Tag: Fabio Goncalves

2019-2020 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Taunton boys basketball
Taunton’s Dante Law dunks the ball in the second half against Oliver Ames last season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019-2020 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Attleboro

2018-2019 Record: 18-5
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Mark Houle

Attleboro fulfilled high expectations last year with a terrific regular season but had its postseason run cut short in the opening round of the tournament. With an experienced, battle-tested, and deep group of seniors, the Bombardiers are hoping to take the next step during the 2019-2020 season.

The Bombardiers have seven seniors on the roster with six having plenty of valuable minutes at the varsity level. It all starts with a pair of four-year varsity players and captains Bryant Ciccio and Qualeem Charles. Both have played over 60 games for head coach Mark Houle and earned HockomockSports.com First Team honors a year ago. Ciccio (14.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) is like a coach on the floor and Charles (13.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg) is a matchup nightmare and one of the most dominant post players in recent years.

But there is much more to the Bombardiers, such as senior captain Tim Callahan. Callahan had a strong junior season with 7.7 points per game and can change a game with his outside shooting. He will also be relied upon to anchor the defense. Guard Nick McMahon and forward Lorenzo Wilson provided a spark off the bench last season and will be key pieces this season. And senior Jason Weir is back in the mix after missing last year due to injury. Weir showed flashes during his sophomore season, a versatile player that can play in the post or step outside and knock down a three.

Attleboro has a variety of weapons on the offensive end and that will make them difficult to defend. They have a couple of good weapons that can score down low and then a handful of shooters, so the inside-out game will be a big part of the game plan. Charles gives the Bombardiers protection around the rim while all five players are the court will have to contribute on the boards to eliminate second-chance points.

“We will rely on a battle-tested group of seniors, but we will need our underclassman to continue to develop and be ready to step in and play important roles on the team,” said head coach Mark Houle. “We have a hard-working group of players who compete and challenge each other every day in practice.”

Canton

2018-2019 Record: 14-10
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Ryan Gordy

After winning back-to-back Davenport division titles, the Bulldogs know it will be a grind to try and get a third with a big target on their backs.

Gone is the program’s all-time leading scorer and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Devin Foster, who was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league over the past two seasons. That means there is going to be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Ryan Gordy said this year’s team will be a “much more space and paced” orientated team. Gordy is expecting a more spread out opportunistic approach that will feature contributions from anyone who checks in.

While Foster graduated, the Bulldogs do have a handful of talented and experienced players back on the roster. Senior Kyle Fitzgerald is the top returning scorer from a year ago, netting double figures in six contests. He is also a workhorse on defense and will be one of the leaders on the court. Robbie Gallery, Matt Giglio, and Eric Mischler were all starters at some point during the 2018-2019 season so Gordy will have some veterans to lean on during the year. Gallery, Giglio, and Mischler all showed the ability to come up with a big shot at any time and will help space the floor.

Defensively, the Bulldogs are looking at their versatility and depth to give them flexibility. Gordy believes he has a strong mix of players that will allow him to switch things up and adjust each and every game. Sophomore Lanse Dorcelus earned minutes for the final month of last season and could be a key piece this season.

“We feel like our program is healthy and players have made a commitment to growth,” Gordy said. “This season we are going to focus on the process and maximizing the strengths of our players. Our culture and direction has been a bright spot as we focus on the player person and team development each practice and game. We’re excited to see where we are and where we can get too.”

Foxboro

2018-2019 Record: 14-9
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Jon Gibbs

There is good news and bad news when it comes to the Foxboro boys basketball team this season. The good news is that the Warriors expect to once again be one of the toughest defensive teams in the league. The bad news is for the rest of the Hockomock League as Foxboro boasts an improved offense, and combined with their traditional tough defense, has the Warriors in position for a Davenport division title.

With four of their five top scorers back this season, including senior Brandon Borde (team-high 15.3 ppg) and junior Kevin Gallagher (12.9 ppg), the Warriors are looking to ride a balanced approach on offense to improve their scoring after finishing 10th in scoring in the Hockomock League last season (54.4 points per game). Borde is one of the most experienced players back in the league and has the ability to create his own looks as well as lead the team as the floor general. Gallagher had a breakout sophomore season and can really fill up the scoring column, especially from deep.

Borde and Gallagher will also get help from senior Will Morrison, who can catch fire from deep, and senior Ryan Hughes, who can give opponents trouble in the paint. All four players are returning starters from a season ago, so that gives Foxboro an advantage, especially defensively. Head coach Jon Gibbs called the defense the “foundation” of the team. Foxboro has consistently been very fundamentally sound and disciplined on the defensive end.

Seniors Dylan Barreira, Michael Devlin, Liam Devlin, and Donald Rogers all played important minutes last season and will provide a lot of depth for Foxboro.

“We have been making progress each day,” Gibbs said. “Practices have been very competitive so far as guys work hard to carve out a role for themselves by earning the trust of their teammates and coaches. If we stay hungry, humble, and unselfish, it has the potential to be a very successful season.”

Franklin

2018-2019 Record: 17-6
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 Central Quarterfinal
Coach: CJ Neely

Ever since the Hockomock League split into two divisions, Franklin has entered each season as one of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex and that looks to be the case yet again this year.

As it does each and every season, defense comes first for the Panthers. Franklin was the best defensive team in the Hockomock League last year, allowing just 48.9 points per game. Not only did the Panthers lead the league in that category, they were the lone team to keep opponents under 50 points on average. It’s the second straight year they’ve had the best defense in the division and third straight year they are in the top three. There are a lot of talented individual defenders on the team but year in and year out, Franklin’s team defense gives them a chance to win.

Offensively, the Panthers boast the top returning scorer in the league in three-year starter Chris Edgehill. Edgehill, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark last season, is an absolute handful to deal with on the offensive end of the court. He can score in a variety of ways, and on top of that, he is very good at getting teammates involved (four assists per game last year). Seniors Jack Rudolph and Steve Karayan are also back after playing valuable minutes last season and will be relied upon on both ends of the floor.

“We have a lot of guys who worked really hard in the offseason to improve and are excited to get on the court,” said head coach CJ Neely. “It’s a great group of people who have a lot of fun together. We need to stay aggressive and share the ball. We hope that strong team defense will continue to be something that defines our program.”




King Philip

2018-2019 Record: 7-13
2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Dave DeStefano

With a solid group of players returning from last season, second-year head coach Dave DeStefano is hoping to guide his Warriors back to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.

The Warriors showed flashes throughout last year, including an upset win of Kelley-Rex champions Mansfield on the road. But they were also on the wrong end of a handful of close games, losing five games by five or fewer points. With a year of experience in DeStefano’s system, and for a lot of players their first year of varsity under their belts, King Philip is hoping to turn those close games into wins.

KP boasts two returning starters in Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney, both standing at 6’3. Fritz had a breakout junior campaign and was the fourth-highest scorer in the Hockomock League with 15.5 points per game. He was able to score in a variety of ways, including through contact at the rim, and will be a vital piece this year. McKinney was fifth on the team in scoring last year, scoring in double-figures in five contests, including a career-high 19 points at Stoughton. Senior Tommy Donahue looks to give the Warriors a strong presence in the post while classmates Owen Conlin and Chris Roy look to be in the mix. Seniors Robbie Jarest and Tom Weir are back in the mix after a year away from the program.

Defensively, King Philip will be relying on its size and physicality. While Donahue (6’5) will be the main rim protector, having long guards and forwards will help KP make life difficult for opponents. The Warriors will need to improve on the defensive end after surrendering a division-high 63.7 points per game last year. DeStefano is looking to get some contributions from junior juniors Donte Barros, Cole Breen, Joe Cullen, Evan Stephens, Will Kinney, and Jake Silveria while sophomores Charlie Grant and Braeden Sottile will likely be in the mix too.

“The boys have really worked hard this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The practices have been really competitive and physical. For us to be successful we will need to make a big commitment on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”

Mansfield

2018-2019 Record: 22-5
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Mike Vaughan

The Hockomock League continues to run through Mansfield.

The Hornets have won the Kelley-Rex division title in eight of its nine years, and it looks like Mansfield will be the team to beat again this year. Three players that burst onto the scene last year – Sam Stevens, TJ Guy, Matt Boen – are now three of the top players in the Hock heading into this season. Mansfield certainly graduated a lot of talent in Tommy Dooling, Damani Scott, and Khristian Conner, but with those three starters back plus seniors Drew Rooney and Makhi Baskin, as well as a handful of newcomers ready to make an impact, Mansfield is poised for another deep tournament run.

Stevens (11.2 ppg) will be one of the toughest players to stop with his ability to finish around the rim as well as deadly three-point shooting, Guy (10.9 ppg) is very good in the post on both ends of the floor, and Boen (9.5 ppg) can score in a variety of ways. All three are capable of filling up the stat sheet on any given night. Baskin provides a lot of energy and can change the game with his effort while Rooney showed last year that he can matchup with some of the top players in the league on the defensive end.

Juniors Brian and Jason See are both strong shooters that work tirelessly on both ends of the floor and should be in the mix for the Hornets this year. Juniors Jack Colby and Brendan Foley will be looking to bring a spark off the bench while sophomore Matt Hyland and freshman Chris Hill are promising young players that could contribute right away.

“I think our depth and ability to play different styles will be a strength of this team,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I’m excited to see where this team can get to as they continue to work hard in practice and mix their individual talents to form our team identity. Transition play, scoring inside and out will be strength on offense. Playing solid man to man and uptempo defense with our depth could create some issues for our opponents.”

Milford

2018-2019 Record: 9-12
2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Paul Seaver

After a season of ups and downs, the Milford Scarlet Hawks are hoping last year’s growing pains transition into a playoff berth this season.

With a large group of returnees, the Hawks will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division title. While head coach Paul Seaver returns the majority of his team, he will need some of the those players to step up on the offensive end the fill the void left by graduation. The Hawks graduated its top three scorers, including the second-highest scorer in the league in Brendan White (18.2 ppg). That means there will be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up and contribute.

Junior Jordan Darling (7.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and senior Colby Pires (6.1 ppg) are the top two point producers back this year while junior Dom Schofield also returns after starting as a sophomore. Darling started 19 games this year and was selected to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team after a strong season on both ends of the court. Pires is a leader both on and off the court and plays well in all aspects of the game, and Schofield gives Milford a strong post presence on the defensive end, recording a team-high 38 charges taken last season.

Ralph Franklin Jr., Matty Varteresian, Tyler Whetherbee, and Ben Blanchard all saw time throughout last season and could all be in line for bigger roles this season.

“Our depth will matter, our balance will matter, our chemistry is this group’s most important attribute,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver. “We were the youngest team in the league last season and this group has a lot of players back who are attacking this year with a chip on their shoulder. This group defines what Milford basketball is and that’s a testament to who these kids are hard workers and higher character individuals. I could not be any more excited to coach and work with these kids on a daily basis.”

North Attleboro

2018-2019 Record: 9-11
2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins

There are going to be a lot of new faces dawning the Big Red uniform this winter. After losing nine seniors to graduation, head coach Sean Mulkerrins has just three players back from last year’s nine-win squad.

With a large amount of new players comes a large amount of opportunities. The Rocketeers graduated its two top scorers but bring back senior Ethan Friberg (7.0 ppg) and junior George Ladd (7.4 ppg) to lead the charge offensively this year. Friberg, standing at 6’5, can cause problems in the paint but also van step out and play along the perimeter. Ladd had a breakout sophomore season and was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team. He is a little of a throwback player that is very fundamentally sound on the offensive end. Senior Josh Porter, the third returner, saw an expanded role at the end of last season and played well.

Defensively, the Rocketeers will be focusing on limiting opponents to one shot per possession. With some size in the frontcourt, North will try to make it difficult to finish at the rim, and with all five players committed to rebounding, try and minimize second-chance points.

“There will be a lot of new faces with opportunities to make an impact on this year’s team,” Mulkerrins said. “There will definitely be some growing pains and the sooner the new faces adjust to the rigors of varsity basketball, the better we will be.”




Oliver Ames

2018-2019 Record: 10-12
2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Don Byron

Last season, Oliver Ames came up just one game shy of the state tournament. Goal number one for the 2019-2020 season is to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

With a strong mix of experienced players and hungry new additions, Oliver Ames is ready for the grind that is the Kelley-Rex division and the Hockomock League.

“The expectation is to always get [to the tournament], that’s our first goal,” said Oliver Ames head coach Don Byron. “We’re pretty optimistic but we know it’s going to be a grind, you have to show up every night, you can’t take a night off.”

Byron has been impressed with his guard play so far this preseason, and that will likely mean featuring three guards in the lineup for the majority of the time. Senior Jay Spillane is a returning starter while classmate Owen Friel and junior Amari Brown were top options off the bench a season ago. Spillane can score in bunches, especially from the outside, while Friel combines a solid shooting game with a hard-nosed defensive approach. Friel’s ability to guard a variety of position makes him a valuable piece in the lineup while Brown is a crafty player that does a nice job getting teammates involved.

Senior center Evan Craig (6’5) will be joined by classmate Ryan Burkett (6’2) in the frontcourt. Both picked up valuable minutes at the varsity level last year and Byron is hoping that will help with their expanded roles this year. Senior guard Adam Cann and junior forwards Trey Buggs and Drew Nickla will provide depth for the Tigers.

“It takes some time to get accustomed to the varsity speed and what we expect at this level,” Byron said. “All of these kids gained experience with us last year, and that year of experience is invaluable.”

Sharon

2018-2019 Record: 3-17
2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Andrew Ferguson

After a couple of down seasons, the Eagles will be making a strong push to get back into the state tournament for the first time since 2016.

Sharon boasts a number of players who gained varsity experience that will be looking to help the program bounce back. The first being senior Aidan Kane, the team’s leading scorer last season with 11.5 points per game. When he’s on from keep, Kane is one of the top three-point shooters in the league. He has the ability to change a game very quickly if he gets hot from deep. Senior Andrew Burton emerged as one of the Eagles’ top players last year and could be poised to have a breakout year. Sophomore John Baez will start at the point after joining the varsity team for the final month and a half last season.

The Eagles will be relying heavily on its frontcourt to step up on both ends of the court. Senior Caleb Gayle is a traditional post player that will compete hard on both ends of the court, senior Cam Baker is fundamentally sound and a reliable option and junior Hank Ward picked up valuable minutes as a sophomore and will be an important part of the rebound game as well as defensively. Senior Aaron Karten will be in the mix as well, giving the Eagles an athletic frontcourt.

Junior Jordan Barboza should give the Eagles a spark off the bench this year and head coach Andrew Ferguson will look for him as an important defensive piece. Kiran Chandrasekaran had flashes of the strong play off the bench last year and should see an expanded role this year, while junior transfer Matt Baskin could provide a needed scoring punch.

“This group has worked tremendously hard in the offseason and the preseason and is looking to translate that into success throughout the regular season,” Ferguson said. “Many of the players have gained valuable experience at the varsity level over the past two years and our senior class are tremendous leaders who provide a great example for our younger players.”

Stoughton

2018-2019 Record: 10-11
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: John Gallivan

Stoughton ended its playoff drought last season and with a good amount of those players back again this year, the Davenport division title and a deep playoff run could be in the forecast this season.

The Black Knights have their leading scorer back in 6’5 senior forward Obinna Ugwuakazi, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game with nine double-doubles last year. His athleticism and ability to finish through contact made him a tough matchup for opponents, and he will be at the forefront of the Stoughton offense again this year. Fellow senior Tahkwan Gates Brown, who also stands at 6’5, is also back and we could see the duo play together at times which will certainly make life tough for opponents.

Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell is back for his third year on varsity. After improving each of the past two seasons, the 2019-2020 season could be a breakout year for Grigalunas-Powell, who can score from three-point range but is also a crafty finisher attacking the rim. Ahmad Jahed had flashes of strong play last year and will be back in the mix again this year, and the same goes for Tommy Sanda. Juniors Brett Pendenza and Jake Queeney are also back after earning some minutes last year.

“We feel like we can score this year both from downtown and from down low,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan. “And with our size in the paint, we hope to make it difficult for opponents to score consistently.”

taunton

2018-2019 Record: 15-9
2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal
Coach: Charlie Dacey

After a strong regular season, the Taunton boys basketball team flipped a switch in the tournament and made a run to the D1 South Semis, nearly knocking off powerhouse Mansfield. With a taste of postseason success, the Tigers are hoping to replicate that success this year with another impressive playoff stretch.

The Tigers boast speed, skill, and depth this season and will be in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. While Taunton lost a lot of production from last year (Lou Vendrell, Mike Quinn, John Martins, Wesner Charles), there are a handful of players battling to earn their chance at minutes in the Tigers’ lineup. One constant in that lineup over the past couple of years is senior Dante Law, who enters his fourth year with the varsity group. Law was Taunton’s leading scorer a year ago with 14.1 points per game but none of the other returners were over five points a game, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up.

Seniors Fabio Goncalves (6’6) and Aiden Pelot, as well as junior Tyler Stewart (6’6) make up the frontcourt for the Tigers. All three played at the varsity level last year and will be key pieces at helping the Tigers defend and win the battle on the boards. Law will be joined by junior Josh Lopes, who showed flashes during his sophomore season, DaeDae Kenion, and sophomore transfer Tristan Herry as key pieces of the offense.

The Tigers are also excited about the depth on the team this year. Junior Danny MacDougall earned starting minutes last year and is a reliable option in a variety of roles while Trent Santos, Logan Lawrence, and Jonathan Torres will all be in the mix for Taunton.

“With this team, press and run should be ‘Plan A’ although there are skills available to play at a slower pace,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/24/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 1 @ Quincy, 3 – Final

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final (13 inn.) – For the second straight game, Foxboro rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extras but saw the visiting team earn the win. With the win, OA keeps its postseason hopes alive with one game to go. OA plated five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead before the Warriors rallied to score three runs in the seventh to send the game to extras for the second straight day. After five scoreless innings, OA tacked on two runs in the top of the 13th. Freshman Jack Richardson, who earned the win in relief, led off the inning with a single and Matt McCormack followed with a base hit of his own. Cam Perron brought the go-ahead run in with a sac fly and the second run scored on a wild pitch. McCormack (two runs) and Jake Erlich (RBI) each had two hits for OA while Kyle O’Connor had two RBI. Michael Devlin (RBI, run), Joe Cavaleri (RBI), and Sean Yoest (run) each had two hits for Foxboro while Cam Prescott was strong in relief, tossing 7.1 innings with six strikeouts, allowing one run on five hits.

Mansfield, 1 @ Walpole, 2 – Final – Mansfield took a lead in the third inning but Walpole used a pair of doubles in the sixth inning to jump in front and beat the Hornets. Kyle Moran was strong on the mound, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out five. He also had one Mansfield’s two hits.

North Attleboro, 8 vs. Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – North Attleboro jumped ahead in the first inning and senior Todd Robinson (3-for-3, two stolen bases, two runs, four RBI) belted his third home run of the season as the Rocketeers ran away with a win over Feehan. The Rocketeers took a 3-1 lead after an inning of play when Robinson drove in Brendan McHugh (HBP), Nick Raneri scored on a double steal, and Shawn Watters singled Robinson home. In the second inning, Robinson increased the Rocketeers’ lead with a two-out, two-run home to to make it 5-1. With the bases loaded in the fourth, Robinson was hit by a pitch to bring McHugh in and sophomore Jared Penta scored on a fielder’s choice from Jake Palmer. Robinson added another run by stealing home. Matt Seavey pitched a complete game, striking out six with three walks.

Softball
North Attleboro, 5 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning but the Rocketeers rallied to score five runs in the sixth inning, including four with two-outs, to upend the Warriors. Mandi Hanewich and Olivia Capobianco had back-to-back hits for the Rocketeers, and Abby Gallagher (double, two hits) drove in Hanewich to tie the game. With two outs, Katie Daby, Emily Nardelli and Alex Moulson (two hits, stolen base) strung together three consecutive singles to bring in four runs. Junior Bella Erti allowed just one earned run on two hits, striking out eight.

Franklin, 0 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final

King Philip, 5 vs. Walpole, 4 – Final

Taunton, 6 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Taunton eighth-grader Ava Venturelli blasted a grand slam, her first career home run, in the sixth inning to spark a six-run frame that helped the Tigers beat the Hornets. Mansfield took a lead in the third when Megan Letendre put the ball in play and Sydney Woods came in to score. In the sixth, Peyton Ceglarski walked and Paige Silvia and Tayah DaCosta followed with base hits to load the bases for the Tigers. Venturelli then put one over the left field fence to put Taunton ahead. Hanna Aldrich drove in Jaime Brown with a double and scored on a squeeze from McKenzie McAloon to make it 6-1. Kelsey White earned the win, limiting Mansfield to six hits while striking out 13. Woods, Kara Bendanillo, and Mady Bendanillo (triple) each had two hits for the Hornets.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Dartmouth, 7 – Final – Canton’s David Allen had one of his best games of the season and Dan Cohen made several key plays throughout to help the Bulldogs get a win on the road. Canton peppered the Dartmouth cage but Charles Gamache thwarted plenty of Bulldog chances. Allen had three goals, Andrew Canto added three goals and an assist, Griffin Roach scored once and had three helpers, and Tommy Vaughan chipped in with a goal and an assist.

Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:15

Foxboro, 5 vs. Xaverian, 9 – Final

Sharon, 11 vs. Pembroke, 10 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final

Mansfield, 22 vs. Milton, 12 – Final – Katy Garvin scored seven goals while Hayleigh Crawford and Olivia Murray each found the back of the net four times to lead the Hornets to a win over Milton. Lauren Whitman added three goals for Mansfield.

Taunton, 21 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – Taunton sophomore Alana Tavares scored nine goals as the Tigers earned a big win over Coyle. Emma Sheehan added a hat trick while Mabel Smith, Tasia Lajoie, and Rosemary McGrath each scored twice for Taunton. Kamryn Li, Jade Holmes, and Kristen Hearrold each scored once while Emily Gannon made six saves in the shutout.

Boys Tennis
Franklin, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – Franklin won three matches in straight sets and one more in a super tiebreaker to take care of Feehan. Rohan Herur won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles while Lucas Gulick picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles. The team of Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra earned a 6-1, 6-4, and the second doubles team of Saket Gandham and Shoyaib Shaik rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 win.

King Philip, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip swept both doubles matches and earned two wins in straight sets in singles action to knock off North Attleboro in a non-league clash. Nate Ihley and Jack Cannon won 6-2, 4-1 (retired) at first doubles while the team of Jake Mager and Zak Ryan picked up a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 10-3 win at second doubles. Marco DiStefano won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles and Nick Putney won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles. North Attleboro’s Sam Gallagher didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – In a match continued from earlier in the week, Mansfield knocked off visiting Taunton. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Luke Devine picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, and Sam Donellan earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of Max Bank and Sethu Odayappan prevailed 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles while Sam Shirmacher and Ben Newcomb won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final

Franklin vs. Bishop Feehan, 4:00

Taunton, 5 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 2 – Final – Taunton earned a win over Durfee in five sets (26-28, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19, 15-11) to finish the season 11-9. Fabio Goncalves had a game to remember with a career-high 25 kills, sophomore Tyler Stewart added 12 kills, and Alex Tavares (nine blocks) chipped in with 10. Gage Kingman anchored the defense with 22 digs.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/15/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ King Philip, 1 – Final (8 Inn.) – Attleboro junior Nick McMahon had a day to remember, scoring both the tying and game-winning runs to lead the Bombardiers to a key road win. McMahon went 3-for-3 at the play, stole three bases, and played stellar defense at second base for Attleboro. King Philip scored in the fourth to take the lead but Attleboro tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. McMahon singled, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice fly from Camden Fitzpatrick and hustled home on a passed ball to make it 1-1. McMahon was the catalyst for a four-run eighth inning for Attleboro. After leading off with a single, McMahon stole second and then stole third when Alvaro Espinal drew a walk. Fitzpatrick delivered an RBI single to bring McMahon home, and Lorenzo Wilson had a two-run double to push the lead to 4-1. Wilson came home to score on a sac fly from Troy Van Vliet. Eoin Kelleher started and went four innings giving up one run while Max Amaral pitched four shut out innings in relief to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Sharon, 10 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton’s offense came alive for 17 hits, resulting in 13 runs and a win over visiting Sharon. Nate Quan set the table for the Bulldogs, going 5-for-5 with four runs and an RBI from the leadoff spot. Canton scored three runs in each the first two innings and then plated five in the third inning. Sharon scored six runs in the sixth inning to make it a three-run game. Steven Burbank (three runs, three RBI), Sawyer Julier-Albert (two runs, two RBI), Matt Connolly (RBI), and Mike Konzal (two runs, RBI) each had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs. Sharon’s Justin Nault went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run, and Justin Brown (run, RBI), Hank Ward (two RBI, run), and Max LeBlanc (run) each had two hits for the Eagles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Foxboro’s Joe Cavaleri had a strong day on the mound, limiting the Black Knights to just five hits in a complete game effort. Cavaleri allowed one run in the third inning, finishing with one walk and four strikeouts. After Stoughton took the lead in the third, Foxboro responded with a pair of runs in each the fourth and fifth innings, tacking on an insurance run in the seventh. Cavaleri led the charge offensively with three hits and two runs scored while Kyle McGinnis (two RBI) and James Kaeser (RBI) each had two hits for the Warriors. Stoughton junior George Currier had two hits while Jacob Kaplan drove in Zak Paquette with a sacrifice fly.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin junior Liam Dailey tossed a complete game shutout and senior Jake Macchi uncorked a grand slam as the Panthers swept the season series against the Tigers, clinching at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title with the win. Dailey needed just 63 pitches, allowing three hits with no walks, striking out four in an efficient performance. Macchi finished with six RBI total, Alex Haba also had an RBI and a run scored, Jack Nally scored twice, Scott Elliott had a hit and two runs scored, and Joe Lizotte and Brennan Rivera each scored once.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – Mansfield built a 3-1 lead over the first three innings but then exploded for seven runs in the fourth and added five more in the fifth to pull away with a big win over visiting Oliver Ames. Juniors John Carney and Chris Jenkins combined for a one-hitter with no walks allowed. Nick Dumouchel was the lone Hornet with multiple hits, recording six RBI on two hits for Mansfield, which totaled nine hits as a team. Kyle Moran (run) drove in two runs while Carney, Connor Fitzpatrick, and Michael DeBolt each drove in one run. Carney struck out eight in five scoreless with one hit allowed (and one hit batter) while Jenkins tossed two scoreless innings.

Milford, 6 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – North Attleboro seniors Brendan McHugh and Todd Robinson each hit a home run as the Rocketeers knocked off visiting Milford for a season sweep of the Hawks. After trading runs in the first inning, North Attleboro had its biggest inning with four runs in the second. After an RBI double from Kyle Bolger (three hits), McHugh launched a three-run home run to give the Hawks a 5-1 lead. An inning later, Robinson (two hits) smashed a two-out solo shot to extend the advantage to 6-1. The Hawks battled back with two runs in the fourth and again in the fifth to make it a one-run game at 6-5. But Nick Raneri and Jake Palmer each drove a run in in the sixth inning to give the Rocketeers the cushion they needed. Sophomore Dennis Colleran got the win on the mound while senior Matt Seavey earned the save. Sophomore Jared Penta added three hits and two runs scored.




Softball
King Philip, 13 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 13 – Final (6 Inn.) – Caroline Hughes went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in a run, while Steph Trendell went 2-for-3 and brought in three runs to power the Bulldogs to a division win. Taylor Reynolds helped break the game open for Canton with a two-run double. Sophia Santos earned her fourth win of the season, allowing one run and striking out three. Ally Chin and Katy Lynch both went 3-for-4 in the win.

Stoughton, 13 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Stoughton jumped out to a 7-0 lead and then scored six unanswered after the Warriors cut the deficit to two with a five-run third inning. Freshman Sydney Menz paced the Black Knights with three hits (two singles, triple, RBI), Nikki Coppola also had a triple, a single, and an RBI, and sophomore Nicole Baker had a single, a double, and drove in two runs. Brianna Ferrandiz (two RBI), Sarah McGrath (two RBI), Melody Casna (RBI) and Lexi Baptista each had two hits for Stoughton. Foxboro scored all five of its runs in the third with Maria Dunn hitting a triple and Allie Willis driving in two runs. Baker earned her 11th win of the season, scattering six hits, one walk, and striking out six.

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Mansfield, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Mansfield rallied in the final three innings to pull out a road win that clinches a playoff berth for the Hornets. OA scored all five of its runs in the third inning, but Sarah Cahill (10 strikeouts) settled down to hold the Tigers off the board for the final four innings and the Hornets offense got going. In the third, Emma Varella squeezed in Colleen Larson (double) and both Katie Abreu and Taylor Lake launched two-run home runs for the Tigers, who played terrific defense. In the fifth, Mansfield rallied to tie the game. Caty DeMassi and Mary Muldoon both had two-RBI singles in the frame. In the sixth, the Hornets grabbed the lead. Mady Bendanillo and DeMassi singled and both scored on a Muldoon double. Cahill came into score an insurance run in the seventh when she scored from first on a double by Kara Bendanillo. Mansfield had 15 hits as a team, including a 3-for-4 day for Megan Letendre.

North Attleboro, 17 @ Milford, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Bella Erti struck out 10 in six innings and allowed only five hits to lead North to a road win. Mandi Hanewich had three hits, three runs scored, and three RBI for the Rocketeers. Olivia Capobianco, Abby Gallagher (four RBI), and Alex Moulson all had two hits for North. Katy Daby drove in one with a sac fly and Emma Bailey drove in two in the win.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 13 – Final – Canton raced out to an 8-0 lead by halftime and never looked back in a win over visiting Attleboro on Senior Night. Seniors Griffin Roach (three goals, two assists), Dan Cohen (two goals, assist), Matt Martin, and Brendan Albert each scored for the Bulldogs while George Kent and Sam Walsh anchored the defense. Junior Tommy Vaughan added three goals and three assists.

Foxboro, 5 @ Franklin, 12 – Final – Franklin used a strong performance to pick up a convincing win over visiting Foxboro. The Panthers took a 9-1 lead into the fourth quarter to win the Kelley-Rex division title outright. Jake Davis scored four goals and had two assists, Matt Lazzaro scored a hat trick and had two helpers and Jacob Alexander (14-for-21 faceoffs) scored twice with one assist. Foxboro’s Brendan Tully and Shayne Kerrigan each scored twice while Aidan Stapleton found the back of the net once. Freshman Matt Tully made 12 saves for Foxboro.

King Philip, 18 @ Milford, 6 – Final

Mansfield, 7 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Mansfield had a terrific first half, building a 4-2 lead at halftime but North Attleboro scored eight second half goals and limited the Hornets to just three to get the win. Connor Quirk led Mansfield with four goals and two assists while Aidan Sacco, Mike Reed, and Jake DiSangro each scored once.

Sharon, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Trailing 9-6, Oliver Ames scored the final seven goals of the game to earn a comeback win over the visiting Eagles. Colin Bourne had three timely goals for the Tigers while Shane Kilkelly (three goals, one assist) and Sam Stevens (two goals, two assists) each had four points. Remi Creighton added a pair of goals and an assist and Frankie Ireland chipped in with three helpers for OA.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 20 @ Attleboro, 10 – Final

Franklin, 14 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

North Attleboro, 19 @ Mansfield, 9 – Final – The Rocketeers kept their playoff hopes alive with a big win on the road. Katie Lindstrom scored seven goals and assisted on two others to lead North and Lexi Sinacola added a pair of goals and five helpers. Lindsay Spratt had a hat trick, and Maggie O’Brien and Siobhan Weir (assist) both scored twice, while Regan Fein (assist), Lily Cameron (assist), and Taylor McMath all scored once in the win. Faith Graveline preserved the win for Big Red with 15 saves.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 14 – Final – Jenna Goldstein (five goals) and Emma Eberhardt (four goals and an assist) combined for nine goals and 10 points to lead the Eagles to another league win. Mia Lappen added three goals and an assist, Maxine Gordon had a goal and two helpers, and Bridget McManus scored once and assisted on another in the victory.

Milford, 3 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – The Warriors had 11 different goal scorers to earn their 10th win of the season and clinch second place in the Kelley-Rex division. Caroline Klim and Mackenzie Mazur both scored hat tricks and Klim added an assist as well. Olivia Tormey and Ali Wilson both scored twice, while Victoria Tormey, Shayla Weitzman, Emma Izydorczak, Jess Sullivan, Ava Tormey, Dana Truini, and Lily Brown each scored once.




Boys Tennis
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – King Philip won twice at singles and once in doubles, losing just two games between the three matches in a win over Attleboro. Marco DiStefano (first singles) and Nick Putney (second) each won 6-0, 6-1 while the team of Nate Ihley and Jack Cannon didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Attleboro’s Ryan Gordon won 6-3, 7-5 at third singles while the team of Tyler Evans and Ryan Solari picked up a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and earned a sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets to beat Canton. Senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, junior Alberto Olivei picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of senior Max Brody and freshman Max Chen won 6-1, 6-1 while Alex Aspel and Deyan Kassev teamed up for a 6-1, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – Foxboro swept doubles play and got another win at third singles to squeak by visiting Stoughton. Sean McAvoy and Justin Neale earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Noah Hicks and Bo Canfield secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at second doubles. Senior Brian Gardner picked up the third point with a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. Stoughton sophomore Waseem Sablon won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and senior Erik Anderson prevailed 6-4, 6-2 at second singles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – The Panthers won all five matches in straight sets to get the sweep, picking up their 11th victory of the season. Liam Marr won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Rohan Herur earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles, and Sameen Shaik emerged from third singles with a 2-6, 6-3, 10-6 decision. The team of Vayshnav Malhotra and Lucas Gulick won 6-3, 6-0 at first doubles while Saket Gandham paired up with Shoumik Sompally for a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Rocketeers dropped just one game total in three singles matches and four in the two doubles matches in a win over visiting Milford. Jonah Manso won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles while Alex Pfeffer (second) and Sam Gallagher (third) both won 6-0, 6-0. North’s first doubles team of Tomas Bentley and Vikram Senthilakumaran secured a 6-2, 6-0 win while Saketh Uppuluri and Justin Strom walked away with a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second doubles.

Mansfield, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Mansfield had impressive performances in all four matches, winning a fifth by default. Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles while Luke Devine served up a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. The team of Sam Donellan and Jonah Fine won 6-0, 6-2 while Nikhil Lankipalle and Diwakar Sandhu teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets on its way to a victory over Attleboro. Erin Regnier picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Katarina Schneider added a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and Mia Valencia didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Grace Ely and Meghan Powers emerged with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 win at first doubles while Laura Davenport and Katie Welch won 6-4, 6-2 at second doubles.

Canton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon picked up three wins in singles action, all in straight sets, and added another point at first doubles to knock off the visiting Bulldogs. Nupur Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles, Valeria Barajas picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at second singles, and Charlie Martinez earned a 6-1, 6-1 decision at third singles. The team of Sachi Bhasin and Lauren Glass dropped just one game at first doubles, winning 6-1, 6-0. Canton’s Rose Hazam and Nyah Claiborne picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Taunton, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – The Tigers won in straight sets in all three singles wins as well as the point from first doubles to pick up a victory on the road. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Brianna Fevrier and Kayla Parrett picked up a 6-4, 6-2 decision at first doubles. Franklin’s Ashvika Boopathy and Vaquri Kantheri earned a 6-2, 4-6, 12-10 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North Attleboro won in straight sets in its four victories, picking up a win on the road at Milford. Tara Nair won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles and Olivia Wills picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Sam Martino and Haley Strom earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles while North Attleboro’s second doubles pairing of Jayli Carmichael and Liana Nichols won 6-0, 6-3. Milford’s Juliana France emerged with a 6-0, 4-6, 10-7 win at second singles.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield punched its ticket to the state tournament with a 3-2 win over visiting Oliver Ames. The Hornets’ first doubles team of Hannah Podolske and Sam Sternburg prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to secure the win for Mansfield. Lizzy Elsner added a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles and Aryana Khosravani secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. Oliver Ames’ Maura Kiernan won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and the team of Kate McCormick and Sarah Morley emerged 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 2 – Final – Taunton inched within one win of a state tournament berth, battling to a 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 16-14) win on the road over Dighton-Rehoboth. Jason Khang had a strong game defensively with 21 digs and Edward Paiva dished out 33 assists. Tyler Stewart paced the offense with 16 kills and five blocks while Fabio Goncalves and Alex Tavares each put down 13 kills and had two blocks.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/09/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Canton, 0 @ Braintree, 7 – Final

Mansfield, 3 @ Xaverian, 2 – Final – Xaverian tied the game in the top of the seventh inning but the Hornets responded with the winning run in the bottom half to walk off with the win. Senior Sam Nugent (2-for-2, two runs) led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and then stole second. Mike Hargadon put a bunt down to advance the runner but a collision at first allowed Nugent to scamper around third and home for the winning run. Mansfield took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Hargadon drove in Jake Gerraughty and Nugent with a double. Mike Scibilia went five innings, scattering five hits and one walk, striking out two with one earned run allowed. Kyle Moran got the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.

Sharon, 3 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – Sharon jumped ahead in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run but North Attleboro responded with two in the bottom half to walk off with the win. Eagles freshman Dan Zagoren smacked a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to give Sharon a 3-2 lead. In the bottom half, Shawn Watters reached on an infield error to lead off, Kyle Briere pinch ran and stole second, and Owen Harding single up middle advanced him to third. Briere scored on a slow roller single down the first base line by Brendan McHugh, moving Harding to third. North coach Mike Hart put Todd Robinson in as a pinch-runner at third and the senior rewarded him, racing home on a wild pitch for the winning run. Sharon went up 1-0 in the first on an RBI single from Noah Martinez but North sophomore Dennis Colleran scored classmate Jared Penta with an infield single to make it 1-1. North took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when McHugh drew a two-out walk and scored on a single from Penta. Matt Seavey struck out nine in five innings of work for North, allowing one earned run on four hits and three walks.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Brockton, 1 – Final

Softball
Foxboro, 17 vs. Ursuline Academy, 10 – Final – Morgan Sylvestre and Chelsea Gibbons each hit a home run and Foxboro’s offense exploded for 17 runs in a win over Ursuline Academy. Nicole Theriault had a big day offensively, going 4-for-5, and Jill Finn added three hits for Foxboro.

King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip senior Heather Nix tossed her second straight shutout, allowing just two hits and one walk in five innings, striking out 10 to earn the win. Meghan Gorman paced the Warriors’ offense with a leadoff home run in the first, finishing with four hits and seven RBI. Paige Berdos (three-run home run) and Raegan Simeone each had three hits for the Warriors while Faith Turinese added a three-run home run.

Mansfield, 2 @ Braintree, 4 – Final – The Hornets put the tying run on base in the top of the seventh and had the go-ahead run at the plate but couldn’t connect for a timely hit, falling to Braintree on the road. The Hornets put a run on the board in the third off the bat of Ashlyn Conley (2-for-3), who doubled in Caty DeMassi (2-for-3). Mansfield added another run in the sixth when DeMassi knocked in Mady Bendanillo (2-for-4), who led off with a double. Megan Letendre and Sydney Woods also had a hit each for Mansfield. Sarah Cahill allowed six hits and struck out three for the Hornets.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Walpole, 9 – Final – Oliver Ames had an early lead and got within one run in the fifth inning but Walpole scored four runs late to pull away with the win. OA jumped ahead with a suicide squeeze by Katie Mills (2-for-4, RBI, run) knocking in Katie Abreu (4-for-4, two runs scored) in the first inning. OA scored another in the second inning when Mollie Crabtree crossed the plate on an error. Grace Simone was 3-for-4, Kayla Georgeu was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Colleen Larson struck out two in six innings of work.

Taunton 7 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Taunton sophomore McKenzie McAloon led off the top of the second with her first career home run, sparking the Tigers to a big non-league win against a strong Bishop Feehan team. McAloon added a sac fly in the third to make it 2-0, Taunton added three more runs in the fourth on back-to-back doubles from Jaime Brown (two hits, two RBI) and Alexa White (3-for-4, three RBI) to make it 5-1. White then tacked on two more runs with a two-run double in the sixth. Feehan loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but Kelsey White (7IP, 4H, 2BB, 9K 0ER) limited the Shamrocks to just one run. Paige Silvia and Ava Venturelli (double) each had two hits and scored twice for the Tigers.




Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 15 @ Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final – Junior Aidan Stapleton had a hand in five goals, helping the Warriors pick up a win on the road over Feehan. Stapleton scored twice and had three helpers, both Brendan Tully (three goals, assist) and Pete Conley (two goals, two assists) had four points, and Charlie Baughan scored a hat trick. Freshman Matt Tully made 12 saves in net for Foxboro.

Oliver Ames, 10 @ Ashland, 11 – Final – Junior Shane Kilkelly led Oliver Ames with four goals and three assists while Remi Creighton and Sandro Masciarelli each found the back of the net twice for the Tigers.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro vs. Norton, 4:00

Milford, 12 vs. Norwood, 10 – Final – Milford saw a three-goal lead disappear in the second half when Norwood tied the game at 8-8 but the Hawks scored four straight goals to earn a win over the Mustangs. Jillian Michelson, Eva Parson, Katie Maietta, Hanna Bangert, and Tatiana Martinez had strong defensive performances in front of Savannah Rosado to help preserve the win. Senior Captain Katie Drysdale scored her first goal of the season, Annie Flanagan netted three goals, Emily Haley, Sophia Bucal, and Elena Bon Tempo had two each, and Riley Campbell and Brianna Maietta both scored once for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames vs. Ursuline Academy, 4:00

Sharon, 15 @ Cardinal Spellman, 4 – Final – Sharon’s Rose Wald had a great game, making seven saves to limit the Cardinals to four goals, helping the Eagles punch their ticket to the state tournament with a win. Emma Eberhardt dominated at draws, winning 19-of-21 attempts and paced the offense with seven goals and four assists. Jenna Goldstein added four goals and an assist, Bridget McManus scored a pair of goals, Mia Lappen (goal, two assists) had three points, and Cass Barbera had a goal and an assist for the Eagles.

Boys Tennis
Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield won all three singles matches in straight sets and swept doubles play in a victory over visiting Milford. Luke Nickerson won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Luke Devine notched a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and Nilay Pangrekar didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Dheeraj Valluru and Sam Donella picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles while Justin Weiner and Peter Rouvalis emerged with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-7 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 vs. Milton, 5 – Final

Stoughton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon won a pair of matches in singles action and took both doubles matches to beat Stoughton. Junior Alberto Olivei earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Senior Max Brody and freshman Max Chen earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while senior Alex Aspel and junior Jake Ross secured a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Stoughton sophomore Waseem Sablon battled to a 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles.

Taunton, 4 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Brett Beaulieu earned a win in straight sets at first singles for his 60th career victory, making him the program’s all-time wins leader. Beaulieu won 7-6, 6-0 at first singles, Charlie Fiske added a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles, and Dylan Kullas secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Trevor Hart and Ryan Hebert dropped just two games at first doubles, winning 6-0, 6-2.

Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Mansfield went on the road and won two matches in singles action and swept doubles play to knock off host Milford. Lizzy Elsner shined in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and Aryana Khosravani picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Lauren Hobaica and Sam Sternburg recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles while Alex Burnham and Alex Wendland prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 at second doubles. Milford’s Juliana France won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles.

Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 2 – Final – Taunton once again swept singles play to get a close win over Durfee. Jillian Pagliuca earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, McKenzie Lucie won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Bellingham, 0 – Final – King Philip improved to 13-2 on the season with its second sweep of Bellingham this season (25-8, 25-6, 25-14). Junior Kyle Desrochers had 14 service points, including five aces, and made the switch from libero to setter for the final set and recorded 11 assists. Cam Corey (four aces) and Max Armour (two aces) each had 10 service points for KP. Eric Altobello put down a team-high eight kills while Jimmy Peterson and Mike O’Brien each recorded six kills apiece.

Milford, 3 vs. Norton, 0 – Final – The Hawks defended home court to earn their 14th win of the season with a 3-0 (25-6, 25-14, 25-14) win over Norton. Milford had 12 different players record a kill, with Tiago Filadelfo putting down a team-high six kills and Zach Browne added five. Nathan LeBlanc had 10 digs for Milford.

Taunton, 3 @ Quincy, 2 – Final – Taunton rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win the final two games and the match, 3-2 (21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8) over the Presidents. Chris LaCourse led the way with 51 assists and 21 digs with Tyler Stewart (15 kills), Fabio Goncalves (14 kills), Alex Tavares (11 kills), and Gage Kingman (11 kills) having strong games at the net offensively.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/06/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 4 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Attleboro used a walk, a pair of stolen bases, and a base hit to bring in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a win over Milford in a back-and-forth battle. The Hawks took a 1-0 lead, Attleboro responded with two runs to go ahead, Milford answered with three runs for a 4-2 lead and the Bombardiers plated two with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to tie it. In the bottom of the seventh, junior Alvaro Espinal walked, stole both second and third, and scored on the game-winning hit from junior Lorenzo Wilson. Attleboro took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Tim Callahan knocked in Rob Furtado (walk) and Espinal singled in Camden Fitzpatrick (single). Trailing 4-2 in the sixth, Furtado was hit by a pitch and Fitzpatrick had a sac fly to knot the score. Ryan Morry was strong on the mound for Attleboro, tossing six innings with no earned runs allowed and three strikeouts. Eoin Kelleher pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win.

Canton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead, tacked on two more in the third and added an insurance run in the sixth to get the win over visiting Canton. Senior Reid Latham pitched 6.1 innings, allowing no earned runs while striking out four. He chipped in offensively as well, going 2-for-2 with a sac bunt. Chris Pearsons added two hits, including a double, scored a run, and earned the save on the mound with two strikeouts. Freshman Jack Richardson had a double and three RBI while Jacob Levine and Jared Spillane (two RBI) each had two hits for OA. Owen Lehane had two hits and two RBI for Canton.

Foxboro, 18 @ King Philip, 2 – Final (6 Inn.) – Foxboro pounded out 16 hits, breaking the game open with a nine-run third inning and never looking back to earn a win on the road. Michael Devlin had team-high three hits while adding three runs and two RBI, and Brian Duncan (two RBI, two runs), Kyle McGinnis (two RBI, two runs), James Kaeser (four RBI, run), Sean Yoest (RBI), and Adam Lanctot (three runs) each recorded two hits for the Warriors. Joe Cavaleri earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, three walks, and one strikeout in six innings of work.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Franklin senior Alex Haba drove in four runs and classmate Scott Elliot went 2-for-4, including a three-run home run, to pace the Panthers to a win over Sharon. Jack Nally added two hits, including a double, and scored three runs, Cooper Ross knocked in two runs and scored once, Jake Fitzgibbons had two RBI, and Joe Lizotte went 2-for-3 and scored twice. Junior Brennan Rivera allowed just two hits in four innings of work, striking out three with one walk. Cody Trotin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield seniors Jake Gerraughty and Matt Scibilia combined to throw a one-hitter and the Hornets used early runs to get by North Attleboro. The Hornets scored twice in the bottom in the first and added one more in the third but only had a total of three hits in the game. The Hornets took advantage of four walks and two Rocketeer errors. John Carney (run, RBI), Kyle Moran (RBI), and Scibilia each had a hit for the Hornets while Eric Longley (two walks) and Sam Nugent scored runs. Gerraughty allowed one hit, walked three and struck out three in five innings while Scibilia issued two walks and struck out four in two innings of work.

Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Taunton recorded 11 hits as a team on its way to a 6-2 win over visiting Stoughton. Evan Melo had three hits and knocked in two runs and Jared Roderick added a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored for the Tigers. Jack Moynihan was strong once again on the mound, allowing four hits and one walk with no earned runs allowed, striking out 11 in a complete game effort.

Softball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 8 – Final – Canton freshman Sophia Santos tossed a complete game, striking out four with two earned runs allowed to lead the Bulldogs to a win over Oliver Ames. Nikki Desjardins and Liz Bickett each hit a home run in the win. Oliver Ames sophomore went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Katie Abreu had an RBI, Kalei Clark had a hit and a run scored, and freshman Anna Balestino scored a run for the Tigers.

King Philip, 12 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – King Philip senior Faith Turinese pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out four as the visiting Warriors pulled away from Foxboro for the win. KP broke open a one-run game with four runs in the sixth, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple off the bat of Liliana Rolfe. Paige Berdos had three hits for KP while Turinese (three RBI), Rolfe, Grace Kelley (three RBI), and Destiny Goyco each had two hits for KP.

Franklin, 17 @ Sharon, 1 – Final (6 inn.) – Franklin sophomore Gabby Colace (2-for-4) knocked in four runs, including a two-run triple in a six-run first inning as the Panthers earned a big win on the road. Junior Tina Pisano had a triple for Franklin and Kristen Smith had a hit and a run scored. Emily Valentino got the win, scattering five hits while striking out eight. Sharon senior Rebecca Clayman went 2-for-2 with a double and scored a run while Julia Earley had the RBI for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 4 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored three runs in the fifth inning and tacked on one more in the seventh inning that turned out to be the winning run for the Hornets, who had 10 hits. The Rocketeers took a 1-0 lead in the third but the Hornets went ahead in the fifth. Mary Muldoon led off with a double, a single from Kara Bendanillo put runners on the corners and both runners scored on a two-out double from Mady Bendanillo. Caty DeMassi added an RBI double to make it 3-1. In the seventh, Kara Bendanillo singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice from Megan Letendre, and scored on a tag up play from second on a deep fly ball by Mady Bendanillo. Sarah Cahill scattered five hits and had 15 strikeouts for the win, striking out the side in each the first, second, and fifth innings. Bella Erti struck out nine for the Rocketeers while Emily Nardelli and Katie Daby each had an RBI triple in the game.

Taunton, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Taunton plated five runs in the third inning, one in the fifth and added three more in the seventh to earn a win on the road at Stoughton, qualifying for the state tournament for the 36th straight season. Sophomore Kelsey White allowed just two hits (both in the fourth inning), struck out seven and didn’t issue a single walk for her eighth win of the year. Sophomore Hanna Aldrich paced the offense with three hits, three stolen bases, and two runs scored. Kenzie McAloon added two doubles and three RBI, Tayah DaCosta had two hits, including a double, and an RBI, Haylee Hartung knocked in two runs with a single, and Olyvia Mendonca added an RBI double. Payton Ceglarski had an RBI on a suicide squeeze.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 9 @ Mansfield, 8 – Final – Mansfield raced out to a 6-2 lead at halftime but Canton rallied to earn a win on the road. David Allen exploded for four goals to give the Bulldogs a big lift while Griffin Roach had three goals and two assists. Junior Tommy Vaughan scored the winning goal with 4:47 left in the game. Nico Holmes had three goals for Mansfield, Michael Reed added two goals, Aidan Sacco scored once and had two helpers, and Brady Kessler and Connor Quirk each found the back of the net once.

Sharon, 9 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Sharon freshman Ben Shocket won 15-of-17 faceoffs and sophomore Adam Rabb turned away 11 of the 15 shots he faced to help the Eagles earn a win on the road. Drew Litner paced the Sharon offense with three goals and three assists, Brandon Buckman scored a hat trick, Mitchell Director chipped in with two assists, and Daniel Lillenfeld, Zack Waxman, and Brady Daylor each scored once.

Foxboro, 8 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip senior Chris Longobardi won 12 faceoffs and classmate Colin DeVellis accounted for six points to help the host Warriors earn a win in a battle of top Hockomock teams. DeVellis scored five goals and had one helper, Sam Mattson scored twice and had one assist, and Tyler Bartlett, David Lawler, Wes Bishop, Andrew Sajdak, and Robbie Tartaglia each scored once for KP. Andrew McKinney made nine saves in the win. Foxboro’s Shayne Kerrigan scored three goals and had one assist while Brendan Tully scored twice.

Franklin, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Franklin senior Jacob Alexander went a perfect 23-for-23 at the face-off X, leading the Panthers to a big win on the road. Sophomore Matt Lazzaro scored a hat trick and had four assists, junior Jake Davis scored four goals and added one helper, and Ben Greco recorded five points with two goals and three assists. Frankie Ireland scored twice for Oliver Ames and Remi Creighton netted one tally.

North Attleboro, 12 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 10 @ Sharon, 19 – Final – Senior Emma Eberhardt recorded nine points and sophomore Jenna Goldstein had six points to lead Sharon to a win over visiting Attleboro. Eberhardt had six goals and three assists, Goldstein finished with four goals and two assists, Mia Lappen scored four times and had one helper, and Cass Barbera, Maeve Barbera, Maxine Gordon, Bridget McManus (assist), and Athena Merck (assist) all scored once in the win. Amelia Scappaticci had an assist and Rose Wald made seven saves in net for the Eagles.

Mansfield @ Canton, 3:45

King Philip, 6 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Franklin, 19 – Final – Franklin had 12 players record a point in a convincing win at home against Oliver Ames. Sophomore Sydney Hawkins and freshman Anna Grasso each scored their first career goals for the Panthers in the win. Oliver Ames goalie Maddie Kullen had nine saves in net, Olivia Piazza had two goals and two assists, Ella Hogan scored twice with one assist, and Olivia Carroll and Sam Cathie had a goal and an assist each.

Milford @ Taunton, 4:00

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford swept singles action to earn a 3-2 win over the visiting Bombardiers. Brendan O’Shaughnessy earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at first singles, Riley Lynch prevailed 6-4, 5-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-5), and Zach Austin earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles to lift the Hawks to a win. Attleboro’s Eli Araujo and Luis Sandoval won 6-1, 3-2 (injury default) at first singles while the team of Tyler Evans and Ryan Solari picked up a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Yusaf Hameed prevailed in a three set thriller, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, to earl the lone point for the Tigers.

King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets and picked up a fourth point with a win at first doubles in a victory over Foxboro. Nick Putney won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Marco DiStefano earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jack Cannon emerged with a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles. KP’s first doubles team of Nate Ihley and Jake Mager emerged with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win. Foxboro’s Justin Neale and Ben Wasserman earned a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon senior Danujan Thirumavalavan won the first and third sets, both by tiebreaker, to emerge with a win and give the Eagles a victory against the Panthers. Thirumavalavan emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 2-7, 7-6 (7-3) win in a battle with Franklin sophomore Liam Marr. Alberto Olivei added a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0 win at second singles and freshman Rueman Bhattacharyya grabbed a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Franklin’s Saketh Saripalli and Vayshnav Malhotra (first doubles) and the team of Lucas Gulick and Shoumik Sompally (second doubles) both won 6-2, 6-2.

Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro grabbed two wins in singles action and one more in doubles play to beat the visiting Hornets. Junior Alex Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles while sophomore Sam Gallagher picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles for Big Red. Vikram Senthilakumaran and Tomas Bentley earned the third point for North with a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles. Mansfield senior Luke Nickerson won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles while the team of Dheeraj Vallaru and Sam Donellan won 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles.

Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton defended “home court” by winning two matches in singles play and one more in doubles to beat Taunton. Sophomore Waseem Sablon won 6-3, 6-0 at first singles, senior Erik Anderson picked up a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and the team of Hassan Khan and LJ Ferrandiz emerged with a 7-5, 2-6, 10-6 win at second doubles. Taunton’s Dylan Kullas won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles and Ryan Hebert and Trevor Hart teamed up for a 6-0, 6-4 win at first doubles.

Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro won two singles matches and swept doubles action to knock off visiting Milford. Freshman Ella Lynch-Bartek won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles and junior Jill See picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles. The team of junior Nicole Matheson and sophomore Lauren Anthony earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles while juniors Rena Danho and Jordan Bernardo picked up a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win at second doubles. Milford’s Juliana France won 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 at second singles.

Canton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Canton swept all three singles matches and added another win at second doubles to record a road win at Oliver Ames. Rachel Kupferman (first singles) and Natalie Keppler (second singles) both won 6-0, 6-0 while Sarah Hernandez earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. The Bulldogs’ second doubles team of Kiara Cerruti and Lily Hazam earned a 6-2, 6-2 win. OA’s first doubles team of Eva Belanger and Morgan Vasiliou won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles.

Foxboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Foxboro picked up a pair of wins in singles play and got a third point with a victory at second doubles to beat King Philip. Pam Nelson won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles, Julia Muise earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles, and the team of Maggie McAuliffe and Neha Jammula earned a 6-1, 7-5 decision at second singles for Foxboro. King Philip’s Katarina Schneider picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles while Grace Ely and Katie Welch secured a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – North Attleboro won both doubles matches in straight sets and picked up two more wins in singles action to knock off Mansfield. Sam Martino and Hayley Strom won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles, the team of Brototi Nandi and Liana Nichols earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles, Mae McLaughlin prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 10-5 at second singles, and Olivia Wills earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. Mansfield’s Lizzy Elsner emerged with a 6-4, 6-4 at first singles.

Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton won all five matches in straight sets, dropping a total of three games in a strong showing. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, McKenzie Lucie picked up a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Sam Martin and Brianna Fevrier didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Ogechi Ariguzo and Kayla Parrett won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Norwood, 0 – Final – King Philip continued to get stronger as the season goes on, this time earning a 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-9) sweep on the road at Norwood. Cam Corey paced the offense with 29 assists and added 15 service points and Max Armour had 11 service points, five digs, and two kills. Eric Altobello had a team-high 12 kills, Jimmy Peterson added seven kills, and Shea Duffy and Mike O’Brien each put down six kills.

Taunton, 3 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final – After dropping the first game, Taunton rallied to win three straight to record a 3-1 win (22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23). Gage Kingman had a strong game all around with seven kills, 12 digs, two aces, and going a perfect 14-for-14 on serve receive. Jason Khang was also strong on serve receive (23-of 24), setting the table for a strong attack. Chris LaCourse dished out 36 assists with Tyler Stewart (12 kills, five blocks), Fabio Goncalves (11 kills, three blocks), and Alex Tavares (10 kills, five blocks) pacing the Tiger offense.

Franklin Grinds Out Close Win Over Taunton

Franklin boys basketball
Franklin’s Will Harvey (33) defends a shot from Taunton’s Michael Quinn (2) in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
FRANKLIN, Mass. – After seeing a large first half lead disappear, the Franklin boys basketball team was on the verge of letting a second half lead evaporate as well.

Holding a five-point lead with 1:30 to, Franklin’s advantage quickly shrunk to just one after a putback from Taunton senior Michel Quinn and a strong take from Lou Vendrell with 39.8 to go.

The Panthers, after scoring 20 points in the first quarter, had been limited to just 30 over the next 23 minutes and were in need of a spark. After a timeout, Franklin got the ball into the hands of junior Chris Edgehill (13 points, five assists), and he took advantage of a Taunton miscommunication after a double screen to get enough separation for a three with 20 seconds left, helping secure a 50-45 win over Taunton.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It was absolutely a grind,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “Getting off to a great start helps a lot especially when you aren’t playing your best in the middle quarters. The second and third quarters we got really stagnant on offense. We stopped doing everything we did in the first quarter that was working. We weren’t running the floor as hard, we weren’t cutting or screening as hard, we weren’t reacting off screens really well. The motion got stymied, we weren’t moving the ball.”

Franklin was nearly flawless in the opening quarter, racing out to an 18-2 lead over the first six and a half minutes finishing with a 20-6 advantage after one. The Panthers shot 54% from the field and forced seven turnovers to build a big lead.

What looked like a potential blowout slowly turned into a dogfight as the Tigers scratched and clawed their way back in the game. Taunton’s defense stepped up to limit Franklin to just nine points in the second quarter while its offense found a grove, scoring 17.

Quinn (13 points) and John Martins (11 points, eight rebounds, five assists) each hit a three, preceded by a bucket by Vendrell. Two free throws from Dante Law (who missed the majority of the game with foul trouble and fouled out with 5:36 left on a questionable call) cut the deficit to four, 22-18, before Franklin answered with three straight points. Law, Edgehill, Vendrell, Jalen Samuels, and Naz Kenion all missed minutes on the second due to foul trouble.

Taunton’s bench was able to provide a spark with Tyler Stewart (six points, five rebounds), Josh Lopes, Fabio Goncalves, and Krishon Nairne (two rebounds, block) coming to to give the Tigers some valuable minutes. A late three-point play from Jack Rudolph extended Franklin’s lead to eight but Martins responded with a triple. Franklin led 29-23 at half.

“That first quarter was one of the best quarters we’ve had all season,” Neely said.”I think what happens is you get that lead early, you start feeling like you don’t have to work as hard. You start taking some bad shots and then they hit a couple and make a couple of hustle plays, and all of a sudden it’s a close game. Those guys play hard, they are a good team, they have a lot of pride. I give them a lot of credit, they battled back and took a lead on us after going down big. Taunton did a good job, I was impressed with their fight.”

Quinn sandwiched two buckets around one from Martin to knot the game early in the third, and a bucket in low from Stewart gave Taunton its first lead at 31-29.

“In the second and third quarters, we did a nice job defensively,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey. “But with our offense, we have to maximize our opportunities and I felt like we had too many quick shots tonight. We have to be more patient and run our stuff.”

That’s when the Panthers turned to Samuels (12 points, eight rebounds), a senior captain, to weather the Tigers’ push. Samuels answered with a nice take to tie the game, and then used a two-handed flush to put Franklin back ahead. Samuels made a heads up play on defense, intercepting a pass and going the length of the court for a bucket while being fouled. His free throw completed the three-point play and put Franklin up 36-35.

“That’s a classic Jalen game, when we need him most he shows up,” Neely said. “Those takes to the rim late were huge for us. Defensively, he just finds a way, I know his back is killing him but he had some nice rebounds. I thought he made all the big plays for us down the stretch for us besides Chris’ three.”

Taunton closed the third with a mini 4-0 run – a free throw from Kenion, a layup from Stewart, and a technical free throw from Martins – to make it 36-35 heading into the final frame.

Will Harvey (12 points, seven rebounds) scored early and then capitalized on a Taunton turnover by adding a free throw to put Franklin up 39-37. Thomas Gasbarro and Kenion traded buckets before Samuels extended Franklin’s lead to four with 3:38 to play.

Taunton had three looks but couldn’t convert but Quinn pickpocketed Edgehill at half court and went in for two to make it 43-41. Harvey hit a free throw after being fouled on an offensive rebound and Gasbarro drove to the basket for two after a Taunton turnover to make it 46-41 with 1:30 to go.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We just talked about what’s made us great over the years and that’s defense and that’s what we have to rely on now,” Neely said. “So down the stretch I went with more of a defensive lineup so we could get some stops. Putting Tom and [Jake] Macchi in there, they really grinded it out. Tom made some big plays for us, got some turnovers and gave us a huge lift defensively.

Quinn scored on a putback after a missed three Franklin got a stop and Vendrell drove to the basket for two with 39.8 left but Edgehill’s triple sealed the win.

Franklin boys basketball (4-2 Hockomock, 6-3 overall) is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to North Attleboro. Taunton (4-2, 7-3) will try to bounce back when it travels to Milford on the same day.