Canton’s Zaza Francoeur (3) attempts to block a shot from Sharon’s Nate Katznelson (32) in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – It might have been second game jitters, or maybe it was the nearly 90-minute delay that pushed tipoff back, but neither Canton nor Sharon could quite get into a rhythm on Friday night.
That was until crunch time.
The visiting Bulldogs used an 8-0 run — the biggest run from either team in the entire game — to surge ahead with just under three minutes to go, only for the host Eagles to answer and secure a 57-52 win.
A pair of lengthy subvarsity games pushed the start time back over an hour, and both teams struggled to string baskets together as defense ruled the first three quarters.
“We got a little complacent and at times, we got a little selfish, and our offense stopped moving, we stopped sharing the ball and it became difficult to score,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “I think [Canton’s run] did kind of wake us up. We had some real effort from guys on the bench that kept everyone involved. Then we were able to get some big plays down the stretch from some big players.”
A bucket down low from Sharon junior Jaden Segal put the Eagles ahead 47-40 just before the midway point of the fourth quarter. Canton responded with its best offensive stretch of the game as Jamaal McConnell (16 points, four rebounds, two blocks) hit a free throw and senior Caden Mirliani scored a bucket in transition and followed with a pull-up three-pointer to get the Bulldogs within one.
Matt Chafin (eight points) came up with a steal and Julius Hicks found Zaza Francoeur (7 points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks) cutting to the basket for two and Canton’s first lead, 48-47, since McConnell’s opening bucket to start the game.
After a timeout, Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin (8 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds) slipped a pass to a cutting Dante James (eight points), and the senior finished his baseline take to put the hosts back in front. An illegal screen gave Sharon the ball back but McConnell came up with a huge block at the rim. Canton had another empty trip, launching three three-pointers but were off the mark each time.
A pair of free throws from James extended Sharon’s lead to 51-48 but Hicks found Chafin and he drained his first and only three-point attempt to make it 51-51 with 1:30 left.
Sharon drew up a baseline inbounds play but the Bulldogs defended it well. Without any teammates open, McLoughlin alertly tossed the ball off a Canton player’s back, got back inbounds, and laid it up for two and a 53-51 lead.
“We’re not trying to make a habit of throwing off the other team’s back but we have two high IQ point guards,” Ferguson. Sharon senior Jack Bates (five assists, two steals) did the same thing to end a quarter against Taunton. “We’re trying to draw up a play, we were looking for Nate and they defended it really well. Jacob made a real heads-up play to get a bucket.”
The Eagles’ ball pressure led to a backcourt on Canton’s next possession, and after drawing up another play in a timeout, James looped in a pass to Nate Katznelson (22 points, 12 rebounds) in the post and he finished at the rim to make it 55-51 with 20 seconds left. Sharon continuously made an effort to get the ball down low, only attempting nine three-pointers all game and making just one.
“All day in practice yesterday we were working on feeding Nate in the post,” Ferguson said. “We thought we had a size advantage there and we could use that. He has been tremendous this year, his physicality is so much better. With Matt [Baur] out (illness) and Jacob not having his best night, we had to rely on Nate. And Dante made a great play in the end too, so relying on those guys with the varsity experience is key right now.”
McConnell sank a free throw to make it a one-possession game but McLoughlin sank two from the line to ice the win.
“I thought their ball pressure really bothered us and prevented us from getting into anything,” said second-year Canton head coach Eric MacKinnon. “We’d draw up a play and couldn’t get to it. Their ball pressure was really good but part of it is on us too. We’re too free-flowing at times. They got a lot of deflections and I thought they were the tougher team.
“During that run, that was the one point it kind of felt like things were going good but we never really got any runs, and didn’t have another one to extend [the lead]. Katznelson is a different type of player to guard and we were struggling a bit with that.”
Katznelson got off to a strong start, helping the hosts establish a lead that they carried throughout the second and third quarters. He started the game off with a traditional three-point play on a feed from McLoughlin and then scored 10 of Sharon’s final 14 points — the Eagles also got buckets from Zach Wise and Ryan Brown in the stretch.
He finished with 13 points and four rebounds in the opening quarter to help the Eagles take a 19-11 lead after eight minutes.
Hicks made a pair of threes in the second quarter and the Bulldogs also got buckets from Ashton Cetoute and Francoeur as they got the deficit down to four, 30-26, at halftime.
“We have to learn from this and grow from these situations, and we will if we do the right things in practice,” MacKinnon said. “I’m hoping we’ll look back and say we got better from it, even though it was a loss. We have to be tougher with the ball, some of our inexperience showed tonight.”
Sharon boys basketball (1-1 Hockomock, 1-1 overall) is on the road at Milford on Tuesday while Canton (1-1, 1-1) travels to Taunton.
North Attleboro, 51 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Canton took the lead early and played from ahead, doing just enough to shake a resilient North Attleboro squad for a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs had different players step up throughout the game with juniors Zaza Francoeur (career-high 18 points) and Jamaal McConnell (17 points in his Bulldog debut) leading the way. Francoeur and McConnell each scored seven points in the second to help the Bulldogs establish a 29-24 lead at halftime. In the third, Caden Mirliani hit a pair of threes while sophomore Anthony Diletizia also scored to keep Canton ahead by five, 40-35, going into the fourth. Senior Matt Chafin and Diletizia each had a three in the fourth, McConnell added four more, and Francoeur (5/6 from the free throw line) helped the Bulldogs close it out with seven more points in the fourth. Ayden Delaney led a balanced scoring effort from North Attleboro with 11 points while Givany Carney and Derek Maceda each had nine points.
Milford, 53 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final – Milford rallied to shrink a 23-point second half deficit down to three with under two minutes to go by Foxboro senior Alex Penders came up with a big bucket and Ryan LeClair forced a key turnover two plays later as the Warriors escaped with a win over the Hawks. Penders finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the charge while LeClair chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Ryan Kelley scored all of his career-high 10 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors build a big lead. The Warriors led 15-12 after a quarter and thanks to a pair of threes from LeClair and seven points from Penders, Foxboro increased its lead to 31-20 at halftime. Kelley’s big third, plus two threes from Penders, saw the lead balloon to as much as 49-26 midway through the third. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera scored half of his 16 points in the fourth to help rally the Scarlet Hawks, who went 13-for-18 from the free throw line, including seven of those makes in the fourth. Freshman CJ Farrell added a career-high 14 points for the Hawks.
Franklin, 55 @ Oliver Ames, 42 – Final – Franklin overcame a slow start to erase a double-digit deficit and pick up a win on the road in Easton. Oliver Ames came to play, racing out to an 18-5 lead after eight minutes with senior Chris Elias (11 points) and sophomore Cole Craffey (14 points) each hitting a three. But the Panthers flipped the switch and dominated the second quarter, holding the hosts to five points while its offense got going with 24 points. Justin Allen, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of threes in the quarter, junior Andrew O’Neill (13 points) added one, and junior Sean O’Leary went off for 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second. Allen, O’Neill, and O’Leary each connected from downtown in the third to keep the Panthers ahead (44-30) going into the fourth.
Taunton, 67 @ Sharon, 63 – Final – Taunton junior Troy Santos exploded for a career-high 44 points to lead the Tigers to a win on the road at Sharon to open the season. The Eagles led after each of the first three quarters but the Tigers continued to rally, especially in the second half, to get the win. Seniors Jack Bates and Dante James each hit a three in the second quarter, Jacob McLoughlin had eight of his 18 points in the first half, and junior Nate Katznelson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Eagles carried a 30-23 lead into the second half. Santos carried the Tigers in the first half, scoring all but four of their 23 points. Santos got some help in the third as Chris Volcy had five points and Chris Perault added eight points but a three-pointer from Bates at the buzzer put Sharon ahead, 44-42, going into the fourth. With just one three-point field goal and two free throws, Santos connected on seven two-pointers to shoulder the load in the fourth as Taunton went up by as much as 10 in the final minutes. Taunton had a 65-55 lead with a minute to go before the Eagles made it interesting as McLoughlin converted a traditional three-point play, James scored off of a steal and then hit a three off another Taunton turnover, this time with under 5 seconds to play. An errant whistle stopped the clock but Taunton used a full court heave to Santos, who finished at the buzzer, to survive.
Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – Ava McKeon scored a game-high 18 points, powering North Attleboro to a season-opening win. McKeon scored 10 points in the first quarter and 15 before halftime to help the Rocketeers jump out to a seven-point lead at the break. Canton cut it to one in the closing minute but North was able to pull out the win. North was 19-of-26 from the line as a team, which helped the Rocketeers hold on, despite having McKeon foul out late in the fourth. North coach Nikki Correia said, “I am so proud of the girls. They played as a team executed the offense and played hard D for four quarters.” Samya DaSilva nearly matched McKeon in the first half, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring nine of her team-high 13 in the first quarter. Sam Sweeney helped North hold off the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring seven of her 15 points in the fourth. Sam Faria chipped in with nine points for the hosts, including 6-of-6 from the line. Jess Wright also reached double digits for Canton, adding 11 points.
Foxboro, 67 @ Milford, 29 – Final – Sophomore center Addie Ruter scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win in the season opener. Kailey Sullivan added 17 points and Camryn Collins scored 14 for the Warriors. Foxboro scored 19 in the opening quarter but then broke the game wide open with an 18-5 second that increased the lead to 22 at the break. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and freshman Ava Baglione scored eight on her varsity basketball debut.
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Franklin was able to hold off a fourth quarter charge by OA to pull out a foul-filled season opener and continue its long win streak in league play. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first and extended the advantage to 14 heading into the final eight minutes. OA rallied, scoring 18 points in the fourth and twice cutting the lead down to as little as seven, but Franklin made enough plays to seal the victory. Katie Peterson battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished as the game’s top scorer with 13 points. Chloe Fales, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each scored 10 points for the Panthers and Bridget Leo added eight. Freshman Kamryn Derba scored a team-high 11 points on her varsity debut for OA. Maeve Horsman added nine points, including seven in the fourth, Annie Reilly had eight points and eight rebounds, and Maddie Homer had seven points and five boards in the loss.
Stoughton, 41 @ King Philip, 64 – Final – KP came alive offensively in the third quarter, outscoring Stoughton 24-7 to break the game wide open. Emily Sawyer scored 12 of her game-high 16 in the third to help the Warriors pull away and seal the season-opening win. Maddie Paschke added 13 points for KP, including seven in the first half. Kylie Watson chipped in with nine and Jordan Bennett and Jackie Bonner each scored seven points for the hosts. Stoughton was able to hang around in the first half with help from Katrina Varnum, who score 10 of her 13 points before the break and added 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, and three blocks. Freshman Kirsten McKay had a big debut for the Black Knights, scoring 10 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Alyssa Edwards added 10 points, eight boards, a block, and four steals, while Raina Tat finished with seven in the loss.
Sharon, 37 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – Cali Melo scored a team-high 17 points, nine in the first half, helping Taunton pick up a win in the season opener and give new coach Gretchen Rodrigues a win on her debut. Taunton held the Eagles to just 11 points in the first half and then held on as Sharon tried to mount a late comeback attempt. Freshman Taryn Campbell added 10 points in her first varsity game (eight in the opening half) and Jillian Doherty chipped in eight points (four in each half). Sharon picked things up offensively after the break, led by Jasmine Davis, who scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Davis added 24 rebounds and three blocks. Rachael Hager (seven rebounds and four steals) added eight of her 11 points after halftime and Eva Poulton contributed seven points and five boards for Sharon.
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Football Non-Playoff
Weymouth, 12 @ Attleboro, 32 – Final 1Q: (A) Brody McKenna 56-yard rush, XP failed; (A) Adrian Rivera 12-yard rush, 2pt failed.
2Q: (A) Matt Harvie 21-yard pass to Cole McKenna, XP failed; (A) M. Harvie 13-yard pass to Jackson Huntington, Nick Fernandes XP good.
3Q: (A) A. Rivera 2-yard rush, N. Fernandes XP good; (W) Delgado 31-yard pass, XP failed.
4Q: (W) Delgado 30-yard pass, 2pt failed.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Somerset-Berkley, 37 – Final
Medway, 0 @ Sharon, 27 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (S) Gabe Korn 25-yard rush, Jace McCarron XP good; (S) Liam Conway 28-yard pass to Anthony Piron, J. McCarron XP good.
3Q: (S) L. Conway 40-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, XP failed.
4Q: (S) G. Korn 13-yard rush, J. McCarron XP good.
Stoughton, 20 @ Hopkinton, 44 – Final
Leominster, 12 @ Taunton, 28 – Final 1Q: (L) Makai Stenson Newton 5-yard rush, XP failed; (T) Jacob Leonard 68-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, Sete Deletoille XP good; (T) J. Leonard 1-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good.
2Q: (T) Malachi Johnson 12-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good; (L) Osiris Lopes 2-yard rush, 2pt rush failed; (T) J. Leonard 46-yard pass to Jose Touron, S. Deletoille XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: No scoring.
Boys Soccer Division 1
#17 Attleboro, 2 @ #16 Hingham, 1 – Final (OT) – Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli scored a late equalizer and then found the back of the net for the game-winner with just a minute left in the first overtime to give the Bombardiers the upset win on the road. Hingham took the lead in the first half but Vecchioli leveled the match with a free kick with 11 minutes to play. Vecchioli’s second goal, just moments before the whistle to end the first overtime, gave the Bombardiers the win. Attleboro awaits the winner of #1 Needham and #32 Barnstable.
#19 Milford, 1 @ #14 Marshfield, 0 – Final – Milford scored the lone goal of the game midway through the first half and its defense played outstanding in a 1-0 upset win over Marshfield. In the 22nd minute, Arthur Tome was played out wide and his service in found the team’s leading scorer Eduardo Santana and he did what he has done all season and punished the opposing defense with a goal. Milford’s defense had one of its best games, limiting Marshfield to just one shot that came off a free kick.
Girls Soccer Division 1
#23 Beverly, 0 @ #10 King Philip, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn and Heidi Lawrence each scored twice to lead the Warriors to a dominating win in the playoff opener. Ella Pisani opened the scoring with a line drive, 40-yard free kick that went just under the bar. That seemed to open the floodgates for KP. Pisani played a nice pass out to the left for Lawrence to run onto. She cut it back across the edge of the box to Dani Lomuscio, who calmly took a couple of touches before firing past the Beverly keeper. Lamothe-Vaughn got into the act when she met Danielle Gresham’s corner at the near post and nodded home. KP quickly made it 4-0 when Lawrence raced past her marker, rounded the keeper, and scored despite the effort of the defender on the line. Lawrence got her second shortly after the break when she ran onto Lomuscio’s first-time ball over the top. Lamothe-Vaughn got her brace off another corner, this time reacting to a loose ball that dropped in the box. Freshman goalie Lauren Obara made her varsity debut midway through the second half and made three saves to preserve the clean sheet.
#34 Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 @ #31 Attleboro, 2 – Final
Field Hockey Division 1
#23 King Philip, 3 @ #10 Natick, 1 – Final – King Philip junior Kelly Holmes scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second quarter and set up a key insurance tally in the fourth to help the Warriors earn an upset on the road over #10 Natick. Leah Santoro put the visitors on the board first with a goal in the first quarter but Natick was able to pull level on a corner with no time left to make it 1-1 after a quarter. Holmes scored the only goal of the second quarter to restore KP’s lead and the Warriors took a 2-1 lead into halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, Holmes had a beautiful cross at the start of the fourth quarter and Mara Boldy buried her chance to make it 3-1. KP head coach Kaitlyn Wilder praised her defense for their strong play while Haley Bright made eight saves in the win.
Division 2
#18 North Attleboro, 2 @ #15 Milton, 3 – Final (OT) – North Attleboro nearly pulled off the upset on the road but Milton rallied for a pair of late goals to tie it and scored the game-winner in overtime to survive and advance. Caroline Folan scored the first goal of the game, finishing off a pass from Ava Spencer at the three minute mark of the second quarter for a 1-0 lead. North kept that advantage until the fourth when Julia Puccio (from Caitlin Vacher) scored just 38 seconds into the quarter to make it 2-0. Milton got on the board with just under five minutes to go and found the equalizer with under a minute to play. Ella Luistro and Ava McKeon had strong games defensively for the Rocketeers while Eman Farid made three saves in net.
Football Non-Playoff
Sharon, 11 @ Norton, 21 – Final 1Q: (S) Jace McCarron 32-yard field goal; (N) Norton 1-yard rush, XP good; (N) Norton 33-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (N) Norton 10-yard rush, XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (S) Liam Conway 31-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, Gabe Korn 2pt rush.
Football
Stoughton, 19 @ Attleboro, 42 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (S) Jared Daughtry 58-yard pass to Tagh Swierzewski, Tommy Silva XP good; (A) Matt Harvie 1-yard rush, Josue Salguero XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (A) Isaiah Miranda punt block recovery, J. Salguero XP good; (A) Aiden Hochwarter 15-yard punt block return, J. Salguero XP good; (A) M. Harvie 26-yard pass to Aidan Pantages, J. Salguero XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 22-yard pass to Victor Belan, XP blocked; (A) M. Harvie 46-yard pass to Cole McKenna, J. Salguero XP good.
4th Quarter: (A) M. Harvie 18-yard pass to A. Pantages, J. Salguero XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 41-yard pass to Alex Huynh, Conversion failed.
North Attleboro, 19 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final 1Q: (F) Mike Marcucella 23-yard pass to Lincoln Moore, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 5-yard pass to Jack Munley, XP good; (NA) Greg Berthiaume 18-yard rush, XP blocked.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (NA) C. Frisoli 3-yard pass to G. Berthiaume, XP failed; (F) M. Marcucella 25-yard pass to Luis Sulham, S. Carpenter XP good.
King Philip, 19 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (KP) Matthew Kelley 25-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: (KP) M. Kelley 42-yard field goal; (M) Evan Cornelius 32-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, Nicholas Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (KP) Will Astorino 1-yard rush, Conversion failed; (KP) Tommy McLeish 13-yard pass to M. Kelley, M. Kelley XP good.
Mansfield, 20 @ Barnstable, 6 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Connor Curtis 6-yard rush, Travis Hennessy XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) C. Curtis 2-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Tommy Smith 25-yard run, XP no good; (B) Targas 5-yard rush, XP no good.
Sharon, 29 vs. Fairhaven, 36 – Final 1Q: (F) Fairhaven 1-yard rush, XP good; (S) Liam Conway 34-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, Jace McCarron XP good.
2Q: (F) Fairhaven 21-yard rush, XP good; (S) L. Conway 9-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, J. McCarron XP good; (F) Fairhaven 13-yard rush, XP good.
3Q: (S) L. Conway 15-yard pass to Anthony Piron, J. McCarron XP good.
4Q: (F) Fairhaven 1-yard rush, XP good; (S) Gabe Korn 9-yard rush, G. Korn 2pt rush; (F) Fairhaven 4-yard rush, 2pt conversion.
Taunton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Saturday, 10/15 at 3:00.
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken recorded a hat trick less than 15 minutes into the game to lead the Tigers to a big win on the road. Milliken finished with five goals on the day and added one assist for OA, who staked a 4-0 lead at halftime. Mike MacAdam, Mike Morais, and Jake Williams each scored once in the win. Ryan Linhares notched two assists while Jason Zalis, Joey Carney, and Andrew Martins each had one assist.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon senior Adam Eastman scored a beautiful goal in the second half to give the Eagles a crucial two points on the road at Canton. Rishi Shetty opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing off a service from Miguel Vasconcelos for the lone tally of the first half. Canton senior Jake McCabe buried the equalizer early in the second half but Eastman’s free kick to the upper 90 proved to be the difference. Rhys Davis anchored an outstanding defensive effort by the Eagles and senior Matt Baur had a strong outing in net.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin turned it up a notch in the second half and exploded for four goals after the break to take a big win on the road and stay two points clear in the Kelley-Rex division title race. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini recorded his first assists to junior Michael Fernandez-Martin for the only goal of the opening half. After the break, Trey Lovell scored a pair of goals — the first assists by Max Tobin and the second by Scagliarini, while Fernandez-Martin grabbed an assist to Wyatt Herndon. Noah Cain (from Josh Dunlop) capped the scoring for the hosts.
Girls Soccer
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Freshman Tatum O’Brien recorded four points to lead the Bombardiers to a big win that pulls them back to .500 on the season. O’Brien opened the scoring in the first half, cutting in from the right wing and firing a left-footed shot into the top corner. A few minutes later, O’Brien doubled the lead cutting in from the opposite win. Jamie Davies made it 3-0 for the hosts before the break, running in behind the Milford defense and poking the ball past the onrushing keeper. Milford kept pressing in the second half. Serena Borges hit the bar with a free kick and Dani Atherton’s run down the right and cross into the middle picked out Ava Baglione but the freshman’s shot slammed back off the bar. The Hawks got on the board and with the same combo, Atherton from the right finding Baglione who took a touch in the six, turned, and scored. Attleboro finished the game with a flurry. O’Brien played a ball into the middle for classmate Jordyn Riley and she clipped a first-time shot over the keeper with the outside of her foot. O’Brien wrapped up her hat trick with a left-footed shot that snuck into the bottom corner.
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Meghan McCann scored the game’s only goal in the final three minutes of the first half and it was enough for the Hornets to split the season series with the Warriors. Alexandra Fernandes assisted on the goal. Olivia Salisbury came through with a save on a Foxboro breakaway late in the second half to preserve the win.
Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – KP had a strong first half but was unable to find a way through Franklin goalie Rachel Welch, who made a series of big saves. The Panthers were able to turn things around a little after the break and scored twice to split the season series and move three points clear of the Warriors in the division. Alli Powderly scored the opening goal for Franklin, finishing an assist from Selene Hammad. Anya Zub headed in a long free kick from Norah Anderson for what turned out to be the game-winner. KP pulled one back with five minutes to play. Mikayala Thompson scored off an assist from Rachel DeFlaminis.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored less than a minute into the second half to double its lead and tacked on two more in the final half hour of play to get a win on the road. Emma Pratt cleaned up a rebound off of a shot from Caroline McKenna to give the visitors the advantage in the 7th minute, a lead the Rocketeers carried into halftime. In the opening minute of the second half, Clara Giuliano converted a cross from Grace Norack to make it 2-0. McKenna then set up Amelia Maier in the 50th minute, and Haley Sinacola capped the scoring by heading in a cross from Sophia Bostock in the 76th minute. Cali Melo, Ava Uhl, and Juliana Matos has strong performances for the Tigers. Goalie Hayleigh Porter made 10 saves in the loss.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – After the Tigers edged the first meeting by a goal, the two teams played out a scoreless draw in the game at Muscato Stadium. The draw ended OA’s 10-game win streak that went back to the season opener at Franklin. Jenna Nelson, Molly Capace, and Sophia Byron all had strong games for the Tigers.
Field Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Norwood, 0 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ Dartmouth, 1 – Final – North staked a one-goal advantage in the opening quarter then scored once in each the third and fourth quarters to earn a 3-1 win on the road over Dartmouth. Sophomore Madison Folan scored off of an assist from older sister Caroline Folan on a corner midway through the first quarter, and that was the only goal from either team in the first half. Caroline Folan set up both of North’s second half strikes, first linking up with Francesca Spencer at 4:35 of the third and then with Julia Puccio at 8:31 of the fourth to make it 3-0. North’s defensive diamond of Ella Luistro, Rory McGinley, Maddie Bailey, and Ava Mckeon kept the net safe and started the Rocketeers’ runs on offense while Ava Spencer, Emily Burnham, and Kelsey Thompson played well in the midfield.
Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 @ Braintree, 1 – Final
Stoughton, 2 @ East Bridgwater, 3 – Final
Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton earned its second win in as many days, this time earning a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-18, 25-12) at home over visiting Taunton. Jess Wright had another strong outing with nine kills, 12 digs, and two aces, Kaitlin Bigham and Fatima Sidibay were strong at the net with a combined five blocks, and Zoe Scibelli ran the defense with 12 digs and three aces.
Outlook: After experiencing some growing pains against a tough schedule last season, the Bulldogs boast a good number of returning players looking to have a bounce-back year in 2022.
Canton has key pieces in key spots on the field and has a total of 22 seniors on the roster. The defense will be filled with veterans including a talented group of linebackers that include seniors Jack Flaherty (captain) and Hayden Rose along with junior captain Owen Lane. While the linebackers are likely to be the heart of the defense, the Bulldogs also have some key experience – and some noticeable size – on the defensive line with seniors Julian Prentice (captain) and Jack Digirolamo. In the secondary, Charlie Cox and Josh Richards will man the safety positions to anchor the secondary unit.
The Bulldogs have a familiar face back at quarterback in Lane, an athletic lefty that can make plays with both his feet and his arm. As just a sophomore a year ago, Lane gained valuable experience and will be looking to build on a solid campaign. He will work behind a somewhat inexperienced line that is anchored by senior captain Matt Lesser at center with Nathan Levis and sophomore Luke Richard at guard, and junior Giovanni Disasio and sophomore Luke Laguerre at tackle. Senior Godson Ofonagoro has transferred in and will be in the mix at running back along with James Robbins, Cole Ouellette, and Michael Sayers.
Canton opens the season on the road at Dighton-Rehoboth but then hosts back-to-back non-league games as the Bulldogs look to build some momentum before their first meeting with Mansfield since 2012.
Outlook:
Foxboro narrowly missed out on a trip to Gillette last year, falling in the Div. 5 state semifinal. The reigning Davenport division champions will have to replace the production of league MVP Dylan Gordon, but the Warriors have a host of younger players ready to step into bigger roles this season and will be excited about adding league title drama to their Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Mansfield.
Even graduating its starting tailback and quarterback, Foxboro will have a lot of depth in the skill positions this season with several underclassmen showing that they are ready to contribute right away. Sophomore Mike Marcucella will take over under center and will have plenty of options in the backfield and at receiver. Junior Lincoln Moore has the strength and quickness to be a dynamic runner along with junior Brandon Mazenkas-O’Grady, senior Jaiquann Williams, and sophomore Ben Angelini. Senior Payton France will be an option at wideout, junior Tony Sulham adds speed wherever he lines up, and sophomore Nolan Gordon will be a big target on the outside. The offensive line is loaded with size this season. Senior Andrew Finn will be the leader of a group that includes junior Nate Urman and sophomore Jonathan Balde. Sam Carpenter is one of the league’s top kickers and gives Foxboro the chance for points every possession.
Defense has always been a focal point for the Warriors and they have plenty of experience returning to be a strong group. As one offense, Foxboro will have plenty of size up front. Finn and Mazenkas-O’Grady are constant threats from the ends with Urman and Balde helping out in the interior. Moore was a standout linebacker as a sophomore and he leads a group that includes Williams and Angelini. Sulham is a lockdown corner and Gordon, Francis, and Marcucella will all add depth in the secondary.
“If the players and coaches are patient and are mindful that you never pick up where you left off, assuming nothing, this can be a good football team, characterized by senior strength and tremendous underclass talent,” said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli.
Outlook:
It usually doesn’t take Mansfield long to rebuild and the Hornets come into the new season with an experienced core of returning players, particularly in the skill positions, that is poised to challenge not only for the program’s first Davenport division title but also to make a deep run in the state tournament. With nearly all of its production back from last year, Mansfield will be counting on that year of experience to be ready for a tough schedule meant to prepare the Hornets for the playoffs.
The Mansfield offense should have plenty of balance to it this season. Senior Conner Zukowski will be back under center for the Hornets and he has a host of weapons to take advantage of in both the passing and ground games. Seniors Drew Sacco and Rocco Scarpellini will be in the backfield this season and both are dynamic runners who can grind yards or break big plays. Juniors Brian Butler and Nolan Bordieri could also be added to the mix. Junior Connor Curtis will give another option as a running QB. Junior Trevor Foley emerged as one of the top receivers in the league last season and junior CJ Bell, Bordieri, and junior Brandon Jackman give the Hornets a lot of depth on the outside, while senior Ryan DeGirolamo gives Zukowski a big target at tight end. The line should also be deep this season, led by seniors Jephte Jean and Colton Johnson and newcomers senior Dexter Harris, and juniors Aidan Gleavy, Matt Tryon, and Jason Riley.
Experience is a strength on the other side of the ball as well. Foley and Bell give Mansfield playmakers in the secondary that will cause havoc with opposition passing attacks. Bordieri and Jackman will add to that defensive back group. Jean was an imposing force on the defensive line and he will be helped by Gleavy and Harris. DeGirolamo gives the Hornets a threat from his defensive end position and Riley could step into that role on the other side. Scarpellini and senior Caden Colby will return at linebacker.
“Depth and experience at offensive skill positions with the return of about 95 percent of the team’s production from last year,” Mansfield head coach Mike Redding said of his team’s strength. “Defensive group is also experienced with the secondary returning three of the four starters and two of the three linebackers, so good experience there as well.”
Outlook: Buoyed by a productive offseason, Oliver Ames is looking to get back into the heart of the division title race this season. The Tigers have a strong nucleus of players back and are hoping a strong line – both offensively and defensively – will pave the way for success this season.
Three of the Tigers’ five captains call the offensive line home so OA will lean heavily on that unit to pave the way for the offense. Columbia University-commit Jaden Hinton has transformed into one of the best two-way linemen in not only the Hock but in the state. He will be joined by fellow captains Chris Young and John Carey, as well as classmate Luis Fernandes. The unit will be in charge of creating holes for four-year starter and captain Chad Silva. After handling lead blocking duties last year, Silva will likely be the feature back for the Tigers and has a great combination of power and speed.
Senior captain Wayne Casey will start under center and will be tasked with controlling the offense. He will work with Robert Jenkins, Jaden Graham, and Bronson Burnham as weapons on offense.
Silva is back for another year at linebacker and is a big-time playmaker on that side of the ball. Seniors Jack Morley and Jordan Young round out an experienced group while Hinton will work with Young, Fernandes, and classmate Donovan Howard along the defensive line. Seniors Jack Perron and Nick Ferrini will play in the secondary alongside Jenkins and Graham.
“I am thrilled about the work our older guys have put in this offseason and really think it should help them pay off,” said OA head coach Ed DeWitt. “We really want to continue to improve week to week and play with more consistency than we did last year.”
Outlook:
Sharon is continuing its independent schedule this fall and, with 13 returning starters, the Eagles will have plenty of experience. Depth continues to be a challenge for the program, but there is room for development, and head coach Dave Morse is hoping that a very young roster will continue to develop this season.
Junior quarterback Liam Conway will lead an offense that is going to try and add more balance this season. Senior Kyle Samuels and junior Jacob McLoughlin will be the primary targets in the passing game. Juniors Gabe Korn and Duncan Seaman will be in the backfield and will give the Eagles a couple of threats in the running game. Senior fullback Joden Chanel will try and lead the way in the running game and senior lineman Dan Davis will be there to open holes.
Defensively, Sharon wants to be more aggressive. Korn and Seaman will lead the linebacking corps and add playmaking on the defensive side of the ball. Davis will be an impact player on the line and Chanel will give Sharon speed on the edge. In the secondary, Samuels will be one of the top cover guys, while junior Elijah Wisdom will be a ball hawk at free safety.
“Hoping to continue to develop and turn that into winning football games,” Morse said. “We are still very young because of the lack of seniors but it is my job to get all of our players up to speed at the varsity level.”
Editor’s note: Sharon is competing a non-league schedule this season.
Outlook: Stoughton finished in the middle of the pack in the Davenport division after an injury-plagued season last year. The Black Knights reached the state tournament and kept it close before falling in the first round, and ended the season with a win over rival Canton on Thanksgiving to finish at 5-6.
Between the graduating seniors and the players returning from injury, there will be plenty of new playmakers for the Black Knights this season. One familiar face will be the one under center as junior Jarred Daughtry is back at quarterback after getting a lot of reps a season ago. Daughtry showed that he can make plays with his arm but he’s very athletic and will be someone opposing defenses have to keep an eye out for.
Running the Wing-T, Daughtry will have senior Tagh Swiezewski and juniors Liam Pearl and Alex Huynh – both of who got off to promising sophomore campaigns before injuries. All three will be involved in blocking and running, and also key pieces in the Stoughton passing game. Junior James Currier has emerged as a top option as a receiver as well.
Stoughton has been known for its tough defenses over the years under longtime head coach Greg Burke, and the Black Knights will be looking to continue that tradition this year. Stoughton gave up over 23 points per game last, which was unusually high for a program that has kept teams under 20 for at least the six seasons prior to that. An athletic secondary will feature Swierziewski, Daughtry, Huynh, and Currier. Timmy Chung returns as one of the starting linebackers alongside Pearl and Beder, while Laz, Noel, and Thomas will all be two-way linemen.
“We need to stay healthy and improve on the line,” said Burke. “We need younger players to play and to improve every week.”
Boys Basketball Division 1
#28 Durfee, 39 @ #5 Franklin, 60 – Final – A 15-0 run to start the game and a dominant third quarter highlighted Franklin’s big win over visiting Durfee. Sophomore Henry DiGiorgio made a splash in his first game back after missing five games to finish the season, scoring seven of his 10 points in the first while senior Sean Vinson (14 points) hit a pair of first quarter threes to set the tone early. Justin Allen, Will Tracey, and Andrew O’Neill each hit a three in the second as Franklin established a 31-19 lead at halftime. In the third, the Panthers poured in 21 points while holding the Hilltoppers to just eight to extend the lead to 52-27. Sophomore Sean O’Leary scored half of his 12 points in the third while DiGiorgio added a three for Franklin, who will host #21 Catholic Memorial next week.
#21 Catholic Memorial, 66 @ #12 Attleboro, 62 – Final
Division 2
#31 Middleboro, 41 @ #2 Mansfield, 72 – Final – After a competitive first quarter, Mansfield held Middleboro to just four points in the second quarter and nine in the third while its offense didn’t skip a beat from start to finish. The Hornets held a slim 18-14 lead after a quarter but while Mansfield’s offense continued at that same pace in the second, Middleboro’s didn’t thanks to a strong defensive effort from the hosts. Sophomore Trevor Foley scored six points in each of the first three quarters and finished with a career-high 20 points. The Hornets had nine players get on the scoring sheet with senior Matt Hyland chipping in with 13 points and junior Chris Hill (a trio of trifectas) adding 11 points. Mansfield will host ##15 Shepherd Hill next week.
#17 Sharon, 66 @ #16 Agawam, 73 – Final – After falling behind early, Sharon rallied to erase most of the deficit but fell just short of the complete comeback. Agawam scored 23 points in the opening quarter with six players contributing to the early advantage. Sharon played the Brownies even in the second, trailing by seven (40-33) at the break. The Eagles, who were without second leading scorer Nate Katznelson, got within one possession (68-65) with just over a minute to go but Agawam closed the game out strong to get the win. Junior Matt Baur led the offense with 19 points while senior Will Hippler scored 15 of his career-high 17 points in the second half to help the Eagles make a game of it. Sophomore Jacob McLoughlin chipped in with 12 points for Sharon.
#24 Foxboro, 70 @ #9 Walpole, 73 – Final – In a rock fight between two evenly matched teams, Foxboro fell just short on the road at Walpole. A back-and-forth clash saw both teams make runs and take turns with the lead, but neither squad led by double digits throughout the game. The Timberwovles threatened to pull away a couple of times, including early in the fourth before Foxboro junior Alex Penders sank back-to-back three pointers to keep the Warriors in it. Junior Andrew Finn drilled a three with under 30 seconds to go to make it a two-point game. After Walpole hit one of two chances from the line, Foxboro’s heavily contested three point bid was to tie the game was off the mark. Senior Dylan Gordon had his way on the offensive end with a team-high 29 points while Penders finished with 26 points for the Warriors.
Girls Basketball Division 1
#27 Braintree, 43 @ #6 Franklin, 69 – Final – The Panthers scored the opening 11 points of the game and never let up, rolling to a big win in the first round. Franklin scored 22 points in the first and 20 int the second, building a 42-21 lead at halftime. The lead grew to 30 points after three. Katie Peterson was Franklin’s top scorer with 17 points, 15 of them coming in the first half. Stefany Padula scored nine (six in the first quarter) and Olivia Quinn and Brigid Earley each scored eight. Julia White chipped in with seven points off the bench for the Panthers. Hailey Sherrick was the game’s top scorer with 22 points for the Wamps, 15 in the second half. Franklin will host No. 11 seed Lincoln-Sudbury in the Sweet Sixteen at a date and time to be determined.
#31 King Philip, 36 @ #2 Wachusett, 54 – Final – KP hung tough with the undefeated Mountaineers through the first half, but the No. 2 seed took control of the game with a big third quarter. The Warriors trailed just 27-23 heading to the locker room, but Wachusett put together a 22-4 third to take control of the game. KP held Wachusett to only five points in the fourth, but was unable to make a serious dent in the deficit. Elizabeth Molla and Jackie Bonner combined for a trio of three-pointers and each scored 11 points to pace the Warriors, while Liv Lafond added eight. KP coach Jeff Miszkiewicz said, “I’m very proud of the way the team conducted themselves in a very tough road environment. They handled themselves with class and left everything they had on the court.”
#26 Mansfield, 37 @ #7 Woburn, 42 – Final – Kara Santos scored 18 points and Abby Wager had 14 but it wasn’t enough to help the Hornets overcome Woburn on the road in the Round of 32.
Division 2
#30 North Middlesex, 36 @ #3 Oliver Ames, 79 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Caroline Peper poured in 30 points, including the 1,000th of her career, to pace the Tigers to a big win over North Middlesex. OA’s offense was clicking early as the Tigers raced out to a 42-21 lead by halftime. Peper drilled a three-pointer on the first play of the fourth quarter to hit the milestone (see video below). Sophomores Jasmyn Cooper (19 points) and Sarah Hilliard (10 points) also played well in the win.
#19 Nashoba, 38 @ #14 Foxboro, 56 – Final – Freshman Kailey Sullivan scored 28 points in her playoff debut, leading the Warriors to first round win. Foxboro advances to the Round of 16 for a rematch with Oliver Ames.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 50 @ Fenway, 43 – Final – Canton saw it’s double-digit halftime lead disappear in the third quarter but the Bulldogs bounced back in the fourth to secure the win on the road. The Bulldogs built a 24-13 lead over the first two quarters of action with senior Dillon Nguyen scoring six of his 11 points in the second and Jacob Solomon and Bahsor Mahn coming off the bench with four points apiece. But Fenway erupted in the third, hitting four threes on the way to 22 points and a 35-31 lead going into the fourth. Canton had its best offensive quarter of the game, outscoring the hosts 19-8 over the final eight minutes to get the win. Matt Chafin and Nate Mei (11 points) each hit a three in the fourth while Lanse Dorcelus scored seven of his team-high 15 points in the frame. Canton hosts Fenway in a rematch on Monday.
North Attleboro, 74 @ Weymouth, 67 – Final (OT) – Senior Brody Rosenberg drained a three and junior Givany Carney had a steal that led to a traditional three-point play in the extra period as North Attleboro earned a hard-fought win on the road at Weymouth. Rosenberg (game-high 28 points) hit a trio of three-pointers in 19-point second quarter for the Rocketeers, who built a 30-21 lead by halftime. Weymouth took advantage of its size advantage in the third to cut the deficit to two (39-37) going into the fourth. After a back-and-forth fourth, Weymouth took the lead with a minute and a half to go but the Rocketeers had a big day at the free throw line (22-for-29), hitting some clutch shots from the line down the stretch, with Rosenberg going 8-for-8 from the line in the fourth. Carney finished with seven of his 17 points in overtime and Casey Poirier added 12 points for North.
Sharon, 89 vs. Ashland, 33 – Final – Sharon opened the game on a 14-0 run and never looked back in a convincing win over Ashland in the opening round of the Davenport Classic. The Eagles found a lot of success attacking the basket with 14 two-point field goals in the first half, and just three of their 10 made three-pointers. Junior Matt Baur scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the first half for the Eagles, who had 11 players factor into the scoring, including 10 from Sam Cohen and nine points apiece from Donyae Pierre and Jacob McLoughlin.
Stoughton, 58 @ North Andover, 72 – Final
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 67 vs. Newton South, 40 – Final – Locked in a 10-point game at halftime, Oliver Ames held Newton South to just four points in the third, doubling its advantage going into the fourth and ran away with the win. Sophomore Jasmyn Cooper had an incredible efficient night, shooting 13-for-18 from the field to finish with a career-high 33 points to pace the Tigers. Sophomore Sarah Hilliard added 11 points while senior Caroline Peper stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Canton, 45 vs. Needham, 29 – Final – Canton had a strong defensive performance and got big games from its three stars to pull out a win against Needham in the first round of the Riley Classic at Westwood High. Fay Gallery, Kiara Cerruti and Sydney Gallery combined for 43 of the team’s 45 points in the win. Fay Gallery led the Bulldogs with 20 points, also pulling down seven rebounds, picking up seven steals, and finishing with three assists. Cerruti had 15 points and seven rebounds and Sydney Gallery chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds against the team that entered the day No. 15 in the D1 power rankings.
Franklin, 48 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 44 – Final – Following its first loss in three years, Franklin bounced back 24 hours later by pulling out a close win against Bridgewater-Raynham. The Panthers got off to a good start, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and jumping out to a nine-point lead, but the Trojans responded with an 18-8 second to lead by one at halftime. In the the third quarter, Stefany Padula and Katie Peterson each scored five points, as Franklin took the third 14-9 and regained the lead. Franklin shot 8-of-12 from the line in the fourth, including 5-of-6 from Peterson, to hold on for the win. Padula knocked down four from beyond the arc and was the top scorer for Franklin with 15 points. Peterson added nine, all in the second half, and Olivia Quinn chipped in with nine as well.
King Philip, 47 @ Hingham, 58 – Final – Playing without its two leading scorers, KP got off to a tough start against the Harborwomen, down 18-9 after the first, but then played largely even for the final three quarters. KP held Hingham to just seven points in the second to cut the lead to three heading to halftime, but Hingham pushed the lead back up to nine after three. Liv Lafond scored 16 points to pace the Warriors, who also got nine points from Jordan Bennett (on three makes from beyond the arc) and six points apiece from Mia Bennett and Kylie Watson.
Sharon sophomore Jacob McLoughlin, who had a team-high 15 points, goes up for a layup in the first half against Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. — Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson is usually preaching for his players to be unselfish, urging them to share the ball and make the extra pass.
But going into Friday night’s clash on the road in Stoughton, Ferguson said the Eagles needed to be selfish.
Not on the court, of course, but rather in terms of the Davenport division title race. Sharon clinched a share of the title on Tuesday, but if the Eagles didn’t grab a win on Friday, there was a chance of sharing the Davenport with potentially Foxboro and/or Oliver Ames.
Fittingly, it was an unselfish performance that resulted in five players scoring in double figures and the Eagles outlasted the Black Knights, emerging with a hard-fought 65-61 to claim sole possession of the Davenport, the program’s first league title since 2014.
“We have been very lucky with some of the results around the league in the games that we have lost, so we didn’t want to leave it up to anyone else tonight, we wanted to take care of it ourselves,” Ferguson said. “And then to do it bouncing back after those first eight minutes, I’m so unbelievably proud of this group. The Davenport beats itself into mediocrity, we are just so evenly matched every night. So to be able to claim ourselves as division champions, it’s got a good ring to it.
“Our fourth quarter, they just didn’t give up. And it was both teams too, neither team gave up. We talked about grinding every single possession, and that’s what that was for the last eight minutes.”
Sophomore Jacob McLoughlin had a team-high 15 points and four assists, sophomore Nate Katznelson added 13 points and four boards, senior Ryan Zunenshine had 12 points and 11 rebounds, senior Donyae Pierre finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and junior Matt Baur (nine rebounds) scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Foxboro and Oliver Ames both did win their games, leaving the chance for a three-way tie as the Eagles and Black Knights ended up as the last game to finish in the league.
After falling behind 16-4 through one quarter of action, the Eagles battled back to make it a one-point game at halftime (26-25) and the two squads were level (38-38) going into the fourth.
The fourth, though it had its share of whistles like the first three quarters, saw the best back-and-forth of the game. There were five lead changes or ties in the opening minutes, and although Sharon led for the final five minutes, the advantage never grew past two possessions and was at one basket for the majority of the frame.
Maybe the biggest swing came just before the three minute mark. After McLoughlin dropped in a runner to make it 51-47, the Eagles nearly had a stop on the other end. Konrad Rogers was able to pounce on the loose ball for Stoughton, got it in the hands of Rayan Sablon (16 points, nine rebounds, four assists), and he found Cashmere Mathurin (10 points, eight rebounds) on a big alley-oop that brought the crowd to their feet.
The home side’s momentum was short-lived. The Knights were caught sinking too far in their 2-3 zone and Katznelson found Baur alone in the corner for a wide-open three.
Rogers answered with two free throws for Stoughton but McLoughlin found some space, got by his man, and finished his shot plus the foul to make it 57-51 with two minutes to go.
Stoughton took advantage of an offense rebound and Sablon kicked it to freshman Matt Greenspoon for a three to cut the deficit in half at 57-54. Out of a timeout, the Eagles got the ball to Zunenshine and he burst past his defender for a layup.
“They played a box-and-one [on Baur] against us last time, we knew they’d want to take him away so we had to have other guys step up, and we have all the confidence in the world in them to do it,” Ferguson said. “Jacob and Nate aren’t playing like sophomores anymore, Ryan stepped up huge for us…every game that came in contributed for us.”
Sharon got a stop and extended the lead to 60-54 on a free throw from McLoughlin. Connor Andrews answered with a tough two, plus the foul, to make it a one-possession game as the clock ticked under a minute to go.
The Eagles missed a pair from the line but Stoughton couldn’t cut into the deficit any further, off on a three and then off on a putback attempt.
Baur made four free throws down the stretch and McLoughlin added another to ice the win.
It was a slow start for both teams, with Sharon holding a meager 2-1 lead through four minutes of action. Stoughton’s offense erupted through and finished with a 15-0 run over the final 3:22. Andrews lone triple of the game helped spark the run, Liam Pearl had a steal and a layup, Sablon added some free throws, and then Pearl beat the buzzer with a putback for a 16-4 lead.
“I thought we missed a few easy baskets earlier in the game that we usually hit, and some late too,” said Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. The Black Knights made just a trio of threes on 21 attempts. “I think it probably had to do with nerves and the excitement of the game, it was a great atmosphere in the gym tonight. But this one felt like it got away from us.”
After Katznelson and Greenspoon traded baskets to start the second, the Eagles’ aggressiveness resulted in a lot of whistles and trips to the line. McLoughlin, Zunenshine, and Pierre cut into the Stoughton lead with free throws and alter in the period, Katznelson drained a three to halve the lead. Katznelson then finished off a steal, Mathurin answered for Stoughton but McLoughlin added a late bucket on a pass from John Baez to make it 26-25 at the half.
“Our second quarter was really good because the first quarter we played poorly and didn’t shoot the ball well,” Ferguson said. “And that bled a little bit into our defense but the second quarter we came back and I thought we played awesome.”
Sharon boys basketball (9-7 Hockomock, 11-7 overall) will close out the regular season with a pair of home games in the Dudley Davenport Tournament, hosting Ashland on Sunday. Stoughton (6-10, 7-10) is on the road for its final three games. The Black Knights are on the edge of the postseason based on the latest ratings but could clinch a spot if they win their final three games, starting with a trip to North Andover on Sunday.
