Foxboro players celebrate with Erin Foley after her goal put the Warriors up 2-1 on Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Inside the opening 10 minutes of Wednesday night’s game at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, Foxboro saw itself go behind. A bad bounce (or fortuitous if you were on the Canton side) left the Warriors down, but far from out. The league’s second-highest scorer, Foxboro was confident that it could find one goal in the next 70 minutes.
As it turned out, the Warriors got five. Behind a Kailee McCabe hat trick, Foxboro turned around the early deficit to run out 5-2 winners at Canton, once again moving into a first-place tie with Oliver Ames atop the Davenport division.
“After we got down by that one goal, I could just see that they knew they were going to come back and win this game,” said Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup. “I have that confidence in them and I think we’ve just come together so strongly as a team that they just have that faith in each other that they’re going to make it work.”
Foxboro nearly opened the scoring after seven minutes. Jordan Carman’s pass from the left wing picked out McCabe on the edge of the box. Elyse Broderick was able to get two hands to the shot and tip it over the bar. Just two minutes later, Canton found the opener. Sarah Dempster’s free kick from midfield took a huge bounce in the box, stranding Foxboro keeper Alexis Sougaris and ending up in the back of the net.
The Bulldogs were absorbing pressure but seemed buoyed by the early goal and were getting some success attacking down the wings. Fay Gallery won the ball in midfield and fed it to Emily McCabe, who in turn found Emma Cahill streaking down the right wing. The freshman’s cross just eluded Gallery at the back post. A few minutes later, it was McCabe on the right wing crossing but again Gallery couldn’t make contact on the far side.
Two goals in two minutes turned the game on its head and sophomore Erin Foley was the impetus behind both. First, she made a smart run in the box and was brought down by Broderick to earn a penalty that McCabe coolly put away. Just two minutes later, Foley pressured Dempster, forcing a turnover, and hit a curling, first-time shot over Broderick and under the bar from a tight angle.
“She’s just a grinder,” Stalcup said of Foley. “She just has so much competitive energy. I told her the other day that’s something I can’t coach. She just has so much emotion and passion and competitiveness that it fuels so much of her game.”
Canton continued to hold its own. Injuries have taken their toll for the Bulldogs, forcing Ava Gilmore to move out of defense into the midfield, but Allie McCabe was handling the Foxboro attacks and it remained a one-goal game for another 10 minutes.
Then Kailee McCabe made a goal out of nothing. The league’s leading scorer and reigning MVP, fired a shot from 35 yards out on the right side of the box and placed it into the far bottom corner to make it 3-1.
“Where we’re getting hurt most in the midfield,” said Senyonjo, who was missing two starters to injuries and had several other players banged up. “If we can put on this same performance with a few more healthy bodies then we might be able to get something out of the next few games and hopefully we can squeeze into the playoffs.”
With two minutes to go until halftime, Canton had a chance to get back within one. Gabriella Herivaux played a pass into Cahill charging down the right. The freshman cut back onto her left foot, but her shot from the edge of the box was parried at full stretch by Sougaris.
Momentum remained with the visitors coming out of the break. A cross from Brooke Barreira nearly found Foley for her second but the redirected shot went wide. Canton came close after a cross from deep by Kristina Keefe found Anne Hoban on the far side of the box. The senior’s glancing header went narrowly wide, possibly clipping the post on its way past the corner.
McCabe continued to be a thorn in the side of the Canton defense, finding little pockets of space on the edge of the area. Twice she forced great diving saves out of Broderick before finally completing her hat trick in the 63rd minute with a perfectly-placed shot from the edge of the box into the corner.
“She’s just this gift that was given to Foxboro and we’re just so thankful and grateful to have her,” Stalcup said. The pairing of McCabe with Carman up top has proved very fruitful for the Warriors. Stalcup explained, “That goal when Jordan passed it back to her and Kailee finished it, they just read each other so well and they’re just so quick on the ball. It’s just beautiful soccer.”
Like in the first half, Foxboro wasted no time adding another. A long ball from sweeper Lindsey Resnick found Carman behind the defense and she rounded Broderick before firing home from an acute angle.
Carman nearly added a second on a similar play a few minutes later, but this time her shot flashed through the box and out the other side. Just a minute before that shot, Cahill had gotten free on a rare foray into the attacking third and clipped the bar with a cross from the right.
McCabe forced another save out of Broderick in the 74th minute and the Canton keeper reacted quickly to clean up the rebound in front of Neve Taylor.
Canton would get a second goal in the closing minutes. Emily McCabe’s corner to the back post was met by Gallery, whose firm header from close range gave the keeper no chance.
“When you have a player that can make goals out of nothing, it’s just a killer,” said Senyonjo. “We had a game plan coming in, we stuck to it for the most part, and it worked. I still think the 5-2 scoreline doesn’t reflect how well we played but that’s the nature of the business we’re in. A couple mistakes here or there we could’ve avoided, we started well, but that’s a tough team.”
With the win, Foxboro (9-1-1) extended its unbeaten run to 10 games heading into Friday’s visit of state power Bishop Feehan. Canton (3-5-3) will get a few days off to heal before a visit from Attleboro on Tuesday.
Football
Milford, 28 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Evan Cornelius 31-yard pass to Damien Carter, Nick Araujo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Tyler Lane 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) E. Cornelis 27-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, N. Araujo XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Jack Veo 2-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
Canton, 8 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: (NA) Tyler Bannon 13-yard rush, Tyler DeMattio XP good; (NA) T. DeMattio 44-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) Chase Frisoli 20-yard pass to Joey Perriello, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) C. Frisoli 35-yard pass to Gavin Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) C. Frisoli 14-yard pass to Gavin Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
3rd Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 2-yard rush, Connor Rupert XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) Owen Lane 2-yard rush, Owen Lane 2pt rush.
Foxboro, 47 vs. Hopkinton, 12 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Dylan Gordon 57-yard rush, XP failed; (F) Tom Marcucella 22-yard pass to D. Gordon, T. Marcucella 2pt pass to Rashaad Way; (F) T. Marcucella 80-yard pass to D. Gordon, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D.Gordon 63-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) S. Carpenter 30-yard field goal; (H) Hopkinton 8-yard pass, XP failed; (F) T. Marcucella 74-yard pass to R. Way, XP failed; (F) S. Carpenter 24-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (F) Tyler Prescott 9-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (H) Hopkinton 9-yard pass, XP failed.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Mansfield, 10 @ Franklin, 28 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Jared Arone 54-yard pass to Shane Kindred, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) J. Arone 8-yard pass to Grayson Hunter, G. Portesi XP good; (M) Drew Sacco 1-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) J. Gilleran 30-yard field goal; (F) J. Arone 41-yard pass to Will Tracey, G. Portesi XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 34-yard pass to Jonathan Martins, G. Portesi XP good.
King Philip, 30 @ Taunton, 21 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Evan Perrotta 14-yard rush, Nathan Keenan XP good; (KP) William Astorino 1-yard rush, Matthew Kelley XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 31-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: (T) Jacob Leonard 56-yard pass to Jose Touron, N. Keenan XP good; (KP) Rudy Gately 1-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Charlie Grant 4-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) M. Kelley 41-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: (T) E. Perrotta 4-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 29-yard field goal.
Stoughton, 35 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (S) Jarred Daughtry 49-yard pass to Emmett Pearl, Jonah Ly XP good.
3rd Quarter: (S) J. Ly 1-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.
4th Quarter: (S) Anthony Girolamo 16-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (OA) Sean Friel 51-yard pass to Jack Morley, XP good; (S) A. Girolamo 45-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 11-yard pass to Michael Jardim, J. Ly XP good.
Sharon, 14 @ Fairhaven, 42 – Final
Girls Soccer
Canton, 5 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Canton pulled away late to grab a road win. Gabriella Herivaux led the way for the Bulldogs with a brace. Sofia Goclowski scored for Sharon on an assist by Olivia Soby. Amanda Hu also found the back of the net for the Eagles, assisted by Wendy Wooden.
Stoughton, 0 @ Norwood, 3 – Final – Shayla Ford played well in the loss for Stoughton, but couldn’t finish her chances. Mia Rivera also had a decent game in goal for the Black Knights and Sofia Issa continues to impress in the midfield.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Attleboro scored a pair of second half goals to level the match but King Philip sophomore Kelly Holmes scored on a beautiful aerial shot with just over two minutes to play to give the Warriors the win. Sophomore Mara Boldy opened the scoring in the first quarter on an assist from Sydney O’Shea and then Holmes scored to make it 2-0. Emma Briggs cut the deficit in half with a third quarter goal and Sarah McMahon tied it with under six to play before Holmes deposited her shot over everyone and into the far corner off of a penalty corner. Senior defenders Haley Izydorczak and Molly Piller both played outstanding in the win.
Canton, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – After trading goals in the first half, Oliver Ames’ Erin Cottam scored twice in the second half to give the Tigers a key division win over Foxboro. Junior Tyla Delamere opened the scoring with her first career goal midway through the first quarter but Jenny Gallagher responded with just over a minute left in the period to make it 1-1. Georgia Costello put the hosts ahead just over a minute into the second but Gallagher answered again just over a minute later to send the teams into the halftime break knotted at 2-2. Cottam got her first goal of the game late in the third off a feed from Lily Gaskill. Cottam tacked on a second one with 9:48 to play to secure the win. Both Gaskill and Ava Costello played well in the midfield while Olivia Stevens had a strong game on defense for the Tigers.
Franklin, 8 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin scored twice in each the first and second quarters and put it out of reach with three more in the third in a win on the road at Milford. Kaitlyn Carney scored four goals and had one assist to pace the offense, getting assists from Sophia Cuneo, Ella Aldred, and Ella Mahoney while Kendall Jones scored twice in the win (one assisted by Haley Wernig). Sydney Rogan tacked on a pair of second quarter goals for the Panthers.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton built a two-goal lead in the second half but Mansfield struck for a pair of second half goals, including the gaming one with less than a minute to go to grab a point on the road. Jillian Edmond (from Kaysie DeMoura) broke the deadlock with a goal with just over four minutes to play in the third. DeMoura recorded her second assist by finding Caelen O’Leary early in the fourth quarter. Mansfield scored with 20 seconds left to tie the game. Em Gannon had a big game in net with 16 saves while Jasmine Lucier and Kylie Thorpe both played well.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s offense was hitting on all cylinders as the Warriors rolled to a 3-0 sweep (25-7, 25-17, 25-9) win at home over the visiting Bombardiers of Attleboro. Middles Sami Shore (11 kills, three blocks) and Emily Sawyer (10 kills) both had strong showings while Ahunna James (seven kills, five digs) played a strong all-around game. Samantha Asprelli added 12 digs and Stella Bailey recorded 18 service points and 26 assists.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business on Friday evening, knocking off division foe Foxboro in straight sets (25-7, 25-13, 25-18). Junior Courtney Raymond played well in the win with eight kills and two blocks, senior Shannon Willard added 14 assists, senior Hadley Rhodes dished out 12 assists and added four kills, and sophomore Sarah Hilliard recorded 10 kills and five aces.
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Canton bounced back from a one-set deficit to take three straight on the road for a 3-1 victory (18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-15). Sydney Gallery had one of the best performances of her career with 13 kills, seven digs, and three aces to lead the way. Anna Verille anchored the defense for the visitors with 25 digs and added an ace and a kill while Talya DeGraw turned in a strong all-around performance with nine kills, 14 digs, and an ace.
Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford fought hard to avoid the sweep with a win in the third set but Franklin proved to be too much as the Panthers secured a 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 20-25, 25-16) win over the Hawks. Junior Meghan Linkkila anchored the defense with 15 digs and had a strong showing at the service line with seven aces while sophomore Taylor Lacerda was nearly unstoppable at the net with 19 kills to go along with 11 digs and a pair of aces.
Mansfield, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – After dropping the first set, Mansfield rallied to take three straight, including a vital third set, to knock off Taunton, 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-12). Christina Lydon dished out 17 assists in the win with Nicole Santos (six kills), Elyssa Buchanan (six kills), and Julia Kelly (five kills) pacing the offense.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Golf
North Attleboro, 201 @ Attleboro, 197 – Final (5 cards) – Attleboro grabbed its sixth win of the season and got back to .500 with its second close win over rival North Attleboro this year. Carter Shelton and Leo Lombardo led the way after both shooting a 37, Brendan Raymond added a 39, and Dane Holske, Parker Sackett, and Jackson Sweeney all came in at 42 for the Bombardiers. Tyson Laviano led the visitors with a medalist round of 36 while Jake Gaskin added a 38.
Mansfield, 161 @ Sharon, 170 – Final – Mansfield finished the week a perfect 4-0, capping it off with a win over Sharon at the Norton Country Club. After a solid showing in his varsity debut, junior Drew Urban had a hole-in-one on the seventh hole to highlight the win. Cian Goulet had a team-low round of 39, Brendan Vokey and Hunter Tang each shot a 40, and Ryan Doherty and Urban both came in with a 42.
Foxboro, 51 vs. Plymouth South, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Tom Marcucella 18-yard pass to Tommy Sharkey, Sam Carpenter XP good; (F) Safety; (F) Dylan Gordon 14-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 16-yard pass to Rashaad Way, S. Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 12-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (PS) Casious Johnson 76-yard rush, Ian Wernik XP good; (F) D. Gordon 5-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) T. Marcucella 19-yard pass to R. Way, S. Carpenter XP good; (PS) C. Johnson 80-yard rush, I. Wernik XP good; (F) D. Gordon 59-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Franklin, 27 @ Duxbury, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (D) Matt Festa 22-yard pass to Brady Madigan, Dennen Sullivan XP good; (D) M. Festa 26-yard pass to Chris Walsh, D. Sullivan XP good; (F) Jared Arone 15-yard pass to Shane Kindred, XP blocked; (F) J. Arone 35-yard pass to Will Tracey, Garrett Portesi XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 30-yard pass to Will Deschenes, J. Arone conversion pass to S. Kindred; (F) Mack Gulla 46-yard rush, XP blocked.
Stoughton, 14 @ Mansfield, 42 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (S) Jonah Ly 14-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Jarred Daughtry 50-yard pass to J. Ly, J Ly XP good; (M) Rocco Scarpellini 2-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good; (M) Conner Zukowski 7-yard pass to Brian Butler, J. Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) C. Zukowski 46-yard pass to CJ Bell, J. Gilleran XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 24-yard pass to Trevor Foley, J. Gilleran XP good; (M) R. Scarpellini 50-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Connor Curtis 11-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
Oliver Ames, 34 vs. Bedford, 27 – Final
Taunton, 28 @ Middleboro, 8 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (T) Evan Perrotta 8-yard rush, Nathan Keenan XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) Jacob Leonard 6-yard pass to Jose Touron, N. Keenan XP good; (T) J. Leonard 32-yard pass to Isaiah Williams, N. Keenan XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Jacob Briggs 5-yard pass to John Chor, J. Briggs conversion pass to Isaiah Furtado; (T) E. Perrotta 34-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – It was a battle between the boxes for the Bulldogs and the Rocketeers, settling for a scoreless draw and a point apiece. North threatened with a pair of dangerous crosses from Kaden Burns in the second half but couldn’t find the other end of the service. Canton had a pair of dangerous second half corners but couldn’t convert. North head coach Geoff Burgess praised the defensive effort of Brody Rosenberg and Jaad Ismail.
Foxboro, 5 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Foxboro built a 2-1 lead by halftime and then pumped in three more in the second half to take two points on the road at Gavin Pond against Sharon. Seniors Matt Angelini and Jacob Tessier each scored a pair of goals to pace the attack for the visitors while sophomore defender Ian Foley tacked on another goal in the win.
Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Jack Lasbury-Casey denied the visiting Panthers on a pair of good goal scoring chances late to preserve a draw and a point for the hosts. The Hornets have yet to concede on the season with Lasbury-Casey notching his sixth straight shutout to start the season.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Freshman Casey Milliken scored his first career hat trick and the Tigers rolled on the road for their fourth victory of the season. Milliken opened the scoring off an assist from sophomore Carney, added his second to make it 4-0 on a pass from Clide Neau, and completed the hat trick on a feed from Hector Bucio for a 6-0 lead. Bucio, Neau, Ralph Vache, and senior Sam Schoenfeld all scored for the Tigers while Michael Haikal, Mathias Taylor and John Dobbin all had assists. Sasha Priajinski recored his second shutout of the season.
Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Jamie Davies had a brace and an assist, powering Attleboro to its fourth win of the season. Davies set up Bethany Alves for the opening goal of the game after 14 minutes and then doubled the lead, taking a pass from Ayla Santoro, to make it 2-0 midway through the half. Davies added her second and the team’s third shortly after the break, assisted by Avery Vieira. Emily Khang sealed the win with a goal from an Angelic Duran assist.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton extended its unbeaten run to four games, securing a point against North Attleboro on senior night. North Attleboro took the lead on a 40-yard blast on a free kick from Haley Sinacola and then salvaged a point with a goal with less than 10 minutes to go. Brayden Rice connected on a volley from just outside the box in the 72nd minute to bring the visitors level. Gabriella Herivaux had a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs, while Emily McCabe added the second. Freshman Paige Sullivan continued her impressive rookie campaign and classmate Emma Cahill had a nice pass leading to McCabe’s goal. North Attleboro head coach Bill Wallace praised the play of Casey Butanowicz, Charlotte Moynihan, Summer Doherty, and Brook Sullivan in front of Maddie Ferrin.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Kailee McCabe continued to be practically unstoppable, scoring both goals to extend Foxboro’s win streak to six games. McCabe scored in the first half off an assist by Grace Riley. In a hard-fought second half, the Warriors were finally able to double the lead when Lauren Miley played a perfect through ball that split the Sharon defenders. McCabe ran onto it and calmly slid the ball past Sharon’s freshman keeper Autumn Simon, who had an impressive game for the Eagles. Amber Marcus-Blank and Jordanna Morris also played well in the Sharon defense, trying to keep track of attackers McCabe and Jordan Carman. Sofia Goclowski had another solid game in the Sharon midfield, battling with Foxboro midfielder Erin Foley, but an injury to forward Wendy Wooden limited the chances that the Eagles were able to create.
Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Abby Jean scored midway through the first half off an assist from Katie Miller to give Mansfield its fourth straight win against Franklin. The Hornets also beat the Panthers three times last fall, and all four games finished 1-0. Mansfield’s back line of Kara Santos, Gabby Smith, Kayla Doherty, and Anna Darlington played great to limit the Panthers, forcing goalie Olivia Salisbury to make only one save to get the clean sheet. Franklin struggled to get into its typical attacking system, but Norah Anderson and Jackie O’Neil both played well in defense and midfielders Stella Regan, Chloe Barca, and Bridget Leo played well in the second half to try and get back into the match.
King Philip @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – Camryn O’Connor proved too hard to stop, as her four goals powered the Tigers to a comfortable win. OA scored all nine goals before halftime. Lucinda Li Cotter, Katie Gibson, Mary Cross, Emma Gavin, and Taylor deVos also found the back of the net, as the Tigers put together and impressive opening 40 minutes to remain in first place in the Davenport. Sofia Issa made her first start for the Black Knights and played well alongside classmate Sivannah Marcy. Mia Rivera played well in the Stoughton goal, despite the score, and freshman Lauren Mitchell had another solid performance.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Westwood, 4 – Final – Junior Haley Bright turned away eight shots but the Warriors fell for the first time this season, playing in their sixth game in the past two weeks. Seniors Christina Gifun and Margo Reilly played well in the midfield for KP.
Volleyball
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned another sweep, this time knocking off North Attleboro in a non-league clash, 3-0 (25-13, 25-3, 25-18). Junior middle Sami Shore had a strong all-around showing (six kills), but really shined at the service line with 21 service points and five aces. Emily Sawyer put down 8 kills and Ahunna James added seven kills in the win. Sofia Riedel had 13 service points, including two aces, and Stella Bailey recorded four aces.
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 0 – Final
Golf
King Philip, 150 @ Attleboro, 152 – Final – King Philip’s depth was on display as all four of the Warriors’ scorers came in under 40 to squeak out a victory over an upset-minded Attleboro squad. Pat Reardon had birdies on both 10 and 12, finishing with a team-low round of 36. Mike Matheson, Jared Curran, and Tim Hartwell all shot 38 to round out the scoring. Attleboro’s Brendan Raymond continued his stellar play with four birdies — on 10, 13, 14, and 17 — to finish with a match medalist round of 34. Dane Holske and Leo Lombardo each shot 39 and Carter Shelton came in with a 40.
Foxboro, 173 @ Franklin, 165 – Final – Sophomore Tyler O’Brien shared match medalist honors, shooting a team-low round of 39 to pace the Panthers to a win over Foxboro. Sophomore CJ Steel added a 41 in the win, freshman Ben Paterson came in with a 42, and sophomore Brendan Collins shot a 43 in the win. Foxboro’s Jack Rounds was the other co-medalist with a round of 39.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Milford scored 10 minutes into the second half and that was enough to earn two points on the road against Attleboro. Arthur Tome netted the long goal of the game, finishing off a pass from David Desa to put the Hawks ahead. Lucas Fernandes earned his first career shutout in net in his first start, forced into action due to injury.
Canton, 8 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton junior Jake McCabe scored twice and had two assists as the Bulldogs snapped a short two-game skid in emphatic fashion. Jacob Crugnale added a pair of goals and an assist in the win while Charlie McKinney, Caden Mirliani, Zack Dowling, and Drew Garrett each scored once.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro scored just minutes into the first half and Derek Axon notched the shutout in net for the Warriors. A blocked shot fell to the feet of sophomore John Hollis, who took a touch and ripped a blast on the bounce from 25-yards out that went just under the bar to put the Warriors on the board.
Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton junior Riley Rebello set up the game-winning goal in the first half and scored the insurance tally in the second as the Tigers improved to 4-0 on the season, matching their best start since joining the Hockomock League. Rebello set up freshman Ian Robicheau to put the Tigers ahead in the 33rd minute. Rebello put the game away with a nice shot from outside the area in the 63rd minute.
Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Mansfield defender Ian Leeds made the play of the game, coming up with a clearance to preserve the win for the Hornets. The Warriors nearly got on the board but Leeds was there to keep it out and help the Hornets get their fourth shutout of the season. Liam Anastasia took a pass from Danny Rowe and went in alone on goal and finished for the lone goal of the game.
Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – After being shutout by Franklin last week in their first loss of the season, Oliver Ames bounced back in big way with a 6-1 win over visiting Sharon. The Eagles cut the deficit in half early in the second half to make it 2-1 but Clide Neau scored three straight for a hat trick as the Tigers pulled away. Mathias Taylor and Michael Haikal scored goals in the first half as OA staked a 2-0 lead at the break. Senior John Dobbin tacked on a sixth goal for OA off an assist from Christian Haikal.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Kacey Parker scored a pair of goals to help Attleboro pick up a second straight win in what head coach Steve Santos called a “solid team performance.” Jamie Davies opened the scoring in the first half, finishing an assist from Bethany Alves. Parker got her first of the day, from an Emily Dunlea assist, to make it 2-0 heading into halftime. The Bombardiers added three goals after the break to pull away. Zoe Johnson-Kiff scored off an Allison Rebelo assist, Parker doubled her tally this time from an Emily Khang helper, and then Kahlan Gray wrapped up the scoring from an Aly Santoro assist.
Foxboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – The Warriors made it four straight wins with a win at North. Brooke Berreira had the eventual game-winner with three minutes left in the first half, scoring off a pass from Erin Foley. Grace Riley added a second in the closing minute, finishing a Kailee McCabe corner to seal the win. Summer Doherty had a strong game in the North defense trying to mark McCabe and keep the league’s leading scorer quiet. Haley Sinacola also had a good game in a reworked North defense. Brayden Rice, Lily Adams, Brooke Sullivan, and Casey Butanowicz played well in the North midfield.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – After being held scoreless in the first half, Franklin exploded for seven goals after the break. Anya Zub scored four times, including one from the penalty spot, Stella Regan added a brace, and Selene Hammad scored once for the Panthers, who remain just one point back of KP in the division standings. Izzy Arnold, Lily Deforge, Anna Grasso, Avery Greco, and Tori Carmignani each had an assist for the Panthers.
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Canton couldn’t find a breakthrough in the first half, heading into the break scoreless, but the Bulldogs scored seven times in the final 40 minutes, including a hat trick for Gabriella Herivaux, to pick up their first win of the season. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima was thrilled with his young team’s fight in the first half on both ends of the field. Lauren Mitchell and Emma Tran had string games in the heart of the Stoughton defense and Mia Rivera was excellent in goal. Sofia Issa played well in midfield, with Shayla Ford creating a few scoring chances along with Sivannah Marcy.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – OA scored twice in the final five minutes to finally break the game open and secure the two points. Senior Lauren Sellmayer headed in a pair of corner kicks from Katie Gibson while Camryn O’Connor found the back of the net once. Halle Kander and Allison Evin had strong games for OA while Emily Meyers notched her first shutout of the season. Autumn Simon had a big game in the Sharon goal to keep the Tigers at bay for most of the afternoon. Amber Marcus-Blank, Jordanna Morris, and Samantha Connors also played well for the Eagles.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – Sarah McMahon scored the lone goal for the Bombardiers in a loss against visiting Bishop Feehan. Livie Hillman and Jordan Croteau had the assists to set up the goal.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Canton’s Taylor Reynolds set the offense in motion as the Bulldogs landed a knockout of the visiting Boxers with a 3-0 sweep. Reynolds had 25 assists to go along with a pair of aces, Liz Beal added four kills in her first start, Amaiah Christian also added four kills, and both Katie Dever and Ella Lewis provided a spark off the bench.
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Reese Blass had a strong all-around game to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-18, 25-13) over visiting Bridgewater-Raynham. Blass had a total of 15 service points to go alone with five kills and a pair or blocks in the win. Hadley Rhodes added 15 assists and seven kills, Shannon Willard added 10 assists, and sophomore Claire O’Rourke chipped in with seven kills.
Golf
Sharon, 162 @ North Attleboro, 149 – Final – Jake Gaskin fired a two-under par round and North Attleboro carded its lowest score of the season to knock off visiting Sharon. Gaskin, who birdied three, four, and five, came into the clubhouse with a round of 33 on the south course at Heather Hill. Dylan Harding added a round of 37, Tyson Laviano finished with a 38, and Rohan Kohli chipped in with a 41. Sharon’s Nathan Daley was the match medalist with an three-under round of 32, after sinking birdies on two, three, and four.
Mansfield, 160 @ King Philip,160 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex division, King Philip emerged with a close win over Mansfield. King Philip’s Mike Matheson shared medalist honors with Mansfield’s Cian Goulet, each coming in with a round of 36. Pat Reardon shot a 39 for the Warriors while both Jared Curran and Ethan Sullivan shot a 40. Hunter Tang added a 39 for the Hornets.
Franklin, 164 @ Milford, 173 – Final – CJ Steel continued his strong start to the season, earning match medalist honors with a low-round of 38 to lead the Panthers on the road at Hopedale Country Club. Ben Paterson added a round of 41 for Franklin. Anthony LaPierre carded a 40 for the hosts while Jacob Hipolito added a 42 for the Hawks.
Stoughton, 182 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Senior Carter Allbritton shot a match medalist round of 35 to lead Oliver Ames to a win at Pine Oaks over visiting Stoughton. Sophomore David Rodgers carded a 38 in the win, senior Jake Kaplan added a 39, and senior Brendan Connelly chipped in with. 40 for OA.
Junior Han Hong (3) celebrates after scoring the opening goal in a 2-2 draw between Canton and Milford. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Canton and Milford both went into Saturday morning’s divisional crossover match at WWII Veterans Memorial Field with two losses from their opening two games. Both wanted to record their first victory to build momentum for the long season ahead.
After sharing four goals in the final 15 minutes, including two in the final five, they had to settle for a first point. Serena Borges put Milford in front with three minutes to play but almost immediately from the kick off Canton leveled thanks to Anne Hoban and the game finished in a 2-2 draw.
“A tie is better than a loss,” said Canton coach Idris Senyonjo. “I think it’s going to have the next couple of games at home and I think we can build around that. I think this point can help us build a little momentum.”
It was a match filled with chances on both ends. The hosts had the first opportunity when Allie McCabe had a shot from distance that forced a save out of Milford keeper Yvonette Lima. After 15 minutes, the Hawks should have had the lead when Kaylee Whitney pounced on a short clearance by Canton goalie Marissa Staffiere and crossed to freshman Paige Caldon, but her header went wide of the open net.
Canton was attacking down the wings, trying to get in behind Milford’s young outside backs. Hoban, who has moved from defense to forward this season, hit a low cross from the left that Lima did well to cut out at the feet of Gabriella Herivaux. A couple minutes later, Emma Cahill got forward on the right and crossed for Hoban, but Lima was able to get behind the close-range shot.
“She never saw a day of varsity soccer before this year,” Milford coach Lou Colabello said of Lima. “She had 14 saves the first game, 16 saves the second game, and today she kept us in the game. She’s an athlete.”
After Milford went close from a Borges corner that bounced in the six-yard box, Emily McCabe forced Lima into a good save on a long free kick and then McCabe set up Hoban with a cross to the back post only for the header to go wide. Dani Atherton beat her marker on the right and crossed to Caldon, but the freshman couldn’t get enough on it to put the shot on net. Atherton again showed her skill to beat one defender on the right and tee up Brooke Ferreira for a shot from 20 yards out that landed on the roof of the net.
“We had more possession, more in their half, and just didn’t utilize it enough,” Senyonjo explained. “I think that’s going to be our biggest issue is that we don’t have many goal scorers this season. We’re going to have to find ways to use the chances we get. We let other teams get back into the game. If we finish some of those chances, maybe it could have gone differently.”
The first half was end-to-end and the chances kept coming in bunches for both sides after the break.
Just four minutes into the second half, Brianna Guerreiro was able to open space for a cross on the right and she picked out Caldon at the back stick. The ball was redirected back across goal and was going to sneak inside the post before Allie McCabe was able to clear off the line.
Two minutes later, Emily McCabe nearly broke the deadlock with another free kick, slamming one off the bar. Hoban then got free on the left side of the box and forced Lima into a good save. In the 52nd minute, Hoban again got loose in the left channel, running onto a through ball and forcing Lima into a sliding block.
The opening goal finally came in the 65th minute. Hoban found space on the left and crossed it to Herivaux in the middle of the box. The senior striker didn’t make clean contact but knocked it on target. Lima was able to make a full stretch save, but could only palm it into the path of Han Hong and she smashed in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Momentum was short-lived. Milford had a corner two minutes later and Borges was able to pick out Amy Oliveira. Her header deflected off a Canton defender on its way to goal, wrong-footing keeper Elyse Broderick and finding the back of the net.
Atherton nearly put the Hawks in front with five minutes to go. She got loose on the right and slid a shot past Broderick but not past Allie McCabe, who had her second goal line clearance of the game. Two minutes later, the Hawks pulled in front. Atherton created the opening, this time on the left side, and played the ball into Borges on the edge of the box. Borges took a nifty touch to get the ball onto her right foot and then curled a shot into the far corner.
It felt like the game-winner, but Canton created an almost immediate equalizer. As with so much of the Bulldogs attack, Hoban got in behind the Milford defense and the senior opened up her body and calmly side-footed her shot to Lima’s left.
Colabello said, “It goes back to knowing how to win in this league. When you get that lead, especially on the road, the confidence has got to be that we’re going to win. You can’t hope to win or try not to lose. You make a mental mistake and people are going to make you pay for it.”
Even though there was less than two minutes remaining, there was somehow still time for Emily McCabe to force Lima into yet another save and for Atherton to bend a shot that went narrowly wide of the bottom corner.
“One of the things to be really proud of is that we didn’t give up,” Senyonjo “That’s one of the things that we did in the first couple games. We gave up a couple goals and it went down and out whereas today I think there was belief that we could get a goal. Responding like that should get them pumped up for the next game.”
“Is it a good tie?” Colabello asked. “Surely after the two losses, and we haven’t beaten them in two years. Today was the best effort [of the season] for sure.”
Canton (0-2-1) will be back at home on Monday when it hosts Stoughton. Milford (0-2-1) will also be home on Monday for a visit from Attleboro.
The Hockomock League kicked off its girls soccer season and we have the team-by-team rundown of how everyone stacks up this year. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2020 Record: 5-5-5 Coach: Steve Santos
Attleboro has been on the brink of tournament qualification for the past several seasons, but narrowly missed out. Last fall’s team had the potential to end head coach Steve Santos’ wait to get back into the playoffs only for the pandemic to force an abbreviated season. After graduating the team’s leading scorers and playmakers (Bella Salviati, Jessica Gates, and Briley Harnois), the Bombardiers will count on new faces stepping in and giving them a chance to taste the postseason.
The Bombardiers will be hoping to build on a strong defense. Senior Olivia Calderone and junior Ella Stromfors will be the anchors in the heart of the back line and their leadership will be critical. Attleboro will miss senior Olivia Cook, who had a strong preseason at outside back but suffered an injury that will keep her out for the season. Junior goalie Alexis Campbell also has an injury at the start of the season but will hopefully be back soon to take over in net.
In midfield, Attleboro has several returning players who will be looking at slightly different roles this year. Junior Emily Dunlea is a dynamic and versatile midfielder and could be the team’s playmaker this season. She will get help from senior Emily Khang, who missed the 2020 season. Another skillful midfielder, Khang will give Attleboro an attacking boost. Sophomore Bethany Alves can play as a holding or attacking midfielder, depending on the situation. Up top, junior Kacey Parker and sophomore Jamie Davies will be counted on to make up some of the goals that were lost to graduations.
“We graduated a solid core of players who brought a lot to the team, so we’re trying to figure out who’s going to embrace those roles,” said Santos. “We have some good talented players who can keep the ball on the ground and play some solid soccer. We have some more to grow on and learning how to play aggressive, Hockomock soccer.”
2020 Record: 8-3-1 Coach: Idris Senyonjo
Last season, Canton edged Foxboro by a single point to win its first league title since 2012. The Bulldogs graduated a strong class of seniors, particularly in the midfield and the attack, but there is plenty of returning talent on both ends of the pitch and second-year coach Idris Seyonjo to feel confident of another title challenge this fall.
The attack will look very different this season after graduating prolific forward Olivia Rodman and Elisa Diletizia (17 goals combined in 2020), but senior Gabriella Herivaux returns after scoring five times last year and could be poised for a breakout season as the primary target up top. Seniors Fay Gallery and Anne Hoban (who played at outside back last season) will also join in the attack and freshman Emma Cahill is a newcomer that could provide creativity in the final third. Sophomore Emily McCabe will step into the attacking midfield role and try to provide the killer pass from the center of the pitch.
Defense should be a strength for the Bulldogs this season with a mix of veterans and several incoming freshmen who could step in right away and contribute. Senior Allie McCabe continues to be the lynchpin of the Canton defense, commanding the heart of the back line with her strong play and leadership. There is plenty of experience in goal as well with senior Elyse Broderick back and healthy and junior Marissa Staffiere ready to step in, after being the starter all of 2020.
Seyonjo said, “Most important thing about this season is that I believe all teams are looking forward to what will hopefully be a normal season. I am excited. I look forward to my first full season as head coach. Every game will be different and we hope to be able to match or even better our performances from last season.”
2020 Record: 7-2-2 Coach: Katie Stalcup
Foxboro was just a single point short of a three-peat last season, dropping to second in the Davenport behind Canton, and the Warriors will have a lot of new faces this fall as they try to get back on top in the division. The Warriors graduated 10 seniors, but still have a lot of varsity experience, especially in the midfield, that will make them a tough challenge for their title rivals.
Senior Kailee McCabe, the reigning league MVP, is back in the middle for the Warriors this season. The four-year starter tied for the team (and league) lead with 11 goals in 2020 but she may have to take on a bigger scoring role this fall with Jordyn Collins now at Bryant. She should have a lot of help in the middle of the pitch. Senior Brooke Barreira, junior Lauren Milley, and sophomore Erin Foley all played significant minutes last year and capable of the quick combination passing that has been a hallmark of Foxboro’s play. Senior Jordan Carman will bring her versatility to the forward line this season, after playing pretty much every position (including goalie) last year.
Defensively, senior Meghan Burke will be the leader in the back line. An aggressive, solid defender, Burke has regularly been tasked with marking the opponent’s best attacker. Sophomore Lindsey Resnick had a strong rookie season and will add some game experience to the defense. Senior Maddie Maher and sophomore Alexis Sougaris will be the goalies tasked with replacing Morgan Sylvestre between the posts.
Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said, “We had some major losses with our 10 graduating seniors last year, but I am very excited about this team and what I have seen from them so far and I am looking forward to seeing what they can do against the tough competition in this league.”
2020 Record: 6-4-2 Interim Coach: Jodi Klein
Long-time head coach Tom Geysen is dealing with a medical issue, so former JV coach Jodi Klein will take over this season and is emphasizing pressure high up the pitch and keeping possession in attack. Franklin returned to the top of the Kelley-Rex last season and Klein has an experienced squad to work with this fall, as they look to go back-to-back in what should be a wide-open title race.
The Panthers have built a lot of their recent success on a strong defense. This season should be no different. Junior Norah Anderson has been a mainstay in the heart of the back line for the past two seasons and she’ll be joined by junior Reilly Lorenzo and sophomore Maddie Horton. Senior Izzy Arnold and junior Katie Ewald give the Panthers speedy outside backs to provide width in attack and cover in the defensive third. Sophomore Rachel Welch will get the nod in goal after splitting time as a freshman and her reading of the game will help direct the defensive unit.
Franklin’s midfield has the potential to control games. Seniors Stella Regan and Chloe Barca and junior Bridget Leo bring plenty of experience to the middle of the pitch. Each are quick and solid in possession. Juniors Avery Greco and Chloe Stavely and sophomore Selene Hammad will step into the midfield to add depth. The Panthers will be looking to use the speed of the forward line to create chances. Senior Riley Fitzpatrick is the most experienced player up top and sophomore Anya Zub had three goals and four assists as a freshman. Freshman Kelly O’Connor is a new player to watch out for in the forward line.
“This is an exciting season for all of us,” said Klein. “I am a new coach to all of our returning varsity players and any of these girls who have played for me in the past have never played at the varsity level before. We are working through a brand-new system and style of play and we’re all very eager to see what we can accomplish together this season.”
2020 Record: 7-5-2 Coach: Gary Pichel
After graduating a large, talented group of seniors, including the top two scorers in program history, last year was bound to be transitional for King Philip, but it was also an opportunity for several players to step up into bigger roles. As it turned out, the Warriors had plenty of talent still on the squad and stayed in the hunt for a league title right to the final week.
The Warriors will be hoping last year’s game experience will pay off with a title challenge this season. The midfield should be a strength for KP. Junior Ella Pisani had a breakout 2020 season, showing off her skills as both a forward and midfielder and leading the team in scoring. She will be at the center of the KP attack again this year. Senior Paulina Baczkowski will give the Warriors width on the outside and delivers accurate crosses. Senior Morgan Norrman is an accurate passer who can push the Warriors into quick counterattacks.
Senior Brooke Mullins has improved every year in the KP defense, and she adds aggression and a willingness to get the ball forward quickly. After an impressive rookie year, junior Grace Lawler missed all of 2020 with an injury, but she is back and gives KP an instant upgrade in the back line with her ability to mark the opposing team’s best attacker. Freshmen Dani Lamuscio (midfield), Mikayla Thompson (defense), and Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn (defense) should make an instant impact and add extra energy for the Warriors this season.
“I see this team keeping up with our KP tradition of good old-fashioned hard work and dedication to the cause,” said KP coach Gary Pichel. “Our team will be competitive in every game as we go through the gauntlet of the Hockomock League.”
2020 Record: 6-4-3 Coach: Kevin Smith
Mansfield entered the abbreviated 2020 season with a relatively inexperienced group, and it showed during the early parts of the fall, but the Hornets put things together quickly and finished only a point back of Franklin for the division title. With nine starters returning, including most of the defensive corps, the Hornets should be in the mix for the title again this year.
Although the Hornets will definitely miss the on-field leadership and versatility of senior Maria Sevastos, who was injured in the spring, Mansfield has plenty of experience in the back line. Senior Anna Darlington will be the leader in the defense alongside sophomore Kara Santos, who is coming off an impressive rookie season at centerback. Junior goalkeeper Olivia Salisbury brings two years of experience in net and classmate Caitlin Zajac is a capable backup.
Senior Katie Miller will control the middle of the field. A four-year starter, Miller provides an extra layer of protection for the back line and can get the Hornets into the attack as well. Up front, senior forward Tarynn Smith is a willing runner, who can give opposing defenses a physical challenge. Sophomore Carly Devine is a creative playmaker that will give the Hornets an offensive spark.
“We are still very young with only four returning seniors,” Mansfield coach Kevin Smith explained, “but it’s a good core of players who have multiple years of varsity experience already.”
2020 Record: 3-6-3 Coach: Lou Colabello
Milford closed the 2020 season on a strong run, going 2-1-1 over its final four games that included two hard-fought games with Mansfield. Only three seniors are returning from last year’s roster, so the Hawks will be young this fall, but not necessarily inexperienced since many of the underclassmen stepped into the lineup last year.
The key to the Milford attack is junior Dani Atherton. She was the team’s leading scorer with eight goals last season (more than half of the team’s total) and most of the offense will flow through her feet. The Hawks will hope for more creativity and goals from the rest of the team, including juniors Brooke Ferreira and Amy Oliveira, a pair of players who can start up top or in the midfield. Junior Brianna Guerreiro is also back in the center of the pitch.
At the back, seniors Aubrey Korpi and Aislinn Bennett will provide much-needed leadership for this young crew and senior Jill Araujo can jump into the back line or help supply cover from the midfield. Junior Catarina Mestre is another returning defender from last season’s squad.
2020 Record: 5-5-3 Coach: Bill Wallace
North Attleboro battled to a .500 record in 2020 and did it thanks to a strong defensive foundation. The Rocketeers allowed only 11 goals in 13 games last year and had five clean sheets. After graduating 15 players from that squad, and losing a starter to an injury, North coach Bill Wallace is enthusiastic about the potential for this year’s team to make a playoff push.
The Rocketeers return both of last year’s leading scorers. Senior Steph McKenna and junior Emma Pratt each scored five times last season and they will be counted on to improve those numbers with a full season (and without the restrictions that were in place in 2020). Behind the strikers, North’s midfield got a lot of experience last year. Senior Brayden Rice and junior Caroline Ferrin will be in the middle, while senior Autumn Hewitt and juniors Brooke Sullivan and Lily Adams provide the width.
Defense was a strength last year and it should be again in 2021. Senior Summer Doherty returns after missing a lot of last season with an injury. Her leadership and athleticism will be important in the middle of the back line. Seniors Meaghan Dowd and Charlotte Moynihan and junior Haley Sinacola make up the rest of the starting back four with junior Maddie Ferrin in goal.
“Right now, we are organized and making opponents work hard to develop their offense,” Wallace said. “Our goal is to play faster and with more urgency. The work rate is high, and the girls are looking forward to competing in the always tough Hockomock League!”
2020 Record: 8-1-5 Coach: Britt Sellmayer
Oliver Ames lost only once in 2020 and avenged that defeat by beating Canton in the Hock Cup final. The Tigers did draw five matches last season, but with eight starters returning, and several younger players who got valuable experience, OA will hope to turn those single points into two and bring home its first league title since 2016.
The Tigers pride themselves on being a tough team to break down and the defense should be stout again this fall. Senior Emily Meyers is back in goal and will be a vocal leader at the back. Senior Allison Evin moved from up top to the heart of the defense last season and her speed and understanding of the game made her a tough marker for opposing forwards to get away from, while juniors Mary Cross and Sophia Byron are looking to build off strong sophomore seasons. Senior Kyla Melton has transferred in from Milton Academy and her versatility will be a boost to the back line or in midfield.
Midfield will continue to provide cover for the back line with the likes of seniors Katie Gibson and Lauren Sellmayer not only giving the Tigers a physical, aerial presence, but also consistent delivery on set pieces. Senior Camryn O’Connor, a Boston University-commit, adds creativity to OA’s bite in the center of the pitch and will be a key to turning defense into attack. Junior Jenna Gilman will also provide playmaking and width and speedy sophomore forward Lucinda Cotter has been in good scoring form during the preseason.
“We have eight starters returning from last season, plus some younger players pushing for playing time,” said OA coach Britt Sellmayer. “We are hoping our depth will be an advantage for our team this year.”
2020 Record: 2-8-2 Coach: Catherine Sullivan
Sharon won a pair of games in 2020, but was also competitive in several losses that showed there was potential for improvement heading into the new season. The Eagles will be young this year, particularly after a pair of preseason injuries cost them returning starters, including junior Sally Brouhard, but there is still reason for optimism about the athleticism in the squad.
The Eagles will lean on the midfield, as the most experienced group. Junior Sofia Goclowski stepped in last year and had an all-star-caliber season and will be the primary playmaker in the center of the pitch. Junior Amber Marcus-Blank is moving up from the back line and her aggression will be key to shielding the defense. Junior Olivia Soby combines physical presence with technical skills and will be an important piece to the attack.
Senior forward Wendy Wooden will be the team’s primary threat up top and her speed will stretch opposition defenses to open space for the midfielders. On the other end of the field, the Eagles will be very young. Senior Amanda Hu is the only returning player in the back line and she’ll be counted on to keep everything organized. Sophomore Jordanna Morris will add much needed speed and athleticism to the defense and already looks comfortable at the varsity level.
“We have a very young squad this year, but I am excited about our mix of talent and athleticism,” said Sharon coach Catherine Sullivan. “As always, the league looks to be extremely competitive, but we welcome the challenging matches that help us grow and continue to move our program in the right direction.
2020 Record: 0-11-1 Coach: Hermes Lima
Second-year Stoughton coach Hermes Lima is still looking for his first win, but he is confident that this year’s team has the right combination of skill and speed to give teams problems. The Black Knights are counting on increased depth and the pairing of experienced players and talented newcomers to get back in the win column.
One of the key players for Stoughton this season is junior Shayla Ford. Blessed with great speed, Ford can either stretch the opposition and attack the space behind the defense or drop into the Stoughton back line and give cover for her teammates. Freshman Makenzie O’Connor is going to step in up top and will add another dynamic element to the attack, while classmate Morgan Cook can slot in as a forward or in the back line to add aggression and a physical element. Junior Isabella Rodrigues gives the Black Knights speed on the wings and gives more speed for the forwards to run into.
The Black Knights will have experience in defense. Senior Abigail Durand is back in goal and provides vocal leadership for the back line. Senior Samantha Tran can play anywhere across the back line and her versatility is important. Junior Emma Tremblay and freshman Lauren Mitchell will both play in the center of midfield and can protect the back line or facilitate the Stoughton counter attack. Both can also slot in at central defense when needed. Junior Sabrina Rodrigues is another versatile player, jumping in at wingback or in the heart of the midfield.
“Every player bought into the culture last year and the new/returning players have bought in to every word/thing said and given to them this year!” said Lima. “The players are ready to fight for one another, represent their school and make this program proud of every achievement in their path. As a coach, I cannot ask anything else of them! This will be an intriguing but yet good step in the right direction for this program.”
2020 Record: 0-3-7 Coach: Mike Couture
Taunton coach Mike Couture only got four games to assess his team in 2020 before the season came to an abrupt end. Now in his second year, Couture is building around a young roster, composed mostly of sophomores, and is excited about the talent and the potential. The Tigers will be hoping to get off to a good start and end their wait for a nearly two-year wait for a league win.
Senior Isabella Anslow will be the leader of the defensive unit. She has been a busy goalkeeper in the past but has come up with several big games against big opponents. An example of that was being able to hold Mansfield to a scoreless draw in the first meeting between the teams last year. Junior Emily Calderon will lead the Tigers on the other end of the field. The forward is quick and experienced and she’ll be counted on to give Taunton a cutting edge in attack.
“This is a strong group and how quickly this good group of less experienced players develop, will determine the degree of our progress and we are off to a good start,” said Couture.
Reigning league MVP Kailee McCabe leads the players to watch at the start of the new Hockomock girls soccer season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Defense has been Franklin’s hallmark for a while now. The Panthers finished 2019 with clean sheets in 11 of their final 12 games, allowing only an extra time goal to Oliver Ames in the playoffs, and opened last season with a string of shutouts. Goals are hard to come by against Franklin and Anderson has been a major reason why. The junior has been a mainstay at the heart of the defense for the past two seasons, coupling her physical presence with a good reading of the game. Tall and strong, Anderson is willing to mix it up with opposing forwards but she’s also just as capable of making a key interception or cut out an attack without the need of stepping into a challenge. A strong aerial threat at both ends of the pitch, Anderson is important on set pieces and has grown into a leadership role in the defensive corps. She has also shown increasing calm in possession, which will help the Panthers build from the back. Franklin is looking to defend its league title and Anderson will help keep things strong at the back to give the Panthers a solid foundation.
The Hawks had a relatively young squad last season, trying to build experience while also moving into the Kelley-Rex division. The switch in divisions didn’t seem to have any effect on Atherton, who continued to score goals at an impressive rate, despite being the focal point of some of the league’s top defensive units. Atherton scored a team-high eight times last year, which was good for third-best in the Hock. A player who seems to be just as fast with the ball as without it, Atherton is hard to contain. Her skill in possession and low center of gravity allow her to make quick cuts and find small seams in the defense that you don’t see until she’s through. Don’t let her size fool you, Atherton may not be the biggest striker in the league but she is willing to take the contact and keep moving towards goal. Once she gets in the box, there are few better in the league at finding the back of the net. Having a player like Atherton leading the line will give the Hawks a big boost as their still young squad faces up to a full season and a possible playoff push.
Attleboro has been on the brink of a playoff run the past couple of seasons, narrowly missing out on the postseason. This fall, the Bombardiers will have to reload with the loss of top scorers Briley Harnois and Bella Salviati and top playmaker Jessica Gates. Dunlea has the potential to be a player Attleboro can build around. Tall and strong, with quick feet, Dunlea showed glimpses of being a creative force last year, whether playing up top or dropping into the midfield. She has a good eye for a pass and reads space well, finding spots to collect the ball as well as angles to slip a pass into her teammates. Her physical play in the box makes it hard for defenders to dislodge the ball from her and Dunlea has demonstrated a cool finish when she gets a look at goal. This season should see Dunlea step into a bigger role, and see more of the ball, giving her more opportunities to find the killer pass or try and find the back of the net. Attleboro is still looking to find that elusive postseason berth and there will be a lot of new faces in new spots this fall, but Dunlea is one of the players the Bombardiers hope will be ready for the challenge.
Last fall was a tough one for the Black Knights, who picked up one point in the shortened season, but Ford continued to be one of the team’s standout performers even as the results were hard to come by. The team’s leading scorer in 2019, Ford showed the versatility in her game in 2020 by dropping back from her striker position to utilize her speed in the defensive third. Ford’s ability to cover a lot of ground helped her cut out dangerous attacks and her skill on the ball made her comfortable in possession even under pressure. One of the leaders on the team, Ford can play multiple positions and produce wherever she’s lined up. As a striker, she can take on defenders one-on-one and makes smart runs into space to open passing lanes for her teammates. Ford has definitely been a handful for opposing defenses since her freshman year and now she has shown that she can be a handful for their attacks as well. Stoughton will be looking for growth under second-year coach Hermes Lima and, wherever she is positioned, Ford will be instrumental in getting the Black Knights back into the win column.
Last fall, Canton’s attack was loaded and the Bulldogs won the Davenport title and advanced to the first-ever Hock Cup final. This year, Canton will move on from high-scoring forwards Olivia Rodman and Eliza Diletizia, but that could open up more opportunities for Herivaux. The senior striker has played in the shadow of her fellow attackers for the past couple of seasons but will have the spotlight to herself in 2021. Quick and skillful, Herivaux can play through the middle or drift out to the wings and take on the outside backs. She scored five times and had four assists last year but Herivaux could find more chances in the box this season as the team’s top returning scorer and the focal point of the offense. Herivaux’s size makes her the match of opposing center backs, especially on set pieces, but she’s also got the speed to race past them, the touch to slip through small spaces, and the creativity to pick out a finish even from tough angles. This could be a breakout year for Herivaux and the Bulldogs will be hoping that she can hit new scoring highs to help them retain the league title in what should be a crowded top of the Davenport table.
Even in a strange, abbreviated season, Foxboro could count on McCabe to continue dominating the middle of the pitch, as she earned league MVP and All-New England honors with her third straight impressive season. For the third straight year, McCabe reached double digits in goals, tying teammate Jordyn Collins with a league-high 11 tallies in 2020. Her aggression in midfield is hard to match and she propels the Warriors forward, whether carrying the ball out of the defensive third, making a key interception and turning it into a quick transition, or making a run through the heart of the opposition defense. With Collins plying her trade at Bryant this fall, McCabe may be counted on for even more in the attack, and with her strength, shooting ability, and skill in possession, she’s capable of being among the league’s top scorers again this year. Foxboro should be right in the mix for the Davenport title this fall and McCabe is the engine that keeps the Warriors going.
North Attleboro bounced back from a rebuilding season in 2019 and finished at .500 in 2020, winning more games in the shortened season than in the previous fall. One of the reasons for North’s turnaround was increased goal scoring and McKenna provided the attacking impetus early on with all five of her goals and her lone assist coming in the opening two weeks of the season, including a hat trick against Stoughton. A hard-working forward, McKenna consistently ran into the channels, giving the midfield an outlet pass when pressured. She rarely gave up on a ball, keeping defenses on their toes and starting the North press high up the pitch. On a team that tried to keep things compact and be solid defensively, McKenna worked hard to create chances on the break and her hold up play enabled the Rocketeers to get up the field and allowed her teammates to get involved. It was a relatively inexperienced North roster last season and expectations are higher this fall, even in a league that looks as balanced as ever, so McKenna’s goal-scoring threat will be crucial to the Rocketeers moving up the Davenport standings.
Some players to watch are easy to pick out just by looking at the stat sheet at the end of the season and others play different roles for their teams that are harder to quantify. Miller won’t lead the league in goals or assists but she is a key to the Mansfield midfield, covering tons of ground in front of the Hornets defense to break up opposition defenses and play the right pass to transition into the attack. A lanky, physical presence in the center of the pitch, Miller doesn’t shy away from a tackle and is smart about her positioning to intercept passes and knows when she needs to step into a challenge. Her position keeps her from creating a host of chances in the final third, but Miller’s passing accuracy makes it difficult for the opposition to get turnovers that would put the Hornets under pressure. Mansfield has a chance at regaining the league title this fall and Miller will be at the heart of the Hornets’ success.
Last season, the Tigers brought home the inaugural Hock Cup title with a win against Canton and this year OA will be looking to beat the Bulldogs to the Davenport title as well. One of the key players in that title quest will be O’Connor, who is the most dynamic playmaker that OA has in the middle of the pitch. Capable of playing as a striker, in behind the forward line, or in the center of the park, O’Connor’s range of passing and vision help the Tigers spring into the quick transitions that they like best and get the ball out to OA’s host of speedy wingers. With skills to take on defenders and create passing or shooting space, coupled with her aggression and physicality, O’Connor is hard to take the ball off of and can be the driving force in OA’s midfield. On her day, she is capable of taking over a game. OA’s direct style of play is no secret, and O’Connor is solid on set pieces, and if they can get consistent performances from O’Connor in the midfield it gives the Tigers an added dimension to their attacks.
Last season was always going to be one of transition for the Warriors, as they moved away from a class headlined by the program’s two all-time leading scorers, Chloe Layne and Avery Snead. During the shortened 2020 year, Pisani emerged from the shadows of that talented class and showed that KP has plenty of playmaking ability left on the roster. Pisani scored seven times and racked up four assists for the Warriors last year, showing off an array of skills on the ball to elude markers and create space for a shot. Her close control on the edge of the box will keep all defenders on edge and also open lanes for her teammates to run into. Pisani also showed composure in the box and a talent for finishing off her chances. The Kelley-Rex looks wide open this fall and with Pisani returning after a year of experience at the varsity level, KP knows that it has strength in attack to take on the best teams in the league.
The Oliver Ames girls soccer team poses with the Challenge Cup trophy after beating Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – The Oliver Ames girls soccer team started the season without a win in its first four games.
The Lady Tigers ended the 2020 campaign as the hottest team in the Hockomock League, earning a pair of trophies including the Hockomock Challenge Cup with a 3-1 win over Davenport division champion Canton.
Canton girls soccer Oliver Ames girls soccer
After defeating King Philip on Tuesday to win the Hockomock Cup, the Tigers avenged their only loss of the entire season by taking down the Bulldogs in the Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup was created after Canton was forced to quarantine out of an abundance of caution after playing a team that had a positive COVID test. It gave the Bulldogs, the top seed out of the Davenport, a chance to play in the postseason after having to forfeit their first round of the Hockomock Cup.
“We’re a young team and it’s also about a coach learning who can do what,” said Oliver Ames head coach Britt Sellmayer of the turnaround from the start of the season. “We’re not playing the same positions that we were the first couple of games. COVID put everybody behind but for us, it was just a little bit more because we were younger. When you have experience, when you come back you get rolling a little bit sooner. We peaked at the right time, I’m very proud of the girls for how they played at the end of the year.
“Canton got a chance to play another game, they are a great, great team that I really feel like taking two weeks off didn’t help their cause. They were on a roll themselves when they were playing. They have some super players and the coach has done a great job in his first year. But it’s tough to sit out for two weeks and come out and play a team that’s hot, and we’re playing well, and we’ve been playing every three days for the past two weeks. I think that kind of hindered them a bit. I don’t want to take anything away from them being a great team.”
The Tigers started with four straight ties, finally breaking into the win column in their fifth game with a 2-0 decision over Sharon. Canton and OA tied in their first meeting of the season, and the Bulldogs handed the Tigers their only loss (3-1) in the second meeting.
OA caught fire after that loss, winning five straight to win the Hockomock Cup, and earned its sixth straight victory with the win on Thursday evening.
“We weren’t overly excited about [playing again] at first but then we looked at what it meant for Canton,” Sellmayer said. “And I said to my seniors ‘this is it, this is a chance to play one more game’ and we talked about playing for the seniors. We made sure all the seniors played.”
Although the result wasn’t what Canton, who had just one loss in the regular season, had hoped, the Bulldogs relished in the opportunity to get back on the field. The Bulldogs hadn’t played or practiced since the final week of the regular season, getting one training session in on Wednesday evening.
“It was amazing to least get out there to have one more chance to compete…a team that was having such a great season only to be cut short by, unfortunately, unforeseen events,” said first-year Canton head coach Idris Senyonjo. “Our seniors, especially, they needed this. Of course it didn’t end how we wanted it, but they needed to finish the season. They’ve worked so hard to be able to get there.
Canton girls soccer Oliver Ames girls soccer
“A big layoff is such a big difference in this spot, it means everything. Even if you only take a couple of days, but you take 10 days …that’s a long time not kicking the ball. We practiced for the first time just last night out in the cold. [OA] had a gameplan, they stuck to it and they were the better team today, so you can’t take that away from them. You just hope we could have done better on a couple of chances in the first half but that’s how the game goes. If you don’t take your chances, the other team will.”
The Tigers scored in each the first and second quarters, and tacked on a key insurance goal in the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs pulled one back in the final minutes.
Before Oliver Ames opened the scoring late in the first quarter, Canton had a pair of chances to take the lead. Just nine minutes in, Gabriella Herivaux played a through ball into the area for Olivia Rodman but her chance from in close was met with a terrific stop from OA keeper Emma O’Donnell. Minutes later, Rodman returned the favor for Herivaux but her bid skipped wide at the far post.
Off a kick-in in the attacking third, Katie Gibson knocked down a service into the area. Alexa Lane was the first to pounce on the loose ball, a quick touch past the keeper from in close to give the visitors a 1-0 lead going into the second quarter.
At the midway point of the second quarter, OA senior Emma Pereira took down a clearance and used her time and space to turn and fire a rocket inside the far post from 25 yards out to double the Tigers’ advantage.
Canton opened the second half with a pair of chances to get back into it but Mia Gilmore’s free kick a minute in was just off frame, and an intercepted pass by Elisa Diletizia led to a chance but her shot was over the bar.
Canton girls soccer Oliver Ames girls soccer
COVID restrictions nearly led to a goal for the Tigers in the 50th minute when Pereira’s cross was met with a good take off Carly Gibson’s shoulder but it was right at the keeper.
Canton’s Allie McCabe came up with a big stop on the goal line to deny a shot from Lane to keep the score at 2-0 at the end of the third quarter, but the score didn’t stay that long at the start of the fourth.
Oliver Ames was quick to clear a Canton corner and sophomore Jenna Gilman latched into the loose ball and used her speed to race up the right wing. Her cross into the area was cleared away by a defender but only as far as Pereira, who brought it down and laid it off to junior Lauren Sellmayer. Sellmayer took a touch to put it on her left foot and fired a perfectly placed shot off the far post and in to make it 3-0.
“Emma had a great goal, Lauren had a great goal, and Alexa’s scored two games in a row coming off the bench for us, and her work and her speed has helped with pressure,” Britt Sellmayer said. “We’re not the most skilled team but I think we’ve outworked everybody the last four games. Our work rate in the midfield, contesting every 50-50 ball. They showed a lot of heart. Canton is definitely more skilled than us but I think we had a little more work rate today and maybe our team is a little bit deeper. But we’re also fresher, those two weeks off is huge. I tip my hat to [Canton], they are a great team, and congrats on being Hockomock champs.
“We definitely connected a lot more passes today than the first two times we played Canton. We started playing better as a team, the communication came together. Plus, finding the right role for everybody. Sometimes as a coach, it takes a while to put people in the right spot where they can be successful.”
Canton continued to fight back against OA’s back four of Sophia Byron, Mary Cross, Allison Evin, and Madeleine Taylor. After coming close on a couple of chances before, Gilmore blasted a free kick from 30 yards out just under the bar to get the Bulldogs on the board.
“It’s been a rollercoaster for us, having to start late and then cut the season short, only to go back again,” Senyonjo said. “The team had a new coaching staff so they had to adjust to the new system, the way we want to play. So kudos to them, it speaks volumes the kind of kids that are here. I’m definitely looking forward to going again next year.”
Oliver Ames girls soccer finishes the season at 8-1-5 and won both the Hockomock Cup and the Challenge Cup. Canton’s record finishes at 8-3-1, though one loss was via forfeit at the start of the Hockomock Cup.
Canton celebrates an Olivia Rodman goal during a 3-2 win over Foxboro in the season finale that clinched a first league title since 2012. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Following Foxboro’s 1-0 win on Monday afternoon, Canton knew that it would need a win in Wednesday night’s rematch at WWII Veterans Memorial Field to overtake the Warriors and win the Davenport division title.
After twice taking the lead and having Foxboro quickly bounce back to tie the game, Canton’s third lead of the night turned out to be the charm. Gabriella Herivaux’s goal three minutes into the fourth quarter gave the Bulldogs the lead for good and they held on for a 3-2 victory and a first league title since 2012.
“Both teams played hard the whole game,” said first-year Canton coach Idris Senyonjo. “It was tough, we scored a goal and then give up one like two seconds later. That’s always a demoralizer, but I knew they were going to become a little more defensive the longer the game went on because they didn’t have to win, we had to win.
“We had to force it, but there was nothing left in the tanks after that.”
Coming into the game, Foxboro and Canton boasted five of the top six scorers in the league this season. Fitting for a big game, all five of those star players found the back of the net on Wednesday, including Canton’s trio of senior forwards Olivia Rodman, Elisa Diletizia, and Herivaux.
“I spoke to each one of them yesterday,” Senyonjo explained. “I told them, all the goals you’ve scored are going to be irrelevant if we can’t get the result. Every goal that you’ve scored has led you to this moment. This is going probably going to be the last home game you play and why not finish with a championship?”
Foxboro started well, with the Warriors aggressively pressing and pinning Canton back. Aislinn Servaes had an early chance after a misplaced clearance inside the opening 10 minutes and forced Canton keeper Marissa Staffiere into a save. Seven minutes later, Jordyn Collins got space on the edge of the box but her shot was charged down by freshman Ava Gilmore.
“It was a very evenly-matched game,” said Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup. “It was a great game. I knew it was going to be a battle out here and I knew they were going to want to beat us so much because of what happened on Monday.”
It took most of the first quarter, but the hosts started to find ways into the attacking third. Diletizia switched play out to the right and Anne Hoban stepped past a defender before firing a long shot that was saved by Foxboro goalie Maddie Mayer, who was called up from JV to replace the suspended Morgan Sylvestre.
The chances kept coming for both teams. Rodman fired a cross from the left that Herivaux teed up for Emily McCabe to put on goal from just outside the box. Collins made a run on the left side of the box and knocked the ball off Staffiere, but Allie McCabe got back and cleared it off the line. Rodman then showed quick feet to shift the ball to her left and send a shot just wide.
Just after the half-hour mark, the hosts were in front. Mia Gilmore whipped in a cross from the right and Rodman showed great skill to bring it down off her chest and hit it quickly on the turn.
The excitement of the opening goal was short-lived. Within a minute, Foxboro got the ball into the box and Collins drew a foul. Kailee Mccabe made no mistake from the spot, firing Foxboro back level.
Early in the second half, Sarai Costello freed Diletizia with a long, curling pass around the left back and the forward forced Mayer into a save from a tough angle. A couple minutes later, Kailee McCabe slipped past her marker to get space for a shot from 25 yards that was just over the bar.
In the 49th minute, Herivaux managed to keep the ball in play on the near touchline and get it into the middle. The ball was played into the feet of Rodman with Foxboro defender Lindsey Resnick on her back. She was able to get her head up and slide an inch-perfect pass into the path of Diletizia, who was clean through on goal and powered her shot past Mayer’s dive and into the far corner.
Again, Canton celebrations were cut short just five minutes later, as Foxboro responded with a second equalizer. McCabe stepped up and let rip from the edge of the box. The shot was blocked, but looped to the left onto Collins’ foot. After taking a touch, she bent a shot inside the far post and tied the game at 2-2.
The home team came out flying for the fourth quarter, needing a goal to win the title. Rodman had a good chance from the left that initially looked like it was flying into the top corner, but ended up settling into Mayer’s gloves.
“I told them just throw everything you’ve got right now,” Senyonjo said about the message heading into the final 20 minutes. “It just came down to could we get lucky today because this game was going to give me a heart attack.”
A minute later, the Bulldogs were in front for a third time. A kick-in from the right was fired into Herivaux at the near post. She managed to bring the ball down off the bounce and, surrounded by defenders, managed to turn and get a foot on the ball as she was falling down, knocking it past the keeper.
After losing two leads, Canton tried to add to its advantage. Gilmore hit another great cross to the back post and Rodman directed it towards goal but Jordan Carman was there to block.
Foxboro’s best chance in the closing minutes came off the foot of a Canton player. Katelyn Mollica fired in a low cross from the right and Mekhala Costello stretched to block, tipping it towards goal but right into the grateful grasp of Staffiere.
“I just can’t help but wonder if it would’ve been different with Morgan in net but that’s something I can’t control,” said Stalcup about her senior goalie who was out because of a red card in Monday’s game. “They played well, Canton worked hard and they just got more goals than us tonight. My girls fought hard, we gave it our all out there.”
Senyonjo added, “It feels good. We beat a really good team.”
Canton (8-1-1) and Foxboro (7-1-2) will wait to find out the details of the Hockomock League’s cup tournament. When asked about the possibility of a third meeting in the cup final, Stalcup said, “That’s what I’m hoping. That’s what I would really love to have is one more chance.”
Foxboro players celebrate with Jordan Carman after she jumped in goal and held onto a clean sheet against Canton, moving Foxboro into first by a point. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – Just five minutes after going in front in Monday afternoon’s top of the table clash at a windswept Sam Berns Community Field, Foxboro’s advantage seemed tenuous at best.
The Warriors had starting goalie Morgan Sylvestre sent off for a foul on the edge of the box that the officials deemed a denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity. Junior Jordan Carman grabbed the goalie shirt and gloves for the first time in her career, which meant Foxboro was losing not only its keeper but also one of its best defenders.
Going up against the league leaders, a team with the second most goals in the league (behind only Foxboro), and an attacking unit boasting three of the top five scorers in the Hockomock for 50 minutes, it was improbable that the Warriors could come away with a victory.
But that’s exactly what happened. Foxboro dropped back into a solid defensive shell, largely holding Canton to long distance chances, and Carman dealt comfortably with everything she faced, helping the Warriors hold on for a 1-0 win that moved them into first place in the Davenport with one game remaining.
“I’m smiling very big under this mask right now,” said Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup. “It was just about containing, keeping them outside of the box as much as possible, not diving in, not letting them get any near shots off, and not letting them just pass the ball around. We did a good job of cutting off the angles for them to get it out wide.”
Despite the unseasonably cold weather, the teams looked ready to go from the start and settled into a tough, midfield battle.
The first quarter saw only a couple of half-chances for either side. Jordyn Collins settled a cross from the left but tried to play the ball out wide to Katelyn Mollica rather than shoot on the turn. Three minutes later, Olivia Rodman sent a left-footed cross into Gabriella Herivaux but the side-footed effort was easily held by Sylvestre.
Things livened up over a 12-minute span in the second quarter that saw the hosts go ahead and then quickly drop down to 10 players.
In the 24th minute, Collins blocked a clearance that forced Canton back into its own box and then Alyssa Vandenboom blocked the second attempt to get through on goal only to hit her shot right at Bulldogs keeper Marissa Staffiere. A minute later, the same duo combined for the opener.
Vandenboom played a perfectly weighted through ball between the center back and left back that Collins ran onto and the senior striker made no mistake, firing her shot in off the far post to put Foxboro ahead.
Just five minutes later, Elisa Diletizia got free for the first time in the match and was storming in on the Foxboro penalty area. Sylvestre was off her line quickly but her tackle caught the Canton forward. The officials conferred and agreed that if not for the foul Diletizia had a clear sight at goal and gave a straight red to the keeper and a free kick on the edge of the box.
With no backup keeper, Stalcup was forced to give Carman her debut in goal, which meant taking her from the stopper position where she has been so effective all season.
“Not even in practice, but she’s always told us that if need be that she would be the one that would step up,” Stalcup said about Carman’s goalkeeping experience.
Mia Gilmore wasn’t able to test the new keeper with her free kick, as it went narrowly over the bar. Six minutes later Gilmore had another chance from the edge of the box, after good interplay between Emily McCabe and Sarai Costello, but again it went just over.
The expectation was that Canton would create chance after chance in the second half, laying siege to the Foxboro goal in search of the equalizer, and the Bulldogs had plenty of possession, but the Foxboro defense continued to hold out. Lindsey Resnick in the middle, flanked by Meghan Burke and Peyton Feldman with Emma Dahl taking Carman’s spot at stopper alongside Kailee McCabe playing deeper than usual proved difficult for Canton to break down.
“I think we started forcing it a little bit too much,” Canton coach Idris Senyonjo admitted. “I think the idea of we need to score started getting in our heads more than actually we’re going to score if we keep doing what we’re supposed to be doing. But they did a good job defensively. They’re a good team.”
In fact, Foxboro had one of the best chances of the third quarter. Collins got free on the break and laid a pass off to Mollica on the right but the shot went just wide.
“That was what was so brilliant about it, when we did get the counters we were able to keep possession of the ball and at least get a few runners on the side,” Stalcup said. “They thought they were going to pound it on us and when we got the counter it put them on their heels.”
Canton’s best chance came nine minutes into the fourth. Anne Hoban broke free down the right wing and the defender hit a low cross into the box that Herivaux met first time. It was a well-struck shot but it skimmed the crossbar on its way past. Two minutes later, Rodman had a chance on the left but tried a cross rather than a shot and Carman got a touch and Burke was able to block the rebound attempt.
“It forced them to go much further deep to defend and it meant that we had to break up two blocks of four, which made it much harder,” Senyonjo explained. “You still have to make sure you do your job. We had probably, what 80 percent of the possession after the red card happened? But that doesn’t do you any good if you don’t get score a goal.”
Although the Warriors haven’t won a third straight title yet, it leaves them needing just a point on the road in Wednesday’s rematch to clinch the division.
“They came in [today] and the pressure was on them to get a win and now that pressure is on us,” said Senyonjo. “It’s kind of switched around.”
Foxboro (7-0-2) will travel to Canton (7-1-1) on Wednesday night in the regular season finale.
