02/19/2020

Attleboro Runs Past North and Into the Postseason

Attleboro girls basketball — Meghan Gordon scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to help Attleboro win its season finale at North and clinch a playoff berth. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The playoffs started a couple days early for Attleboro and North Attleboro. The two teams met in a winner-take-all regular season finale at the Pickering Gym on Wednesday afternoon, both looking to book a spot in the state tournament.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Attleboro broke open a close game with a 16-2 run to start the second half and never allowed the Rocketeers to pull any closer than nine points in the fourth quarter, pulling out a 55-42 victory and making the state tournament for the first time in four years.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our kids,” said Attleboro coach Marty Crowley. “First of all it’s a North game and a rivalry game and then on top of that you’re both playing to get into the tournament and our kids played hard start to finish today. We played well in the first half but our kids played harder in the second even after they made that last push on us.”

Senior Nyah Thomas (13 points, five rebounds, and four assists), who will be making her first tournament appearance, added, “This means everything. We had so much energy today. We talked about it all year, leading up to this, we knew we were making tournament and we didn’t want to go home today.”

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively in the first quarter. Thomas got to the rim off the dribble and then off an assist from Meghan Gordon. After a step-back three by Regan Fein (nine points) put North ahead, senior Liv McCall was able to hit on a reverse.

The Rocketeers ran a perfect set in the closing seconds to get an open three for Summer Doherty to grab an 11-9 lead after one.

McCall (team-high 17 points) had arguably her best game of the season and she sparked the Bombardiers to a halftime lead. She drove to the basket to tie it and then knocked down a three after Thomas got Attleboro out in transition. Thomas added three points in the second and also assisted on a basket for Gordon.

North looked tentative, especially on the boards where Attleboro dominated. Gordon (18 rebounds) and Ryan Johnson (11 rebounds) controlled the paint for the visitors.

“We did not play the way we can play,” admitted North coach Nikki Correia. “We let balls roll on the floor, they were the first to go get them, second , third, fourth to go get them. I think in the second half we picked it up, but it was too late of a run.”

Attleboro went into the break leading 23-19, but came out of the locker room intent on taking control of the contest. The Bombardier scored the first 11 points of the second half and had a 16-2 run to lead by as many as 18.

Crowley said, “We told them that it was a good first half but we need to play harder in the second half because they’re not going to go away. And they did, they listened. We put the pedal to the metal and got out in transition, we took better care of the ball in the second half, and better decisions with the ball get you better baskets.”

Gordon was the spark in the third, scoring nine of her 16 points in the quarter. She started it with an offensive rebound and putback, then Thomas got out on the break for two. Johnson kicked it out to Thomas, who banked in a three and suddenly the lead was 11. After five straight free throws (four from Gordon), Emma Reilly drove to the hoop and Gordon added two more points off yet another offensive board.

North’s only points came from a layup by Amanda Kaiserr. It was her first basket of the day, as she was shadowed by Gabby Bosh throughout the game. The Rocketeers had more success in the second half in getting Kaiser a few looks, but shots weren’t falling for the junior.

Trailing by 18, North put together a mini-rally to stay within arm’s reach heading to the fourth. Olivia Forbes (12 points and four steals) got an and-one and Fein knocked down a jumper. After an Attleboro free throw, Eliza Dion (six points and seven rebounds) got to the rim for two and cut the lead down to 40-28 after three.

Attleboro regained the edge with an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Gordon scored four more, corralling a loose ball for a short jumper and then finishing after a drive and dish from Thomas.

“Meghan’s a special player,” said Crowley. “She’s been a double-double machine for us down the stretch. At a young age, she’s matured quickly and she’s a big part of what we’re doing.”

Thomas praised her teammates for taking on some of the scoring load, “It’s amazing because then the focus isn’t always on us. If they’re scoring then we’re deep. You can’t just cover me and Liv, you have to cover Meghan too and then Ryan on the boards, and we’re playing really well together.”

Kaiser (seven points) knocked down a jumper but McCall responded with a high-arcing three off a Thomas pass and the Bombardiers led by 18 again. Once again, with the season on the ropes, North answered back, going on a 9-0 run to get as close as nine points. Forbes buried a three, Doherty got a steal and an and-one, and Kaiser nailed her only three of the game to make it 48-39.

McCall hit two at the line and Johnson grabbed an offensive board and finished. McCall then drove right down the lane and scored to put Attleboro up 54-39. She scored eight points in the fourth to help put the game away.

“Liv McCall had her best game of the year today and we needed that from her,” said Crowley. “Both of our seniors played great and you need senior leadership, especially in a tournament-like game, basically a play-in game.”

Correia was obviously disappointed with the result, but was happy with the fight that her team showed in the second half.

“I’m extremely proud of my girls,” she said. “It’s my first year here and for them to get where they got to and give themselves chance to play one game to get in. They fought for me all year and I’m proud of them for that.”

Attleboro (10-10) will now await Friday’s seedings to see who it will face in the postseason.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

02/12/2020

Canton Closes Strong to Beat North and Reach Playoffs

Canton girls basketball — Sophomore Kiara Cerruti scored a game-high 25 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, to lead Canton to a win at North Attleboro and a third straight playoff appearance. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Both teams came into Tuesday night’s game at the Beaupre Gym in a fight for second place in the Davenport division and both needing one more win to secure a spot in the postseason. It was always likely to come down to who could make enough plays down the stretch to decide a the winner.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Despite making only two shots from the field in the fourth quarter, it was Canton that came through with clutch defensive stands and clutch rebounds to pull out a 64-53 victory at North Attleboro and seal a third straight trip to the tournament. The Bulldogs closed the game on a 9-0 run, all nine points coming from the free throw line and five from Kiara Cerruti, who scored nine of her game-high 25 points in the fourth.

“We controlled rebounds, we passed it to each other well, we came up with good stops,” said Canton coach Jim Choquette, praising his team’s ability to bounce back after a last-second loss to New Bedford on Sunday. “We were in the right spots, putting pressure on them. To come right back against a team that beat us the first time on their floor, it’s not easy to win here, and really take it was good.”

North coach Nikki Correia said, “They fought to the end, just a couple of mental mistakes at the end, bad passes, throwing down at their feet when they’re cutting, trying to force it a little too much.”

Defense was the story down the stretch, but it was offense that was the story of the first half.

The Bulldogs got off to a solid start with Cerruti (eight rebounds) burying the first of her four threes on the night and Fay Gallery (16 points, five assists, and seven steals) knocking down a pull-up jumper. North answered right back with an 8-0 run to grab an 11-7 lead.

Regan Fein hit a short jumper off an Eliza Dion offensive rebound and assist and then got free for another jumper, this time off an inbounds feed from Olivia Forbes (five rebounds and seven assists). After Canton got within two at 16-14, Siobhan Weir (11 points) came off the bench to drill a corner three.

The second quarter went back and forth with the Bulldogs coming right back to grab the lead after freshman Samya DaSilva (five points) scored in the post and Gallery drilled a three, but Weir grabbed an offensive rebound to make it 21-20. Summer Doherty hit a tough runner off glass and then Fein saved a possession at half and drilled a three to make it 28-26.

Sydney Gallery (11 points) tied it with a move in the post and then assisted on a bucket for DaSilva. After Cerruti scored with her lefthand, Amanda Kaiser buried her only three of the night to cut the lead to one. Cerruti closed the half with a layup and Canton went into the locker room up 34-31.

North came out of the break and regained the advantage with an 8-0 run. Dion started it with her only basket of the night and then Doherty scored the other six, including a layup following a steal at midcourt. Canton responded. Lilah Milton knocked down a jumper and then Fay Gallery scored plus the foul following a Cerruti rebound.

With Fein receiving treatment on the sideline after twisting her ankle, North got a couple of big shots from Weir, who nailed a pair from beyond the arc to put the hosts in front 45-39. Choquette called a timeout and got uncharacteristically angry with his team’s effort.

“It’s rare that I’m emotional in a timeout,” he explained. “I just felt like the girls are better than they were playing at that time. The game was closer than it could’ve been if we were doing the right things and they know what the right things are they just weren’t executing. We went out, two good passes, Kiara wide open gets a three because we made the extra pass.”

The Bulldogs answered the call, finishing the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to grab back the lead. Cerruti hit a pair of threes, both on Fay Gallery assists, and Sydney Gallery was able to score in the paint to make it 47-45 heading to the final eight minutes.

Canton extended the run to 14 unanswered points at the start of the fourth. Sydney Gallery got an and-one with another post move and Cerruti continued her hot shooting from beyond the arc.

“Siobhan came in off the bench for me and made two big threes, but when someone goes out everyone starts to look around and think someone else will step up,” said Correia. “I told them whoever is coming in just do your job and it will work.”

As you would expect, North made one last run to get back into it. Fein returned to bury a jumper and Kaiser freed up Doherty for a basket. After a Canton free throw, Kaiser got only her second basket of the night and then, following another free throw for the visitors, Doherty cut the lead to 55-53 with a drive. It would be North’s last point of the night.

Canton went 9-for-12 at the line in the closing minutes, but also forced several turnovers, got a couple of clutch rebounds from Kayla Albert (eight rebounds) on both ends of the floor, and a strong effort down the stretch from Carly Fitzgerald guarding Kaiser (North’s leading scorer coming into the game).

Choquette said, “Kayla might have won the game with two of the rebounds that she got in the paint down here. Easily one of the best second halves she’s played for us. That means as much as a three going down or a block, she really stepped it up.”

“We have two more in front of us and hopefully we can grind one out,” said Correia. “I’m just proud of them, for me to come in my first year, change everything and being a running coach, all new offense, these kids bought in.”

Canton (11-9, 9-6) will try to clinch at least a share of second place in the division when it hosts Milford on Friday. North Attleboro (9-9, 9-6) will try to book its place in the state tournament when it visits league champion Foxboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

02/09/202002/09/2020

Sunday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/09/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
Canton @ New Bedford, 12:00

North Attleboro, 41 @ Mansfield, 60 – Final – Mansfield held the visitors to seven points in each the second and third quarters and 11 Hornets registered points in a non-league win over North Attleboro. “That was probably our best complete game of the season,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Redding. “We played great defense, handled the press, and did a great job at the free throw line (15/18).” Mansfield took a 13-8 lead after a quarter before building a 28-15 halftime advantage and a 49-22 edge through 24 minutes of action. Abby Wager led Mansfield with 12 points while Ashley Santos and Sara Dooling each added nine points in the win. North Attleboro’s Amanda Kaiser, Regan Fein, and Eliza Dion each scored 10 points.

Sharon, 32 @ Holliston, 35 – Final – The Eagles lost a second close game against Holliston this season. Kaitlyn Wallace led Sharon with nine points, while Trinity Payne scored eight and Leah Fandel added seven.

Girls Gymnastics
Hockomock Gymnastics Meet #1, 9:00AM (@ Spectrum)
Hockomock Gymnastics Meet #2, 1:00 (@ Spectrum)

02/03/202002/05/2020

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/04/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 55 @ Attleboro, 79 – Final – Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio poured in 31 points, including his the 1,000th of his career, as Attleboro earned an impressive win over division rival Oliver Ames. The Bombardiers scored 21 first quarter points and added 24 more in the second to seize a 45-31 lead by halftime. Attleboro outscored the Tigers by four in the third and six in the fourth to extend its lead. Ciccio scored 10 points in the opening quarter, hit the milestone with eight points in the second, and added three more threes in the second half, hitting a total of seven on the night. Qualeem Charles added 15 points in the win and Tim Callahan chipped in with 12 points. OA senior Jay Spillane led the Tigers with 12 points while Amari Brown and Evan Craig each added 11 points.

Stoughton, 62 @ Canton, 56 – Final – Stoughton doubled up on Canton in the second quarter to create a double-digit advantage, riding that lead to a win on the road at Canton. The Black Knights led by two, 15-13, after a quarter but tacked on 20 second-quarter points to create a 35-23 lead at the halftime break. Senior Ahmad Jahed scored 11 of his 14 in the second quarter while Obinna Ugwuakazi (21 points), Jake Queeney, and Tahkwan Gates Brown (12 points) also scored in Stoughton’s big second quarter. Myles Grigalunas-Powell scored six of his 10 points in the fourth to keep the Black Knights ahead. Canton’s Eric Mischler (22 points) and Will Keefe (eight points) each hit a pair of fourth quarter threes to help shrink the deficit late.

Milford, 51 @ Foxboro, 57 – Final – Foxboro senior Brandon Borde took over in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his team-high 20 points as the Warriors poured in 20-points in the the frame to turn a two possession game into a nine-point advantage. Foxboro led by five after one (15-10) and took a four-point lead (28-24) into halftime before using the third quarter to create separation, pulling into a tie for first place in the division with three games to go. Kevin Gallagher hit a three and had five of his 15 points in the third while Donald Rogers hit a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead 48-39 going into the final quarter. Foxboro held the Hawks without a three-point field goal in the second half. Milford’s Ben Blanchard hit a trio of first half three-pointers for a team-high 15 points while junior Dom Schofield added 10 points.

Franklin, 48 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 74 @ King Philip, 76 – Final (OT) – Taunton erased a 13-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter, taking a late lead but King Philip scored in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime and beat the buzzer for the winner in overtime. King Philip lead 45-29 at halftime and took a 59-46 lead into the fourth before the Tigers poured in 21 points, taking 67-64 lead late. KP’s Alex Fritz (34 points) hit his first three of the second half with 10 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra period, tied at 74-74, senior Tommy Donahue (10 points) set a screen for Fritz and rolled to the basket, taking the pass and laying it up to beat the buzzer to give KP the win. Fritz scored KP’s first seven points of the overtime period before assisting on the game-winner. Andrew McKinney scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half for KP, which scored 28 second quarter points. Taunton sophomore Trent Santos scored nine of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter while classmate Faisal Mass added six of his career-high 18 points in the final frame to get the Tigers back into it. Tyler Stewart added 16 points and Josh Lopes chipped in with 11 points for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 57 @ Sharon, 73 – Final – Tied at halftime, Sharon outscored North Attleboro 18-6 in the third quarter and added 25 more points in the fourth quarter to pull away and earn the win, the Eagles’ first league win since February 2018. In snapping a 29-game winless streak in Hockomock action, the Eagles drained 10 three-pointers, including six in the second half. Senior Aidan Kane connected from downtown in each quarter, including three in the final quarter to finish with a team-high 22 points. Matt Baskin (12 points) added the other third quarter three while Andrew Burton scored six of his 16 points in the third. North Attleboro, who was without its top two scorers in George Ladd and Edan Kelley, were held to just one field goal in the third. Senior Josh Porter went 11-for-15 from the free throw line and finished with a team-high 17 points, junior Tommy Onorato hit four three-pointers for a career-high 12 points, and both Jared Vacher and Brody Rosenberg finished with 10 points.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 60 – Final – OA jumped out to a 15-point lead at halftime and extended the lead with a strong second half to stay two games back of Franklin in the league standings. Caroline Peper scored 18 points and added five assists and Caroline Flynn marked her return from injury with 15 points and six rebounds.

Canton, 68 @ Stoughton, 45 – Final – Canton got a big win on the road to split the season series with the Black Knights and to move within two wins of qualifying for the postseason with five games to go. The Bulldogs had a balanced attack with three players scoring in double digits. Sydney Gallery paced the offense with 17 points and she added eight boards and three assists. Kiara Cerruti (eight rebounds and three assists) scored 16 and Samya DaSilva recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards. Fay Gallery scored eight and had four assists for Canton. Stoughton was led by the tandem of Shyanne Trinh (game-high 19 points) and Aliyah Wright (15 points).

Foxboro, 44 @ Milford, 17 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Mansfield, 41 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – The Panthers remain unbeaten on the season and moved within one win of clinching at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. Olivia Quinn was the top scorer for the Panthers, finishing the night with 23 points. Ali Brigham added 14 in the win. Abby Wager led the Hornets with 12 points and Kayla Vine chipped in with eight.

King Philip, 65 @ Taunton, 57 – Final – KP led by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers were able to rally and cut the lead to as low as five before the Warriors pulled it out and ended their three-game losing streak. Faye Veilleux scored 20 points to power the Warriors and Faith Roy scored 18. Caroline Aaron also got into double digits in the win, scoring 10 points for KP. The Warriors made 12 threes as a team. Kameron St. Pierre continued her strong rookie campaign with a team-high 20 points, while Jaelyn Fernandez (15 points) and Sonya Fernandez (11 points) both hit double digits. Taunton coach Amy Siggens said, “We’re starting to play a complete game. They’re really fast but we tried our best to keep up with them and the girls played their butts off tonight.”

Sharon, 29 @ North Attleboro, 39 – Final – North edged out a defensive battle against Sharon to keep its hold on second place in the Davenport. Summer Doherty scored nearly half of North’s points, with a career-high 19 on the night, and Eliza Dion added nine in the win, including eight in the fourth quarter. The Rocketeers scored 16 points in the first, thanks to 11 from Doherty but then added only nine in the next two quarters combined. Sharon allowed only one point in the second, but only managed five of its own and went into the break down 17-13. Both teams scored eight points in the third to keep North up by four and then the Rocketeers exploded for 14 to pull out the win. North coach Nikki Correia also highlighted the play of point guard Olivia Forbes for playing tough on both ends of the floor the entire game. Leah Fandel and Kaitlyn Wallace each scored eight points in the loss.

01/31/202002/01/2020

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/31/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Mansfield, 77 @ Attleboro, 65 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Foxboro, 75 @ Canton, 38 – Final – Foxboro built a double-digit lead by halftime and used a dominate third quarter to pull away from the Bulldogs for the win. Foxboro scored 20 points in the second quarter to take a 39-24 lead at halftime and then led the Bulldogs to 14 points in the second half, scoring 23 in the third quarter to pull away. Senior Brandon Borde scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the opening half while junior Kevin Gallagher connected on three of his fourth trifectas in the opening half to give Foxboro its 15-point halftime advantage. Donald Rogers and Ryan Hughes each added eight points for the Warriors while Canton senior Nick Cushman scored a team-high 14 points.

King Philip, 47 @ Franklin, 71 – Final – Franklin had eight players find the scoring column in the opening half, building a 17-point by halftime and never looked back in big division win over King Philip. Jack Rudolph (eight points), Steven Karayan (10 points), Chris Edgehill (12 points), and Andrew Byfield each hit a three-pointer in the opening quarter and the Panthers connected from downtown 12 times. Declan Walmsley accounted for five three-pointers and finished with a career-high 21 points. The Panthers’ defense held KP to single digits in each the first and third quarters, taking a 54-31 advantage into the final quarter. Alex Fritz had a team-high 15 points for KP while Andrew McKinney added 11 points.

Stoughton, 75 @ North Attleboro, 66 – Final – Stoughton overcame a one-point deficit at the end of the first quarter to take a four-point lead by halftime and used that lead to stay in front for the rest of the way. Both teams had their best offensive quarter in the third with the Black Knights pouring in 24 points but the Rocketeers kept it close with 21 points of their own, trailing 56-49 heading into the fourth. Stoughton senior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored 16 of his game-high 27 points in the second half while classmate Myles Griglunas-Powell gave the visitors a boost with 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter. Ugwuakazi had six in the fourth and senior Ahmad Jahed scored seven points in the fourth to keep Stoughton ahead. Tahkwan Gates Brown added 10 points for Stoughton. Junior George Ladd scored 17 of his game-high 21 points in the second half for the Rocketeers while sophomore Brody Rosenberg hit five three-pointers, including four in the third, to finish with 15 points, and junior Edan Kelley added 10 points.

Taunton, 52 @ Oliver Ames, 49 – Final – In a back-and-forth battle, Taunton avenged a one-point loss to Oliver Ames from early in the season with a three-point win on Friday night. Taunton held the hosts to six points in the first quarter, taking a 16-6 advantage but Oliver Ames exploded for 22 points in the second quarter to surge ahead, 28-25, at halftime. Taunton’s defense had another good quarter, holding OA to eight points in the third to take the lead back and held that three-point lead for the win. Sophomore Trent Santos (15 points) hit four three-pointers, including a key one in the fourth quarter while classmate Tristan Herry (10 points) also hit from downtown in the final frame. Tyler Stewart had a team-high 16 points for Taunton. Ryan Burkett had a team-high 14 points for Oliver Ames, Amari Brown added 13 points, and Jay Spillane finished with 10 points.

Sharon, 44 @ Milford, 56 – Final – Six Scarlet Hawks scored in a 20-point third quarter to turned a two-point game into a double-digit advantage in a win over visiting Sharon. Tied at 13-13 after a quarter and Milford holding a 25-23 lead at the break, the Hawks went on a big run to create the necessary separation. Ben Blanchard hit a three and had six of his team-high 14 points in the third, Matty Varteresian also connected from downtown and Dom Schofield scored five of his 11 points in the third to give Milford a 45-33 lead heading into the fourth. Aidan Kane scored a team-high 11 points for the Eagles.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 44 @ Mansfield, 51 – Final – Mansfield trailed by five in the final four minutes, but rallied to pull out the victory. The Hornets went 20-for-22 from the free throw line to hold off Attleboro in a back-and-forth game. Ashley Santos was Mansfield’s top scorer with 13 points and Kayla Vine added 12. Attleboro also had two players in double digits, as Meghan Gordon scored 17 and Nyah Thomas chipped in with 11. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Great game in what has become a great rivalry. We played a great first half but Marty made some nice halftime adjustments and they dominated the third.” The Hornets led 25-18 at the break, but Attleboro turned things around with a 17-8 third quarter to lead heading into the final eight minutes.

Canton, 47 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Foxboro led by 12 at halftime but Canton clamped down defensively and only allowed the Warriors to score 20 points after the break and keep the game close to the end. The Warriors are a win away from clinching at least a share of their fourth straight league title. Katelyn Mollica powered Foxboro with 17 points and Shakirah Ketant added 16 points in the win.

Franklin, 65 @ King Philip, 39 – Final – Franklin swept the season series with the Warriors and maintained a two-game lead in the division. Ali Brigham had a big night for the Panthers with 27 points and Olivia Quinn scored 18 points to keep Franklin unbeaten.

North Attleboro, 49 @ Stoughton, 48 – Final – In a back-and-forth game that went down to the wire, North was able to do just enough to pull out the road victory. The Black Knights got off to a strong start, particularly on the defensive end, to lead 9-4 after one and 24-22 at halftime. Stoughton led 40-36 entering the fourth, but the Rocketeers held the hosts to just eight points in the final quarter to earn the win. North coach Nikki Correia praised the defense and shot-making down the stretch of Ava McKeon and Taylor McMath. Amanda Kaiser was the top scorer again for North with 20 points, including five three-pointers. Summer Doherty and Regan Fein each scored eight and Eliza Dion added six. Aliyah Wright led all scorers with 22 points and also pulled down 10 rebounds for Stoughton. Shyanne Trinh added 14 and Hannah Papagno scored seven.

Oliver Ames, 70 @ Taunton, 43 – Final – Taunton led by two points at halftime, but OA roared back in the second half. OA turned things around in the third quarter, holding the hosts to just two points to build a double-digit lead and then put the game away with a strong fourth. Caroline Peper led OA with 14 points, Tate Hadges added 13 points, and Meg Holleran chipped in with 11 points. Kameron St. Pierre led the hosts with 20 points and Jaelyn Fernandez added 13 in the loss.

Milford, 35 @ Sharon, 47 – Final – Leah Fandel scored a career-high 19 points, as Sharon turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 12-point win. The Eagles locked down defensively to get the win, holding Milford to just 11 points in the second half. Nicole Teven also scored in double digits with 10 and Kaitlyn Wallace scored eight.

Swimming
Hockomock Boys Swim Championships – Click here for results and a photo gallery of this event.

Girls Gymnastics
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 7:00
Sharon, 109.00 @ Franklin, 132.60 – Final
Franklin, 132.60 vs. Medway, 121.00 – Final

01/27/202001/29/2020

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/28/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Milford, 57 @ Attleboro, 61 – Final (OT) – Attleboro went 8-for-12 from the free throw line in the overtime period to outlast Milford, who used a furious fourth quarter rally to get back into the game. The Bombardiers got all of their overtime points from the line with senior Nick McMahon going 6-for-8, finishing with 13 points in the game, and senior Qualeem Charles hitting 2-of-4, recording a team-high 20 points in the win. The Bombardiers got off to a terrific start with seven players scoring in the opening quarter, including three-pointers from Justin Daniels, Tim Callahan, and McMahon to seize a 17-5 lead. Attleboro kept its distance, holding a 28-18 lead at halftime and senior Bryant Ciccio scored eight of his 13 points in the third to push the lead to 42-29 with just eight minutes to play. But Milford rallied in the final frame as Ben Blanchard (11 points) connected on three three-pointers, Tyler Wetherbee added one, and Colby Pires (11 points), Jordan Darling (eight points), Max Martin, and Ralph Franklin Jr. (eight points) each converted to force the overtime period. The Hawks connected on seven threes in the game but did not attempt a free throw.

Canton, 61 @ Oliver Ames, 74 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Amari Brown scored 15 of his team-high 24 points in the first half and senior Jay Spillane connected on three three-pointers in the opening 16 minutes as the Tigers built a double-digit lead by half and never looked back. The Tigers scored 17 points in each of the first three quarters and added 23 more in the fourth to get the win. Holding a 17-9 lead through one quarter of play, Brown had nine points in the second and Spillane hit two threes to help the Tigers extended the lead. Ryan Burkett scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, Adam Cann and Owen Friel each hit a three in the third, and Evan Craig finished with 12 points for OA. Junior Eric Mischler hit five three-pointers in the second half and scored a career-high 36 points for Canton.

Foxboro, 68 @ King Philip, 72 – Final (OT) – Foxboro erased a six-point deficit to start the fourth quarter but King Philip’s Owen Conlin hit a pair of three-pointers in the overtime period, punctuating a terrific shooting second half for the Warriors in an important win. KP built a 16-11 lead through one quarter before Foxboro closed it to a one-point game, 30-29, at halftime. KP senior Alex Fritz scored 10 of his team-high 23 points in the third as the Warriors pushed the advantage to 47-41 but Foxboro senior Brandon Borde netted 10 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth to bring the visitors level. Conlin (11 points) hit a three a minute into the extra period and added another a minute later, pushing it to a six-point lead that KP held onto for the rest of the way. The Warriors connected on seven three-pointers after the halftime break while Foxboro totaled just two makes from downtown. Tommy Donahue scored seven of his 13 points between the fourth and overtime and had some key blocks for KP while Robert Jarest added 15 points, connecting on three trifectas. Donald Rogers added 16 point and Ryan Hughes chipped in with 12 points for Foxboro.

Sharon, 50 @ Franklin, 64 – Final – Franklin got off to a strong start in the opening quarter and built on that lead throughout the game to knock off visiting Sharon. Seniors Brayden Sullivan (21 points), Jack Rudolph, and Steven Karayan each hit a three in the opening frame to help the Panthers race out to a 17-9 lead. Sullivan added eight more in the second and senior Chris Edgehill (15 points) connected from three as the Panthers pushed the lead to double-digits, 33-22, at half. Sharon kept pace in the third, down 46-35, but Franklin put the game away with an 18-point fourth quarter. Declan Walmsey added 10 points for Franklin. Andrew Burton led Sharon with 14 points while Aidan Kane added 10 points.

North Attleboro, 60 @ Mansfield, 65 – Final – Mansfield nearly doubled up on North Attleboro in the first half but had to convert key free throws in the final seconds to hold off a second half comeback from the Rocketeers. The Hornets built 33-17 lead at halftime behind a 20-point second quarter but North Attleboro made it interesting with a 20-point third and then a 23-point fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to just one in the final minute of play. Sophomore Brody Rosenberg (17 points, all in the second half) drained a three and hit a pair of free throws to make it a four point game and North’s full court press paid off as junior George Ladd (27 points) got a steal and a layup to make it 59-57. Mansfield junior Matt Boen (17 points) made a pair of free throws with 34 seconds left to make it 61-57 but Rosenberg answered with a three to make it 61-60. Sam Stevens (23 points) hit a pair from the free throw line to push the lead back to three and North was just off the mark on the tying three and Boen hit two more from the line in the final seconds to get the win 65-60.

Stoughton, 63 @ Taunton, 73 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 67 @ Milford, 43 – Final – Four players scored in double figures for a balanced Attleboro attack. Nyah Thomas was the top scorer for the visitor with 18 points, but Liv McCall also had 15 and Emma Reilly and Meghan Gordon both put in 11. Emma Lawrence led the Hawks with 18 points and Jillian Michelson chipped in with 14.

Oliver Ames, 50 @ Canton, 67 – Final – Canton trailed by two points at the half, but turned things around with a dominant second half, outscoring the Tigers 40-21 after the break. The Bulldogs held OA to just three points in the fourth quarter and shot 10-of-17 from three-point range to pull the upset. Kiara Cerruti was the game’s top scorer with 20 points for Canton. Sydney Gallery had 14 and Fay Gallery added 13, while Samya DaSilva scored 11 and Kayla Albert finished with nine. Caroline Peper led a shorthanded OA squad with 19 and Kelsey Yelle had 10 points.

King Philip, 48 @ Foxboro, 69 – Final – Foxboro won for the second straight game, as Katelyn Mollica scored a game-high 25. Yara Fawaz added 12 points and Shakirah Ketant had 10 in the win. Abby Hassman continued to be a force on the glass, pulling down 13 rebounds.

Franklin, 53 @ Sharon, 20 – Final – Franklin put in another full-team effort to get the win on the road. Ten Panthers scored in the game, led by Ali Brigham’s 12. Nicole Teven and Trinity Payne each scored five to lead the Eagles.

Mansfield, 58 @ North Attleboro, 71 – Final – Amanda Kaiser and North Attleboro roared out to a huge first quarter and rode that big lead to victory. North led 30-12 after eight minutes, as Kaiser knocked down five threes and scored 17 of her 20 points in the first. Mansfield was able to cut the lead to 11 at the half by scoring 21 points in the second and switching to a box-and-one to try and slow Kaiser down, but North kept the lead at double digits after the third and won the fourth to seal the victory. Summer Doherty, Regan Fein, and Eliza Dion all scored a dozen points for North. “We came out aggressive from the jump and Amanda was hitting everything,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “I am so proud of how hard they battled and played for four quarters tonight on both ends!”

Taunton, 60 @ Stoughton, 68 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro, 126.10 @ Canton, 116.40 – Final
Attleboro, 126.10 @ Sharon, 100.35 – Final
Canton, 116.40 @ Sharon, 100.35 – Final

Results:
Vault: 1. Stella Krawiec, Att – 8.6 | 2. Aly Legere, Att – 8.0 | 3. Ali Dennehy/Amanda Burns, Att – 7.9
Bars: 1. A. Legere, Att – 7.4 | 2. S. Krawiec, Att – 7.3 | 3. A. Dennehy, Att – 7.2
Beam: 1. Talia Aidlin-Perlman, Sha – 8.2 | 2. S. Krawiec/Parker Sweeney, Att – 8.0 | 3. Lauren Raffa, Att – 7.8
Floor: 1. Erin Glearson, Att – 8.8 | 2. A. Burns, Att – 8.7 | 3. T. Aidlin-Perlman, Sha – 8.6

01/07/202001/08/2020

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/07/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 63 @ North Attleboro, 46 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

King Philip, 56 @ Canton, 32 – Final – Canton raced out to a 10-0 lead but it was all King Philip after that, the Warriors taking a lead by the end of the first quarter and pushing it to double figures by halftime. After an even third quarter, KP limited the Bulldogs to just three points in the fourth to finish the game strong. Seniors Chris Roy (12 points) and Owen Conlin each hit a pair of threes in the opening quarter to help KP rebound from the early deficit. Senior Alex Fritz scored 11 of his team-high 19 points in the second quarter to help his side build the lead.

Franklin, 56 @ Stoughton, 53 – Final – Trailing 40-29 after three quarters, Stoughton rallied to get within one possession but the Black Knights couldn’t find the tying bucket before the buzzer. Senior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored nine of his team-high 20 points in the third while Ahmad Jahed (eight points), Jake Queeney (seven points) and Brett Pendenza all hit threes in the fourth to give the Black Knights a chance at the upset. Franklin senior Chris Edgehill scored eight of his 12 points in the final quarter to help keep the Panthers ahead. Stoughton grabbed the offensive rebound after missing the mark on a shot to tie the game but the buzzer sounded before their second shot was released. Jack Rudolph scored 12 of his team-high 15 points in the first half as Franklin led 35-24 at the break.

Taunton, 78 @ Sharon, 60 – Final – Sharon stayed within striking distance for a half but Taunton’s offense scored over 20 points in each the third and fourth quarters to pull away with a win on the road. The Tigers held a 17-9 lead after one and a 35-27 lead at the break before scoring 21 points in the third to create a double-digit advantage. Sophomore Trent Santos scored eight of his career-high 22 points in the third quarter, hitting a pair of three-pointers. Junior Josh Lopes added half of his 14 points in the third and junior Tyler Stewart scored 10 of his 18 points in the second half to help the Tigers pull away. Sharon senior Aidan Kane hit seven three-pointers on his way to a game-high 23 points.

Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 51 @ Attleboro, 46 – Final – North went into the fourth quarter with a nine-point lead (39-30), but the Bombardiers stormed back to tie the game at 46-46. Amanda Kaiser (11 points) buried a clutch three-pointer in the final minute and North tacked on two more to secure the rivalry win. Eliza Dion led the way for the Rocketeers with 13 points and head coach Nikki Correia praised point guard Olivia Forbes for taking care of the ball all night. Meghan Gordon had a game-high 14 for the Bombardiers and Nyah Thomas added 12. North led 16-11 after the first quarter and built the lead to double digits in the second only for Attleboro to go on a 6-0 run to close out the half at 28-23. North adjusted its defense at halftime to push the lead back up to nine. Correia said, “The girls really did a good job on executing the game plan. A few mental breakdowns but again we were able to play through it.”

Canton, 75 @ King Philip, 77 – Final – In a back-and-forth game, Canton had a chance to tie it but a last-second shot stayed out and the Warriors walked away with the narrow win. Kiara Cerruti scored a season-high 22 points to pace the Bulldogs. Fay Gallery scored 16 and Sydney Gallery had 14 points, while freshman Samya DaSilva set a new career-high for the second game in a row, scoring 14 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

Foxboro, 39 @ Oliver Ames, 54 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Stoughton, 31 @ Franklin, 77 – Final – Franklin continued its unbeaten season with a big win over a shorthanded Black Knights squad. Ali Brigham and Olivia Quinn each scored 16 points to lead the Panthers and Kaliegh Houlihan chipped in with 11. Shyanne Trinh was the top scorer for Stoughton with 12.

Milford, 35 @ Mansfield, 59 – Final – The Hornets scored 41 points over the second and third quarters to break the game open and secure the win. Kayla Vine scored a career-high 20 points to lead Mansfield. Ashley Santos added 12 points and Becca Hottleman scored eight in the win. The Hornets made 11 three-pointers as a team. Jillian Michelson, Emma Lawrence, and freshman Brooke Ferreira each scored seven points for the Hawks, who continued to battle in the second half and outscored Mansfield 9-7 in the fourth quarter.

Sharon, 39 @ Taunton, 32 – Final – The Eagles won on the road for the second time in three days. Kaitlyn Wallace scored 13 points to lead the way, while Ally Brown scored nine and Trinity Payne added six.

Wrestling
North Attleboro @ Milford, 7:00
Stoughton, 27 @ Foxboro, 42 – Final

Boys Swimming
Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 8:00
Taunton, 79 @ Milford, 88 – Final

Girls Swimming
Oliver Ames @ King Philip, 8:00
Taunton, 82 @ Milford, 88 – Final

Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro, 166.5 @ Braintree, 125.6 – Final – Attleboro’s Andrae Butler took first in five of the six events, cruising to first in all-around action (48.4) as the Bombardiers landed a big win over Braintree. Butler took first on the floor, the pommel horse, the highbar, the parallel bars, and the vault while placing second on the rings. Attleboro’s Shawn Trombley, who was second in the all-around with a 41.1, finished top three in four events.

01/05/202001/06/2020

Sunday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/05/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 41 @ Bishop Feehan, 58 – Final – North Attleboro had a strong start to the fourth quarter to tie the game at 36-36 before Bishop Feehan rattled off three straight three-pointers and pulled away with the win at home. Junior George Ladd scored half of his 20 points in the third quarter to help get the Rocketeers back in the game, down 35-32 heading into the fourth.

Oliver Ames, 76 @ Southeastern, 40 – Final – Oliver Ames scored 20 or more points in each of the first three quarters, running away with a win over Southeastern. Senior Jay Spillane set the tone early with nine of his team-high 14 points coming in the opening quarter as OA built a 20-8 lead. Owen Friel scored all eight of his points in the second quarter for the Tigers, who led 42-20 at the halftime break. Ryan Burkett added seven of his 13 points in the third quarter. Amari Brown and Evan Craig each finished with 10 points for the Tigers.

Milford, 79 @ Sharon, 78 – Final (OT) – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Girls Basketball
Canton, 58 vs. New Bedford, 53 – Final – The Bulldogs had 15 assists as a team and had their best offensive game of the season to hold off New Bedford and end a four-game losing streak. Canton scored 17 in the first quarter to jump into a three-point lead and scored 35 in the first half, which was as many points as they scored in their entire last game. New Bedford closed to within one at the end of the third, but the Bulldogs clamped down defensively and held the Whalers to just seven points in the fourth to pull out the win. Kiara Cerruti scored 17 points to lead the Canton offense. Fay Gallery had nine points and seven assists and Sydney Gallery had nine points and 10 boards. Freshman Samya DaSilva set a new career-high with eight points in the win.

North Attleboro, 39 vs. Bishop Feehan, 50 – Final – North gave Feehan a scare on Sunday night. The Rocketeers led 13-5 after one quarter and held a 25-24 lead at halftime. The Shamrocks were able to grab the lead in the third quarter, but it remained a seven-point game heading into the final eight minutes. “The girls played so hard and under control entire first half,” North coach Nikki Correia said. “Our girls played great hard D right out of the jump and I don’t think they were expecting that. So proud of my girls, they continue to improve each game.” Amanda Kaiser scored 18 points for North, including 14 in the first half, and Eliza Dion added six.

Sharon, 45 @ Milford, 32 – Final – Ally Brown scored in double digits for the second straight game, finishing with a game-high 14 points to lead the Eagles to their first win of the season. Leah Fandel scored 12 points, Trinity Payne had eight, and Nicole Teven added seven for Sharon. Milford was led by Emma Lawrence’s 13 points. Carly Ferreira added seven and Jillian Michelson had six for the Hawks.

Boys Hockey
North Attleboro, 2 @ Dedham, 7 – Final

Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Mansfield/Oliver Ames scored three goals in each of the first two periods to skate away with a league win over Stoughton/Sharon. Megan O’Hara, Emma Pereira, and Sam Ledin scored in a four-minute span at the end of the first period to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. Zofia Bangs got the Black Knights on the board early in the second but MOA responded with three straight goals. Kylie O’Keefe, Liz Healy, and Reese Pereira scored to push the lead to 6-1.

01/03/202001/03/2020

North Edges Sharon in Back-And-Forth Matchup

North Attleboro girls basketball — North Attleboro junior Amanda Kaiser lines up a corner three against Sharon. Kaiser scored 13 for the Rocketeers in the win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

SHARON, Mass. – For the better part of three quarters, Sharon was able to keep North Attleboro off the glass, chased the Rocketeers off the three-point line, and kept North from getting out in transition. But down the stretch, the visitors turned up the pressure and made just enough plays to pull out the win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

North Attleboro came up with enough defensive stops, including an important steal and layup by Amanda Kaiser, and knocked down five free throws in the closing two minutes to earn a 49-40 road victory in an early season meeting of two contenders for second place in the Davenport.

“We needed that,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “They’re a tough team and she coaches them well. They started to get a little tired, we gutted it out, and we were able to finish strong.”

Sharon was a little shorthanded coming into the game, as several players were out sick, but the Eagles continued to battle and stay close in the fourth quarter, even after an injury forced Kaitlyn Wallace (nine points) to the bench.

“We had a couple big turnovers that led to points for them and that was the difference in the game,” said Sharon coach Sandy Lombardi. “We battled. We’re short on the bench, we’re short players, and the kids go out there and play as hard as they can and that’s all you can ask for. We’re going to keep on working.”

North led by three points going into the fourth quarter and started to hit the glass to get crucial extra chances on the offensive end. Regan Fein grabbed an offensive board and kicked it out to Kaiser (13 points and seven rebounds) for a big three-pointer. Sharon answered back on the other end with a three by Ally Brown to make it 37-34.

Fein hit a jumper on a Kaiser drive-and-dish to extend the lead to five. After a Sharon free throw, Siobhan Weir twice saved a possession by snatching an offensive rebound and Summer Doherty swung the ball around the perimeter for a clutch three by Olivia Forbes (eight points).

“There was one possession that they had five or six shots and then they hit a big shot and it was just like, where are we,” Lombardi joked. “It’s a battle every single night.”

Trailing 43-35 and with Wallace on the bench, Sharon could have folded and looked ahead to Sunday’s game with Milford, but instead the Eagles battled back again. Leah Fandel (10 points and nine rebounds) sliced through the North defense for a finish at the rim and, after North missed the front-end of a one-and-one for the second time, Nicole Teven got the ball to Brown (12 points) for her fourth three of the night.

Last time out against King Philip, North struggled at the line, Fein stepped up and buried two and then Kaiser came up with a steal in the backcourt and finish to stretch the advantage to seven points. Eliza Dion knocked down two more at the line to close things out for the Rocketeers.

Sharon got off to a strong start to the game. Trinity Payne (nine points and eight rebounds) scored on an offensive rebound and Brown buried her first three-pointer. After North got back within two, Payne had a steal and basket and Brown hit another from deep for a 12-5 lead after one.

“She did a great job [against the press],” Lombardi said of Brown, who played the full 32 minutes. “She had a couple big threes for us that made it close and we ended up just having a couple turnovers late that were costly.”

The Rocketeers turned things around in the second to tie the game going into halftime. Fein was the key to North getting points against Sharon’s half-court zone. She scored six of her game-high 16 in the second, showing off her mid-range jumper.

Correia said of Fein, “She’s a finesse player and for the last few years we were trying to get her to go inside, but it’s not her game. We said, you’re a senior now, this is what your game is, those little 10 footers, the jumper from the corner, the free throw line, and she’s starting to get comfortable in her game and how she can play.”

Kaiser gave North its first lead of the night when she corralled a long rebound and instantly went up for a corner three. Doherty nearly had a steal to keep possession but stepped on the sideline. With four seconds left in the half, Brown raced up court and dished for Fandel to score at the buzzer and make it 19-19.

Things continued to be back-and-forth after the break. North scored five straight, including a three by Kaiser, but Sharon answered right back thanks to Wallace, who finally got going. She drilled a corner three and tied it with a baseline drive. After Fein knocked one down from beyond the arc, Wallace again matched it with a drive plus the foul and then assisted on a Payne bucket that put Sharon up 29-27.

Freshman Ava McKeon had a steal and assist on a Fein jumper and Kaiser extended North’s lead to 32-29 with a steal and layup. After a pair of Fandel free throws, McKeon came back with a drive to the rim that put the Rocketeers ahead 34-31 heading into the final eight minutes.

“They had a good game plan to slow us down,” Correia admitted. “We came out very flat and very soft and we struggled with the zone.

“We were able to get Amanda open. We scratched the offense we were running and run something higher up. I think sometimes our girls think you can’t screen against a zone, but you can and once we started to pin the girl she got comfortable and knocked down a few.”

North Attleboro (2-3, 2-2) will be back on the court against neighboring rival Bishop Feehan on Sunday. Sharon (0-4, 0-3) will look for its first win of the season against Milford on Sunday evening.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

12/28/2019

KP Sets Frenetic Pace to Outlast North Attleboro

King Philip girls basketball — King Philip freshman guard Claire Keswick takes the ball to the basket against North Attleboro. KP earned a 65-56 win in the non-league contest. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Even on nights when the shots aren’t falling, playing with the type of frenetic style that King Philip imposed on Friday night’s game at North Attleboro’s Pickering Gym means that even with a low shooting percentage teams can put up plenty of points.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

KP put that theory into practice on Friday, pulling out a 65-56 non-league victory against North despite both teams struggling to hold onto the ball or knock down shots from the floor or from the line (combined 30-of-59 on free throws).

“I thought we missed a lot of shots that we usually make but to still score 65 and get up and down like we did is a testament to our pace,” KP coach Dan Nagle explained. “I thought we just played hard and battled through some adversity.”

Both teams like to run, but this was not just about getting out in transition. KP pressured, trapped, and harassed the Rocketeers the length of the court, taking advantage of its depth to maintain the pace throughout the 32 minutes.

While it was a game played to KP’s strengths, North hung around, falling behind by as many as 16 points in the third quarter but then getting as close as seven in the fourth.

“They’re fast and under control,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “We’re fast and a little out of control right now. I kept having to remind them we’re in this game guys, settle down. Too much hanging our heads. I’m trying to get them used to the running so they can play through it.”

The hosts jumped out to an early 6-0 lead by breaking the KP press. Olivia Forbes (six points and five assists) set up Regan Fein for a jumper, Amanda Kaiser hit a pull-up jumper in transition and Eliza Dion got an easy basket on the break.

North couldn’t sustain the momentum and the Warriors started to turn the screw defensively, finishing the first on a 12-1 run. Seven different players scored in the first. Freshman Claire Keswick put KP in front for good with an offensive rebound that made it 9-7. Another putback, this time by Emma Glaser (nine points and six boards) closed out the quarter.

KP continued to build the lead in the second. Brianna James (team-high 15 points) hit a pair of threes and Faye Veilleux (seven points and eight rebounds) got a layup on the break to put the Warriors up 22-9 and seemingly on the brink of breaking the game wide open.

The Rocketeers battled back, cutting the lead to as few as six. Kaiser (16 points and seven rebounds) got a pair of baskets in transition, first on a Dion assist and then one off a steal. Dion added six of her game-high 19 points in the quarter, including four points at the line.

James closed the half with a swooping layup that made it 31-21 at the break. The teams had combined for 24 fouls in the first half alone and went a combined 14-for-32 at the charity stripe. If either team could’ve made their foul shots, then the game may have turned out differently.

“At half we were down 10 and we had missed 10 free throws,” Correia said. “That’s the difference right there. A lot of them were short because their legs were shot.”

The second half had a similar pattern, as KP extended its lead to as many as 16 points on two occasions. Kaiser buried a pair of threes in the third to make it 40-30, but then KP answered back with threes from Courtney Keswick and Elizabeth Molla to push the lead out.

“I’ve asked her to play their best offensive girl, so on offense she’s tired,” Correia said of Kaiser. “She’s running and she’s working, so we have to try and figure out ways to take some of that off her on the defensive end so we can get her going on the offensive end.”

North made another run to close the gap before the end of the quarter. Dion continued to be a force in the paint for the hosts, scoring nine points in the third. Correia said, “Very proud of Eliza, how hard she fought inside and the finishing, which is what we need. The little things I’m starting to see like that is what we need going forward.”

After a pair of offensive rebounds by Fein kept a possession alive for the Rocketeers, Forbes nailed a three that made it just 49-41. Keswick was there to answer back with another three of her own to make it an 11-point game heading to the fourth.

A pair of free throws by Fein and a putback by Kaiser had North within seven early in the fourth, but Glaser got free in the corner on a Veilleux kick out to make the lead double digits and Liv Lafond added three more with an offensive rebound and the foul. Rebounding was a big edge for the Warriors, with Taylor Butler and Emily Sawyer each grabbing 11 on the night.

“We pride ourselves of getting after it on the offensive glass and I thought we did a great job 1-14 of getting to the glass,” said Nagle, who referenced the team’s poor shooting night when he added, “You’ve got to go rebound it if you miss it.”

Freshman Ava McKeon went behind her back to slice through the KP press for a layup. Fein knocked down a jumper on an inbound play, and Summer Doherty got free for a layup, as North was proving hard to put away. But time ran out on the comeback attempt, as Faith Roy’s (seven points) late drive to the rim sealed the win for the Warriors.

“Her kids never quit and they kept coming back,” Nagle said. “Every time I thought we were going to put them away, I’d look up and it’s an eight-point game again. It was punch, counterpunch.”

King Philip (3-1) will travel to Bishop Feehan for another non-league game on Monday, while North Attleboro (1-3) is off until after the New Year when it travels to division rival Sharon.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.