases) each had three hits to pace Franklin’s 16-hit performance. Henry Digiorgio and Tyler Bellan (two RBI) each had two hits while Ben Jarosz notched two RBI.
King Philip, 12 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s offense got off to a strong start with three runs in the top of the first inning and the Warriors put the game away with a seven-run fifth inning to open the season with a win over Stoughton. Brendan Sencaj picked up right where he left off from last season, going 3-for-3 with a single, a double, and a triple as well as two RBI and three runs scored. Matt Kelley (three runs, RBI) and Aiden Astorino (two RBI, run) both added two hits in the win. Nate Pennini had a terrific showing on the mound for the visitors, allowing just one hit and two walks in five shutout innings, striking out nine.
Sharon, 0 @ Taunton, 20 – Final (5 Inn.) – The defending Division 1 state champs got off to a hot start with a big win over Sharon. Shawn Cali (two RBI, two runs), AJ Lewis (two RBI, three runs), Sean Murphy (two RBI, one run), and Brady Boucher (two RBI, one run) each had a pair of hits for the Tigers. Shawn Cali earned the win, tossing four shutout innings with just one hit allowed, striking out five. Boucher tossed a scoreless inning in relief with one walk and three strikeouts.
Softball
Mansfield, 0 @ Attleboro, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Callie Lake, Julia Marnikovic, Molly Kucharski and Erin Radley each had a hit apiece for the Hornets.
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Kelly Colleran faced only one batter over the minimum to toss a season-opening shutout. She allowed one hit and struck out 16. Arianna McDavitt made a pair of great defensive plays at shortstop, including a diving grab, and catcher Maryellen Charette caught a runner trying to steal second. Colleran also led the North offense with four hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in two. Leadoff hitter Grace Simmons had a hit and scored three times. Lucy Palmer, Molly Willey, and Charette drove in two runs apiece. Emma Hanwell, Grace Forman, and Mary Rogers each had a hit for North.
Foxboro, 12 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the deficit down to a single run but Foxboro erupted for five runs in the final frame and pulled away for the win. The Warriors took advantage of a couple of errors to build a 5-0 lead through the first three innings and then used a two-run home run from Natalia Leach in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 7-3. A two-run triple from Olivia Baglione and an RBI single from Maeve Driscoll helped bring the Scarlet Hawks within one, 7-6, going into the seventh. Leach added an RBI single, Meghan Kelley drew a walk with the bases loaded, and Jill Slattery added a two-out RBI single to push the lead to 12-6. Emma Callahan had three hits and three stolen bases for the Warriors while Vittoria Cuscia got the win in the circle, recording eight strikeouts.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – A back-and-forth battle ended with a walk-off single from Franklin’s Avery Chalk to hand the Panthers a thrilling season-opening win at home. The teams combined for 12 runs in the first three innings, trading the lead each inning before the Tigers plated two in the top of the fifth to make it all even again. Freshman Sophia Sacramone retired the Tigers in order in the top of the seventh, and in the bottom half, Dana Stott laced a one-out double into left field. An error advanced Stott to third, and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases. Chalk singled to left field to bring in the game-winning run. Chalk, Sarah Boozang (RBI, run), and Katy Liberman (two RBI, run) each had three hits as the Panthers totaled 18 as a team. Sacramone got the win in relief, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in four innings of work. OA’S Devon Morris (one RBI, two runs) and Katie Melendy (three RBI, run) each collected three hits while Katherine Farley (RBI) and Crystyliah Covel (two stolen bases) each had two hits. Maddie Homer had a strong defensive game for OA with six putouts and a double play.
Stoughton, 1 @ King Philip, 21 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip scored in each inning on its way to a big win over Stoughton to start the season. The Warriors pushed across three runs in each of the first two innings, six more in the third, and put the game away with a big fourth inning, highlighted by a grand slam from Liv Petrillo (2-for-3, six RBI). Freshman Ali Gill hit a home run in her first career at-bat and scored three runs. Charlotte Raymond also had a home run while Petrillo had another home run — a two-run shot — earlier in the fourth inning. Jo Bennett earned the win, allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and one walk, striking out six in four innings of work.
Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 34 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton senior Ava Venturelli went 4-for-5, including a home run and a triple, to lead the Tigers to a big win at home. Brooke Aldrich also had four hits and scored five runs, and Hayley Krockta and Cate Larson also hit a home run. Larson earned the win in the circle, allowing one run (unearned) on three walks, striking out 10 in five innings of work.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 10 @ Sharon, 11 – Final (OT) – King Philip outscored the hosts 3-1 in the fourth quarter to force overtime but it was Sharon that found the game-winner in the extra period to open the season in thrilling fashion. Sam Rothbaum led the offensive charge with four goals while Jake Kaufman, Ryan Brown, and Jordan Weisman each had a pair, and Dylan Cummings scored one along with three assists.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – Noah Isleib played well in net for the Tigers, recording 15 saves while Ben Reardon had the lone goal for OA.
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 14 @ Braintree, 6 – Final – Foxboro’s Paige Curran picked up right where she left off, recording six points to lead the Warriors to a season-opening win on the road at Braintree. Curran had a team-high five goals along with one assist while Val Beigel added three goals and two helpers. Cate Noone (two assists) and Grace Riley each chipped in with a pair of goals while Mya Waryas (two assists) and Mary Collins (two assists) scored once. Audrey Campbell had a strong showing in the net with 11 saves.
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – King Philip raced out to a big lead by halftime and never looked back on its way to a dominating season-opening win. Makenzie McDevitt paced the offense with a team-high seven points, Nikki McDonald added three points, and both Sarah Brown and Kelly Holmes recorded three points in the win.
Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Mansfield earned a sweep in singles action to secure a 3-2 decision on the road over Attleboro. Sophomore Neema Khosravani battled through a tough first set before prevailing 6-4, 6-0, junior Iniyan Karruppusami added a 6-4, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Nikhil Nain picked up a 6-1, 6-1 third singles victory. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton emerged from a well-played first doubles match with a 6-4, 7-5 victory, and the team of Clayton Tyler and Noem Cook earned a 6-1, 6-4 second doubles win.
Canton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Behind a doubles sweep and one win from singles action, North Attleboro edged out visiting Canton to open the season with a win. Senior captain Brody Gaulin and junior Quinn DiFiore secured a 6-2, 6-1 decision at first singles, and the junior pairing of Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna prevailed in a back-and-forth second doubles match with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win. Junior Caleb Cheney won a tiebreaker in the second set to emerge with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 (5) decision. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned a 6-1, 6-3 first singles win, and freshman Bharat Ramanathan took a 6-3, 6-4 win at second singles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Three of the five matches had to be decided in a third set but in the end, Foxboro prevailed victorious in all of them for a 5-0 sweep over Milford. Raj Jetty rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles, while the team of Vizruth Chavalam and Greg Simone earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. After dropping the first set, the team of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi rallied to win two straight to take first doubles (5-7, 6-4, 6-3). Both Ryan Fosella and Luca Meyer won the first set but dropped the second. Fossella took care of the win at second singles with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 decision while Meyer battled his way to a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames won all three singles matches to return home from Franklin with a victory via a 3-2 decision. After splitting the first two sets, OA junior Nike Westerbeke prevailed in the third set to secure the match (6-2, 0-6, 6-3) at first singles. Sophomore Alex Efremidas took a tight second singles match in straight sets (6-4, 7-5), and sophomore Pat Dolan completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-2 third singles win. In doubles action, Franklin junior Ahan Shetty and senior Eric Tomaino earned a 6-0, 6-4 first doubles victory while the team of junior Andrew Amante and sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s first doubles team of Luke Bailor and Brent Schneider prevailed in a second set tiebreak to secure a win, and the match to give the Warriors a season-opening win against Stoughton. Bailor and Schneider rolled in the first set but needed to win a tiebreak in the second set to earn the 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) win. Noah Ihley had a strong start to the season with a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and Arjun Kollu also had an impressive showing in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. 

Sharon, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Sharon opened up the season with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets on the road at Taunton. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky secured a 6-1, 6-1 first at first singles, junior Matthew Lally earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles, and sophomore Alex Budovalcev only dropped one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. The team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti battled hard to emerge in straight sets (6-0, 7-5) at first doubles while the pairing of senior Kevin Li and sophomore Savir Basil didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 second doubles win.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Bre Paulette pulled out a three-set win over Anushka Srivastava at third singles to earn the Bombardiers a win in the season opener. Paulette won the opening set 6-3 but Srivastava bounced back by winning the second 6-2. Paulette closed out the match with a 6-4 third set to get the clinching point. Maddie Fuscaldo also won at first singles (6-2, 6-2) for Attleboro and Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos won 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles. For Mansfield, Claire Copp won in three sets at second singles, beating Presley Biller 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 and Jill Harvey and Savannah Corey won 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Both of North Attleboro’s double teams battled hard to earn three-set wins as the Rocketeers secured a 5-0 sweep on the road to start the season. The team of Audrey Norecki and Liz Silva fought their way to a third-set tiebreak win, taking a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) win at first doubles while the pairing of Jayla Stone and Grace Manning battled to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win at second doubles. Lauren Hunt had a strong first match of the season with a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Megan Atwood earned a 6-2, 6-2 second singles victory, and Grace Noreck completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. 

Milford, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro took two wins apiece from singles and doubles action to open league play with a win at home over Milford. Hailey Kornbluth didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 first singles win while Makayla Peck secured a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles for the Warriors. The team of Analise Jia and Audrey Paolino earned a 6-1, 6-1 first doubles win while the pairing of Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen rallied to prevail in a super tiebreak, 6-2, 3-6, 10-6. Milford sophomore Mallory Brickley secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles.

Franklin, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Franklin swept both doubles matches and took two more victories in singles action to open the season with a 4-1 win on the road over Oliver Ames. Franklin’s Brooke Taylor prevailed from a hard-fought first set to take a 7-5, 6-1 win at second singles while Chloe Essam dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory for the Panthers. The team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen grabbed a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while Shriya Rajesh and Isabelle Simino picked up a 6-2, 6-3 win at second doubles. OA sophomore Hannah Farber opened her campaign in impressive fashion, taking a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles.

King Philip, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – After rolling in the first set, KP senior Ahunna James shook off a good challenge in the second set to earn the win and the Warriors won all five matches on the road in straight sets. James prevailed with a 6-0, 7-5 win, junior Shea Mellman added a 6-2, 6-3 second singles victory, and senior Caroline Freese dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles, and senior Lauren Casper and junior Ryann O’Sullivan picked up a win at second doubles (6-1, 6-2).

Taunton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Using a senior/sophomore lineup, Sharon opened the season with a sweep at home over Taunton. Sophomore Judy Song took care of business at first singles with just one game lost, 6-0, 6-1, while senior Sophia Oh didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 third singles win. Senior Abby Vilk dropped the first set but rallied to win two straight for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles. The team of sophomore Olivia Landstein and senior Elli Zhao battled to a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while the pairing of senior Wenxin Wu and sophomore Jenny Sand secured a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final
Taunton, 3 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Taunton opened the season with a sweep of the visiting Boxers, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-17). Matt Freitas had a strong all-around game with eight kills, three blocks, and a pair of digs, Owen Kelley added seven kills and five digs, Josh Duncan chipped in with three kills, three blocks, and an ace, and Al Morisseau finished with a pair of kills, aces, blocks, and digs. Ty Ekstrom and Daniel Freitas shared setting duties and each dished out 12 assists while Bradley Hylander (five digs) had a strong game both defensively and on the serve receive.
Taunton players celebrate after beating Franklin to win the D1 state title. Both teams bring back strong teams and are contenders to win the state championship again this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Record: 5-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Steve Dunlea
Attleboro returns a strong core from last year and will be aiming to make some noise in one of the toughest divisions in the state. The Bombardiers had three one-run losses last year and two more in extra innings, and despite their record, just missed out on the state tournament. A big reason for that is the challenges they face throughout the season as the Kelley-Rex division last year featured both Division 1 state finalists (Franklin and Taunton), the Division 2 state finalist (KP), plus Mansfield, who reached the Division 2 final four.
The Bombardiers boast a lot of returning players up and down the lineup, and on the mound as well. Although it’s a young rotation, Attleboro has some talented arms that picked up some invaluable experience a year ago. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Dunlea (3-3, 2.74) will anchor the rotation a year removed from striking out 23 batters in 23 innings of work as a freshman. Junior Jonny Pagano is another righty that gained key experience last year and senior Sean O’Hara will be a veteran presence in the rotation. Senior Owen Lombardo, juniors Matt Harvie, Braxton Levin, Tyson Forte, and freshman Ryan Landry are all in the mix to get some innings in relief.
Offense will be an area that Attleboro will look to improve on as they go against some of the best pitchers in the area. Senior Danny Johnson is in his third year as a varsity starter and will lead a talented outfielder group that features Harvie and classmate Brody McKenna. Seniors Casey Victorio and Ran Martin, along with junior Jackson Huntington, will look to provide an offensive punch as well. Senior captains Peter Delpozzo and Cooper Johnson (0.364 average last year) are back in the fold and will lead by example both offensively and defensively for head coach Steve Dunlea. Pagano, junior Andrew Gorman, and sophomore Jacob Bettencourt are all battling for time in the infield as well. Aiden Hochwarter resumes his role as the starting catcher for the Bombardiers.
2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“I am very excited about this year’s team,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have excellent leadership in our three captains. Our pitching and defense will continue to be a strength for us. We also have a great mix of returning starters and new players on offense. These guys are well aware that we play in arguably the toughest division in Massachusetts and you have to be ready to compete every day.”
2022 Record: 9-12 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: David Walsh
Canton has a new head coach in David Walsh but the goals remain the same as the Bulldogs will be aiming to return to the state tournament again this year. With a talented core back in the fold from last year’s team, not only will the Bulldogs be in the mix to make the playoffs, they could contend for the Davenport division title.
The lineup will feature a lot of familiar faces from last year that is anchored by a seasoned senior class. Shortstop Matt Chafin is among the best players in the league and is committed to play at the next level at Brandies. He will be joined in the lineup by Jack Digirolamo, one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Digirolamo led the team in average last season with a 0.446 batting average (29 hits), which was good for fourth in the entire league while Chafin finished at 0.350 with 16 runs scored. Senior Hayden Rose (Framingham State) is another familiar name that will play a lot of innings for the Bulldogs, coming off a season in which he hit 0.328 with a team-high 17 RBI.
Rose will anchor a pitching staff that will need to fill some holes this year. Rose was among the league leaders in terms of innings pitched last year, coming in second in the regular season in the Hock with 43.2 innings of working. He posted a 4-4 record with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 28. Andrew Butler and Zach Peters combined for over 50 innings last year but with both players graduated, there will be an opportunity for new faces to step up for Walsh. While the Bulldogs get the rotation set, Walsh is preaching fundamentals and having the team pride themselves on good defense.
“This will be a fundamentally sound group who is gritty, tough, and are not afraid of the everyday grind,” Walsh said. “We will rely on our pitchers to throw strikes, defense to be routine, and situationally hit. If we are able to do all three in each game we will be very competitive.”
2022 Record: 16-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Final Four Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro was one of the feel-good stories last season as the Warriors made a dramatic tournament run to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Austin Prep. While the Warriors are strictly focusing on the road ahead, last season set a new standard for Foxboro.
There is a lot of optimism that the Warriors can pick up where they left off because they have almost their entire roster back for 2023. Last year’s squad had a lot of young and inexperienced players that matured quickly throughout the year. Foxboro won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year as they start the season as a serious contender for the Davenport division title. On the mound, Foxboro has six players back that tossed varsity innings including their top three: senior Sean O’Leary (UMass Lowell), senior Mat Sullivan, and sophomore Nolan Gordon. Senior Alex Stern and sophomores Danny Jacobs and Tommy Watts are also back in the fold and the Warriors have added junior Pradyu Gubbala and sophomore Ryan O’Leary to the mix. Ryan LeClair, a veteran in the group, could also see time on the mound this year.
Sophomore Mike Marcucella returns behind the dish after earning the starting role as a freshman last year. LeClair (Stonehill) returns to shortstop and is one of the best defensive players in the region and he’s complemented by Sean O’Leary, who will play third when he isn’t pitching. On the right side, junior Tyler Prescott will man second base and he will also be counted upon to set the table for the offense out of the leadoff spot. Ryan O’Leary will take over at first base this season. Stern, Sullivan, and Watts will add infield depth when not on the mound.
The outfield will also have a lot of familiar faces with veteran Louis Carangelo back in left field after a breakout junior season. Carangelo was one of the most consistent offensive players in the Hock, hitting 0.333 with 16 RBI. Sophomore Ben Angelini has had a strong preseason so far and will patrol center for the Warriors while junior Shane Henri will be in right field. Senior Kenny Mello was a solid contributor for Foxboro last year but will miss the season with an injury. Freshman Aidan Stow and Gordon will provide outfield depth.
“Despite last season’s success, this season provides new opportunities and challenges for our ballclub,” said Foxboro head coach Derek Suess. “We will be battle-tested, with an always difficult Hockomock League schedule, and a strong non-league slate as well. We need to compete each day, at a championship-level standard, to give ourselves the best opportunity to reach the goals we have set for the season. Our leadership and culture have never been stronger.”
2022 Record: 23-4 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Final (Kelley-Rex champion) Coach: Zach Brown
Although Franklin has won three straight Kelley-Rex division titles, there is still plenty of motivation for these Panthers.
The Panthers are coming off a tough one-run loss in the Division 1 state championship to rival Taunton, but with a strong core returning it looks like Franklin will once again be among the top powerhouses in the state this year. One obvious strength will be the offense with five players back in the lineup from last year’s squad. Not only is it an experienced group (multiple players entering their third year starting), but it’s an incredibly talented one that features senior Ryan Gerety (Northeastern), senior Jase Lyons, senior Eisig Chin (Stonehill), senior Ben Jarosz, and junior Henry Digiorgio (Northeastern). Gerety and Chin will return to their spots in the outfield while Lyons (1B), Jarosz (3B), and Digiorgio (SS) are all back in the infield. Seniors Tyler Bellan, Luke Sidwell, and Ethan DePaolo also provide some experienced depth and newcomers Rex Cinelli, Ryan Carlucci, and Koen Bonetti will all try to contribute for head coach Zach Brown.
Pitching will be another strength with senior righty Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) back after going 5-1 during the regular season last year, posting a 2.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 42 innings. His experience gives the Panthers an ace to rely on as they navigate a difficult schedule. Junior lefty Austin Campbell could be the next breakout star for Franklin after some impressive outings last year, and juniors Jake Shaughnessy (LHP) and Matt Miller (RHP) fill out a strong core of pitchers. Both Chin and Lyons will also be in the mix while senior newcomers Dillon Cashin and Zach Ramaswamy are prepared to come on in relief when needed.
“We are returning a strong senior class and veteran core,” Brown said. “We are excited about how hard this group has been preparing for the upcoming season. The seniors have provided great leadership during the preseason and scrimmages.”
2022 Record: 16-9 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
King Philip is another squad that is coming off a tremendous season (a trend among most Hock teams) as they reached the Division 2 state championship, falling to Milton. The Warriors are also following another trend in the league as they have the majority of their lineup back in the mix this season as they look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title in a loaded field.
The Warriors have a strong pitching staff in the league, highlighted by senior Rudy Gately. Gately has been KP’s ace for the past two seasons and will resume that role again this year. During the regular season, he tossed 39 innings and struck out 37, posting a 3.41 ERA. He will be joined by lefty Tommy Martorano, who missed virtually all of last year with an injury. Junior Tommy McLeish emerged as a reliable option in relief last year, striking out 22 batters in 20.2 innings and he should be in line for an expanded role this year.
Offensively the Warriors will have a big void with the graduation of Shawn Legere, one of the best hitters in the state. But head coach Jeff Plympton Jr. has plenty of options to work with, including senior Brendan Sencaj, who is coming off a terrific season in which he hit 0.371 with 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. Gately, a middle infielder, is a strong two-way player that hit 0.344 last year with 16 RBI and senior Matt Kelley is a great all-around player that will make the switch to center field this season, and another weapon in the lineup. Junior Max Robison is coming off a breakout campaign (0.359 average) and is one of the best defensive first basemen in the Hock.
“We are excited to be bringing back a great core of guys from our team last year,” Plympton Jr. said. “We’re hoping to build off of our success last season and continue to build a winning culture. We will have a lot of new arms in the rotation and a few very good returning arms from last year.”
2022 Record: 17-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four Coach: Chris Hall
Mansfield lost some key contributors from a sizable graduating senior class that led the Hornets to the Division 2 Final Four a year ago, but the cupboard is far from empty for head coach Chris Hall.
The most experience back on the team comes on the offensive end with some key bats back in the lineup. Senior captains Sam Martin and Conner Zukowski look to man the left side of the infield while returning starters Matt DeShiro and Jake Maydak — both juniors — will hold down the right side. Zukowski had a great season at the dish, hitting 0.344 during the regular season with 15 runs scored while DeShiro had a breakout sophomore campaign, leading the Hornets in batting average with a 0.373 average and a team-high 25 hits, driving in 13 runs as well. Defensive wiz and captain Aidan Jones returns as the starting catcher for the squad.
There is a lot of competition in the outfield right now including junior Brian Butler, another returner from last year. Seniors Kyle Marnikovic and Will Lund are also in the mix along with juniors Wyatt Bolduc, Connor Curtis, Drew Urban, Dylan Saraceno, Anthony Saraiva, and Joey MacIntyre. Juniors Matt Tryon and Derek McGrath are versatile pieces that will bring some power to the lineup.
Mansfield lost its top three starters from a year ago in Jimmy Gilleran, Aaron Blinn, and Anthony Sacchetti, who combined to pitch over 100 innings during the regular season. Hall will turn to junior Connor Curtis, who didn’t allow an earned run in 16 innings of work in the regular season last year, recording three saves with 19 strikeouts. Maydak is also in the mix for an expanded role on the staff along with juniors Yuv Sakhalkar and Ryan Jeans, and sophomore Luke Rogan. Senior Nate Thibault will chip in as a reliever.
“Most teams who play in the Hockomock League have a chance to make a run at a state championship due to the competition you face every single game in the regular season,” Hall said. “I believe the makeup of our roster puts us in that conversation this year. This year’s team is a tight-knit, cohesive group that battles with one another at practice. They thrive off competition and work together to do whatever they can to best benefit the program. We are excited for the season and look forward to the challenges presented to us.”
2022 Record: 7-13 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Alex Dion
Similar to Attleboro, the Scarlet Hawks were a victim of playing in a division that had three teams reach a state championship game and another reach the final four. With another year of experience, Milford will look to challenge those top teams and make a push for the postseason.
The roster features a lot of familiar names that are either in their third or second year in the lineup and head coach Alex Dion is hoping that experience will lead to competing with some of the state’s best teams. The pitching staff starts with three-year starter and right-handed pitcher Evan Cornelius. A top two-way play and multi-sport athlete, Cornelius leads by example both on and off the field for the Scarlet Hawks. He went 4-2 last year with a 2.31 ERA, ranking among the league leader with 48 strikeouts in 30.1 innings of work. Junior righty Damien Carter is also in his third year while senior Tyler Caldon and junior Anthony LaPierre logged a lot of work on the mound a year ago and return as starters this year. Senior Mason Baldic and sophomore Ian Carter are both in the mix for innings this year as well.
While pitching looks to be a strength for Milford this year, the Hawks will rely on a lot of the same names to deliver offensively as well. Cornelius will man first base when he isn’t on the mound and is a reliable offensive option. Damien Carter, junior Sean McGee, and freshman Joey McGee are options in the infield alongside Cornelius while Ian Carter, Baldic, and sophomore Nick Koch are in line for opportunities in the outfield. Junior Keith Lee is back behind the dish as taking on that role a season ago and junior Nate Scudo can be effective in a variety of positions. Seniors Brady Butler, Tony Fontes, Jacob Gove, Guy Saintyl, and Cam DelPrete will provide key depth while junior Victor Martinez will look to provide some pop in the lineup.
“Looking forward to competing in this great league again this spring,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “We have a number of guys that have been together for three years now. I have seen strong leadership from veterans early on, a group of guys that are competitive on the mound, and some athletes that are eager to learn and compete at a high level.”
2022 Record: 18-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion) Coach: Mike Hart
The Hockomock League had so much success during last season’s tournament that the Rocketeers’ accomplishments almost get lost in the shuffle. North Attleboro went 13-3 in league play last year and reached the D2 final four, picking up wins over D1 state finalists Franklin and D2 state finalists KP in the process. Now the Rocketeers join a loaded Kelley-Rex division along with those two squads, defending state champs Taunton, and two improved squads in Attleboro and Milford.
That means North Attleboro has its work cut out for them as they not only try to navigate a difficult schedule but has a lot of holes to fill in the lineup after graduating nearly a dozen seniors from last year’s 18-win squad. Head coach Mike Hart has done a terrific job since taking over the helm of the program and he will be leaning on the handful of returners he does have to lead the way this year. Hart has a dozen more seniors this year led by veterans Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis. Maceda will patrol center field, Harding is at shortstop, and Paradis is a seasoned pitcher that had 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of regular season work. Maceda will also get some innings on the mound along with classmates Ayden Delaney Peter Santoro, junior Parker Abrantes, and sophomore Gio Martello, and Harding will be a go-to option to close games out.
Martello was a late-season call up to the varsity squad and made an impression in his short stint with the squad. He will complete the middle of the infield at second base and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. Seniors Jack Munley, Mark Vogel, Delaney, and sophomore Bryce Kiser are also in the mix for spots in the infield. Along with Maceda and Paradis, seniors Kyle Conroy and Reed Collins, along with junior Chris Hanewich, will cycle throughout the outfield. Junior Nate Kelly and senior Harrison Gagne are competing for time behind the dish. Hart expects the defense to be a strength of this year’s squad.
“We are looking forward to a season of growth,” Hart said. “We have many quality players new to varsity baseball who are looking to take the next step in their development and continue the success we have been privileged to have over the last few seasons. Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis are three capable and proven players in all three phases of the game. We will look to our pitching staff to lead us. Our team has committed to getting better each and every day. We are excited to get out and compete!”
2022 Record: 11-11 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After graduating one of the largest senior classes in the league, there is plenty of opportunity to go around for Oliver Ames and head coach Joe Abarr this season. After an up-and-down year that included a playoff win, the Tigers will be looking to challenge the likes of Foxboro and Mansfield in the division title race.
With a lot of pieces departed from last year’s lineup, Abarr will start the season leaning heavily on the handful of returning pieces that played key roles last year. Senior captain Patrick Finnerty will be a major part of the defense and offense this year, as the Bentley University commit will patrol the center field and anchor the offense. On the mound, the Tigers will turn to senior captain Andrew Zagami to lead a relatively young staff that will include juniors Ian Kelley and Lucas Riley, both returners from last year’s team.
Abarr noted that there is a lot of competition in the squad right now as they battle for spots in the lineup, and he’s hoping the first few weeks will allow for a consistent lineup to emerge. Senior Nathan Luke, another returner from last year’s roster, will play the corners in the outfield at Frothingham Park this year.
“Many players have been stepping up in early practices and inter-squads and will be counted on early in the season,” Abarr said. “If we consistently stay after hitters and throw strikes we will be a competitive club. We have the potential to hit well, but the Hock’s pitching will be top-notch again based on some of the stellar returners around the league.”
2022 Record: 3-17 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The Eagles will have to replace some of the production lost from the 10 seniors that graduated from last year’s squad, but Sharon has some key pieces in key spots and will look to continue to improve.
One strength the Eagles will have early on is the return of almost all of its pitching staff back from last year, plus the addition of some more talented arms to create some strong depth at the position. Junior captain Luke Meixel was among the league leaders in innings pitched last season and will anchor this year’s staff. He had 33 strikeouts in 38 innings of work as a sophomore year and the Eagles are looking for him to take a big step this year. Senior Alex Coughlin will pair with Meixel to create a formidable 1-2 punch, and the Eagles will also get pitching contributions from Cole Arundale and Zach Loomis.
Senior Palash Raina is a captain alongside Meixel and Coughlin, and he will be a staple in Sharon’s lineup this season. He battled through an injury almost all of last season but is ready for a breakout final year on the diamond as he patrols center field. Head coach Andrew Poliferno believes there is a lot of depth — and internal competition — in the lineup, and that should improve production at the plate. Sophomore Drew Yaffe got his feet wet at the varsity level last season and will be looking to turn that experience into more production this year. Junior Liam Conway is back behind the dish after a strong defensive year in 2022.
“I’m really excited to see what this group of players accomplishes this season,” Poliferno said. “We have a large group of players on varsity and in the greater SHS baseball program who are hungry to compete and win games. My expectations for this team are high and that is a direct reflection of the level of talent and work ethic our players have exhibited since day one.”
2022 Record: 3-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
Although the Black Knights lost a lot of production from its eight-member senior class that graduated last Spring, there is a lot of opportunity for new faces to work their way into the lineup for Stoughton head coach Kevin Carty.
There are some key pieces back in the mix this season after getting some valuable experience a year ago. Carty will lean on senior captains Sean Farley and Joe Rush to lead the way, with Farley both patrolling center field and pitching while Rush will play first base when he isn’t on the mound, and potentially some time behind the dish at catcher. There is also a strong contingent of players looking to build off of last year, including seniors Jeriel Cuello, who will play in the infield, and outfielder/pitchers James McCarthy and Liam Dunn, and Andrew Beder, who can play both in the infield and outfield, as well as on the mound.
Juniors Hunter Malkin, Ryan Summers, and Dom Belle all factored into the lineup for the Black Knights a year ago as sophomores and are in line for bigger roles this year. Malkin will pitch and play at first, Belle can play at both corners of the infield, and Summers will see time behind the dish at catcher.
“So far I could not be more impressed with the hard work and attitude from all of our players in the program, especially the new players on the roster,” Carty said. “I am very excited to work with these guys on a daily basis and can’t wait to see them improve throughout the season.”
2022 Record: 22-3 2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Blair Bourque
The defending Division 1 state champions enter this season with a massive target on their back, but Taunton has the majority of its talented lineup back in the mix and is ready to take on all challengers, including a very competitive and skilled Hockomock League.
Athleticism, competitiveness, and experience will all be strengths for this year’s Taunton squad which has a lot of familiar faces in it including last year’s league MVP Ryan MacDougall, who had the game-winning home run in the state final against rival Franklin. The left side of the infield might possess the best duo in the state in seniors Braden Sullivan, a UMass commit with a strong bat that plays third base, and Dawson Bryce, a slick-fielding shortstop with consistent offensive production that is also going to play at the D1 level at Merrimack. That trio makes up the heart of the lineup for the Tigers and will make life difficult for opposing pitchers. Junior Brayden Cali, who started at second in the championship game, will be another key piece offensively for Taunton.
MacDougall also led the Tigers in innings pitched during the regular season, and classmate Shawn Cali was right there with him, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.60 ERA, striking out 27 in 35 innings of work. That gives Taunton a strong 1-2 punch in its rotation, but there’s also room for opportunity with the graduation of Evan Cali, who went 3-0 in the regular season and started the state championship game.
“The majority of our guys are multi-sport athletes who love to compete,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And since many of our starters from last season are returning, they know the challenges of playing in arguably the most competitive league in the state as well as how to manage playing in the high-stress environment that is the post-season. Taunton has never been in a position with such high expectations so as a coach, I’m excited to see how my kids respond. This is a close-knit group and even with all the talent, they have great camaraderie.”
Taunton players celebrate a 2-1 come from behind win over Franklin in the Div. 1 state championship game at LeLacheur Park. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
LOWELL, Mass. – The two teams, which were the top two seeds in Div. 1, were on a collision course all postseason. They split a pair of games during the regular season, both winning on their home fields, and it was only fitting that Saturday night’s rubber match at LeLacheur Park would determine not only who would win the season series but who would win the state championship.
Taunton (22-3) was held without a hit until a leadoff single in the fourth, but scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and got a stellar, complete game effort from Evan Cali to secure a 2-1 victory over league rival Franklin (23-4). The victory earned the Tigers their second D1 title in three seasons.
“They’ve got great hitters one through nine, so for him to come out and only give up one run was more than you could ask for,” Taunton coach Blair Bourque said when asked about Cali’s performance. “I was hoping to get a couple innings out of him and next guy up, and for him to come out and throw a complete game, what a great culmination of his senior year.”
Even before the season started, Taunton was searching for an ace of its staff. The Tigers relied on their full complement of pitchers to work through games, but Cali delivered one of his best performances in the final game of his high school career. He allowed only one infield single after the second inning, allowing just the one run and out-dueling Franklin starter Jacob Jette.
“I don’t think I’ve cried like this in a long time,” Cali said after the game, smiling despite his eyes being wet from tears and shaking in the cold after getting a Gatorade bucket dumped on him by his teammates. “I thought about everyone that’s helped me and it fueled me through that entire game.
When asked what was going through his mind at the final out, Cali admitted with a laugh, “I have no idea. I threw the pitch and I prayed he didn’t get a base hit because if he did I was getting taken out.”
While the final pitching line looked stellar for Cali, things were far from easy in the opening two innings. Jack Marino singled with one out in the first and took second when Cali’s pick-off attempt was wayward. A wild pitch would move him to third and Evan Raider drew a two-out walk. Cali induced a pop up to end the threat.
In the top of the second, a walk and an error put two on for Taunton but Jette got a groundout to keep it scoreless. Franklin would grab the lead in the bottom half.
Jase Lyons got things started with a single and Eisig Chin followed by crushing a ball off the wall in right, narrowly missing a home run. With two runners in scoring position, semifinal hero Ben Jarosz singled to right center to make it 1-0. Chin was held at third and Jarosz would move up to second after almost being picked off.
Cali hit the corner to get a strikeout for the first out of the inning. A pop up in foul ground and a grounder to Dawson Bryce at short would allow the Tigers to escape the second down by only a run. It felt like a win for Taunton.
Jette was cruising for the Panthers. A perfect third dented any momentum that Taunton may have carried to the plate. He gave up a leadoff single to Ryan MacDougall to start the fourth but struck out back-to-back hitters and got a fly ball that Chin caught in foul territory in right to end the inning.
“Jacob Jette has been everything you could ask for,” said Franklin coach Zach Brown. “He’s been so important to our team and our team’s success. You have to go back six games to find a team who scored a run off him before today. He’s an amazing competitor, just a tremendous leader, does everything right, really threw well today, and gave us a chance to win a state title.”
Taunton finally struck in the fifth. Shawn Cali smashed a ball over the head of Ryan Gerety in center for a leadoff triple. After a pair of failed bunt attempts, Evan Cali put the ball in play with a grounder to short. The infield was back and Henry Digorgio’s only option was to go to first to get the out.
“I saw that our team lost for hope for a second,” Cali said about Taunton’s rally. “Once Franklin gets a run, their whole energy turns around. They’re fired up. I noticed that we were down and I talked to my coach and said, we get them in and we do a huddle and we win this game.”
In the top of the sixth, Jette got a liner to Chin in right for the first out and got two strikes on MacDougall, but the Hockomock League MVP turned on an 0-2 fastball. He sent it seemingly off the wall in right, but the ump put up his hand to indicate the ball hit above the yellow line and was a home run, putting the Tigers ahead 2-1 and sending the bench streaming out to home to meet the junior first baseman.
“We as a team, we tend to get on his back and he’s a big boy so he can carry us and he was able to get ahold of one today,” Bourque said about MacDougall. “We knew with Evan pitching we needed to put some good at bats together and fortunately for us Ryan was in the right place at the right time.”
After another perfect inning for Cali, the Tigers had the chance to add to the lead in the seventh. Senior catcher Colby DeCouta ripped a double to left and, after Franklin turned to closer James Kuczmiec, who started off with a wild pitch allowing courtesy runner Xavier Spencer to take third. Kuczmiec then chose the perfect time to attempt a pickoff attempt behind the runner, with Jarosz firing a strike to Joe Tirrell at the plate for the out.
Shawn Cali came right back with a double to center, but Kuczmiec got a hard line drive to first that Raider snagged and quickly fired to Digorgio at second for an inning-ending double play.
Franklin was fired up after getting out of the jam down by just one run. Cali quickly quelled the energy. He got a grounder to third baseman Braden Sullivan and then robbed Tirrell by getting a piece of a bouncing ball up the middle and making the throw to first while sitting on the mound.
Through the disappointment of the result, Brown was proud of his team’s season and the way the team came together this spring, “We hit a little speed bump early in the year and these seniors did a great job just bringing everyone together and staying the course. Twenty straight wins later, we’re sitting here with one game for a state title. Nothing to hang your head on, we wish the outcome was different but that’s baseball.”
Brayden Cali squeezed a pop up at second base for the final out, sparking celebrations and a dog pile on the mound. Taunton had knocked off the top seed and league champions and clinched just the second state title in program history.
“It’s not something that we harp on,” Bourque replied when asked about title aspirations coming into the season. “We can be successful without winning a state championship. Obviously it’s great to win, but we’re looking to develop young men. Seeing these guys in the community and how they represent Taunton baseball, that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Ben Jarosz (19) sends Franklin to the D1 state title game with a two-strike single, scoring Jase Lyons, in the bottom of the seventh against Shrewsbury. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
WORCESTER, Mass. – One of the strengths for Franklin all season has been that each game a new player steps up to be the hero. The Panthers haven’t relied on only one or two players to get to this stage, but instead have gotten big plays from throughout the roster.
In Tuesday night’s Div. 1 state semifinal at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on the campus of Holy Cross, it was Ben Jarosz’s turn.
After the Panthers let a 3-1 lead slip in the top of the seventh, Jarosz came to the plate with one out, two runners in scoring position, and the infield drawn in all the way around. He quickly fell behind 0-2 to Shrewsbury reliever Benjamin Griffith, but then he started battling. Jarosz fouled off a series of two-strike pitches, staying alive until he got a mistake. Then he pounced.
Jarosz smacked a ball just out of the reach of the diving first baseman, allowing Jase Lyons to race home with the winning run. The Panthers stormed out of the dugout to chase down Jarosz in shallow right, celebrating a 4-3 win and the chance to face league rival Taunton in Saturday’s championship game.
“He was banged up for half the year and just grinding it out for us,” Franklin coach Zach Brown said of Jarosz. “We feel really good when he’s at the plate. I mean, what an amazing at bat. Getting down 0-2, fouling off all those pitches, and then back-siding a baseball for a hit. It’s just special.
When asked what was going through his mind during that last at bat, Jarosz replied, “I just wanted to get the ball in play and I did. Stay alive as long as you can and just get it in play.” And how did it feel to see the ball go through? He said, “Awesome, just an amazing feeling, but we’re not done. We’ve got one more to go.”
Shrewsbury did something to Franklin that very few teams have been able to do when the Colonials took the lead in the top of the first. Andrew Peris singled to center and the ball skipped away, allowing him to reach second. Two groundouts to second baseman Jack Marino later and it was 1-0.
That would be the only hit that Franklin starter Alfred Mucciarone would give up until there were two outs in the sixth. The UMass Lowell-commit was dominant for large stretches of the game, setting the side down in order in the second, fourth, and fifth, and only allowing a batter to reach by error in the third.
Franklin didn’t take long to even the score. Chris Goode (3-for-3 with a walk) belted a two-out double that one-hopped the wall in left and he came into score on Evan Raider’s (2-for-3 with a walk) lined single. The Panthers would outhit the Colonials 11-4 but they struggled to get the big hit with runners on to give Mucciarone a lead to work with.
In the second, Lyons reached on an error and Eisig Chin (2-for-3 with a walk) singled to right. Jarosz put down a sac bunt to move both into scoring position with just one out but they were stranded. An inning later, Goode’s hit was erased when he was caught stealing second but Raider walked and Henry Digorgio beat out an infield hit. Again, Franklin couldn’t bring in the go-ahead run.
The deadlock was finally broken in the fifth. Goode again came through with a one-out single and Raider followed with a double to right center. With two strikes, Digorgio delivered a big hit, bringing in both runners to make it 3-1.
Shrewsbury finally put together a little rally with two outs in the sixth. Digorgio wasn’t able to make a clean play on a soft grounder and Alexander Martin got just the second hit of the game off Mucciarone. Digorgio atoned for his earlier error in spectacular fashion, ranging to the second base side of the bag, scooping a tough hop, and firing a strike across his body on the move to end the inning.
Errors would catch up to Franklin in the seventh. The leadoff man reached on an error and, after a Mucciarone strikeout, Dushyant Singh and John O’Sullivan hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. After a conversation at the mound, and with closer James Kuczmiec ready in the bullpen, Brown stuck with his starter.
Mucciarone got a sac fly to left for the second out, but an attempt to throw out the runner advancing to third sailed and bounced into the Shrewsbury dugout. The umpires discussed it and awarded home to the runner, tying the game. Kuczmiec would enter at that point with a runner on third and got a bouncer back to the mound to get out of the jam.
“He threw well enough today to get a victory, no doubt,” Brown said about Mucciarone. “We probably could’ve done a couple things for him to make it a little bit easier, but he’s a competitor. James came in in a huge spot and he just did a great job getting some soft contact so we could regroup in the dugout.”
Lyons took a couple of close pitches and worked a one-out walk and then went first-to-third on a single by Chin, who took second a few pitches later on defensive indifference. All eyes were on Jarosz as he kept getting a piece, kept staying alive, and then delivered the hit that sent everyone home happy.
“It’s a team,” Brown explained. “It’s not a collection of individuals. That doesn’t mean there isn’t talent there but it truly is a team and a team effort. I’m just really proud of the guys for how they handled the adversity of the game. We probably could have handled the last inning a little better, myself included, but the beauty of this group is they pick each other up, pick me up, and I’m just really happy for them.”
Franklin (23-3) will get the chance to settle the season series with Taunton in Saturday’s final at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. The teams, who are the top two seeds in D1, split during the regular season, each winning at home, and now they get a rubber match on a neutral field for the state title.
“We’ve been on a collision course all season,” Brown said about facing Taunton. “We’re going to have play really well but we’re excited about the opportunity.” Asked about what it means to face a league opponent in a title game, he added, “It says a lot about our league. I’ve felt this for a very long time that our league is one of the toughest leagues in the state. There are tremendous coaches up and down the league, tremendous leadership, and most importantly really good players.”
Jarosz echoed his coach’s sentiments about facing Taunton. He said, “We’re excited. We’ve been going back and forth with them all season. They won one, we won one, and this will probably decide who’s the better team.”
