Boys Basketball
Canton, 55 @ Attleboro, 64 – Final – In a back and forth close matchup, Jake Dunkley and Attleboro pulled away in the fourth quarter. Dunkley finished with 20 points while classmate Berlyns Abraham had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Nate Douglas added 12 points for the Bombardiers. Canton sophomore Devin Foster had a career-high 21 points while Tony Harris added 12 points and five rebounds and Jake Verille added eight points and three rebounds.
Foxboro, 36 @ Mansfield, 66 – Final – Mansfield limited Foxboro to just 14 second half points, turning a two point lead at the end of the first quarter into a 15-point lead at halftime and a 27 point lead at the end of three. John McCoy, Max Boen and Sam Goldberg (six rebounds) each scored 11 points apiece to lead the Hornets. Andrew Block had 11 points and seven rebounds for Foxboro.
Milford, 60 @ King Philip, 50 – Final – Between the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter, Milford rattled off a 19-2 run that created a cushion they held for the rest of the way. With KP up 10-2, the Scarlet Hawks flipped the game with the run. Senior Anthony Arcudi netted a game-high 17 points, Shane Cosquete added 10 points, both Zach Tamagni and Nate Davila scored nine points and junior Kayden Kelley hauled in 15 rebounds to go with four rebounds. Justin Vine and Tom Madden each scored 12 points apiece while Pharaoh Davis came off the bench to score 10 points for the Warriors.
Stoughton, 47 @ Oliver Ames, 55 – Final– After being tied after the opening quarter, Oliver Ames opened a three point lead by halftime, a four point lead after three quarters and then held that lead in the fourth quarter. Three Tigers scored in double digits, led by Dylan Mahoney’s 21 points. Junior Jack Spillane added a career-best 16 points and Carter Evin chipped in with 10 points. Stoughton senior Cam Gomes dropped a career-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds.
Sharon, 51 @ Taunton, 65 – Final – Sharon was able to hang around through three quarters but Taunton pulled ahead in the final quarter. Freshman Dante Law scored a career-high 18 points to pace the Tigers with senior Tommy MacLean adding 13 points. Jimmy Fitzhenry led Sharon with 16 points while senior Ricardo Ripley chipped in with 12 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 92 @ Canton, 53 – Final
Franklin, 36 @ North Attleboro, 43 – Final – The Rocketeers outscored Franklin 19-12 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win in their season opener. Ashley Ahern led the way for North with 15 points, including eight in the fourth, and sophomore Julia Feid had 10 for the Rocketeers. Franklin was led by freshman Ali Brigham who scored 18 points in her second varsity game.
King Philip, 47 @ Milford, 44 – Final – The Warriors rallied from seven points down in the fourth quarter to pull out the win in their season opener. Sophomore Shannon O’Connor was the top scorer for KP with 12 points and freshman Faith Roy chipped in with nine. Junior Hadley Zolak had six points for KP, including important baskets down the stretch. Milford was led by Kate Irwin’s 17 points.
Oliver Ames, 51 @ Stoughton, 32 – Final – OA was led by three players with 11 points apiece – senior Niyera Mitchell, junior Kayla Raymond, and freshman Meg Holleran.
Taunton, 29 @ Sharon, 46 – Final – Sharon jumped out to an early lead and never let up. Sophomore Emma Eberhardt was the top scorer for the Eagles with 18 points and added eight rebounds and six steals. Shira Stoller added six points, eight rebounds, and nine assists for Sharon.
Hockey
Mansfield, 3 @ Norwood, 3 – Final – Chad Piotti scored a pair of goals, including the game-tying goal in the third period, to earn Mansfield a point in the opener. Joey Olsen added the other goal for the Hornets.
Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 5 @ Framingham, 11 – Final
King Philip’s Shannon O’Connor (32) and Taunton’s Abby Kingman (1) are two returning players hoping to give their teams a shot at the postseason this winter. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2016-2017 Kelley-Rex Girls Basketball Preview
ATTLEBORO
2015-16 Record: 21-3 (14-2) 2015-16 Finish: Reached the Div. 1 South quarterfinal Head Coach: Rick Patch
The Bombardiers came within one game of winning their first Hockomock League title last year and despite the loss of 2015-16 Player of the Year Emily Houle to graduation, Attleboro comes into this season as one of the favorites in the Kelley-Rex again this winter.
One reason for the high expectations for the Bombardiers is senior forward Sarah Deyo. The Southern New Hampshire-commit comes into the season just 68 points shy of 1,000 for her career and is a matchup nightmare for the opposition with her ability to score in the paint and from the outside. Fellow senior Julia Strachan returns from a knee injury that cost her all of last season and the Adelphi-commit adds another strong shooter and rebounder to the front line. The Bombardiers are loaded at the forward position with junior Sam Pierce coming back after a breakout sophomore campaign that saw her average nearly a double-double.
While the strength of the Bombardiers is in the post, Attleboro has experience in the backcourt with senior Mish Logie and sophomore Jordyn Lako returning as the primary ball-handlers and strong on-the-ball defenders. Juniors Grace Mayer and Kim White will add depth in the backcourt off the bench. Guard Liv McCall is another who could contribute this season, among a group of six freshmen that will be on the varsity roster.
“We are very excited about our program and how its progressed over the last three seasons,” said head coach Rick Patch, “and the positive, entitled-to-nothing culture we have established that best represents ‘Blue Pride’ and the Attleboro community.”
FRANKLIN
2015-16 Record: 13-8 (10-6) 2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Central quarterfinal Head Coach: John Leighton
Franklin has been consistently one of the top programs in the league and despite losing a strong group of seniors, the Panthers are once again in the mix for a league title and a return to the Div. 1 Central tournament.
Leading the way this season is a core of five experienced seniors that offer Franklin a good balance of interior and perimeter scoring. Carli Koffinke is in her third year on varsity and is a threat from the outside, taking advantage of the Panthers’ drive and kick style of offense. Point guard Margaux Welsh will take over the primary ball-handling role and will be expected to get the offense going. Izzy Faught and Grace McDermott will add depth in the backcourt and forward Erin Skidmore adds athleticism and quickness in the paint.
In order to stay consistently competitive, the Panthers have always been able to count on new players coming in to refresh the roster. This winter will be no different with junior forward Kate Morse in her first year on the team as well as sophomore point guard Shannon Gray and three-point threat Bea Bondhus, who had a team-high 11 points in the season opener. Freshmen Ali Brigham and Megan O’Connell will add to Franklin’s front-court depth.
“With so many younger and newer players, we are hoping to build team chemistry and improve each and every day,” said Franklin coach John Leighton. “We are very encouraged with our depth and will lean on our seniors for leadership.”
KING PHILIP
2015-16 Record: 6-14 (4-12) 2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: Martin Crowley
Under head coach Martin Crowley, King Philip has been a very tough team to play against, focused on high-pressure defensive effort and not letting up from the opening tip to the final whistle. This year, the Warriors are hoping to get a little more consistency on the offensive end to match that defensive intensity.
KP will not lack for athletes this winter beginning with returning starter Shannon O’Connor, who emerged as a potential scoring threat on the wing as a freshman last season. Classmate Julia Leroux also impressed in her rookie season and they are already go-to players on the offensive end. Junior forwards Hadley Zolak and Christina Hathaway and senior Courtney Kelleher will give additional scoring and rebounding as athletic forwards that can battle in the paint and get out and run the break.
There is also a youth movement at KP this year with a strong, athletic freshman class that has already put in a standout soccer season this past fall and is ready to contribute to the basketball team as well. Chloe Layne has stepped right in and will be an instant contributor at the point guard position and will be joined by classmate Faith Roy on the varsity roster.
“Youth will be served,” said Crowley, “however our goal is the same it is every season whether you have a veteran team or not and that is to qualify for the tournament in what I believe is the most competitive league in the state.”
MANSFIELD
2015-16 Record: 21-4 (15-1) 2015-16 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South semifinal Head Coach: Mike Redding
The Hornets are coming off the program’s first ever Hockomock League title, edging Attleboro in the final game of a dramatic league campaign, in front of arguably the biggest crowd to watch a game (male or female) in the league last season. This year, Mansfield has the challenge of trying to defend its title despite losing eight seniors from last season.
Mansfield’s title defense begins with senior guard Jen Peel, who has been limited by an injury in the preseason and will be moving from the point to the off-guard position this year. She is one of the best playmakers in the league and will have junior center Meg Hill to find in the half-court. Hill is a dominant force on both ends of the floor and should expect to get even more touches this year and needs to be aggressive looking for her shot.
The Hornets will have plenty of size beyond the 6-foot-3 Hill. Senior Olivia Broyles and junior Maeve Carney are both over six feet tall and sophomores Maggie Danehy and Emily Vigeant are just under six feet. Sophomore twins Mady and Kara Bendanillo will add speed to the roster with Mady having the experience of playing time as a freshmen, including a start in the South semifinal against Bishop Feehan. Junior Ann Maher is another player that can be expected to take on a bigger role this year at the shooting guard position.
“We may be more athletic than a year ago and we’ll run as much as we can and press more than we did a year ago,” said head coach Mike Redding. “It should be fun and with seven sophomores in our top 11 we should get better and better as they get experience and confidence.”
OLIVER AMES
2015-16 Record: 21-4 (13-3) 2015-16 Finish: Won Div. 2 South title Head Coach: Elaine Clement-Holbrook
Oliver Ames is coming off a remarkable 2015-16 season that saw the Tigers reach the 20-win mark, claim the Davenport division title, make a run to the Div. 2 South title and a chance to play at the TD Garden, and celebrate the career of head coach Elaine Clement-Holbrook, who became the state’s all-time career leader in wins (finishing the season with 645). This year, OA will face the challenge of trying to match that level of success while taking on a new division after being moved into the Kelley-Rex.
The key to the Tigers putting in league title fight is junior forward Kayla Raymond, who is one of the most talented players in the Hock and one of the toughest match-ups with her combination of size, speed, shooting touch, and handle. Raymond will get help from senior guard Hannah Carroll, who became one of the team’s top shooters from the perimeter and can stretch opposing defense. Senior Niyera Mitchell is coming back from an off-season injury and has the size and touch to be a strong performer on both ends of the court.
OA lost only two seniors to graduation but then also lost shooting guard Francesca Calabraro to a knee injury during the soccer season. Senior Abby Reardon will be one of the backcourt players that will be counted on to pick up the scoring slack, while Clement-Holbrook will be hoping for senior Brenna Burkett and junior Sadie Homer to provide a scoring touch at the forward position.
“Moving to the Kelley Rex will be a tremendous challenge for us,” said Clement-Holbrook. “Our goals are the same as before: Compete to qualify for the tournament, challenge for the Hock title and go as deep as possible in the tournament.”
TAUNTON
2015-16 Record: 4-16 (2-14) 2015-16 Finish: Missed playoffs Head Coach: Walter Harrigan
Taunton is coming off a tough year in which the Tigers only managed four wins, but it was also a chance for a number of young players to get valuable varsity experience and Taunton will be hoping to have it pay off with seven returning players on this season’s roster.
One of the exciting younger players that emerged last year was Lily Patneaude, who showed off athleticism and a range of offensive skills as a freshman. Junior Hannah Moniz is another wing player that can provide scoring off the dribble or from the perimeter. Junior MacKenzie Handrahan will add rebounding and defense on the post and eighth grader Sonya Fernandes could be a newcomer to watch on the Taunton front line.
The back court has a mix of experience and youth led by senior guard Abby Kingman, whose ball-handling and speed will be vital. Kingman’s classmate Jess Regan is returning after missing her entire junior year to an injury and will offer a steady hand at the point guard position. Junior Dominique Bradley and sophomore Alexa White will add depth to the guard positions.
“Taunton has a combination of experience and youth,” said head coach Walter Harrigan, “along with some skill and athleticism that has the makings for a fun and interesting year.”
KP senior Jen Lacroix scored all 12 of her points in the second half to help the Warriors bounce back and beat Taunton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – After scoring just three points in the second quarter and nine points in the first half, King Philip needed someone to provide an offensive spark and give the Warriors a lift to try and erase a 12-point deficit.
In the second half, senior guard Jen Lacroix gave KP the boost it needed, scoring all 12 of her points after the break and the Warriors pressure defense forced 19 second half turnovers to turn the deficit into a one-point win on Friday night at Taunton.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,” said KP coach Marty Crowley, who noted the improved press break and different offense used against the zone. “We know our defense will keep us in games and tonight our offense picked up in the second half.”
“Jen Lacroix was more than huge for us,” he added. “Jen had a great night shooting the ball.”
The Tigers had a lot of success in the first half running the offense through senior forward Alyssa Gibson, who scored seven of Taunton’s nine first quarter points and finished with a game-high 13. She was able to drive through the lane as well as score on offensive rebounds (14 boards on the night).
“They were running a box on Jordan [Wade],” said Taunton coach Walter Harrigan, “and we had a play set up to work the bigs inside and thought it worked pretty well.”
Wade and Lily Patneaude each knocked down threes in the second, as KP sank into the lane to protect against Gibson’s offense, although the forward added another four points in the quarter. Meanwhile, KP managed only two made field goals in the entire first half – one each for Shannon O’Connor and Sam Madden (eight points).
The second half was a very different story. Harrigan said, “I thought they adjusted to it well in the second half. They just overplayed us better. They were quicker to the ball.”
Lacroix knocked a jumper, which was answered by Mackenzie Handrahan, then she hit another shot off an assist by Maddie Purdue, but that was also answered by a drive from Maggie Sullivan, as Taunton kept the lead at 12.
After a pair of free throws from Gibson made the score 27-15, KP closed the quarter on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to just a single point. Madden scored on a layup following a Lacroix steal, Lacroix buried a jumper, Riley Dalzell drove to the basket for a layup and O’Connor scored off a steal, as the Warriors used their defense to create offense.
“We didn’t really have the greatest energy in the first half,” said Crowley. “We talked about being on the road that you need to create your own energy and second half…they’re very smart kids and they know what they need to do.”
He added, “Steal, score and steal, score and fight your way back into the game and the confidence – you can pick your shoulders up a little bit. It was a great win for us.”
The Warriors also started to crash the boards as a team. Although Gibson would lead all players with 14 boards, Dalzell (10 rebounds), Christina Hathaway, and Hadley Zolak all contributed on the glass for KP.
“In order for us to be successful, we don’t have that kid who is going to go out there and score 18-20 a night for us, so we need everybody to do their job,” Crowley explained. “They played together as a team tonight and that’s the most important thing.”
Taunton scored the opening four points of the fourth quarter, Wade and Kia Pate each getting baskets, to extend the lead back to five but then KP took control with a 10-0 run into the final 10 seconds of the game.
Again it was Lacroix with the big shot, as she buried a three that stemmed the tide and cut the lead to two. Riley Dalzell made a pair of free throws that put KP ahead 32-31, its first lead of the game, and then Lacroix knocked down a jumper following an O’Connor steal and Dalzell found Hathaway for a layup that put the Warriors ahead 36-31.
“Their pressure hurt us quite a bit and that pressure defense turned into good offense for them,” said Harrigan. “I think we panicked a little bit.”
Patneaude (11 points) hit a three that made it a two-point game, but O’Connor stepped up to the line and made both free throws to ice it. Patneaude hit another from deep at the buzzer but it was not enough.
Taunton (3016, 2-14) will close out its season on Monday against New Bedford. King Philip (6-13, 4-12) wraps up its campaign at Lowell on Wednesday. Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.
Today’s games are listed below. Girls Basketball
King Philip, 61 @ Framingham, 45 – Final – Freshman Julia Leroux tallied a career-high 17 points to lead the Warriors. Maddie Purdue added nine points for KP, while Hadley Zolak and Courtney Kelleher each had eight. KP coach Martin Crowley said, “Great win for the kids having to go back to back days.” Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Sam Larkin and P.J. Elliott had the goals for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Mike Dadasis, Seamus Pecararo and Matt Lazaro scored for the Bulldogs while Will Walsh had the Tigers’ lone tally.
Franklin, 9 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final– Luke Downie, Ryan Hohman, Joe Lizotte and Zac Falvey all scored their first varsity goals in the win for the Panthers.
King Philip, 6 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Kyle McCarthy scored a pair of goals for King Philip while Matt Smith, Jacob Kelly, Clay Geuss and Jeremy Smith each scored once. Stoughton freshman goalie AJ Scott made 40 saves in net while Barry Cooke had the Black Knights’ lone goal.
Mansfield, 2 @ Brockton, 6 – Final
North Attleboro, 6 @ Milford, 1 – Final Wrestling
Canton’s Peckham Tournament (Canton, Mansfield, King Philip, Sharon), 9:30
Franklin @ Franklin County Tech – Franklin went 4-0 with wins over Maher (64-9), Holliston (38-12), Pioneer (24-6) and Athol (24-9).
Natick Tournament – Milford placed third among 13 teams with 176 points. Carlos Terrinha was second at 113, Brett Kimball was second at 132, Ryan Gray was second at 182, Nick Johnson was second at 195, Nick Marcolini placed third at 106, Eliel Mares was third at 138, Ryan Nesta was fourth at 160, John Niro placed fourth at 285 and Jason Pinto was sixth at 126. Whitman-Hanson Tournament – North Attleboro won the 16-team tournament with 14 of their 17 wrestlers earning medals.
Sandwich Quad – Oliver Ames went 2-1 on the day, picking up a 48-30 win over Sandwich and a 49-21 win over Melrose but suffered a 53-9 loss to Hingham. Liston Funai (132) went 2-0 on the day with a pair of pins and Pat Mills (22) was 3-0 with three pins for the Tigers.
Taunton @ Quincy – Taunton picked up two wins from Justin Bradley (126), Alex Simon (170) and Santiago Lopez (220). Three other Tigers picked up one win on the day: Cooper Moreton (106), Josh Grasso (126) and Hannah Driscoll (160). Taunton lost to Walpole (15-60) and Quincy (30-54). Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 vs. Falmouth, 3 – Final
Franklin, 0 @ Medfield, 2 – Final
King Philip, 5 @ Dover-Sherborn/Hopkinton, 1 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Westwood, 3 – Final
Today’s games are listed below. Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 42 @ North Attleboro, 43 – Final – Brent Doherty was the top scorer for North Attleboro with 20 points. Chad Peterson chipped in with eight points and Ridge Olsen had seven, inlcuding a three-pointer in the final two minutes that turned out to be the game-winner. Attleboro was led by Jake Dunkley with 18 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Nate Douglas added eight points and nine rebounds.
Canton, 50 @ Stoughton, 63 – Final – Stoughton sophomore Cam Andrews scored a career-high 24 points to pace the Black Knights while senior Brandon Teixeira had a double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds. Canton’s Tony Harris scored a team-high 15 points for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 64 @ Milford, 44 – Final – Foxboro senior Rob Lowey had his best scoring night of the season, dropping 20 points to lead the Warriors. Alex DuBrow added 15 points in the win. Dimitry Torres led Milford with 15 points while Zach Tamagni had 12 points and Dwight Anderson had 11 points.
Franklin, 67 @ King Philip, 41 – Final – Franklin senior Tim Prunier scored a game-high 14 points while sophomore Paul Mahon had 12 points. King Philip’s Justin Vine had 11 points and junior Noah Goodwin delivered nine points.
Sharon, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 51 – Final – It was a balanced offensive attack for Sharon with Ricardo Ripley and Tyler Smith each scoring 12 points and grabbing a pair of rebounds. Senior Andrew Filipkowski scored 11 points off the bench and junior Peter Banks had six points to go along with 10 rebounds. OA’s Tim Kelley scored a game-high 14 points while Dylan Mahoney and Mike Graziano each scored 10 points.
Taunton, 61 @ Mansfield, 47 – Final – Taunton’s Jose Mercado had a big night, leading the Tigers with 19 points while hauling in 14 rebounds. Tommy MacLean added 15 points and Carlos Borrero had 14 points for Taunton. Mansfield’s Sam Goldberg scored a game-best 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Hornets. Girls Basketball
Canton, 40 @ Stoughton, 41 – Final – Sophomore Jordan Motley dropped a career-best 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to record a double-double in the Black Knights’ win. Val Whalen, another sophomore had seven points and 14 rebounds.
Foxboro, 66 @ Milford, 55 – Final – Ashley Sampson scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Warriors while Cassidy Harrison paced Foxboro early, finishing with 14 points. Milford’s Jill Powers had 15 points and six rebounds while Nicole Dahlgren had 10 points and five rebounds.
Franklin, 64 @ King Philip, 44 – Final – Franklin’s Olivia Adiletto scored a game-high 20 points while Aubrie Kutil registered a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Panthers. Maddie Purdue had 13 points, Sam Madden had 11 points and Hadley Zolak and Julia Leroux each had six points for KP.
Taunton, 32 @ Mansfield, 59 – Final – Meg Hill scored 10 points and added nine rebounds and six blocks for the Hornets. Lindsay Dalton added a career-high seven points for Mansfield. Taunton was led by Hannah Moniz with eight points.
Attleboro, 51 @ North Attleboro, 43 – Final – Attleboro had three players earn double-doubles. Sam Pierce scored 15 and had 12 rebounds, Emily Houle had 13 points and 11 boards, and Sarah Deyo had 13 and 10, despite missing all but 1:17 of the second half. North Attleboro was led by Emily Schromm and Samantha Taggart, who each scored nine points.
Sharon, 30 @ Oliver Ames, 62 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Niyera Mitchell had a career day, scoring 16 points and pulling down 13 rebounds in the big win. Kaitlyn McCarthy added 14 points for OA and Francesca Calabraro had 11 points. Alyssa Piazza led Sharon with 12 points. Swimming Boys
Canton, 103 @ Franklin, 63 – Final
Foxboro, 44 @ Sharon, 77 – Final Girls
Canton, 65 @ Franklin, 100 – Final
Foxboro, 74 @ Sharon, 87 – Final
